Solar panels appear in foreground, with electricity transmission lines and wind turbines in background.

Credit: adrian825/BigStock Photo ID: 167334185

Europe moves ahead with renewables as the U.S. doubles down on fossil fuels

Europe has hit a record 47% of electricity from solar and renewables, highlighting a growing divide with the U.S., where fossil fuels remain dominant under Trump-era policies.

Sibi Arasu reports for the Associated Press.

In short:

Europe now generates nearly half its electricity from renewables, driven by policies like the European Green Deal and a push for climate neutrality by 2050.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine accelerated the shift away from gas, saving Europe $61 billion in fossil fuel imports since 2019.
Clean energy progress contrasts sharply with U.S. policies under Trump, including halted wind leases and revived fossil fuel expansion.

Key quote:

“Fossil fuels are losing their grip on EU energy.”

— Chris Rosslowe, energy expert at Ember

Why this matters:

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine acted like a wake-up call for Europe, forcing countries to ditch gas and embrace homegrown energy solutions. The payoff? A jaw-dropping $61 billion saved on fossil fuel imports in just a few years. While Europe is setting a roadmap to climate neutrality by 2050, the U.S. risks falling behind, missing the chance to lead in a world where clean energy isn’t just the future—it’s the present. Read more: The real scam — rail against renewables, run away with factories.

apnews.com

Smoke billows from an industrial chimney at sunset near several homes.

Credit: Tanner Messenger/Unsplash

Judge rules EPA overstepped in cutting pollution grants

A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from canceling $600 million in environmental justice grants aimed at helping underserved communities reduce pollution.

Rachel Frazin reports forThe Hill.

In short:

The grants stem from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which set aside $3 billion for environmental justice programs.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under President Biden had planned to distribute the $600 million through regional groups, which would fund local efforts, before the Trump EPA terminated the grants earlier this year.
Judge Adam Abelson ruled the EPA's cancellation exceeded its authority “precisely because they are ‘environmental justice’ programs."

Key quote:
The move included a “lack of any reasoned decision-making, or reasoned explanation.”

— Judge Adam Abelson, U.S. District Court

Why this matters:
Underserved communities often face the greatest environmental health risks and climate impacts. These grants were designed to help local groups respond to long-standing environmental harms and health risks, and canceling them would have cut off vital support just as cleanup efforts were beginning to gain traction. The Trump administration has also attempted to cancel a similar $20 billion program that would fund climate-friendly projects.

Read the Full Article on

www.ehn.org

Europe moves ahead with renewables as the U.S. doubles down on fossil fuels

World climate talks resume without U.S. as global negotiators assess new path forward

Judge rules EPA overstepped in cutting pollution grants

Senate Republicans move to cut clean energy tax credits despite bipartisan benefits

Brazil moves to auction vast oil blocks despite climate and Indigenous concerns

New research links stalled jet stream to rising summer weather extremes

How agribusiness lobbying boosts corporate control over food and climate policy

Steelmaker retreats from clean energy plans as hydrogen costs and politics shift

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Pennsylvania health advocates say Trump’s first 100 days in office have caused “100 harms” to local communities

“They're terrorizing these scientists because they want to keep them silent.”

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.