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

The United States skipped a major round of United Nations climate negotiations in Bonn, Germany this week, leaving other nations and U.S. civil society groups to navigate the talks without the world's largest fossil fuel producer at the table.

Bob Berwyn reports for Inside Climate News.

In short:

The U.S. government chose not to send official delegates to the annual UN climate negotiations in Bonn, marking the first time in 30 years it has been absent from these talks.
A coalition of American cities, states, nonprofits, and faith groups remains active in international climate discussions, aiming to maintain momentum in the absence of federal leadership.
Some negotiators from the Global South see the U.S. absence as a potential opportunity to make progress without what they describe as the influence of a major "blocker and bully."

Key quote:

“What I’m hearing is folks from the Global South are upset, and rightfully so. And they’re also saying, ‘Hey, the biggest blocker and the biggest bully isn’t in the room. Let’s see what we can get done while they’re not here.’"

— Analyah Schlaeger dos Santos, co-chair of the international policy committee of the U.S. Climate Action Network

Why this matters:

The United States plays an outsized role in the global climate crisis, emitting roughly 11% of the world’s greenhouse gases and continuing to expand fossil fuel production. Its absence from this week’s UN climate talks deepens questions about the viability of global climate diplomacy at a time when coordinated international action is needed to meet emissions targets. While local governments and civil society groups are stepping in, the lack of federal involvement removes one of the most powerful actors from the negotiation table. For nations already facing climate disruption, especially in the Global South, U.S. disengagement represents not just a diplomatic gap, but a moral one, given its historic responsibility for warming the planet.

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California mining company turns to solar heat but can’t quit coal just yet

In California’s Mojave Desert, a mining plant is turning to solar thermal energy to replace one of its coal-fired generators, but a second unit may run for years due to the intense heat and 24-hour power it needs.

Ivan Penn reports for The New York Times.

In short:

Searles Valley Minerals, a mining company in Trona, Calif., is replacing one of its two coal plants with a solar thermal system but says the other may need to stay online for the foreseeable future due to operational demands.
The company will use a concentrating solar power system from start-up GlassPoint, which uses mirrors to generate high heat, a solution that works well in hot, sunny areas but requires a large land footprint and remains rare in the U.S.
Despite California’s push to phase out coal and President Trump’s efforts to revive it, economic and geographic constraints continue to complicate full industrial transitions away from fossil fuels.

Key quote:

“We just think coal is going to be a problem. We’re going to have a hard time sourcing it. We need to be ready to pivot.”

— Dennis Cruise, president of Searles Valley Minerals

Why this matters:

Industrial heat — the kind used in mining, chemical production, and heavy manufacturing — accounts for about half of global energy use, yet it’s rarely mentioned in public climate debates. Unlike home heating or car travel, generating this level of heat without fossil fuels is still tough. Most renewable energy technologies don’t deliver the extreme, continuous heat these facilities need. That leaves industries like the one in Trona stuck with coal, even as it becomes harder to source and politically unpopular. As the U.S. attempts to decarbonize, industrial energy needs present one of the biggest hurdles.

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