Discourse for all interested in all things air-quality related
Alan Kandel 
“COP28 has delivered, for the first time at climate talks, a clear call on countries to transition away from fossil fuels. The deal is not perfect, but one thing is clear: the world is no longer denying our harmful addiction to fossil fuels. Now we move beyond bargaining to action. As the Secretary-General has said, the phase-out of … Read more
DUBAI – California officially kicked off a new international climate initiative that creates a partnership of subnational governments that are committed to reducing methane today [Dec. 3, 2023] at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) hosted in Dubai. The effort, which was initially announced in September during Climate Week, has expanded to 15 signatories, which … Read more
Stockholm, 8 November 2023 – A major new report published today finds that governments plan to produce around 110% more fossil fuels in 2030 than would be consistent with limiting warming to 1.5°C, and 69% more than would be consistent with 2°C. This comes despite 151 national governments having pledged to achieve net-zero emissions and the latest forecasts which suggest global coal, … Read more
Editor’s note: The below article was originally published at The Railroad Enthusiast. Americans have this love-hate relationship with trains. The evidence is both clear and undeniable. To High… Prior to its introduction in mid-to-late 1820s America, back then the train was as foreign a concept to its citizens as the New World was to Europe’s first … Read more
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today [Nov. 6, 2023] announced it has awarded $16.4 billion for 25 passenger rail projects along the Northeast Corridor (NEC), a railroad line running between Boston and Washington, D.C. This particular line is one of the highest volume passenger rail corridors in the … Read more
OLYMPIA, Wash. — Today [Nov. 2, 2023], the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) issued a statement outlining Washington’s intent to pursue linking its cap-and-invest program with the joint cap-and-trade system operated in California and Quebec. This decision is an important milestone in the linkage process, which, if also pursued by California and Quebec, would lead … Read more
The UN Climate Panel’s latest best estimate is that global warming will end once we reach net zero CO2 emissions – but a study in Frontiers in Science warns significant warming could still occur. Researchers including those from Imperial College London and University of Exeter assess factors controlling global temperatures post ‘net zero’ and offer … Read more
Washington, DC – Today, the White House released the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) that shows the climate crisis is upon us and impacting every community and person across the country. Since the NCA4 in 2018, improvements in scientific research have made even clearer the impact of our greenhouse gas emissions on global warming and the … Read more
MARTINEZ, Calif.— The Contra Costa County Superior Court today [Oct. 12, 2023] ordered Phillips 66 to halt its plan to operate a biofuel refinery in Rodeo, California. The court put the Bay Area megaproject on hold until the county fully complies with environmental review requirements that it violated when first approving the project. Communities for … Read more
Here’s another Biden/Harris win about which you probably haven’t heard much…as reported in the latest issue of Progressive Railroading: The Federal Railroad Administration last month announced 70 winners of $1.4 billion in fiscal-year 2022 Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program grants. The funds for rail projects in 35 states will help address long-standing rail infrastructure … Read more