Senate delivers some rare climate unity

Presented by National Clean Energy Week: Your guide to the political forces shaping the energy transformation

Sep 21, 2022 View in browser   By Arianna Skibell Presented by National Clean Energy Week Senators agreed to a treaty that would clean up superpolluting chemicals used in air conditioners and refrigerators. The Senate pushed a major climate treaty over the finish line today — with support from Republican lawmakers and the manufacturing industry. Now there's a sentence you may not have seen coming. But the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol has garnered bipartisan support since the United States helped broker the agreement in 2016, writes POLITICO's E&E News reporter Jean Chemnick. That's in part because U.S. manufacturers have spent years turning the treaty into a lucrative business opportunity. The Kigali Amendment aims to phase out a class of superpolluting chemicals used in air conditioners and refrigerators, and American companies now hold patents to the products that the world will use to replace them. The U.S. industry had much to lose if the treaty failed to win approval. This is the kind of wide-ranging political and business alliance that has so far eluded the larger fight against climate change. The original Montreal Protocol, finalized in 1987, is another noteworthy success story. It countered a threat to the Earth's protective ozone layer by curbing use of one class of air conditioning and refrigerant chemicals. But the type of chemicals manufacturers used as a replacement — called hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs — turned out to be some of the most potent greenhouse gases out there. The Kigali Amendment aims to phase out production and consumption of HFCs worldwide, and according to the Environmental Protection Agency, that could limit atmospheric warming by a half-degree Celsius. In a world on track to warm by more than 2 degrees Celsius — which would lead to some catastrophic impacts — half a degree makes a significant difference. More than 130 countries signed on to the amendment, which was inked in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2016. The United States helped broker the agreement but never ratified it until today — despite its bipartisan support. Still, the U.S. has taken steps to comply with its provisions. Congress passed a law in 2020 that gave EPA the authority to phase out HFC production over 15 years. China and India, countries responsible for the bulk of HFC emissions, also adopted ambitious plans to reduce use of the compounds. But the global commitment to dispense with HFCs has not necessarily translated into actual reductions. A 2020 study published in the journal Nature Communications found that despite the Kigali Amendment, emissions have actually increased. In 2018, they were higher than at any point in history. The researchers concluded there must be substantial unreported production.   It's Wednesday — thank you for tuning in to POLITICO's Power Switch. I'm your host, Arianna Skibell.  Power Switch is brought to you by the journalists behind E&E News and POLITICO Energy. Send your tips, comments, questions to askibell@eenews.net. Listen to today's POLITICO Energy podcast Today in POLITICO Energy's podcast: Annie Snider breaks down the strategies that environmental justice advocacy groups are considering in the wake of the Jackson, Miss., water crisis. Picture this Global Registry of Fossil Fuels/Screenshot The Global Registry of Fossil Fuels launched this week, coinciding with climate talks at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. It is the first public accessible database of the world's fossil fuel production, reserves and emissions. The registry includes data from over 50,000 oil, gas and coal fields in 89 countries. It covers 75 percent of global reserves, production and emissions.   A message from National Clean Energy Week: Save the date for the 6th annual National Clean Energy Week (NCEW), September 26-30! NCEW celebrates the policies, industries, and innovations that power our daily lives while reducing emissions. Ready to join the national clean energy conversation? REGISTER for the VIRTUAL Policy Makers Symposium on September 27-29! Join us to hear from legislators, industry leaders, and clean energy advocates alike! Thanks to NCEW sponsors, registration is 100% FREE for all attendees! Register for FREE here.   Power Centers Hertz plans to deploy electric vehicles from General Motors. | General Motors The Hertz wager Car rental company Hertz said it will buy up to 175,000 electric vehicles from General Motors — its largest investment yet, writes David Ferris. The company made waves last year after it said it would buy 100,000 Teslas shortly after emerging from bankruptcy. The company has been slow to follow through on that commitment. Heat aggression Two new studies have found that as temperatures rise, so does human anger and aggression, writes Chelsea Harvey. The research marks the latest in a growing collection of literature linking extreme heat to changes in human temperament and behavior. Capping costs The U.K. will cap energy costs for businesses at less than half the anticipated wholesale price in its latest bid to shield the economy from the unfolding energy crisis, writes Charlie Cooper. A similar support package for domestic consumers was announced earlier this month. In Other News Two men rescue a dog from floodwaters after Hurricane Matthew tore through North Carolina. | Sean Rayford/Getty Images Adaptation: America's oldest Black town in North Carolina is trapped between rebuilding and retreating after devastating hurricanes and floods. Droughts, heat and fire: the future of wine in the climate crisis. Question Corner The science, policy and politics driving the energy transition can feel miles away. But we're all affected on an individual and communal level — from hotter days and higher gas prices to home insurance rates and food supply. Want to know more? Send me your questions and I'll get you answers.   A message from National Clean Energy Week:   Subscriber Zone A showcase of some of our best subscriber content. Tesla battery units in California. | Pacific Gas and Electric Co. A Tesla grid battery fire shut down a major California highway, highlighting a key challenge for electric vehicle and grid batteries. The U.S. decided against restricting imports of rare earth magnets from China that are used in electric vehicles, wind turbines and other tech and defense applications. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres says the companies most to blame for global warming should be taxed to help pay for the damage. That's it for today, folks! Thanks for reading.   A message from National Clean Energy Week: Are you ready to join the national clean energy conversation? Save the date for the 6th annual National Clean Energy Week (NCEW), September 26-30 and REGISTER for the VIRTUAL Policy Makers Symposium on September 27-29! Tune in to hear from legislators, industry leaders, and clean energy advocates like YOU— thanks to NCEW sponsors, registration is 100% completely FREE for all attendees! NCEW is a weeklong celebration of the policies, industries, and innovations that power our daily lives while reducing emissions. Join us to recognize what an all-of-the-above clean energy future can bring: American energy independence, economic prosperity, & a healthier climate. Register for FREE here.     Follow us on Twitter Arianna Skibell @ariannaskibell   Follow us

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