Rich nations flirt with climate reparations

Your guide to the political forces shaping the energy transformation

Oct 25, 2022 View in browser   By Arianna Skibell Suega Apelu stands in a lagoon in Funafuti, Tuvalu. The low-lying South Pacific island nation has been classified as "extremely vulnerable" to climate change. | Mario Tama/Getty Images The countries that bear the brunt of climate change are also the ones who have done the least to cause it. And they've had enough. Developing countries are calling on rich, energy-intensive nations to start ponying up hundreds of billions of dollars for the disproportionate damage they've caused across borders. This economic model of "loss and damage," as the United Nations refers to it, is expected to take center stage at next month's round of international climate talks in Egypt, writes POLITICO's E&E News reporter Sara Schonhardt . Such climate reparations have been part of the U.N. climate agenda for years, but opposition from the United States and other powerful countries has nipped any serious negotiations in the bud. Not to mention the difficulty of getting the U.S. Congress to approve such large amounts of funding for foreign nations. But pressure is mounting on wealthy countries to pay up as the impacts of climate change become more severe — from devastating floods to deadly wildfires — and frustration at the lack of action builds. The world's top 10 climate polluters — led by China, the United States and the European Union — contribute two-thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions. Reality check : Even if President Joe Biden said, "Great, let's do this," any formal proposal to spend billions from the U.S. treasury on overseas climate reparations would require Congress' blessing. Republicans are expected to gain control of at least one chamber, if not both, in the midterm elections, and, barring some kind of "Freaky Friday" moment, climate reparations are unlikely to draw GOP support. While administration officials say they're willing to discuss payments to poor countries for irreparable climate damages, they have largely focused on reducing global carbon emissions. Still, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry on Tuesday insisted the country is open to finding a middle ground, telling reporters: "We will not be, you know, obstructing." Developing countries argue that the U.N. process must include a distinct financing mechanism for loss and damage if it's serious about addressing climate harms. Some countries have made modest reparations pledges. Scotland and Denmark have committed around $15 million between them to tackle loss and damage at a global level, and finance ministers from the world's most climate-vulnerable countries agreed to work with Germany and other wealthy nations to set up a finance and insurance mechanism to address climate risk.   It's Tuesday — 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: Steven Overly discusses how domestic production of electric vehicles and corresponding tax credits are angering South Korea, and how the Biden administration is responding. This Is Climate Change The brain-eating amoeba lives in warm, fresh water and can enter the body through the nose. | Illustration by Claudine Hellmuth/E&E News You thought fires and floods were scary? The newest climate risk is a brain-eating amoeba. The death of a Nevada boy who contracted the deadly pathogen after swimming in Lake Mead this fall is highlighting how climate change can fuel the spread of usually rare infections, writes Ariel Wittenberg . Power Centers A proposed Alaska liquefied natural gas plant. | Alaska Gasline Development Corp. Tap the gas The Biden administration has signaled its support for a massive liquefied natural gas project in Alaska, touting the energy benefits of a proposal critics have called a terrible idea, writes Carlos Anchondo . The $39 billion project has garnered support from Alaska's governor and Republican senators, but environmental groups worry the fossil fuel project could disrupt biodiversity and exacerbate climate change. Collateral damage An upcoming federal court battle could reset the rules for environmental reviews of major projects like power plants and highways — and determine the fate of a historic Virginia school built to educate Black children during the Jim Crow era, write Niina H. Farah and Lesley Clark . The Army Corps of Engineers is weighing a permit for a "mega landfill" near the school. Critics say the agency needs to further consider the project's health and cultural impacts, but a 2020 Trump-era rule states otherwise. Attention, renters! France will seek to block poorly insulated housing from being listed on short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb, in accordance with the country's new climate laws, writes Laura Kayali . "It is out of the question to allow hiding behind the prohibition to rent [such housing] by transforming residences into furnished touristic accommodation," French Junior Minister Olivier Klein said. in other news Job openings: From wildfires to hurricanes, midwives could play a key role in climate disaster response. The other 'talk': A new book is helping parents have "the climate talk" with their kids.   NEW AND IMPROVED POLITICO APP: Stay up to speed with the newly updated POLITICO mobile app, featuring timely political news, insights and analysis from the best journalists in the business. With a fresh look and improved features, the sleek and navigable design offers a convenient way to access POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Don't miss out on the app you can rely on for the news you need, reimagined. Already a POLITICO app user? Upgrade today! DOWNLOAD FOR iOS – DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID .     Subscriber Zone A showcase of some of our best subscriber content. A FedEx worker pushes a cart stacked with packages in San Francisco, Calif. | Justin Sullivan/Getty Images The push to phase out gasoline-fueled vehicles in California is turning full-speed to trucks, including the biggest ones used to haul cargo to and from other states. China and Russia have joined the European Union, Japan and South Korea in complaining that a new U.S. tax credit for American-made electric vehicles violates global trade rules. Environmental advocates, labor unions and business groups are backing what would be one of the most significant investments in climate action in New York's history. That's it for today, folks! Thanks for reading.   JOIN WOMEN RULE THURSDAY FOR A TALK WITH DEPARTING MEMBERS OF CONGRESS: A historic wave of retirements is hitting Congress, including several prominent Democratic women such as Illinois Rep. Cheri Bustos, House Democrats' former campaign chief. What is driving their departures? Join POLITICO on Oct. 27 for "The Exit Interview," a virtual event that will feature a conversation with departing members where they'll explain why they decided to leave office and what challenges face their parties ahead. REGISTER HERE .       Follow us on Twitter Arianna Skibell @ariannaskibell   Follow us

To change your alert settings, please log in at https://www.politico.com/_login?base=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.politico.com/settings This email was sent to rouf@idiot.cloudns.cc by: POLITICO, LLC 1000 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA, 22209, USA Please click here and follow the steps to unsubscribe.