Environmental Politics

"The White House is touting Banga’s experience with financial inclusion and climate change".

"The Biden administration on Thursday nominated Ajay Banga, a former Mastercard executive who is now vice chairman at the private equity firm General Atlantic, to be the next president of the World Bank.

Banga is still subject to a months-long confirmation process before the bank’s board reaches a final decision. As the bank’s largest shareholder, the United States has typically chosen its leader, although other countries could still put forward nominations of their own.

"Adjusting for inflation, the budget for the EPA’s main enforcement and compliance programs hit an 11-year low in fiscal 2022, sinking below levels set during the Trump era, according to a new independent analysis."

"A new wind energy lease sale plan released Wednesday by the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management slashes the Gulf’s offshore wind energy development areas by two-thirds, potentially reducing the amount of jobs and clean energy the region’s leaders had hoped wind farms would generate in the coming years."

"Long before this month’s fiery derailment, railroad industry leaders battled regulations meant to boost freight train safety, including plans to bolster some of the very same tank cars that ruptured and released chemicals in eastern Ohio."

"Donald Trump’s record of rolling back environmental protections was highlighted by critics on Wednesday as the ex-president visited the town of East Palestine, Ohio, and called the federal response to the toxic train derailment there earlier this month a “betrayal”.

"He installed solar panels on the White House. He urged Americans to turn down their thermostats while sporting a sweater. And he pressured Congress into putting tens of millions of acres in Alaska off limits to development."

"The president adds climate champions Lael Brainard as his top economic adviser and Richard Revesz as his regulations chief."

"Gas companies say their clean energy claims are backed by science. They fail to mention the science is fossil fuel funded."

"Former President Donald Trump is slated to visit East Palestine, Ohio, on Wednesday as the 2024 presidential candidate and others intensify their criticism of the Biden administration’s response to the environmental disaster caused by a derailed train."

"The Environmental Protection Agency will take control of the response to the Ohio train derailment and order rail company Norfolk Southern to clean up the contamination, the agency said Tuesday, the Biden administration’s strongest response yet to the disaster."