Burnt building with charred debris in the foreground.

California considers taxing energy companies to fund climate disaster costs

As wildfires continue to rage in Los Angeles, advocates are urging California to adopt a "climate superfund" law requiring fossil fuel companies to pay for climate-related damages, following similar laws in New York and Vermont.

Karen Zraick reports for The New York Times.


In short:

  • New York and Vermont passed "climate superfund" laws requiring energy companies to pay for climate-related damages, but these laws face legal challenges from the oil industry.
  • California may revisit a similar bill, as taxpayers currently bear the full cost of wildfires and other climate disasters.
  • These laws rely on "attribution science," which connects climate damages to specific companies’ emissions.

Key quote:

“Taxpayers are shouldering 100 percent of the burden of climate-fueled disasters.”

— Kassie Siegel, director of the Climate Law Institute at the Center for Biological Diversity

Why this matters:

Rising climate costs from disasters like wildfires are straining public resources. Shifting financial responsibility to fossil fuel companies could relieve taxpayers and create incentives to reduce emissions. Legal battles will determine whether these efforts succeed.

Read more: Americans pay a steep price for weather disasters

three windmills on top of a hill with blue sky and clouds behind.

Trump administration redirects clean energy funds in defiance of Congress

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is cutting funding for wind, solar, and electric vehicles despite a signed federal budget that preserved those levels, prompting accusations of unlawful spending violations.

Zack Colman reports for POLITICO.

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Sign saying Break Free from Fossil Fuels on a street.

Burning fossil fuels linked to 1,500 deaths in Europe’s latest heat wave

A new analysis directly attributes about 1,500 deaths in 12 European cities last week to the intensifying effects of climate change caused by fossil fuel emissions.

Seth Borenstein reports for The Associated Press.

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Blue European Union flags flying in front of a building.

Far-right group takes lead in EU climate talks, raising doubts over 2040 emissions goal

The far-right Patriots for Europe bloc will lead the European Parliament’s negotiations on the EU’s proposed 2040 climate target, placing a group hostile to existing climate policies at the center of the talks.

Kate Abnett reports for Reuters.

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Wind turbine, solar panels and nuclear cooling towers with a blue sky in background.
Credit: jaroslavav/BigStock Photo ID: 83377346

Solar is no longer alternative energy—it's the new default

Around the globe, solar power is scaling up at a breakneck pace, reshaping energy systems, economies, and even geopolitics.

Bill McKibben reports for The New Yorker.

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A power plant with a wind turbine in the foreground.

Shanxi province faces difficult path away from coal as China pushes clean energy

China’s top coal-producing region, Shanxi, is struggling to pivot from its fossil-fueled past to a cleaner economic future, as the country races to meet ambitious carbon targets by 2060.

Amy Hawkins reports for The Guardian.

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A flooded park alongside a river with submerged trees.

Texas growth and lax rules put more homes in harm’s way from flood disasters

As deadly floods strike Central Texas, experts say outdated maps, weak regulations, and rapid development are funneling millions of Texans into flood-prone areas with few safeguards.

Joshua Fechter and Paul Cobler report for The Texas Tribune.

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Rural hills under dark storm clouds during daytime.

Trump administration moves to shut down critical storm research lab in Oklahoma

The Trump administration has proposed closing more than two dozen federally funded meteorological labs, including Oklahoma’s National Severe Storms Laboratory, sparking bipartisan concern over public safety and economic consequences.

Emily Kennard reports for NOTUS.

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Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

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“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

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New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

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