Credit: Gage Skidmore/Flickr

Jim Inhofe, climate change denier, dies at 89

Former Senator Jim Inhofe, a staunch opponent of climate science, has passed away at 89 after a stroke.

Alex Guillén, Josh Siegel, Annie Snider, and Ben Lefebvre report for Politico.

In short:

Jim Inhofe, a long-serving senator from Oklahoma, died at 89 after a stroke. He was known for his fierce opposition to climate change science.
Inhofe held significant influence over environmental policy, chairing the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
He was a key figure in appointing Trump-era EPA administrators and worked to roll back Obama-era environmental regulations.

Key quote:

“Jim is a climate change denier. He is really, really conservative, but you know what, he is a decent guy and I like him, and he and I are friends.”

— Senator Bernie Sanders, (D) Vermont

Why this matters:

Jim Inhofe's passing marks the end of an era in American politics, but the debates he fueled will undoubtedly persist as the nation and the world strive to address one of the most pressing issues of our time. Read more in Peter Dykstra's essay: Happy birthday, Senator Inhofe!

www.politico.com

Credit: Gage Skidmore/Flickr

Kennedy’s health shake-up agenda could redefine U.S. regulations

President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an outspoken critic of corporate influence in health and environmental policy, as Secretary of Health and Human Services. What could it mean for public health?

Daniel Payne, Chelsea Cirruzzo, Marcia Brown, Brittany Gibson and Annie Snider report for Politico.

Keep reading...Show less

Read the Full Article on

www.politico.com

Senator Whitehouse puts climate change on budget committee’s agenda

For more than a decade, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse gave daily warnings about the mounting threat of climate change. Now he has a powerful new perch.

Jim Inhofe, climate change denier, dies at 89

Kennedy’s health shake-up agenda could redefine U.S. regulations

Hope, unity, and resilience guide climate scientist’s message post-election

Trump’s offshore wind ban pledge faces legal obstacles

U.S. secures private sector support for major nitrous oxide cuts in China

Shell wins appeal but climate lawsuits targeting corporations continue

Wildfires surge across the Northeast, driven by heat and drought

Climate change worsens drought and hunger in southern Africa

LISTEN: Pradnya Garud on the role of unions in climate justice

“They’ve been able to combine forces and really come forward to bring social and environmental change.”

Hydrogen hubs test new federal environmental justice rules

A massive push for hydrogen energy is one of the first test cases of new federal environmental justice initiatives. Communities and advocates so far give the feds a failing grade.

What’s hampering federal environmental justice efforts in the hydrogen hub build-out?

“Organizational change in large bureaucracies takes time.”

Los obstáculos para garantizar la justicia ambiental en los centros de hidrógeno federales

“El cambio organizacional en las grandes burocracias lleva tiempo”.

Los centros de hidrógeno ponen a prueba las nuevas normas federales de justicia ambiental

El impulso masivo a la energía del hidrógeno es la primera prueba de fuego de las nuevas iniciativas federales de justicia medioambiental. Hasta ahora, comunidades y activistas le dan una pésima calificación al gobierno federal.

Donald Trump wins US presidency. What that could mean for the environment.

His first term and recent campaigns signal massive deregulation and a reshaping of agencies.