Becca Edwards

God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise As State Wades into Adaptation, Texas Needs a Proactive Climate Mitigation Plan

As states adapt to climate impacts by funding infrastructure resilience, they should also consider mitigation as a long-term strategy.

Somos El Barco COP President, Delegates Call for Expanded Multilateralism

Constituencies call for expanded, holistic just transition at #COP30
texasimpact.substack.com/p/somos-el-b...

We may have to take climate risks into our own hands now Why DIY disaster prep matters more than ever.

Why DIY disaster prep matters more than ever www.motherjones.com/environment/...

As we close out this devastating holiday weekend with the flooding in Texas still weighing heavily on mine (and everyone else's) hearts & minds...a step back to remember that extreme weather is how we experience climate change.

Conversation & communication are a solution.

Texas lawmakers failed to pass a bill to improve local flood warning systems this year A GOP state lawmaker who represents Kerr County says he likely would vote differently now on House Bill 13, which would have established a grant program for counties to build new emergency communicati...

After Texas failed to pass a bill to improve flood warning systems, a Kerr County lawmaker says he likely would vote differently now on House Bill 13, which aimed to establish a grant program for counties to build new emergency communication infrastructure.
bit.ly/44xMjyr

Energy Submission Too many in Washington seem resigned to China’s electro-dominance. It’s a terrible mistake.

Too many in Washington seem resigned to China’s electro-dominance. It’s a terrible mistake.
www.douglewin.com/p/energy-su...

Cuts have consequences, illustrated. As seen on TV 📺

Rain!

This meeting was a great multidisciplinary look at climate change in Texas. I am looking forward to next year!

Funding ‘lapse’ cuts Southern Regional Climate Center at Texas A&M KXAN Chief Meteorologist Nick Bannin interviewed the SRCC’s director and Texas’ state climatologist John Nielson-Gammon about the cuts.

See the full interview with John Nielsen-Gammon in the video at the top of this story.
www.kxan.com/weather/weat...

Environment Texas condemns Senate passage of anti-renewable energy legislation

The TX Senate voted 22-9 for anti renewable energy bill. Democrats Chuy Hinojosa and Borris Miles joined w all Republicans in voting for it. environmentamerica.org/texas/media-...

A new battery record in ERCOT! 5,970 megawatts. Beat the old one by nearly 400 megawatts. This is great for the Texas grid & for consumers. It's a fully dispatchable, flexible resource ready to go during times of scarcity. Batteries are changing the grid for the better.

Heavy downpours are becoming more intense in the United States as climate change supercharges the water cycle.

@kxan.com notes Austin, Texas ranks 94th (out of 144) on the list of an increase in rain intensity of 10% or higher.

More ➡️ www.kxan.com/weather/weat...

Your occasional reminder that more extreme rain events is one of the oldest predictions of climate science.

Senate Committee Says Batteries Aren't Dispatchable: Grid Roundup #44 Senate B&C Committee advances bill that would severely restrict power development and economy; resistance heat bill filed; backup power workshop next week; Chairman King's wildfire bills to be heard.

The Senate Business & Commerce Committee passed a requirement for 50% of new generation to be dispatchable but excluded batteries. Due to gas turbine supply chain constraints, SB 388 would significantly slow Texas economic growth and raise costs.
www.douglewin.com/p/senate-co...

The Senate will pass SB 388 out of committee this AM. It will exclude batteries from the definition of dispatchable generation; 50% of new generation will have to be gas but turbines aren't available until 2030. This bill would bring Texas economic growth to a screeching halt.

With Texas facing soaring electricity demand, the politics of energy quietly shift at the Capitol The Legislature has tried to clamp down on renewable energy resources in the past, but many lawmakers are recognizing the need to support all types of generation to meet record demand growth.

The Legislature has tried to clamp down on renewable energy resources in the past, but many lawmakers are recognizing the need to support all types of generation to meet record demand growth.

To the surprise of no one in Texas rn, wind power hit a record last night at 28,470 megawatts. (It's *very* windy here today.) Another day of nearly 75% of demand met by renewables and 85% emission free.

80% of major U.S. power outages (1K+) from 2000–2023 were caused by extreme weather. These disruptions affect water, food & healthcare access.

@noaa.gov's helpful data shows how climate change impacts our power grid and what you can do to prepare

⚡ www.climatecentral.org/climate-matt...

Well done, Science Moms!

A Time for Choosing Private property rights or an expansion of "the police power of the state?" Energy abundance or scarcity? The Legislature has some big choices ahead.

Private property rights or an expansion of "the police power of the state?" Energy abundance or scarcity? The Legislature has some big choices ahead.
www.douglewin.com/p/a-time-fo...

Is anyone else having trouble accessing the NOAA webpage today?

Yes, Climate Change is Raising the Risks—and Stakes—of Extreme Wildfires Rising temperatures, parched forests, and shifting precipitation patterns are fueling severe wildfires with unprecedented impacts. There is still time to act.

Climate change is creating warmer, drier conditions that cause fire seasons in some regions like western North America to last longer and be more active. Read more:

The horrifying L.A. wildfires are being fueled by the worst conditions January has ever seen Southern California is experiencing a midwinter drought at the same time as dangerous Santa Ana winds, leading to a wildfire in the Pacific Palisades.

In the 3hrs since I wrote this article, did kid pickup, made dinner, had a phone call — an entire neighborhood burned down and people were abandoning their cars and running for their lives and bulldozers were pushing through cars to make space for the fire trucks

www.fastcompany.com/91256483/the...

South Texas coal-fired power plant to switch to clean energy after receiving more than $1 billion in federal money San Miguel Electric Cooperative's plan to turn into a solar and battery plant will leave only 14 coal-fired power plants in the state.

South Texas coal-fired power plant to switch to clean energy after receiving more than $1 billion in federal money. www.texastribune.org/2024/12/20/t...

FACT SHEET: President Biden Sets 2035 Climate Target Aimed at Creating Good-Paying Union Jobs, Reducing Costs for All Americans, and Securing U.S. Leadership in the Clean Energy Economy of the Future ... The U.S. Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) is an economy-wide, all greenhouse gas target of reducing net emissions by 61-66 percent below 2005

US releases new NDCs: 61-66 percent reduction in 2035 from 2005 levels in economy-wide net greenhouse gas emissions.

Growing oil industry support for methane reduction rule could help it survive Trump’s return Texas regulators are taking public comment about how they should implement an EPA rule to reduce methane leaks from the oil and gas industry.

Cleaning up methane emissions is common sense.

Earth’s desertification emergency: Around 78% land became permanently drier between 1990 and 2020 Scientists have raised alarms over the widespread increase in dry areas across the globe, warning that 77.6 per cent of the Earth’s land likely became permanent

Increasing aridity means loss of GDP, wildfires, habitat loss, food security. From the article: "The drier climates, now affecting vast lands across the globe, will not return to how they were and this change is redefining life on Earth,” Ibrahim Thiaw, UNCCD executive secretary, said.

As temperatures climb, Texas must mitigate methane emissions Commentary: Methane is a major contributor to rising temperatures and poor air quality.

Methane mitigation: critical for the climate, air quality, public health... and it is within reach