Already the most common natural disaster in the United States, climate-related flooding is increasing, even where floods previously were rare.
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REPORT: Green lending programs offer financial incentives for energy-efficient developments
By Keely Felton, CEA, CMVP. Major “green" lending programs help to offset the costs of such sustainable and energy-efficient...
Industry News
Solar power investment set to surpass oil production spending this year
Investors will pour more money into solar power than in oil production this year for the first time, signaling the scale and speed of the transition to low-carbon sources of energy.
Incredible shrinking lakes: Humans, climate change, diversion costs trillions of gallons annually
Climate change ’s hotter temperatures and society’s diversion of water have been shrinking the world’s lakes by trillions of gallons of water a year since the early 1990s, a new study finds.
NYC is sinking under the weight of its buildings, geologists warn
New geological research warns that the weight of New York City’s skyscrapers is actually causing the Big Apple — whose more than 1 million buildings weigh nearly 1.7 trillion pounds — to sink lower into its surrounding bodies of water.
Fires, Floods, and Loans: How Banks Can Deal with Increasing Climate Risks
Climate-related perils are on the rise—both threatening banks’ loan portfolios and offering new business opportunities.
Global clean energy investing tops US$1 trillion for first time ever
Despite the record global investment in clean energy, a new IEA report found global emissions rose to record highs in 2022.
‘We’re going after’ PFAS exposure, Biden tells firefighters
President Joe Biden wants to limit the risks firefighters face from exposure to toxic chemicals in their gear and from wildfires fueled by climate change, he said Monday.
Insurance’s reinvention – how climate risk is forcing change
When it comes to climate impacts, the frontline of the finance industry is insurance. Last year’s payout from damages caused by extreme-weather events totalled US$120 billion—about the same as the economic output of Kenya.
Six Environmental Justice Policy Fights to Watch in 2023
These are the issues competing for priority this year as $60 billion earmarked in the Inflation Reduction Act for environmental justice efforts begins to flow into U.S. communities.
Extreme weather, fueled by climate change, cost the U.S. $165 billion in 2022
A town-flattening hurricane in Florida. Catastrophic flooding in eastern Kentucky. Crippling heatwaves in the Northeast and West. A historic megadrought.
Building a greener future begins with buildings
Turning sustainability ambition into action begins with buildings. The built environment is the single largest emitter of carbon, ahead of even transportation and agriculture.
There were some big climate policy moves in 2022. What’s on tap for the new year?
When it came to climate change, 2022 offered some reasonably good news and some pretty alarming bad news.
Are we in the Anthropocene? Geologists could define new epoch for Earth
Researchers have zeroed in on nine sites that could describe a new geological time, marked by pollution and other signs of human activity.
CRE Could See New Funding From $4.2B Environmental Bonds Act
Earlier this month, roughly 68% of voters in New York voted to approve a ballot measure that will allocate billions of dollars for climate spending.
U.S. Launches Nature Based Solutions Strategy to Fight Climate Change
The Biden administration announced the release of its Nature-Based Solutions Roadmap, with recommended actions including updating policies and unlocking funding to increase the deployment of nature-based solutions to address climate change.
NJDEP Proposes Significant Changes to Inland Flood Hazard Area Regulations
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has announced that it will propose an Inland Flood Protection Rule to revise its flood hazard and stormwater management rules in an effort to mitigate the impacts of increased flooding and...
EU Proposes Rules Requiring All New Buildings to be Zero Emission by 2030
The European Council announced today that its member states have agreed on stricter energy performance rules aimed at decarbonizing buildings as part of “Fit for 55,” the EU initiative to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 55% by 2030, compared to 1990...
Rethinking How We Measure Companies on Social and Environmental Impact
A new framework offers a broader, more effective approach to assessing both the internal and external aspects of a company’s social and sustainability performance.
The $369bn Climate Deal: America’s Path to Climate Resilience
Two weeks after Sen. Joe Manchin tanked the downsized Build Back Better package, Senate Democrats on July 27, 2022 released the proposed Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “Act” or IRA).
Good Corporate Citizenship And Liability In An Era Of Climate Change And Environmental Justice
The Biden administration brought a much sharper focus and prioritization to issues of climate change and environmental justice, which presents significant implications for environmental permitting...
Canada’s new climate plan ‘most detailed and transparent’ yet, enviro orgs say
Canada’s new climate plan is the most comprehensive and detailed so far, and despite some shortcomings, many Canadian environmental organizations say it is an important step in the right direction.