As the White House slows down fossil fuel development on public lands and offshore, it's ramping up renewable energy with a push to jump-start the offshore wind energy business. Monday's announcement is part of President Biden's effort to fulfill the ambitious climate plan he campaigned on, including making the nation's electricity sector carbon neutral by 2035.
The Texas blackout is another reminder that more frequent, climate-driven extreme weather puts stress on the country's electricity grid. It came just months after outages in California aimed at preventing wildfires.
Facing the rising threat of wildfire and extreme drought, Flagstaff, Ariz., unveiled an ambitious effort two years ago to cut the heat-trapping emissions that drive climate change.
Former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm is expected to refocus the Department of Energy on climate change if she's confirmed as the next secretary of energy.
In a confirmation hearing Wednesday before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Granholm echoed President Biden's emphasis on new jobs created through achieving his goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The massive spending package just passed by Congress includes the most significant climate legislation in more than a decade, along with significant changes in energy policy.
Climate activists have set a high bar for President-elect Joe Biden's staff picks, asking that he exclude anyone with ties to fossil fuel industries. They've already been disappointed.
Climate change likely will be a major focus as President-elect Joe Biden prepares for his inauguration in January.
During the campaign, Biden proposed a sweeping $2 trillion climate plan. It sets goals of net-zero carbon emissions from the electricity sector by 2035 and the entire U.S. economy by 2050.