Environmental Defense Fund

BREAKING: A bombshell SCOTUS decision could make it easier for polluters to harm millions of people. The court’s extreme supermajority has overturned the Chevron Doctrine, an essential legal principle the country depends on to ensure clean air, clean water, food safety and more.  Investigative reporting revealed industry forces responsible for extensive pollution are behind the cases in this ruling. We can’t let them win. Join us in the fight to defend America’s environmental wins today!  EDF.org/Z6uH 

A bracing look inside the sausage-making factory of state-level financial assurance reform efforts from ProPublica, with a focus on New Mexico. I continue to believe that we will only solve the orphan well problem by working collaboratively across stakeholder groups -- I like to think that all involved (including industry) agree that oil and gas wells ought to be properly plugged and remediated at the end of their useful lives by their operators, as is required by law in all states. It's mostly a function of the details, and especially where to assign plugging burdens when operators have not saved sufficient resources to cover closure of their wells. The Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, which is referenced in the article, is the premier venue where state oil and gas regulators can (and do) share leading practices for orphan well management and prevention -- the issue has been a top topic of conversation at IOGCC for years. Regulators by and large know what needs to be done to solve this problem, but the political will ultimately needs to come from Governors and state legislatures via voters: https://lnkd.in/eEtWasGz

Throwback Thursday: 20 Years at EDF Well, it’s official: I have worked at EDF for a generation. OK, maybe not in the literal sense but 20 years constitutes a biological generation, so I think it counts. And in today’s workforce, where people tend to switch employers every couple of years, maybe even more so. Last night someone asked if I liked being at EDF. I said I’ve been with the organization for 20 years and he rightfully noted that I hadn’t answered the question. Given another opportunity I replied: I make this choice every day, and so far, it’s the right one. Let me explain... I’m in the privileged position of getting to choose my professional circumstances. And I consider and reevaluate that choice every day, because professional privilege comes with real responsibility. I need to be confident I'm doing the most good with my time in the workforce. And EDF has consistently checked all the boxes. Over the past 20 years, I've contributed to remarkable and tangible improvements for people and the planet. I’m so proud of our work raising awareness on the urgency of addressing methane pollution to slow global warming; how we’ve used science to bridge difficult geopolitical boundaries and partisan divides; how we’ve shaped the climate and sustainability imperative for companies large and small so that climate action makes business sense. I’m personally thankful for the opportunity I had working with colleagues and partners to transform U.S. fisheries from collapse to amongst the best managed in the world, improving livelihoods and ocean health. EDF has established a powerful global platform that delivers results, and I get to cultivate and contribute to its effectiveness every day. But impact isn't the only reason I stay. Two other factors weigh in my choice: people and support. EDFers often tell me they came for the mission and stay for the people. And I would say the same. I have so much joy and satisfaction being around my colleagues—some of the smartest, most creative, caring, and committed people I've had the pleasure to know. What you want more than anything when leading an organization is to know you can rely on your closest colleagues to have excellent judgement in head and heart. EDF certainly checks that box. But the past 20 years haven't always been easy, I got married, had two kids, expanded to a 3-generation family in one residence. And most notably, suffered through diagnosis and treatment of my daughter’s rare brain cancer, and the aftermath of chemotherapy in an infant’s brain. EDF and its people supported me and my family at every step of that unimaginable path. When the going gets tough, you want to know that your employer has your back. Third—and potentially most important—box ticked. I won't claim EDF is without challenges and warts. But the wisdom from 20 years of challenges and opportunities shows you what matters most. Thank you to my EDF friends and colleagues for making this a journey to remember.

We face a triple crisis: climate change, air pollution, and biodiversity loss. As the international community mobilizes to face these issues, several new funds have been set up to provide urgently needed money to fuel action that protects both people and nature. As they begin their work, these funds have the potential to forge new partnerships that bridge the gap between climate and biodiversity finance, rallying diverse actors toward a shared goal: safeguarding and restoring our planet. In the race against climate change, we cannot afford to further fragment our collective global efforts. We need to maximize the potential of every dollar to power the collaboartion needed to tackle all 3 crises at once. Read more about collaboration through climate finance in a new blog from EDF's Juan Pablo Hoffmaister and Zach Cohen: https://lnkd.in/evwGFssr

New EDF pricing report and analysis on jurisdictional REDD+, designed for tropical forest countries, forecast carbon credit prices to reach $15 by 2028. Read the report by David McLaughlin and Dylan McCall-Landry: https://lnkd.in/eaEgVgKZ

Overturning the Chevron Doctrine would have damaging consequences for people across the U.S. But we still have a major opportunity to fight for the future of our planet. EDF's Vickie Patton tells Molly Jong-Fast why it’s especially crucial for Americans to show up to this fall’s election.

When bad actors crop up to spread disinformation about clean energy, they’re not just misleading the public, they’re stalling essential progress. Tune in as our Nicholas Glover tells Molly Jong-Fast how fake grassroots groups did just that in New Jersey. More: https://lnkd.in/gnhdRFi2

We’ve been in orbit for more than three months! 🛰️ As expected, MethaneSAT has passed all tests so far. As our teams get our methane-detecting satellite ready to drive bold climate action, we’re thrilled to share these updates. Stay tuned for more!

Nature-based carbon credits are a powerful tool to achieve net-zero emissions, but time is of the essence. We’re joining forces with the American Forest Foundation, Conservation International, FAUNA & FLORA INTERNATIONAL USA INC, The Nature Conservancy, and the Wildlife Conservation Society to call on SBTI to include 5 key guardrails in its review of how carbon credits are used for Scope 3 emissions abatement. 🌿 Our letter stresses how, with proper science- and evidence-based guardrails, carbon credits will speed, not hinder, climate progress at a global scale.  https://lnkd.in/eGXs9ziS 

Strong winds and storm surge aren’t the only threats a hurricane can bring. During Hurricane Harvey a ruptured storage tank released 460,000 gallons of gasoline into a community. And when neighbors demanded to know what was in the floodwaters surrounding their homes, nobody had answers. There are more than 1,000 petrochemical facilities in the Houston area. And any one of them could leak toxic chemicals the next time a tropical storm or hurricane hits. But nature could hold the key to keeping polluted floodwaters out of vulnerable communities. Keep reading: https://bit.ly/3xn9bV3