Climate Point: California becomes first state to set audacious conservation goal

Welcome to Climate Point, your weekly guide to climate, energy and environment news from around the Golden State and the country. In Palm Springs, Calif., I’m Mark Olalde.

Intense weather and natural disasters continue demanding headline space in a year that's seen enough news to last a decade. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, there have already been 16 weather events in 2020 that came with a bill for rebuilding that exceeded $1 billion.

Before 2020, California had never — at least not in recorded human history — seen more than 2 million acres burn in a single year. We've now passed 4 million acres, USA Today reports. We've also had to introduce new verbiage into our lexicon as Northern California's August Complex is now a "gigafire," meaning that it's burned more than 1 million acres by itself. USA Today is also out with a fascinating explainer that digs into the question of why those of you living in the Southeast have had to deal with such a horrendous hurricane season. Take a read here.

Here's some other important reporting. ...

MUST-READ STORIES

End in the red, make some green. Let's dive in with the Wall Street Journal, which reports that, if you work in the U.S. oil shale industry, you can lose as much money money as you want — you're still getting paid. "The leaders of U.S. shale companies received some of the largest executive pay increases in corporate America, even as their shareholders lost billions of dollars," according to an investigation into America's frackers and other shale oilmen. As these companies go under, they're also leaving behind an environmental mess that often falls to states.

Buried. E&E reports that "the Trump administration is slow-walking a mandatory climate report by not seeking out scientists to work on it." The study in question is the National Climate Assessment, a sweeping analysis of the impact of climate change on the U.S. President Donald Trump was less than pleased with the last iteration's findings.

Firewater. To be honest, this CalMatters story is sickening. Rachel Becker writes that wildfires are landing a second punch on already hurting communities, as drinking water systems are at risk, leaving many communities without clean water in the aftermath of these natural disasters that have been exacerbated by a warming climate. "Some communities have their drinking water poisoned by toxic substances. Others wrestle with ash and debris washed into reservoirs and lakes."

POLITICAL CLIMATE

A stealth campaign for coal. When I spent several years reporting on coal, I got to know a lot of mines. My favorite named coal mine, by far, was Air Quality, an Indiana operation. I found it darkly ironic for obvious reasons, but now the tables have turned and the U.S. coal industry itself is suffocating amid tough market forces. Just how bad is it out there for coal? WyoFile and Wyoming Public Radio teamed up to dig into the Cowboy State's decision to funnel taxpayer money into a dark money nonprofit group that travels the country in a desperate attempt to lobby for coal. State officials argue they're saving the state's tax base by advocating for its major industry, but others question the ethics of the move.

Roll back for what. Meanwhile, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reversed a long-standing policy mandating sources of hazardous air emissions to have efficient pollution control technology for the length of their operations. Reuters reports that environmental groups claim the changes will allow more pollution, while the EPA is arguing it reduces costly regulations for industries that are meeting their environmental goals. Under the new standard, many large polluters will likely be reclassified, meaning they won't have to remove as many toxins from their emissions.

More battles in Oklahoma. Only days after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling this summer found that much of eastern Oklahoma was still Indian Country, the Sooner State's governor petitioned the EPA to let the state control environmental oversight in Indian Country. The EPA granted his request. The governor said the decision brought regulatory certainty to Native Americans, but tribes were quick to lambast the decision, Indian Country Today writes.

THE FUTURE OF FOSSIL FUELS

California frac(k)as. California has a reputation as a progressive bastion where environmental regulations are so stringent that developers are pushed right on out of the state. Well, there are several industrial habits even California can't kick, one of them being oil. Los Angeles is in many ways an oil town, and the state is still one of the country's largest producers. But, liberal Democrats are now pushing for a full ban on several types of fracking that cause spills and other environmental woes, Janet Wilson reports for The Desert Sun.

Exxon knew, part 2. In the same week where it was knocked off its perch as America's largest oil company by market cap, Exxon Mobil was the target of a damning new report from Bloomberg. According to internal documents, the company "had plans to increase annual carbon-dioxide emissions by as much as the output of the entire nation of Greece." Exxon argued that its figures were only preliminary and had changed substantially since the pandemic, but it's a telling view into a company that has done even less than its competitors to address its greenhouse gas emissions.

The War(saw) on coal. The transition away from coal, which has been a globally dominant fuel source for more than a century, has been painful in many regions where a post-mining economy is yet to materialize. This fact has pitted organized labor against the environmental movement, especially in coal strongholds such as Eastern Europe. In a big — if not slow and somewhat symbolic — move, coal-loving Poland recently struck a deal with its unions to phase out coal mining by 2049, Climate Home News reports.

AND ANOTHER THING

What if I told you... The idea of "30 by 30" has become a rallying cry for some conservationists, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday signed an executive order making the Golden State the first in the country to call this a statewide priority. The plan calls for 30% of a state's or country's land and water resources to be conserved by the year 2030 to protect biodiversity that's threatened by habitat destruction and climate change. I've got the details for The Desert Sun.

And, just one more thing. Don't worry. I won't end this week's installment without announcing the winner of Katmai National Park and Preserve's annual #FatBearWeek competition. The two bears that had my vote finished in the Fat Final Four (unofficial name), but unfortunately, neither emerged the victor. That honor goes to the beaut of a bear known as 747, USA Today reports. Congrats, my furry friend. You've earned your jumbo nickname.

Scientists agree that to maintain a livable planet, we need to reduce the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration back to 350 ppm. We’re above that and rising dangerously. Here are the latest numbers:

That’s all for now. Don’t forget to follow along on Twitter at @MarkOlalde. You can also reach me at molalde@gannett.com. You can sign up to get Climate Point in your inbox for free here. And, if you’d like to receive a daily round-up of California news (also for free!), you can sign up for USA Today’s In California newsletter here. Don't forget — mask up! Cheers.