Axios

Utility provider Xcel Energy said on Thursday its facilities "appear to have been involved" in last week's ignition of the Smokehouse Creek Fire, the largest wildfire in Texas history.

Why it matters: Other energy providers have been on the hook for billions after they were found liable for wildfires around the country.

The Securities and Exchange Commission's freshly-minted climate disclosure rules unveiled on Wednesday are a game changer in more ways than one.

Why it matters: They create a major new mandate for public companies to reveal emissions and ways that climate change presents business risks.

John Podesta, President Biden's senior adviser for international climate policy, said he views COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, as a key follow-up meeting from the global stocktake at COP28 in Dubai late last year.

Why it matters: Countries are facing a 2025 deadline to submit new emissions reduction targets to the United Nations, and Podesta said the U.S. will push countries to be as ambitious as possible.

Earth just had its warmest February on record, and its warmest 12 month period, according to new data released Thursday.

Why it matters: The new statistics confirm that so far, 2024 is beating 2023's record warmth and that of prior years like 2016.

The Securities and Exchange Commission will vote to approve final rules Wednesday that will force larger public companies to disclose certain emissions and climate-related risks to their business.

Why it matters: The heavily-lobbied rule — if it survives litigation — will give investors and the public a much closer look at companies' contributions to, and impact on, climate change.

A new analysis shows how a second Trump presidency could alter the course of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions.

Why it matters: By rolling back many of President Biden's climate policies, a second Trump administration could lead to an estimated extra 4 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions by 2030, compared with a second Biden term.