Axios Generate

March 19, 2025
๐ช Halfway! We open with sobering data and then sprint through lots of need-to-know info, all in just 1,156 words, 4.5 minutes.
๐ง Ben was thrilled to join the Columbia Energy Exchange podcast to chat about how companies are navigating Trump 2.0. Have a listen.
๐ป At this moment in 2012, Fun (featuring Janelle Monรกe) ruled the Billboard Hot 100 with today's intro tune...
1 big thing: Climate change indicators hit record levels

A new scientific report depicts a rapidly warming Earth, with widespread consequences such as sea level rise, melting glaciers and extreme weather events.
Why it matters: The World Meteorological Organization's State of the Global Climate 2024 report is designed to inform policymakers of the status of the climate system.
- It depicts a planet with a high โ and increasing โ fever due to record high levels of human-caused greenhouse gases.
Zoom in: The United Nations agency's annual report, which dates back to 1993, doesn't contain many surprises for those closely following climate science. But it drives home how widespread and unprecedented climate change's effects already are.
- On carbon dioxide, the report finds that current levels of the main long-lived greenhouse gas is at a record high of 151% of preindustrial levels back in the year 1750.
- This is the highest level of CO2 in at least 800,000 years, and likely long before that, the report found.
- Current levels of methane, a powerful, short-term warming agent, are 265% of preindustrial levels, the report shows.
Temperatures will continue to increase as long as carbon dioxide levels continue to increase, with a halt in warming taking place if and when emissions reach net zero.
Context: The report ticks through several key climate change indicators, from sea ice extent to glacier mass loss and sea level rise.
- Researchers found that glacier mass loss during the 2021-2024 period was the most negative-three year glacier mass balance on record.
- Globally, WMO shows that each of the past 10 years were among the 10 warmest years on record.
- Such a streak is unprecedented in the instrument temperature record dating back to the late 1800s, said Chris Hewitt, director of the climate services division at the WMO, during a press call yesterday.
In addition, each of the past eight years has set a new record for ocean heat content.
2. ๐ฌ White House: EPA reversals will fuel Trump's coal pledge

President Trump's brief, aggressive vow to revitalize U.S. coal was a shout-out to policies that officials have already unveiled, but there's more to come, the White House said.
State of play: Federal agencies are "working in tandem" with Trump, a White House official said.
- The official cited EPA's work to overturn Biden-era rules on power plant CO2 emissions and air toxics that "improperly targeted coal-fired power plants."
- On the production side, the White House pointed to the Interior Department's extension of operations for Montana's Spring Creek Mine.
Catch up quick: Trump said via Truth Social on Monday that "I am authorizing my Administration to immediately begin producing Energy with BEAUTIFUL, CLEAN COAL."
- He blamed "Environmental Extremists, Lunatics, Radicals, and Thugs" for handing an economic edge to China, which has expanded coal generation.
Reality check: Coal's share of the U.S. power mix has long been falling. Abundant gas, renewables' rise, cost of maintaining old plants, state and federal rules and more are working against it.
- A true reversal of fortune for the most CO2-emitting fuel would be stunning, even as U.S. power demand is slated for a prolonged rise after many years of stasis.
- But companies have been delaying some planned retirements in recent years. For instance, Duke Energy has proposed adding three years to the 2035 shut-off date of an Indiana plant.
What we're watching: Whether Trump may seek to use "emergency" authorities, which he invoked on Inauguration Day, to extend the life of coal plants.
What's next: "President Trump's Truth is the first of many actions to come on the coal industry," the White House official said.
3. ๐๏ธ Judge halts EPA bid to kill climate grants โ for now
A federal judge last night suspended EPA's move to terminate $14 billion worth of grants under the 2022 climate law.
Why it matters: The $20 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund is among the biggest Biden-era climate grant programs.
Driving the news: U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan issued a temporary restraining order.
- "At this stage," Trump officials haven't offered evidence justifying claims of waste, fraud and conflicts of interest, she wrote.
State of play: EPA boss Lee Zeldin said this month he was ending the program, calling it "riddled with self-dealing and wasteful spending." AP has more.
4. ๐ป On my screen: African power and DOE
Katie Auth of the Energy for Growth Hub has a fascinating post that explores the crosscurrents of Trump 2.0's approach to African energy.
The big picture: The group's policy director gives a qualified thumbs-up to DOE boss Chris Wright's vision that he spelled out in a March 7 speech.
- Auth cites his concern about energy poverty and a U.S. role in tackling it but dings him for not making a case for clean energy alongside gas and coal in the speech.
Yes, but: Trump 2.0 officials are dismantling the Power Africa program, which Auth once helped lead, and it's not clear what might follow.
- "Will Wright have the influence and heft inside the administration to translate his personal commitment into actual policy and resources?" she writes.
The bottom line: "If Wright actually wants to lead on this issue, he's going to need to fight for resources, attention, and the ability to retain staff expertise."
5. ๐ Catch up quick on policy: Tesla, EPA, loans
๐ Attorney General Pam Bondi said attacks on Tesla property are "nothing short of domestic terrorism."
- The latest: DOJ has charged several people "with that in mind." Ongoing probes will also seek "consequences" for people "operating behind the scenes" to coordinate and fund attacks, she said. Reuters has more.
๐ฌ EPA may cut over 1,100 scientific research staff and dismantle its Office of Research and Development, House Democrats said after reviewing internal documents.
- Why it matters: Critics say it would badly hamper EPA's public health and environmental mission, and the top Democrat on the House science committee called the potential elimination of the office illegal.
- The other side: EPA said no decisions have been made and called the reports "unsubstantiated" but didn't deny it's weighing cutting 50%-75% of the office positions.
- State of play: The agency is "enhancing" clean air and water protection and listening to employees about how to "better fulfill agency statutory obligations," a spokesperson said.
- Go deeper: The NYT first reported the House Democrats' claims and has more.
๐ผ John Sneed is stepping down as head of DOE's loan office after running it during the initial stretch of Trump 2.0, the agency said.
- Catch up quick: He also had senior DOE roles, including a prior stint atop the office, in Trump 1.0. "I appreciate John's willingness to re-enter public service and help me and the department during the transition," DOE Acting Under Secretary for Infrastructure Steve Winberg said in a statement.
6. ๐งฎ Number of the day: 7% annual growth
"We project that rising global temperatures will drive 7% annual growth for the global cooling market through 2030...leading to a US$331bn market opportunity," Morgan Stanley analysts said in a note.
The big picture: The estimate is well above the 3% consensus forecast, they say. Urbanization, higher incomes, improving power grids and a hotter world are behind the surge.
- Their note is bullish on stocks of domestic HVAC companies like Trane and various foreign players, like India's Voltas and China's Midea Group.
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๐ Thanks to Chris Speckhard and Chuck McCutcheon for edits to today's edition, along with the brilliant Axios Visuals team.
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