This Week's Climate Policy Update

As the Senate returns from recess, discussions on permitting reform has jumpstarted. In the House, Reps. Jared Huffman (D-CA), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) and Kathy Castor (D-FL) called on the Government Accountability Office to study necessary actions to increase transparency in private voluntary carbon offset markets. The Biden-Harris administration has made numerous staffing decisions, including bringing on Ali Zaidi and John Podesta as the President's climate advisers. In California, the legislature passed various climate focused bills in the final days of its legislative session, including measures to keep Diablo Canyon open through 2030. However, the California Assembly shot down a bill that would have increased greenhouse goal emission reduction targets. Similarly, the European Parliament rejected a motion that would have removed nuclear and gas products from the European Union's sustainable investment taxonomy.