As the legislative calendar year comes to a close and the 2024 election comes into full swing, Congress is working to finalize the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) appropriations and messaging bills before the 2024 October recess. Recently, the House Appropriations Committee approved several key bills, including the FY25 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, the FY25 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, and the FY25 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. House Republicans, joined by a handful of Democrats, advanced two bills—the Refrigerator Freedom Act (H.R. 7637) and Stop Unaffordable Dishwasher Standards Act (H.R. 7700)—targeting Department of Energy appliance efficiency standards, a move which the White House opposes but has not explicitly issued a veto threat. While the first half of 2024, saw a sprint from the Biden administration to finalize rules across a wide array of agencies, the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) recently released the spring Unified Agenda, outlining plans for upcoming rules and their potential impact in the event of a second Trump administration.
Recent developments in California have sparked significant activity at the state level. Prior to the July 3 deadline, California lawmakers successfully approved a $10 billion climate bond proposal, overcoming the final obstacle to its inclusion on the November ballot. In the Senate Environmental Committee, after environmental groups expressed concerns, the committee removed provisions from Assembly Bill 3238 that aimed to expedite California Environmental Quality Act reviews for electrical grid expansions within state-owned parks and wildlife areas. Meanwhile, in Washington state, a recent poll revealed growing support for repealing the carbon cap-and-trade program, stemming from the program's impact on rising gas prices across the state. On the east coast, climate activists are preparing coordinated efforts to promote new climate goals and request program stature updates from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
The newly elected Labour Party in Britain has set ambitious climate goals, aiming to position the country as a 'clean energy superpower.' To meet the legally binding government target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 78% by 2035, party leaders must swiftly devise a plan to decrease reliance on fossil fuels and accelerate the adoption of renewable energy sources. Meanwhile, the Chinese government is tightening its grip on critical minerals. In particular, rare-earth metals—essential for various high-tech applications—are now declared state property. Additionally, China has implemented a traceability database to monitor the extraction, utilization and export of these valuable natural resources.
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