Divided hearings, treaty deadlock, and Biden’s last-minute moves

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Hot Topic: A world divided. The last two weeks have proven to be a mixed bag on the climate front, with disheartening outcomes at the global level coupled with positive domestic action to lock in climate progress in the Administration’s waning days.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) opened hearings this week on the legal obligations of polluting countries to combat climate change and support the countries most impacted. Major emitters—including Australia, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and the United States—argued that responsibility should rest solely within existing UN treaties like the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, rejecting external legal accountability and sparking fury among vulnerable nations. Hearings conclude on December 13. While the court’s advisory opinion will be non-binding, it will undoubtedly influence global climate action and related legal proceedings in the years to come.

In Busan, South Korea, UN negotiations on a global plastics treaty concluded without consensus. More than 100 countries advocated for capping plastic output to address the escalating pollution crisis, while major plastic producers like China, Russia and Saudi Arabia opposed a cap in favor of improved waste management strategies. The U.S., also a major producer, backtracked from its initial support for mandatory national caps and argued instead for voluntary national targets.

Despite its disappointing showing on the global stage, the Biden Administration is making positive moves at home to lock in U.S. climate progress. For the first time in almost two decades, the EPA has proposed new emission limits on nitrogen oxides—harmful air pollutants from fossil-fuel-burning power plants that can cause respiratory issues. The EPA also announced major 2024 progress on holding polluters accountable. This year, the agency concluded more than 1,850 civil environmental cases, charged 121 criminal defendants, and issued $1.7 billion in fines and penalties for environmental crimes—actions that are unlikely under the next administration.

In its final days, the Biden Administration is now racing to issue $41 billion in clean energy loans, the majority of which would bolster U.S. EV automakers and battery manufacturers, develop Midwestern transmission lines for renewable power, and deploy a solar and battery system across 27 states. With a new administration poised to roll back progress on climate policy, the coming years will reveal which domestic environmental gains can withstand the winds of political change.

Editor’s note: The Brief will be on hiatus for the holidays, returning to your inbox on January 13. Happy holidays, and we look forward to bringing you the latest climate news in the New Year.

Human Health

Global leaders at COP29 acknowledged the profound health risks posed by climate change and recommended integrating health considerations into national climate policies, yet experts warned that the insufficient financial support committed this year for vulnerable nations would only serve to exacerbate health impacts. (Forbes, News-Medical.net)

Planetary Health

New research finds that six of Earth’s seven continents have intensifying “hothouse” regions where heat waves are far exceeding global warming trends, prompting scientists to warn of critical blind spots in current climate predictions. (Axios)

Negotiations for a UN plastic pollution treaty stalled in Busan, South Korea, as over 100 nations advocating for production caps faced opposition from oil-producing countries like Saudi Arabia that prefer focusing solely on plastic waste management. (POLITICO)

Equity

Policy experts expect the Trump Administration to dismantle key environmental justice initiatives, including Biden- and Clinton-era executive orders and the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice & External Civil Rights, potentially undoing decades of progress and increasing environmental risks for vulnerable communities. (Inside EPA)

Politics & Economy

The U.S. argued against imposing legal obligations on countries to address climate change at the International Court of Justice this week, asserting that existing non-binding agreements like the Paris Agreement suffice—a stance that has drawn sharp criticism from climate justice advocates and vulnerable nations. (The Guardian)

The Biden administration is rushing to finalize $41 billion in clean energy loans, including $7.5 billion for Stellantis-backed EV battery factories and $6.6 billion to EV automaker Rivian, though worries remain that the deals won’t close before Trump takes office. (Semafor, POLITICO)

New research shows that climate change could wipe out up to 50% of returns on North American pension funds by 2040, finding that they are particularly reliant on climate-vulnerable assets compared to European pensions. (Net Zero Investor)

A new study reveals that reversing the effects of climate tipping points costs nearly four times more if action is taken after crossing the threshold, compared to intervening before the tipping point is reached. (Phys.org)

Despite China’s significant progress in green energy adoption and slight decline in carbon output, experts are divided on whether the top polluter will hit its emissions peak by next year as concerns continue over the country’s missed emissions targets and steady economic growth. (Financial Times)

Italy will require businesses to acquire flood and natural disaster insurance starting in 2025 amid intensifying weather events, while insurers voice concern over financial risk despite a $5.3 billion reinsurance fund to mitigate climate loss. (Bloomberg)

Action

The EPA, under the Biden administration, significantly bolstered enforcement efforts in 2024, doubling polluter penalties to $1.7 billion, resolving record-breaking civil and criminal cases, and addressing environmental justice, as it prepared for a leadership shift to the Trump administration. (AP News)

The EPA has proposed new limits on nitrogen oxide emissions from power plants for the first time in nearly two decades, aiming to protect public health and reduce pollution from fossil fuel combustion. (The New York Times)

In response to President-elect Trump’s potential repeal of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, Governor Newsom has proposed rebates for eligible California residents who purchase EVs, reaffirming the state’s commitment to clean air and green jobs. (The New York Times)

The town of Carrboro, North Carolina, filed the nation’s first-ever climate accountability lawsuit against a utility company, Duke Energy, accusing the company of a decades-long deception campaign to obscure the climate dangers of fossil fuels. (The Guardian)

Sail-powered shipping is making a modern comeback with innovative technology like high-tech sails and rotor systems, aiming to transform the industry responsible for 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions into a cleaner, more sustainable force for international trade. (AP News)

Hokkaido, Japan, is transitioning its grid to clean fuel by developing innovative battery systems capable of storing vast amounts of renewable energy, enabling the northern island to meet its power needs and export clean electricity while moving away from coal and gas power plants. (The Washington Post)

San Jose, California, is set to pioneer the first large-scale U.S. project repurposing heat from data centers to power new all-electric apartment buildings, reducing emissions and energy costs while enhancing sustainability in urban living. (Fast Company)

A North Carolina-based crop development company is using machine learning to accelerate the creation of new and resilient crop varieties resistant to drought and pests. (CNN)

Life as We Know It

Historic cemeteries across the U.S. are being converted from manicured lawns into drought-resistant wildflower meadows, blending climate adaptation with biodiversity restoration by reducing water and pesticide use, reducing the need for lawnmowers, and fostering pollinator habitats. (The New York Times)

Gen-Z is adopting a new social media trend, “underconsumption core,”promoting reduced shopping and item reuse to counter growing climate anxiety and economic uncertainty. (Grist)

Kicker

Experts attending COP29 played a board game focused on curbing global warming in a simulated world. See how they fared here. (ABC News)

Treaties are essential, but they cannot be a veil for inaction or a substitute for legal accountability.” — Ralph Regenvanu, Special Climate Envoy for Vanuatu

The GMMB Climate, Health & Equity Brief would not be possible without the contributions of the larger GMMB team—Catherine Ahmad, Aaron Benavides, Stefana Hendronetto, Nikki Melamed, Sharde Olabanji, Kenzie Perrow and Marci Welford. Feedback on the Brief is welcome and encouraged and should be sent to CHandEBrief@gmmb.com.