Texas Climate & Energy
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Texas is the largest energy-producing and energy-consuming state in the nation. Texas produces more electricity than any other state, generating almost twice as much as Florida, the second-highest electricity-producing state. Thus, Texas has a disproportionate impact on the ability of the U.S. and the global community to mitigate climate change. Texas also can be an energy justice leader, ensuring that energy production doesn’t harm vulnerable communities, and energy is available even to the marginalized.
Light and Life
Using the Public Utility Commission of Texas Sunset Review to Safeguard Texans’ Health and Wellbeing
The upcoming 2022-2023 Sunset review of the Public Utility Commission of Texas, offers a unique opportunity for Texas lawmakers to advance public health in the Lone Star State.
NEWS + LATEST UPDATES
OPEC Head Pushes Members to Derail Climate Negotiations
In a twist pulled from the plot of a dystopian movie, news broke that the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, known as OPEC, had distributed a letter instructing its member states to vote against any attempt to limit the production and use of fossil fuels...
Migration Put in Perspective
One of the interesting aspects of COP is its ability to put certain issues into perspective. Often US and Texas officials characterize migration as a foreign phenomenon, where political fragility or economic strife causes residents of the Global South to migrate to...
Urgent and Faithful Action Needed on Methane
There have been two big announcements about methane during COP28 in Dubai, UAE (see here for a detailed explanation of the climate impacts of methane emissions). First, a coalition of oil and gas producers announced at COP28 a pledge to stop methane leaks from...
Climate and Migration at COP28 UAE
It is day three of Texas Impact’s witness of COP28 in Dubai, UAE. As this is my second COP I am coming into the event with a bit more preparation and perspective, yet, once again I am struck by the intersectionality of the climate negotiations. COP continues to be the...
VP Al Gore Introduces New Climate Data Tool
At COP28 Sunday morning, former Vice President Al Gore told us about a new scientific tool, Climate TRACE, which promises to improve the way we measure and understand greenhouse gas emissions around the world. This means a better understanding of the source of GHG...
Global Stocktake Negotiations at COP28
The Global Stock Take (GST) is the process called for in the 2015 Paris Agreement in which each party assesses the progress it has made toward its emissions reduction and adaptation goals. The first GST is happening this year at COP28. The preliminary report of the...
Exceeding and Returning to 1.5, Panel Discussion
For a system as complex as the earth’s climate, small changes in one part of the system can lead to big changes in another part. That means the relationship between the global temperature and the climate change impacts we know about isn’t linear. And that means that...
Upping the Ante on Loss & Damage
The first day of COP28 started with an historic decision to establish a Loss and Damage Fund to help countries address the irreparable impacts of ongoing climate change on tangible and intangible assets. Loss and Damage negotiations have been ongoing since COP27 in...
Talanoa Discussion at COP28
Tonight I attended the Interfaith Gathering in the Spirit of Talanoa Dialogue at COP28, which was held at Christ Church Jebel Ali in Dubai, UAE. Talanoa is a problem solving method that involves group discussions around three questions: Where are we? Where do we want...
COP28
Bee, Becca, and Bobby are at the United Nations climate negotiations, COP28, November 30-December 12 in Dubai, UAE. As usual, Texas Impact ispartnering with our colleagues from Interfaith Power & Light and many other faith groups to bring you news, updates, and...