Trump Taps Sean Duffy for Transportation Secretary

Current conditions: Ecuador has declared a 60-day state of emergency to battle wildfires • Londoners were treated to rare snow flurries this morning • Storm Sara, having caused deadly flooding in Honduras, is set to drench the Gulf Coast.

THE TOP FIVE

1. West Coast to get soaked while East Coast remains parched

The first atmospheric river of the season will slam into the Pacific Northwest this week, bringing heavy rain, strong winds, mountain snow, and possibly major flooding to California and Oregon. A foot of rain or more could fall in Northern California between today and Friday, triggering landslides and bringing “life-threatening impacts” to the 400,000 acres or so left scorched by this summer’s Park Fire. Along the coast, wind gusts could reach 90 mph.

AccuWeather

Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, New York City’s drought watch has been upgraded to a drought warning. The warning applies to at least 10 counties across the Hudson Valley. Residents are being encouraged to use less water. If the situation worsens, a drought emergency will be declared, and mandatory water restrictions will be put in place.

2. Clock is ticking on climate finance deal at COP29

Just three days remain in the official schedule for the COP29 climate summit, and hopes are dimming that negotiators will agree on an ambitious new climate finance goal. When it comes to helping developing nations prepare for and adapt to climate change, the main questions are: Who pitches in? How much do they pay? And what counts as climate finance? Consensus has proven difficult to find. “It is deeply disturbing to witness the climate finance negotiations come to a standstill,” Harjeet Singh, global engagement director at the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, toldThe New York Times. “Developed nations continue to display a disturbing level of apathy, viewing vital climate finance as mere investments rather than the lifeline that developing countries urgently need.” The last time the climate talks ended in a stalemate was 2009.

Some 7,000 miles away, in Brazil, G20 leaders are trying to keep up the climate action momentum by publishing a “communique” urging successful negotiations in Baku, backing scaling up finance from billions to trillions, and reiterating support for the push to triple renewables and double the rate of energy efficiency improvements. While the document doesn’t directly mention transitioning away from fossil fuels, it does “fully subscribe” to the outcomes of COP28, where such a landmark commitment was made.

Meanwhile, a new analysis from Carbon Brief suggests that China’s historical carbon emissions have surpassed those of the EU. China’s special envoy for climate change, Liu Zhenmin, told a Shanghai-based newspaper that it would be “impossible” for China to contribute to a new climate finance goal and that developed countries bear that responsibility. Earlier this week the White House confirmed that the U.S. had reached President Biden’s goal of contributing $11 billion a year in international climate finance. This makes the U.S. “the largest bilateral provider of climate finance in the world.”

3. Trump taps Fox host Sean Duffy for transportation secretary

President-elect Donald Trump will nominate Sean Duffy to lead the Department of Transportation. Duffy is a former Wisconsin congressman and is co-host of the Fox Business show “The Bottom Line.” Last week Trump tapped another Fox News host, Pete Hegseth, as his defense secretary. Trump said Duffy will “maintain and rebuild our Nation’s Infrastructure, and fulfill our Mission of ushering in The Golden Age of Travel, focusing on Safety, Efficiency, and Innovation. Importantly, he will greatly elevate the Travel Experience for all Americans!” As Transportation Secretary, Duffy would oversee the nation’s rail, automotive, aviation, and other transportation sectors. He would likely be tasked with rolling back the Biden administration’s vehicle emissions rules, and “face pressure to ease rules for self-driving cars sought by Tesla and other automakers,” Reutersreported.

4. MTA approves NYC congestion charge

The board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority yesterday approved Gov. Kathy Hochul’s plan to roll out congestion pricing in the city. The $9 fee to enter lower Manhattan is expected to come into effect in early January. It’s much lower than the $15 charge that Hochul initially proposed – then walked back – earlier this year. It will deliver an estimated $15 billion to help improve the city’s mass transit system. Critics argue the fee will do little to reduce gridlock and could dump traffic and pollution into low-income neighborhoods.

5. Researcher behind superconductor scandal out at University of Rochester

The physics professor who rocked the energy world last year when he claimed to have discovered a room-temperature superconductor has left the University of Rochester, the Wall Street Journal reported. An investigation into the academic, Ranga Dias, revealed he engaged in research misconduct, and the Naturearticle featuring the superconductor “breakthrough” was subsequently retracted. At the time the paper was published, the Journal reported that such a discovery “could mean longer-lasting batteries, more-efficient power grids, and improved high-speed trains.” The university didn’t confirm the terms of Dias’ departure.

THE KICKER

The first onshore wave energy system in the United States has been granted permitting approval. The pilot project will be installed by Eco Wave Power in the Port of Los Angeles, and is expected to be completed early next year.