Chris Wright, president-elect Donald Trump’s pick to head the US Department of Energy, told US senators in his confirmation hearing yesterday that he would support all forms of energy, including wind and solar power, and that he believed climate change was a “global challenge that we need to solve”, the New York Times reports. Wright, who is the chief executive of fracking company Liberty Energy, has been “a longtime evangelist for fossil fuels like oil and gas” and a critic of “unreliable and costly” renewables, the newspaper says. Moreover, he has frequently dismissed the threat of global warming, stating in the past that “there is no climate crisis”, it adds. The newspaper says Wright “did not elaborate” much when asked by Democrats in the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources whether he would try to rescind spending for clean-energy programs brought in under the Biden administration. Overall, the article notes that he “seem[ed] to signal to Republican and Democrats alike that he was on their side”. Wright has also argued in the past that climate change has not driven more frequent and severe wildfires, a claim that the Washington Post notes is “at odds with the scientific consensus”. When pressed on these comments in the hearing, Wright said he stood by the claims, the newspaper says. It explains that the fracking executive kicked off the hearing by pledging to be a champion for Trump’s plans to ramp up fossil fuel production, saying: “I will work tirelessly to pursue his bold agenda.” Wright also stood by previous comments criticising “climate zealots” and saying climate change was not a pressing concern, according to Axios. Politico says Wright “faced numerous questions” over his previous comments on climate change and his support for expanding US fossil fuel production and exports.

According to Reuters, Wright said his first priority would be expanding domestic energy production, including liquefied “natural” gas (LNG) and nuclear power. The newswire says Wright is expected to win a majority in the Senate, which is now controlled by Republicans, and he will step down from his fracking-company role if this happens. Bloomberg says Wright would “almost certainly be instrumental in trying to fulfill Trump’s promises to help the coal industry, build more power plants, expand electrical grids and cut the overall price of energy by half”, as well as having a role in approving the LNG export projects that have been paused over the last year of the Biden administration.

Meanwhile, former Republican lawmaker Sean Duffy also had his confirmation hearing at the Senate for his role as Trump’s head of the US Transportation Department, Reuters reports. During his hearing, Duffy said that electric vehicle users should pay to use roads in order to help fund road repairs, given they do not pay taxes on fuel, the newswire says. CNBC notes that some states already charge such fees to electric car users.  

Finally, Climate Home News has an article titled: “What Trump’s second term means for climate action in the US and beyond.” It includes experts commenting on everything from the Inflation Reduction Act to international climate finance.

Climate change could be responsible for around 25% of the fuel available for the Los Angeles fires to burn through, according to climate attribution research carried out by scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), CNN reports. The study suggests the fires “were larger and burned hotter than they would have in a world without planet-warming fossil fuel pollution”, it explains. The article notes that the UCLA scientists referred to their rapid analysis as a “starting point” for deeper studies. Climate-related factors that contributed to the increase in available vegetation to burn through were the “excessive moisture” of previous winters, an abnormally warm summer and autumn, and a delayed rainy season this winter, the article explains. Separately, the Guardian reports on different research suggesting the climate “whiplash” between extremely wet and dry conditions, of the kind that has driven the LA fires, “is increasing exponentially around the world because of global heating”.

Another Guardian story reports that, in the year running up to the LA fires, “big oil” companies lobbied against a “polluter pays” bill that was moving through the California senate and “would have forced major fossil fuel companies to help cover the costs of climate disasters”. A review by the newspaper of state reports shows that “fossil-fuel industry lobbying in California spiked to record levels during the 2023-24 legislative session and the polluter pay bill was among the most targeted pieces of legislation”.

Meanwhile, coverage of the Los Angeles fires continues, with Bloomberg noting that LA has been “bracing for critical wildfire conditions again as dry winds scour southern California”. The New York Times details how the “ongoing disaster will affect residents’ health, local industries, public budgets and the cost of housing for years to come”. E&E News explains that the fires are “likely to jolt rocketing California electricity costs” due to recovery costs and potential liability claims made against the utility Southern California Edison. California’s prisons have deployed more than 1,000 incarcerated people to fight fires “on the frontlines” in LA, according to the Guardian. In comments concerning the LA fires covered by the Hill, vice president Kamala Harris has criticised insurance companies for cancelling coverage and noting that climate-related disasters disproportionately impact Black communities and other communities of colour. A data visualisation in the New York Times shows how houses in LA have been built in wildfire-prone areas. Media Matters publishes an analysis titled: “Right-wing media insist climate change has nothing to do with LA wildfires despite a clear connection.”

Finally, a survey of more than 900 leading risk managers carried out by the World Economic Forum (WEF) finds that 14% see climate-related disasters as the biggest risk facing the world, the Times reports. “Over the long term, extreme weather events engineered by climate change were overwhelmingly identified as the biggest danger to the global economy,” it adds. 

In a “dark” farewell speech, US president Joe Biden has warned against a drive to undermine his record on tackling climate change, according to Agence France-Presse. “Powerful forces want to wield their unchecked influence to eliminate the steps we’ve taken to tackle the climate crisis,” Biden said, according to the newswire. It notes that this comes as the president is poised to hand over power to Donald Trump, a climate sceptic. BBC News also notes Biden’s focus on climate in his final televised speech from the White House, which “brought a decades-long career in politics to an end”.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration is set to finalise billions of dollars in financing for electric-vehicle maker Rivian Automotive and hydrogen company Plug Power before the Trump administration takes over next week, Bloomberg reports. This comes as the Energy Department’s loan program “faces new threats from the incoming administration”, it adds. Meanwhile, Politico reports that Canada is considering cutting off its energy supply to the US if Trump imposes extensive tariffs on Canadian goods. Following a meeting with provincial and territorial leaders from across the country, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau said “everything is on the table”, according to the outlet.

Separately, the International Energy Agency has said that the latest round of US sanctions against Russia could significantly disrupt the country’s oil supply chains, according to Reuters.

State Grid, China’s “largest power network operator”, is planning to raise investments in 2025 to a record 650bn yuan ($89bn) as it looks to “keep pace with surging renewable generation”, Bloomberg reports, citing a report by state broadcaster CCTV. The news outlet adds that the variability of renewable energy means the country requires more “power lines and energy-storage equipment”. Reuters also covers the story, saying that the country’s “main” national grid operator would focus on “optimising the power grid, strengthening distribution infrastructure and providing for the high-quality development of renewable power”. The company put three ultra-high-voltage (UHV) projects “into operation” in 2024, bringing China’s total UHV projects up to 38, industry news outlet BJX News reports. Meanwhile, the State Council has endorsed a policy document on “building pilot zones for a beautiful China” issued by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, which supports accelerating the low-carbon transformation of energy and chemical bases, BJX News says.

In other China news, state news agency Xinhua announces that Chinese president Xi Jinping held a phone conversation with European Council president Antonio Costa, saying “there exists no clash of fundamental interests or geopolitical conflicts” between China and the EU. The newswire adds Costa said the world needs “closer EU-China cooperation to tackle global challenges such as climate change”. Reuters says that Xi told Costa that China and the EU have a robust “symbiotic” economic relationship and Beijing hopes the bloc can become a “trustworthy partner for cooperation”. State-run newspaper China Daily also covers the story, reporting that Xi said the “development of China-EU ties is proof that the two sides can promote cooperation and accomplish big things, as long as they respect each other with equality and engage in candid dialogue”.

Elsewhere, an article by Reuters says that the US’s recent ban on connected vehicle hardware and software systems from China could “engineer a split in the global auto market”. State-supporting newspaper Global Times covers a document released by the US Consumer Technology Association (CTA) saying that the US government has “dramatically understated” the cost of the new restrictions for American companies.

Finally, the Financial Times has published a “big read” titled: “Has China already reached peak oil?” It adds: “The implications of China hitting peak oil are enormous. If Chinese demand is reaching a plateau that would fulfil projections by the International Energy Agency of global oil demand peaking before 2030. The forecast sustains hope for the world to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The milestone would also shake the global economy. Over the past three decades, China has accounted for half of all growth in the world’s oil demand – some 600,000 barrels a day.”

The UK government has pledged a record £410m investment in nuclear fusion, considered the “holy grail of energy because it holds the promise of limitless clean power” without harmful by-products, the Guardian reports. The money could help construct a “world-leading” fusion project on the site of an old coal plant in Nottinghamshire, the newspaper says. However, the article notes that “scientists remain decades away from harnessing the power of nuclear fusion in viable power plants”. Meanwhile, BBC News reports on the latest news from the Sizewell C conventional nuclear power plant, noting that French company EDF has “rejected claims” that plans for the new station will cost £40bn. The new plant was initially supposed to cost £20bn, but industry sources have estimated that the final cost could be double this, the article says.

In other UK energy news, the Guardian reports that the National Energy System Operator (Neso) is blocking new electricity projects from joining a “decade-long queue for a grid connection”. According to the newspaper, Neso says it plans to use this pause to overhaul application rules that have allowed unfunded project proposals to join, “blocking the progress of legitimate green investments”. The Daily Telegraph says the “system is under so much pressure that new projects face delays of up to 14 years to secure connections”.

Finally, the Daily Telegraph reports that Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch will today mark a significant change in her party’s position on climate action. In a speech in London, she will say that the Conservatives pledged in 2019 to reach net-zero by 2050 without a plan, and that her party made a “mistake” when it wrote the target into law, according to the newspaper. Separately, an editorial in the Daily Telegraph – which has consistently advocated for a weakening of the UK’s net-zero policies – states that “the pursuit of net-zero is piling regulation upon every walk of life” and suggests that this is hampering growth.

Argentina’s National Weather Service says that an “extreme heatwave” will hit the country this week, with temperatures of up to 40C in more than a dozen of provinces, La Nación reports. The heatwave will affect the centre and northern parts of the territory, where Buenos Aires and northern provinces are expected to experience “critical” temperatures.

In Peru, columnist Fernando Bravo writes for El Comercio about the emergence of new “sophisticated and subtle” climate “delayers”, who accept the existence of climate change, but downplay the urgency to address it, question the effectiveness of renewable energy and bet on “miraculous” technologies that will cut climate change. 

Colombia’s El Espectador covers a report from the International Council for Clean Transport, which estimates that 2025 could see a global peak in CO2 emissions from “land transport” vehicles. The sector is currently responsible for more than a fifth of global CO2 emissions, it adds.

An Economist editorial says that the impact of the Los Angeles fires could have been less severe if there were better measures in place to make buildings resistant to fires. The magazine says living in LA “has always involved risk” due to the threat of natural disasters and “climate change adds to the peril, by making fires more frequent and severe”. It says much of LA’s housing stock is old and, therefore, more fire-prone. “NIMBYism and convoluted environmental rules make it extraordinarily difficult to build, so much of the housing stock pre-dates the modern building code and is packed with flammable wood,” the article states. It also says a “well-functioning insurance market” should charge people more if they own “fire-prone homes in fire-prone areas”, but this is currently not the case in California. “America urgently needs regulations and insurance markets that create the right incentives by promoting cost-effective ways to harden homes and encouraging people to live in safer places,” the editorial concludes. 

An editorial in the Financial Times is also critical of the US state, noting that “the damage – and the insurance crunch that will follow – would not have been as enormous were it not for a series of misguided state policies”. It says that while the climate threat facing California has been ramping up, “neither the state’s heavily regulated insurance sector nor its climate preparedness strategies have kept pace with the risks”. Prof Jay Feinman, a law professor at Rutgers University, has a piece in the Conversation titled: “Insurance for natural disasters is failing homeowners − I don’t have the answers, but I do know the right questions to ask.”

In his climate newsletter for the New York Times, David Wallace-Wells asks: “What does the Palisades disaster mean for LA’s future?” Benjamin Hamlington, a climate scientist at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, writes in the Guardian about his house in LA burning down. “This event, for me, has destroyed any boundary between my work and the rest of my life, my family, my friends. It causes me to reflect on whether the words we frequently use to talk about climate change are consistent with what I’d want to hear in this moment,” he writes.

A new study estimates that the 2022 Nord Stream gas pipeline leaks resulted in the largest amount of methane emitted from a single short-term incident on record. Underwater explosions – which heavily disrupted the transportation of gas from Russia to Germany – led to gas leaks emitting around 465,000 metric tons of methane, the study finds. This is equivalent to 0.1% of human-caused methane emissions in 2022. The study authors use a range of data sources and modelling in their analysis. Two further studies published in Nature Communications also examine the impact of the pipeline leaks.