Sulfur hexafluoride, a gas 24,300 times more potent at creating the greenhouse effect than carbon dioxide, is being released into the atmosphere at an alarming rate as China seeks to expand its electric power grid.
The findings were from a new <a href="https://eaps.mit.edu/news-impact/atmospheric-observations-in-china-show-rise-in-emissions-of-a-potent-greenhouse-gas/">study</a> conducted by researchers at the MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change, Fudan University, Peking University, University of Bristol, and Meteorological Observation Center of China Meteorological Administration.
&#8220;Greenhouse gases differ widely in their global warming potential (GWP), or ability to absorb radiative energy and thereby warm the Earth’s surface,&#8221; MIT said. &#8220;For example, measured over a 100-year period, the GWP of methane is about 28 times that of carbon dioxide (CO2), and the GWP of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) is 24,300 times that of CO2.&#8221;
Sulfur hexafluoride, SF6, is used &#8220;primarily in high-voltage electrical switchgear in electric power grids,&#8221; the report said, adding that atmospheric concentrations of the greenhouse gas have skyrocketed as the global demand for electric power increases.
The report said that the increase in SF6 in the atmosphere, which communist China is largely responsible for, threatens the world’s efforts to combat so-called &#8220;climate change.&#8221;
&#8220;The researchers found that SF6 emissions in China almost doubled from 2.6 gigagrams (Gg) per year in 2011, when they accounted for 34 percent of global SF6 emissions, to 5.1 Gg per year in 2021, when they accounted for 57 percent of global total SF6 emissions,&#8221; the report said. &#8220;This increase from China over the 10-year period — some of it emerging from the country’s less-populated western regions — was larger than the global total SF6 emissions rise, highlighting the importance of lowering SF6 emissions from China in the future.&#8221;
SF6 gasses that escape in the atmosphere last for more than a thousand years and with a negative impact 24,300 times greater than CO2, the stakes could not be higher as officials seek to force consumers to abandon gas powered vehicles and switch to electric vehicles which requires having a robust power grid.
“Any increase in SF6 emissions this century will effectively alter our planet’s radiative budget — the balance between incoming energy from the sun and outgoing energy from the Earth — far beyond the multi-decadal time frame of current climate policies,” says MIT Joint Program and CGCS Director Ronald Prinn, a coauthor of the study. “So it’s imperative that China and all other nations take immediate action to reduce, and ultimately eliminate, their SF6 emissions.”

Commissioning of the Nordring Berlin high-voltage line

MIT Study: Gas 24,000x More Powerful Than CO2 Being Released From Power Grid

China

Climate Change

Communist China

Electric cars

electric vehicles

Power

There’s a reason some of the biggest streaming hits are often ten or more years old.
The Hollywood that produced “Friends,” “The Office,” “Parks and Recreation,” and “Seinfeld” wanted one thing — to entertain and, by extension, bag big ratings.
Today’s Hollywood is different. So says the general public, which just dramatically noted that modern films are <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2024/04/03/nolte-exclusive-by-2-to-1-americans-believe-movies-are-worse-today/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worse than they were</a> just a decade ago. Re-issues of classic films like “Hocus Pocus” sometimes <a href="https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3783159/hocus-pocus-just-made-nearly-2-million-in-theatrical-re-release-for-30th-anniversary/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lap newer titles at the box office</a>.
What changed? You might pin some of the blame on propaganda.
While many modern TV shows and movies remain apolitical and free of culture war fallout, many others embrace the new shift. 
Not only are today’s storytellers eager to insert their progressive agendas into new projects, but the industry calls upon groups tasked with helping them do just that.
The stories in question often suffer as a result, forcing viewers to scramble for older product.
A new report from Just The News shared how <a href="https://justthenews.com/accountability/media/groups-coordinate-hundreds-outlets-push-climate-crisis-news-and-entertainment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Good Energy Stories works with Hollywood</a> to “insert political messages regarding climate change into television, film, and media.”
It’s unclear how many studios or screenwriters have tapped the group’s resources, but it’s hard not to notice how its preferred themes infiltrate movies and TV shows. There’s even a term used for fictional yarns with climate change themes: <a href="https://www.science.smith.edu/climatelit/cli-fi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cli-fi</a>.
TV and film characters routinely name drop “global warming,” “climate change,” and similar phrases even when the stories have little to do with the environment.
The hard-feminist comedy “Barbie,” for example, featured this line:
<blockquote>You set the feminist movement back 50 years, you destroyed girls’ innate sense of worth, and you’re killing the planet with your glorification of rampant consumerism</blockquote>
Or consider this bloated bit of dialogue from “Mission: Impossible &#8211; Dead Reckoning Part One:”
<blockquote>The next world war isn’t going to be a cold one. It’s going to be a ballistic war over a rapidly shrinking ecosystem. It’s going to be a war for the last of our dwindling energy, drinkable water, and breathable air. Your days of fighting for the greater good are over.</blockquote>
Other movies, like “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,” directly address eco-concerns.
If a film doesn’t name-check climate change it might embrace other parts of the progressive agenda, like open-border policies. For that, Define American stands ready to advise eager screenwriters. The group, formed by illegal immigrant Jose Antonio Vargas, says it <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/11/entertainment/immigration-tv-shows/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">consulted on 75 film and TV shows as of 2021.</a>
Since then, we’ve seen more fictional stories pushing an open borders narrative like 2023’s “Unseen” documentary and Fox&#8217;s <a href="https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/culture/elise-ehrhard/2024/03/27/foxs-cleaning-lady-glorifies-illegals-makes-cartel-leader" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“The Cleaning Lady” series</a>.
The upcoming Zoe Saldana drama “The Absence of Eden” suggests yet another sympathetic portrait of “undocumented immigrants.” Here’s the official synopsis:
<blockquote>The Absence of Eden takes place at the border between the United States and Mexico … When Esmee (Saldaña), a young woman working as a private dancer in Mexico, is forced to commit a violent act of self-defense that results in the death of a cartel member, she flees her homeland for sanctuary in the United States… Before crossing the border, the mother is taken from the group, and Esmee promises to protect her daughter and help them reunite again in America, touching off an interlocking story about people struggling to survive on America’s border with Mexico.</blockquote>
Hollywood also loves gun control narratives, despite cranking out endless action films teeming with so-called “gun violence.” For that, screenwriters can turn to Everytown for Gun Safety, a group that regularly canoodles with Hollywood talent to inject their narratives into the stories we see.
Its Creative Council, including Oscar-nominee Julianne Moore, has a long history of shaping Hollywood stories. The Netflix drama “House of Cards” <a href="https://www.americas1stfreedom.org/content/gun-control-s-hollywood-connections/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">created a storyline</a> tied to new gun laws that steered viewers to an Everytown website sharing similar messaging.
Films like 2016’s “Miss Sloane,” which leaned heavily on outside consultants to shape its gun-centric storyline, offer more blatant examples of the collaborations in play.
The University of Southern California (USC) joined the movement, producing a handbook last year <a href="https://thereload.com/usc-highlights-gun-control-groups-talking-points-in-guide-intended-to-influence-hollywoods-depiction-of-guns/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">for Hollywood creatives to follow.</a>
<blockquote>Trigger Warning: Gun Guidelines for Media” “provides guidance on how TV shows, movies, and even news shows should approach issues such as officer-involved shootings, gun storage, mass shootings, school shootings, and partner violence.</blockquote>
Hollywood’s woke revolution offers another propaganda-like product. Gender-swapped stories abound, becoming so commonplace it’s now <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gina-carano-skewers-disneys-kathleen-kennedy-over-hilarious-south-park-send-up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a source of mainstream ridicule</a> thanks to &#8220;South Park.&#8221;
And then there&#8217;s Late-night television, often indistinguishable from DNC talking points.
The line between comedian and White House press secretary blurred beyond belief recently when “The Late Show” host Stephen Colbert took part in a Biden fundraising soiree. Colbert’s appearance didn’t surprise anyone. The far-Left host relentlessly uses his CBS show’s platform to attack Republicans, deify Democrats, and ignore stories that paint progressives in an unflattering light.
He’s joined, to varying degrees, by fellow late-night hosts Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel, John Oliver and Jimmy Fallon. Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” offers a rotating lineup of far-left comedians who essentially do the same.
Their propaganda-riddled monologues inspired the birth of a new phrase — “Clapter,” meaning “jokes “meant to draw more applause than laughter.
In that regard, Colbert is in a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1ZmbRXTKAs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">class by himself</a>.
Colbert cherry-picked comments from Special Counsel Robert Hur’s testimony tied to President Joe Biden’s document scandal. The comic’s monologue could be a gaslighting primer, suggesting Biden’s memory is far sharper than we realize.
That’s not comedy or entertainment. It’s propaganda. And, sadly, it has plenty of company in Hollywood.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@HollywoodInToto</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

VOD service screen with remote control in hand

Hollywood’s Propaganda Machine Leaves Viewers Scrambling For Older Shows

Entertainment

Gun Control

Hollywood

Illegal Immigration

Propaganda

Readers Pass

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/securities-and-exchange-commission" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Securities and Exchange Commission</a> paused implementation of a climate rule requiring certain companies to disclose greenhouse gas emissions after a coalition of Republican-led states challenged the rule. 
On Thursday, the SEC <a href="https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/IACIO/2024/04/04/file_attachments/2837713/SEC%20letter%20staying%20climate%20rule.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">alerted</a> the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals that it would hold off finalizing the climate rule while it faced a lawsuit from 25 states led by Iowa. The states argue that the SEC has overstepped its authority by attempting to put in place the climate rule without congressional approval. 
“Today’s victory shuts down the most outrageous climate mandate for businesses since Biden took office,” <a href="https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/IACIO/bulletins/3947929" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird. “The SEC’s job is to protect people from fraud. It has no business slapping companies with extremist climate mandates. We are making it clear that Biden has to follow the law like everyone else.”
“By halting this mandate, we are protecting business from costly red tape, securing our supply chain, and defending family farms,” she added. “Next, we are going to make this win permanent!”
In a Thursday filing, the SEC <a href="https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/IACIO/2024/04/04/file_attachments/2837713/SEC%20letter%20staying%20climate%20rule.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the Eight Circuit, which is reviewing challenges to the rule, that “that the Final Rules are stayed pending completion of judicial review of the consolidated Eighth Circuit petitions.” 
“In issuing a stay, the Commission is not departing from its view that the Final Rules are consistent with applicable law and within the Commission’s long-standing authority to require the disclosure of information important to investors in making investment and voting decision,” the SEC said in a court filing. “Thus, the Commission will continue vigorously defending the Final Rules’ validity in court and looks forward to expeditious resolution of the litigation.”
In addition to forcing companies to report greenhouse gas emissions, the <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/03/28/2024-05137/the-enhancement-and-standardization-of-climate-related-disclosures-for-investors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rule</a> would also ask businesses to report on so-called “climate risks.” 
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This decision follows a <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-appeals-court-temporarily-halts-sec-climate-disclosure-rules-456f2f4c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">move</a> last month by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to temporarily block the rule. 
While a host of states filed challenges to the rule, which was proposed in, Iowa was chosen to be the lead challenger. Other states included in the challenge were Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
“Biden’s radical climate mandate is the most outrageous act of overreach we’ve seen from the Securities and Exchange Commission since Biden took office,” Bird <a href="https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/newsroom/attorney-general-bird-to-lead-nationwide-lawsuit-against-biden-greenhouse-gas-disclosure-mandate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> after Iowa was named the lead for the case. “His climate mandate will only saddle businesses with costly red tape, threaten our supply chain, and devastate Iowa family farms. Biden also illegally worked around Congress to force his climate mandate through, knowing that it lacked support from lawmakers.”

The SEC Votes On Corporate Climate Disclosure Rules

SEC Pauses ‘Extremist Climate Mandate’ After Challenge From Republican Attorneys General

Biden Administration

Securities and Exchange Commission

A coalition of 20 Republican state attorneys general filed an <a href="https://www.alabamaag.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2024.04.01-Amici-States-Brief-in-Honolulu.pdf">amicus brief</a> with the U.S. Supreme Court this week, asking it to take up a major leftist climate case against energy companies that could have serious ramifications for the entire country.
The city of Honolulu claimed in a lawsuit that oil companies like Exxon and Chevron should pay billions of dollars because they were responsible for weather events caused by climate change, including sea level rise, heat waves, flooding, and global warming.
The oil companies initially appealed the ruling with the Hawaii Supreme Court, noting that federal law prevents states from shaping policies for all states, but Hawaii&#8217;s top court sided with the city of Honolulu.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall <a href="https://www.alabamaag.gov/attorney-general-marshall-files-amicus-brief-with-supreme-court-to-stop-cities-and-states-from-crippling-the-energy-industry/">led the coalition</a> in filing the amicus brief with support from Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.
“If Hawaiians want to rely on solar power, I have no problem with that,” said Marshall. “But Honolulu cannot force its views onto Alabama—or any other State. Major decisions about our national energy policy must be made at the federal level, not dictated by one lawsuit brought by one city in its own courts.” He added, “It is especially hypocritical for Honolulu, which has reaped tremendous benefits from fossil fuels for travel and the tourism industry, to try to impose costs on the rest of the Nation, which also depends on energy to meet day-to-day needs.”
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The amicus brief argues that cases involving interstate emissions must be brought under federal law, not state law.
&#8220;Otherwise, one State’s actions could violate the sovereignty of every other State to set its own energy and environmental goals,&#8221; Marshall&#8217;s office said in a <a href="https://www.alabamaag.gov/attorney-general-marshall-files-amicus-brief-with-supreme-court-to-stop-cities-and-states-from-crippling-the-energy-industry/">statement</a>. &#8220;The brief further argues that Hawaii’s lawsuit creates an interstate controversy, which must be resolved by the federal courts. The Supreme Court must intervene before a state judge in Hawaii has the chance to impose what would be a massive tax on the energy system.&#8221;

Ketanji Brown Jackson Confirmation Hearing TW

GOP State AGs Push Supreme Court To Intervene In Hawaii’s Drastic Climate Case Against Energy Companies

Attorney General

Courts

Hawaii

Politics

SCOTUS

Supreme Court

Guyana President Mohamed Irfaan Ali slammed a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/bbc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC</a> reporter in an interview this week for claiming that his small nation was contributing to climate change by allowing oil drilling off its coast.
BBC journalist Stephen Sackur suggested that Ali was wrong for allowing the drilling and asked him if he had the &#8220;right&#8221; to do so.
&#8220;Let&#8217;s take a big picture look at what&#8217;s going on here. Over the next decade, two decades, it is expected that there will be $150 billion worth of oil and gas extracted off your coast,&#8221; Sackur said. &#8220;It&#8217;s an extraordinary figure. But think of it in practical terms. That means, according to many experts, more than 2 billion tons of carbon emissions will come from your seabed from those reserves and be released into the atmosphere.&#8221;
&#8220;Let me stop you right there,&#8221; Ali fired back. &#8220;Let me stop you right there. Do you know that Guyana has a forest, forever, that is the size of England and Scotland combined? The forest stores 19.5 gigatons of carbon, a forest that we have kept alive, a forest that we have kept alive.&#8221;
&#8220;Does that give you the right to release all of this carbon?&#8221; Sackur asked.
&#8220;Does that give you the right to lecture us on climate change?&#8221; Ali fired back. &#8220;I am going to lecture you on climate change because we have kept this forest alive that stores 19.5 gigatons of carbon that you enjoy, that the world enjoys, that you don&#8217;t pay us for, that you don&#8217;t value, that you don&#8217;t see a value in, that the people of Guyana has kept alive.&#8221;
&#8220;Guess what? We have in the lowest deforestation rate in the world. And guess what? Even with our greatest exploration of the oil and gas resource we have now, we will still be net zero, Guyana will still be net zero with all our exploration,&#8221; he continued.
Sackur tried to cut Ali off, but Ali kept firing away.
&#8220;I am not finished yet. I am just not finished as yet,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;Because this is a hypocrisy that exists in the world. We, the world in the last 50 years, has lost 65% of all its biodiversity. We have kept our biodiversity. Are you valuing it? Are you ready to pay for it? When is the developed world going to pay for it? Or are you in the pockets of those who have damaged the environment? Are you and your system in the pockets of those who destroyed the environment through the Industrial Revolution and now lecturing us? Are you in their pockets? Are you paid by them?&#8221;
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The President of Guyana brought a wrecking ball to the BBC, which tried to guilt trip him and his country for exporting natural resources. <a href="https://t.co/S5Md9Eh90j">pic.twitter.com/S5Md9Eh90j</a>
&mdash; Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) <a href="https://twitter.com/stillgray/status/1774258883281965085?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

2023 Concordia Annual Summit – September 18

Guyana President Wrecks BBC Reporter Trying To Lecture Him On Climate Change: ‘I Am Going To Lecture You!’

Environmentalism

Oil and Gas

South America

World

A federal judge in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/texas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Texas</a> struck down a <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/12/07/2023-26019/national-performance-management-measures-assessing-performance-of-the-national-highway-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rule</a> from the Biden administration that required states and cities to measure and set goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions “associated with transportation.”
The rule, put forth by the Federal Highway Administration, was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-admin-sued-over-rule-that-mandates-emissions-standards-for-states" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticized by Republicans</a> who argued that the federal government lacked authority to implement the mandate and that it was an attempt by the Biden administration to impose its climate agenda on conservative states. Texas sued in December to have the rule vacated and a federal judge sided with the state on Wednesday. 
“A federal administrative agency cannot act without congressional authorization. Here, the Federal Highway Administration created a rule requiring the states to measure, report, and set declining targets for the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by vehicles using the interstate and national-highway systems,” <a href="https://subscriber.politicopro.com/eenews/f/eenews/?id=0000018e-855e-dc9c-ab9f-adfe6b270000" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> Judge James Hendrix of the Northern District of Texas.
“Texas sued, alleging that the agency lacked authority to enact the rule. Given the statutory text’s plain language and context, the Court agrees,” Hendrix, a Trump appointee, added. 
In his 49-page decision, Hendrix said that the Department of Transportation had attempted to override the law&#8217;s “clear limitation of authorized performance measures to those that track the physical condition and efficiency of the interstate and national-highway systems.”
He said that in order for the federal government to force states to make greenhouse gas measurements Congress either had to amend 23 U.S. Code Section 150, a federal law related to national highways and interstates, or pass an entirely new law.
“If the people, through Congress, believe that the states should spend the time and money necessary to measure and report GHG emissions and set declining emission targets, they may do so by amending Section 150 or passing a new law,” Hendrix wrote. “But an agency cannot make this decision for the people.”
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The decision was celebrated by Republicans in Congress, including Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) and Highways and Transit Subcommittee Chairman Rick Crawford (R-AR).
“This was a clear case of blatant overreach by the Biden Administration from the beginning, and we commend the Court for its ruling that a ‘federal administrative agency cannot act without congressional authorization,’” Graves and Crawford said in a statement. “Congress rejected the inclusion of a GHG performance measure requirement when the infrastructure law was developed, making the Administration’s rule making an unlawful attempt to circumvent Congress and force this one-size-fits-all burden upon every state and community across the country.”

US President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and NC governor Roy Cooper in North Carolina

Federal Judge Strikes Down Biden’s Highway Rule Imposing Climate Agenda On States

Department of Transportation

Texas

Mississippi sent a cease-and-desist letter to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/blackrock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BlackRock</a> on Tuesday accusing the financial asset manager of misleading investors about its environmental, social, and governance policies and threatening to level a steep fine on the firm. 
The letter, from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mississippi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mississippi</a> Secretary of State Michael Watson, <a href="https://www.sos.ms.gov/press/mississippi-secretary-state-issues-order-against-blackrock-alleged-securities-fraud-related" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a> that BlackRock may face a multimillion-dollar financial penalty if it does not comply with the state’s demands. BlackRock, which manages over $10 trillion in assets, has faced increasing scrutiny from Republican officials over its investing policies, especially in relation to its links to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/financial-giants-pull-14-trillion-from-climate-group-that-pressures-companies-to-take-action-on-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener">climate activist</a> groups. 
“BlackRock has made and continues to make untrue statements of material fact, and to omit material facts to make its statements not misleading, to investors and potential investors in Mississippi,” a copy of the <a href="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/Final-CD-BR.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> obtained by The Daily Wire says. “These misrepresentations pertain to BlackRock’s provision of investment services, especially its involvement in pushing Environmental, Social, and Governance (‘ESG’) factors on portfolio companies. Additionally, many of BlackRock’s acts, practices, and courses of business operate or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon investors and potential investors in Mississippi.”
Watson said that the letter and notice of intent to impose administrative penalty was part of Mississippi&#8217;s efforts to go after politicized investment companies. 
“Investment companies will not push their political agenda on Mississippians, especially through fraudulent and deceptive means,” Watson said. “All citizens should have the opportunity to make informed and educated decisions when investing their hard-earned money. If not, our office will hold these bad actors accountable.”
The letter alleges that there are two categories of false and misleading statements made by BlackRock to investors. The first claims that while BlackRock says it doesn’t use all funds for ESG purposes it has already committed “to use all assets under management to advance the environmental agenda of reducing carbon emissions to ‘net zero.’”
The second category includes statements from BlackRock indicating that ESG-related investing brings positive financial results. Watson’s letter disputes this saying that is misleading “because the consideration of ESG factors does not provide an indication of better financial returns or current or future risk profiles.”
BlackRock has <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/finance-and-economy/2941273/mississippi-slaps-blackrock-cease-and-desist-order-esg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded</a> to the letter, saying that Mississippi&#8217;s allegations against it were untrue. 
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“Many policymakers and government officials have ideas on how we should invest our clients’ assets,” BlackRock said. “We are always bound to invest consistent with our clients’ choices, their best financial interests, and applicable law. Our only agenda is maximizing risk-adjusted returns for the funds our clients choose to invest in.”
BlackRock, headed up by CEO Larry Fink, has walked back from some of its climate commitments, but has still faced calls to fully abandon ESG policies. 
“Larry Fink and BlackRock continue to pretend that the only time they engage in ESG, it is with permission of the shareholders, but in reality, ESG policies have seeped into every facet of BlackRock&#8217;s asset management,” Will Hild of Consumers&#8217; Research said in a <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/mississippi-hits-blackrock-with-cease-desist-threatens-massive-fine-over-esg-policies">statement</a> to FOX Business on Wednesday. “They&#8217;ve been lying to their customers, and states like Mississippi are not going to allow this to continue.”

Blackrock Posts 22 Percent Increase In Quarterly Profits

Mississippi May Issue BlackRock ‘Multimillion-Dollar’ Fine Over ESG Investing Policies

BlackRock

Investors

Mississippi

Oakland, California

Biden Plans To Destroy What’s Left Of The Economy With Ban On Gas Powered Vehicles

Biden Plans To Destroy What's Left Of The Economy With Ban On Gas Powered Vehicles

Automobiles

California

Gavin Newsom

Joe Biden

Opinion

Eight states — California, Rhode Island, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Washington — and the District of Columbia are now on board with plans to ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles within the next decade.
The plans to phase out the vehicles and switch to electric and hybrid vehicles come as the Biden administration continues to pursue its <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/20/climate/biden-phase-out-gas-cars.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lofty</a> climate goals in a struggling economy. The administration, for example, wants half of all new cars and trucks sold in 2030 to be zero-emission, despite <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ford-cuts-production-of-electric-truck-they-touted-as-the-future-hiring-hundreds-to-build-more-gas-vehicles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sputtering</a> EV sales.
All 8 of the states and D.C. have <a href="https://www.kbb.com/car-news/maryland-becomes-7th-state-banning-new-gas-car-sales-after-2035/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">adopted</a> the Advanced Clean Cars II rule, and will have an outright ban on the sale of new gas-powered vehicles after 2035.
California was the first to adopt the rule, aiming to have 35% of new vehicle sales emit zero emissions by 2026, and boosting that goal to 68% by 2030.
<a href="https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/advanced-clean-cars-program/advanced-clean-cars-ii#:~:text=The%20Advanced%20Clean%20Cars%20II%20regulations%20take%20the%20state's%20already,100%25%20zero%2Demission%20vehicles." target="_blank" rel="noopener">According</a> to the California Air Resources Board, the regulation overhauls the state&#8217;s &#8220;growing <span class="c5aZPb" role="button" data-enable-toggle-animation="true" data-extra-container-classes="ZLo7Eb" data-hover-hide-delay="1000" data-hover-open-delay="500" data-send-open-event="true" data-theme="0" data-width="250" data-ved="2ahUKEwjepqqP4ZSFAxVu_8kDHST9DdAQmpgGegQIKBAD">zero-emission vehicle market and robust motor vehicle emission control rules and augments them to meet more aggressive tailpipe emissions standards and ramp up to 100% zero-emission vehicles.&#8221;
As <a href="https://money.com/states-banning-gas-powered-cars/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> by Money, the states&#8217; plans to ban gas-powered vehicles have generally not required votes from lawmakers, but have been advanced with support from governors and environmental regulators.
The EV market has struggled in recent months, as highlighted by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ford-cuts-production-of-electric-truck-they-touted-as-the-future-hiring-hundreds-to-build-more-gas-vehicles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a>. Ford, for example, had to cut 1,400 employees from its Rouge Electric Vehicle Center, rolled back the planned production number of the electric F-150 Lightnings in half, and slashed $12 billion in EV investments.
President Biden, however, is not slowing down when it comes to targeting the gas-powered vehicle industry. Earlier this month, Biden&#8217;s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set new eye-popping regulations in an effort to increase the number of electric vehicles on the road.
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The new EPA rules set emission standards for vehicles made between 2027 and 2032 and would eliminate more than 7 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions, setting off concerns across the nation.
For example, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) railed against the EPA&#8217;s move, calling it both &#8220;reckless&#8221; and &#8220;ill-informed.&#8221;
“The federal government has no authority and no right to mandate what type of car or truck Americans can purchase for their everyday lives,” the senator said. “This reckless and ill-informed rule will impose what is effectively an EV mandate without ensuring the security of our supply chains from nations like China and without a realistic transition plan that addresses our domestic infrastructure needs.”
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Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ford-cuts-production-of-electric-truck-they-touted-as-the-future-hiring-hundreds-to-build-more-gas-vehicles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ford Cuts Production Of Electric Truck They Touted As The Future; Hiring Hundreds To Build More Gas Vehicles</a>
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TOPSHOT-US-politics-government-pandemic-Covid-19

These 8 States Plan On Banning Sale Of Gas-Powered Vehicles As Biden EPA Tackles ‘Climate Crisis’

Environment

A witness who testified about climate change last week on Capitol Hill said a top Democrat issued an apology after he was grilled by Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) on the issue of carbon dioxide.
Gus Schumacher, an American cross-country skier who was invited by the Democrats, went viral over his exchange with Kennedy during a Budget Committee <a href="https://www.budget.senate.gov/hearings/recreation-at-risk-the-nature-of-climate-costs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hearing</a> on &#8220;Recreation at Risk: The Nature of Climate Costs.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Democrats want to spend $50 TRILLION to become carbon neutral &amp; held a hearing to tell us why.
Dem witness: Carbon dioxide is &quot;a huge part of our atmosphere.&quot;
Me: &quot;It’s actually a very small part of our atmosphere.&quot; (0.035%)
Dem witness: &quot;Well, okay. But, yeah. I don’t know.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/sSdbtsX7aq">pic.twitter.com/sSdbtsX7aq</a>
&mdash; John Kennedy (@SenJohnKennedy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenJohnKennedy/status/1770830505417576612?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
One particular moment at the start that drew much attention was when Kennedy corrected Schumacher after he said carbon dioxide is a &#8220;huge part&#8221; of the Earth&#8217;s atmosphere after noting he was not a &#8220;professional&#8221; to discuss the topic.
&#8220;It&#8217;s actually a very small part of our atmosphere,&#8221; Kennedy replied.
Indeed, carbon dioxide makes up only about <a href="https://netl.doe.gov/carbon-management/carbon-storage/faqs/carbon-dioxide-101#:~:text=Carbon%20dioxide%20occurs%20naturally%20in,percent)%20in%20the%20Earth's%20atmosphere.&amp;text=Carbon%20dioxide%20is%20a%20minor,subsequently%20exhaled%20from%20the%20lungs." target="_blank" rel="noopener">0.04%</a> of the atmosphere. Although it is naturally present there, it is also <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-greenhouse-gases" target="_blank" rel="noopener">considered</a> the planet&#8217;s primary greenhouse gas, emitted through human activities that are driving climate change.
As the discussion went on, Schumacher said he would like there to be a decrease in the use of fossil fuels that produce CO2 emissions, but he could not provide specifics on a timeline or how much money going carbon neutral would cost.
Schumacher later <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13238361/Climate-skier-Gus-Schumacher-kennedy-senate.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told DailyMail.com</a> that Chairman Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) offered him an apology and was &#8220;pretty cheerful&#8221; afterward.
&#8220;He apologized for Sen. Kennedy and mentioned that it&#8217;s not the first time he&#8217;s done that aggressive line of questioning that&#8217;s not entirely related,&#8221; Schumacher said.
He added, &#8220;&#8216;I don&#8217;t think anyone from my team was expecting that approach, he did a good job of making these questions really silly.&#8221;
Schumacher also said he was &#8220;a little bit flustered&#8221; after the line of questioning from Kennedy. &#8220;That spoke to my inability to answer questions on CO2, but I wasn&#8217;t too red in the face,&#8221; he said.
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Kennedy posted a video of his exchange with Schumacher to X.
&#8220;Democrats want to spend $50 TRILLION to become carbon neutral &amp; held a hearing to tell us why,&#8221; he said before quoting the exchange about how much carbon dioxide is in the atmosphere.
In addition to questions about carbon dioxide, Kennedy pressed Schumacher about social media posts in 2020 about racism and the criminal justice system.
Schumacher pushed back, claiming the questions were &#8220;off topic&#8221; and that he was there as an athlete to discuss the effects of climate change on his sport.

Gus Schumacher

Witness Says Top Democrat Apologized After Sen. Kennedy Schooled Him On CO2

Congress

John Kennedy

U.S. Senate

Financial asset manager <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/blackrock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BlackRock</a> said in its annual report that environmental, social, and governance policies could hurt its bottom line after Republican state officials cut ties with the company over its ties to China and climate activism. 
In its annual Form 10-K <a href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1364742/000095017024019271/blk-20231231.htm#item_1a_risk_factors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SEC filing</a> put out last week, BlackRock said that it was facing ESG-related risk factors that might cause it to lose revenue and damage its earnings. The financial giant, which has over $10 trillion in assets, has faced scrutiny from Republican officials who say the company misleads its customers about leftist policies. 
“If BlackRock is not able to successfully manage ESG-related expectations across varied stakeholder interests, it may adversely affect BlackRock’s reputation, ability to attract and retain clients, employees, shareholders and business partners or result in litigation, legal or governmental action, which may cause its AUM, revenue and earnings to decline,” the company wrote in its filing. 
The company said that this was due to having “clients who have a variety of goals and preferences, including those who want to increase their exposure to the low-carbon transition and those who choose not to invest in products or strategies with sustainable investment objectives.”
BlackRock said that there was risk because some of its clients wanted it to become more involved in promoting ESG investing, while others have cut off business because of its policies toward coal and natural gas. 
“Some US states and state officials have adopted or proposed legislation or otherwise have taken official positions restricting or prohibiting state government entities from doing certain business with entities identified by the state as ‘boycotting’ or ‘discriminating’ against particular industries or considering ESG factors in their investment processes and proxy voting,” the filing said. “Other states and localities may adopt similar legislation or other ESG-related laws and positions that adversely impact BlackRock’s business.”
The filing was cheered on by conservatives who said that it was only the beginning of pushback on ESG initiatives.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
This is enormous. The blowback to the ESG tyranny is only beginning. <a href="https://t.co/ZjSiSwrr43">https://t.co/ZjSiSwrr43</a>
&mdash; Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/1763602148514799698?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;The hustlers &amp; radicals pushing ESG on American investors &amp; retirees are finally being exposed. But the battle is far from over because they are going to change tactics &amp; try to fly under the radar. Our policy responses will need to evolve,&#8221; Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenMarcoRubio/status/1763633618390294896" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
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In recent years, a number of states, including Louisiana and West Virginia, have divested from BlackRock. As opposition grew, the company has backtracked on some of its policies, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/financial-giants-pull-14-trillion-from-climate-group-that-pressures-companies-to-take-action-on-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener">most recently</a> pulling out of Climate Action 100+, a group that pressures companies to “take action on climate change.” BlackRock International, a subsidiary, remained in the group.
Republican officials have also maintained pressure on the company, and 15 Republican attorneys general, led by Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, <a href="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/Follow_up_letter_to_BlackRock_Directors_FINAL.pdf">demanded</a> more answers from BlackRock about its participation in climate organizations and what kind of environmental, social, and governance policies it has implemented.

BlackRock offices in New York City. Founded in 1988,

BlackRock Admits Its Bottom Line Could Be Hurt By ESG Investing

Marco Rubio

Republican officials continued their probe of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/blackrock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BlackRock</a> this week, saying that the financial giant has not been forthcoming about how climate activists are shaping its policies, according to a letter first obtained by The Daily Wire.
In a <a href="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/02/Follow_up_letter_to_BlackRock_Directors_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> to BlackRock on Tuesday, 15 Republican attorneys general led by Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, demanded more answers from BlackRock about its participation in climate organizations and what kind of environmental, social, and governance policies it has implemented. BlackRock, which has over $10 trillion in assets, has faced scrutiny from Republicans over accusations that it prioritizes leftist activism over customer benefit.
“I have serious concerns about BlackRock’s Environmental, Social, and Governance investments, their conflicting statements regarding ESG, and the potential conflicts of interest with independent fund directors,” Knudsen told The Daily Wire. “Mutual fund directors have a fiduciary obligation to their clients to make them as much money as possible, but BlackRock appears to be more concerned with pushing the woke, liberal agenda.”
The 18-page letter raises concerns about conflicting statements made by BlackRock on ESG, BlackRock’s participation in leftist climate groups, and conflicts of interests.
BlackRock recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/financial-giants-pull-14-trillion-from-climate-group-that-pressures-companies-to-take-action-on-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stepped away</a> from the Climate Action 100+ organization, but remains in other groups like the Net Zero Asset Managers initiative, the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment, and Ceres. BlackRock International, a subsidiary, is still part of the Climate Action organization.
Knudson told The Daily Wire that while BlackRock “took a step in the right direction by dropping out Climate Action 100+ earlier this month, it’s not enough.”
“BlackRock has made commitments to environmental activist groups that may conflict with the fiduciary duties it owes to clients, and we seek more information about how the independent directors have overseen this,” the letter says. “Further, BlackRock’s relationships with certain large institutional clients, especially state pension funds, may unduly influence BlackRock’s overall approach to engaging with companies in which it invests, including investments that have disclaimed any reliance or focus on ESG factors.”
The Republicans AGs also say that BlackRock has made misleading statements about the motivations behind its ESG policies. Some comments from BlackRock indicate that it believes that ESG policies provide financial benefit are undercut by other statements that sustainability criteria don’t help assess the potential risk or reward of a fund, the letter notes.
“BlackRock’s claims that its focus on climate and ESG is motivated by concern about financial return are also undermined by the performance of its ESG-managed funds, which lag behind the performance of non-ESG benchmarks while charging higher fees,” the letter said.
Additionally, the letter raises concerns about the independence of mutual fund directors at BlackRock and whether they can be directors on other corporations where BlackRock controls significant shares.
“From a conflict-of-interest perspective, there is a clear risk that service on a public company board creates a dynamic where the director will be hesitant to offend or anger BlackRock, when BlackRock manages, votes, and controls significant shares in that public company,” the letter says.
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In addition to Montana, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Utah all signed on to the letter.
&#8220;Thanks to persistent efforts from Republican attorneys general to defeat the radical and illegal ESG movement, BlackRock and other investment firms have rightly withdrawn from certain environmental organizations committed to a foundational transformation of America&#8217;s energy and financial sectors,&#8221; Utah AG Sean Reyes told The Daily Wire. &#8220;Our coalition, however, still has concerns with BlackRock&#8217;s past and present actions involving the financial interests of our constituents. We will remain steadfast in holding BlackRock and others like it accountable by protecting the financial freedom of our people.&#8221;
The Republicans previously wrote to BlackRock in July voicing many of the same concerns and received a reply in August. They said that August&#8217;s reply did not sufficiently answer their questions or concerns about ESG investing. Tennessee <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-attorney-general-sues-blackrock-for-misleading-investors-about-esg-agenda" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sued</a> BlackRock in December, saying that firm violated consumer protection laws by misleading consumers about its attempt to pursue left-wing social and environmental goals.

EXCLUSIVE: Republican Officials Demand Answers On BlackRock’s ‘Woke’ Climate Agenda

Business

Environmentalists

Montana

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