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As Data Centers Upend Grids, Largest US Operator Faces A Revolt from State Officials

Eleven governors from PJM Interconnection member states are demanding greater control over grid operations as data center expansion drives capacity auction costs from $2.2 billion to $16.1 billion in two years. The surge in electricity demand from AI and data centers has caused ratepayer bills to increase substantially, with some threatening to withdraw from the 13-state grid altogether. Source: grist.org

As Data Centers Upend Grids, Largest US Operator Faces A Revolt from State Officials

https://grist.org/climate-energy/data-centers-electric-grids-pjm-operator-state-officials/

Hurricane Melissa Adds Urgency to COP30

Category 5 Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica causing catastrophic floods and landslides across the Caribbean, killing seven people and underscoring the urgency of the upcoming COP30 climate summit in Brazil. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told Cabinet colleagues the hurricane highlighted the importance of the summit for those unable to "pick up their island and move it out of the way of the approaching storm." Source: theecologist.org

Hurricane Melissa Adds Urgency to COP30

https://theecologist.org/2025/oct/29/hurricane-melissa-adds-urgency-cop30

Gates : Three Tough Truths

Bill Gates calls for a strategic pivot in climate action ahead of COP30, arguing the world should focus on preventing human suffering rather than solely on emissions targets. In his memo "Three Tough Truths About Climate," Gates contends that climate change is serious but won't end civilization, and that health and prosperity are the best defense against climate impacts, sparking debate among climate scientists and activists. Source: gatesnotes.com

Gates : Three Tough Truths

https://www.gatesnotes.com/home/home-page-topic/reader/three-tough-truths-about-climate

What's at Stake As Brazil Welcomes Summit

COP30 in Belem, Brazil marks the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement with critical discussions on climate finance, deforestation, and closing the gap between countries' pledges and the 1.5C warming target. Key issues include scaling climate financing from $300 billion to $1.3 trillion annually by 2035, protecting tropical forests through Brazil's proposed $125 billion fund, and addressing the urgent need for ambitious national climate plans. Source: france24.com

What's at Stake As Brazil Welcomes Summit

https://www.france24.com/en/environment/20251026-whats-at-stake-brazil-belem-cop30-un-climate-change-summit

Hard Questions Loom

As COP30 approaches, challenging questions loom about climate finance delivery, adaptation funding, and whether countries can bridge the widening gap between current emissions trajectories and climate targets. Experts warn that without decisive action on financing mechanisms and accountability frameworks, vulnerable nations will continue bearing disproportionate climate impacts while lacking resources for resilience. Source: ft.com

Hard Questions Loom

https://www.ft.com/content/5e84ac7f-31f2-4e1a-ae1a-6b94f2a50850

Electricians Expand Into New Headquarters

IBEW Local 280 is opening a new 7,200-square-foot union hall and training center in Redmond, Oregon in January to accommodate growth driven by data center construction. The union has grown to 500 members, fueled by work on Facebook and Apple data center campuses in Prineville, with journeyman electricians earning $57.65 per hour. The electrician field in Central Oregon has grown 22.1% over the past decade. Source: redmondspokesman.com

Electricians Expand Into New Headquarters

https://redmondspokesman.com/2025/10/28/union-electricians-expand-into-new-redmond-headquarters/