Morning!

We’re back to our weekly-ish publication schedule for the Climate Optimist with a series of reads that caught our attention over the past week. 

This edition is all about disruption - and the people, policies, and infrastructure trying to keep pace. From power grids to public spaces, we’re seeing both the promise and pressure of rapid change. Our very own Julia Thayne joins the Beyond Streets podcast to unpack myths about innovation and engagement. A meme-worthy blackout in Spain reveals deeper cracks in Europe’s energy future. And Stateside, ExxonMobil makes a big climate bet on tech (and politics), Waymo looks surprisingly safe, and a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist reminds us that cities must serve families. 

Let’s dive in.    

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Curated finds from around the web

Twoº & Rising & Rising’s very own Julia Thayne appeared on the Beyond Streets podcast to discuss with friends and fellow technologists, Greg Rodriguez and Sam Roxas, the keys to bringing ideas to implementation in public and private sectors. Tune in, and tell us what you think about whether myths on the pace of innovation and who exactly does community engagement were debunked.   

You might have seen the memes from Spain’s power outage last week (and according to our friend traveling in Spain right now, they were accurate), but community joy aside, the outage did expose some serious issues with transmission and distribution infrastructure upgrades in Europe. Although Spain generated 56% of its electricity from clean sources in 2024, it failed to invest in managing its new multidirectional, decentralized grid. Similarly, Europe overall has a $2 trillion investment shortfall to modernize its grid by 2050. CTVC by Sightline Climate has ideas for what could help.    

ExxonMobil is spending $30 billion by 2030 in low-emission opportunities, a 10x increase from its 2021 target of $3 billion. The catch is that their plan requires the Trump administration to retain tax credits for carbon capture, biofuels, and hydrogen - a move which could save almost 400,000 jobs across the U.S. in mostly GOP-controlled districts. While the state of Arizona has the most to lose, Julia’s home state of Georgia is up there, too. 

Cities should be places where families can thrive - full stop. This Pulitzer-prize winning series from Alexandra Lange shows how sustainable urban design, public spaces, and architecture can come together to create great environments for families. Relatedly, a new meta-analysis from UK academics demonstrates why municipalities might regulate large vehicle use and incentivize walkable, bikeable environments: in the case of a crash, being hit by an SUV or light truck vehicle increases the odds of a pedestrian or cyclist being killed or seriously injured by 44% for adults and 82% for children compared to a passenger car. 

We don’t normally put a lot of confidence in self-published reports, but Waymo’s recent safety report analyzing the performance of its vehicles across ~57 million fully driverless miles is eye-opening. Want the TL;DR version? Check out this you-have-to-see-it-to-believe-it video that shows Waymo vehicles adjusting their driving to avoid scooter and SUV collisions. 

QUOTE

THE RUNDOWN

California’s Crisis Mentality Sparked a Clean Energy Revolution

In a room full of climate experts, David Hochschild, the chair of the California Energy Commission said the quiet part out loud: California didn’t just react to crisis–it capitalized on it.

Once the state of rolling blackouts and smog alerts, California now runs on 61% clean electricity and added 100% clean power to the grid on 219 separate days last year. That’s not a policy forecast–that’s real-time progress. Every day, 1,300 new electric vehicles hit California roads. And by 2035, the state plans to ban the sale of gas-powered cars altogether (for now).

How’d we get here? It wasn’t luck. It was a playbook built on grit, scale, and aggressive investment–one that turned solar from the most expensive power source to the cheapest in just 20 years. Now, batteries are storing that sunshine to keep the lights on during record heatwaves, and school buses are doubling as mini power plants.

But Hochschild’s real message was this: California isn’t the main character anymore. Red states are seeking and getting clean energy funding. Entrepreneurs across the U.S. are building the next billion-dollar climate tools. The Inflation Reduction Act made sure this is everyone’s revolution, not just a coastal experiment.

In the same way Indigenous leaders like the Yurok restored entire ecosystems, we now have the tools–and responsibility–to restore our energy future. And whether you’re building solar, driving electric, or just paying attention, you’re part of the most important project on Earth.

POLL

DETOURS

A new lawsuit alleges the federal government froze climate and environmental justice grants based on the use of terms like “equity” and “socioeconomic,” raising serious First Amendment concerns. The case challenges whether political targeting of language in federal grants violates constitutional free speech protections.