{beacon} Energy & Environment Energy & Environment   The Big Story  Earth sees scorching temps in hottest year on record: NOAAEarth saw its hottest year ever recorded last year, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released Friday. © AP In 2024, Earth overall saw its highest global temperature dating to the beginning of NOAA’s climate record in 1850, according to the agency.  The planet’s average temperature was 1.46 degrees Celsius warmer than the preindustrial (1850-1900) average, just shy of the Paris Climate Agreement’s 1.5-degree ceiling for irreversible damage.  A large majority of land surface saw above-average temperatures in 2024, according to NOAA, including record warmth for the Americas, Europe, Africa and Oceania, while it was the second-hottest year on record for Asia and the Arctic. All of the 10 warmest years recorded since 1850 occurred within the last decade, including 2023, which was previously the warmest year on record.  Carbon dioxide emissions, the primary cause of global warming, saw a projected global increase of about 1 billion metric tons for a total of about 41.6 billion metric tons in 2024, according to an estimate from the World Meteorological Organization. On a press call Friday, Russell Vose, chief of the Product Development Branch at NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center, suggested the recent El Nino that ended in May was also a likely contributor, as well as reductions in air pollution over the oceans that allowed more sunlight to warm them.  Meanwhile, the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Service similarly found with “virtual certainty” that 2024 was the warmest year on record; but unlike NOAA, it also found that the year exceeded the 1.5-degree limit for the first time. It also found that average global temperatures for both the month of November and boreal autumn were the second warmest on record behind 2023. Read more at TheHill.com.  Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, we’re Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.   Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.   Essential Reads  How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future:  California wildfires: Water supply becomes flashpoint in Trump-Newsom fight The blazes burning across the Los Angeles region are not only devastating property and lives, but also fueling political argument over how to fight the fires, with President-elect Trump blaming state officials for a dearth of available water supplies.  Full Story   Biden administration imposes major sanctions on Russian energy sector The Biden administration announced Friday it was imposing what it billed as the most significant sanctions to date on the Russian energy sector, targeting Moscow’s oil and liquified natural gas (LNG) exports just weeks before leaving office.  Full Story   California official bans insurance cancellations, nonrenewals in wildfire-affected areas California’s insurance commissioner issued a one-year moratorium on policy nonrenewals and cancellations in areas affected by devastating wildfires in and around Los Angeles.   Full Story  In Other News  Branch out with a different read from The Hill: 5 looming questions about California’s devastating wildfires An infernal barrage of blazes continues to ravage the Los Angeles metropolitan region, where the death toll has now risen to at least 10 individuals. Full Story   What We're Reading  News we've flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics: Mike Johnson quietly sought EPA environmental justice grant (E&E News) The Race to Remove ‘Forever Chemicals’ from Clothing Ahead of Bans (The Wall Street Journal) Massages and country clubs: Your electric bill may be funding lavish perks (Floodlight/The South Carolina Daily Gazette/The Louisiana Illuminator/WWNO)   On Tap  Upcoming news themes and events we're watching: Tuesday: Doug Burgum, Trump’s pick to lead the Interior Department, will have a confirmation hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Wednesday: Chris Wright, Trump’s pick to lead the Energy Department, will have a confirmation hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Thursday: Lee Zeldin, Trump’s pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, will have a confirmation hearing before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.   What Others are Reading  Two key stories on The Hill right now: Judge holds Giuliani in contempt for defaming Georgia election workers A federal judge on Friday held Rudy Giuliani in civil contempt for skirting an agreement not to make new false claims about two Georgia election workers he was ordered to pay $146 million for defaming.  Read more Judge sentences Trump to unconditional discharge, no punishment in hush money conviction President-elect Trump was spared any punishment for his hush money criminal conviction Friday when a New York judge sentenced him to an unconditional discharge, eschewing jail time while securing his status as the first person convicted of a felony to assume the presidency.  Read more  You're all caught up. See you Monday!  Close Thank you for signing up! 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