COP26: The U.S. and China surprise COP26 attendees as they announce a joint commitment to do more together to cut emissions, though the pact lacks a timetable for those reductions. (New York Times)

ALSO:
• A draft global agreement being circulated at COP26 includes  an end to coal use and subsidies, more ambitious emissions goals, and more funding from wealthy countries to help poorer countries deal with climate impacts. (The Guardian, Washington Post)
• Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg suggests retiring the phrase “save the planet” in favor of framing climate change conversations around saving lives. (New York Times)

HYDROGEN:
• A planned Appalachian “blue hydrogen” hub with $8 billion in funding from the federal infrastructure bill could be obsolete by the time it’s complete because a cleaner way to make hydrogen may soon be cheaper. (Bloomberg)
• A New Jersey gas utility kicks off the first pilot project on the East Coast to blend hydrogen into its distribution system, providing a real-life example of how the industry could utilize existing infrastructure to shift to hydrogen. (S&P Global)

TRANSMISSION: At the inaugural meeting of a joint state and federal transmission task force, state regulators share the biggest obstacles they see to building high-voltage, long-distance transmission lines. (E&E News)

NUCLEAR: The U.S. Energy Department announces a $6 billion nuclear credit program meant to keep existing reactors operating, as required under the bipartisan infrastructure bill. (E&E News)

SOLAR: The U.S. Commerce Department says it won’t investigate whether Chinese manufacturers made solar cells in other Asian countries to avoid tariffs after a request from anonymous solar developers. (Bloomberg)

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Shares of electric vehicle startup Rivian soared more than 50% on the company’s first day of trading on the stock market, leading to a roughly $90 billion market value that’s bigger than Ford and GM. (Detroit Free Press)

HYDROPOWER: A pumped hydropower storage project proposed for the shores of the Columbia River in Washington state would generate as much power as a nearby nuclear reactor but faces opposition from the Yakama Indian Nation and environmental groups. (Crosscut) 

CLIMATE:
• The EPA’s 2011 prediction that power plants would have to spend upwards of $9.6 billion to comply with hazardous emissions regulations has turned out to be far too high, but the Trump administration still used that price tag to gut the provision. (E&E News)
• The bipartisan infrastructure bill includes $216 million for tribal climate resilience, adaptation and community relocation planning. (E&E News, subscription)

UTILITIES: Entergy says it will shut down aging natural gas plants in Arkansas and Mississippi in favor of a shift toward renewable power. (Talk Business & Politics, Associated Press)

BIOFUELS: U.S. oil refiners are taking positions on the biofuel credit market that could force them to close plants or fire union workers if President Biden doesn’t scale back federal biofuel blending requirements. (Reuters)

MINING: A federal judge orders West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice’s coal companies to pay nearly $3 million for violations at eastern Kentucky mines and revokes several of their mining permits, including at mines that were planned to reopen. (Lexington Herald-Leader, West Virginia Public Broadcasting)

Kathryn brings her extensive editorial background to the Energy News Network team, where she oversees the early-morning production of ENN’s five email digest newsletters as well as distribution of ENN’s original journalism with other media outlets. From documenting chronic illness’ effect on college students to following the inner workings of Congress, Kathryn has built a broad experience in her more than five years working at major publications including The Week Magazine. Kathryn holds a Bachelor of Science in magazine journalism and information management and technology from Syracuse University.