In early February 2026, the Federal Judicial Centre removed a chapter explaining climate science from the Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence. Judges used this manual to evaluate scientific testimony in U.S. courtrooms. The removal was prompted after Republican state attorneys argued that the chapter presented climate science in a manner that could influence litigation against fossil fuel companies. The chapter,
Scientists are exploring ways to turn the world’s submarine internet cables into climate-monitoring infrastructure. The infrastructure will be capable of detecting changes in ocean temperature, earthquakes, and deep-sea pressure shifts linked to climate change. The use of existing global infrastructure gives this idea added potential but also raises security concerns when modifying critical internet systems.
Governments and climate regulators are currently trying to determine how engineered carbon removal technologies should qualify for international carbon credit markets. Currently, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is developing and updating the technical standards to align with GHG reporting and climate management. The publication of the revised ISO 14001:2026 standard is planned for April 2026 with a transition period of three years.
On November 25, 2025, the National Association of Attorneys General, led by Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, sent a letter on behalf of a bipartisan coalition of 36 state attorneys general to Congress. The letter urged Congress leaders to reject the proposed ban on state-level artificial intelligence (AI) laws. The attorneys general argue that a broad federal law would prevent individual states from addressing and responding to AI risks quickly.
Federal climate regulation is at risk as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rescinded the 2009 “endangerment finding” on February 12, 2026. The EPA called the engagement finding “the single largest deregulatory action in U.S. history.” States like California and Wisconsin, as well as several organizations, are preparing for a legal battle that could eventually reach the Supreme Court, which could take years. They argue that the U.S. could be left with far less ability to regulate emissions at a national level.
In 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) signaled that it would use existing federal law to address algorithmic discrimination in automated decision-making services regarding hiring, lending, and tenant screening. Some tech companies argue that the FTC is overreaching in the absence of explicit AI laws. The FTC’s push highlights how federal agencies are reshaping AI governance on a case-by-case basis rather than implementing broad new laws.
There are ten congressional seats up for the 2026 election in Colorado. All of the state’s eight U.S. House of Representatives seats and one U.S. Senate seat. The Democratic Party currently holds four of the eight House seats and both U.S. Senate seats in a state that has trended Democratic of late.
A group of young activists from the landmark Held v. Montana case filed a new challenge against recent state laws. The filed petition challenges several statutes passed by Republicans that threaten the activist group’s victory in the Montana Supreme Court in 2024. According to the group, the new changes are violations of the state’s guarantee of a “clean and healthful environment.” The youth plaintiffs are preparing for a renewed legal fight and highlighting that climate harms are a constitutional issue.
The Federal-State battle over AI regulation has heated up after President Trump signed an executive order on Dec. 11 that blocks states from enforcing their own regulations on artificial intelligence. The order seeks to create a “single national framework” for AI. However state lawmakers, tech experts, and civil rights organizations are worried about what this means for the country. Many believe that federal regulations could slow down America’s competitiveness in the global AI race and will have serious implications for national security.
Brief #82 – Elections & Politics Policy Brief
by Arvind Salem
On June 8, 2023, Donald Trump became the first president in history to face federal criminal charges.