North America

Democratic Resilience & Personal Democracy

• “Fight the Trump Takeover” Protests: On August 16, mass demonstrations unfolded in 34 U.S. states, with over 5,000 in Austin leading the charge against Republican-led redistricting efforts perceived as voter suppression. Activists, including Dolores Huerta and Beto O’Rourke, rallied while Democratic leaders pushed back legislatively in Texas and California.
• Data Tool Controversy: The Trump administration expanded the SAVE system to let states feed voter rolls into a citizenship-check database, raising alarms over privacy and potential voter intimidation.

Smarter Cities & Participatory AI

• No major city deployments were reported this week; however, broader conversations around participatory AI in smart city governance continue to gain traction as documented in a foundational February 2025 study.

Clean Energy & System Upgrades

• Federal Energy Emergency: On August 19, President Trump invoked a national energy emergency to fast-track infrastructure—excluding renewables—like power plants in Michigan and Pennsylvania, bypassing environmental reviews. States like PA and NY responded with legal and budgetary counteractions.
• Policy Push & Backlash:
  • A partial rollback of oil sanctions, subtle renewable subsidies restraints, and solar supply chain deals dominated via an Axios report.
  • Trump announced a federal ban on new wind and solar projects, blamed for rising electricity prices, and scrapped key incentives like solar tax credits and offshore wind leasing.
  • Simultaneously, nearly $18.6 billion in clean energy projects were canceled, investment dropped 20%, and several renewable firms declared bankruptcy.
  • Yet, solar equities rallied—up nearly 17%—as the Treasury clarified eligibility for tax credits under specific conditions despite headwinds. The U.S. added 12 GW of utility‑scale solar in H1 2025 with 21 GW planned for H2.
  • Tech industry pushback: Major data center operators—including Google, Amazon, and Microsoft—urged the Treasury to retain existing renewable subsidies, warning that policy shifts risk up to 60 GW of solar capacity.
• IRS Guidance Issued: On August 15, notice issued clarifies when wind/solar construction is considered begun—critical for projects to qualify for tax credits under Sections 45Y and 48E if placed in service by 2027.

Food Systems & Cellular Agriculture

• In the agribusiness realm, USDA forecasts a record-breaking U.S. corn yield of 16.74 billion bushels, triggering a plunge in corn futures.
• No North America–specific breakthroughs in cellular agriculture were reported this week; however, global momentum persists.
• Earlier (not in this week’s window), partnerships such as Believer Meats with GEA (to advance cell‑cultivated meat manufacturing technologies in North Carolina) drew attention.

Summary Table