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In some ways, Sacramento has Washington D.C. vibes. California’s state capital runs on government, lobbying, and the sense that politics is the local industry. My hotel room when I traveled there this week for conversations about the future of energy and climate policy was decorated with political cartoons; the elevator featured political quotes. But in 2026 perhaps nothing could be more different than how the two respective governments are approaching climate policy. Across a range of climate related issues, California has leaned in where the federal government steps back. 

It goes without saying that California can’t replace the federal government. But as the largest and most economically prosperous state in the country, its position is consequential. As companies try to parse the signal from the noise and determine the future of climate policy and demand for clean technologies, the federal government is just one indicator. Leaders now need to interpret a range of signals from governments moving in different directions. And California makes the case better than any other state that climate policy will continue in the U.S.

“You have a federal government that’s really trying to send market signals away from this,” Wade Crowfoot, California Natural Resources Secretary, told me last fall. “But you also have the rest of the world moving in this direction, as well as a bunch of American states.”

There was never any question from the outset of the second Trump Administration that it would take a hostile approach to states with aggressive climate policy. Almost immediately, the administration pulled back climate funding that had been directed to states. And it successfully pursued a reversal of the federal waivers that allowed California to enforce its own vehicle emissions standard. 

The effect has also been that some blue states have chosen to slow down local efforts. In May, New York weakened its landmark climate law amid affordability concerns. And Kathy Hochul, the state’s governor, eventually approved a new natural gas pipeline in a reported exchange for the administration allowing an offshore wind project to continue. (Hochul denied a quid-pro-quo deal). And in January, Massachusetts delayed new rules designed to make heating more climate friendly. 

But nowhere has the pushback been stronger than in California. Before Trump even took office, California Governor Gavin Newsom promised to offer its own policies to incentivize electric vehicle adoption if Trump nixed the tax credit passed under his predecessor—a policy that the state finalized late last month. California has also continued to push through a range of other climate related regulations. And the state says it will sue the federal government over its deals to pay energy companies for stopping their offshore wind development. (In some areas, like the state’s cap-and-trade program, California has softened its approach to account for affordability concerns while leaving the core of the policy intact).  

This tug of war between states and the federal government has real consequences, not just for the companies but also for the broader U.S. economy. For an administration that likes to tout its support for American industry and beating China, there’s a certain irony to all of this: Rapidly changing and divergent regulatory regimes cost companies money. 

For an executive tasked with anticipating and responding to climate policy, the regulatory patchwork within the United States has created a tiny needle to thread. Companies will continue to build products for the California market while also satisfying the current administration. But California continues to incentivize the development of new products and, perhaps, offers a better long-term signal than vacillations at the federal level. 

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Europe is getting its first total solar eclipse in 27 years, with some territories set to witness a full obscuration of the sun on Aug. 12.

While residents in parts of Greenland, Spain, northern Russia, Iceland, and a small corner of Portugal will benefit from being in the path of totality, people in the U.K. and Ireland will experience a slightly more diluted version of the rare celestial event.

The moon is set to cover around 90-96% of the sun in the U.K. and Ireland—the most coverage visible in the region since the total eclipse of 1999, the Royal Museums Greenwich tells TIME.

Read More: Europe Will Get Its First Total Solar Eclipse in Over 25 Years

As the U.K. and Ireland will have to wait until September 2090 to experience a total solar eclipse, it’s more than worth embracing the partial solar eclipse this month.

Here’s everything to know about the rare spectacle, and how you can safely view it:

What is a solar eclipse?

A solar eclipse is when the moon, from the perspective of Earth, passes in front of the face of the sun, blocking out some—or all—of its light.

During the moon’s orbit of Earth, it goes through a 29.5-day cycle, during which a “new moon” appears. At this stage, there is an opportunity for a solar eclipse to occur if the path of the new moon crosses in front of the sun’s path, Catherine Muller, an astronomer at Royal Observatory Greenwich, tells TIME.

While a solar eclipse only occurs during a new moon phase, it is not guaranteed.

Given the tilt of the moon’s orbit, and the constant movement of Earth, eclipses are therefore a rare and relatively short occasion.

“The moon is always moving, the Earth is always moving, so there's never a long period of time where the two are able to cross paths exactly, but periodically it does happen, and that's why you end up with this eclipse,” says Muller.

Earth is ideally placed in relation to the moon and the sun in order for the two to completely overlap during a total eclipse. “It just so happens that our moon is 400 times smaller than the sun, and also 400 times closer to us than the sun,” says Muller.

Will the solar eclipse be visible from the U.K. and Ireland?

Yes, not in totality, but people will be treated to a spectacular partial eclipse.

In fact, this is set to be the best solar eclipse visible from the U.K. and Ireland so far this century, according to Royal Museums Greenwich.

It will “almost look like there's a crescent of the sun left behind, the rest will be blocked by the moon,” says Muller.

After the eclipse, there is also an opportunity to observe the Perseid meteor shower on the same night. As the peak of the meteor shower occurs during a new moon, conditions are ideal for seeing the peak, notes Royal Museums Greenwich.

Muller suggests the best time to watch the celestial event is after midnight, but advises heading to an area with low light pollution. 

“The best way to observe it is to lie on the ground or get in a comfy chair and fill your view with as much of the sky as possible,” she says. 

What time is it happening and where are the best places to view the partial eclipse?

For both the U.K. and Ireland, the further south-west you go, the more coverage you will see.

“The best way to guarantee that you'll be able to see it, no matter where you are in the U.K. or Ireland, is to make sure you're somewhere with a clear western horizon,” advises Muller.

Due to the eclipse taking place close to sunset, it is also important to avoid obstructions such as trees, hills, or buildings, as the sun will be lower on the horizon.

Anyone able to visit the south-western tip of Ireland stands a chance of seeing almost 97.5% coverage, meaning people in the counties of Cork and Kerry may strike lucky.

In the U.K., coverage will be best in Cornwall, in the southwest of England, with around 95% obscuration expected. Neighbouring Devon should also encounter a high percentage of coverage, while people in Pembrokeshire, Wales, are set to see up to 94% of the sun eclipsed.

Timings for when the partial eclipse will start, reach its peak, and end, all vary slightly, depending on location. 

As a general guide, the “first contact” between the moon and sun will begin at around 6:12 p.m., local time, in Galway and Dublin in Ireland. The maximum eclipse will occur at 7:10 p.m., with it coming to a complete end at 8:05 p.m.

In Truro, Cornwall, the timings for each of these three events are 6:18 p.m., 7:16 p.m., and 8:10 p.m.

Viewers in London will get slightly less coverage, but they should still be able to enjoy a substantial 90% partial eclipse. Timings here are similar: A start time of 6:17 p.m., the peak to follow at 7:12 p.m. and the conclusion coming in at 8:06 p.m.

How can you watch the eclipse safely?

Experts strongly recommend wearing the appropriate eye protection when observing the eclipse, in an effort to avoid any damage to your vision.

Muller recommends purchasing eclipse glasses, or if you already have a pair, ensuring they are not damaged and ready for use.

According to NASA, if your glasses are less than 10 years old, aren’t punctured or loose from the frame, and have been tested to the international standard of ISO 12312-2, they are safe for use.

“Don't look at the sun with [regular] sunglasses on, with two pairs of sunglasses on, or 3D glasses on,” Muller warns, advising against short-cuts. “Even limited exposure to direct sunlight can damage your eyes.”

The U.K. Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has offered similar guidance, referencing the cautionary tale of people who were ill-equipped when viewing the Aug. 11, 1999 eclipse.

Citing a report from the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, the government said that at least 70 people reported visual loss in the days after the eclipse due to having looked directly up at the sun without appropriate protection. The visual loss was temporary, with none of those affected reporting any issues beyond six months after the eclipse. 

“The reduced brightness can override the body's natural reflex to look away, allowing intense sunlight to reach and damage the retina,” according to the UKHSA. 

Holding up a colander and looking at its shadow is an alternative way to view the phenomenon, the UKHSA suggests, but people must still avoid any direct eye contact with the sun.

“If you hold a colander up in the direction of the sun, the light from the sun will travel through the holes in it and project little prints of the sun on the floor,” says Muller. “As the eclipse happens, you'll end up seeing lots of little crescents as the moon passes in front of it instead.”