EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 10/4/23
PIPELINE NEWS
Reuters: Democrats in Congress ask Biden for moratorium on carbon pipeline permits
Chicago Tribune: Amid battle over proposed carbon pipelines in Illinois and other states, lawmakers call for federal moratorium
Common Dreams: Warning of Poisonous Impacts, Omar and Garcia Lead Call for Moratorium on CO2 Pipelines
Press release: Reps. Omar, Garcia Lead Letter Calling for Moratorium on CO2 Pipelines
Roanoke Times: Mountain Valley Pipeline to receive additional oversight
Reuters: Equitrans Midstream reaches agreement with US regulator for Mountain Valley Pipeline
Iowa Capital Dispatch: Summit will make new pipeline permit application in South Dakota
WGLT: Normal Mayor Koos questions potential impact of carbon capture pipeline
Dakota Scout: Gevo’s $1B aviation fuel investment tied to Summit CO2 pipeline
Reuters: BP explores $1 billion US pipelines stake sale -sources
Law360: Cumberland Pipeline Is Not Needed, Green Groups Tell FERC
Minnesota Reformer: Line 3 prosecutor reprimanded for sexually harassing jailed clients at prior job
WASHINGTON UPDATES
InsideEPA: Biden Offshore Drilling Plan Floats ‘Minimum’ Sales But All Sides Unhappy
E&E News: Greens Lose Court Bid To Boost Burying Beetle's ESA Status
E&E News: Is there a future for ‘blue’ hydrogen? 5 things to watch.
STATE UPDATES
KGWN: Governor Gordon Rejects Federal Funds that Would Harm Oil and Gas Industry
Carbon Herald: Solvang Carbon Capture Project Secures Government Funding
EXTRACTION
Washington Post: Pope Francis scolds U.S., ‘irresponsible’ Western lifestyle in climate plea
CNBC: Climate target walk-backs highlight ‘overzealous’ policy pledges, OPEC chief says
Guardian: Slow route to net zero will worsen global climate crisis, IPCC chief warns
Reuters: Environmental groups file complaint against France's TotalEnergies over climate impact
Western Standard: CEC says Canadian governments to reap almost $1 trillion from oil sands by 2050
Axios: Key player in nascent carbon removal industry says no to oil money
Yale Environment 360: Japanese Scientists Find Microplastics in the Clouds Above Mount Fuji
CLIMATE FINANCE
Bloomberg: Flaring Ticks Up in Texas Oil Patch, Showing Limits of ESG Pressure
TODAY IN GREENWASHING
Reuters: Banks behind 70% jump in greenwashing incidents in 2023 -report
OPINION
Washington Post: ‘War On American Energy’? So Why Is Oil Production Near Record Highs?
PIPELINE NEWS
Reuters: Democrats in Congress ask Biden for moratorium on carbon pipeline permits
Leah Douglas, 10/3/23
“The United States should not permit any new carbon dioxide pipelines until updated federal safety regulations are finished, a dozen Democratic members of Congress said in a letter sent to President Joe Biden on Tuesday,” Reuters reports. “Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a key element of Biden's climate agenda, but landowners along the routes of major CCS pipeline projects proposed in the Midwest are refusing to sign over land to build the pipelines in part due to safety concerns. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is working on new safety regulations for carbon pipelines that it has said will be proposed in 2024. Biden should issue an executive order halting any federal permitting for new carbon pipelines until then, the members said, led by Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Jesús "Chuy" García of Illinois. "A moratorium is necessary to protect communities from the construction of pipelines that we know will soon be operated under outdated safety standards," the letter said. PHMSA moved to strengthen its carbon dioxide pipeline oversight after a 2020 carbon pipeline rupture in Mississippi hospitalized 45 people. Carbon dioxide is odorless and can cause dizziness, confusion, unconsciousness, and even suffocation depending on exposure levels. "New pipeline infrastructure will invariably put more communities in danger given the complexity of transporting CO2 thousands of miles with what could create dozens of points of entry and exit for CO2," the letter said… “The letter was endorsed by environmental organizations that are opposed to the pipeline projects, including Food & Water Watch and the Sierra Club and other progressive groups.”
Chicago Tribune: Amid battle over proposed carbon pipelines in Illinois and other states, lawmakers call for federal moratorium
Nara Schoenberg, 10/3/23
"The battle over massive carbon dioxide pipelines proposed for Illinois and other Midwestern states has reached Congress, with 13 House Democrats — including U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García of Illinois — calling on President Joe Biden to block construction until new federal safety guidelines are released,” the Chicago Tribune reports. “In a letter sent to the president Tuesday, the lawmakers cited a 2020 pipeline rupture in Mississippi in which CO2, an invisible gas that displaces oxygen, spread to the nearby town of Satartia. There were reports that victims experienced breathing problems and confusion, and three men were found in a stalled car, unconscious. No one died but 45 people sought hospital care, and federal regulators started working on updated safety standards, which are expected to be completed and in place in 2024… “The letter urges Biden to issue an executive order declaring a moratorium on federal permits for new carbon pipelines until safety regulations are finalized by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration… “Illinois farmers, landowners and environmentalists are in a pitched battle over whether to allow Navigator CO2’s 1,350-mile Heartland Greenway pipeline to cross the state. Opponents say safety is a top concern… “The letter to Biden cited a report commissioned by the nonprofit Pipeline Safety Trust that highlighted concerns about current CO2 pipeline safety regulations including a potential loophole that could leave some CO2 pipelines unregulated.”
Common Dreams: Warning of Poisonous Impacts, Omar and Garcia Lead Call for Moratorium on CO2 Pipelines
JAKE JOHNSON, 10/4/23
“Reps. Ilhan Omar and Chuy Garcia led a group of House Democrats on Tuesday in urging President Joe Biden to put a moratorium on federal permitting for new CO2 pipelines—infrastructure at the center of unproven carbon capture efforts—until robust safety regulations are finalized, warning that the current regulatory vacuum is a serious threat to public health,” Common Dreams reports. “...The House Democrats called on the president to use his executive authority to place a moratorium on federal CO2 pipeline permits until the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) completes work on safety regulations that the agency announced last year… “But the Biden administration is pushing for an expansion of CO2 pipelines as part of what climate advocates say is a misguided and irresponsible buildout of carbon capture and storage infrastructure that's supported by the fossil fuel industry… “Jim Walsh, policy director of Food & Water Watch (FWW), applauded the lawmakers' call for a moratorium, saying that "communities across the country are opposing these carbon capture pipelines because they understand the risks they pose to their health and safety. "President Biden needs to use his authority to immediately enact a moratorium on permits for these dangerous projects," Walsh said Tuesday.
Press release: Reps. Omar, Garcia Lead Letter Calling for Moratorium on CO2 Pipelines
10/3/23
“Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Chuy Garcia (D-IL) sent a letter to President Biden today urging him to issue an executive order putting a moratorium on any federal permitting of new carbon pipelines and related infrastructure. The letter is also signed by Reps. Jamaal Bowman, André Carson, Raúl Grijalva, Jared Huffman, Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr., Barbara Lee, Summer Lee, Rashida Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jerrold Nadler, and Delia Ramirez. It is endorsed by Food and Water Watch, Sierra Club, Congressional Progressive Caucus Center, Progressive Democrats of America, Center for Biological Diversity, Bold Alliance, Center for International Environmental Law, Climate Justice Alliance, and 350.org. Over 150 groups recently sent a similar letter calling for a carbon pipeline moratorium. “We urge you to issue an Executive Order declaring a moratorium on any federal permitting of new carbon pipelines and related infrastructure until PHMSA’s safety regulations are finalized,” the lawmakers wrote. “We further request that the Administration direct PHMSA [Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration] to consider the unique hazards of CO2 and the knowledge gaps about CO2 transportation safety to ensure we do not have more disasters like the one that happened in Satartia, Mississippi.”
Roanoke Times: Mountain Valley Pipeline to receive additional oversight
Laurence Hammack, 10/3/23
“A federal safety agency is ordering Mountain Valley Pipeline to take additional steps to inspect and repair any sections of pipe that may have been damaged by exposure to the elements during long delays in construction,” the Roanoke Times reports. “The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration issued a consent order Tuesday. The action, which follows an informal consultation with lead pipeline partner Equitrans Midstream Corp., was taken to address concerns that prolonged exposure to sunlight may have worn thin a protective coating on the pipe meant to curb corrosion once it’s buried. KTA-Tator Inc. will serve as an independent, third-party expert to review Mountain Valley’s process of inspecting the pipes and re-applying the coating when necessary. In a filing late Tuesday with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Mountain Valley wrote that “transparently outlining the steps being taken by the project team to responsibly complete construction is of critical importance and will reinforce public confidence in the safe operation of the pipeline.” In recent comments to FERC, pipeline opponents have said PHMSA was taking too long to act after filing a proposed safety order on Aug. 11. As legal challenges have delayed construction of a natural gas pipeline that will run through the New River and Roanoke Valleys, concerns have grown about a fusion-bonded epoxy coating that was applied to the pipes five or six years ago when work first started. PHMSA says a weakened pipe could be vulnerable to landslides or earth movement in the rugged mountain terrain and karst topography though which the pipeline passes. Conditions may exist that “pose a pipeline integrity risk to public safety, property or the environment,” the agency wrote in its proposed order, which mentioned explosions of other pipelines in similar landscapes. Tuesday’s consent order authorizes KTA-Tator to conduct field audits of Mountain Valley’s inspections and remediation of sections of pipe that have yet to be installed as well as those buried since July 1, when construction resumed after a nearly two-year pause.”
Reuters: Equitrans Midstream reaches agreement with US regulator for Mountain Valley Pipeline
10/3/23
“Oil and gas pipeline firm Equitrans Midstream (ETRN.N) said on Tuesday it has entered into a consent agreement with the U.S. pipeline regulator for the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) project,” Reuters reports. “Under the agreement with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), the project's team would conduct previously planned inspections to verify the integrity of the pipeline, among other measures… “Equitrans Midstream said it agrees with PHMSA that "transparently outlining" the steps being taken by the MVP project team to responsibly complete construction would reinforce public confidence in the pipeline's safe operation. The Canonsburg, Pennsylvania-based firm said the consent agreement is not expected to have a material impact on the total cost of the project or schedule.”
Iowa Capital Dispatch: Summit will make new pipeline permit application in South Dakota
JARED STRONG, 10/3/23
“It could take more than a year for Summit Carbon Solutions to get approval for its proposed carbon dioxide pipeline in South Dakota,” the Iowa Capital Dispatch reports. “That’s because the company, which was denied a pipeline permit by utility regulators in that state last month, will reapply after it identifies a new route that complies with county ordinances. “Moving forward, we are committed to working with the counties in South Dakota to find a mutually agreeable path through each county,” Sabrina Zenor, a spokesperson for the company, told the Dispatch. “This means working within ordinances regarding applicability of waivers, etc. and more dynamic conversations around routing.” “...The state has four counties — Brown, McPherson, Minnehaha and Spink — that have adopted ordinances that require the pipelines to be certain distances from residences, livestock facilities, nursing homes and other buildings. But they also have exceptions to those restrictions in some cases if county officials and landowners approve of them… “Summit has begun discussions with Minnehaha and other counties to plot a new route. A company representative who spoke to county officials in Brown “basically said, ‘We’re starting at ground zero, we have to look at it like we don’t have a route,’” according to Scott Bader, planning and zoning director for Brown County. Tracey Millar, zoning administrator for Spink County, told the Dispatch the company is seeking the county’s input on its route and has indicated it is moving the pipeline path farther away from people who oppose the project… “It’s unclear when Summit might reapply for a South Dakota permit. “We plan to refile our application once we have a path through the state,” Zenor told the Dispatch… “Also on Tuesday, the IUB granted Navigator’s request to suspend its permit proceedings. The company wants to pause its process in Iowa until Illinois utility regulators decide whether to approve the project in that state, which is where Navigator plans to sequester carbon dioxide.”
WGLT: Normal Mayor Koos questions potential impact of carbon capture pipeline
Charlie Schlenker, 10/3/23
“So-called "carbon sequestration" takes carbon dioxide produced by industrial processes like ethanol plants, compresses it to a liquid form, pipes it across the Midwest, and injects it deep under bedrock layers in places like Decatur, and potentially McLean County,” WGLT reports. “...But Normal Mayor Chris Koos told WGLT it's a potential water quality issue, too. "I'm very much concerned about drilling wells through the aquifer. Their idea is it will go below the aquifer, but we know from pipelines that currently exist they fail sometimes," Koos told WGLT. And if they do, Koos worries about leakage upward into the Mahomet Aquifer that supplies drinking water to numerous municipalities in the region, including residents of the Town of Normal… “Koos told WGLT he is in early talks with regional mayors and might pursue a coalition to intervene in carbon capture cases before the Illinois Commerce Commission. "I think things are moving faster than our ability to react. The onus is on us to get going as fast as we can," Koos told WGLT… “The ICC will consider a pipeline proposal in January that does not run through McLean County. But a potential well site for another carbon company is within the county borders. The McLean County Board is likely to consider a rules change regulating the placement of carbon injection well sites.”
Dakota Scout: Gevo’s $1B aviation fuel investment tied to Summit CO2 pipeline
SCOTT WALTMAN, 10/3/23
“Without the Summit Carbon Solutions’ pipeline, what’s believed to be the largest capital investment in South Dakota’s history might not happen,” the Dakota Scout reports. “That was part of the message from Kent Hartwig, director of state government affairs with Gevo, at Tuesday’s Brown County Commission meeting at the courthouse annex. Gevo is planning a plant near Lake Preston that would include an ethanol plant and a hydrocarbon plant that converts the ethanol into aviation jet fuel. The plant would be powered by an adjoining wind farm. The ethanol-hydrocarbon plant is estimated to cost $850 million and the wind farm $150 million, for an overall investment of $1 billion. The wind farm would power the plant.”
Reuters: BP explores $1 billion US pipelines stake sale -sources
Shariq Khan, David French and Ron Bousso, 10/3/23
“BP Plc (BP.L) is exploring the sale of a 49% stake in its U.S. oil and gas pipeline network in the Gulf of Mexico, hoping to raise as much as $1 billion, according to people familiar with the matter,” Reuters reports. “The potential divestment would help BP meet its targets to reduce debt and maintain its dividend. While it boosted its shareholder payout by 10% in second-quarter earnings in August, BP's net debt stood at $23.7 billion. BP has placed its stakes in U.S. Gulf of Mexico pipelines in a new company in which it will hold a 51% position and sell the rest, the sources told Reuters. The pipelines entity generates 12-month earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization of around $200 million, the sources added… “Among the pipelines in which BP holds stakes are the 161-mile Mars Oil Pipeline, the 89-mile Endymion Oil Pipeline and the 115-mile Cleopatra Gas Pipeline, according to its website.”
Law360: Cumberland Pipeline Is Not Needed, Green Groups Tell FERC
Tom Lotshaw, 10/3/23
“Conservation groups are asking the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to deny approval for the Cumberland Pipeline, arguing its purported need is based on a flawed and unilateral Tennessee Valley Authority decision to build a new natural gas plant instead of pursuing other power generation options,” Law360 reports.
Minnesota Reformer: Line 3 prosecutor reprimanded for sexually harassing jailed clients at prior job
CHRISTOPHER INGRAHAM, 10/3/23
“An Aitkin County assistant attorney prosecuting numerous Enbridge Line 3 criminal cases was formally reprimanded last month for misconduct that occurred at a previous job with the Fargo Public Defender Office,” the Minnesota Reformer reports. “In 2021 and 2022 Garrett Slyva sexually harassed two jailed female defendants, propositioned one of them for a date, and suggested that her answer would determine how quickly her case got resolved, according to a reprimand order from the disciplinary board of the North Dakota Supreme Court. Slyva was fired from the Fargo Public Defender Office after higher-ups learned of the incidents, according to the order. He later worked for the Mahnomen County Attorney’s Office, and was hired by Aitkin County in May of 2023, according to his LinkedIn page. Neither the Aitkin County Attorney’s Office nor Slyva responded to inquiries about the reprimand by press time. Near the end of 2021, according to the order, Slyva put his arm around a client at the jail. After learning of the incident the public defender’s office barred him from having face-to-face meetings with clients unless there was a glass partition between them. Two months later, however, Slyva held face-to-face meetings with several incarcerated people at the Cass County Jail. One of them later told jail authorities that he asked questions about her relationship status, asked her out on a date, and told her that their conversation should “stay here because I have control of your next court date.” “...A northern Minnesota judge recently dismissed misdemeanor criminal charges against Anishinaabeg activist Winona LaDuke and two others accused of disrupting construction of the pipeline project in 2021, while offering a powerful indictment of the prosecution. As an assistant attorney in Aitkin County, Slyva prosecuted the LaDuke case, as well as several other criminal cases against Line 3 protestors. He is still working on several more, according to Claire Glenn, a staff attorney with the Climate Defense Project. “It is deeply concerning that Slyva not only retains his license to practice law, but has failed up in such an extreme way — fired by the public defender’s office in North Dakota, he now has the power to prosecute people here in Minnesota,” Glenn told the Reformer.”
WASHINGTON UPDATES
InsideEPA: Biden Offshore Drilling Plan Floats ‘Minimum’ Sales But All Sides Unhappy
10/2/23
“Biden officials are proposing to hold the minimum number of offshore oil lease sales in the coming years that would allow them to continue offshore wind activities, per constraints in last year’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a move that is rankling supporters of expanded drilling as well as environmentalists who oppose any new drilling,” InsideEPA reports. “The proposal to hold just three lease sales from 2024-2029 would constitute ‘the fewest oil and gas lease sales in history,’ the Interior Department notes in a Sept. 29 release about its proposed final five-year offshore drilling plan. Under relevant provisions of the IRA, ‘these three proposed lease sales are the minimum number that will enable the Interior Department to continue to expand its offshore wind leasing program through 2030,’ the release adds. Specifically, the proposal -- the penultimate step before the five-year plan is completed -- contemplates holding just one oil and gas lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico in each of 2025, 2027 and 2029.”
E&E News: Greens Lose Court Bid To Boost Burying Beetle's ESA Status
Michael Doyle, 10/2/23
“A federal judge has rejected environmentalists’ efforts to elevate federal protections for the American burying beetle, a lowly species with a high political profile. Citing deference to the Fish and Wildlife Service’s expertise, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly on Saturday dismissed the Center for Biological Diversity’s bid to put the beetle back on the list of most at-risk species. The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia had challenged the federal agency’s 2019 decision under the Endangered Species Act to list the beetle as threatened rather as endangered, which had been its prior status since 1989. ‘The downlisting decision was rational and supported by the record,’ Kelly wrote. ‘The Service’s interpretation of the ESA is at least permissible and so entitled to the court’s deference.’ A Trump administration appointee, Kelly added in his 56-page opinion that he had ‘identified no flaws in the Service’s consideration of the evidence that suggest the Service arbitrarily weighed or failed to consider evidence that the beetle faces a risk of extinction sooner than expected.
E&E News: Is there a future for ‘blue’ hydrogen? 5 things to watch.
David Iaconangelo, 10/4/23
“Congress created a landmark suite of incentives in the past two years for companies that make hydrogen from natural gas — as long as they also deploy carbon capture to cut down on the resulting emissions,” E&E News reports. “Blue” hydrogen, as it is known, is rarely made in the U.S. at present. But its future is expected to become clearer by the end of the year, as the Department of Energy awards the first billion-dollar subsidies for demonstration projects and the Treasury Department issues guidance for companies that want to claim new tax credits for low-carbon hydrogen production established in the Inflation Reduction Act… “Some environmentalists call blue hydrogen a false solution that would contribute to climate change and should never be supported by policymakers, because it relies on fossil fuel feedstocks. The oil and gas industry and today’s producers of conventional, high-emissions hydrogen are among the groups that say blue hydrogen is useful for decarbonizing… “But its unclear whether blue hydrogen producers will qualify — and if so, at what level. That will be determined largely by the Treasury Department guidance on tax credits, which is expected to lay out rules for counting blue hydrogen’s emissions. The task is profoundly complex, in part because the law requires Treasury to consider “well-to-gate” emissions, referring to pollution created by procuring the energy sources used in hydrogen production. In the case of blue hydrogen, that will involve issuing rules for measuring and reporting the upstream emissions that stem from drilling and transporting natural gas, for instance… “Several hydrogen researchers told E&E they weren’t sure if, or how, blue hydrogen producers would be able to qualify for the clean hydrogen credits, given the volume of upstream emissions that often stem from natural gas. Extraction of gas can release climate-warming methane… “The American Petroleum Institute and the Clean Hydrogen Future Coalition — a group of oil majors, utilities and other influential energy companies — have argued that Treasury should give blue hydrogen companies a path to accessing the clean hydrogen tax credits and allow a variety of offsets. For instance, some companies could blend “renewable natural gas” — or methane captured from sites like landfills and dairy farms — into the fossil fuels that they use to make blue hydrogen, according to API.”
STATE UPDATES
KGWN: Governor Gordon Rejects Federal Funds that Would Harm Oil and Gas Industry
John Habershaw, 10/2/23
“Governor Mark Gordon is rejecting funding from the Biden Administration that is harmful to Wyoming’s economy and interests by using federal Inflation Reduction Act dollars to shut down producing Wyoming oil wells,” KGWN reports. “...Wyoming’s share from the Biden Administration program would have been approximately $5 million. “This approach – concocted by DC bureaucrats – shows a complete disregard for the importance of this industry to Wyoming’s economy,” Governor Gordon said. “These are wells that have, and will continue to produce, significant amounts of oil; provide jobs through hundreds of small businesses; and generate revenues for schools, the state and local government.”
Carbon Herald: Solvang Carbon Capture Project Secures Government Funding
Sasha Ranevska, 10/3/23
“The Solvang CCS project, which focuses on the capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, has recently received funding from the Norwegian Government,” the Carbon Herald reports. “This funding will enable the project to transition from onshore testing to full-scale shipboard installation on the gas carrier Clipper Eris. The Norwegian State, through Enova, has approved sponsorship for Solvang’s CCS project, allowing them to carry out a full-scale pilot of CO2 capture on board the gas tanker. This is a crucial step towards achieving environmental sustainability in the shipping industry, as vessels are responsible for a significant amount of global carbon emissions… “The project aims to use amine cleaning technology to capture 70 percent of the CO2 in the exhaust gas from the main engine, showcasing the entire value chain for handling CO2, including liquefaction and storage on board the ship. Solvang plans to pilot this carbon capture technology on board one of their vessels for a duration of two years while it remains in normal commercial operation. The purpose of this pilot project is to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of carbon capture technology and determine its feasibility for future implementation.”
EXTRACTION
Washington Post: Pope Francis scolds U.S., ‘irresponsible’ Western lifestyle in climate plea
Anthony Faiola and Chico Harlan, 10/4/23
“Warning that “the world in which we live is collapsing and may be nearing the breaking point,” Pope Francis issued a renewed call for climate action Wednesday, singling out the United States for “irresponsible” Western excess and decrying the “weakness” of world leaders for failing to take bold steps,” the Washington Post reports. “Eight years after his landmark environmental encyclical, Laudato Si’, in which he scolded climate change deniers and called for an “ecological conversion” among the faithful, Francis released a follow-up, known as an apostolic exhortation. Considered a lower-level document, it was far more concise — 12 pages, compared with his 180-page encyclical. Its impact, too, may be more limited. Francis summarized accepted science and again took aim at skeptics who deny man-made climate change… “If we consider that emissions per individual in the United States are about two times greater than those of individuals living in China, and about seven times greater than the average of the poorest countries, we can state that a broad change in the irresponsible lifestyle connected with the Western model would have a significant long-term impact,” the pope wrote… “In his new document, Francis noted how little world leaders have accomplished since then and blamed an absence of mechanisms to hold countries to their commitments, along with a “failure of conscience and responsibility.”
CNBC: Climate target walk-backs highlight ‘overzealous’ policy pledges, OPEC chief says
Ruxandra Iordache, 10/2/23
“The recent spate of countries postponing or adjusting their climate targets shows that some of the initial pledges were ‘overzealous,’ the head of the OPEC alliance of oil producers said Monday,” CNBC reports. “I hope they are not U-turns, as much as they are a recognition and the realization that some of the policies may have been a bit overzealous: the timelines, the deadlines, the time constraints,” Haitham al-Ghais told CNBC’s Dan Murphy on the first day of the Abu Dhabi International Progressive Energy Congress. “I believe it is the right choice for COP to happen in the UAE, in an oil producing country, to show the world how oil producers can decarbonize, reduce emissions, as well as continue to provide stability and security in terms of world supplies,” al-Ghais added. Speaking to CNBC’s Dan Murphy on the first day of the Abu Dhabi International Progressive Energy Congress, he added that an efficient energy transition away from fossil fuels needs “the right infrastructure in place,” such as electrical grids, sufficient charging stations for electric vehicles and the availability of critical minerals.”
Guardian: Slow route to net zero will worsen global climate crisis, IPCC chief warns
Damian Carrington, 10/2/23
“Postponing action and taking a slower route to net zero emissions by 2050 will worsen the climate crisis even if the goal is still reached by that date, the new chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned,” the Guardian reports. “Prof Jim Skea also said that approving new oil and gas fields only increased the already large amount of reserves that will have to be kept in the ground if global heating limits are to be reached… “It does not comment on the climate policies of individual nations, but Skea’s comments on Monday clearly indicate that the recent actions of the UK government has slowed climate action, despite IPCC scientists warning of “a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a livable and sustainable future for all”. Rishi Sunak weakened or abolished a number of green measures recently, including pushing back a ban on the sale of new petrol cars from 2030 to 2035. The UK also approved the exploitation of the large Rosebank oil field near Shetland on Wednesday. Asked about these changes, Skea said: “We don’t comment on individual country’s policies, but, obviously, the more [oil and gas] you add to the reserves, the greater the percentage you would need to leave in the ground to stay within carbon budgets.” “...Postponing climate action leads to bigger increases in global temperature rise, Skea told the Guardian: “What determines global warming is not the timing of net zero, but the pathway by which you get there. It is the cumulative emissions of carbon dioxide over time that are the main factor. “The longer you put off action, the greater will be the cumulative CO2 emissions that have gone into the atmosphere, and therefore the higher the level of the warming. That’s the global point.”
Reuters: Environmental groups file complaint against France's TotalEnergies over climate impact
10/2/23
“Four environmental organisations have started legal action against France's largest energy company TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA) over the impact of the group's oil pipeline development in Uganda and other fossil fuel projects,” Reuters reports. “Darwin Climax Coalitions, Sea Shepherd France, Wild Legal and Stop EACOP-Stop Total en Ouganda said they have filed a complaint with the Nanterre prosecutor's office over TotalEnergie's "climaticide action". They say the company approved more fossil fuel projects than any other oil major between 2022 and 2025, including the $3.5 billion East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) that will help Uganda export its oil to international markets. "Considering the climate emergency and its global stakes, it's not possible anymore for companies driven by a vision of short-term profit to put at risk everyone's future with impunity," Lamya Essemlali, head of Sea Sheperd France, told Reuters. "Acknowledging Total's criminal liability ... is a huge step toward climate justice.” The environmental groups make four different complaints against TotalEnergies: failing to fight a disaster, involuntary homicide, unintentional injury to persons and destruction or damage of property belonging to a person likely to create a danger to persons.”
Western Standard: CEC says Canadian governments to reap almost $1 trillion from oil sands by 2050
Shaun Polczer, 10/3/23
“Despite assertions to the contrary, Alberta’s oil sands are the proverbial golden goose for all levels of Canadian governments, which stand to gain almost a trillion Canadian dollars in the form of royalties, taxes and investment dollars by 2050,” Western Standard reports. “That’s according to the Canadian Energy Centre’s latest analysis, which estimates governments at all levels will generate US$420.7 billion in direct revenues along with another US$327.8 billion in capital expenditures based on an average long-term oil price of $60 per barrel… “The oil sands presently contribute more than 112,000 direct and indirect jobs across Canada alone, and are expected to generate well over $1.7 trillion to the Canadian economy as a whole, according to the Montreal-based Policy Options think tank.”
Axios: Key player in nascent carbon removal industry says no to oil money
Ben Geman, 10/2/23
“A key company in the nascent direct air capture sector won't accept investment from oil-and-gas companies,” Axios reports. “Driving the news: The firm in question, Heirloom, also promised that no carbon dioxide removed with its technology will be used for enhanced oil recovery, wherein CO2 is injected to boost well output. The company, in a new blog post, says DAC can't be a "fig leaf" for more emissions and "excusing" fossil fuel expansion. "We do not subsidize our technology with fossil fuel revenues," it said. Why it matters: It signals evolving ways the young industry will — or won't — intersect with oil companies increasingly investing in the tech. Oil giant Occidental Petroleum announced in August that it's buying DAC startup Carbon Engineering in a $1.1B deal. The intrigue: While Heirloom is ruling out oil industry investment, there are conditions under which it might sell removal credits to major emitters including oil and gas companies, Vikrum Aiyer, Heirloom's climate policy head, tells Axios. He cited cases where government policies might compel purchasing of CO2 removal "in line" with Paris Agreement targets and if removals complement — but don't replace — emissions cuts. The big picture: The oil provision is part of Heirloom's fleshing out its wider corporate principles, as it looks to help ensure "rules of the road" for the emerging carbon removal sector.”
Yale Environment 360: Japanese Scientists Find Microplastics in the Clouds Above Mount Fuji
10/3/23
“After sampling the skies over two Japanese mountains, scientists have found microplastics in the clouds,” Yale Environment 360 reports. “The finding underscores the extent to which the small particles have invaded nearly every part of the Earth, where they can harm living creatures and even potentially influence the climate, the researchers from several Japanese universities wrote in a paper in Environmental Chemistry Letters… “Their presence in clouds is especially concerning, the researchers wrote, because some of the microplastics they found had molecular structures that could help to seed clouds, spurring them to produce ice or water. The particles could also contribute to cloud formation, which would affect their cooling impact on the Earth. Microplastics have previously been found in oceans, rivers, and even in the lungs of wild birds. They take centuries to decompose, which makes them a growing threat to most ecosystems as humans continue to use and discard plastic. Discovering microplastics in the lowest layer of the atmosphere — where clouds form — is further evidence of the ubiquitousness of microplastics. According to a statement about the study from Waseda University, these microplastics could also fall to the ground and infiltrate even more areas of the globe. “Microplastics may have become an essential component of clouds, contaminating nearly everything we eat and drink via ‘plastic rainfall,’” the statement reads.
CLIMATE FINANCE
Bloomberg: Flaring Ticks Up in Texas Oil Patch, Showing Limits of ESG Pressure
Zachary Mider and Mitchell Ferman, 10/4/23
“It has been the US oil industry’s biggest environmental success story in recent years. Gas flares that once lit up the night skies were shut off, curbing a wasteful practice that generated millions of tons of planet-warming emissions,” Bloomberg reports. “But after years of declines, flaring is on the rise again in the biggest US oilfield. Altogether, producers in the Permian Basin in Texas and New Mexico flared about 97 billion cubic feet of the fuel in the year ended June 30, a Bloomberg News analysis shows. That’s enough to meet the nation’s entire natural gas needs on a typical day… “While flaring remains well below historic highs, the uptick underscores the limits of relying on investor pressure and voluntary initiatives to stem a major contributor to climate change. “Individual leadership by companies is necessary, but it’s not sufficient,” Andrew Logan, director of the oil and gas program at sustainability-focused investor group Ceres, told Bloomberg. “This is going to keep coming back as a problem as long as regulators continue to let it be a problem.” “...Permian Resources also blamed recent flaring on its pipeline partners without naming any of them… “If pipeline operators are to blame for the recent rise in flaring, that hasn’t affected every producer equally… “Constrained pipeline capacity is likely to lead to more flaring in the coming months, according to a March report from researchers at Validere Technologies Inc. and East Daley Analytics.”
TODAY IN GREENWASHING
Reuters: Banks behind 70% jump in greenwashing incidents in 2023 -report
10/3/23
“The number of instances of greenwashing by banks and financial services companies around the world rose 70% in the past 12 months from the previous 12 months, a report on Tuesday showed,” Reuters reports. “European financial institutions accounted for most of those instances, and much of the greenwashing involved claims about fossil fuels. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) data firm RepRisk recorded 148 cases from the banking and financial services industry globally in the 12 months to the end of September 2023, up from 86 during the previous 12 months. Of the 148 cases, 106 were by European financial institutions… “Regulators want to stamp out greenwashing to boost consumer and investor confidence and help encourage more cash towards sustainable investments, although there is no legal definition of what greenwashing is yet. RepRisk, which says it has data going back to 2007, considers greenwashing to have occurred when a firm makes misleading communications on the environment… "Over 50% of these climate-specific greenwashing risk incidents either mentioned fossil fuels or linked a financial institution to an oil and gas company. These incidents are not happening in isolation and regulators are increasingly aware of the scale of the problem," RepRisk said… “One in every four climate-related ESG risk incidents was linked to greenwashing, an increase from one in five last year, it said, while it also found that one in three companies tied to greenwashing was also embroiled in so-called "social washing". It defined social washing as companies presenting themselves positively by "obscuring an underlying social issue" - such as human rights abuses and corporate complicity, or impacts on communities - to protect their reputation and financial performance.”
OPINION
Washington Post: ‘War On American Energy’? So Why Is Oil Production Near Record Highs?
Catherine Rampell, 10/3/23
“For years Republicans have claimed that Democrats have waged a ‘war’ on fossil fuels,” Catherine Rampell writes for the Washington Post. “This narrative has featured prominently in Republican presidential debates and in front-runner Donald Trump’s remarks about striking autoworkers, among other settings. Apparently (at least according to Republicans), Democrats such as President Biden have used every tool at their disposal to squelch fossil fuel production and consumption. Further, they have destroyed the ‘energy independence’ briefly achieved by the Trump administration, when, for the first time on record, the United States exported more crude oil and petroleum products than it imported. As former vice president and now presidential contender Mike Pence framed the issue in last week’s debate: ‘On day one, Joe Biden declared a war on energy, which was no surprise, because when Joe Biden ran for president, he said he was going to end fossil fuels, and they’ve been working overtime to do that ever since.’ “...But in reality, of course, the war on fossil fuels is a pure political invention. Biden and other Democrats are hewing much more closely to the Republican pro-fossil-fuel agenda than either side would like to admit — at exactly the moment we need to push toward the future… “That’s our record, love it or hate it. Republicans have chosen to ignore it altogether, while berating Democrats for alleged curbs on fossil fuels that never happened. Which means Democrats have landed in the worst possible position: They’ve been too cowardly to adopt the kinds of measures that would most effectively mitigate climate change, but they’re getting treated as if they did those unpopular things anyway… “The only question now is whether political leaders speed this transition up or slow it down. If Democrats are going to take the political hit no matter what, they might as well do a little more to help.”