EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 11/9/21
PIPELINE NEWS
Bloomberg: White House Awaits Enbridge Pipeline Review Before Decision
Politico: THE PRICE OF FUEL
KARE: Panel on Enbridge Line 3 pipeline hosted by Minnesotans at UN Climate Change Conference
Facebook: Coast Protectors: Today, Hummingbird Land Defenders will use their bodies to block tree cutting for the Trans Mountain Expansion (TMX) pipeline
St. Louis Public Radio: Spire Missouri warns of St. Louis winter gas outage, seeks extension of pipeline use
NC Policy Watch: Colonial Pipeline buying more land near massive gasoline spill in Huntersville
Foley Hoag LLP: Local Regulation Of Fossil Fuel Pipelines (Or The Little City That Could)
WASHINGTON UPDATES
CNN.com: Senate Democrats urge Biden to consider tapping emergency oil reserves or even ban oil exports to fight high gas prices
New York Times: Energy Department Aims to Slash Cost of Removing Carbon From the Air
STATE UPDATES
Colorado State Recorder: ‘You’re a Dirty Fracking Liar!’ CO Enviro Protesters Crash Oil and Gas Gala
CPR: Oil company that contaminated soil, groundwater near Frederick school could have $2 million fine reduced
HuffPost: Oklahoma Proposes Letting Gas Utility Charge A $1,400 ‘Exit Fee’ To Go Electric
EXTRACTION
BBC: COP26: Fossil fuel industry has largest delegation at climate summit
Gizmodo: Big Oil Was Told It Wasn’t Welcome at UN Climate Talks. It’s the Biggest Presence
Indian Country Today: Are carbon markets the new gaming for tribes? Communities weigh whether economic benefits offset concerns
Reuters: As LNG prices surge, North American project development languishes
Reuters: Canada's oil sands tiptoe to record output, but keep a lid on spending
Alberta Innovates: Clean tech making carbon an economic and environmental asset
Associated Press: Oil tanker explodes in Sierra Leone, killing at least 98
RESEARCH & SCIENCE
Washington Post: Countries’ climate pledges built on flawed data, Post investigation finds
CLIMATE FINANCE
The Bureau Investigates: HSBC led big banks’ charge against climate change action
OPINION
The Hill: A clean energy economy is crucial for frontline communities
PIPELINE NEWS
Bloomberg: White House Awaits Enbridge Pipeline Review Before Decision
By Robert Tuttle and Josh Wingrove, 11/8/21
“The White House said it’s waiting on a study by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before deciding whether to wade into a debate over the future of a controversial oil pipeline that carries Canadian oil across the Great Lakes into Michigan,” Bloomberg reports. “The idea that the Biden administration is considering shutting Enbridge Inc.’s Line 5 is “inaccurate,” White House Spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Monday, in response to news reports. Instead, the White House noted that the Army Corps of Engineers is reviewing a proposal by Enbridge to build a tunnel to house the pipeline under the waterway for safety reasons. That review will help inform any U.S. position on the pipeline, she said. Speculation that President Joe Biden was considering killing Line 5, like he did with TC Energy Corp.’s Keystone XL project, prompted angry reactions among Republicans as the country grapples with surging prices for everything from propane to gasoline. Line 5 supplies crude and propane to Michigan homes, as well as refineries in the U.S. Midwest and Ontario... “ The Army Corps review “will help inform any additional action or position the U.S. will be taking,” Jean-Pierre told Bloomberg.
Politico: THE PRICE OF FUEL
Matthew Choi, 11/8/21
“The Biden administration is facing a tough political call as it vows to be a global leader in the energy transition. Pro’s Ben Lefebvre and Zi-ann Lum scooped last week that the administration was poking around to see what the economic impacts would be of shutting down the Line 5 pipeline from Canada to Michigan,” Politico reports. “Environmentalists and Indigenous groups have been calling for a shutdown akin to Biden’s stonewalling of the Keystone XL pipeline. But unlike the Keystone project, Line 5 has been operational for decades, and Canada and the fossil fuel industry warn shutting it down would be economically devastating, particularly as the region’s propane demands go up going into winter. Republicans are also pointing to rising fuel costs to cast Biden’s energy policy as reckless. It’s not just propane. Gasoline prices are going up, with AAA putting average gas prices at $3.421 per gallon on Sunday. The administration is quick to point to larger market forces at play impacting gas prices, such as the decision not to increase oil output by OPEC+, which controls about 50 percent of the world’s oil supplies, and the heightened global demand as economies recover from the pandemic… “When fuel prices are high, it may not matter what project gets stopped so much as the White House is seen stopping it,” ClearView analyst Kevin Book told Politico. “Politically speaking, anything that could get in the way of the propane supply ahead of winter could play badly in Midwestern swing states.”
KARE: Panel on Enbridge Line 3 pipeline hosted by Minnesotans at UN Climate Change Conference
11/9/21
“The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland will welcome a delegation from Minnesota Tuesday, which will present a panel discussion on the Enbridge Line 3 tar sands oil pipeline,” KARE reports. "Indigenous Led Resistance on Minnesota's Line 3 Pipeline" is the event's title, and it is hosted by Minnesotans Against Line 3. Participants include Ashley Fairbanks with Honor the Earth from the White Earth Nation, Minnesota State Representative Frank Hornstein, Julia Nerbonne, the Executive Director of Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light, Sha Merirei Ongelungel the media coordinator for the Indian Environmental Network, Roopali Phadke, a Macalester Professor, Ellen Anderson with the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MECA), Frank Bibeau a White Earth Nation Attorney, and Ron Turney, with the White Earth Nation who will be appearing virtually. In their panel presentation, the group plans to draw connections between Line 3 and the ongoing climate crisis happening world wide, while focusing on the damage they claim the pipeline has caused in northern Minnesota. You can find more information about the panel or to watch the live stream on the Honor the Earth Facebook page.”
Facebook: Coast Protectors: Today, Hummingbird Land Defenders will use their bodies to block tree cutting for the Trans Mountain Expansion (TMX) pipeline
11/8/21
“From 10am today, Hummingbird Land Defenders will use their bodies to block tree cutting for the Trans Mountain Expansion (TMX) pipeline. The women wish to protect the mature forest and seven grand cedars, in the North Slope Buffer Park. WHAT: Non-violent direct action to block deforestation and #stopTMX; WHO: Hummingbird Land Defenders and friends; WHERE: North Slope Buffer Park,168 St at 110 Ave., Surrey; WHEN: Beginning at 10am on Monday Nov 8. WHY: On Friday Nov 5th, a large number of trees (50+) were rapidly cut. BACKGROUND: Trans Mountain Canada had been working secretly in the Fraser Heights area until people took notice and sounded the alarm just over a week ago. Concerned residents immediately convened a Town Hall, which united 87 neighbours and allies. Community members fear the grand Seven Surrey Cedars will be destroyed today if swift protective action is not taken… “Statement by Sara Ross (Mother, Hummingbird Land Defender), "I think many people feel powerless, with this huge project funded by the Federal Government entering our communities to chop down trees and damage streams, with or without permits. Well, I don't feel powerless right now. Just like a hummingbird, I have hope & I have power. My friends and I say NO NEW PIPELINES. Enough of the blah blah blah by Canadian leaders. NO MORE CUTTING TREES. Cancel TMX and stop wasting our money while destroying our futures. The carbon needs to stay in the ground."
St. Louis Public Radio: Spire Missouri warns of St. Louis winter gas outage, seeks extension of pipeline use
Chad Davis, 11/6/21
“Spire Missouri is warning St. Louis-area customers that gas service outages may occur this winter if a federal commission doesn’t extend a deadline to stop operating a gas pipeline,” St. Louis Public Radio reports. “A judge ruled this year that in 2018, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission unlawfully approved the Spire STL Pipeline, which runs from Illinois to the St. Louis area. The commission has already extended its approval to let the 65-mile pipeline run through Dec. 13. Spire officials said about 400,000 homes could be impacted by potential gas outages. “Every legal and regulatory avenue has been explored to keep the pipeline in service this winter,” Jason Merrill, a Spire spokesperson, told SLPR. “Given that there's all the support for the STL pipeline running through winter, we feel that FERC will extend this through the winter season, but there are no guarantees.” “...The Missouri Public Service Commission filed comments asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to extend pipeline operations through the winter. Merrill told SLPR Spire has developed contingency plans in the event it does not receive an extension to the deadline.
NC Policy Watch: Colonial Pipeline buying more land near massive gasoline spill in Huntersville
Lisa Sorg, 11/8/21
“Colonial Pipeline has bought yet more property in Huntersville, near the site of North Carolina’s largest gasoline spill in history — 25.8 acres for nearly $1.7 million, according to Mecklenburg County real estate records,” NC Policy Watch reports. “This brings the total spent by the company on property buyouts near the spill site to roughly $2.5 million. The purchase, which occurred in September, includes land, a house and a barn on Huntersville-Concord Road, just feet from the Oehler Nature Preserve, where a pipeline leak discharged at least 1.3 million gallons of gasoline into the groundwater in August 2020… “The properties lie within the groundwater monitoring zone. High levels of benzene, xylene, toluene and other petroleum-related chemicals have been found in monitoring wells at the site… “Colonial Pipeline says no drinking water wells have been contaminated; however, state environmental officials have directed the company to extend residential private well sampling radius an additional 500 feet, to 2,000 feet from the spill site… “Last week the NC Department of Environmental Quality took legal action against Colonial in Mecklenburg Superior Court. State officials alleged that the company is “failing to meet their obligations” in its clean up of the spill, the nation’s largest such onshore accident since 1991.” According to the complaint, Colonial has failed to provide DEQ with “essential information required for appropriate remediation at the site.” This includes an accurate estimate of the amount of fuel that was released into the environment.”
Foley Hoag LLP: Local Regulation Of Fossil Fuel Pipelines (Or The Little City That Could)
Jonathan M. Ettinger, 11/9/21
“With all the attention focused on the Keystone pipeline and the disputes over local regulation of fracking, it's easy to overlook the small city of South Portland, Maine (population 26,000), which just prevailed in the First Circuit in a challenge to its regulation of an international oil pipeline that originates in Montreal and ends in South Portland Harbor. (Full disclosure: I represented the city in this case.),” Jonathan M. Ettinger writes for Foley Hoag LLP. “When Portland Pipeline Corporation ("PPLC")(whose parent company was owned at the time at the time by ExxonMobil, Shell, and Suncor) sought to change the pipeline's permitted use and transport crude oil south from Canada to be loaded onto ships at the terminus in southern Maine (as opposed to its historic use of transporting crude from ships north to Canada), the City passed its "Clear Skies Ordinance", banning the bulk loading of crude onto ships. Of course, the pipeline owner sued to invalidate the ordinance, asserting a multitude of theories. The trial court ruled at summary judgment that the ordinance was not preempted by the Pipeline Safety Act, Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, or the Transit Pipeline Agreement between the U.S. and Canada, did not violate the Equal Protection or Due Process clauses of the Constitution, and did not run afoul of state law… “As a result, the city's ordinance stands, and the pipeline cannot be used to load crude oil (sourced from either the tar sands formation in western Canada or the Bakken formation in the U.S.) onto ships in South Portland Harbor.”
WASHINGTON UPDATES
CNN.com: Senate Democrats urge Biden to consider tapping emergency oil reserves or even ban oil exports to fight high gas prices
Matt Egan, 11/8/21
“Nearly a dozen Senate Democrats called on President Joe Biden on Monday to fight high gas prices by considering a release of barrels from the nation's emergency oil stockpile, or even taking the more extreme step of banning oil exports,” CNN.com reports. “In the letter, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Sherrod Brown, Jack Reed and others warned that the seven-year high in gas prices has "placed an undue burden on families and small businesses trying to make ends meet." "In light of these pressing concerns, we ask that you consider all tools available at your disposal to lower US gasoline prices. This includes a release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and a ban on crude oil exports," the lawmakers wrote..."Continued US exports and overseas supply collusion could be devastating to many in our states," the Democrats wrote… “And some argue that banning US exports of oil would ricochet back on US drivers. The problem is that oil is a globally traded commodity — and US gas prices are set by Brent. If the world suddenly lost access to US oil, Brent crude prices would likely rise due to weaker global supply. And US oil refiners require access to foreign oil to produce gasoline, jet fuel and diesel. They can't rely on US oil alone. That's why Goldman Sachs told clients last month that an export ban would likely be "counterproductive" and would have a "likely bullish impact" on retail fuel prices. Robert McNally, president of consulting firm Rapidan Energy Group, agreed that banning oil exports would be counterproductive, and added that the abrupt shift in policy would spook investors and further reduce investment in US domestic shale.”
New York Times: Energy Department Aims to Slash Cost of Removing Carbon From the Air
Brad Plumer, 11/5/21
“The U.S. Department of Energy on Friday unveiled its biggest effort yet to drastically reduce the cost of technologies that suck carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, in a recognition that current strategies to lower greenhouse gases may not be enough to avert the worst effects of climate change,” the New York Times reports. “At the United Nations climate summit, Jennifer Granholm, the energy secretary, said that her agency would invest in research in the nascent field of carbon removal, with a goal of pushing the cost under $100 per ton by 2030. That’s far below the price tag for many current technologies, which are still in early stages of development and can currently cost as much as $2,000 per ton. The ultimate aim is to identify techniques that can remove billions of tons of carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere and permanently store it in places where it will not warm the planet… “In an interview, Jennifer Wilcox, the principal deputy assistant secretary for the agency’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, told the Times that investments in carbon removal should not be seen as an excuse for countries and businesses to ease up on efforts to reduce their fossil-fuel emissions, not least because there was still no guarantee that carbon removal would be viable on a massive scale… “The Energy Department could soon have enormous sums of money for the effort. President Biden has proposed hundreds of millions of dollars in his budget for various carbon removal and storage techniques. And the bipartisan infrastructure bill currently pending in Congress provides $3.5 billion to create four direct air capture “hubs” across the country, where new technologies can be demonstrated… “Carbon removal does have its critics. Some climate activists have worried that companies may rely on the uncertain promise of such technologies in the future to avoid the hard work of cutting emissions today. They also point to the fact that a number of oil companies have championed the idea as a way of offsetting emissions from pumping out more crude.”
STATE UPDATES
Colorado State Recorder: ‘You’re a Dirty Fracking Liar!’ CO Enviro Protesters Crash Oil and Gas Gala
Sean Price, 11/6/21
“Inscribed on the walls of the downtown Denver Hyatt Regency hotel is a poem by John Ruskin titled “O’ Truth of the Earth.” The poem is an ode to mountains, fitting for a building with a pristine view of the Rocky Mountains...Tonight, inside that hotel, the Western Energy Alliance (WEA), an oil-and-gas member group that describes itself as the “voice of the industry in the west,” hosted a casino-themed gala to honor oil and gas wildcatters who double as philanthropists,” the Colorado State Recorder reports. “The WEA represents 200 independent oil-and-gas producing companies with an average of 14 employees each. A Colorado environmental advocacy group, Colorado Rising, staged a protest at the entrance to the hotel to call out the WEA for its part in creating the climate crisis and for “greenwashing,” according to a press release from the organization… “The protesters chanted at gala attendees, both at the entrance to the hotel and through hotel windows once the attendees were in the lobby. “You’re a dirty fracking liar, thanks to you our planet’s on fire!” chanted the protesters. “Chevron, Exxon, BP, Shell — take your fracking straight to hell!” “...While the Colorado Times Recorder was not allowed entrance into the casino-themed gala, WEA president Kathleen Sgamma agreed to an interview outside the entrance. When asked how the protest was making her feel, Sgamma was nonplussed. “I couldn’t care less,” Sgamma told the Recorder… ““That kind of radical rhetoric is not concerning to me at all.” Sgamma told the Recorder she viewed renewable resources such as wind and solar power as having their use — she explained that many oil well sites use solar power to run monitoring equipment — she doesn’t view them as a viable alternative to oil and gas.”
CPR: Oil company that contaminated soil, groundwater near Frederick school could have $2 million fine reduced
Miguel Otárola, 11/8/21
“Colorado regulators earlier this year found oil and gas company K.P. Kauffman responsible for a “pattern of violations” at its oil-field sites, earning the company a $2 million fine — the second-largest ever issued by the state,” CPR reports. “Now, the state is softening its penalty, ordering the company to instead focus on cleaning up leaks and spills at its sites. If it does so, the state will waive more than half of the initial fine. The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission on Friday unanimously approved the agreement between K.P. Kauffman and the agency. The company will now have to pay $795,000 over five years and prove to the commission their oil-field operations are complying with state environmental and safety laws… “The new plan is the outcome of weeks of litigation between state regulators and the company, which operates about 1,200 active wells across the state. It is the fifth-largest oil and gas company operating in Weld County, where most of its wells are located. The company had reported 94 spills across Colorado since 2015, a majority of which were related to failing pipelines, according to a commission report. In 2020, K.P. Kauffman had five times the average number of spills of similar companies, according to the commission.”
HuffPost: Oklahoma Proposes Letting Gas Utility Charge A $1,400 ‘Exit Fee’ To Go Electric
Alexander C. Kaufman, 11/5/21
“Oklahoma’s biggest natural gas utility could soon charge customers who switch to electric stoves and heating systems an “exit fee” of nearly $1,400 to disconnect service, HuffPostt has learned, setting a precedent that could help the industry lock millions of Americans into fossil fuel use for decades. “The proposal is part of a larger bid by Oklahoma Natural Gas to sell off debt it incurred when fuel prices skyrocketed during a historic cold snap last February. It is currently being negotiated before a judge at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. The provision, which would apply only to customers who terminate service specifically to go electric, could be approved as early as December and come into force no later than June. The fee could more than double the cost of swapping a gas stove for a new electric appliance, forcing homeowners offloading their last gas appliance to not only purchase the new one but also to bid the utility farewell by paying out the remainder of their share of the company’s debt. The fee is also a flat rate for virtually all customers, so the cost does not reflect the amount of gas the household used during last winter’s deep freeze. If greenlighted, the measure would likely become a model for gas-friendly regulators across the country, advocates say, providing a new tool to prevent consumer transitions from fossil fuels to zero-carbon alternatives. Texas and Kansas are already considering their own proposals, according to one source who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the plans.”
EXTRACTION
BBC: COP26: Fossil fuel industry has largest delegation at climate summit
By Matt McGrath, 11/8/21
“There are more delegates at COP26 associated with the fossil fuel industry than from any single country, analysis shared with the BBC shows. Campaigners led by Global Witness assessed the participant list published by the UN at the start of this meeting… “Overall, they identified 503 people employed by or associated with these interests at the summit. They also found that: Fossil fuel lobbyists are members of 27 country delegations, including Canada and Russia; The fossil fuel lobby at COP is larger than the combined total of the eight delegations from the countries worst affected by climate change in the past 20 years; More than 100 fossil fuel companies are represented at COP, with 30 trade associations and membership organisations also present; Fossil fuel lobbyists dwarf the UNFCCC's official indigenous constituency by about two to one; One of the biggest groups they identified was the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA) with 103 delegates in attendance, including three people from the oil and gas company BP. According to Global Witness, IETA is backed by many major oil companies who promote offsetting and carbon trading as a way of allowing them to continue extracting oil and gas.”
Gizmodo: Big Oil Was Told It Wasn’t Welcome at UN Climate Talks. It’s the Biggest Presence.
Molly Taft, 11/8/21
“The biggest presence at the United Nations climate talks this year appears to be people in the pocket of Big Oil,” Gizmodo reports. “A report released Monday finds that more than 500 lobbyists and others with ties to the fossil fuel industry are participating in the UN talks, either as members of trade industry organizations or as part of country delegations… “In total, at least 503 people with ties to the industry have worked their way inside the talks, some as part of 27 official country delegations, including the official delegations of Canada, Russia, and Brazil… “The fossil fuel contingent is so large that it’s actually larger than the sum total of the eight delegations from the countries most affected by climate change: Puerto Rico, Myanmar, Haiti, Philippines, Mozambique, Bahamas, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. Last year, the British government announced that fossil fuel producers were banned from applying as financial sponsors. But oil and gas companies kept trying: documents show that BP, Shell, and Equinor met dozens of times with UK ministers in the run-up to Glasgow… “But it appears fossil fuel companies have found a backdoor in nonetheless. It’s one thing to ban BP from showing off its logo in the COP exhibit hall, but it’s quite another for the UK government to overlook letting them into the talks themselves, where actual policy is decided—and where the fate of vulnerable countries depends on getting the world off their product.”
Indian Country Today: Are carbon markets the new gaming for tribes? Communities weigh whether economic benefits offset concerns
MARY ANNETTE PEMBER, 11/8/21
“The rush is on, and CO2 could be the new gold. Or is it another scheme to appropriate tribal land and resources without addressing the root cause of climate change?,” Indian Country Today reports. “The complicated world of carbon markets could mean millions of dollars for tribal communities across Indian Country that are willing to sell carbon dioxide credits for their untapped lands and pristine forests. For some, carbon dioxide — a key component in climate change — could replace gaming as a key economic force. Others fear tribes are being manipulated to allow continuing destruction of the world’s climate… “A number of Indigenous activists and organizations will be on hand at COP26 for several days holding informational events and protests at the conference’s public Green Zone to call attention to what they describe as false solutions such as carbon markets to addressing climate change. “How can we put a price on the air we breathe?” asked Tom Goldtooth, Dine’ and Dakota, executive director of the Indigenous Environmental Network who is attending COP26 in Glasgow. Goldtooth said carbon markets allow industries to continue polluting by paying for allowances or reductions elsewhere. Bryan Van Stippen, however, a citizen of the Oneida Tribe of Wisconsin and program director for the National Indian Carbon Coalition, said the answer is not that simple. “Carbon markets are not the final solution but at least they give tribes opportunities to develop additional practices and protect and preserve their natural resources,” Van Stippen told ICT… ”Indigenous and other environmental activists, however, say carbon markets are an example of “green washing,” attempts by polluting industries to use cosmetic changes to cover up the harm they are doing while appearing environmentally responsible. According to “Hoodwinked in the Hothouse,” a publication created by the Indigenous Environmental Network and other organizations, carbon markets represent a false solution to the climate crisis by allowing industry to continue producing high levels of CO2 rather than focusing on reducing emissions and reliance on fossil fuels.”
Reuters: As LNG prices surge, North American project development languishes
By Scott Disavino, 11/8/21
“Demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) has never been higher, but developers in North America are headed into the final weeks of the year without having approved one new project yet,” Reuters reports. “Global natural gas prices are near record highs, as utilities in Europe and Asia compete for whatever LNG cargoes they can get before winter. LNG demand worldwide has increased every year since 2012 and soared by 40% in the last five as utilities substitute gas for dirtier-burning coal, but supply has not kept up with demand - and won't for several years. The market's growth spurred rapid development of liquefaction terminals in big exporters including the United States, slated to become the largest LNG producer by capacity next year… “At the start of 2020 and again in 2021, roughly a dozen firms signaled plans for final investment decisions (FID) on proposed projects. But just one, Sempra Energy's (SRE.N) Costa Azul in Mexico, started construction in 2020, while numerous others have been pushed into 2022. "We're setting up for a structural shortage of LNG capacity," Reid Morrison, global energy advisory leader at PwC in Houston, told Reuters. "There is reticence to taking a long-term position in natural gas given the net zero commitments that different governments are making." Several North American projects could go forward in 2022, mostly in Texas and Louisiana, when the International Gas Union estimates world demand will reach about 375 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) from 356.1 MTPA in 2020. But those projects will do little to meet growing demand in the short term since it takes about three to five years for a new project to produce LNG.”
Reuters: Canada's oil sands tiptoe to record output, but keep a lid on spending
By Nia Williams and Rod Nickel, 11/8/21
“Canada's oil sands are inching toward record production, as the country's biggest producers squeeze more barrels out of existing assets, but they are holding back on big spending despite some of the highest oil prices in seven years,” Reuters reports. “The oil sands, which make up the bulk of Canada's production, are on track to reach 3.5 million barrels per day (bpd) by year-end, surpassing January's record of 3.25 million bpd, Matt Murphy, analyst at investment bank Tudor, Pickering, Holt told Reuters. “Oil demand is rebounding as expanding COVID-19 vaccination rates spur greater economic activity, and as the OPEC+ group of major producers ignores U.S. calls to raise supply faster. Those factors have driven global prices to more than $80 per barrel. Canada's majors all signaled recently, however, that they have no plans to take on big new projects or significant expansions to existing facilities. Canadian Natural Resources Ltd (CNQ.TO) (CNRL), Suncor Energy Inc (SU.TO) and Cenovus Energy Inc (CVE.TO) elected instead to increase dividends to take advantage of stronger revenues. Those producers are scheduled to unveil 2022 capital budgets in coming weeks, but will prioritize small expansions and efficiencies to their sites to raise output.”
Alberta Innovates: Clean tech making carbon an economic and environmental asset
11/8/21
“Bitumen from Alberta’s oil sands can be repurposed to create a new industry based on advanced materials, and can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, a new paper released by Alberta Innovates has confirmed.The paper examines potential economic and environmental impacts of diverting bitumen away from fuels production to become feedstock for in demand products. This is the premise of Alberta Innovates’ “Bitumen Beyond Combustion” (BBC) vision. Instead of releasing carbon into the atmosphere through combustion, it remains sequestered in high value end-use products that are not burned as fuels. The most promising potential BBC products include carbon fibre, asphalt binder, and activated carbon… “Approximately 80 percent of fossil fuel-related emissions are associated with end use combustion. Emissions reductions can be achieved through diverting bitumen away from combustion, replacing higher emissions-intensity products, and reducing downstream GHG emissions when BBC products are in use. For example, for every million barrels of bitumen used for BBC products, 470,000 barrels could be diverted for non-combustion products, avoiding the release of 65 million tonnes of emissions per year.”
Associated Press: Oil tanker explodes in Sierra Leone, killing at least 98
By CLARENCE ROY-MACAULAY and KRISTA LARSON, 11/6/21
“An oil tanker truck exploded near Sierra Leone’s capital, killing at least 98 people and severely injuring dozens of others after large crowds gathered to collect leaking fuel, officials and witnesses said Saturday,” the Associated Press reports. “The explosion took place late Friday when the tanker collided with another truck as it was pulling into a gas station near a busy intersection in Wellington, just east of the capital of Freetown, according to the National Disaster Management Agency. “Both drivers came out of their vehicles and warned community residents to stay off the scene while trying to address a leakage emanating from the collision,” the agency said. In this deeply impoverished country, however, crowds still rushed in to scoop up the fuel, witnesses said. It was not immediately known what caused the leaking fuel to ignite but a massive explosion soon followed.”
RESEARCH & SCIENCE
Washington Post: Countries’ climate pledges built on flawed data, Post investigation finds
By Chris Mooney, Juliet Eilperin, Desmond Butler, John Muyskens, Anu Narayanswamy and Naema Ahmed, 11/7/21
“Malaysia’s latest catalogue of its greenhouse gas emissions to the United Nations reads like a report from a parallel universe. The 285-page document suggests that Malaysia’s trees are absorbing carbon four times faster than similar forests in neighboring Indonesia. The surprising claim has allowed the country to subtract over 243 million tons of carbon dioxide from its 2016 inventory — slashing 73 percent of emissions from its bottom line,” the Washington Post reports. “Across the world, many countries underreport their greenhouse gas emissions in their reports to the United Nations, a Washington Post investigation has found. An examination of 196 country reports reveals a giant gap between what nations declare their emissions to be versus the greenhouse gases they are sending into the atmosphere. The gap ranges from at least 8.5 billion to as high as 13.3 billion tons a year of underreported emissions — big enough to move the needle on how much the Earth will warm. The plan to save the world from the worst of climate change is built on data. But the data the world is relying on is inaccurate… “At the low end, the gap is larger than the yearly emissions of the United States. At the high end, it approaches the emissions of China and comprises 23 percent of humanity’s total contribution to the planet’s warming, The Post found. As tens of thousands of people are convening in Glasgow for what may be the largest-ever meeting of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), also known as COP26, the numbers they are using to help guide the world’s effort to curb greenhouse gases represent a flawed road map. That means the challenge is even larger than world leaders have acknowledged.”
CLIMATE FINANCE
The Bureau Investigates: HSBC led big banks’ charge against climate change action
Josephine Moulds, 11/8/21
“HSBC coordinated efforts to try and water down action on climate change in the banking sector by seeking to delay a key deadline and scrap mandatory science-based targets for a major net-zero alliance,” according to The Bureau Investigates. “These appeals came in an email sent from the office of HSBC’s chief executive to the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA), an initiative launched by Mark Carney, the former governor of the Bank of England. The NZBA brings together more than 50 banks, including HSBC, Bank of America, Barclays and Santander, requiring them to set a target to cut carbon emissions from their lending and investment portfolios to net zero by 2050, as well as setting an interim target for 2030. The email, which was sent on behalf of a group of 12 banks, said they should have three years from signing the NZBA commitment – rather than 18 months – before setting their 2030 target. It tried to further weaken the commitment by discarding a requirement for science-based targets… “HSBC has been one of Europe’s biggest funders of fossil fuels, ploughing £17.3bn into the sector in 2020 and helping the world’s most polluting company raise £10.3bn.”
OPINION
The Hill: A clean energy economy is crucial for frontline communities
Mustafa Santiago Ali is vice president of environmental justice, climate and community revitalization at the National Wildlife Federation, 11/6/21
“The rippling effects of climate change will impact every community, region and country on this planet. A new study found that 85 percent of the world’s population has already been impacted by the worsening climate crisis. For Black and Brown communities in the United States, this will come as no surprise,” Mustafa Santiago Ali writes for The Hill. “The same diseases that are sickening our planet — the impacts of fossil fuel — are sickening frontline communities, resulting in alarming statistics. But building an economy rooted in clean energy is a cure for these converging crises — the climate crisis, the public health impacts of fossil fuels, and the economic impacts of the pandemic. The unequal impact of environmental racism on Black and Brown communities has been documented for decades. Black Americans are 75 percent more likely than white Americans to live near areas that produce emissions, pollution and traffic and 40 percent more likely to live in places where extreme heat will result in higher mortality. Indigenous communities that rely on robust and healthy wildlife and ecosystems are in danger of losing crucial sources of economic stability and food. Infrastructure investments laid out in the bipartisan infrastructure legislation that Congress just passed and Build Back Better plan still in negotiation may be our last, best chance to rectify these staggering statistics… “Leaders in Washington right now have a rare opportunity to not only address the catastrophic climate, racial injustice and economic crises facing our country but to create a better path forward.”