Tag: fossil fuels

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-Top News Environment USA

Harris Softens Stance On Drilling, No Fossil Promotion

Sensing the nation’s mood on getting more fossil fuels, Harris has said that she is dropping her demand for banning an economical method of drilling for natural gas known as fracking.

Trying to match former President Donald Trump’s popular call for US energy independence, Vice President Kamala Harris has said she is dropping her demand to ban drilling for gas, but a campaign adviser says she won’t promote fossil fuel.

Harris has appointed Camila Thorndike, who worked as climate engagement director for an activist organisation Rewiring America which campaigned for even banning gas stoves, as her campaign’s climate adviser.

Thorndike has been on its staff from 2022 to last month.

Sensing the nation’s mood on getting more fossil fuels, Harris has said that she is dropping her demand for banning an economical method of drilling for natural gas known as fracking.

But Thorndike threw doubts about her sincerity telling Politico in an interview that Harris “is not promoting expansion (of fossil fuel drilling). She’s just said that they wouldn’t ban fracking”.

The head of the American Energy Institute, Jason Isaac, accused Harris of harbouring hostility towards several energy sources.

He told Fox News Digital that Harris’ decision to bring on Thorndike “underscores her administration’s hostility towards American energy sources that power our economy and support millions of jobs”.

Thorndike admitted in the Politico interview that “everyone wants their energy bills to go down. Everyone wants the electric grid to keep the lights on”.

However, banning or restricting fossil fuel expansion will lead to higher prices, a point Trump has been making.

With the slogan of “Drill Baby, Drill”, he has said that he would expand drilling for gas and oil so that the abundant supply would bring down energy prices, which would have a cascading effect on the prices of all other products as they depend on energy for manufacturing or transportation.

Gas used for cooking is less polluting than many other fuels, including electricity produced with coal or oil.

However, groups like Rewiring America target gas as polluting, even though the US relies on coal — which is highly polluting — for 16 per cent of its electricity which in effect ends up more polluting than gas.

The group is called a “dark money” organisation because its financial structure limits disclosures of most sources of funding.

According to Fox Digital, it was founded by those with financial interests in wind and solar.

ALSO READ: 60% Indian-Americans lean Harris, 30% favour Trump

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-Top News UAE News World

COP28 Adopts Landmark Deal To ‘Transition Away’ From Fossil Fuels

Representatives from nearly 200 countries agreed at the COP28 climate summit to begin reducing global consumption of fossil fuels, a first of its kind deal in a UN climate summit, reports Asian Lite News

Representatives from 197 countries, in addition to the European Union, at the COP28 approved the historic “UAE Consensus” on climate change, which aims to put the world on the right track to protect humanity and the planet.

After gruelling negotiations, countries have reached a deal, calling for “deep, rapid and sustained reduction in greenhouse gas emissions” and “transitioning” away from fossil fuels in the energy system in an orderly and equitable manner.

The COP28 climate summit went into overtime with negotiators scrambling to reach a deal. Finally, on Wednesday morning, the COP 28 deal was adopted. The plenary erupts in applause following the adoption. This was the third version presented to the countries in about two weeks.

COP 28 President Sultan al-Jaber said: “It is a plan that is led by the science … a historic package to accelerate climate action.”

“This is the first time, we have language on fossil fuel,” he said.

However, the document does not speak about the “phase out” of fossil fuels as several countries were opposed to the term.

Instead, the document calls for transitioning away from fossil fuels in the energy system “in a just, orderly and equitable manner, accelerating action in this critical decade, to achieve net zero by 2050 in keeping with the science.”

It also lists 7 other steps to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The document signals that countries agree that fossil fuels need to be replaced with clean energy and reach global net zero by 2050. It is the first time fossil fuels have been addressed in the climate talks.

The signed deal calls on the parties for tripling renewable energy by 2030 and doubling energy efficiency. It also recognises that the costs of renewables are falling fast.

It carries the same text on coal from Glasgow, the current text calls for accelerating efforts towards the phase-down of unabated coal power. The previous draft document drew flak from European, Latin American and vulnerable island states after it dropped all references to phasing out fossils.

On Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), the document says new national climate pledges should be delivered in late 2024. There is very little on finance, an acknowledgement of the need for it, but no concrete numbers which means this becomes the main agenda item for 2024.

Environmentalists have called the signing of the deal a “positive step however with gaps”

Aarti Khosla, Director, of Climate Trends said that it is the first time that there is recognition of transitioning away from fossil fuels in a COP text- essentially meaning slashing not just coal, but also oil and gas.

“The Dubai deal is positive, however with gaps. coming alongside an absolute recognition of a warming world, and the need to take rapid action within this decade, the outcome text makes real concessions for gas and oil,” Khosla said.

“The language doesn’t give clarity on whether actual reductions in production and consumption will happen, or with increasing demand, countries will merely ‘transition’ their energy mix. These are issues with huge implications for the world,” she added.

Ruth Davis, Senior Associate, at Smith School of Enterprise and Environment in Oxford acknowledged that for the first time ever, the promise to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030 has become a formal outcome.

“Food and nature have long been overdue for more space in the COP negotiating texts. For the first time ever, the promise to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030 has become a formal outcome. And 150+ countries pledged to put food in their new climate plans. The forgotten third of global greenhouse gas emissions will be under proper scrutiny, provided there is funding on the table. What we need now is to deliver on the money, ” Davis said.

The COP28 Presidency has been clear in its intention to ensure that the agreements made at COP28 are delivered and followed through to COP29 and COP30, with mechanisms to track progress against implementation. Already, the Presidency has signed an agreement with Brazil, the host country of COP30, to deepen collaboration and increase climate ambitions by COP30.

Central to the agreement with Brazil will be working with Azerbaijan, the hosts of COP29, to ensure Parties come to COP30 with ambitious updated climate plans for action in this critical decade, as well as whole-of-economy NDCs building on the momentum generated at COP28.

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-Top News Environment UAE News

Talks on Fossil Fuels Heat Up at COP28

As COP28 comes to a close, some of the major topics are still being discussed behind closed doors, such as the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) and the Global Stocktake.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday proposed a deal at COP28 on phasing out fossil fuels, telling negotiators that “now is the time for maximum ambition and maximum flexibility,” as UN climate talks in Dubai head into the home stretch, UN News reported.

As COP28 entered its final 48 hours, the UN chief delivered a clear message to government negotiators: “We must conclude the conference with an ambitious outcome that demonstrates decisive action and a credible plan to keep 1.5-degree goal alive, protecting those on the frontlines of the climate crisis.”

As COP28 entered its final 48 hours, the UN chief delivered a clear message to government negotiators: “We must conclude the conference with an ambitious outcome that demonstrates decisive action and a credible plan to keep 1.5-degree goal alive, protecting those on the frontlines of the climate crisis.”

Negotiators are engaged in intense negotiations to hammer out a deal on key agenda items including the future of the use of fossil fuels, ramping up renewable energy, building resilience to climate change and ensuring financial support for vulnerable countries, according to UN News.

Speaking to reporters today, Guterres warned of humanity’s race against time as our planet is “minutes to midnight” for the 1.5 degree limit, referring to one of the keystone global warming targets set by the 2015 Paris Agreement. “And the clock keeps ticking.”

And yet, with COP28 so close to the finish line, there is still a “gap that needs to be bridged, said the Secretary-General.

Against this backdrop, he noted that “now is the time for maximum ambition and maximum flexibility. Ministers and negotiators must move beyond arbitrary red lines, entrenched positions and blocking tactics,” he said.

Urging countries to go into “overdrive to negotiate in good faith and rise to the challenge”, the Secretary-General also cautioned that any “compromise for solutions”, must not come at the cost of “compromising on the science or on the need for the highest ambition.”

He underscored that in a “fractured and divided world, COP28 can show that multilateralism remains our best hope to tackle global challenges.”

Speaking to reporters just ahead of the Secretary-General, UN climate chief Simon Stiell said negotiations on an outcome document have a chance to begin a new chapter that delivers for people and planet.

He underscored the importance of finance as “the bedrock to scale-up climate action on all fronts”.

He stressed that the highest levels of ambition are possible on both, “but if we reduce on one, we reduce our ability to get either.”

To reach a meaningful deal, the many “unnecessary tactical blockades” seen along the COP28 journey must be removed, and “incrementalism” must be rejected, according to the climate chief.

He reminded negotiators that the world is watching and “there is nowhere to hide.”

“One thing is for certain: ‘I win – you lose’ is a recipe for collective failure. Ultimately it is 8 billion people’s security that is at stake”.

Following the landmark Paris COP, Dubai is the first time that a UN climate summit surveys progress towards achieving the goals agreed in 2015.

This so-named Global Stocktake is still being assessed and could pave the way to ambitious national climate action plans, or NDC’s that countries are due to submit in 2025.

Guterres has called for countries to step up their efforts to ensure maximum ambition on two fronts, namely ambition on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and on delivering climate justice.

On Monday he stressed that the Global Stocktake must recognize the “need to phase out all fossil fuels on a time-frame consistent with the 1.5-degree limit – and to accelerate a just, equitable and orderly energy transition for all.”

COP28, which stands for the 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), is taking place in Dubai, UAE, from November 30 to December 12 this year. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Yousaf slams Cameron as ‘petty’ over Erdogan COP28 threat

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-Top News UK News

Planned UK oil field unaligned with Paris goals: Report

These are projects that risk taking the world well beyond climate limits and becoming stranded assets, with little or no economic value…reports Asian Lite News.

Amidst climate justice groups installing oil barrels at COP26 to say “no fossil fuels — not here, not anywhere”, a new analysis by Carbon Tracker released on Wednesday found the proposed deepwater Cambo oil field off Scotland is uneconomic and its future exploitation is incompatible with the Paris goal of maintaining warming at or below 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Carbon Tracker founder and executive chairman Mark Campanale said: “Cambo is uneconomic and would not be financially competitive in a well-below 2 degrees C world. Moreover, COP26 is showing the world the urgency of the climate crisis and if we are to ‘keep 1.5 alive’, this means this project is clearly amongst the first to fall by the wayside.

“The world has a great many existing oil projects that are lower cost and lower risk than Cambo and that are ahead in the financial pecking order. The IEA has said that ‘no new oil, coal or gas is needed’ in a 1.5C scenario and Cambo is blatantly one of those projects.”

The thinktank utilises oil demand using different IEA scenarios — linked to specific temperature policy goals — to understand oil and gas supply. A cost-curve approach is used based on data from Rystad Energy, allowing those oil and gas projects which fall outside of a given temperature outcome to be identified.

These are projects that risk taking the world well beyond climate limits and becoming stranded assets, with little or no economic value.

Based on Carbon Tracker’s modelling, the multi-billion-dollar Cambo oil field off Shetland has a breakeven oil price significantly higher than the marginal oil price under the IEA’s Sustainable Development Scenario (SDS, 1.65C).

Put another way, the project is only financially viable if the world fails to limit global temperature rise to well below 2C.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson outside the front of No10 Downing Street with the National Grid COP26 installation ahead of the start of COP26 in Glasgow. Picture by Andrew Parsons No 10 Downing Street

On the margins of the UN Climate Change Conference COP26, climate justice groups and grassroots groups brought oil barrels to oppose fossil fuel extraction.

Speakers at the venue talked about the dirty energy struggles around the world — from the Cambo oil field and new coal mine in Cumbria in the UK, to the LNG export project in Mozambique, to oil export facilities in the US and more.

They said that wealthy countries need to get their act together and come up with credible plans for concrete action to cut emissions, end reliance on fantasy techno-fixes and support a just transition away from fossil fuels.

The Cambo oil field is located about 125km to the west of the Shetland Islands, and contains more than 800 million barrels of oil.

The companies involved in its development are Siccar Point and Royal Dutch Shell, which was recently forced by a court ruling in the Netherlands to slash oil production in line with its net zero goals.

If approved by the Oil and Gas Authority, drilling at Cambo could start as early as 2022. And the field is expected to produce oil and gas for approximately 25 years.

ALSO READ-SPECIAL: Commonwealth Supports COP26

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-Top News UK News

Church of England asked to divest from fossil fuels

They are also asking the church to urgently speak out for immediate action to prevent irreversible climate impacts and ensure a liveable planet for all of god’s creation…reports Asian Lite News.

In the run-up to the UN climate change summit named COP26, five Christians dressed as penitents whilst a member of the clergy poured fake oil over them outside the Lambeth Palace in protest at the Church of England’s continued investments in fossil fuel industries.

Three of the ‘penitents’ then glued themselves to the pavement.

Eight people on Sunday staged a ‘die-in’ outside the Palace, which involved some of them lying on the ground in protest while others held banners protesting the Church’s engagement with the fossil fuel industry.

Ahead of the COP26 in Glasgow, that the UK is hosting, the activists are demanding that the church immediately announces its intention to divest from fossil fuel companies and that they complete divestment by December 31, 2021.

They are also asking the church to urgently speak out for immediate action to prevent irreversible climate impacts and ensure a liveable planet for all of god’s creation.


It is estimated that the Church of England dioceses, Church Commissioners and Pensions Board currently hold investments worth 70 million in fossil fuel companies. To date, just four out of 42 dioceses have announced divestment.

Through a statement read out during the action, those present said: “It is our firm conviction that large fossil fuel corporations are incapable of making ‘meaningful sacrifices’, and it is they and political parties across the globe who are heavily influenced, often funded by them, who hold the future of our planet in the balance.

“We therefore urge the Archbishop to use his influence to announce the immediate divestment from fossil fuels. We also call upon him to urge world leaders meeting at COP26 in two weeks’ time to take bold, unpopular decisions and actions to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.”

In a letter handed to Justin Welby as part of the action, Val King wrote: “Urgent and radical action is required –we cannot afford to leave the future of god’s creation to market forces and to rely on fossil fuel companies to provide the solution to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement.

“The recent IPCC report makes the case for immediate action crystal clear, as is the warning from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres: ‘There is no time for delay and no room for excuses. This report must sound a death knell for coal and fossil fuels, before they destroy our planet. If we combine forces now, we can avert climate catastrophe.”

The protest follows an action at St Paul’s Cathedral in August which led to 13 arrests. Immediately after Communion at a Eucharist service protestors processed to the altar and faced the congregation holding banners with the words: ‘No Faith in Fossil Fuels’ and ‘Churches Divest Now’.

Since 2013, most major Christian denominations have made a commitment to divest from fossil fuels. The Church of England, the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Catholic Church are the only major denominations still investing in fossil fuels. Worldwide, more than 400 religious organisations have made divestment commitments in recent years.

In just a few weeks’ time, world leaders will meet in Glasgow at the COP26 conference to discuss the climate crisis.

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