The EPA chief wants to recover $20 billion in climate funding
He said that the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants to terminate contracts signed by the previous administration for the distribution of $20 billion in grant funds to fund clean energy projects and transportation in disadvantaged areas. In a message on X, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin stated that he would ask the Inspector-General, Congress, and Justice Departments to…
Trump appoints US Oil Advocate to Lead Public Land Bureau
Kathleen Sgamma is a vocal advocate of oil and gas for Western States. She will be heading the Interior Department Bureau of Land Management which oversees the use of nearly 250 million acres of country's public lands. Sgamma is the head of Western Energy Alliance which represents oil companies operating on federal land. He had criticized Biden's and Obama's efforts to reserve public land for conservation rather than open more acres for energy developments.
Trump appoints US Oil Advocate to Lead Public Land Bureau
Kathleen Sgamma is a vocal advocate of oil and gas for Western States. She will be heading the Interior Department Bureau of Land Management which oversees the use of nearly 250 million acres of country public lands. Sgamma is the head of Western Energy Alliance which represents oil companies operating on federal land. He had criticized Biden's and Obama's efforts to reserve public lands for conservation rather than open more acres for energy developments.
Biden bans offshore oil and gas drilling before Trump's term
The U.S. president Joe Biden has announced that he will ban all new offshore oil and natural gas development along the majority of U.S. coasts. This is a decision which President-elect Donald Trump who has pledged to increase domestic energy production may find hard to reverse. Biden, according to the White House on Monday, will exercise his authority under 70-year-old Outer Continental…
Biden bans offshore oil and gas drilling before Trump's term
The U.S. president Joe Biden has announced that he will ban all new offshore oil and natural gas development along the majority of U.S. coasts. This is a decision which President-elect Donald Trump who has pledged to increase domestic energy production may find hard to reverse. Biden, according to the White House on Monday, will exercise his authority under 70-year-old Outer Continental…
Barcelona terraces are still heated by patio heaters.
Gas-powered patio heaters are being used by tourists in Barcelona's historic center until 2025, when they will be banned due to their carbon emissions. The ban is set to take effect on January 1, and it's the culmination of years of battle between the City Council and restaurant owners who are worried about losing business because customers will avoid outdoor seating during winter. The…
Woodside's North West Shelf Project Extension approved by Western Australia
Woodside Energy, Australia's largest oil and gas producer in terms of market value, announced on Thursday that the state of Western Australia had granted Woodside Energy approval to extend the project life of its North West Shelf LNG (liquefied Natural Gas) until 2070. You can also find out more about the decision-making process by clicking here. Woodside announced Thursday that the approval…
NOIA Reacts as BOEM Announces Next Steps for GoM Oil & Gas
National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) President Erik Milito issued the following statement after the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) released the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for oil and gas leasing in the Gulf of Mexico:"We are pleased to see BOEM finally moving forward with the next step toward the first Gulf of Mexico oil and gas lease sale of the 2024-2029 offshore leasing program.
Cuba announces new restrictions and a contingency plan as the energy crisis intensifies
Cuba has asked businesses and state-owned companies to reduce their air conditioning usage and generate more electricity using renewable sources, and also to take other conservation measures. This is as the communist government faces its worst energy crisis for decades. In a 16-page decret published on Tuesday, the new regulations give the top energy users in the public and private sectors…
New York grid operator warns about undersupply by 2033
The state grid operator warned on Thursday that New York City could face power shortages in summer 2033 due to a growing electricity demand and a decreasing supply of fossil-fired generators. The New York Independent System Operator stated that the trend to shut down power plants more quickly than they can be replaced by clean, new sources of supply, at the same time as electricity demand increases from electrification in buildings and transport…
Trump selects Burgum as Interior Secretary
Donald Trump, the president-elect, announced on Thursday that North Dakota governor Doug Burgum will be his choice for Interior Secretary. Burgum is a former wealthy software executive. Trump, dressed in a tuxedo, said that the Department of Interior would be headed by him. He added that an announcement would be made on Friday. Burgum has presented himself as a conservative businessman who is traditional.
After Trump's win, U.S. Governors have pledged to continue climate action.
After Donald Trump's election this week, Democratic Governors of Two U.S. States pledged to continue building programs on renewable energies and curbing climate changes. These comments are the first sign that Democratic Governors plan to continue their fight against climate change. Trump, who is a Republican and a climate change advocate, said that he could repeal the subsidies for electric cars…
Colombia and Ecuador battle to protect vital wetlands during drought
As water and energy restrictions hit both countries, rural communities in Colombia and Ecuador fight to protect fragile high altitude wetlands which regulate the area's waters cycles. Scientists say that climate change and human activity have exacerbated the effects of El Nino, which has led to drought in Colombia and Ecuador. The grassroots activists of the two countries have worked with…
Minister: Colombia and Germany in discussions over debt swaps
HAMBURG - On Monday, the Foreign Minister of Colombia, Luis Gilberto Murillo, said that the country is in discussions with Germany about a debt for nature swap to help fund a $40 billion plan by the country to move away from fossil fuels while protecting the environment. Last month, Colombia launched a new portfolio of investments for its climate-adaptation plans. It hopes to attract $40 billion.
New Industry Minister: Japan will keep nuclear but boost renewables as part of its energy mix
Japan will continue to restart nuclear power plants safely and use as much renewable electricity as possible, said Industry Minister Yojimuto on Wednesday. This indicates that the policy of newly appointed Prime Minister ShigeruIshiba is not likely to change significantly. Ishiba had promised to eliminate nuclear power before he was elected leader of the Liberal Democratic Party. He was sworn into office on Tuesday. He was the sole candidate who opposed nuclear power in Japan.
UK faces legal action for new North Sea oil and Gas Licences
A marine conservation group is challenging in court the decision of Britain to issue new oil and natural gas exploration licenses. The organization claims that ministers failed to take into account the impact of these licences on marine life. Oceana UK has filed a lawsuit against 31 licenses granted by the previous British government to the North Sea Transition Authority in May of this year, as part of its latest round for oil and gas licensing.
China wants to invest more in energy upgrades
China's State Planner has called for increased investment in equipment upgrades, to support the energy transformation. He said the market should be a leader. The National Development and Reform Commission issued a notice on Wednesday calling for an increase of 25% in investment to upgrade China's equipment to improve energy efficiency from 2023-2027. According to the notice, these investments…
US opponents of offshore wind projects form national group in order to combat the project
According to two organizations and the founder of this effort, U.S. opponents to offshore wind developments are creating a coalition to fight projects in California as well as New England.According to Mandy Davis, the president of NOOA, it aims to give a national voice to a movement that is currently fragmented into dozens of groups.Offshore wind in the United States is still a young industry and an important part of President Joe Biden’s climate-change plan.
Wave of New LNG Export Plants Threatens to Knock Gas Prices
A flood of liquefied natural gas (LNG) export projects due online worldwide in mid-decade will vie against lower-cost renewable energy and a revived nuclear power sector, which could rock gas prices and hurt some proposed projects, analysts say.Proposed and approved new LNG plants would boost LNG supply by 67% increase to 636 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) by 2030 from 2021 levels, potentially…
Biden Administration Suspends Federal Oil and Gas Permitting
The Biden administration has temporarily suspended oil and gas leasing and permitting on federal lands and waters while it evaluates the legal and policy implications of the program, according to a Department of Interior memo.The move appears to be a first step in delivering on newly sworn-in President Joe Biden's campaign promise to ban all new federal drilling permits, part of his wider…
