As another round of UN climate negotiations wraps up today in Bonn, expectations are taking shape for the end of the year Paris conference where countries will have yet another chance to prove they are ready to take on one of the worldâs greatest challenges. Nobody (with the possible exceptions of Canada, Australia, and Japan … Read More
Unburnable Carbon
Fossil Fuel Fatalism and the Untouchable Arctic
Yesterday at the Royal Dutch Shell AGM in The Hague, the companyâs leadership was grilled with questions and concerns about its high-risk plans for offshore U.S. Arctic oil exploration, and how it will square that circle with its apparent commitment to take climate change more seriously. Interventions ranged from powerful statements and concerns from indigenous … Read More
#ShellNo: New Hurdle Throws Shell’s Plans Into Question
From the minute it was exposed that Shellâs Arctic Drilling Fleet had been issued a permit to be based in Seattle, we knew it wouldnât be that simple. And within days, concerned citizens had mobilized â and the organizing has paid off.
Risky Business: tar sands investment in a carbon constrained world
When oil prices crashed late last year, the high-cost and capital intensive tar sands sector took a hit. The industry had already been showing signs of weakness with underperforming stocks, project cancellations, and serious concerns about market access. But low oil prices have driven a whole new level of cost cutting and project delays.
Mind the gap: Shellâs inadequate Arctic spill plan
Mind the gap: Shellâs inadequate Arctic spill plan There are some things that are simply irreconcilable. And as hard as Big Oil and politicians try, they never will be. Take for instance climate action and arctic oil. Secretary Jewell at the Department of the Interior is in the final phases of considering Shellâs proposal to … Read More
To the ends of the earth: Shellâs plan to risk it all
Royal Dutch Shell is pinning a lot of hope (and even more money) on the U.S. Arctic Ocean becoming its next major oil find. Despite a number of years of failed attempts, embarrassing accidents, and failed safety tests â Shell hopes to head back to the Chukchi Sea off the Alaskan coast this summer. Arctic … Read More
Not so fast, Shell
Royal Dutch Shell has insisted that it is going to press ahead this year with its plans to continue its high cost, high risk hunt for oil in the U.S. Arctic Ocean this year (aka the worldâs most obvious unburnable carbon). While its plan still rests on some outstanding permits from the federal government that … Read More
Shell’s quest for unburnable carbon
Royal Dutch Shell presented its 2014 earnings report today and commented on what is ahead for it in 2015. With results that were lower than expected and âdisappointingâ according to analysts, Shell was quick to point out the measures taken to cut costs and its serious commitment to âefficient use of capitalâ. It didnât take … Read More
KXL is âlike two bald men fighting over a combâ
As the political squabbling over Keystone XL continues to dominate the political landscape in Washington, yesterday the Senate energy committee voted 13-9 in favour of a bill that would force construction of the controversial pipeline.
Fossil Fuel Disinvestment Gathers Momentum
If you had Googled âfossil fuelsâ and âstranded assetsâ a few years ago, you would have probably got no hits. But how times change.