GLOBAL POLICY
The Paris climate goals demand a rapid, just transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. We’re pushing governments to lead the way by adopting policies to end oil and gas production.
OVERVIEW OF WORK
In order to achieve climate goals, governments and other decision makers must support a just and equitable move away from fossil fuels. We are pushing for precedent-setting leadership from governments to put policies in place to manage the decline of oil and gas and ensure a just transition for fossil-fuel dependent workers and communities.
Building from a growing group of first mover governments, we are pressuring for increasing numbers of national and regional governments to end new licenses and permits for oil and gas production, and to develop plans to wind down their existing production over time.
LATEST PROGRAM POSTS
Whats the US Congress' response to record profits and high gas prices? Why its royalty relief for the oil & gas industry, of course! According to this morning's New York Times, "the government will give up more than $7 billion in payments between now and 2011. The companies are expected to get the largess, known as royalty relief, even though the administration assumes that oil prices will remain above $50 a barrel throughout that period.". Yikes. Separation of Oil & State, anyone?
Under their new leader David Cameron, the Conservatives could be about to radically alter thier energy policy, as their try and improve their "green" credentials. Launching a review of their energy policy today, the shadow Trade and Industry spokesperson, Alan Duncan, has indicated that the party are looking for a greater proportion of energy to come from renewables, such as wind and solar. They are also suggesting that they might drop their historic support for nuclear power.
However, Duncan also suggested there could be "a new lease of life" for fossil fuels, based on clean-coal and carbon-capture technology. What do you
To their admirers, they are the latest must-haves in status, style and chic. To their critics, they are dangerous, polluting and gas guzzling brutes. Known as Chelsea tractors they are urban 4X4s or SUVs. But the news that Londoners are the most likely people in the whole of the UK to buy 4X4s will come as no surprise to people who have watched in horror as more and more off-roaders clog up London’s streets and pollute its air.
A recent survey has found that one in six Londoners who are looking to replace their car this year planned to buy an
The British Environment Agency has calculated that over two million homes are at risk of being flooded, a situation that will get worse because of climate change. "The risk of flooding is ever present, and increasing", says the Environment Agency (EA).
Despite everyone knowing that climate change will make matters worse, developers are still trying to develop on known flood-risk areas. Last year, planning permission was granted for 21 cases of "major developments" in the UK against the advice of the EA.
Barbara Young, the chief executive of the EA, says: "Recent floods, storms and drought have shown how vulnerable we are
LATEST PROGRAM RESEARCH
Summary:
Governments have spent over $20 billion – and have approved up to $200 billion more – of public money on carbon capture and storage (CCS), providing a lifeline for the fossil fuel industry.
79% of operating carbon capture capacity globally sends captured CO2 to produce more oil (via Enhanced Oil Recovery).
Many of the largest CCS projects in the world overpromise and under-deliver, operating far below capacity.
Oil and gas companies, and some governments, are more interested in looking like they are acting on climate change than actually acting on climate change. They spend billions on smoke and mirrors, such as:
“carbon capture and storage”,
“certified gas”, and
ammonia co-firing, and hydrogen,
to make us believe that they are coming up with solutions for a livable planet when, in reality, they are trying to build escape hatches to suck every last ounce of profit out of their dirty fossil fuel business. These companies and their lobbyists are counting on adding loopholes in the final UN Climate Change Conference
Download the briefing in English or Japanese.
Despite the urgent need to phase out fossil fuels, Japan is driving the expansion of liquified gas (LNG) and other fossil-based technologies like ammonia co-firing across Asia and globally. This will worsen the climate crisis and harm communities and ecosystems. Communities and movements are rising up – particularly in the Global South – to oppose Japan’s efforts to derail the transition to renewable-based energy systems.
The Japanese government is the world’s second-largest provider of international public finance for fossil fuels and the world’s largest provider of international public finance for gas. Japan has continued financing international fossil fuel projects this year, breaking