The Generation Foundation’s Post

#Methane #NaturalGas #LiquifiedNaturalGas #Texas #FederalEnergyRegulatoryCommission #NextDecade #RioGrandeLNG #TexasLNG #RioBravoPipeline "For the second time, a federal court struck down a regulatory agency’s authorization of two controversial, multi-billion-dollar gas export projects in far South Texas, one of which is already under construction. In an Aug. 6 opinion, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Washington, D.C. Circuit cited “the nature and severity of the flaws” in reviews by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission of the two proposed gas liquefaction and export complexes, Rio Grande LNG and Texas LNG, along with the associated Rio Bravo Pipeline. “Although we do not take this step lightly, the circumstances here require it,” the ruling said. “We appreciate the significant disruption vacatur may cause the projects. But that does not outweigh the seriousness of the Commission’s procedural defects.” The court wrote that FERC failed in its analyses of environmental justice and climate impacts, air pollution modeling and procedural obligations. FERC and the developers now have 45 days to seek a re-hearing.  The two complexes in question plan to pipe in Texas shale gas, condense it and load millions of tons per year onto tanker ships for sale overseas as liquified natural gas, or LNG. Each complex costs billions of dollars, spans hundreds of acres and makes up part of an ongoing boom in gas export projects along the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana. Rio Grande LNG parent company NextDecade said in a statement it was “disappointed in the Court’s decision and disagrees with its conclusions.” The company added that construction continues on the first three liquefaction trains and related infrastructure at Rio Grande LNG near Brownsville and it will examine what impact the court’s order will have on future plans for added infrastructure. ... A spokesperson for Texas LNG, a smaller, adjacent project on the Brownsville Ship Channel that is yet to secure sufficient funding, said the ruling was a procedural decision to correct a technical deficiency, which they were still studying.  ... Three small surrounding cities and the local water district have passed resolutions opposing the projects, situated between national wildlife refuges and atop wetlands. “Port Isabel and the other communities of the Laguna Madre area are located in one of the most unique, pristine and scenic ecosystems in the world,” said a 2023 resolution by the City of Port Isabel, a party in the lawsuit against FERC. “The proposed project area is located in a delicate and partially undisturbed salt flat.” The Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas, also a party in the lawsuit, has led a yearslong campaign against the destruction of archaeological sites on land that it considers sacred. “The issue is what they’re doing to continually try to decimate who we are as a people,” said Juan Mancias, chairman of the tribe. Mancias said Tuesday’s ruling made him proud to be ..."

Civil Society Demands Urgent Climate Action from Australia at the Pacific Islands Forum. The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) wrapped up with a strong civil society call for #Australia to take decisive action on climate change. Australia, the world’s third largest fossil fuel exporter, must phase out fossil fuels and commit to supporting climate finance mechanisms like the Pacific Resilience Facility. 350.org Pacific and other civil society groups highlighted that the future of Pacific Island nations depends on a global shift towards renewable energy and meaningful climate finance. As COP31 approaches, the time for rhetoric is over—it’s time for Australia to lead by example. [CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation]

Ready for some good news? Since 2020, we have quadrupled our grantmaking to a total of $37.2 million dollars! We have moved these funds to frontline communities, lawyers, finance campaigners, and media experts—all working to stop catastrophic emissions at the source by halting the extraction and buildout of oil and gas. ☑ Read our 2023 Impact Report: https://lnkd.in/eMYgvShj Supporting the groups most threatened by climate injustice and most threatening to the industry is both strategic and necessary for other climate solutions to succeed. ☑ Sign-up for our newsletter to learn more about investing in the power of the frontlines: https://lnkd.in/eqwFXZ9N

The landmark Inflation Reduction Act was the first major piece of legislation passed by Congress to address climate change, and Wisconsin is poised to realize major benefits in the coming months and years.  The IRA will continue to accelerate our clean energy jobs boom while lowering energy costs for families, investing in disadvantaged communities, and reducing climate pollution across the state. We’re especially excited about the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program created by the Inflation Reduction Act, a nearly $5 billion federal initiative meant to help states and municipalities advance climate action plans. Many of our member communities already have climate action or clean energy plans in place. Funding from the IRA will allow them to put those plans into action. https://lnkd.in/gypKZrU4

“Among the big players in this game, one that stands out is the investment bank Lazard. As an investment bank, Lazard makes its money — in its case quite big money — by causing deals to happen between investors and project developers. Investment banks often promote themselves by issuing reports on conditions for investment in various economic sectors. In Lazard’s case, back around 2008, they decided to become the gurus of green energy investing by issuing annual reports on what they call the Levelized Cost of Energy, or LCOE. They have continued to issue the LCOE reports annually since then, so I’m gathering that this must be quite a lucrative business. The Lazard LCOE Reports are famous for their repeated conclusion that wind turbines and solar panels have become the cheapest sources for generation of electricity. When you read someone in climate advocacy journalism reciting that talking point, most often the source of the point is one of these Lazard reports. In a post back in March 2019, title “Why Do Renewable Energy Sources Need Government Subsidies?,” I put together a sample list of half a dozen outlets citing Lazard LCOE studies for the proposition that wind and solar are the cheapest source of electricity. Those sources included, for example, the Financial Times, CBS News, Australia’s governmental research arm CSIRO, Axios, Think Progress, and others.”

Climate change poses a global incentive problem and self-interest too often leads to inadequate action. This article highlights the importance of strategic climate cooperation and greenhouse gas price coordination between the US and the EU to address the global challenge of climate change effectively. By focusing on initiatives to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector and establishing a common pricing agreement, policymakers can overcome the free-rider problem and incentivize greater climate action. Starting with bilateral engagement, implementing a flexible and modest price floor, and prioritizing methane reduction efforts are key strategies outlined in the article. Such coordination not only benefits the environment but also promotes economic growth and fosters international cooperation. #energytransition #climatepricing

Oh dear…. US politics is an outlier bastion of climate denial with nearly one in four members of Congress dismissing the reality of climate change, even as alarm has grown among the American public over dangerous global heating, an analysis has found. A total of 123 elected federal representatives – 100 in the House of Representatives and 23 US senators – deny the existence of human-caused climate change, all of them Republicans, according to a recent study of statements made by current members. The same Report found that same climate-denying Republicans had received a combined $52m in lifetime campaign donations from the fossil fuel industry. See The Guardian 👇 and Report by The Center for American Progress #sustainabilityleadership SDG 13

Hey, worried about the next government not taking the climate crisis seriously? Here’s a chance to do something about it. Greenpeace UK is building a climate majority that politicians can’t ignore. I’ve just joined by becoming a Climate Voter, which means I’m helping to show politicians that climate votes helped get them elected and there is a movement that will hold them to account for climate action when they form the government. We need as many people as possible to make an impact - here’s how to join: https://act.gp/3VEc0KE

Climate Action of the day is to support Climate Vote CA. This is a grassroots movement to get a referendum on the 2024 CA ballot. it would do two things: (1) Immediately restore the ability of California regulators to limit greenhouse gas emissions from the oil & gas industry, and;  (2) Require our state to pursue real emissions reductions to achieve our “net zero” target by 2045. https://lnkd.in/gxQNYVYn

During the Policy Dialogue on Just Energy Transitions: Identifying Pathways to Prosperity Post Fossil Fuels we had a chance to talk to Omalisa Baldeo, the Acting Director of Research and Planning in the Ministry of Labour in Trinidad and Tobago, and asked her about key factors in implementing just energy transitions 🌎🍃 Find the full interview here: https://ow.ly/YYWs50THCMN This Program was created in partnership with Climate Strategies, Stanley Center for Peace and Security and WINDWARD FUND #SalzburgGlobal #JustEnergyTransitions #EnvironmentalChallenges #ClimateStrategies #SustainableFuture