Articles tagged with "climate-policy"
EU’s Reliance on Carbon Credits Risks Making a "Paper Tiger" of Europe’s Climate Efforts - CleanTechnica
The European Commission’s commitment to a 90% emissions reduction target by 2040 aims to provide certainty for key industries such as carmakers, airlines, shipping, and fuel producers, supporting Europe’s green transition. However, the Commission’s allowance for countries to use carbon credits (offsets) to meet this target has drawn criticism from Transport & Environment (T&E). T&E warns that relying on offsets undermines the integrity of Europe’s climate efforts, contradicts previous commitments, and risks weakening climate regulations. They highlight that over 90% of rainforest carbon offsets certified by the largest certifier have been found worthless, and offsets reduce incentives to invest in proven green technologies. T&E emphasizes that a robust 2040 target is vital not only for climate goals but also for Europe’s energy security, potentially saving billions of euros annually on fossil fuel imports. Achieving the target will require resisting pressures to weaken related policies, such as the 2035 zero-emission car mandate and the ETS2 carbon
energycarbon-creditsemissions-reductionclimate-policyEuropean-Green-Dealfossil-fuel-importsgreen-technologiesMea Culpa: Biomethanol Will Be A Major Shipping Fuel - CleanTechnica
The article recounts the author’s recent collaboration with a team of experts in the Netherlands focused on decarbonization and energy system planning for 2050. Invited by the Dutch transmission system operator TenneT, the group worked on scenario modeling to guide transmission upgrades and land use in a country with limited space, even creating new land through engineering feats. Central to their work was the Energy Transition Model (ETM), an open-source, browser-based tool developed by Amsterdam’s Quintel that allows users to simulate future energy systems by adjusting numerous parameters. The ETM’s transparency and flexibility impressed the author, highlighting its value for planning decarbonization pathways across European countries. The expert team included notable figures such as Professor Heleen de Coninck, a climate scientist and IPCC lead author specializing in technology and societal change for decarbonization; Reinier Grimbergen, a sustainability and industrial transformation expert with deep knowledge of the chemical sector; and Paul Martin, a Canadian chemical engineer experienced
energydecarbonizationrenewable-energyenergy-transitionclimate-policysustainable-innovationcarbon-captureSenate Republicans Look Ready to Kill Clean Energy & EV Tax Credits — Shocker - CleanTechnica
The article from CleanTechnica highlights the ongoing political battle over clean energy and electric vehicle (EV) tax credits in the United States. It underscores that Republican politicians, historically funded by the fossil fuel industry, have consistently opposed legislation promoting clean energy, energy efficiency, and EV incentives despite growing evidence of environmental harm caused by fossil fuels. While Democrats enacted significant clean energy tax credits through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 when they controlled the federal government, the current Republican majority in the White House, House, and Senate is moving to repeal or drastically reduce these incentives. Recent developments indicate that the Senate Republicans are poised to phase out clean energy and energy efficiency tax credits, albeit at a slower pace than the House’s more aggressive budget bill. However, EV incentives face rapid and severe cuts. Critics, including the Natural Resources Defense Council and Senator Ron Wyden, warn that these actions will lead to higher energy prices, job losses in manufacturing, factory closures, and exacerbate the climate crisis. The article conveys
energyclean-energyelectric-vehiclesenergy-efficiencytax-creditsclimate-policyrenewable-energyThe EPA Wants to Roll Back Emissions Controls on Power Plants
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed rolling back emissions standards for power plants, which are the second-largest source of CO2 emissions in the country. This move comes shortly after NOAA reported record-high seasonal CO2 concentrations. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin criticized previous administrations for prioritizing environmental regulations over economic growth, emphasizing the agency’s intention to support domestic fossil fuel industries, including coal, which has been in decline due to competition from natural gas and renewables. The proposed rollbacks would weaken Biden-era rules that required coal- and gas-fired power plants to reduce emissions by 90% by the early 2030s, primarily through carbon capture and storage technology. The EPA’s justification for the rollbacks includes the argument that US power sector emissions represent a small fraction (3%) of global emissions, and that continued coal use abroad diminishes the impact of US regulations on global greenhouse gas levels. However, critics highlight that the US power sector remains a major domestic polluter, ranking second only
energyEPApower-plantsemissionscarbon-capturefossil-fuelsclimate-policyEU’s New Carbon Tax (ETS2) a €300bn Opportunity to Help Transition European Citizens Away from Fossil Fuels - CleanTechnica
energycarbon-taxgreen-infrastructureemissions-tradingelectric-mobilityfossil-fuelsclimate-policyTony Blair’s New Climate Reset Report Promotes Delay, Not Action
energyclimate-changefossil-fuelsclimate-policytechnology-solutionssustainabilityenvironmental-impact