Union of Concerned Scientists

APRIL 23, 2024

Prompted by a state law, California’s utility regulator has proposed to change the way electricity is billed by adding a fixed monthly charge to all rate plans and making a corresponding reduction to the cost for each unit of electricity used. We’re at a critical moment in California.

Electricity 301

Electricity Fossil Fuels 2026 2025 301

Union of Concerned Scientists

JANUARY 18, 2024

In late December, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released proposed regulations for the Section 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit. Today, hydrogen is overwhelmingly produced through a heavily polluting fossil fuel-based process. It is a climate problem, not a climate solution.

Fossil Fuels 247

Fossil Fuels Clean Energy 2028 Carbon Emissions 247

Union of Concerned Scientists

JANUARY 10, 2024

Last year’s UN climate talks, while criticized for certain shortcomings , brought into sharp focus the need for robust legal frameworks to transition from fossil fuels. In any case, Brazil’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions and achieving climate neutrality by 2050 is conditional and depends on external funding.

Paris Agreement 289

Paris Agreement Law Fossil Fuels Climate Change 289

PA Environment Daily

JUNE 7, 2023

The Pittsburgh 2030 District , a project of the Green Building Alliance , has released its 2022 Progress Report , revealing District property partners have reduced carbon emissions by 44.8% This achievement moves the District within range of reaching its target goal of 50-65% reduction in carbon emissions before the 2030 deadline.

Carbon Emissions 98

Carbon Emissions 2030 Paris Agreement Natural Gas 98

Union of Concerned Scientists

AUGUST 10, 2023

thus, it is crucial that we address carbon emissions from power plants. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently published a proposed rule which would limit carbon pollution from fossil fuel burning power plants, a move which is critically important, statutorily required, and long overdue.

Air Pollution 245

Air Pollution Fossil Fuels Carbon Dioxide Climate Change 245

Union of Concerned Scientists

JULY 3, 2022

The majority 6–3 decision sharply curtails the EPA’s authority to set standards based on a broad range of flexible options to cut carbon emissions from the power sector—options such as replacing polluting fossil fuels with cheap and widely available wind and solar power coupled with battery storage.

Climate Change 299

Climate Change Fossil Fuels Carbon Emissions Nitrogen Oxides 299

Legal Planet

MAY 9, 2022

Texas and a number of other states have passed laws banning what they call “boycotts of fossil fuel companies.” ” More precisely, they ban state investment or contracting with firms that “boycott” fossil fuel companies. That’s generally — but not always — going to be firms “utilizing” fossil fuels.

Fossil Fuels 242

Fossil Fuels Law Carbon Emissions Politics 242

Union of Concerned Scientists

APRIL 20, 2023

Through the Clean Air Act , and as affirmed—and reaffirmed—through multiple legal sagas, EPA is statutorily obligated to address carbon pollution from fossil fuel-fired power plants. Indeed, EPA still retains the ability to set strong standards that curtail carbon pollution at the scale, speed, and rigor required.

Clean Air Act 238

Clean Air Act Fossil Fuels Carbon Emissions Clean Energy 238

Legal Planet

FEBRUARY 20, 2024

While federal regulators consider changes to their pipeline regulations, the California Legislature should act to keep Californians safe. You might be familiar with carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. There are some federal regulations, but they leave much to be desired.

Carbon Dioxide 162

Carbon Dioxide Fossil Fuels Regulations Atmosphere 162

Legal Planet

MAY 5, 2022

Mexico’s carbon emissions are about the same as those of Texas, the highest-emitting US state. Per capita emissions, however, are far lower, given Mexico’s much larger population. AMLO has come under criticism for his commitment to fossil fuel production and refining in Mexico.

Paris Agreement 252

Paris Agreement Carbon Emissions Climate Change Rainforest 252

Union of Concerned Scientists

APRIL 3, 2023

Solutions considered in isolation can often appear to yield steady progress in curbing carbon pollution and yet, when those same solutions are considered within the full context of the energy transition, their actual contributions can turn out to be insufficient or, worse, entirely misaligned, resulting in a system-wide increase in emissions.

Clean Energy 264

Clean Energy Fossil Fuels Electricity Renewable Energy 264

Union of Concerned Scientists

JULY 22, 2022

Minnesotans are facing concurrent crises of climate change, high energy prices and inflation, and the inequitable public health impacts of fossil fuel air pollution. Minnesota’s current goal is to reduce statewide carbon emissions 30 percent by 2025 compared to 2005 levels and 80 percent by 2050.

Renewable Energy 363

Renewable Energy Fossil Fuels Solar Power Electricity 363

Union of Concerned Scientists

MAY 25, 2023

The Inflation Reduction Act’s new hydrogen production tax credit , known as code 45V, is intended to incentivize a shift to low-carbon hydrogen production by offering producers a credit that increases in value as the carbon emissions associated with produced hydrogen declines.

Fossil Fuels 243

Fossil Fuels Carbon Dioxide Clean Energy Carbon Emissions 243

Enviromental Defense

OCTOBER 28, 2021

Adopting an arbitrary and generous “reference level” baseline for the forest sector that gives Canada a free “accounting contribution” towards its 2030 emission reduction goals. Exempting the logging industry’s emissions from carbon pricing regulations on other sectors.

Carbon Emissions 52

Carbon Emissions Carbon Dioxide Fossil Fuels Natural Resources 52

Legal Planet

SEPTEMBER 12, 2022

The basic idea is that states can’t adopt rules that have the practical effect of regulating outside their borders. Many state climate change regulations have impacts on other states. For example, the Ninth Circuit upheld California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard against a similar legal attack.

Regulations 243

Regulations Climate Change Fossil Fuels Law 243

Union of Concerned Scientists

NOVEMBER 27, 2023

However, the bill’s definition of what constitutes clean energy includes nuclear power (which doesn’t emit carbon but isn’t “clean”) and fossil gas power plants that capture and store at least 90 percent of their carbon emissions. What Still Needs to be Done?

Clean Energy 273

Clean Energy Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy Nuclear Power 273

A Greener Life

NOVEMBER 6, 2024

Weifang Port’s “zero-carbon” certification was primarily achieved by transitioning away from fossil fuel use, according to China Electric Power News (CEPN). It has built a wind power system to provide green energy for its operations and deployed hydrogen-powered vehicles to replace fossil-fuel-powered trucks.

Fossil Fuels 52

Fossil Fuels Clean Energy Wind Power Solar Power 52

Enviromental Defense

FEBRUARY 14, 2024

The OEB is an economic regulator and its primary mandate is to keep energy costs low. It is a fossil fuel that causes approximately one-third of Ontario’s greenhouse gas emissions. Heating homes and businesses with gas accounts for approximately 19 per cent of Ontario’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Fossil Fuels 95

Fossil Fuels Natural Gas Greenhouse Carbon Emissions 95

PA Environment Daily

DECEMBER 23, 2023

Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service released proposed regulations on the Clean Hydrogen Production Credit established by the federal Inflation Reduction Act. The proposed regulations advance those goals and will support the development of a robust U.S. On December 22, the U.S. clean hydrogen industry.

Regulations 101

Regulations Natural Gas Nuclear Power Fossil Fuels 101

Legal Planet

MARCH 6, 2023

Hydrogen’s supply-side has been buttressed by incentives from state and federal governments, refineries and utilities looking to extend the life of fossil fuel infrastructure, and renewable energy companies seeking to take advantage of the huge amounts of clean energy needed to produce green hydrogen.

Natural Gas 147

Natural Gas Fossil Fuels Carbon Emissions Carbon Dioxide 147

Union of Concerned Scientists

OCTOBER 16, 2024

This needs some thought, as both the laws of physics and the principles of supply and demand will apply, even if legislatures and regulators have not yet spoken about allocating costs and resources related to data center energy demands. Data centers’ total energy demand is challenging to meet.

Electricity 275

Electricity Clean Energy Nuclear Power Renewable Energy 275

A Greener Life

FEBRUARY 14, 2024

But this announcement was seemingly at odds with another made just three days earlier, when coal minister Pralhad Joshi confirmed that India intends to increase production for the fossil fuel. But they do not necessarily mean that India is on track to meet its 2070 goals of carbon neutrality.

Fossil Fuels 52

Fossil Fuels Carbon Emissions Paris Agreement 2030 52

MGKF Law

NOVEMBER 20, 2023

The holding halts former Governor Tom Wolf’s efforts to make Pennsylvania the first major fossil-fuel producing state to implement a price on carbon emissions. Bowfin KeyCon Holdings, LLC vs. Env’t Quality Bd. 2023 WL 7171547, at *1 (Pa.

Fossil Fuels 40

Fossil Fuels Pollution Control Air Pollution Carbon Emissions 40

Union of Concerned Scientists

MARCH 16, 2022

CO 2 emissions remain mostly level through 2050—nowhere close to meeting US climate goals. Carbon emissions remain high. It’s widely viewed as the “gold standard” for energy projections, even though there’s much debate in the energy community about the validity of the assumptions behind these projections.

Natural Gas 291

Natural Gas Renewable Energy Climate Change Electricity 291

Environmental News Bits

DECEMBER 8, 2023

Diverting the trillions of dollars by which the world subsidises fossil fuel production each year, and putting an implicit price on carbon emissions, would generate the vast amounts of cash needed to tackle the climate crisis, the head of the International Monetary Fund has said. Read the full story in The Guardian.

Fossil Fuels 40

Fossil Fuels Carbon Emissions Government Regulations 40

Enviromental Defense

JULY 4, 2023

There will be more energy jobs in the clean economy than in today’s fossil-fueled economy. These sectors could become sustainable through electrification and pivoting from fossil fuels to renewable energy, but this will require a big shift that could have consequences on our economy and jobs if not dealt with correctly.

Fossil Fuels 124

Fossil Fuels Government Renewable Energy Carbon Emissions 124

Law and Environment

NOVEMBER 16, 2021

This is the second post in our series on the recently enacted Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act , covering how the Act invests in strengthening our electric grid, which could better prepare us for the shift from fossil fuel generated electricity to renewable power.

Renewable Energy 130

Renewable Energy Electricity Fossil Fuels Carbon Emissions 130

PA Environment Daily

OCTOBER 17, 2023

While that may have been the early objective of the “responsibly sourced” movement, Project Canary provided a description of how they and the concept has evolved in response to the development of more federal and state regulations that limit methane emissions from natural gas facilities. So that is a concern.” So you are correct.

Natural Gas 126

Natural Gas Regulations Fossil Fuels Technology 126

Frontiers

APRIL 24, 2023

Keeping with the topic of climate change, one part of the inequality is evident and it’s the discussion about carbon debt. There’s one estimate that says that 80% of the carbon emissions between 1850 and 2011 (more than one and a half centuries) were caused by rich countries who made up 14% of the global population.

Carbon Emissions 105

Carbon Emissions Climate Change Fossil Fuels Technology 105

Ocean Conservancy

MARCH 2, 2022

There, we can tackle shipping emissions, which are projected to generate 18% of all global emissions by 2050. We can decrease production of virgin plastic that comes from fossil fuels and pollutes our ocean as well. We can find opportunities for alternative energy like offshore wind and other marine renewables.

Ocean 93

Ocean Fossil Fuels Climate Change Carbon Dioxide 93

Union of Concerned Scientists

JANUARY 30, 2024

Gas prices: Without a cap, the flood of bio-based diesel into California will continue, requiring a rapid increase in stringency to stabilize LCFS credit markets, sending 2030 stringency from the 30 percent proposed in the regulation to 34.5 The lower stringency results in lower costs and reduced economic impact of the regulation.

Biofuels 312

Biofuels Deforestation 2030 2025 312

Legal Planet

MAY 9, 2022

Continual reform is necessary so that emissions trading systems do not become merely symbolic regulation, or even worse create harmful negative consequences for climate policy – by for example subsidizing fossil fuel use or preempting useful complementary regulations. Implications for China.

Government 197

Government Politics Climate Change Paris Agreement 197

Vermont Law

OCTOBER 3, 2016

If there is one thing the fossil fuel industry, the government, and climate change activists might agree on it is this: in the end it all comes down to money. Oil, gas and coal companies, and their investors, are terrified of leaving fossil fuels in the ground. Without fossil fuels, most modern industry would not exist.

Climate Change 40

Climate Change Fossil Fuels Carbon Emissions Sea Level 40

Union of Concerned Scientists

JUNE 14, 2024

A polluting fossil-fueled energy agenda Unsurprisingly, Project 2025 also pushes for more fossil fuels, with statements like ‘ Affirm an “all of the above” energy policy…’ and ‘Support repeal of massive spending bills like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).’

2025 363

2025 Fossil Fuels Climate Change Clean Energy 363

PA Environment Daily

APRIL 15, 2023

Commission Office, 1601 Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg. Commission Office, 1601 Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg.

Natural Gas 106

Natural Gas Climate Change Renewable Energy Fossil Fuels 106

PA Environment Daily

FEBRUARY 9, 2022

The General Assembly has yet to answer the question of how to help communities and workers caught in the market-driven transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. It is caused by human activity and carbon emissions. A companion bill was introduced in the House-- House Bill 1565 (Herrin-D-Chester). “A

Clean Energy 52

Clean Energy Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy Greenhouse 52

Cresforum

FEBRUARY 7, 2024

Clean hydrogen production relies either on electricity, which may be generated through renewable or fossil fuel resources; or directly on fossil fuels, via steam methane reformation (SMR) or coal gasification accompanied by carbon capture, or via methane pyrolysis. According to one estimate , the U.S.

Fossil Fuels 84

Fossil Fuels Electricity 2028 Natural Gas 84