Union of Concerned Scientists

JUNE 19, 2024

Accelerating risks from climate change are colliding with shortcomings in insurance markets—such as a lack of transparent information and affordability provisions—to create a perfect storm for people and communities on the front lines of floods, droughts, and wildfires. Many of these disasters bear the fingerprints of climate change.

Climate Change 363

Climate Change Regulations Fossil Fuels 2022 363

Union of Concerned Scientists

APRIL 24, 2023

In an important win for climate accountability in the United States, the US Supreme Court decided that lawsuits filed in Colorado, Maryland, California, Hawai’i, and Rhode Island against fossil fuel companies including ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, Suncor, and others will remain in state courts.

Fossil Fuels 312

Fossil Fuels Climate Change Government Carbon Dioxide 312

Union of Concerned Scientists

FEBRUARY 21, 2023

The world’s biggest fossil fuel companies recently released their 2022 earnings reports, revealing record-breaking profits last year; just five companies–ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, Chevron, and TotalEnergies–reported a total of nearly $200 billion in profits. billion and $35.5 billion, respectively, during 2022.

Fossil Fuels 321

Fossil Fuels Climate Change Sea Level 2022 321

Legal Planet

NOVEMBER 15, 2021

The decision at the Glasgow climate conference to phase down fossil fuels is an important step forward — and not just because of climate change. We think of fossil fuels as a source of climate change, but that’s only a one part of the problem. Consider coal.

Fossil Fuels 246

Fossil Fuels Carbon Dioxide Clean Water Act Climate Change 246

Union of Concerned Scientists

JUNE 24, 2024

This month, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for a ban on advertising by fossil fuel companies, invoking the ban on tobacco ads as a relevant precedent. So what can we learn from the ban on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship that may be relevant to tackling the fossil fuel industry-driven climate crisis?

Fossil Fuels 352

Fossil Fuels 2009 2008 Climate Change 352

Union of Concerned Scientists

APRIL 9, 2025

Thats why I believe the Climate Accountability Act is a critical step for Wisconsin, especially given all the ways the federal government is trying to move us backward on addressing climate change. the federal government is trying to move us backwards on addressing climate change.

Fossil Fuels 216

Fossil Fuels Climate Change Natural Gas Clean Energy 216

Union of Concerned Scientists

MAY 16, 2023

But this new study from my colleagues working on climate change and fossil fuel accountability couldn’t be ignored. In short, the study concludes that fossil fuel companies are in part to blame for the extraordinary damages resulting from western wildfires (including those sparked by utilities).

Fossil Fuels 264

Fossil Fuels Climate Change Electricity Regulations 264

Legal Planet

AUGUST 18, 2022

Production and combustion of fossil fuels imposes enormous costs on society, which the industry doesn’t pay for. I want to talk about some options for using the tax system to change that. A more promising alternative might be a clean-up tax on the fossil fuel industry. Download as PDF.

Fossil Fuels 278

Fossil Fuels Carbon Dioxide Politics Air Pollution 278

Union of Concerned Scientists

JANUARY 24, 2023

Utilities and grid operators prepared for the storm as it was coming down the pike, but they still underestimated the energy demand it would trigger, as well as the number of outages at fossil fuel power plants—mainly natural gas-fired, plus some coal-fired plants.

Fossil Fuels 290

Fossil Fuels 2014 Climate Change Electricity 290

Union of Concerned Scientists

AUGUST 26, 2024

And we know that as our climate warms further—driven by burning fossil fuels—the risk of large wildfires will only grow. This alarming finding clarifies the significant role and responsibility of fossil fuel companies to not only stop their harm moving forward, but also to address damage they have already done.

Climate Change 279

Climate Change Fossil Fuels Clean Energy Electricity 279

Union of Concerned Scientists

JULY 3, 2022

is a serious blow to the EPA’s ability to fight climate change—and could have dangerous repercussions beyond this case. The timing of the decision feels especially harsh, as the nation is in the throes of the “ Danger Season ” for hazards such as heat waves, drought, wildfires and hurricanes, all worsened by climate change.

Climate Change 332

Climate Change Fossil Fuels Carbon Emissions Nitrogen Oxides 332

Union of Concerned Scientists

FEBRUARY 29, 2024

Fossil fuel companies are well established as founts of disinformation , agents of obstruction, and drivers of climate change. Taken together, the need for governments to meaningfully regulate these super polluters has never been clearer. What is an advisory opinion?

Climate Change 299

Climate Change Fossil Fuels Law Government 299

Union of Concerned Scientists

JANUARY 6, 2025

As the year kicks off with a very cold January weather forecast, US power grid operators and the regulators who oversee them are paying close attention to ensure that the grid failures of several past extreme winter storms dont happen again. and would greatly facilitate transmission development on a reasonable timeline.

Fossil Fuels 299

Fossil Fuels Electricity Wind Power Solar Power 299

Union of Concerned Scientists

MARCH 23, 2023

And fossil fuel power plants may not stick to their retirement schedules for a variety of reasons. And CO 2 emissions are a primary driver of global climate change, which is exacerbating the type of extreme weather that killed 474 people and caused $165 billion in damages in the United States last year alone.

Fossil Fuels 264

Fossil Fuels 2023 Clean Energy Nitrogen Oxides 264

Union of Concerned Scientists

NOVEMBER 21, 2024

Special session takes on big oil and wins The transition to clean transportation and away from fossil fuels is here. While this is an inevitable part of the transition to clean transportation, and generally good news for the climate and impacted communities, the oil industry will not go down easily.

Fossil Fuels 246

Fossil Fuels Recycling Clean Energy 2004 246

Enviromental Defense

FEBRUARY 14, 2025

The regulator can only be effective if it is independent from the industries it oversees. The regulator can only be effective if it is independent from the industries it oversees. The AER has consistently failed to fulfill its mandate to ensure safe, environmentally responsible energy development.

Regulations 108

Regulations Fossil Fuels 2014 Climate Change 108

Enviromental Defense

JANUARY 15, 2025

The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) was caught hiding evidence of environmental degradation caused by toxic tailings spills, and misleading the public with false claims that it is closely monitoring the oil sands industry. Crude oil seen separated from sand for collection. Dr Kevin Timoneys report reveals that: 1.

Regulations 111

Regulations Waste Fossil Fuels Government 111

Union of Concerned Scientists

OCTOBER 15, 2024

The multiple perspectives in the fuller picture have to be on the minds of electricity sector decision makers, from the prospective project proponents to the public utility commissioners and environmental regulators in charge of assessing a project on behalf of the public. And we don’t need to have all the answers to make a difference.

Renewable Energy 306

Renewable Energy Fossil Fuels Electricity Nitrogen Oxides 306

Union of Concerned Scientists

JUNE 13, 2022

It means committing to incentives and standards that clearly align with the trajectory we need to be on across all sectors of the economy—both valuing the beneficial aspects of clean energy resources, and accounting for the negative effects of polluting fossil fuels. People can no longer deny climate change must be addressed.

Technology 264

Technology Technology Climate Change Fossil Fuels 264

Enviromental Defense

NOVEMBER 4, 2024

Statement from Aly Hyder Ali, Oil and Gas Program Manager, Environmental Defence Ottawa | Traditional, unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg People – We welcome the Government of Canada’s Oil and Gas Greenhouse Gas Pollution Cap draft regulation, which aims to curb pollution from the oil and gas industry.

2030 139

2030 Fossil Fuels Climate Change Regulations 139

Union of Concerned Scientists

APRIL 4, 2024

That 2013 headline resulted from the first effort to quantify emissions from the ‘carbon majors’ —fossil fuel companies and cement manufacturers whose businesses have contributed an outsized amount of heat-trapping gases to the atmosphere. Nearly two-thirds of industrial heat-trapping emissions can be traced to just 90 entities.

Fossil Fuels 321

Fossil Fuels Climate Change 2013 2015 321

Enviromental Defense

JANUARY 14, 2025

Prime Minister Trudeaus recent decision to prorogue Parliament and announce his upcoming resignation may have left you wondering about what this could mean for climate change policy. All political leaders should be bolder on climate. Last month we polled Canadians to see what kind of climate action people want to see.

Politics 109

Politics Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy Climate Change 109

Union of Concerned Scientists

MAY 17, 2022

As the water in hydropower reservoirs drops, hydropower production is reduced, possibly increasing energy prices, or forcing some utilities to compensate for energy demands by using more fossil fuels for power generation. Those questions need to be answered for our climate change present and future.

Climate Change 306

Climate Change Technology Technology Fossil Fuels 306

Enviromental Defense

FEBRUARY 8, 2025

This includes sponsoring sports teams and athletes in an attempt to improve their image, particularly in the face of growing calls for climate action. The fossil fuel industry has known that its products are fueling the climate crisis for decades.

Fossil Fuels 99

Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy Climate Change 2012 99

Union of Concerned Scientists

NOVEMBER 26, 2024

Some estimates suggest they could disappear by 2030 due to the climate change triggered by human fossil fuel use, which began less than 200 years ago. Glaciers, once thought of as static, timeless icons, have become a fleeting phenomenon, highlighting the urgent need for action on climate change.

Climate Change 246

Climate Change 2030 Fossil Fuels Carbon Emissions 246

Union of Concerned Scientists

JULY 1, 2024

This decision , reached with a 6-3 majority led by Chief Justice John Roberts, marks a significant shift in administrative law and has profound implications for environmental regulations and climate accountability. Successful court cases could limit the scope of future regulations. Worse, agencies may decide not to even try.

Regulations 359

Regulations Fossil Fuels Environmental Protection Clean Air Act 359

Enviromental Defense

AUGUST 23, 2024

Have you ever wondered why progress on climate change is so slow despite widespread public support for climate action? How often does the fossil fuel industry try to influence the government’s climate policy decisions? If any of these questions have ever crossed your mind, then I have great news for you!

Fossil Fuels 143

Fossil Fuels 2023 Climate Change Natural Resources 143

Union of Concerned Scientists

NOVEMBER 20, 2023

This is essential, because scientific monitoring efforts suggest that for all emissions sources, the actual emissions are higher than what countries are reporting to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in their own emissions inventories. But still, much more action is needed. Science shows that keeping the 1.5

Fossil Fuels 321

Fossil Fuels Paris Agreement Climate Change 2030 321

Enviromental Defense

DECEMBER 2, 2024

Statement by Alienor Rougeot, Senior Program Manager, Climate and Energy, on Ontario’s claims regarding the federal Clean Electricity Regulations. The federal government’s proposed regulations to reduce emissions in electricity generation are achievable without breaking the bank.

Electricity 117

Electricity Regulations Renewable Energy Fossil Fuels 117

Enviromental Defense

JANUARY 20, 2025

Yet, reaching net zero also means phasing out polluting fossil fuel energy, so the government developed rules to impose a pollution limit on electricity producers. The rules, known as the Clean Electricity Regulations (CER), were finalized in December 2024. So, do they do the job? Lets have a look. GW in 2023.

Electricity 80

Electricity Regulations Renewable Energy Fossil Fuels 80

Enviromental Defense

FEBRUARY 6, 2024

If passed into law, the bill would be a valuable step toward limiting misinformation about fossil fuels and countering greenwashing. The fossil fuel industry has a long and well documented history of denying climate science and funding advertising campaigns to greenwash oil and gas.

Fossil Fuels 137

Fossil Fuels Climate Change Regulations Law 137

Union of Concerned Scientists

AUGUST 13, 2024

As electric vehicle charging stations sprout like mushrooms along our roads and clusters of new wind turbines come online, these two clean energy solutions to the climate crisis are becoming more commonplace. Also more commonplace are the obvious , dangerous , and destructive effects of climate change on people and communities.

Fossil Fuels 290

Fossil Fuels Clean Energy Electricity Climate Change 290

Law Columbia

MARCH 12, 2025

UN Photo/ICJ-CIJ/ Frank van Beek This blog post is Part 3 of a three-part series highlighting the main legal arguments presented during the hearings of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the request for an advisory opinion regarding the obligations of States with respect to climate change.

Climate Change 64

Climate Change Paris Agreement 2024 Fossil Fuels 64

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 306

Electricity Fossil Fuels 2026 Climate Change 306

Union of Concerned Scientists

MAY 23, 2024

But first, it’s critical to understand this phenomenon’s connection to climate change. Both fossil fuel and utility companies bear some responsibility for wildfires’ damage, and must be held accountable to ensure disadvantaged and low-income communities aren’t left to shoulder the costs and impacts of these disasters.

Fossil Fuels 328

Fossil Fuels Climate Change Electricity 2019 328

Law and Environment

NOVEMBER 4, 2021

So add this to the growing list of decisions allowing local regulation of fossil fuel facilities. The post Local Regulation of Fossil Fuel Pipelines (or The Little City That Could) first appeared on Law and the Environment.

Fossil Fuels 130

Fossil Fuels Regulations Law Natural Resources 130

Legal Planet

OCTOBER 26, 2023

CARB’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) seeks to incentivize the production and sale of alternative, lower emissions transportation fuels in order to displace conventional fossil fuels. To identify which fuels should be promoted, CARB calculates the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions from transportation fuels.

Regulations 312

Regulations Greenhouse Clean Air Act Politics 312