Union of Concerned Scientists

MAY 10, 2023

This year has brought new evidence of what major fossil fuel companies knew and when about the role their products play in climate change, as well as what they did in spite of what they knew. But these technologies are no substitute for sharp cuts in fossil fuels if we keep the goals of the Paris climate agreement within reach.

Fossil Fuels 363

Fossil Fuels Climate Change Carbon Dioxide Renewable Energy 363

Union of Concerned Scientists

DECEMBER 10, 2023

Last week, I joined my colleagues at COP28 in Dubai , as negotiators and civil society push for a fossil fuel phaseout to meet climate goals. The industry is pushing a narrative that misleadingly calls out emissions , not fossil fuels as the problem. Source: IPCC Sixth Assessment Report.

Fossil Fuels 330

Fossil Fuels Carbon Dioxide Climate Change Paris Agreement 330

Yale E360

NOVEMBER 14, 2023

This allows wealthy nations to report progress on emissions reduction goals, while shipping their fossil fuels — and the pollution they produce — overseas. Oil, gas, and coal exports are not counted when countries tally their greenhouse gas emissions under the Paris Agreement. Read more on E360 →

Fossil Fuels 362

Fossil Fuels Paris Agreement Greenhouse 362

Union of Concerned Scientists

DECEMBER 4, 2023

It’s not just the poor air quality, long lines, and excessive fossil fuel company representation ; nations are still too far apart in their positions on a fossil fuel phaseout, the top priority for this COP. Yet global fossil fuel production and use continue to expand. Particulate matter (PM2.5)

Fossil Fuels 328

Fossil Fuels Nitrogen Oxides Clean Energy Paris Agreement 328

Yale E360

NOVEMBER 2, 2023

With UN climate negotiations set for next month, a growing number of nations and business leaders are calling for a phaseout of fossil fuels. But with major fossil fuel expansion projects moving ahead around the globe, advocates of strong action face a daunting challenge. Read more on E360 →

Fossil Fuels 356

Fossil Fuels 356

Union of Concerned Scientists

APRIL 4, 2024

A new dataset released by InfluenceMap provides information on heat-trapping emissions traced to the 122 largest investor and state-owned fossil fuel companies in the world. Fossil fuels are the main driver of climate change and the terrifying effects of it that we see happening across the world.

Fossil Fuels 305

Fossil Fuels Climate Change Paris Agreement Carbon Dioxide 305

Union of Concerned Scientists

DECEMBER 8, 2023

Yet, driven by vested interests in the fossil fuel industry , misleading narratives aim to distort and hinder meaningful climate commitments. Fossil fuels are the problem It’s pretty simple: the burning of fossil fuels is the main driver of climate change. billion tons of the 40.5

Fossil Fuels 337

Fossil Fuels Climate Change Renewable Energy Carbon Dioxide 337

Union of Concerned Scientists

OCTOBER 15, 2024

After the hottest summer on record, the world continues to witness extreme weather fueled by the burning of fossil fuels. We need to stop burning fossil fuels immediately. Thankfully, we are in the midst of a much-needed transition away from fossil fuels and towards a future powered by more renewables.

Clean Energy 320

Clean Energy Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy Electricity 320

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 341

Fossil Fuels 2009 2008 Climate Change 341

Union of Concerned Scientists

OCTOBER 12, 2022

Earlier this year, The Guardian ran a powerful article exposing the ties of Elsevier, one of the world’s largest academic publishing companies, to the fossil fuel industry. The article caught my attention because I’d never considered the ways in which an academic publisher might be perpetuating and enabling a fossil fuel economy.

Fossil Fuels 355

Fossil Fuels Climate Change Clean Energy Paris Agreement 355

Union of Concerned Scientists

NOVEMBER 14, 2022

The destruction caused by climate change is directly linked to human activity, primarily burning fossil fuels. This dangerous delay in action is largely due to the fossil fuel industry continuing to increase carbon emissions and standing in the way of change. . Tuvalu endorsed the fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty.

Fossil Fuels 336

Fossil Fuels Climate Change Renewable Energy Natural Gas 336

Union of Concerned Scientists

MAY 8, 2024

Some years ago, I began to feel the most important thing I could do was learn how to replace fossil fuel with renewable energy. For 30 years I have been an advocate for offshore wind development off New England’s coast and for the creation of institutions to support a transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

Fossil Fuels 332

Fossil Fuels Wind Power Ocean Renewable Energy 332

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 Carbon Dioxide Government 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.

Fossil Fuels 321

Fossil Fuels Climate Change Sea Level 2022 321

Union of Concerned Scientists

JANUARY 10, 2025

However, UCSs new analysis quantifies the contribution of fossil fuel companies to fire conditions. Federal, state, and local governments have the power to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for the costs of climate change impacts.And they should.

Fossil Fuels 321

Fossil Fuels Climate Change Government 321

Yale E360

AUGUST 31, 2023

Global subsidies for fossil fuels reached $7 trillion in 2022, an all-time high, according to the International Monetary Fund. Read more on E360 →

Fossil Fuels 333

Fossil Fuels 2022 333

Environment + Energy Leader

NOVEMBER 9, 2022

The post UN Net-Zero Guidance Calls for End of Fossil Fuels Financial Support appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader. Other topics include fighting greenwashing and supporting climate regulations.

Fossil Fuels 325

Fossil Fuels Regulations 325

Union of Concerned Scientists

JUNE 20, 2024

Last week, I participated in the Scientists Speakout Day during the Summer of Heat on Wall Street , to protest and disrupt the financial institutions that are enabling the fossil fuel industry (and, as a result, our current climate crisis).

Fossil Fuels 246

Fossil Fuels Sea Level Paris Agreement Climate Change 246

Yale E360

NOVEMBER 15, 2024

At least 1,773 fossil fuel lobbyists are attending the U.N. climate negotiations now underway in Baku, Azerbaijan, according to a tally by a coalition of climate groups. Read more on E360 →

Fossil Fuels 274

Fossil Fuels 274

Union of Concerned Scientists

JANUARY 7, 2025

Scientists are sounding the alarm because this warming is shockingly bigbigger than what we would have expected given the long-term warming trend from fossil fuel-caused climate change. Meanwhile, sharply cutting our use of fossil fuels is the best way to limit carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions, the primary driver of climate change.

2024 289

2024 2023 Fossil Fuels Atmosphere 289

Union of Concerned Scientists

APRIL 27, 2023

Fossil fuel power plant owners are facing increased accountability for their air and water pollution, including from a new round of environmental and public health protections that are being rolled out by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). We’ve heard these lazily disingenuous narratives before.

Fossil Fuels 275

Fossil Fuels Electricity 2014 Climate Change 275

Yale E360

OCTOBER 18, 2023

Multiple recent analyses find that global fossil fuel demand is nearing its peak, with energy emissions at last headed for decline. Read more on E360 →

Fossil Fuels 261

Fossil Fuels 261

Yale E360

JUNE 12, 2023

Thanks to a growing buildout of renewable power, fossil fuels now account for less than half of China's total installed power capacity, state media said Monday. Read more on E360 →

Fossil Fuels 267

Fossil Fuels 267

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 279

Fossil Fuels 2014 Climate Change Electricity 279

Union of Concerned Scientists

NOVEMBER 20, 2024

You or someone you know needs clean backup power Walking my dog the day after Hurricane Milton swept through my Orlando, FL neighborhood, the rumble of fossil fuel-powered generators interrupted what would have been a welcome quiet after the storm. I don’t blame them.

Fossil Fuels 244

Fossil Fuels Electricity Cooling Waste 244

Yale E360

OCTOBER 6, 2021

Coal, oil, and natural gas received $5.9 trillion in subsidies in 2020 — or roughly $11 million every minute — according to a new analysis from the International Monetary Fund. Read more on E360 ?.

2020 363

2020 Fossil Fuels Natural Gas 363

Union of Concerned Scientists

MARCH 21, 2025

This verdict is yet another example of the fossil fuel industrys agenda being enacted by multiple levels and branches of government. Here at the Union of Concerned Scientists, were resisting through Protect the Protest anti-SLAPP taskforceand by organizing a climate accountability campaign targeting the fossil fuel industry.

Fossil Fuels 216

Fossil Fuels 2008 Climate Change Government 216

Union of Concerned Scientists

MARCH 18, 2025

In a new study released today, UCS attributes substantial temperature and sea level rise to emissions traced to the largest fossil fuel producers and cement manufacturers. Every delay in phasing out fossil fuels will burden future generations who need to adapt to rising seas and recover from loss and damage due to sea level impacts.

Sea Level 130

Sea Level Fossil Fuels Climate Change 2020 130

Union of Concerned Scientists

FEBRUARY 10, 2025

The future trajectories are based on different scenarios, such as versions of the future where the world comes together to take action and phase out fossil fuels, or versions where fossil fuel production continues throughout this century.

Sea Level 278

Sea Level Carbon Dioxide Fossil Fuels Ocean 278

Union of Concerned Scientists

JANUARY 14, 2025

As the climate crisis deepens, so does the urgency to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for decades of deception. As the fossil fuel industry spares no expense to obscure these truths, the work of scientists who engage with climate litigation is increasingly vital.

Fossil Fuels 195

Fossil Fuels Climate Change Law Government 195

Legal Planet

JANUARY 9, 2025

And m itigationour failure to quickly transition away from fossil fuelsis part of the story. Science tells us that burning fossil fuels is a large part of what makes wildfires like the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires more likely and more severe by creating this hydroclimate whiplash. But e xtreme weather is already the context.

Climate Change 317

Climate Change Climate Scientist Fossil Fuels Atmosphere 317

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. Policies like this will be critical to ensure that the fossil fuels phaseout is equitable and Big Oil doesn’t squeeze every dollar out of California consumers on the way out the door.

Fossil Fuels 235

Fossil Fuels Recycling Clean Energy 2004 235

Union of Concerned Scientists

OCTOBER 15, 2024

We know that the fact that some of the approaches to cutting CO 2 could keep gas in a central role for a long time makes them favorites of the fossil fuel industry and electric utility allies—and that whenever the fossil fuel industry is involved, you can bet that obfuscation and disinformation are close at hand.

Renewable Energy 304

Renewable Energy Fossil Fuels Electricity Nitrogen Oxides 304

Union of Concerned Scientists

NOVEMBER 18, 2024

Even with the clean energy transition well underway, gas plants will be around for a while as we phase out fossil fuels. These modeling results point to the larger challenge of transitioning all the way to 100% clean electricity and completely phasing out fossil fuel electricity generation.

Fossil Fuels 281

Fossil Fuels Clean Energy Electricity Technology 281

Union of Concerned Scientists

JANUARY 6, 2025

Investor-owned utilities want to protect the bottom line of their fossil fuel power plants and stave off competition from low-cost renewables that would be aided by transmission, even if those cleaner solutions would help ratepayers and boost grid reliability.

Fossil Fuels 293

Fossil Fuels Wind Power Electricity 2018 293

Inside Climate News

DECEMBER 30, 2024

By Dan Gearino, ICN Staff In a year of record-setting heat, intensifying extreme weather and a bitterly partisan presidential election in which climate change was almost never mentioned, the transition away from fossil fuels made significant progress that was still not nearly enough.

Fossil Fuels 133

Fossil Fuels Climate Change 2024 Clean Energy 133

Union of Concerned Scientists

NOVEMBER 13, 2024

So now it’s time to think seriously about what amount of energy storage the state may need to complement renewable energy resources that are coming onto the grid to replace fossil fuel plants. Setting a storage target is different than setting a renewables target (such as a renewable portfolio standard).

Fossil Fuels 162

Fossil Fuels 2030 Electricity Clean Energy 162