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

JUNE 12, 2023

Utility companies, as well as state and federal government regulatory agencies, made a series of questionable decisions that together created the situation we find ourselves in today. Three decades of deregulation allowed private companies, as opposed to public regulators, to make critical decisions about reliability.

Fossil Fuels 278

Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy Electricity Regulations 278

Union of Concerned Scientists

MARCH 23, 2023

And fossil fuel power plants may not stick to their retirement schedules for a variety of reasons. The bottom line: There’s still a long way to go, and the clean energy transition must move quicker than it has been—despite the fossil fuel industry’s self-serving claims to the contrary. A bit more on those reasons later.

Fossil Fuels 264

Fossil Fuels 2023 Clean Energy Nitrogen Oxides 264

Union of Concerned Scientists

MARCH 30, 2022

Replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy from wind and solar will depend on upgrading the electric power grid, which is currently plagued by planning delays and gridlock. The 2021 law allows, but does not require, PJM to plan ahead because various fossil fuel plants must reduce and then cease emissions by a specific date.

Fossil Fuels 264

Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy Electricity Regulations 264

Enviromental Defense

DECEMBER 17, 2024

The weakening of these regulations equate to an abandonment of the Prime Ministers promise to Canadians of a net-zero electricity grid by 2035. The weakening of these regulations equate to an abandonment of the Prime Ministers promise to Canadians of a net-zero electricity grid by 2035.

Electricity 106

Electricity Regulations Renewable Energy Fossil Fuels 106

Union of Concerned Scientists

JUNE 19, 2024

As another summer Danger Season gets underway with extreme floods in Texas and Florida , wildfires in California , and an above-average hurricane season predicted, it’s time for policymakers and regulators to get serious about real solutions to address the insurance crisis.

Climate Change 363

Climate Change Regulations Fossil Fuels 2022 363

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

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. Battery storage is very cost-effective.

Electricity 115

Electricity Regulations Renewable Energy Fossil Fuels 115

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

Enviromental Defense

AUGUST 23, 2024

How often does the fossil fuel industry try to influence the government’s climate policy decisions? The report finds that oil and gas companies and industry associations try to influence the government through persistent lobbying. 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

Enviromental Defense

JANUARY 14, 2025

It is unlikely that the government will last long once Parliament resumes. At the top of the list of key climate regulations that need to be finalized before March 24th is the governments cap on pollution from the oil and gas industry. If a policy isnt finalized before March 24th, its unlikely to ever be. Time is ticking!

Politics 109

Politics Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy Climate Change 109

Enviromental Defense

JANUARY 23, 2025

Treaty 6 Territory | Edmonton – After two years of tireless work by Indigenous communities, environmental organizations, and the public demanding governments hold Imperial Oil accountable for its egregious behaviour, the AER has finally laid charges against the company. Background: The Imperial Oil tailings disaster allowed 5.3

Regulations 85

Regulations Fossil Fuels Government Waste 85

Enviromental Defense

JANUARY 20, 2025

To deliver on this goal, the federal government made important investments in renewable energy projects. 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. Lets have a look. GW in 2023.

Electricity 78

Electricity Regulations Renewable Energy Fossil Fuels 78

Enviromental Defense

AUGUST 23, 2021

Last spring, we released a report – Paying Polluters: Federal Financial Support to Oil and Gas in 2020 – that revealed the federal government announced a minimum of nearly $18 billion to the oil and gas sector in 2020. Companies put their own remediation programs on hold while they waited for the government to pay to clean up their mess.

Fossil Fuels 141

Fossil Fuels 2020 Government 2025 141

Enviromental Defense

FEBRUARY 8, 2025

The fossil fuel industry has known that its products are fueling the climate crisis for decades. Since their launch in 2012, the organisation has dedicated itself to encouraging Canadians to pledge support for the fossil fuel industry.

Fossil Fuels 98

Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy Climate Change 2012 98

Enviromental Defense

DECEMBER 13, 2023

On this final day of COP28, just a few hours after countries of the world agreed on the need to move away from fossil fuels, I’m overcome with a mix of emotions. Inspired by the unstoppable momentum to secure a fast, fair, full and financed fossil fuel phaseout. And let’s be real, I’m also exhausted.

Fossil Fuels 139

Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy Government Regulations 139

Legal Planet

AUGUST 5, 2021

A big shift to renewables could leave stranded assets — existing fossil fuel plants that the utility will no longer get paid for using. In much of the country, those wholesale transactions are under the control of regional transmission organizations established by federal power regulators, but that’s not true everywhere.

Fossil Fuels 299

Fossil Fuels Regulations Clean Energy Renewable Energy 299

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 135

Fossil Fuels Climate Change Regulations Law 135

Union of Concerned Scientists

NOVEMBER 20, 2023

New science has shown that the largest fossil fuel, dairy, and waste methane super-emitters contribute a sizeable fraction of the total methane emissions in the regions the study authors monitored. Corporate high emitters When a methane super-emitter is identified, the company or government who owns that site needs to take action.

Fossil Fuels 321

Fossil Fuels Paris Agreement Climate Change 2030 321

Union of Concerned Scientists

JULY 1, 2022

That’s because the case, which was about the nature and scope of EPA authority in regulating carbon emissions from existing power plants, turned on a rule that does not exist. Because while this decision does still recognize EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, it simultaneously sharply curtails the agency’s ability to do so.

Fossil Fuels 279

Fossil Fuels Clean Air Act Clean Energy Greenhouse 279

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. Stay tuned. Download as PDF.

Government 241

Government Politics Climate Change Paris Agreement 241

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 17, 2025

As fossil-fueled fires get worse, tap water contamination concern grows. For residents of LA County, the UCLA LA County Water System Governance Map , shows the service areas for more than 200 systems in the county, and is available in Spanish or English.

Fossil Fuels 264

Fossil Fuels 2017 Electricity Regulations 264

Union of Concerned Scientists

APRIL 26, 2023

That would be the straw man erected by defenders of the fossil fuel industry who claim that facing climate change is a doctrinaire liberal policy. This year, many on the far-right are attempting to rebrand Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investing as “woke capitalism.”

Fossil Fuels 331

Fossil Fuels Climate Change Government 2021 331

Union of Concerned Scientists

FEBRUARY 2, 2024

In December, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service proposed regulations governing implementation of the 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit , passed as part of 2022’s Inflation Reduction Act. In particular, emissions loopholes related to biomethane and fugitive methane (i.e.,

Fossil Fuels 338

Fossil Fuels Waste Regulations Electricity 338

Enviromental Defense

NOVEMBER 8, 2024

It’s the government’s job to protect us and the environment from harmful chemicals in plastic…and they need to get on it While the plastics industry claims its products are sanitary and safe, the truth is much more complicated. Governments around the world, including in Canada, are caught up in the powerful plastics industry.

Fossil Fuels 91

Fossil Fuels Environmental Protection Government Regulations 91

Legal Planet

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

Klein Chair, who has long studied public utility regulation, electricity market design, and renewable energy finance. I’m excited to work alongside Emmett Institute faculty like William Boyd, faculty co-director and Michael J.

Law 325

Law Renewable Energy Clean Energy Fossil Fuels 325

Union of Concerned Scientists

NOVEMBER 15, 2022

But governments must put policy measures into place immediately to be effective. Methane emissions come from two main sources : fossil fuels and agriculture—primarily animal-based agriculture. At COP27, 636 registered attendees are lobbyists for the fossil fuel industry. We need to phase out fossil fuels.

Fossil Fuels 312

Fossil Fuels Paris Agreement 2030 Climate Change 312

Enviromental Defense

JANUARY 14, 2022

But Canada’s largest financial institutions still fund fossil fuel expansion projects and are too slow to invest in climate solutions. But regulations for sustainable finance still lag behind international best practices. We need ambitious regulation for four reasons: . Why is this? .

Regulations 100

Regulations Government Fossil Fuels 2008 100

Union of Concerned Scientists

FEBRUARY 15, 2024

California’s transportation fuel policy is knee deep in cow poop, and it’s not a good look. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is considering amendments to its Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) regulation, but indicated they have no plans to address the problems caused by counter-productive subsidies for manure biomethane.

Fossil Fuels 331

Fossil Fuels Regulations Carbon Dioxide Renewable Energy 331

Union of Concerned Scientists

APRIL 4, 2022

Now the reports driven by these resolutions are beginning to roll in, and while they certainly provide some insight into the fossil fuel industry’s investment in political influence, a sleight of hand is preventing investors from seeing the companies’ full strategy. The organization received between $2.5

Fossil Fuels 264

Fossil Fuels Paris Agreement 2020 Politics 264

Union of Concerned Scientists

MAY 31, 2022

Many of my colleagues have already described the various ways we’ve gotten into this elevated fuel price mess, why doubling down on fossil fuels at this moment is a horrible idea, and why doing so would not improve our current or future economic, geopolitical or environmental problems. How Did We Get Here?

Clean Energy 246

Clean Energy Fossil Fuels Electricity 2020 246

Enviromental Defense

JANUARY 28, 2025

This may seem like a setback for climate progress in Canada, but it simply underscores the limits of voluntary initiatives and the need for the government to enforce climate-aligned financial regulations. Surely, according to their own logic, their withdrawal from this alliance indicates that it is the perfect time for regulation?

Climate Change 96

Climate Change Fossil Fuels Regulations Government 96

Legal Planet

MAY 19, 2023

County of Monterey –a major case involving the authority of California local governments to limit oil and gas development within their borders. County of Monterey case raises important and difficult questions for both the justices and the Executive Branch of California state government.

Law 264

Law Fossil Fuels Climate Change Regulations 264

Union of Concerned Scientists

SEPTEMBER 26, 2024

The fossil fuel industry has systematically contaminated our environment with a wide range of toxic chemicals for over a century. A study of the causes of the explosion suggested the need for stronger safety regulations. Bermix Studio/Unsplash PM2.5: A study has shown that PM2.5 Another study found high levels of PM2.5

Ground-Level Ozone 319

Ground-Level Ozone Fossil Fuels Ozone Air Pollution 319

Union of Concerned Scientists

MAY 23, 2024

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. Emissions traced to fossil fuel companies, on the other hand, have contributed to 19.8

Fossil Fuels 328

Fossil Fuels Climate Change Electricity 2019 328

Enviromental Defense

APRIL 25, 2023

The lobby bot data from February 2023 is in – and it was a busy month for fossil fuel lobbyists determined to weaken climate change policy. Oil and gas industry lobbyists met with federal government officials a minimum of 91 times in February (and that only includes the meetings that get tracked. Most don’t.)

Fossil Fuels 105

Fossil Fuels Natural Resources Climate Change Government 105