Union of Concerned Scientists

OCTOBER 1, 2024

While at least one event provided a platform for oil and gas industry greenwashing, others centered people directly affected by fossil fuel-driven climate change who are holding bad actors accountable. I had the honor of moderating one of the latter events, Scientists & Activists vs. Fossil Fuel Finance.

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Fossil Fuels Climate Scientist Climate Change Clean Energy 325

Union of Concerned Scientists

APRIL 19, 2022

A transition to renewable energy is not just one of the most consequential tools at our fingertips to act on climate, but also represents a great opportunity to increase control over our energy choices, improve the health of our communities and the planet, create jobs and wealth, and much more. by 2035 is needed.

Renewable Energy 363

Renewable Energy Fossil Fuels Nitrogen Oxides Clean Energy 363

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.

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Fossil Fuels Wind Power Ocean Renewable Energy 330

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.

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Fossil Fuels Climate Change Paris Agreement Carbon Dioxide 296

Union of Concerned Scientists

DECEMBER 30, 2024

Rogers/UCS Renewable energy The amount of electricity supplied by US renewable energy overall (counting solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and wood biomass) is expected to be 10% higher in 2024 than in 2023. One of 2024s new crop. It added up to 24% of total electricity generation in 2024, compared with 23% in 2023.

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Clean Energy 2024 Wind Power Renewable Energy 277

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.

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Fossil Fuels Climate Change Renewable Energy Natural Gas 329

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.

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2024 2023 Fossil Fuels Atmosphere 288

Union of Concerned Scientists

OCTOBER 15, 2024

The fuel, commonly known as natural gas, now powers the biggest portion of US electricity generation—more than 40 percent. It has also grown to be the largest source of carbon pollution from the US power sector, even as zero-carbon renewable energy has been growing by leaps and bounds.

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Renewable Energy Fossil Fuels Electricity Nitrogen Oxides 301

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.

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Fossil Fuels Climate Change Sea Level 2022 321

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).

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Fossil Fuels Sea Level Paris Agreement Climate Change 241

Union of Concerned Scientists

MARCH 16, 2022

Deputy Policy Director Julie McNamara urges policymakers to see calls from the fossil fuel industry to invest more in their operations--in response to market instability because of the war in Ukraine--as an opportunistic attempt to lower their costs and increase their profits, at great cost to us.

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Fossil Fuels Clean Energy Renewable Energy 312

Legal Planet

JULY 15, 2024

But the scientific and technological advances that made these technologies competitive with fossil fuels are much more recent. Congress passed the Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act, creating incentives for renewable energy generators. PV production exceeds 500 KW. PV production reaches 9.3

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Renewable Energy Fossil Fuels Technology 2005 264

Union of Concerned Scientists

APRIL 27, 2022

From this 2040 perspective, Michigan’s 100-percent renewable energy standard took full effect five years ago, and—along with accelerated closures of coal plants, like the one in Monroe, and a ban on new gas plant construction—it has saved Michigan families at least $15 billion in public health costs.

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Renewable Energy Fossil Fuels Electricity 298

Union of Concerned Scientists

JUNE 12, 2023

The same scenario has played out with the power plants that use fossil fuels, predominantly methane (“natural”) gas, delivered by pipelines. At the same time, extreme weather events are becoming more common as more fossil fuel is burned and carbon is released into the air. It’s a vicious feedback loop. Can we fix this?

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Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy Electricity Regulations 233

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. Midwest (Sort of) Continues a Proud Tradition. What New England Sees. SPP & MISO Show “You Won’t Know Until You Try”.

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Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy Electricity Regulations 264

Union of Concerned Scientists

MARCH 26, 2024

According to García, prioritizing meaningful community participation can speed up an equitable transition to clean energy, rather than continuing to foster large projects that prioritize private sector profits. Back home in Colombia, García’s family is witnessing the consequences of a fossil fuel-centered energy system.

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Renewable Energy Fossil Fuels Clean Energy Electricity 321

Union of Concerned Scientists

JANUARY 16, 2025

These results are laid out in detail in PSEs report , and they highlight the myriad ways in which continued reliance on fossil fuels by utilities would be a step back for Wisconsin communities. Now is the time for Wisconsin and the PSCW to tell We Energies that profits cannot be placed over communities.

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Nitrogen Oxides Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy Ozone 268

Union of Concerned Scientists

MAY 30, 2023

And I love hearing about new renewable electricity records as spring unfolds. A few recent examples for that last love: California scored a new record for total generation from renewable energy in mid-April and a new record for solar production in mid-May. New York just broke its solar record.

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Renewable Energy Fossil Fuels Climate Change Electricity 245

Union of Concerned Scientists

MARCH 23, 2023

Renewable projects can experience delays due to the country’s antiquated (and slow) system of connecting to the grid, as well as other reasons like permitting and transmission constraints. And fossil fuel power plants may not stick to their retirement schedules for a variety of reasons. A bit more on those reasons later.

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Fossil Fuels 2023 Clean Energy Nitrogen Oxides 233

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. Renewable energy will help with all of that—but we need a grid that is designed for wind and solar instead of having to rely on expensive coal and gas plants.

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Renewable Energy Fossil Fuels Solar Power Electricity 363

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).

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Fossil Fuels 2030 Electricity Clean Energy 162

Enviromental Defense

NOVEMBER 6, 2024

After 30 years of international negotiations failing to mention the root cause of the climate crisis, the acknowledgement that we must phase out all fossil fuels and massively scale up renewable energy in order to effectively tackle the climate crisis, was both long overdue and extremely significant.

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Fossil Fuels Paris Agreement Renewable Energy 2025 114

Union of Concerned Scientists

MARCH 14, 2022

A new law in Illinois will prod utilities and grid operators in the right direction.

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Fossil Fuels Law Clean Energy Renewable Energy 279

Enviromental Defense

JANUARY 14, 2025

Without a strong oil and gas pollution cap, fossil fuel companies will continue to prioritize their profits at the expense of our health, climate and future. Even in Alberta, which has the lowest support for renewable energy, only 18 per cent of respondents want to see fossil fuels prioritized.

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Politics Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy Climate Change 114

Ocean Conservancy

NOVEMBER 15, 2024

If we are to protect the ocean, its marine ecosystems and the people who depend on them, we must address climate change at its root: the burning of fossil fuels for energy. But this cannot happen without clean-energy solutions, such as offshore wind and other marine renewables , that can replace them.

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Fossil Fuels Ocean Climate Change Clean Energy 133

Union of Concerned Scientists

NOVEMBER 16, 2022

Union of Concerned Scientists’ (UCS) research shows that top fossil fuel producers’ emissions are responsible for as much as half of global surface temperature increase. The best solution: Replace fossil fuels with renewable energy. The transition to 100-percent renewables is possible.

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Fossil Fuels Paris Agreement Renewable Energy Carbon Dioxide 321

Enviromental Defense

DECEMBER 29, 2023

Earlier this month at COP28 countries committed to transitioning off of fossil fuels and massively scaling up renewable energy instead. So you’re excused if, like me, you’re baffled by Minister Freeland’s first move in the wake of COP28: a giant new fossil fuel subsidy, via the new Canada Growth Fund.

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Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy Clean Energy Solar Power 142

New Scientist

OCTOBER 24, 2023

South Australia is a renewable energy champion and now plans a truly fossil fuel-free grid. How did it make such a remarkable turnaround, and can the rest of the world follow suit?

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Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy 145

Union of Concerned Scientists

MAY 12, 2022

Nearly all of the alliance members have a renewable electricity standard (RES), which requires utilities in their jurisdiction to increase their use of renewable energy to a particular percentage by a specific year. We found that states have technically feasible and highly beneficial ways to achieve 100-percent renewable energy.

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Electricity Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy Nitrogen Oxides 279

Union of Concerned Scientists

AUGUST 22, 2024

In a report this year to its shareholders, New Fortress Energy leadership stated its plan to replace the aging generating fleet in Puerto Rico with methane gas units, saying that solar power and storage would be complementary to the generation mix. Fossil fuels account for 94% of electricity generation in Puerto Rico.

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Renewable Energy Fossil Fuels Electricity 2019 334

Enviromental Defense

MARCH 27, 2024

New analysis from Environmental Defence reveals that despite federal government promises, funding to the fossil fuel and petrochemical industries remains high Ottawa | Traditional, unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg People – New analysis released today by Environmental Defence reveals Canada’s federal government provided at least $18.6

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Fossil Fuels Government Renewable Energy 2028 145

Union of Concerned Scientists

APRIL 24, 2023

There’s good news in the recently released official data on electricity generation in the United States in 2022: renewable energy has continued to grow, coal power has continued to drop, and renewables are now firmly ahead of coal for the first time ever. They offer a lot of good news about clean energy progress.

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Clean Energy Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy Solar Power 306

Ocean Conservancy

NOVEMBER 11, 2024

Collaborative Optimism The upcoming political landscape in the United States may seem like a setback for global climate action, but the momentum for climate action and energy transition remains unstoppable. This progress will continue to outpace any efforts to sustain outdated and inefficient fossil fuel systems.

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Ocean Fossil Fuels Paris Agreement Politics 132

PA Environment Daily

MARCH 6, 2025

On March 6, the City of Reading announced it is now moving into the construction phase as part of a strategic partnership with Schneider Electric to implement a Guaranteed Energy Savings Act (GESA) project, reinforcing Reading's commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency. The completion of the project is slated for late 2026.

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Renewable Energy Electricity Fossil Fuels 2026 65

Enviromental Defense

DECEMBER 21, 2022

Earlier this month the Government of Canada delivered on a key climate promise and released new rules which end public funding for fossil fuels abroad, starting January 1, 2023. It also begins to align federal spending with a climate-safe future, by prioritizing public dollars towards climate solutions like renewable energy.

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Fossil Fuels Clean Energy Renewable Energy Government 120

Union of Concerned Scientists

MAY 18, 2021

The world must reach net-negative CO2 emissions by midcentury, not only to slow the pace of climate change, but to reduce the millions deaths yearly from fossil fuel air pollution. Much of the burden of our energy choices falls on Black and brown communities.

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Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy Air Pollution Climate Change 246

Yale E360

JUNE 9, 2022

With its highways and suburbs, modern America was built around the automobile and powered by fossil fuels. The oil crises of the 1970s provided an opportunity to change course and move to renewable energy, but any momentum achieved then proved to be very short-lived. Read more on E360 ?.

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Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy 251