Welcome back, dear reader, to Greenpower’s This Week in the Environment, our aggregation of the top environmental stories from the past seven days. Thanks, as always, is due to our Ph.D environmental scientist, Jon Conway, for scouring the net to find the most timely tidbits. This week we see oil and gas companies continuing to build out dirty energy projects that may soon be redundant given the increasing efficiency and economic viability of renewable energy, and a dedicated focus by state and city governments to reduce their carbon footprints. We suppose it’s no surprise that denial of the coming economic realities should go hand in hand with denial of climate realities. The silver lining? The list of those committed to changing our energy future just keeps growing in response.
5. 2,500 Cities Have Taken Up the Climate-Change Fight Greentech Media
As national governments baby step toward climate action, a new report shows that cities around the world are racing to lead the charge. Governmental leaders are too often constrained in their ability or desire to enact the rapid change needed to limit climate disaster due to political affiliations and/or corporate influence, but city governments can take actions more directly in line with the desires of the people. For instance, the proportion of climate change deniers in the U.S. federal government is far greater than the general population, largely due to massive campaign contributions from fossil fuel lobbyists. In order to stave off the worst effects of climate change, both top-down and bottom-up action is needed, and commitments from local actors like cities are a big step down the road toward global sustainability.
4. Global power sector emissions to peak in 2026 Reuters
More than $7 trillion is expected to be invested worldwide in renewable energy sources between now and 2040, causing greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector to peak within the next decade. Transitioning to a renewable power system is one of the most critical undertakings needed for our civilization, and paves the way for true zero-emission vehicles and industry.
"The greening of the world's electricity system is unstoppable, thanks to rapidly falling costs for solar and wind power, and a growing role for batteries, including those in electric vehicles." —SEB HENBEST, BLOOMBERG NEW ENERGY FINANCE ANALYST
3. Oil firms could waste trillions if climate targets reached Reuters
With the near-worldwide push toward renewable energy and sustainability, it sure seems like bad business to keep planning for a fossil fuel future. In fact, new research suggests that upwards of $2 trillion may be lost in useless oil, gas, and coal development as the rest of the planet leaves carbon-based energy behind. With any luck, the short-sighted, exploitative, Earth-last business practices typified and championed by the global fossil fuel industry will die and be buried, just like the fuels they built themselves on.
2. Researchers see stronger electric grid in regions with large amounts of renewables ThinkProgress
Department of Energy Secretary and corporate stooge Rick Perry says that renewable energy sources weaken the electric grid due to their intermittent nature, but research shows just the opposite. By increasing the diversity of energy sources and decreasing the use of uneconomical sources like coal and nuclear, renewables are changing the paradigm for electricity production—creating a safer, stronger, and more sustainable energy grid.
1. US states and cities could meet Paris climate goals without Trump Carbon Brief
A recent analysis of the cities and states currently committed to climate action shows that the U.S. may still be able to reach its established Paris Agreement goals without any federal action. Even in areas that lack the political will to actively pursue climate goals, the falling costs of renewable energy sources like wind and solar will continue to drive investment in and adoption of clean power.
"While federal action would establish uniform policies nationwide and help combat problems such as carbon leakage, states can and will undertake significant mitigation policies on their own. States can help serve as a laboratory for mitigation policy, with many different strategies developed and tested. The best can be adopted by other states and, potentially, by a future federal administration that more highly prioritises action on climate change."