Biden Urged to 'Honor Indigenous Sovereignty and Immediately Halt' Fossil Fuel Pipelines
26 November
Popular
Protestors walk past an image of a Native American woman during a march to "Count Every Vote, Protect Every Person" after the U.S. presidential Election in Seattle, Washington on November 4. Jason Redmond / AFP / Getty Images
By Jessica Corbett
A leading environmental advocacy group marked Native American Heritage Month on Wednesday by urging President-elect Joe Biden, Vice President-elect Kamala Kamala Harris, and the entire incoming administration "to honor Indigenous sovereignty and immediately halt the Keystone XL, Dakota Access, and Line 3 pipelines."
<p><span style="background-color: initial;">That call from 350.org U.S. communications director Thanu Yakupitiyage for Indigenous <a href="https://landback.org/" target="_blank">#LandBack</a> came just ahead of Thanksgiving in the U.S. and as the coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate communities across the country — with more than 12.7 million COVID-19 cases and over 261,000 deaths nationwide as of Wednesday afternoon.</span></p>
<p>"As we embark on a just recovery from the compound crises of climate disasters, racist police brutality, economic injustice, and Covid-19, we are in a pivotal moment of reckoning that requires us to ground in the history of the United States as a country built on stolen Indigenous land by stolen Black and African labor," Yakupitiyage said.</p><p>"As we act to stop state-sanctioned violence against Black and Brown communities," she continued, "we also acknowledge the decades and centuries of white supremacy, colonialism, and capitalism that continue to have devastating and genocidal impacts on the lives, livelihoods, and traditions of Native and Indigenous communities across the United States, North America, and around the world."</p><p>The activist drew attention to three controversial pipelines against which Indigenous people <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/11/25/brutal-memories-standing-rock-stop-line-3-campaigners-wary-rule-barring" target="_blank">have led</a> the opposition, highlighting some of the destructive impacts that such projects have on Native communities and lands, in addition to the climate effects.</p><p>"Fossil fuel executives and racist climate criminals continue to assault treaty rights and Indigenous sovereignty, attempting to ram toxic and unnecessary pipelines like Keystone XL, Dakota Access, and Line 3 through sacred Indigenous land and waters, while perpetuating threats and violence against Indigenous womxn, girls, and two-spirit people," said Yakupitiyage.</p>
<div id="ef565" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9cdfa0e287c7703a509672ed361c63a4"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1331660175024001025" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">We are seeing day in and day out black and brown organizers across Minnesota gather to resist the Line 3 pipeline t… https://t.co/FDHSaEDRpJ</div> — 350 dot org (@350 dot org)<a href="https://twitter.com/350/statuses/1331660175024001025">1606327501.0</a></blockquote></div><p>"Transformative climate solutions to truly tackle the root of climate change require systemic action to decolonize from the very systems that have created the crisis in the first place," she added. "Our leap toward a just recovery must start with honoring treaties with sovereign Indigenous nations and returning land back to Native peoples. The time is now for meaningful care and repair."</p><p>For months, 350.org has spearheaded global calls for a just recovery from the pandemic — <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/04/30/ahead-may-day-500-groups-worldwide-demand-just-and-visionary-recovery-covid-19" target="_blank">demanding</a> that policymakers prioritize human health, provide economic relief directly to the people, help workers and communities rather than corporate executives, work to create resilience for future crises, and build solidarity across borders.</p><p>Yakupitiyage's comments centering Indigenous communities in relation to a just recovery come as Biden is facing calls from Native Americans and climate campaigners to consider appointing Rep. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.), a member of Pueblo of Laguna, as his interior secretary. Two years ago, she and Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kan.) became the first two Native American women elected to Congress.</p>
<div id="defe7" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7f8197a96f6d6b3f20364ebc2044701d"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1329136271717851136" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">When we say #landback, it means fundamentally undoing the harm that has been done to Indian Ppl...appointing an Ind… https://t.co/I7y4j0MvdU</div> — NDN Collective (@NDN Collective)<a href="https://twitter.com/ndncollective/statuses/1329136271717851136">1605725755.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Broadly, Biden is <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/11/20/new-no-corporate-cabinet-campaign-pushes-biden-pick-people-who-will-advance-public" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">facing</a> pressure from progressives — and <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/11/25/new-poll-shows-68-americans-want-senators-block-any-corporate-biden-nominees" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">public opinion</a> — to stock the next administration, including his Cabinet, with people committed to serving in the public interest rather than corporate insiders. Earlier this month, the Sunrise Movement and Justice Democrats launched a campaign that includes Cabinet suggestions; Haaland is among them.</p><p>"A visionary secretary of the interior has enormous latitude to crack down on giveaways to fossil fuel corporations, like permits to drill for oil on public lands and in public waters. With a progressive leader at the helm, we can make real progress," the groups explain on the campaign website.</p><p>"As the first Native American to hold this position, Rep. Deb Haaland would usher in a new era of Indigenous authority over stolen land," they added. "She is a fierce ally of our movement who has fought for renewable energy job creation in the House as vice chair of the House Natural Resources Committee and chair of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands."</p>
<div id="5b957" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="519eba91a8fc7d7ef319cba86cf1960f"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1331383407255969792" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">The Secretary of the Interior oversees the management and conservation of federal lands.
Who better to head the de… https://t.co/f1IJwNd1Bt</div> — Sunrise Movement 🌅 (@Sunrise Movement 🌅)<a href="https://twitter.com/sunrisemvmt/statuses/1331383407255969792">1606261514.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Haaland <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/biden-transition-updates/2020/11/23/937756927/rep-haaland-cabinet-pick-would-mean-a-lot-to-indian-country" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">discussed</a> the potential nomination on NPR this week, telling Rachel Martin, "First of all, it would mean a lot to Indian Country."</p><p>"When Sharice [Davids] and I got sworn in, everybody was so happy," said the congresswoman. "It means a lot to a group of people who have been here since time immemorial to know that they're truly being represented. I think it would really change the way people see our federal government."</p><p>"Being able to listen," Haaland added, "being able to move issues forward, bringing people to the table — I think that would make a huge difference."</p><p>From Arizona to Wisconsin, reporters have highlighted in the messy aftermath of Election Day that Native voters were key contributors to Biden's victory over President Donald Trump, who has yet to formally concede even though the transition process is already underway.</p>
<div id="cedbb" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="fd66c0f753f0ad581dcb839602f0738c"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1329876320470360068" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">NEW from me for @CBSNews: Native American turnout in Arizona surged this year. Biden won Arizona by nearly 12,000 v… https://t.co/sMmk2La1nw</div> — Grace Segers (@Grace Segers)<a href="https://twitter.com/Grace_Segers/statuses/1329876320470360068">1605902197.0</a></blockquote></div>
<div id="e082d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8f5d07fe514d9d2156acd08cd74909c3"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1330489726516793348" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">When we talk about the rural vote, remember that it is incredibly diverse, and that Democrats can and must recogniz… https://t.co/TNDWMHgT0L</div> — John Nichols (@John Nichols)<a href="https://twitter.com/NicholsUprising/statuses/1330489726516793348">1606048444.0</a></blockquote></div><p>After election-callers and major news networks named Biden the winner, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez <a href="https://indiancountrytoday.com/news/the-native-vote-turned-out-so-today-it-s-celebration-F77qX2eKZ0mGV-SJhcxz9g" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">released</a> a statement noting the significance of the Native vote.</p><p>"The First Americans of this country, including a large majority of Navajo voters, had a major impact in the outcome of the presidential election in several swing states — that needs to be recognized and acknowledged by all," he said. "Both campaigns fought hard for Native American votes, particularly Navajo votes, and that's truly a reflection of the growing influence and power of tribal nations across the country."</p><p>Nez, who met with Biden and Harris to discuss tribal policy, added that "the Navajo Nation now looks forward to working together with the Biden-Harris administration to put that plan into action."</p><p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/11/25/biden-urged-honor-indigenous-sovereignty-and-immediately-halt-fossil-fuel-pipelines" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>. </em></p>
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Climate Coalition Pressures Biden to Reject 'Corporate Shill' Ernest Moniz as Energy Chief
25 November
Politics
Former U.S. Sec. of Energy Ernest Moniz listens during the National Clean Energy Summit 9.0 on October 13, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Isaac Brekken / Getty Images for National Clean Energy Summit
By Jake Johnson
Amid reports that oil industry-friendly former Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz remains under consideration to return to his old post in the incoming Biden administration, a diverse coalition of environmental groups is mobilizing for an "all-out push" to keep Moniz away from the White House and demand a cabinet willing to boldly confront the corporations responsible for the climate emergency.
<p>On Tuesday night, climate campaigners <a href="https://twitter.com/greenpeaceusa/status/1331405987425685506" target="_blank">projected</a> onto the primary Department of Energy building messages urging President-elect Joe Biden to say "yes to a sustainable future" and no to Moniz, who currently serves on the board of the polluting utility giant Southern Company.</p>
<p>Following the demonstration, the coalition on Wednesday morning debuted <a href="https://nomoniz.org/" target="_blank">NoMoniz.org</a>, a website that warns the policies of Obama's former energy secretary "might be good for his friends in the coal, oil, and gas industries, but they're a death sentence for us and our planet."</p><p>"It's unacceptable that Ernest Moniz is being considered for a role in the Biden administration — his policies, his financial ties to fossil fuel companies, his contempt for youth climate activists, and his overall unwillingness to do what it takes to protect our future should disqualify him immediately," reads the site, which was launched by Oil Change U.S., Greenpeace USA, Sunrise Movement, the Climate Justice Alliance, Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of the Earth U.S., and dozens of other groups.</p>
<div id="a6564" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d27a41c6b56d432ce974b11d22bbe6e6"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1331587846411603968" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">It is absolutely imperative that @JoeBiden keep @ErnestMoniz out of his cabinet, and any of his protégée like Liz S… https://t.co/7x2WN6nxgs</div> — Evan Weber 🌅🔥 (@Evan Weber 🌅🔥)<a href="https://twitter.com/evanlweber/statuses/1331587846411603968">1606310256.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Previously an <a href="https://newrepublic.com/article/159357/ernie-moniz-biden-energy-gives-climate-nightmares" target="_blank">adviser to major companies</a> such as BP and General Electric, Moniz's tenure as head of Obama's energy department as well as his public statements since leaving office make clear that he is opposed to the kind of sweeping climate action that environmentalists and scientists say is necessary to avert planetary catastrophe.</p><p>Speaking to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce last year, Moniz endorsed what he <a href="https://www.axios.com/ernest-moniz-green-real-deal-climate-change-policy-4090206b-3f36-4747-9b3c-2655e15402d5.html" target="_blank">dubbed</a> a "Green Real Deal" that would welcome a "broad coalition" of supporters — including the fossil fuel industry. In an interview months earlier, Moniz — a proponent of <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/05/30/gas-loser-and-its-time-move-report-debunks-big-oil-myth-natural-gas-can-help-fight" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">natural gas</a> as a bridge to a clean energy future — <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/23/joe-biden-fight-climate-crisis-ernest-moniz" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">denounced</a> what he described as "often completely unrealistic proposals for the pace at which we can decarbonize."</p><p>"With his deep ties to the fossil fuel industry and promotion of false solutions like carbon capture and sequestration, Ernest Moniz is not a forward-thinking choice for the cabinet," Anthony Rogers-Wright, policy coordinator for the Climate Justice Alliance, said in a statement Wednesday. "The Department of Energy must be led by someone open to concrete ideas for a fossil-free future, not continued dominance by a corrupt, heavily-subsidized industry whose existence hinges on maintaining an antiquated all-of-the-above strategy."</p><p>Janet Redman, climate campaign director at Greenpeace USA, warned that Moniz's fossil fuel connections "spell danger for the nation's efforts to mitigate the climate crisis" as atmospheric carbon dioxide <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/11/23/no-time-lose-climate-action-atmospheric-co2-continued-rise-2020-despite-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">continues to rise</a> in 2020 despite widespread coronavirus lockdowns.</p><p>"We need a true climate leader who understands that we must phase out fossil fuels, not a corporate shill with 'all of the above energy' policies who wants to prop up fracked gas and pipelines," said Redman. "The American people have given Joe Biden a mandate to take bold action in service of climate justice, public health, economic prosperity, and racial equity. Moniz would only be holding him back."</p><p>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/11/25/planet-stake-climate-coalition-pressures-biden-reject-corporate-shill-ernest-moniz" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>. </p>
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Like many other plant-based foods and products, CBD oil is one dietary supplement where "organic" labels are very important to consumers. However, there are little to no regulations within the hemp industry when it comes to deeming a product as organic, which makes it increasingly difficult for shoppers to find the best CBD oil products available on the market.
<p>Here you can learn about the importance of organic hemp oil, why it's better for the environment, and which CBD companies actually make trustworthy products with sustainable farming processes. origins which weigh heavily on many consumers who want to buy a product that's produced in the best way possible for not only themselves to ingest, but for the environment as well through sustainable farming methods. </p><h2>What Is CBD Oil?</h2><p>First things first, CBD stands for cannabidiol, and it's a cannabinoid found within cannabis sativa plants. This plant compound is believed to have many potential benefits, and it is primarily derived from hemp plants via a CO2 extraction process. </p><p>Since CBD is extracted from industrial hemp, which contains only trace amounts of THC (the psychoactive component in cannabis plants), this means that CBD won't make you feel high like marijuana, which has much higher levels of THC that causes psychoactive effects. Instead, the effects of CBD are much more subtle and promote a general sense of calm and relaxation in most users.</p><h2>What Makes a CBD Oil Organic?</h2><p>In terms of organic labels, perhaps the most important (and prominent) certification comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This government organization has been labeling foods as "organic" for many years, but what exactly does this certification entail? Essentially, a label indicating that a product is "USDA Organic" or "Certified Organic" means that at least 95% of the ingredients are obtained from organic sources.</p><p>For a crop to be considered organic by the USDA, it must be grown without the use of industrial solvents, irradiation, genetic engineering (GMOs), synthetic pesticides, or chemical fertilizer. Instead, farmers rely on natural substances and <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/03/22/organic-101-what-usda-organic-label-means" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mechanical, physical, or biologically based farming</a> techniques to cultivate healthy and organic crops.</p><p>Before the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, no hemp-derived products could be dubbed as "certified organic" since the hemp plant and its extracts were still categorized as a Schedule I Controlled Substance. However, it's still difficult for CBD companies to obtain a USDA certified organic label for their products due to the legal grey area that still surrounds CBD extracts. </p><p>Because of these challenges, and due to the fact that industrial hemp has only recently become an agricultural crop, very few CBD oils are USDA certified organic. Rather, many CBD products contain hemp extracts from plants that were grown in organic conditions but may not be federally certified.</p><h2>What are the Best Organic CBD Oil Brands?</h2><p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p>
<h2>Why Organic Hemp Oil Matters</h2><p>Hemp is a unique plant, not only for its rich cannabinoid content, but also for its ability to absorb a wide variety of components in soil. But this trait poses great risks when it comes to the creation of CBD products derived from hemp.</p><p>Because hemp has a high capacity for compound uptake, this means that the plants can retain <a href="https://www.remedyreview.com/industry/lab-test-results/" target="_blank">harmful chemicals like pesticides</a>, heavy metals, and other residual solvents. This is especially true when it comes to synthetic chemicals that are more toxic to humans, and difficult to remove once they have been absorbed by the hemp plant.</p><p>Organic farming practices help reduce the risk of hemp crops absorbing harsh chemicals that may later end up in CBD oil after extraction. When you're taking CBD as a wellness supplement to help alleviate your symptoms or improve your overall well-being, the last thing you want is to ingest compounds that might negatively outweigh the benefits of CBD. This is an important reason to look for third party lab test results when shopping for CBD products since these certificates of analysis can show the full cannabinoid and terpene profile of a hemp extract, as well as test results that search for the presence of any residual solvents.</p><p>In addition to creating a better end product, organic farming practices are also better for the environment. Sustainable and organic farming methods may <a href="https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/organic-foods.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reduce pollution, conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy</a>. The use of natural pest deterrents as opposed to chemical pesticides is also better for nearby animal populations and ecosystems.</p><h3>Organic vs. Natural</h3><p>While there are only a select few companies offering certified organic ingredients in their products, almost every brand in the CBD market creates "natural" products. The term "all-natural" or "plant-based" does not mean that a product is organic, and since hemp oil is a natural derivative of hemp plants, these products are often referred to as all-natural. However, there are some synthetic CBD oils that should be avoided because they are chemically constructed and may produce unwanted side effects that are not caused by naturally derived CBD extracts.</p><h2>What are the Benefits of Organic CBD Oil?</h2><p>There's a long list of potential CBD oil health benefits, and some of the most common wellness advantages include:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2503660/" target="_blank">Chronic pain relief</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604171/" target="_blank">Anti-anxiety effects</a></li><li>Better sleep</li><li><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/inner-source/201901/cbd-oil-mental-health-should-you-take-it-too" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Improvements in mood</a></li><li>Internal balance and regulation</li></ul><p>When dealing with pain, inflammation, sleep issues, and mental health struggles, it can be hard to find sufficient treatment options. The use of certain prescriptions can cause unwanted side effects, yet they are often the only solution for patients with these medical conditions. In search of other therapies, people have started to flock towards CBD oil as an alternative remedy for a variety of conditions. However, it should be noted that CBD products are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and you should seek your doctor's advice before using CBD if you have a serious medical condition.</p><h2>Look at the Labels Before You Buy CBD Oil</h2><p>When you go online to buy CBD oil, you'll quickly realize there is an overwhelming number of brands that are saturating the market. It can be difficult to determine which products are truly as good as they make themselves out to be. Always look for up-to-date third-party lab tests so you know you are getting a great product, and don't hesitate to contact the brand if you have any additional questions. And if you're intent on purchasing 100% organic CBD oil, it's best to look for certified products or brands that are held to strict regulatory standards.</p><p><strong>Melena Gurganus </strong>is the Reviews Editor at EcoWatch. She is passionate health and wellness and her writing aims to help others find products they can trust. Her work has been featured in publications such as Health, Shape, Huffington Post, Cannabis Business Times, and Bustle.<br></p>
Spruce
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjI3OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTM2NzgzOX0.axY0HjeqRctJsR_KmDLctzDpUBLBN-oNIdqaXDb4caQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="774be" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8379f35b1ca8a86d0e61b7d4bfc8b46e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="spruce organic cbd oil" /><p>As one of the best brands in the business, Spruce CBD is well-known for its potent CBD oils that feature many additional beneficial phytocannabinoids. This brand works with two family-owned, sustainably focused farms in the USA (one located in Kentucky and one in North Carolina) to create its organic, small product batches. The max potency Spruce CBD oil contains 2400mg of full-spectrum CBD extract, but the brand also offers a lower strength tincture with 750mg of CBD in total.</p>
$89
CBDistillery
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjkzNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTU4OTM4Nn0.ypRdeDSBcE87slYrFfVrRwtJ2qGIK6FD5jBB4pndTMo/img.jpg?width=980" id="b473b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9930b53c9d58cb49774640a61c3e3e75" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="cbdistillery cbd oil" /><p>All of the products from CBDistillery are <a href="https://ushempauthority.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">U.S. Hemp Authority Certified</a>, and for good reason. The company only uses non-GMO and pesticide-free industrial hemp that's grown organically on Colorado farms. Its hemp oils are some of the most affordable CBD products on the market, yet they still maintain a high standard of quality. CBDistillery has a wide variety of CBD potencies across its product line (ranging from 500mg to 5000mg per bottle) and offers both full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD oils to give customers a completely thc-free option.</p>
$35
FAB CBD
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIyNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NDIwOTEyMn0.MlTjz096FJ0ev_-soK7_Z-FeQeJczWoeh9Qi9SSkHsY/img.jpg?width=980" id="04b26" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="76aa4862f44603242e318982acea6646" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="fab cbd oil" /><p>For an organic CBD oil that has it all, FAB CBD offers plenty of variety for any type of consumer. All of its products are made with zero pesticides and extracted from organically grown Colorado industrial hemp. FAB CBD oil comes in five all-natural flavors (mint, vanilla, berry, citrus, and natural) and is also available in four strengths (300, 600, 1200, and 2400mg per bottle).</p>
$39
NuLeaf Naturals
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIxOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NzExNTgyMX0.D6qMGYllKTsVhEkQ-L_GzpDHVu60a-tJKcio7M1Ssmc/img.jpg?width=980" id="94e4a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3609a52479675730893a45a82a03c71d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="nuleaf naturals organic cbd oil" /><p>As an industry-leading brand, it comes as no surprise that NuLeaf Naturals sources its CBD extract from organic hemp plants grown on licensed farms in Colorado. The comany's CBD oils only contain two ingredients: USDA certified organic hemp seed oil and full spectrum hemp extract.</p><p>NuLeaf Naturals uses one proprietary CBD oil formula for all of its products, so you will get the same CBD potency in each tincture (60mg per mL), but can purchase different bottle sizes depending on how much you intend to use.</p>
$38.50
Charlotte's Web
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjk3NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MzQ0NjM4N30.SaQ85SK10-MWjN3PwHo2RqpiUBdjhD0IRnHKTqKaU7Q/img.jpg?width=980" id="84700" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a2174067dcc0c4094be25b3472ce08c8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="charlottes web cbd oil" /><p>Perhaps one of the most well-known brands in the CBD landscape, Charlotte's Web has been growing sustainable hemp plants for several years. The company is currently in the process of achieving official USDA Organic Certification, but it already practices organic and sustainable cultivation techniques to enhance the overall health of the soil and the hemp plants themselves, which creates some of the highest quality CBD extracts. Charlotte's Web offers CBD oils in a range of different concentration options, and some even come in a few flavor options such as chocolate mint, orange blossom, and lemon twist.</p>
$60
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the_burtons / Moment / Getty Images
A coalition launched the Zero Emission Transportation Association on Tuesday with plans to push for 100% EV sales across all sectors by 2030.
<p>The coalition of corporate entities that stand to benefit from broader electric vehicle adoption includes Uber, Tesla, utilities like Duke Energy and Southern Company, EV component suppliers, charging companies, and EV startups. </p>
<p>The group's launch came the same day as UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged to ban the sale of new cars wholly powered by gas and diesel by 2030, a decade earlier than previously planned. On Monday, S&P Global announced Tesla will be added to the S&P 500 Index on December 21.</p><p><strong>For a deeper dive:</strong></p><p><strong>EV group:</strong> <a href="https://newsletter.climatenexus.org/e2t/tc/VVTg4R760tGCW7Xn6DW2DsKp7V_gMC14jyjYJN56dXgp5nxG7V3Zsc37CgXBWW3PQhT62g346PT5bJ36m2PY_W55Hv7D2YFNpvV331l42w3k5HW4yqPP61l4ByvN7v59ZxT3FR7W6wqBdz20gvNVW3-1xm51BwWM4W8m28Rl2crqHyW3Wpv4f22_t2LW1RLc6n9g0wQ3N9dsKQDXXyr2W4S52vP7h90CmN12CJ7dc4745W5jGWwn53vD78N3lXtrF_q74xW4x_CBp85QmxJW7Z0X14441Z9XW5wWX1844NzzYN1yF261YxYMnW8C4rxj1JxwcrW6M2P7324HxnBW6NvtHh96LpRBVrjrhK30xMncW2JhNCt1w5QRKW4H1cdk800xTgW7KpgmS9cx00rW7nwDV14tb8qvW6bZbjf6r7jDRN1GxMGfZMfSCN8FRKVkWsZFCW7V2jmN93dr3Z3bkJ1" target="_blank">Axios</a>, <a href="https://newsletter.climatenexus.org/e2t/tc/VVTg4R760tGCW7Xn6DW2DsKp7V_gMC14jyjYJN56dXhV3p_9rV1-WJV7CgJngW45CX-p6Qr3LlW19NTjl7KZgr0W2glsv02-vk6YW66pd8k3P8q0tW4qlBJZ409kstW5QCxQn7fBMqhW7jWLRm7yXHhpW93Jp836jjk3SW847mX71xSsmBM-DGQztsGfZW3DkRr87F2ptDW1Ct71D46b-JQW3P2jWc2dBkcdW6jGL8g47NP0qW7_8Dmk3VNhN5W7yZlKv2Wp8l1W911bx53MsL5YVqprGM4pfjllW7yY4Gn45mNJhVPy8C73lS-8fW87Lfhp8QwF97N4y7sfTdytywW8J36gb7ms1QCW1v1txt59cW0QW47w0Vj6rKYb-W4HXHF53-Td6r31N51" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">E&E</a>, <a href="https://newsletter.climatenexus.org/e2t/tc/VVTg4R760tGCW7Xn6DW2DsKp7V_gMC14jyjYJN56dXgJ5nxGrV3Zsc37CgM-pW83sTHh83Hvq_W6M6qGR88_jfMW8d4TLq6Php2rW3flsjC3JQq_BW46yXW26kPV5_W2v1M_h6tLn7sW5RtR1N440Vz5W6J-ZPN3T7pPmW4BWbGh9d1lx3W7xLyT34QBjdmW2dvf1k3VNxgqW2cXhXK6ZDtd0N6ndGNpvwQfTN1zm8F_VQKd1W8zt_Z527yRpNW9b0Bsl2cYrsPW6hF_CG5jYnNdW5pr8fY5TrgDgW5-bWNN8shHgTW4WqwJW3W9hVbW5VPP4H2Ysph9W4x1-BT40T3VXW6zbcRd5-bCSFV3LFBG4TxJV0W1Y6GC63n-zX0W2NVMtc3ZNVM9N58MPlrN2NfsW1_thw_8ttt77W6pB9Db7Xg_tMW5-wZpd3T2bKSW1Qz9m_20JfJyW40w1S-3npqBMW6TWcQZ4CRymwW6lnZr-40zjlj3kb61" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Politico Pro</a>, <a href="https://newsletter.climatenexus.org/e2t/tc/VVTg4R760tGCW7Xn6DW2DsKp7V_gMC14jyjYJN56dXgJ5nxGrV3Zsc37CgQwhN5DgsdqCC2PKW5rDGPf9hmwb9W5J_rZ65gSTNnVN7W1X3L-blJW4HnPqY8Ps5tsVfHYHZ7G8Dk2W8nXF0W8KB_9_W5DfNJM5Zyj7CN5nXJPvGyBp-W63Wf8_7j51mNW42nNKF5bZJx_W78hQ078Syz17W5HZ-7s2V0dDZW7l19V01plfyQW6-dgBw9bH12lW33Jz_b4b8PsSW9lR-Xk2XZNh1W5s3bqT8ymwLMN55gJ6myl9MvW3j4l9M8GgwQ3Mc3nLM1p2VMW2SFd6R5Qcvy7N70TJJ87GVXQW2tNvrD1pJM5DW8NvGrc1cCrc0VS4syJ1K4qSqW5ntdhS2mPZmCW2cZFC25s3r0FW2G5BcR3Hlf8lW3Zd0kZ6W_912W2_5mmD5lfvXwW4-c6mZ11QYLvW31nDSW7jGN-TN3qbQJCDX8VY31Xh1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Houston Chronicle</a>, <a href="https://newsletter.climatenexus.org/e2t/tc/VVTg4R760tGCW7Xn6DW2DsKp7V_gMC14jyjYJN56dXhB3p_97V1-WJV7CgCMRW8nL-3Z7GYCBkW5KKps13ZtRZ6VYMz8C2Rsb13N3_5sJwjLZHvW7TvWPH4KGt-4W842tcQ3Htdt8W6gbzfS4t_hmdW21wx6y91lZnMN3bxydwdN9r6W508zF-99KwYdW17FTvb22SGWMW3FMHjv82h6QdW2GQtzh2tTsmZW6gL8NZ3XJTRHW1-NJ4_6VCXB0W5p7vhG9c3YglW29J4Jv7mXM_1W7N508H5gKq6wW4WZTnY4FMXSJW86lqd12xW8P1W3hLB638GRylNW7Cb6S35J3jYvW8CLHL_3xZQqKN4j875wc-9WW3m-j1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Reuters</a>, <a href="https://newsletter.climatenexus.org/e2t/tc/VVTg4R760tGCW7Xn6DW2DsKp7V_gMC14jyjYJN56dXgp5nxG7V3Zsc37CgThVVMps_L2BQ_NBW1CW7H-1l5RJcW4j0_qy1c1TsKW3HjF742QFf1QW1m_rmm4JCfC-N97Gpy4r-HndW6kzhZf8PyhKQW3TYw6p5lXQKWW1djQVq1qbdPTW7sftHv3r-jj-W8Hzqsx2TYr9VW7SK9H_4-bX9FW28LXWw642DNTW4T4rtK7nHnJHW4Vrmf93H8GbMW4xMKyf3YR1wSW50LrQd4sYFrPW72sCs-6tMwhxW1bR-513sR-kFW792Lpl3Tf5VpW1ltZhs7s3r4gW7qQ52y5W85xLF8x9XN2pfp7W5vZ8MS7JlRpHW8WbkPd6t57DLVqrzjV26JYvyN8Y-h2YvVS0FW15-4kb6TrWdXW5YccjT5nB4rMW5bNVHN8VKgC_W5_x45F81S0hKW5Lv2Xn3hgQ4g390f1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Atlantic</a></p><p><strong>UK: </strong><a href="https://newsletter.climatenexus.org/e2t/tc/VVTg4R760tGCW7Xn6DW2DsKp7V_gMC14jyjYJN56dXgp5nxG7V3Zsc37Cgz_gW75kvCy5845MkW3bn8GW7hf6w5VqhNRd3bm5RsW1kXmMm4GqNnkW6zKB-g2WSPgJW63t90L4FQwDkW5MnnYc5gw3DhW8KhvHP18km2rW12dTWT60DGNWTKWBf7btb9zW7QHM_c3wb8xkVxhk8s5YqRwtW8N85LP3hFJNFW41qWZM740WtDW7cQXVY2j8K03W8tYnlc970mFMW8c3Sjb8TBM12W6w1_DH4R5J_YW7XvbQD2mbsvxW2GGVC24pzGtBN3KFmcVS7m9wW4qVtP97Vkys5W3RXmc81wL11xW7R_PKS5gjGBCW683c3z4f2ssSW7Xl6fG3KSThFW2pPsQC6c8LYcN3BYqfWmkv81N2RqgtZ-PnKkW6gHKnh4HbRRdW4kQpdB60JJ93W7cSNd54QBw1R3dnv1" target="_blank">AP</a>, <a href="https://newsletter.climatenexus.org/e2t/tc/VVTg4R760tGCW7Xn6DW2DsKp7V_gMC14jyjYJN56dXhV3p_9rV1-WJV7CgMk4W7-BB4W5fGTj-N1Q8rQ6r1whlW4pg9Z-79LTl1N8mb3Bf40dPlW6DpsKP2yrvbgW8QJQm_23f2YKV4DRzn1q4Dc2V7vhRC2HrBtxW2tYRPJ2ctKkDW6ClJm392cFNWW7D6kWb3rWPg2W8CSNRQ8RkxlWW2vChcC6RhTx-Vw6JWF8prLwhW7l-brW1XydqHW1TkMq02vFrYYV935Kr5Lm3YyW8D2JhX5BmkK7VYxFsD1TLsnHW6cs0K084G4M1N6S162FfH9-qV1qTLB8J0tyRW237wqY5X5lR_W4c9_RR6KDfyWW64fwq27p9Lx8W1v5jRx1cfKfC3qsb1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">BBC</a>, <a href="https://newsletter.climatenexus.org/e2t/tc/VVTg4R760tGCW7Xn6DW2DsKp7V_gMC14jyjYJN56dXhh5nxH1V3Zsc37CgNNBW4RRbTC6V0HfZW2dS9lK8qb4s4W5QJldS7JPHPTW92pY6t2DHQFtW6Sx6m47XmbDXW3sJ2s83_hZFwN1ptJ_FFXJRpW4KdhF443TXVsW2zkdhZ2CgXm4W99fYnv3-hl3-W9jZBPs6h8qSCW1fbZNH756STnW8rG3VX7jWCCtW2r_v0N21QFd7W8LhzqB3WcXlLW4BFBpX4bSBX8W2cgnbX5ZQQygW5Wyb8c1ZKYm9W7k15fG1CHy5DW5ZC5dw7f_CSSW5Q339s3Ljhb3W2sXCQ548MQS-N3zfTfw8ggQkW2_FbDC2vkBCGW7NTr7D8Jt1tWN7JS0rk9TKJZW5LZ7jm7LjjHBW1b_6GL2zGgFxW6-JJx97mFG4lN7wrsDc_6HKtW6WbNt44XHy9LVLtFNP29h8YvW663DML96Dm1FW7DG0gq6b-3VrN6C6jgDJf_mwW4Kck011JdmShW3m3Hsc1ynr0bW52dzK72NFB_M3cx-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Reuters</a>; </p><p><strong>Tesla:</strong> <a href="https://newsletter.climatenexus.org/e2t/tc/VVTg4R760tGCW7Xn6DW2DsKp7V_gMC14jyjYJN56dXhV3p_9rV1-WJV7CgMsjW5rlXFG5q_P9TW7q7H2d5WL55LW9l8YRl2fL2l7W2_b3Xx5PwxZzN6LMpDnDgSbFW53cZBY3bLhWhW8GGg3Q7xRnw_W7qyFzJ3r0dzvW8PvXYL5kQv8vW2MbS_34jr5KCW6rMnld7tB6m4W5mml_372m5T8W8JKpKY4Q09NLW3QWMMp41txyDW1KSkrj7xT5t3MH6f4l_tBcQW5pv-VL8KR1bcW61jFBX15vPW-W4cqR2j4GWn0sV6BkJV1tH5y6W7TTWQv2ZrYZ-W7Vm7sB4lMvdTW7QFtTG2TBgqsW99YDb64BVywBW4DqdlX8QrSgPW5lRzTf7ZJK3c37b01" target="_blank">CNN</a>, <a href="https://newsletter.climatenexus.org/e2t/tc/VVTg4R760tGCW7Xn6DW2DsKp7V_gMC14jyjYJN56dXj93p_9LV1-WJV7CgzMFW7SXpjX9hwbFFW6cfp4R1Jr9cSVYzmfg6bpgSjW5t__B-6mZpgbW6wRmnS8jX9c0W40jYph3FHB6SW4cjWpQ1B_v3vW4jZJX-8vvjBKW3PHKrV5qKGFFW3DzHhP8rbHM3N1j4crS71LSqW2GP3_W3F8R6_N9fWh80FL1HfW8d2JfV6k_9MtW45PLXv1-0DQ3W5VbG-g8DQ6R6W1BVc2P119ffdW965c4V4sCpslW5x3W8K6BgPrXW1CGJb61B1yp5W86Hs_p5vhTJzW4sVgf73c7qxQW8-5WZT79y8-yW4yGJ6g8tS0QMW4jqk_42sLRtHW6KXy_36-mC_LW9lp9Y86GLfLZF2PzMXzr7pt3b661" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Wall Street Journal</a>, <a href="https://newsletter.climatenexus.org/e2t/tc/VVTg4R760tGCW7Xn6DW2DsKp7V_gMC14jyjYJN56dXhV3p_9rV1-WJV7CgHJ5W67RW3D7z0FHnN4bvQHgF2m_9W5CHYRd32K5QLW8kRTCT1nQ-6KVKpVlc7n8hsRW7SDLMq3G4DlpVBds0k5zBWlRW7pSGmd3Zr9g8W45Vl2x5SMCvPW151tqw6JW6KcW8BsGbb5cZKMFW3NKgtw7qG--9W75WRlz2SwNpCW6zYb9P7KnvJZW7h4cP052jPFmW233VTz20plxSW1Q_wzs5y6mxJW6HN_Bf8hrKP_W6K3W2M4TM9d4W4_qYbk4jrfP4W4R8YYq8KqLzFW54PhR04ygNbrW7pFgS15wKpfHW772clR7ByP3QW6RynMD2BWGWHW7rCHLt8xZ8MJ34lr1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">FT</a>, <a href="https://newsletter.climatenexus.org/e2t/tc/VVTg4R760tGCW7Xn6DW2DsKp7V_gMC14jyjYJN56dXgp5nxG7V3Zsc37CgYh7W4Sx2T_5H2tmgW93CdTT5h_qQ5W8scbBt5-MvTYW70FRn669f_QhW2GTkgZ8tnW2sW59Fx0j4w5jX1W8bBVyj1T4qL3W12-gBN3bsJctW5lsglx4tpM2GW6V33qp7ThtCcW74-H_96395jGW4xx2156gmpwXW13Fv8z5wjS4ZVvglmd30Q-ydW7q3ftV1_6cZhW5Q00sg4mbfQHW1mc-L94mGqHkMby3myZSSrzW1C80pf8v00xqW6Zz4x941nDkQV1j1-h84LvygW6CD8dr5VBKv2W8twMWY3pRp3jW72qkqk1vRVVJW4MXrBb32k-BdN4M8HJtvXp8hW6-tYf79879KYW8NYkmx7y103hW3T3chk6HfyqNVQRh7Y3Wy6P4W4hnhBT87S6gkW6xVN4n19VwD236gx1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bloomberg</a>, <a href="https://newsletter.climatenexus.org/e2t/tc/VVTg4R760tGCW7Xn6DW2DsKp7V_gMC14jyjYJN56dXgp5nxG7V3Zsc37CgN59W6TD79t8h1HJvW6xsj-Y3k9XVqVpmdsL8ZwrS4N6wTrDnrCZz0W94BXyP97lSrgW12pCbb583ffyN1_57cG1SJR_VXCxpR8d98xnW67nrb385G2_tW72pZpn8plZ1qW33cXzz3kv7LKW57J2z57xHQTmW6HYL8v50PT_XW679rfJ63Q2M9W5vx_2X81ZGkzW1rhcGG1Vv1HyW5ckMNG3fw5qTW8xwvKX61vf_nVxQbg_9dkDXrW8_nJSZ6zjXHFW1dVJlQ684vclW90ntr26ghplCW6wgXm82QcydfW2WtPHs6_QdMmN20yksyCkJkNW7GCn2-4SCx66W8TWy737LcWmYW6m7fsD1S8nS4W2LBJ6x2SYf75N9jb8BTzTf93W5C94J77Vs36RW1z-3p11Jttj63cDv1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Reuters</a></p><p><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" target="_blank" rel="noopener 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A well-insulated, weather-tight house holds heat longer. DonNichols / Getty Images
Living in an energy-efficient home does not just save money on utility bills. A well-insulated, weather-tight house holds heat longer than one that's poorly insulated and drafty.
<p><br/></p>
<iframe style="border: none" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/16549994/height/45/theme/standard/thumbnail/yes/direction/backward/" height="45" width="100%" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe>
<p>Ryan Colker is executive director of the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.resilientalliance.org/">Alliance for National and Community Resilience</a>. He says that if you lose power during a winter storm, the energy efficiency investments that you've made can help keep you in your home.</p><p>A <a target="_blank" href="https://www.urbangreencouncil.org/sites/default/files/2013_baby_its_cold_inside_report.pdf">2014 study</a> from the Urban Green Council found that during a winter blackout in New York City, the temperature inside a typical single-family house would drop to 35 degrees Fahrenheit after just three days. But a high-efficiency house would stay above 60 degrees.</p><p>An efficient house can also stay cooler during a heat wave, even without air conditioning, so it can reduce the risk of heat-related illness.</p>
<p>And Colker says if people can remain safely in their homes, that reduces the burden on a community's limited resources for emergencies.</p><p>"If you can stay in your house, you don't need to go to a shelter, which then reduces the impact on the community," he says.</p><p>So he says that as damaging storms, heat waves, and other extreme weather events grow more common, prioritizing energy efficiency can help communities keep their people safe.</p>
<p class=""><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2020/11/energy-efficient-homes-stay-more-comfortable-during-power-outages/" target="_blank">Yale Climate Connections</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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Men rest on a beach on the shore of the Caspian Sea in front of oil rigs following the easing of strict quarantine measures against the spread of the coronavirus disease in Baku on August 5. TOFIK BABAYEV / AFP Getty Images
By Nik Martin
In April, the price of oil turned negative for the first time in history, just after the coronavirus pandemic hit. As lockdowns were ordered across the world, demand for black gold plummeted, prompting producers to literally pay buyers to take the commodity off their hands.
<p>The price collapse was exacerbated by the Saudi-Russian price war which blew up around the same time, after Moscow refused to moderate oil production to keep prices at a reasonable level. Overproduction, particularly by US shale producers, amplified the effects of the worst oil crisis in decades.</p><p>In the first nine months of this year, Shell, Exxon Mobil, Chevron, BP and Total made a total loss of $36.4 billion (€30.6 billion), compared with last year's $50 billion in profit. As investors took flight, the oil majors were forced to slash costs.</p>
Investment Slashed, Jobs Cut
<p>Exxon, once the world's largest publicly traded oil and gas company, said in the summer that capital expenditure would shrink by 20%, and just last week, announced it would cut 15% of its workforce — shedding some 50,000 jobs. Chevron, Royal Dutch Shell, BP and others have made similar moves, with most slashing investor dividends for the first time in years.</p><p>"The next few years are going to be very difficult," Helal Miah, investment research analyst at The Share Centre, told DW. "But the oil majors have done it before. During the financial crisis, these companies were very good at slashing costs."</p><p>Dozens of smaller firms, however, will struggle to survive. The <em>New York Times</em> reported that more than 50 North American oil and gas companies had already sought bankruptcy protection this year. Many of them took huge risks and even bigger loans to try to compete with the majors.</p><p>This fall, the second wave of the pandemic has forced renewed lockdowns across Europe and will likely prompt a more robust response from US President-elect Joe Biden, who has vowed to create a pandemic task force as soon as he takes office in January. Those measures could cause a further shakeout.</p><p>"The longer the pandemic goes on, the more we'll see the smaller and mid-cap sized oil companies go under, or be taken over by the larger ones," Miah added.</p><p>ConocoPhillips last month bought the independent exploration firm Concho Resources, days after Chevron completed the takeover of rival Noble Energy.</p>Peak Demand or Bottom of Cycle?
<p>Some analysts believe global oil demand may have already peaked, while others believe that if oil prices haven't already, they are close to bottoming out. Seven months on from the unprecedented negative oil price shock, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude, one of the benchmarks for calculating oil prices, stood at $38.15 on Monday.</p><p>The price is still 67% lower than its 2014 peak of $114 a barrel, but closer to the $50 that most large oil companies need to break even. Exxon needs prices of around $75, according to analysts. All the same, the oil majors are not expected to reach their pre-COVID profitability levels until at least the end of 2022.</p><p>Already facing pressure to lead the energy transition and help the world ween itself off its fossil fuel addiction, oil giants have vowed to exploit the crisis to speed up investments in renewable energies.</p><p>"Prior to COVID this [energy transition] was a gradual trend," Peter Hitchens, oil analyst at the London-based Progressive Research, told DW. "The question is will COVID accelerate this trend?"</p><p>European firms like France's Total, the UK's BP and the Anglo-Dutch giant Shell have already begun to prioritize renewable energy, and plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. BP and Shell have announced major offshore wind projects this year.</p>US Oil Giants Shield by Trump
<p>Their US counterparts, on the other hand, have enjoyed protection from outgoing US President Donald Trump's climate skepticism and continue to focus on their traditional oil and gas businesses. If the Biden administration reenters the Paris Climate Agreement, from which Trump withdrew six months after taking office, it will likely put pressure on American oil majors, although it is unlikely to curtail the drilling for hard-to- reach oil through fracking.</p><p>Biden has also hinted at building ties with OPEC members Iran and Venezuela, which are currently subject to harsh sanctions on their oil trade. The Democrats' plan for a huge infrastructure plan, dubbed the Green New Deal, to meet the climate change challenge will still require oil prices to be high enough to make clean energy alternatives to fossil fuels competitive.</p><p>Despite their moves to step up investment in renewables, the Share Centre's Miah sees oil firms still mostly profiting from fossil fuels in the medium term,</p><p>"If we look a decade ahead, I would say that they will still be majority oil and gas companies rather than renewables-focused," he told DW. He added that most investors still see oil as a sensible way of achieving "good, solid returns."</p>Investors Give Wide Berth
<p>Some major London-based institutional investors have taken a different view, however. Asset managers Fidelity International and Sarasin & Partners have blacklisted the likes of Shell and BP over concerns that the green shift will cripple profits.</p><p>Last month, the <em>Daily Mail</em> reported that several asset managers have written to the oil majors requesting full transparency on the true value of their assets, including oil fields, which they claim could be rendered worthless if a slump in oil demand became more permanent.</p><p>Others, like Hitchens, see the fortunes of the oil industry tied in with the duration of the pandemic and how quickly oil demand recovers, once business and everyday life return to normal.</p><p>"The performance will very much reflect the movement in oil prices" and "very much depends on the economic recovery after COVID," he told DW.</p><p>Other analysts are more bullish and think big oil firms, with their deep pockets, have the strength to ride out their worst crisis. They say they'll likely acquire renewable energy firms and continue to thrive despite likely flat oil demand.</p><p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/how-are-oil-companies-dealing-with-the-shift-to-renewables/a-55542378" target="_blank">Deutsche Welle</a>.<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/r/entryeditor/2648827745#/" target="_self"></a></em></p>
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Purdue researcher Joseph Peoples uses an infrared camera to compare the cooling performance of white paint samples on a rooftop. Purdue University photo / Jared Pike
By Kayla Wiles
What if paint could cool off a building enough to not need air conditioning?
<p>Purdue University engineers have created white paint that can keep surfaces up to 18 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than their ambient surroundings – almost like a refrigerator does, but without consuming energy.</p><p>According to the researchers, the paint would replace the need for air conditioning by absorbing nearly no solar energy and sending heat away from the building. Without the building heating up, air conditioning wouldn't have to kick on.</p><p>"It's very counterintuitive for a surface in direct sunlight to be cooler than the temperature your local weather station reports for that area, but we've shown this to be possible," said <a href="https://engineering.purdue.edu/ME/People/ptProfile?resource_id=29343" target="_blank">Xiulin Ruan</a>, a Purdue professor of <a href="https://engineering.purdue.edu/ME" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mechanical engineering</a>.</p>
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="835862ffe8b025c2f0ae633c999ecb08"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/caFzYvYAUo4?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>The paint would not only send heat away from a surface, but also away from Earth into deep space where heat travels indefinitely at the speed of light. This way, heat doesn't get trapped within the atmosphere and contribute to global warming. A video about this project is available on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caFzYvYAUo4&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">YouTube</a>.</p><p>"We're not moving heat from the surface to the atmosphere. We're just dumping it all out into the universe, which is an infinite heat sink," said Xiangyu Li, a postdoctoral researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who worked on this project as a Ph.D. student in Ruan's lab.</p><p>Earth's surface would actually get cooler with this technology if the paint were applied to a variety of surfaces including roads, rooftops and cars all over the world, the researchers said.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDU4OTQ2My9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxMDU3NDQwMn0.xNNLbN-QJDjH_tm0v2mGlBVP3w2F0UrMGiUhBtkpdQY/img.png?width=980" id="b3aaa" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3179d1bb2c45edb948b3ca392a64bb31" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
An infrared camera image shows that white radiative cooling paint developed by Purdue University researchers (left, purple) can stay cooler in direct sunlight compared with commercial white paint. Purdue University image / Joseph Peoples
<p>In a paper published Wednesday (Oct. 21) in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2020.100221" target="_blank">Cell Reports Physical Science</a>, the researchers show that compared with commercial white paint, the paint that they developed can maintain a lower temperature under direct sunlight and reflect more ultraviolet rays.</p><p>Their proof is infrared camera images taken of the two paints in rooftop experiments.</p><p>"An infrared camera gives you a temperature reading just like a thermometer would to judge if someone has a fever. These readings confirmed that our paint has a lower temperature than both its surroundings and the commercial counterpart," Ruan said.</p><p>Commercial "heat rejecting paints" currently on the market reflect only 80%-90% of sunlight and cannot achieve temperatures below their surroundings. The white paint that Purdue researchers created reflects 95.5% sunlight and efficiently radiates infrared heat. </p><p>Developing this paint formulation wasn't easy. The six-year study builds on attempts going back to the 1970s to develop radiative cooling paint as a feasible alternative to traditional air conditioners.</p><p>The researchers considered over 100 different material combinations, narrowed them down to 10 and tested about 50 different formulations for each material. They landed on a formulation made of calcium carbonate, an earth-abundant compound commonly found in rocks and seashells.</p><p>This compound, used as the paint's filler, allowed the formulation to behave essentially the same as commercial white paint but with greatly enhanced cooling properties. These calcium carbonate fillers absorb almost no ultraviolet rays due to a so-called large "band gap," a result of their atomic structure. They also have a high concentration of particles that are different sizes, allowing the paint to scatter a wider range of wavelengths.</p>
<p>According to the researchers' cost estimates, this paint would be both cheaper to produce than its commercial alternative and could save about a dollar per day that would have been spent on air conditioning for a one-story house of approximately 1,076 square feet.</p><p>"Your air conditioning kicks on mainly due to sunlight heating up the roof and walls and making the inside of your house feel warmer. This paint is basically creating free air conditioning by reflecting that sunlight and offsetting those heat gains from inside your house," said Joseph Peoples, a Purdue Ph.D. student in mechanical engineering and a co-author of the work.</p><p>Cutting down on air conditioning also means using less energy produced by coal, which could lead to reduced carbon dioxide emissions, Peoples said. The researchers have further studies underway to evaluate these benefits.</p><p>The researchers are working on developing other paint colors that could have cooling benefits. The team filed an international <a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=WO2020072818&tab=PCTBIBLIO" target="_blank">patent application</a> on this paint formulation through the <a href="https://www.prf.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Purdue Research Foundation</a> <a href="https://www.prf.org/otc/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Office of Technology Commercialization</a>. For further discussion on this intellectual property, please contact D.H.R. Sarma at <a href="mailto:dhrsarma@prf.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">dhrsarma@prf.org</a> and reference track code 2020-ABDE-68815.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2020/Q4/this-white-paint-could-reduce-the-need-for-air-conditioning-by-keeping-surfaces-cooler-than-surroundings.html" target="_blank">Purdue University</a>.</em><br/></p>From Your Site Articles
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Federal Regulators Rule Controversial Mountain Valley Pipeline Can Restart Construction
13 October
Energy
The Mountain Valley Pipeline is proposed to carry natural gas for over 300 miles through the Virginia and West Virginia countryside, crossing over dozens of water sources, through protected areas and crossing the Appalachian Trail. Appalachian Trail Conservancy / YouTube
Construction can continue on most of the controversial Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) ruled Friday.
<p>The <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/pipelines" target="_self">pipeline</a> is scheduled to carry <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/fracking" target="_self">fracked</a> <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/natural-gas" target="_self">natural gas</a> through approximately 300 miles of Virginia and West Virginia, according to <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/520668-energy-regulators-approve-resumed-construction-of-contentious" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Hill</a>. The project was begun in 2018 and originally slated to be completed that same year, <a href="https://ca.reuters.com/article/idINKBN26X2A2" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Reuters reported</a>. But fierce legal opposition from environmental and community groups has significantly delayed the project. The FERC's latest approval comes just months after the owners of another contested Appalachian pipeline, the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/atlantic-coast-pipeline" target="_self">Atlantic Coast Pipeline</a>, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/atlantic-coast-pipeline-canceled-2646347475.html" target="_self">canceled the project</a> after years of similar delays.</p>
<p>"MVP has violated commonsense water protections hundreds of times and allowing them to resume construction just means putting more communities at risk for an unnecessary pipeline that may never even be built," <a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/" target="_blank">Sierra Club</a> Beyond Dirty Fuels senior campaign representative Joan Walker told <a href="https://www.wdbj7.com/2020/10/10/ferc-approves-mountain-valley-pipeline-friday/" target="_blank">WDBJ of the decision</a>. "FERC is supposed to regulate these fracked gas projects, not roll over for them."</p><p>The FERC paused construction of the MVP in 2019 after a federal court halted a Biological Opinion from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), which allows construction in the habitat of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/endangered-species" target="_self">endangered</a> or threatened species, according to Reuters and The Hill. Specifically, the court found fault with the opinion's assessment of the pipeline's impact on imperiled bat species, The Hill reported.</p><p>However, the FWS issued a new opinion in September, according to Reuters, though environmental groups are once again challenging it.</p><p>In light of the new FWS opinion, the FERC ruled two-to-one to allow the pipeline to resume construction along most of its route.</p>
<p>"Based on staff's review of the Mountain Valley Pipeline Project, we agree that completion of construction and final restoration ... where permitted, is best for the environment and affected landowners," Republican commissioners <a href="https://thehill.com/people/indranil-neil-chatterjee" target="_blank">Neil Chatterjee</a> and James Danly wrote.</p><p>However, the pipeline still needs permission to <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/mountain-valley-pipeline-construction-halted-2593256634.html" target="_self">cross</a> the Jefferson National Forest, something dissenting commissioner Democrat Richard Glick pointed out.</p><p>"MVP may eventually receive permission to cross the Jefferson National Forest. But, by allowing it to recommence construction before doing so, the Commission has put the cart before the horse," Glick said, as The Hill reported.</p><p>Pipeline owner Equitrans Midstream Corp. said Monday it would reevaluate its timeline and cost projection for the project based on ongoing lawsuits and anticipated government permits, Reuters reported.</p>
<p>In addition to allowing the pipeline to resume construction Friday, the FERC also extended its certificate for another two years, as the company had requested, <a href="https://appvoices.org/2020/10/09/appalachian-voices-denounces-fercs-greenlight-for-mountain-valley-pipeline-to-resume/" target="_blank">Appalachian Voices reported</a>.</p><p>The extension was granted despite the fact that more than 43,000 people had told the FERC they opposed the move during the public comment period. They noted that the pipeline had already amassed at least 350 environmental violations and $2.26 million in fines over the course of construction so far.</p><p>"It's clear that MVP is pulling out all the stops to rush this project through, and FERC is letting them get away with it," <a href="https://appvoices.org/" target="_blank">Appalachian Voices</a> Virginia Field Coordinator Jessica Sims said. "The agency ignored the 43,000 people who vigorously opposed this project moving forward, and disregarded the hundreds of water quality violations racked up so far. This pipeline was not needed when it was proposed, and is even less needed now. We will continue fighting to stop it."</p>
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Reintroducing wolves is on the ballot in Colorado. Gunner Ries / Wikimedia Commons / CC by 3.0
By Tara Lohan
Maybe we can blame COVID-19 for making it hard to hit the streets and gather signatures to get initiatives on state ballots. But this year there are markedly fewer environmental issues up for vote than in 2018.
While the number of initiatives may be down, there's no less at stake. Voters will still have to make decisions about wildlife, renewable energy, oil companies and future elections.
Here's the rundown of what's happening where.
Return of an Apex Predator
<p>Wolves are on the ballot in Colorado. <a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/ballots/reintroduction-and-management-gray-wolves" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Proposition 114</a> would require the state's Parks and Wildlife Commission to create a plan by 2023 for the reintroduction and management of gray wolves (<em>Canis lupus</em>) in areas west of the continental divide.</p><p>Gray wolves once roamed across the western United States but were mostly eradicated by the 1930s. Slowly efforts are being made to bring them back. The reintroduction of gray wolves to Yellowstone National Park in 1996 has been hailed as a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jan/25/yellowstone-wolf-project-25th-anniversary" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">rewilding success</a>.</p><p>"The argument is that by putting back in wolves — an apex predator that has evolved alongside their prey species — we're putting things back into ecological balance," University of Colorado Boulder ecology professor Joanna Lambert <a href="https://therevelator.org/wolf-reintroduction-colorado/" target="_blank">told <em>The Revelator</em></a> in a February interview about the science behind wolf reintroductions.</p><p>The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Colorado Farm Bureau are two of the top donors to the opposition groups.</p><p>The measure does include compensation for losses of livestock caused by gray wolves.</p><p>"What we're all hoping for is a landscape where we can coexist with the species that were originally here, but also acknowledging that humans need to make a living and that the costs of this initiative will be felt by some folks more than others," Lambert said.</p>Confusion Over Clean Energy
<p>In Nevada voters will take a second swing at a constitutional amendment to require that electric utilities source 50% of their electricity from renewables by 2030. Voters passed the same measure, <a href="https://www.nvsos.gov/sos/home/showdocument?id=8826" target="_blank">Question 6</a>, in 2018, but state law requires that constitutional amendments be passed in two consecutive even-numbered election years.</p><p>More clean energy for the state may seem good. But there's concern that enshrining 50% renewables by 2030 in the state's constitution isn't that ambitious and it will make it harder to continue the push for 100% renewables in the future. To do that would be another constitutional amendment that would again take four years and two consecutive ballot wins to move the needle.</p><p>Also, the state is already on its way to the same renewable goal.</p><p>A legislative effort to achieve 50% renewables by 2030 — but with a slightly different timeline for the increments to get there — was signed into law in April 2019 by Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak. Renewable advocates hope the state will do even better than that benchmark, but passing Question 6 would make it harder.</p>Paying a Fair Share
<p>If California's <a href="https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-measures/qualified-ballot-measures/" target="_blank">Proposition 15</a> passes, commercial and industrial properties will need to start paying taxes based on their current market value, instead of paying based on the purchase price from decades prior (which stems from Proposition 13 passed back in 1978). The initiative would exempt agricultural land, small businesses, renters and homeowners.</p><p>Reassessing the worth of large commercial properties could bring in between $7.5 billion and $12 billion a year that would go toward supporting local governments, school districts and community colleges.</p><p>Most of the <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_15,_Tax_on_Commercial_and_Industrial_Properties_for_Education_and_Local_Government_Funding_Initiative_(2020)" target="_blank">opposition</a> has come from big business and anti-taxation groups.</p><p>The California Teachers Association Issues PAC is the biggest supporter of the effort, but a number of <a href="https://www.yes15.org/endorsers-environment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">environmental groups</a> have also endorsed the measure, which would likely see oil companies and other big industrial polluters having to kick in more money.</p><p>"The oil industry has used Prop. 13 loopholes to evade tens of millions of dollars in property taxes," <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/experts/victoria-rome/nrdc-announces-support-californias-proposition-15" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">wrote Victoria Lome</a>, California legislative director for the Natural Resources Defense Council. "Companies like Chevron, Exxon, Phillips 66, Shell and Tosco are paying taxes based on assessments taken prior to 2000. Prop. 15 would end this hidden subsidy to dirty energy."</p><p>Oil companies could stand to lose in Alaska, too. Voters there will weigh in on <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Alaska_Ballot_Measure_1,_North_Slope_Oil_Production_Tax_Increase_Initiative_(2020)" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ballot Measure 1</a>, which would increase taxes on big oil producers (those that have produced more than 400 million barrels overall or 40,000 barrels a day in the past year) operating in three established oil fields in the North Slope.</p>Taking the Wind Out of the Sails of the Electoral College
<p>Colorado's <a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/ballots/adopt-agreement-elect-us-president-national-popular-vote" target="_blank">Proposition 113</a> isn't about environmental issues directly but could cause big shifts in how presidential elections are run and what states and issues are considered important.</p><p>The initiative would add Colorado to the <a href="https://www.nationalpopularvote.com/written-explanation" target="_blank">National Popular Vote Interstate Compact</a>. That effort is aimed at ensuring the presidential candidate who wins the popular vote wins the election. It doesn't eliminate the Electoral College, but it saps its power.</p><p>The compact needs states representing at least 270 Electoral College votes to go into effect. It's currently at 196.</p><p>If Colorado's proposition is passed, and if the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact eventually gets enough votes to go into effect, then Colorado's nine electoral votes would go to the presidential candidate who wins the popular vote, not to the one who gets the most votes in Colorado.</p>From Your Site Articles
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The Västra Hamnen neighborhood in Malmö, Sweden, runs on renewable energy. Tomas Ottosson / Wikimedia Commons / CC by 3.0
By Harry Kretchmer
By 2030, almost a third of all the energy consumed in the European Union must come from renewable sources, according to binding targets agreed in 2018. Sweden is helping lead the way.
<p>As well as targeting <a href="https://sweden.se/nature/energy-use-in-sweden/" target="_blank">100% renewable electricity production</a> by 2040, the country is <a href="https://www.buildup.eu/sites/default/files/content/transforming-a-residential-building-cluster-into-electricity-prosumers-in-sweden.pdf" target="_blank">transforming homes into highly efficient 'prosumers'</a> - buildings which both produce and consume the vast majority of their own energy.</p><p><span></span>Meanwhile local 'district heating' plants are using excess heat to produce <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421520304080" target="_blank">over 75% of the warmth that Swedish households need</a>. The country also manages to combine the world's highest carbon taxes with <a href="https://www.thelocal.se/20200124/why-electricity-prices-are-low-in-sweden-right-now" target="_blank">relatively cheap energy prices</a>.</p><p>These are all reasons why Sweden tops the <a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Fostering_Effective_Energy_Transition_2020_Edition.pdf" target="_blank">Forum's Energy Transition Index</a> - providing environmental leadership at a time when a <a href="https://www.weforum.org/great-reset/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Great Reset</a> has never been more needed. Here's how Sweden is building up local solutions in its energy revolution.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDQzMzEyOS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1OTU2OTQ1Nn0.lCCzsNTLPm6fhSrx0TYLxHqceeW6KKm2_uItDuHATEc/img.png?width=980" id="a42bf" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3bdefd81caddfc39dd77bf3e0ca9b203" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Sweden is a world leader in renewable energy consumption. Swedish Institute/World Bank
Naturally Warm
<p>54% of Sweden's power comes from renewables, and is helped by its geography. With plenty of moving water and 63% forest cover, it's no surprise the <a href="https://sweden.se/nature/energy-use-in-sweden/#" target="_blank">two largest renewable power sources</a> are hydropower and biomass. And that biomass is helping support a local energy boom.</p><p>Heating is a key use of energy in a cold country like Sweden. In recent decades, as fuel oil taxes have increased, the country's power companies have turned to renewables, like biomass, to fuel local 'district heating' plants.</p><p>In Sweden these trace their <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544217304140#fig3" target="_blank">origins back to 1948</a>, when a power station's excess heat was first used to heat nearby buildings: steam is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/district-heating-system" target="_blank">forced along a network of pipes</a> to wherever it's needed. Today, there are around 500 district heating systems across the country, from major cities to small villages, providing heat to homes and businesses.</p><p>District heating used to be fueled mainly from the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544217304140" target="_blank">by-products of power plants</a>, waste-to-energy plants and industrial processes. These days, however, Sweden is bringing more renewable sources into the mix. And as a result of competition, this localized form of power is now the country's<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544217304140#fig3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> home-heating market leader.</a></p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDQzMzE0OC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxOTk2MDE5NH0.AtGztm8u1Chy4nEcQ4YG0L7Vixfc4a0VhxJ9RM3ZlPc/img.png?width=980" id="a3224" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="bd8e92706785ef8c7aadb1319d23007d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Sweden is using smart grids to turn buildings into energy producers. Huang et al/Elsevier
Energy ‘Prosumers’
<p>But Sweden doesn't stop at village-level heating solutions. Its new breed of energy-generation takes hyper-local to the next level.</p><p>One example is in the city of Ludivika where 1970s flats <a href="https://www.buildup.eu/sites/default/files/content/transforming-a-residential-building-cluster-into-electricity-prosumers-in-sweden.pdf" target="_blank">have recently been retrofitted with the latest smart energy technology</a>.</p><p>48 family apartments spread across 3 buildings have been given photovoltaic solar panels, thermal energy storage and heat pump systems. A micro energy grid connects it all, and helps charge electric cars overnight.</p><p>The result is a cluster of 'prosumer' buildings, producing rather than consuming enough power for 77% of residents' needs. With <a href="http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1232060/FULLTEXT01.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">high levels of smart meter usage</a>, it's a model that looks set to spread across Sweden.</p><div id="d7bf9" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8757b138d5570bec9d6aad18074a429a"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1273556364263071744" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Read more about Western Harbour and book a visit: https://t.co/ujSmVs9rNK 🏡🌳🌊 https://t.co/C5PuPziqIM</div> — Smart City Sweden (@Smart City Sweden)<a href="https://twitter.com/SmartCitySweden/statuses/1273556364263071744">1592474473.0</a></blockquote></div>
Scaling Up
<p>A recent development by E.ON in Hyllie, a district on the outskirts of Malmö, southern Sweden, <a href="https://www.eonenergy.com/blog/2019/February/sweden-smart-city" target="_blank">has scaled up the smart grid principle</a>. Energy generation comes from local wind, solar, biomass and waste sources.</p><p>Smart grids then balance the power, react to the weather, deploying extra power when it's colder or putting excess into battery storage when it's warm. The system is not only more efficient, but bills have fallen.</p><p>Smart energy developments like those in Hyllie, Ludivika, and renewable-driven district heating, offer a radical alternative to the centralized energy systems many countries rely on today.</p><p>The EU's leaders have a challenge: how to generate 32% of energy from renewables by 2030. Sweden offers a vision of how technology and local solutions can turn a goal into a reality.</p>From Your Site Articles
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Households of color are far more likely to spend a disproportionately high portion of their income on energy bills. Wavebreakmedia / iStock / Getty Images Plus
Low-income households and households of color are far more likely to spend a disproportionately high portion of their income on energy bills, according to a new report from The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.
<p>The report comes as tens of millions of American households face possible utility shutoffs by the end of this month as protections enacted in the wake of the pandemic expire. Twenty-five percent of American households, but a full two-thirds of low income households are described as having a "high energy burden," spending double the national average on energy bills as a portion of their income. Compared to white households, Black households spend 43% more of their income on energy costs, Hispanic households spend 20% more; and Native American households spend 45% more.</p>
<p>Racist policies like redlining have made households of color more likely to live in inefficient housing with old, energy-guzzling appliances and HVAC systems, Earther reported. Communities of color have been hit disproportionately hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, and "between having to stay at home to be to protect yourself and to remain socially distant, along with increased heat from the summertime weather … we found customers will see an increased energy bill of up to $50 per month," Joseph Daniel, a senior energy analyst with the climate and energy program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, who did not work on the report, told Earther. </p>
<p>As reported by USA Today, Ariel Drehobl, a senior research associate at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy and the lead author on the report, described a "combination of factors" contributing to the crisis:</p><p>"We see that low-income communities of color and other economically disadvantaged communities often have similar characteristics, such as living in communities that have experienced racial segregation, high unemployment, high poverty rates and poor housing conditions, which are all due in part to systemic policies."<span></span></p>
<p><strong>For a deeper dive:</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/67-of-low-income-households-face-high-energy-burden-aceee/584961/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=95047537&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--EZR87m0Dcnnc819t3emyZM_g10tlSOznpbjED6GZZqd45Vzf8XI3L5FCqYTOl9UDnCAv4tZons6Yms2m_6fAmawv2-g&utm_content=95047537&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">SmartCities Dive</a>, <a href="https://earther.gizmodo.com/poor-households-spend-nearly-four-times-as-much-on-util-1845010294?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=95047537&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8rtCyo7ex3IpVNwXJoSq1S3Io2ZNFi8Hm-Rf9PV9PEIeydS00SXkhM8tEgOydEcIG-KBZWlh_wqcmcQO49QnuTiEq3dA&utm_content=95047537&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Earther</a>, <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/cities/articles/2020-09-10/report-highlights-energy-bill-inequities-in-us-cities?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=95047537&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9Oj6V4V7ps-b5jf9uVoy1nh80QLVh-DxSJIcr6kWCBqRKZKfc4wOQoWX9DaS6KZdF3rzZmHbdiSonMb7AolohDJ6YyVQ&utm_content=95047537&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">U.S. News & World Report</a>, <a href="https://grist.org/justice/report-black-households-spend-almost-50-percent-more-on-utilities-than-white-households/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=95047537&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_cCdYL8ZsUJhjcXduHxa-3IFyRJDsSlPSTSKGFJ33Ddk9IjpQRIJYUO76NvzmgiP5qMgPMecXoD96gribhgwyo_vGwZg&utm_content=95047537&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Grist</a></p><p><a href="https://grist.org/justice/report-black-households-spend-almost-50-percent-more-on-utilities-than-white-households/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=95047537&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_cCdYL8ZsUJhjcXduHxa-3IFyRJDsSlPSTSKGFJ33Ddk9IjpQRIJYUO76NvzmgiP5qMgPMecXoD96gribhgwyo_vGwZg&utm_content=95047537&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" target="_blank"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Twitter</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateNexus/" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, and sign up for daily </em><a href="http://climatenexus.us4.list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=d1f5797e59060083034310930&id=7c84c08aaa" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Hot News</em></a><em>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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A new study finds only 10% of global energy utility companies are expanding their renewable energy capacity at a faster rate than their gas or coal-fired capacity. jwvein / Needpix
By Jo Harper
Only 10% of global energy utility companies are expanding their renewable energy capacity at a faster rate than their gas or coal-fired capacity. That is the main finding of a study by Galina Alova from the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment at the University of Oxford.
<p>The study, published in research journal <em>Nature Energy</em>, found that of the 3,000 utilities studied most remain predominantly invested in fossil fuels. And of those prioritizing renewable energy growth, 60% had not halted expansion of their fossil fuel portfolios.</p><p>The companies with the slowest transition tended to be larger and from outside Europe, Alova told DW. "The renewables-prioritizing cohort of utilities that I identified comprises companies that are overall larger and own a larger market share in the countries where they operate, compared to the other companies," she said. "The key issue is that the majority of these companies continue in parallel to expand their fossil fuel-based capacity, although they do so at a slower rate."</p><p>Her research highlights a gap between what is needed to tackle the climate crisis and "the actions being taken by the utility sector," she added. These companies face the risk of carbon lock-in, given that a third of their fossil fuel capacity has been added in the last 10 years, so is here to stay for decades. "Unless it is retired early, it will render significant shares of their portfolios stranded," Alova said.</p><p>"Although there have been a few high-profile examples of individual electric utilities investing in renewables, this study shows that overall, the sector is making the transition to clean energy slowly or not at all," she said.</p><p>Alova believes inertia in the electricity industry is one key reason for the slow transition.</p>
The Matter of Gas
<p>The report found that 10% of utilities favored growth in gas-fired power plants, dominated by the US utilities exploiting the country's shale gas reserves, followed by Russia and Germany.</p><p>"Renewables and natural gas often go hand in hand," Alova said, adding that companies often choose both in parallel. "So, it might be just in media reports we are getting this image of investing in renewables, but less coverage on continued investment in gas." </p><p>It might also be the case that gas is viewed as a transition fuel, relatively less carbon emitting and providing load-balancing services to intermittent renewables generation, Alova said.</p><p>Dave Jones, senior electricity analyst for independent climate think tank Ember, agrees with Alova that utilities have hindered the transition by "misunderstanding the future of gas." Utilities have a mindset to build big centralized power plants, replacing a coal power plant with a gas power plant, he said. "Fortunately, most of the gas hype across the world is now dying down, as wind and <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/cheap-solar-energy-prices-explained/a-53590607" target="_blank">solar now provide cheaper options</a> for generating electricity," Jones said.</p>Green Movement Taking Place
<p>Over a fifth of Europe's energy was generated by solar panels and wind turbines in the first half of 2020, according to a report by Ember. Denmark came out on top, generating 64% of its energy from these renewable sources, followed by Ireland (49%) and <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/renewables-make-up-over-half-of-germanys-power-mix/a-52986924" target="_blank">Germany</a> (42%).</p><p>In Ember's half-year review released in July, renewables exceeded fossil fuel generation for the first time ever, producing 40% of the EU's power, with fossil fuels contributing 34%. However, globally only a tenth of all energy was generated by these sources during the first half of 2020. </p><p>Last year saw the use of coal to generate electricity around the world fall by a record 3%. In part due to COVID-19, coal generation in the first half of 2020 again broke records with a drop of 8.3%. In the EU, the drop was higher, as coal energy generation fell by nearly a third.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzgzODcwOS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwOTM5NTQ2Mn0.uKpwljXeUk2jEe8I6p2UqRx9U9kR6tAtXPvcD3KTW1U/img.png?width=980" id="ddf6f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7430067a3d895332e32bf4f45ff8ddc6" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p>With many projects delayed by the pandemic, the global capacity to produce electricity from renewable sources is predicted to drop by up to 13% overall this year according to the International Energy Agency.</p>
Slowly Getting There?
<p>Utilities have been slow to understand how quickly wind and solar would drop in price, and also how quickly governments would want to move away from coal. "Many utilities have been caught off guard by the speed of the transition, and have suffered financially ever since," said Jones.</p><p>The world this year has generated one-tenth of its electricity from wind and solar, double from the 5% in 2015, and that increase has led to a fall in market share of coal generation, Jones added. </p><p>Valentina Kretzschmar from consultancy Wood Mackenzie says BP's recently announced strategy has created a new industry benchmark. BP plans to increase investment in its low-emission businesses, including renewable energy, by tenfold in the next decade to $5 billion (€4.5 billion) a year, while cutting back oil and gas production by 40%.</p><p>In July, Royal Dutch Shell won a deal to build a wind farm off the coast of the Netherlands, while France's Total has agreed to make several large investments in solar power in Spain and a wind farm off Scotland. Total also bought an electric and natural gas utility in Spain. Shell has said it will <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/mexico-sells-rights-to-19-offshore-oil-fields-for-over-500-million/a-42393559" target="_blank">delay offshore oil fields in the Gulf of Mexico</a> and in the North Sea.</p><p>US giants like Exxon Mobil and Chevron, however, have been slower than their European counterparts to commit to climate goals.</p><p>"I have seen a substantial shift between companies in the fossil fuel clusters toward renewables," Alova said. "This signals that the companies that have been growing fossil fuel portfolios in the earlier time periods might be switching to renewables more recently."</p>
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Solar photovoltaic panels convert sunlight into energy and help combat the climate crisis. BlackRockSolar / Flickr / CC by 2.0
Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels convert sunlight into energy and continue to play an essential role in the fight to stop the climate crisis. As the pioneering panels of the early 2000s near the end of their 30-year electronic lives, however, they are at risk of becoming the world's next big wave of e-waste.
<p><a href="https://www.irena.org/documentdownloads/publications/irena_ieapvps_end-of-life_solar_pv_panels_2016.pdf" target="_blank">International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)</a>, a leading energy agency, projected that up to 78 million metric tons of solar panels will have reached the end of their life by 2050, resulting in about 6 million metric tons of new solar e-waste annually, reported <a href="https://grist.org/energy/solar-panels-are-starting-to-die-what-will-we-do-with-the-megatons-of-toxic-trash/" target="_blank">Grist</a>.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.irena.org/documentdownloads/publications/irena_ieapvps_end-of-life_solar_pv_panels_2016.pdf" target="_blank">IRENA report</a> noted that since their debut, solar PV deployment has grown at "unprecedented rates," with global installed PV capacity reaching 222 gigawatts (GW) by the end of 2015, with projections rising to 4,500 GW by 2050. <a href="https://earth911.com/eco-tech/recycle-solar-panels/" target="_blank">Earth911</a> reported that solar is the fastest-growing energy source in the world.</p><p>According to recent research, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/renewable-energy-cheaper-than-coal-2645469706.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1" target="_self">wind and solar renewable energy technologies will soon be cheaper than coal globally</a>. This will drive even further deployment of solar panels. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/renewable-energy-growth-us-2641236776.html" target="_self">The United States</a>, China, India, Japan and Germany have planned for "particularly high" deployment, the <a href="https://www.irena.org/documentdownloads/publications/irena_ieapvps_end-of-life_solar_pv_panels_2016.pdf" target="_blank">IRENA report</a> said. As the global PV market continues to expand, so too will the e-waste we can expect when the panels are decommissioned.</p>
<p>IRENA also analyzed the potential upside and value creation of proper end-of-life management of PV panels. It noted that proper management could help shift the world to sustainable long-term development.</p><p>By 2030 and 2050, respectively, the report projected:</p><ul><li>Cumulative PV capacity to be 1,600 GW and 4,500 GW,</li><li>Cumulative PV waste to reach up to 8 million tonnes and 78 million tonnes,</li><li>Value creation to be $450 million and $15 billion in raw materials recovery,</li><li>New industries and employment opportunities to arise from repair, reuse, recycling and treatment of PV panels,</li><li>Enough raw materials recovered to produce 60 million new panels (equivalent to 18 GW) and 2 billion new panels (equivalent to 630 GW).</li></ul><p>Current global panel recycling trends are not yet poised to capitalize on this environmental and economic opportunity. According to <a href="https://grist.org/energy/solar-panels-are-starting-to-die-what-will-we-do-with-the-megatons-of-toxic-trash/" target="_blank">Grist</a>, while the E.U. requires manufacturers to ensure panels are properly recycled, in the U.S., there are no regulatory frameworks requiring the recycling of old panels, except for Washington state. In Japan, India and Australia, recycling requirements are being discussed. Without robust recycling mandates, most of this toxic trash will be sent to landfills.</p>
<p>There, the valuable silver and silicone in solar panels will go to waste and toxic chemicals like lead can leach out.</p><p>Another current challenge is the cost of recycling, which currently far outweighs revenue from recycling and dumping costs.</p><p>"We believe the big blind spot in the U.S. for recycling is that the cost far exceeds the revenue," Arizona State University solar researcher Meng Tao told <a href="https://grist.org/energy/solar-panels-are-starting-to-die-what-will-we-do-with-the-megatons-of-toxic-trash/" target="_blank">Grist</a>. "It's on the order of a 10-to-1 ratio."</p>
<p>Tao estimated that PV recyclers today can get about $3 a panel from recovering the aluminum, copper and glass out of a 60-cell silicon panel, the news report said. Sam Vanderhoof, CEO of Solar CowboyZ, one of the only U.S. companies dedicated to PV recycling, compared it to the cost of recycling that panel in the U.S. — between $12 and $25 — due to transportation costs. Grist also estimated that states that allow dumping charge less than $1 to toss the same panel into a solid waste landfill.</p><p>As a result, only about 10 percent of panels are currently recycled in the U.S.; the rest go to the landfill or are shipped overseas to countries with more lax environmental rules, the news report said.</p><p>"If we don't mandate recycling, many of the modules will go to landfill," Tao told Grist.</p>
<p>Better design of panels to align with recycling capabilities could help increase recycling rates, reported <a href="https://www.greenmatch.co.uk/blog/2017/10/the-opportunities-of-solar-panel-recycling" target="_blank">GreenMatch</a>. New recycling methods may more efficiently extract and purify valuable silver and silicone, helping to improve the cost/dump to revenue ratios, <a href="https://grist.org/energy/solar-panels-are-starting-to-die-what-will-we-do-with-the-megatons-of-toxic-trash/" target="_blank">Grist</a> reported. Industry researchers are also brainstorming ways to repair and resell panels still in good condition and to repurpose old panels for things like e-bike charging stations and housing complexes, the news report found.</p><p>For the solar industry to substantially grow to meet global demands and to support a clean energy revolution, it will need supportive policies and regulations and a means to deal with the e-waste glut that will soon result.</p><p>"We need to face the fact that solar panels do fail over time, and there's a lot of them out there," Vanderhoof told Grist. "And what do we do when they start to fail? It's not right throwing that responsibility on the consumer, and that's where we're at right now."</p>
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