News Feeds | ecology.iww.org (2024)

Environment News Service - Thu, 01/25/2024 - 17:44

Categories: H. Green News

Renew Economy - Thu, 01/25/2024 - 17:43

Atmos and Nomad plan 100 MW, four hour (400 MWh) battery in the wheat-belt area of Western Australia.

The post Atmos plans four-hour big battery in W.A. wheatbelt in further boost to storage appeared first on RenewEconomy.

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Environment News Service - Thu, 01/25/2024 - 17:40

Categories: H. Green News

Environment News Service - Thu, 01/25/2024 - 17:30

Categories: H. Green News

North American Windpower - Thu, 01/25/2024 - 17:10

Offshore wind power developer Ørsted has withdrawn from the Maryland Public Service Commission orders approving the Skipjack 1 and 2 projects: a 966 MW development planned off the coast of the Delmarva peninsula.

The company says it intends to “reposition” the projects “for future offtake opportunities.”

Ørsted notes that the “payment amounts for ORECs set forth in the orders are no longer commercially viable because of today’s challenging market conditions, including inflation, high interest rates and supply chain constraints.”

The company does intend to continue advancing development and permitting for the combined project, including the submission of its updated construction and operations plan to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM).

“As we explore the best path forward for Skipjack Wind, we anticipate several opportunities and will evaluate each as it becomes available,” comments David Hardy, executive vice president and CEO of the Americas at Ørsted.

The post Skipjack Wind Offshore Development Hits a Snag appeared first on North American Windpower.

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Food Tank - Thu, 01/25/2024 - 16:26

At a recent Summit during the Sundance Film Festival, Food Tank and 360 Communications presented a program dedicated to the intersection of food systems, the environment, and the arts. Panelists discussed the power of storytelling to drive change and the new documentaries emerging to spotlight solutions for eaters and the planet.

“Every problem has a solution,” says Josh Tickell, one of the filmmakers behind “Common Ground,” a new documentary that profiles farmers across the United States using regenerative agriculture practices to heal the Earth. “And so if a film isn’t conveying a solution, we’re in the old paradigm of environmental documentary storytelling.”

“Wild Hope,” for example, is a multi-episode series that follows changemakers around the world working to reverse biodiversity loss. “Abundance,” tells the story of the college students who mobilized at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to connect farms with surplus produce to food banks. And “Gather” portrays the growing movement of Native Americans to reclaim their spiritual, political and cultural identities through food.

For many of the filmmakers behind these documentaries, their goal is to energize and inspire viewers to take action.

“The series was never supposed to be a series,” says Jared Lipworth, Executive Producer of “Wild Hope” and Head of HHMI Tangled Bank Studios. “It was an anchor for a movement. And the movement was to get people to get activated.” On the series’ website, audiences can find action items tied to the theme of each episode.

And the team behind “Common Ground” is using momentum around the film to help build support for regenerative agriculture. They are currently offering resources to help consumers eat more sustainably and are pushing forward a movement to regenerate 100 million acres of land in the U.S.

Some speakers, including Sanjay Rawal, the filmmaker behind “Gather” are also excited for the documentaries that have yet to be made. “We need to find ways to get cameras into kids’ hands…and tell them that what they’re doing is going to be critical for their movement.”

Listen to a special series of conversations from the Summit available on “Food Talk with Dani Nierenberg,” to hear more about the films that are highlighting food systems solutions, how chefs are taking on leadership roles in their communities, and the process of turning hours of footage into a full-length documentary.

Articles like the one you just read are made possible through the generosity of Food Tank members. Can we please count on you to be part of our growing movement?Become a member today by clicking here.

Photo courtesy of Ngobeni Communications, Unsplash

The post Solutions on Screen: The Power of Documentaries to Spur Food Systems Change appeared first on Food Tank.

Categories: A3. Agroecology

Migrant Workers Alliance for Change - Thu, 01/25/2024 - 15:47

En lugar de detener la inmigración, deberíamos regular a los inversores y promotores que impulsan y se benefician de los altísimos precios de la vivienda.

Por Syed Hussan

Dondequiera que miremos, nos dicen que un aumento desenfrenado de la inmigración está provocando un aumento vertiginoso de los precios de las viviendas y los alquileres.
Las páginas de opinión de los periódicos de todo el país han hecho eco de esta conexión. Bloomberg News advirtió recientemente que “los crecientes costos de la vivienda corren el riesgo de erosionar el apoyo a la inmigración”. Otro columnista insta: “En medio de la crisis inmobiliaria de Canadá, la inmigración debe ser más lenta”. El primer ministro de Ontario, Doug Ford, insiste en que la rezonificación del cinturón verde (que ahora sabemos fue determinada por l@s promotor@s) es necesaria para construir viviendas “para el millón de recién llegad@s”. Maxime Bernier, el siempre elegante líder del Partido Popular de Canadá, de extrema derecha, ha estado tuiteando que l@s canadienses pronto se verán obligad@s a aceptar inmigrantes en sus hogares.
La historia que nos cuentan es simple oferta y demanda: hay más inmigrantes, están comprando y alquilando más, lo que hace que los precios suban, y la solución es reducir drásticamente el número de recién llegad@s. Esto no es cierto. La verdad es que necesitamos viviendas públicas, sociales y más asequibles, y congelar los beneficios y los aumentos de los alquileres. El aumento masivo de los precios de la vivienda y los alquileres simplemente no es proporcional al aumento de la demanda ni al aumento de la inmigración; se trata del hecho de que l@s inversores y promotores pueden fijar el precio que quieran y lo hacen sin control. La simple construcción de casas nuevas no aliviará la presión.
Si bien la inmigración y la vivienda están conectadas, como todo lo está, una no está causando la crisis en la otra. Este es el por qué.

1. No ha habido un aumento masivo de residentes permanentes

Much@s polític@s y expert@s apuntan a un aumento de inmigrantes al señalar los 431.645 residentes permanentes que fueron aprobados en 2022.

¿Pero por qué este número? En 2020, como resultado de la pandemia de COVID-19, Canadá trajo 156.000 residentes permanentes menos de lo previsto. Para cubrir ese déficit, en 2021, 2022 y 2023 se admitirán aproximadamente 50.000 inmigrantes más de lo previsto inicialmente. Esto distorsiona los datos. Las personas que señalan el aumento repentino en comparación con 2017 y 2018, cuando las cifras fueron más bajas, se están perdiendo el panorama completo.

2. Much@s “nuev@s” residentes permanentes ya viven aquí

Aún más importante es que el año pasado alrededor del 45 por ciento de l@s nuev@s resident@s permanentes fueron personas que pasaron de un estatus temporal. En otras palabras, ya vivían aquí. Su cambio de estatus no afectaría la demanda general de vivienda.
Una cifra más precisa sería un@s 285.000 “nuev@s” residentes permanentes que llegaron a Canadá el año pasado.

3. La mayoría de l@s recién llegad@s son trabajador@s migrantes, estudiantes y solicitantes de refugio.

Sin embargo, Canadá ha experimentado un fuerte aumento en el número de personas que llegan como inmigrantes temporales. En 2022 se expidieron casi 460.000 permisos temporales más que en 2018, un aumento de casi el 63 por ciento. Este número incluye trabajador@s migrantes, estudiantes y nuev@s solicitantes de asilo.
Los nuevos permisos no significan necesariamente que haya habido un aumento neto de la población. Si bien llegan personas nuevas, otras se van y algunas renuevan sus permisos el mismo año en que se les expidió por primera vez, lo que significa que se les contabiliza dos veces.

4. L@s inmigrantes son pobres y no compran viviendas.

Según el censo de 2021, el 41.8 por ciento de l@s residentes no permanentes viven en la pobreza y el 16.1 por ciento de los inmigrantes recientes. Eso es mucho más alto que el promedio nacional del 8.1 por ciento y el promedio de tod@s l@s inmigrantes, que es del 9,1 por ciento. Much@s de est@s trabajador@s (aquell@s en la agricultura, la pesca, el trabajo de cuidados y más) viven en viviendas increíblemente inhumanas y controladas por sus empleador@s. En particular en la agricultura, l@s inmigrantes son almacenados sin sus familias, sin agua potable ni privacidad.
Much@s de est@s trabajador@s ni siquiera compiten por viviendas de alquiler, y mucho menos por comprar viviendas. Otr@s, como l@s estudiantes internacionales, tienden a alquilar, pero a menudo todavía en condiciones precarias y de explotación.
Muchos inmigrantes también son pobres y, al igual que l@s inmigrantes temporales, no son ell@s l@s que aumentan la demanda de vivienda. Son las personas que enfrentan una crisis inmobiliaria.

5. Los precios de la vivienda están aumentando mucho más rápidamente que la población

Incluso si todo el nuevo crecimiento demográfico es causado por la inmigración, el argumento de que la inmigración está provocando el aumento de los precios de la vivienda todavía no tiene sentido. El aumento demográfico en los últimos dos años fue del 3.9 por ciento, pero los precios de alquiler se dispararon un astronómico 20 por ciento. El precio de referencia para comprar una vivienda también ha aumentado más marcadamente que el de la población, disparándose un 6.3 por ciento sólo en el último año.
Además, Canadá tiene una tasa de natalidad en descenso. Un país necesita 2.1 hij@s por mujer para reemplazar la población, mientras que la tasa de fertilidad de Canadá cayó a un mínimo histórico de 1.4 hij@s por mujer en 2020.
En el futuro previsible, todo el crecimiento demográfico de Canadá se deberá a la inmigración. Pero sin inmigración, la población de Canadá disminuiría y el país experimentaría el correspondiente colapso en la industria y la calidad de vida.
Por primera vez en mucho tiempo, el aumento de la población se está produciendo en cohortes de adultos jóvenes y adultos y no en niñ@s. La población también está envejeciendo y viviendo más tiempo. Las necesidades sociales y económicas de esta nueva dinámica poblacional requieren diferentes decisiones infraestructurales, desde transporte y vivienda más accesibles hasta una mejor atención médica para las personas mayores.
Las soluciones reales de vivienda beneficiarían a todos

Pedir que se detenga la inmigración no es la solución a la crisis inmobiliaria de Canadá. Si la inmigración permanente disminuye, los empleadores seguramente se quejarán de la escasez de mano de obra y pedirán traer más trabajador@s extranjer@s temporales explotables. Muchas de esas personas eventualmente se irán o quedarán indocumentadas cuando expire su estatus temporal.
Esto es exactamente lo que ha sucedido en Quebec. El primer ministro François Legault se ha opuesto públicamente a la inmigración a la provincia. Pero desde su elección en 2018, el número de trabajador@s extranjer@s temporales que ingresan a Quebec cada año ha aumentado un 117 por ciento, en comparación con el aumento nacional del 61 por ciento.

Reprimir la inmigración no impide que l@s recién llegad@s entren a Canadá; sólo significa que quienes llegan tienen aún menos derechos.
Las soluciones reales, como congelar los aumentos de los alquileres y aumentar la producción de viviendas públicas, beneficiarían a todos los que luchan contra los costos astronómicos de la vivienda. También permitirían a inmigrantes y migrantes que realizan trabajos vitales como construir y limpiar casas; cultivar, envasar y entregar alimentos; y el cuidado de l@s niñ@s, l@s enferm@s y l@s adultos mayores, la seguridad para permanecer en el país con dignidad.
Necesitamos oponernos a la vinculación racista de la migración con los precios de la vivienda. L@s inmigrantes en el país necesitan más derechos, no menos, y eso significa estatus de residente permanente para tod@s. En acciones en todo el país el 17 de septiembre, los migrantes y sus aliados pedirán precisamente eso.

The post Los medios culpan a l@s inmigrantes por la crisis inmobiliaria. Estan equivocados appeared first on Migrant Workers Alliance for Change.

Categories: C4. Radical Labor

North American Windpower - Thu, 01/25/2024 - 15:29

Equinor has entered into a swap transaction with bp under which Equinor will take full ownership of the Empire Wind lease and projects and bp will take full ownership of the Beacon Wind lease and projects.

Subject to certain conditions, Equinor will also take over bp’s 50% share of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal lease, while bp will take over Beacon Wind Holdings and the associated project company holding the Astoria Gateway for Renewable Energy site and will become the operator of the Beacon Wind projects. The transaction will be cash neutral, except for standard settlements of cash and working capital items.

Following the signing of the agreement, a bid was submitted for the Empire Wind 1 project in New York’s fourth offshore wind solicitation round. It has also been agreed with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to terminate the Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Certificate Purchase and Sale Agreement for the Beacon Wind 1 project.

“We aspire to be a leading company in the energy transition,” says Pål Eitrheim, executive vice president of renewables at Equinor. “Building on our experience as a leading player in U.S. offshore wind, we now take full ownership of a mature, large-scale offshore wind project in a key energy market, where we have built a strong local organization.”

The post Equinor Takes Ownership of Empire Wind Through bp Swap appeared first on North American Windpower.

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Climate and Capitalism - Thu, 01/25/2024 - 15:25

Organic carbon emissions equal all other Canadian sources combined

Source

Categories: B3. EcoSocialism

The Red Nation - Thu, 01/25/2024 - 14:46

Jan 24, 2021 – Settlers Gone Wild: Inauguration Hangover

Kim Tallbear,Andray Domise,andMelanie Yazziejoin co-hostsNickandJenfor a post-inauguration recap.

Listen to The Red Nation Podcast on Spotify, SoundCloud, and Apple Podcasts. Listen and download for free on Libsyn.

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#Throwback
The Red Nation Podcast: 
Jan 24, 2021 – Settlers Gone Wild: Inauguration Hangover
Kim Tallbear,Andray Domise,andMelanie Yazziejoin co-hostsNickandJenfor a post-inauguration recap.
Listen to The Red Nation Podcast on Spotify, SoundCloud, and Apple Podcasts. Listen and download for free on Libsyn.
https://therednation.org/the-red-nation-podcast-throwback-2/ Link in bio!

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The Red Nation Podcast is sustained by comrades and supporters like you, power our work here:www.patreon.com/redmediapr

The post The Red Nation Podcast #Throwback appeared first on The Red Nation.

Categories: B3. EcoSocialism

Migrant Workers Alliance for Change - Thu, 01/25/2024 - 14:44

Una demanda colectiva propuesta busca una mayor libertad laboral y acceso al seguro de desempleo (EI).

Traducción del articulo de: 4 Jan 2024The Tyee Zak Vescera is The Tyee’s labour reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by theLocal Journalism Initiative.

El año pasado, casi 12.000 trabajadores viajaron desde México, Guatemala y todo el mundo para trabajar en granjas a la Columbia Británica.

A cada un@ de ell@s se le dedujo una parte de su sueldo para cubrir las primas del seguro de desempleo.

Pero a diferencia de l@s trabajador@s radicados en Canadá, l@s trabajador@s agrícolas migrantes casi nunca pueden reclamar ese dinero una vez que sus contratos terminan y ya no están trabajando.

Y ahora, l@s trabajador@s agrícolas migrantes están intentando demandar al gobierno federal, alegando que se les deben cientos de millones en daños.

Una propuesta de demanda colectiva presentada en Ontario el mes pasado dice que esos programas, que trajeron a más de 70.000 trabajador@s a Canadá con visas temporales en 2021, violan los derechos de la Carta al obligar a l@s trabajador@s a trabajar para un solo empleador y pagar beneficios gubernamentales que casi ninguno de ell@s realmente pueden reclamar.

Jody Brown, socia de una de las tres empresas de Ontario que presentaron la demanda colectiva en nombre de un par de trabajador@s migrantes, dice que piden hasta 500 millones de dólares en daños generales y punitivos para las decenas de miles de trabajador@s migrantes que han llegado a Canadá. en los últimos 15 años.

Brown dice que también están buscando cambios de política, incluido el fin de los permisos de trabajo “cerrados”, que transformarían un programa que se ha vuelto fundamental para el sector agrícola de Canadá.

“No queremos que eso termine. Queremos que aún puedan venir a Canadá a trabajar”, dijo Brown, que trabaja en la oficina de Goldblatt Partners LLP en Toronto. “Pero cuando se trata de trabajo condicionado, es una forma de esclavitud por contrato”.

La demanda no ha sido certificada por el Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Ontario. Incluso si lo fuera, dice Brown, probablemente tomaría años llegar a una conclusión.

Pero defensores y observadores dicen que es un serio desafío legal a un sistema de trabajo que, según dicen, discrimina a l@s trabajador@s extranjeros vulnerables.

En 1966, trabajador@s de Jamaica comenzaron a llegar a Canadá bajo el Programa de Trabajador@s Agrícolas Temporales con visas temporales para trabajar en granjas. El programa se ha ampliado a lo largo de los años a medida que Canadá forjó acuerdos con otros países, incluido México, e introdujo otra corriente separada para trabajador@s agrícolas bajo el Programa de Trabajador@s Extranjeros Temporales.

Casi todos l@s trabajador@s tienen permisos de trabajo cerrados que sólo les permiten trabajar para un único empleador. Por lo general, también viven en las granjas donde trabajan.

Una investigación de Tyee de 2023 sobre esos programas en B.C. este año encontró evidencia de viviendas inadecuadas, robo de salarios y abuso de trabajador@s que, según sus defensores, quedan en gran medida impunes.

Mitch Ward, un defensor de l@s trabajador@s de la Sociedad de Servicios para Inmigrantes Shuswap en Salmon Arm, dice que la naturaleza restrictiva de los permisos de trabajo convierte a l@s trabajador@s migrantes en blanco de explotación por parte de sus empleadores.

“Creo que estos permisos cerrados son increíblemente peligrosos”, dijo Ward. “Es una vulnerabilidad estructurada en beneficio del empleador”. Los permisos significan que si l@s trabajador@s se quejan de abusos, no sólo perderán sus empleos sino que tendrán que regresar a sus países de origen.

Si bien l@s trabajador@s han podido solicitar un permiso de trabajo abierto temporal desde 2019, solo pueden hacerlo si pueden demostrar que ya han sido víctimas de abuso.

Eso requiere presentar una solicitud exitosa en inglés o francés, a pesar de que la gran mayoría de l@s trabajador@s agrícolas provienen de países donde ninguno de los dos es un idioma oficial.

Trabajador@s vulnerables
La mayoría de l@s trabajador@s agrícolas extranjer@s temporales que solicitan un permiso de trabajo abierto de emergencia en Columbia Británica son rechazad@s.

Los datos obtenidos por The Tyee indican que aproximadamente la mitad de esas solicitudes fueron rechazadas en 2022.

Pagar por una cobertura de Seguro de Desempleo (EI) que no existe

Una de las afirmaciones centrales de la demanda es que Canadá ha exigido injustamente a l@s trabajador@s agrícolas migrantes que contribuyan al programa de seguro de desempleo del país, aunque casi nunca pueden reclamar beneficios.

L@s trabajador@s que vienen a Canadá reciben un número de seguro social temporal y, como tod@s l@s residentes o ciudadan@s permanentes, pagan una prima del EI cada semana en función de su salario. Sus empleador@s también hacen contribuciones.

Pero l@s trabajador@s sólo pueden reclamar EI si residen en el país. Y como l@s trabajador@s inmigrantes que pierden su empleo tienen que abandonar Canadá, no pueden reclamar el beneficio.

“Para poder cobrar EI, hay que estar preparado y poder trabajar en Canadá. Eso simplemente no se aplica a las personas cuando la estructura de su trabajo es que tienen que abandonar el país cuando dejan de trabajar”, dijo Brown.

Ward, quien ha pasado años apoyando a l@s trabajador@s agrícolas migrantes en el Interior de B.C., dijo que ha ayudado a much@s a presentar solicitudes de EI.

Much@s de es@s trabajador@s, dijo Ward, vienen con contratos “en serie” para recolectar diversas frutas a medida que llegan a la temporada en toda Columbia Británica, especialmente en Okanagan. Si una temporada se ve interrumpida por un incendio, una inundación o el mal tiempo, es posible que puedan conseguir un nuevo contrato para cosechar otra cosecha. Pero en muchos casos, su temporada se acorta y no les queda más remedio que regresar a casa. Incluso en esos casos, l@s trabajador@s no pueden reclamar EI, lo que a menudo los deja con ingresos mucho menores de los que esperaban ganar.

Este año, los incendios forestales y el calor abrasador en B.C. trastornó la cosecha de much@s productor@s de frutas y obligó a cientos de trabajador@s migrantes a huir de las granjas.

Algun@s trabajador@s pudieron acceder a un pago de emergencia único de $1,000, pero no pudieron reclamar un seguro de desempleo para compensar el dinero perdido.

Ward dijo que, según su experiencia, l@s único@s trabajador@s que pueden reclamar EI son aquell@s que tienen visas abiertas temporales después de haber sido víctimas de abuso.

La demanda presentada en Ontario estima que desde 2008, l@s trabajador@s migrantes pueden haber pagado hasta 197 millones de dólares al sistema de IE. Sus empleador@s, en el mismo período, pueden haber contribuido hasta 275 millones de dólares.

Chris Ramsaroop, organizador de Justicia para l@s Trabajador@s Migrantes en Ontario, dijo que l@s trabajador@s se han quejado durante mucho tiempo de que se les obliga a pagar al IE a pesar de que rara vez pueden aprovecharlo.

“Es posible que l@s trabajador@s no hayan utilizado la palabra ‘robo de salarios’, pero en gran medida vieron esto como un robo de sus salarios”, dijo Ramsaroop.

Presión creciente por cambios

Canadá, l@s empleadores y los gobiernos provinciales han defendido los programas para trabajador@s agrícolas migrantes, argumentando que los casos de abuso y explotación son raras excepciones y no un problema sistémico.

Pero recientemente, l@s funcionari@s han abierto la puerta al cambio. Marc Miller, el ministro federal a cargo del expediente, dijo en un comité en noviembre que estaba planeando reformas a los programas de trabajador@s extranjer@s temporales de Canadá destinadas a prevenir abusos.

Miller dijo que los permisos de trabajo cerrados continuarían, pero insinuó que estaba abierto a “una forma de permiso más abierta o regional”. Un comité del Senado que examina el tema ha planteado una idea similar, argumentando que podría ser económicamente beneficiosa y daría más flexibilidad a l@s trabajador@s inmigrantes.

Brown dice que tal sistema obligaría a l@s propietari@s de granjas a competir por emplead@s, lo que les exigiría mejorar los salarios y las condiciones laborales.

“Mientras creen condiciones de trabajo decentes, no tienen nada de qué preocuparse. Todavía habrá gente que querrá venir a Canadá a trabajar, pero tendrán más derechos en términos de su trabajo”, dijo Brown.

No todo el mundo está de acuerdo con las ideas. En entrevistas anteriores con The Tyee, las asociaciones agrícolas argumentaron que los permisos de trabajo regionalizados o específicos de la industria serían difíciles de implementar, especialmente porque l@s propietari@s de granjas a menudo gastan su propio dinero para traer trabajadores migrantes a Canadá.

Y algun@s defensor@s, como Ramsaroop, argumentan que un permiso sectorial no es suficiente. “Básicamente estamos atando a l@s trabajador@s a una industria precaria en lugar de a un empleador precario”, dijo.

Ward dijo que su preferencia sería que l@s trabajador@s agrícolas inmigrantes puedan obtener el estatus de residencia permanente. Pero dice que cualquier alejamiento de los permisos cerrados es un paso en la dirección correcta.

“Cualquier cosa que podamos hacer para poner fin a estos permisos cerrados seguramente será beneficioso”, dijo Ward.

La declaración de demanda sostiene que el sistema de permisos vinculados se deriva directamente de las políticas gubernamentales racistas de la década de 1960, que buscaban negar a l@s trabajador@s negr@s y otr@s trabajador@s racializados los mismos beneficios otorgados a los emplead@s canadienses.

Brown dijo que incluso si los tiempos han cambiado, ese sistema no.

“La misma política que se creó entonces, que se creó en base a estos sentimientos, es el mismo programa hoy. No ha cambiado estructuralmente en absoluto”, afirmó. [Tye]

The post L@s trabajador@s agrícolas migrantes acuden a los tribunales para luchar por sus derechos y 500 millones de dólares appeared first on Migrant Workers Alliance for Change.

Categories: C4. Radical Labor

Environment News Service - Thu, 01/25/2024 - 14:38

Categories: H. Green News

Environment News Service - Thu, 01/25/2024 - 14:36

Categories: H. Green News

Environment News Service - Thu, 01/25/2024 - 14:33

Categories: H. Green News

NGI Shale Daily - Thu, 01/25/2024 - 13:57

Facing bearish weather headwinds into early February, regional natural gas forward prices generally drifted lower during the Jan. 18-24 trading period, NGI’s Forward Look data show.

Amid a return to the unseasonably mild temperatures that dominated forecast maps prior to a mid-January Arctic cold blast, fixed prices at numerous hubs impacted by the deep freeze saw notable declines. Losses were especially pronounced at the front of the curve in many instances.

In the Midwest, Chicago Citygate fixed prices tumbled 60.6 cents for February to end the Jan. 18-24 period at $3.159/MMBtu. Over in the Midcontinent, Northern Border Ventura plunged $1.056 to finish at $4.009 for February.

[Actionable Insight: Did you know that NGI is one of only two Price Reporting Agencies that include trade data from the Intercontinental Exchange? Find out more.]

In New England, Tenn Zone 6 200L February fixed prices dropped $1.034 for the period to $8.049.

Near-month losses at a number of locations outpaced the declines at benchmark Henry Hub, which shed 22.8 cents for February to fall to $2.663.

Several Northeast demand hubs, including Tenn Zone 6, Algonquin Citygate and Transco Zone 6 NY, also saw notable weakening in basis differentials for winter 2024/25 contracts, Forward Look data show.

The mid-January deep freeze across much of the Lower 48 made a sizable dent in the Lower 48 storage buffer, but impacts from the extreme cold were set to be “completely offset by one of the warmest patterns of the past 50 years,” NatGasWeather said in an updated discussion of the 15-day temperature outlook Thursday.

The most recent weather data maintained “an exceptionally warm/red/bearish setup” through Feb. 8, “especially so over the northern and eastern U.S.,” NatGasWeather said. Temperatures were expected to climb to 15-30 degrees above normal, “and with very little coverage of subfreezing highs, a rarity for late January into February.”

Forecasts advertised colder weather systems impacting western portions of the country early next month, but these were likely to “struggle advancing into the important eastern half of the U.S. as a stubborn warm ridge holds strong,” according to the firm.

Western Basis Mark-Up

Despite the broader downward pressure on Lower 48 natural gas prices, basis strengthening was the prevailing theme in the Western Lower 48 for the Jan. 18-24 period, led by hefty mark-ups across the strip at the perennially constrained SoCal Citygate.

Basis differentials at the Southern California hub jumped by around $1 or more for each month throughout the upcoming injection season.

Week/week gains were largest for August, with basis surging to plus-$4.940, a $1.908 swing higher.

An updated system maintenance outlook for February posted to the Southern California Gas (SoCalGas) electronic bulletin board listed a number of planned maintenance events that could restrict capacity on the operator’s system in the coming months.

This included a hydrotest on Line 4000 that would reduce capacity on the SoCalGas Northern Zone by 555 MMcf/d between April 1 and Oct. 30, according to the document.

The Southern California market has been no stranger to infrastructure constraints driving up premiums. The bid under 2024 basis differentials during the Jan. 18-24 period suggested traders were bracing for history to repeat itself once again.

Basis differentials also strengthened at a number of other western Lower 48 hubs during the period, particularly for peak summer 2024 contracts and for winter 2024/25.

Opal basis rallied 48.8 cents for August to end at an 83.3-cent premium to Henry Hub. August basis at Northwest Sumas surged 46.2 cents to plus-83.2 cents.

Too Early To Write Off Winter

After plummeting on the blowtorch-warm late January and early February temperature outlook, Nymex futures showed signs of finding a bottom earlier in the week, bouncing off of lows in the $2.300 vicinity.

Prices pulled back on Thursday following a 320 Bcf withdrawal from the latest U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) storage report. The print, accounting for the widespread impacts of the recent Arctic blast, ranked as one of only three withdrawals 300 Bcf or greater in magnitude on record going back to 2010.

Still, the withdrawal figure failed to offer any surprises when compared to the market’s lofty pre-report expectations.

The soon-to-expire February Nymex contract fell 7.0 cents Thursday to settle at $2.571. March settled at $2.180, off 8.2 cents.

Recent forecasts suggested a “resolutely bearish” weather outlook, but it’s still too soon to write off winter, according to EBW Analytics Group analyst Eli Rubin.

The month of February has delivered disruptive winter weather events in recent years, and next month could serve up “another massive February cold event” that could reshape the supply/demand outlook, the analyst said.

“While underlying fundamentals appear oversupplied — the market is likely to carry both a hefty storage surplus and record production into the 2024 injection season — winter weather can quickly pare down anticipated storage risks,” Rubin said. “Just as calling the end of winter in mid-December would have missed the early January Nymex charge higher, suggesting the end of winter in mid-to-late January may similarly prove premature.”

The post Natural Gas Forwards Retreat on Warm Early February, Though Basis Strengthens Out West appeared first on Natural Gas Intelligence

Categories: J2. Fossil Fuel Industry

Climate Code Red - Thu, 01/25/2024 - 13:44

The "production gap". Government plans and projections would lead to an increase in global coal production until 2030, and in global oil and gas production until at least 2050 (UNEP).

by David Spratt and Ian Dunlop, first published at Pearls and Irritations.

This is the second article in a two-part series. Read the first part here.

The heat and extreme climate records of 2023 shocked scientists. So where are we heading? Given current trends, the world will zoom past 2°C of warming and the Paris climate goal of limiting warming to 1.5-2°C.

Climate model scenarios similar to current policies project 2°C of warming before 2050; if James Hansen is right (see Part 1) and warming sharply accelerates, it could be a decade sooner. These outcomes will be driven by the high energy imbalance, continuing high emissions, the accelerating accumulation of heat in the oceans, and decreases in short-term aerosol cooling.

Several years ago a group of eminent scientists proposed a “carbon law”, which said that keeping warming to 2°C required emissions to be halved every decade from 2020 onwards, including a halving between 2020 and 2030, plus some carbon drawdown. Instead, the level of greenhouse gases and coal use both hit record highs in 2023. And the largest national fossil fuel producers plan to keep on expanding production As a result, current government plans worldwide will likely result in emissions in 2050 almost as high as they are today, according to the UN Environment Programme’s 2023 Production Gap report.

Other analyses are broadly consistent:

• The International Energy Agency finds that stated national policies will result in oil and gas production in 2050 as high as 2020; with coal halved.
• The OECD finds that a world economy four times larger than today is projected to need 80% more energy in 2050; and without new policy action and the global energy mix in 2050 will not differ significantly from today.

The intentions of the world’s five largest fossil fuel producers are clear — and civilisation-threatening — as reported by the UN:

• In China, oil production is projected to be flat to 2050, but gas will increase more than 60 percent from 2020 to 2050, while coal use will remain high till 2030 then decline sharply.
• In the United States, oil production will grow and then remain at record levels to 2050, and gas is projected to continuously and significantly increase to 2050; whilst coal will drop by half.
• Projections for Russia are available only to 2035, with coal and gas production projected to increase significantly, while oil remains flat.
• In Saudi Arabia, oil production is projected to grow by 26 to 47 percent by 2050, with gas up 40 percent between 2019 and 2050. Together they make up half of the Saudi economy.
• And in Australia, one of the world’s top two liquified natural gas and coal exporters, gas production is projected to stay above the current level for the next 15 years, with coal remaining high over the same period, above 450 million metric tons annually.

We are heading towards 3–4°C.

This outlook suggests Earth is heading towards 3°C of warming and perhaps a good deal more, because current climate models which project warming of around 2.7°C do not adequately account for all the system-level reinforcing feedbacks.

In 2021, the pre-eminent UK international affairs think-tank Chatham House said a “plausible worst-case scenario” is 3.5°C or more, which could be an underestimate if tipping points are reached sooner than the orthodox science suggests. This now seems to be the reality.

A clear majority of scientists expected warming of more than 3°C, and 82% expected to see catastrophic impacts of climate change in their lifetime, according to a 2021 survey by the journal Nature.

Questions about the size of the aerosol forcing, and the related issue of how sensitive the climate is to changes in greenhouse gases, remain an issue of scientific contention.

New climate history research published in December 2023, based on a study of the last 66 million years, concluded that global temperature may be more sensitive to CO2 levels than current models estimate. It showed that the last time CO2 levels were as high as today was around 14 million year ago, which is longer than previous estimates, and that climate sensitivity — the amount of warming resulting from a doubling of atmospheric CO2 — may be between between 5°C and 8°C, compared to the IPCC orthodoxy of 1.5–4.5°C.

The level of greenhouse gases is currently around 560 parts per million, double the pre-industrial level. Some of those gases such as methane are short-lived so this level of forcing is not written in stone, but nevertheless if Hansen et al. are right that a doubling may lead to around 4–5°C of warming, then another 30 years of high emissions means humans will have created an increasingly unliveable planet.

Has the impact of aerosols been widely understood? In what the New York Times described as “an eye-opening Nature commentary”, Geeta Persad and her colleagues wrote in late 2022 that “overall, vast emissions of aerosols since the start of the industrial age have had a profound cooling effect” and that without them “the global warming we see today would be 30 to 50 percent greater”, warning that “the impacts of aerosols on climate risk are often ignored”.

In 2018, a group of eminent scientists explored the potential — once warming had exceeded the 1.5–2°C range — for self-reinforcing positive feedbacks in major elements of the climate system to push passed a planetary threshold that would prevent temperature stabilisation, and drive the system to a “Hothouse Earth”. They warned that “we are in a climate emergency… this is an existential threat to civilisation”.

The 2023 State of the Climate Report: Entering uncharted territory warned of: “potential collapse of natural and socioeconomic systems in such a world [of 2.6°C warming] where we will face unbearable heat, frequent extreme weather events, food and fresh water shortages, rising seas, more emerging diseases, and increased social unrest and geopolitical conflict.”

Whatever the words, the understanding is widely shared that contemporary nations and societies, and likely the global social system, are heading towards collapse. “If we carry on the way we are going now, I can’t see this civilisation lasting to the end of this century”, says Professor Tim Lenton. The US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin III calls the risks “existential”.

Opening the Innovation Zero Congress in London in May 2023, Potsdam Institute Director Prof. Johan Rockstrom described the path we are on:

“2.5°C global mean surface temperature rise is a disaster. It’s something that humanity has absolutely no evidence that we can cope with… [There] would be a 10-metre sea-level rise. There would be a collapse of all the big biomes on planet Earth – the rainforest, many of the temperate forests – abrupt thawing of permafrost, we will have complete collapse of marine biology… Over one-third of the planet around the equatorial regions will be uninhabitable because you will pass the threshold of health, which is around 30°C. It’s only in some parts of the Sahara Desert today that has that kind of average temperature.”

Chatham House’s Climate Risk Assessment 2021 concludes that by 2050 global food demand would be 50% higher, but crop yields may drop by 30%. As desertification spreads across the dry sub-tropics, and one-third of the planet experiences unprecedented heat, it is not difficult to see why they concluded that cascading climate impacts will “drive political instability and greater national insecurity, and fuel regional and international conflict”.

What is worse is the setback to climate action posed by current conflicts and military posturing in Europe, the Middle East and east Asia, which are huge political distractions from dealing with the greatest threat to humanity, and all of which have the potential to spread more widely.

To maintain military flexibility, the US insisted in 1997 that direct military carbon emissions be excluded from international carbon accounting. Those emissions, around 5 percent of the total global, are far less than the indirect emissions from conflict, as recent estimates here and here indicate.

Past, Current and Future Extents of the Sahara
Image: https://earth.org/data_visualization/the-past-present-and-future-
of-the-sahara-desert, based on Thomas and Nigam, 2018
(https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/clim/31/9/jcli-d-17-0187.1.xml )

Projections show that by 2100 the expansion of the Sahara due to desertification will embrace Israel/Palestine, as well as spreading across the Mediterranean into Spain, Italy, Greece and Turkey (see map).

The Australian Prime Minister has finally spoken out about the escalating climate threat whilst inspecting damage from the recent Queensland floods: “All of this is a reminder that the science told us that climate change would mean there would be more extreme weather events and they would be more intense. And unfortunately, we are seeing that play out with the number of events that we’re having to deal with right around Australia”.

Just so, except that in common with leaders globally, the Australian government continues to have its head stuck in the sand about the real risks climate change now represents. It refuses to release an intelligence assessment of climate-security risks, and has fumbled a domestic climate risk assessment.

As a result, the community remains ill-informed and unprepared for what is coming.

Categories: I. Climate Science

The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is not just a football tournament; it’s a euphoric celebration of national pride, unity, and the beautiful game that unites us all. As a fan, AFCON is the pinnacle of excitement, a time when our hearts beat in sync with the rhythm of the game, and our spirits soar with each goal scored for our beloved national team. I can’t describe the joy and excitement I felt when Sadio Mané scored the 3rd goal against Cameroon.

One can feel and even touch the passion of football for African youth, and AFCON is the stage where our collective dream comes alive: African Unity. As the kickoff approaches, the entire nation becomes a sea of colors, echoing with cheers, chants, and the beating of drums. We proudly wear our team jerseys, painting our faces with the vibrant hues of our national flag, ready to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our fellow compatriots.

For me, AFCON is more than a competition; it’s a showcase of the extraordinary talent that our continent possesses. Our star players become heroes, and their every move on the field is a source of collective joy and celebration. The tournament brings together diverse cultures, languages, and traditions under the common banner of football, fostering a sense of unity and shared identity that transcends borders.

The intensity of each match and the collective roar of the crowd create an electrifying atmosphere. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions. However, AFCON is not just about the sport, it’s an “Industry of collective attention”, and it’s also a huge greenwashing machine used by fossil fuel companies.

As I watched the game Nigeria vs Côte d’Ivoire, the TotalEnergies logo was suddenly harassing me, knowing all the damages they are causing to the environment particularly in Africa with the EACOP project. Studies show, and TotalEnergies is aware of it, that the construction and operation of EACOP pose grave environmental risks. Worse, TotalEnergies, was aware of the harmful global warming impacts due to burning fossil fuels since 1971 and actively engaged in a sophisticated denial campaign of climate science. The pipeline route traverses sensitive ecosystems, including protected areas and internationally significant wetlands, posing threats to biodiversity and ecosystems that thousands of kids, vulnerable women, and poor families depend on for their sustenance.

As Côte d’Ivoire was scoring in the last minutes, I felt sad and everything vanished. The joy, the excitement, the cheers, and even the stadium disappeared. All I saw was the red, blue, and yellow colors of the TotalEnergies logo.

At that moment, I realized that I, the players, and the million viewers were oiling a huge greenwashing machine run by TotalEnergies. One may not be familiar with greenwashing, so let me unpack it for you.

Major sporting events like the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) are used as opportunities for companies and brands to communicate with audiences and shape a good image. Greenwashing is one of these strategies. It involves presenting a misleading image of a brand or company, and events such as AFCON is leveraged by TotalEnergies for such purposes through sponsorship and advertising.

“On July 21, 2016, Total signed an eight-year partnership with the African Football Confederation (AFC), the governing body of football on the continent. Our Company – TotalEnergies – has thus become the title sponsor of the ten main AFC competitions including the prestigious African Cup of Nations (AFCON). Renamed AFCON Total then AFCON TotalEnergies on this occasion, it is the most important sporting event in Africa and the third largest football competition after the World Cup and the European Championship. Africa is part of our DNA.”

A to the Chairman and CEO Patrick Pouyanné: “Africa is an integral part of TotalEnergies’ DNA. Through this commitment, we are strengthening our links and our proximity with our stakeholders and our customers, around popular and festive competitions which always arouse great enthusiasm, including within our teams.”

AFCON becomes a strategic time to capture the audience’s attention, what Puyanné refers to as “great enthusiasm”, and shape perceptions before the tournament begins. TotalEnergy even associated their name with the competition per se; so instead of saying AFCON, in the media, they call it TotalEnergy AFCON. Meaning, they own – or should I say usurped – the competition from millions of football fans.

The goal of using greenwashing during AFCON is to manipulate the audience’s perception, associating the brand with positive environmental values and diverting attention from any negative environmental practices. One can notice that TotalEnergies launched advertising campaigns leading up to AFCON using a greenwashing strategy by highlighting their environmental initiatives and green products. In this ad, they showcase electric cars, solar-powered device charging phones, green solutions, etc to implicitly shape the image of an eco-responsible company while they are polluting and causing loss and damage among those that are watching the competition.

Total agent providing power to an Electric carSolar powered lamp made by TotalEnergies

In 2022, TotalEnergies made a record $36 billion profit from its oil and gas exploration in Africa, wrecking the planet and devastating communities. TotalEnergies cannot continue hijacking our prestigious football moment with its advertising. People from impacted communities and countries have already rejected its extractivist-based neo-colonial activities and expansion of oil and gas exploitation. Afcon 2024 must be the last TotalEnergies-sponsored cup! Together, we must join our forces to kick Total Out of the Continent.

The post AFCON sponsorship: A greenwashing strategy by Total Energies appeared first on 350.

Categories: G1. Progressive Green

Global Tapestry of Alternatives - Thu, 01/25/2024 - 13:00

Categories: B5. Resilience, Third Nature, and Transition

Global Tapestry of Alternatives - Thu, 01/25/2024 - 12:58

Categories: B5. Resilience, Third Nature, and Transition

Global Tapestry of Alternatives - Thu, 01/25/2024 - 12:56

Categories: B5. Resilience, Third Nature, and Transition