Climate protesters in New York and across the globe send message to United Nations
Reuters
23-09-17 19:50
Thousands of protesters gathered in Midtown, Manhattan, on Sunday as part of "Climate Week" ahead of the U.N. General Assembly. The protesters called on President Joe Biden and world leaders to end fossil fuel use. The protests were organized by Climate Group, a non-profit aimed at driving climate change action, and are part of a week-long international effort with more than 500 protests planned in 54 countries. The protests come ahead of the U.N. COP28 climate summit, where over 80 countries are expected to push for a global agreement to phase out coal, oil, and gas.
Tens of thousands march to kick off climate summit, demanding end to warming-causing fossil fuels
Associated Press
23-09-17 18:42
Tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in New York City to demand an end to fossil fuels, and to urge US President Joe Biden to stop approving new oil and gas projects. The protest, called the March to End Fossil Fuels, marked the start of New York’s Climate Week, which will culminate in the United Nations Climate Summit on Wednesday. Organisers estimated that 75,000 people took part in the protest, which was attended by figures including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and actors Susan Sarandon, Ethan Hawke and Edward Norton.
‘End fossil fuels’: thousands march to kick off climate summit
South China Morning Post
23-09-17 22:11
Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in New York City on Sunday to call for an end to fossil fuel use ahead of the UN General Assembly this week. The protesters, who took part in parades and concerts, held signs reading "End Fossil Fuel Use" and "Declare a Climate Emergency". They urged President Joe Biden and other world leaders to take action to save the planet and end the use of oil and gas. The protests were part of a week-long international effort by Climate Group, with over 500 protests planned worldwide.
Young people tell Biden ‘quit approving coal and oil or lose election’
The Sydney Morning Herald
23-09-18 04:02
Tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in the US and around the world to demand an end to fossil fuel use and highlight the urgent need for action on climate change. The protests marked the opening of New York’s Climate Week, which will be attended by leaders from the business, political and artistic sectors. The event will include a special United Nations summit on Wednesday. The demonstrations were led by youth climate groups, including Fridays for Future, founded by Greta Thunberg. The activists called on US President Joe Biden to end the approval of new oil and gas projects, phase out current ones and declare a climate emergency. They also criticised Biden for increasing drilling for fossil fuels. Protesters called for urgent action to tackle extreme weather events and record-breaking heat. They also emphasised the need to address the fossil fuel industry, with one activist stating: “You need to phase out fossil fuels to survive our planet.”
Climate change: Thousands march in NYC ahead of UN summit
Deutsche Welle
23-09-18 03:36
Tens of thousands of climate activists took to the streets of New York City on Sunday to demand that US President Joe Biden and global leaders phase out fossil fuels. The protesters, who came from about 700 organisations and activist groups, held signs saying "End Fossil Fuel Use" and "Declare a Climate Emergency." They emphasised the role of fossil fuels in exacerbating climate change and called for urgent action. The protests marked the beginning of Climate Week ahead of the UN General Assembly, which is scheduled to formally open on Tuesday.
Tens of thousands rally in New York demanding end to fossil fuels
Al Jazeera
23-09-18 03:08
Tens of thousands of people have marched in New York City, calling for urgent action on climate change ahead of the United Nations General Assembly. Protesters from 700 organisations and activist groups called for an end to fossil fuels, and targeted US President Joe Biden, urging him to stop approving new oil and gas projects. The rally was the opening event of New York’s Climate Week, which brings together world leaders in business, politics and the arts to address climate change. A UN climate report released this month named 2025 as the deadline for global greenhouse gas emissions to peak.
Climate activists arrested for painting Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate
The Independent
23-09-18 10:24
Climate activists from the Last Generation group were arrested in Berlin after spraying orange paint onto the Brandenburg Gate. The group called for Germany to stop using all fossil fuels by 2030 and implement short-term measures to reduce emissions. The activists' actions were part of a global campaign demanding an end to burning fossil fuels and stronger government action against carbon pollution. Similar protests took place in Sweden, the US, India, Africa, Australia, and South America. The demonstrations coincided with the upcoming UN General Assembly meeting and climate talks in November.
Climate takes centre stage at UN as global temperatures hit record
The Globe and Mail
23-09-18 17:05
World leaders, celebrities, activists and business leaders have gathered in Manhattan for Climate Week and the UN’s Climate Action Summit. The meeting will see UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres host a high-profile event aimed at encouraging governments to adopt serious new actions to combat climate change. The summit comes just 10 weeks before the COP28 climate summit in the United Arab Emirates, and is one of the last high-profile gatherings aimed at getting countries to come forward with new climate actions and plans to shift away from fossil fuels.
Climate takes center stage at UN as global temperatures hit record
Reuters
23-09-18 16:32
World leaders, business leaders, celebrities, and activists have gathered in New York for Climate Week and the UN's Climate Action Summit, in a bid to tackle the climate crisis. The summit, hosted by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, aims to encourage governments to adopt new actions to combat climate change. The meeting comes 10 weeks before the COP28 climate summit in the United Arab Emirates and is one of the last high-profile gatherings aimed at getting countries to come forward with new climate actions and plans to shift away from fossil fuels.
Oil execs at World Petroleum Congress see global demand growing, not falling
The Toronto Star
23-09-18 19:39
CEOs of major fossil fuel companies have gathered in Canada for the World Petroleum Congress, where they expressed their confidence that "peak oil" will not put them out of business. Amin Nasser, CEO of Saudi Aramco, said he expects global oil production to reach 110 million barrels per day in 2050, while Darren Woods, CEO of Exxon Mobil, said the transition to a new energy system will be gradual and that oil companies will continue to provide fossil fuel products to meet demand. Both CEOs emphasized the need for government support and investment in technology to achieve decarbonization goals.
U.N. Chief’s Test: Shaming Without Naming the World’s Climate Delinquents
NY Times
23-09-19 04:01
United Nations Secretary General António Guterres has been criticised for not naming those he accuses of being “planet wreckers” in his recent speeches. Guterres has urged governments to stop funding coal and to curb oil and gas projects. However, he has not singled out any countries or companies. His lack of naming and shaming is due to the rule in the Paris climate agreement that countries have to agree on all points. Guterres can only urge and cajole, not command or enforce. Governments have not responded to Guterres’ pleas: subsidies for fossil fuels have increased to $7tn in 2022, whilst few nations have plans to change their economies to become more sustainable. Many countries are still dependent on coal, oil and gas revenues. Guterres is using the Climate Ambition Summit to try and shame countries into action, but he is only inviting countries that have followed his guidance to speak.
Saudi oil delegation at World Petroleum Congress says we're nowhere near peak fossil fuel
CBC
23-09-19 08:00
Saudi Arabia has warned of the consequences of abandoning oil and gas and is calling for more investment in fossil fuels. The country has the largest delegation at the World Petroleum Congress in Calgary, with Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud telling delegates that the sector cannot solely focus on climate change. He said that energy security and affordability were important, and that if these were not addressed, climate change concerns could not be attended to. Al Saud’s comments were echoed by Amin Nasser, president and CEO of Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil and gas company, who said that coal consumption was at record levels. Both men said that renewables made up only a small proportion of global energy consumption, and new solutions like green hydrogen were currently expensive. The International Energy Agency recently warned that peak demand for fossil fuels could happen within the next decade.
EU lawmakers to grill new climate chief on fossil fuels, document shows
The Globe and Mail
23-09-19 12:51
Lawmakers in the European Parliament are set to question Wopke Hoekstra, the nominee for the EU's next climate-change chief, on his plans for phasing out fossil fuels and setting a new emissions target for 2040, according to a document seen by Reuters. Hoekstra, a former Dutch foreign minister, has the backing of the Dutch government and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen to become the European Union’s next Climate Commissioner. However, some lawmakers have expressed concerns about his lack of experience in climate policy. Hoekstra must pass a European Parliament hearing before his appointment can be confirmed.
EU lawmakers to grill new climate chief on fossil fuels - document
Reuters
23-09-19 10:20
Lawmakers in the European Parliament are preparing to question Wopke Hoekstra, the nominee for the role of EU Climate Commissioner, on key climate change issues. Hoekstra, a former Dutch foreign minister, is set to take charge of emissions-cutting policies in the European Union. The lawmakers plan to ask Hoekstra how he would phase out fossil fuel subsidies and set a new emissions target for 2040. The EU has struggled to encourage its member countries to phase out fossil fuel subsidies, with spending on such subsidies remaining unchanged since 2015. Hoekstra must answer the lawmakers' questions in writing before his hearing on 2 October.
Dutch firms get up to $49 bln annually in fossil fuel subsidies -report
Reuters
23-09-19 15:51
Industrial companies in the Netherlands receive between €39bn and €46bn ($42bn-$49bn) in tax breaks and subsidies annually for using fossil fuels, according to a report by the Dutch government. The subsidies include exemptions on fuel taxes and low energy tax rates for gas-consuming industries. The report was released in order to provoke an international debate on fossil fuel subsidies. The findings come amid ongoing protests by climate activists calling for an end to all fossil fuel subsidies. Outgoing climate minister Rob Jetten said that while the demand went too far, many tax breaks were the result of international agreements.
Scientists criticise Australia over approach to fossil fuels
Guardian
23-09-19 15:00
The Australian government is ignoring "half the equation" in addressing the climate crisis by backing renewable energy without a plan to phase out fossil fuels, according to Prof Lesley Hughes, a climate change scientist and member of the independent Climate Council. Hughes said there was a "cognitive dissonance" between the government's support of a 1.5C global heating limit and its approval of new fossil fuel developments. Hughes co-authored a Climate Council review which argued that Australia should cut national carbon dioxide emissions by 75% by 2030. The government's legislated target is a 43% cut. The study found that national emissions from the fossil fuel sector have fallen by less than 1% since 2005. Last month, 40% of electricity in eastern states came from renewables, but emissions from transport and major industry have continued to rise.
Energy industry pumps profits into lobbying and advertising
The Sydney Morning Herald
23-09-19 19:00
Energy and mining companies in Australia have increased their spending on lobbying and advertising campaigns, taking advantage of a record year of profits for the sector, according to a report by Comms Declare and Clean Creatives. The report found that the number of Australian agencies working with energy and mining clients rose from 54 to 92, with 32 of the 42 new additions being lobbying groups, 25 of which were working for oil and gas companies. Total paid advertising spend across all utility companies in Australia was AUD 137m ($94m) across September 2022 to August 2023, a 4% decline on the 12 months prior.
California is suing Big Oil over climate 'deception.' Could the same happen in Canada?
CBC
23-09-21 17:27
California has filed a 135-page lawsuit against five major oil and gas companies, including ExxonMobil, Shell, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and BP, accusing them of deceiving the public about the risks of fossil fuels. The lawsuit seeks a compensation fund to pay for future damages caused by climate-related disasters in California. The long list of allegations includes false advertising, misleading the public about the impact of fossil fuel emissions, and delaying the transition to renewable energy. The suit claims that oil and gas company executives were aware of the potential warming effects of greenhouse gas emissions as early as the 1950s but made efforts to cast doubt on the scientific consensus on climate change.
The California lawsuit is one of many filed in recent years against the fossil fuel industry for its role in the climate crisis. However, few compare in scope and significance to this case, which is being pursued in the world’s fifth-largest economy and a major oil and gas producer. While there have been 35 climate-related legal challenges in Canada, none have been filed against corporations, only governments. However, experts believe that this is likely to change in the future.
California Governor Gavin Newsom insists that the lawsuit can help expose the deception and lies of oil companies. Many of the allegations in the suit are based on investigative reporting, including a recent report in the Wall Street Journal that found Exxon undermined climate science through at least 2015 and tried to twist the science of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The American Petroleum Institute and the oil companies named in the suit argue that climate policy should be debated in the U.S. Congress, not the courtroom.
Al Gore tells Big Oil ‘to get out of the way’ in climate battle
The Independent
23-09-21 17:03
Former US Vice President Al Gore has accused the fossil fuel industry of engaging in "massive fraud" over its role in causing and perpetuating the climate crisis. Speaking at a UN General Assembly event, Gore said that fossil fuel companies had infiltrated the political process and were more effective at capturing politicians than capturing emissions. He added that the industry spent just 1% of its profits on the transition to clean energy last year and compared its tactics to those of the tobacco industry.
G-20’s Delhi Declaration Fell Short on Climate Change
Diplomat
23-09-21 15:33
The recent G-20 summit in New Delhi failed to mention the cutting of greenhouse gas emissions and phasing out of fossil fuels in its declaration, suggesting that countries with significant oil resources exerted influence during the negotiations. This is disappointing considering the G-20's commitment to promoting initiatives aimed at tripling global renewable energy capacity by 2030. The absence of a mention of decreasing crude oil consumption is particularly notable. The G-20 includes the top two per capita coal polluters, Australia and South Korea, who should be leading the way in transitioning to renewable energy sources. However, they have not done so. Additionally, the world's largest banks have financed fossil fuel projects to the tune of $5.5 trillion in the seven years since the adoption of the Paris Agreement, far surpassing the funding for climate finance adaptation. These banks include the Royal Bank of Canada, JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup, and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group. The G-20 needs to lead by example and leave behind unsustainable patterns of production and consumption, actively participating in the establishment of a more ecologically sustainable and just future for all.
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