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<font size="+2" face="Calibri"><i><b>February 28, 2023</b></i></font><font
face="Calibri"><br>
</font> <font face="Calibri"> </font> <br>
<font face="Calibri"><i>[ optimistic opinion </i></font><font
face="Calibri"><i>from the Financial Times </i></font><font
face="Calibri"><i>] </i><br>
</font> <font face="Calibri"><b>Why 2023 might just be a turning
point for climate action</b><br>
Policy and regulatory breakthroughs are coming together — but will
government and business deliver?<br>
</font><font face="Calibri"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.ft.com/content/07976045-983e-4df3-b2dd-30c264fbe928">https://www.ft.com/content/07976045-983e-4df3-b2dd-30c264fbe928</a></font>
<p><font face="Calibri"><br>
</font></p>
<font face="Calibri"><br>
</font><i><font face="Calibri">[ US places to move away from --
Moody's Analytics</font></i><i><font face="Calibri"> - text and
audio list </font></i><i><font face="Calibri"> ]</font></i><br>
<font face="Calibri"><b>Need to rethink retirement? These areas face
the biggest climate-change risk.</b></font><br>
<font face="Calibri">Published: Feb. 25, 2023 </font><br>
<font face="Calibri">By Rachel Koning Beals</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">Moody’s Analytics report reveals which U.S.
cities and metro areas are most at risk to sea rise, extreme heat
and water stress. And, researchers suggest which locations could
prove most resilient</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Calibri">As the U.S. looks ahead to coming decades in
which climate change, especially if left unchecked, could sharply
alter how people live and economies thrive, researchers reveal
which cities and surrounding metro areas are most vulnerable to
the risks of sea-level rise, extreme heat and water-shortage
stress.</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Calibri">Importantly, those cities tagged on the
watchlist are popular areas that attract young professionals. But
some also historically draw retirees because of warmer
temperatures and attractive coastlines. San Francisco, New York
City and Phoenix are the top places expected to feel the worst of
climate change, according to a new report by Moody’s Analytics.</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Calibri">Economists and researchers at Moody’s said
they’ve opted to explore the economic impacts from climate change
on a regional basis because changes will vary...</font><br>
<font face="Calibri"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/need-to-rethink-retirement-these-areas-face-the-biggest-climate-change-risk-2fe538fd">https://www.marketwatch.com/story/need-to-rethink-retirement-these-areas-face-the-biggest-climate-change-risk-2fe538fd</a></font><br>
<font face="Calibri">- -</font><br>
<font face="Calibri"><i>[ See the original Moody's Analytics report
]</i></font><br>
<font face="Calibri"><b>The Impact of Climate Change on </b><b>U.S.
Subnational Economies</b></font><br>
<font face="Calibri">- -</font><br>
<br>
<b><font face="Calibri">Chart 1: Florida Faces the Greatest Acute
Physical Risk Threat </font></b><b><font face="Calibri">--
Hurricanes Wildfires Floods</font></b><br>
<blockquote><font face="Calibri">Connecticut</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">Massachusetts</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">Virginia</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">New Jersey</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">Rhode Island</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">Delaware</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">North Carolina</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">South Carolina</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">Louisiana</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">Florida</font><br>
</blockquote>
<font face="Calibri">- -<br>
</font><br>
<b><font face="Calibri">Chart 2: Southeastern Metro Areas Are
Unusually Risky</font></b><br>
<blockquote><font face="Calibri">Jacksonville NC<br>
New Bern NC<br>
Myrtle Beach SC<br>
Wilmington NC<br>
Greenville NC<br>
Charleston SC<br>
Punta Gorda FL<br>
Deltona FL<br>
San Juan PR<br>
Palm Bay FL<br>
Goldsboro NC<br>
Jacksonville FL<br>
Hilton Head SC<br>
Mobile AL<br>
Savannah GA<br>
Port St. Lucie FL<br>
Fayetteville NC<br>
Pensacola FL<br>
Rocky Mount NC Brunswick GA</font><font face="Calibri"><br>
</font></blockquote>
<font face="Calibri">- -</font><br>
<p><b><font face="Calibri">Chart 3: Chronic Physical Risk Is More
Widespread</font></b><br>
</p>
<blockquote><font face="Calibri">North Port FL</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">West Palm Beach FL</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">Wilmington DE</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">Tucson AZ</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">Phoenix</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">Oakland CA</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">Long Island NY</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">New York City</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">Cape Coral FL</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">San Francisco</font></blockquote>
<p><font face="Calibri"></font></p>
<p><font face="Calibri"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.moodysanalytics.com/-/media/article/2023/the-impact-of-climate-change-on-us-subnational-economies.pdf">https://www.moodysanalytics.com/-/media/article/2023/the-impact-of-climate-change-on-us-subnational-economies.pdf</a></font></p>
<p><font face="Calibri"><br>
</font></p>
<p><font face="Calibri"><br>
</font></p>
<font face="Calibri"><i>[ France reconsidering meat -- more
difficult to morally digest ] </i><br>
</font><font face="Calibri"><b>‘A wake-up call for the industry’:
Meat production in France under scrutiny amid climate change</b><br>
26/02/2023 <br>
</font><font face="Calibri">As meat consumption remains the biggest
contributor to food-related greenhouse gas emissions, developing
more eco-responsible habits requires changes to our diets. For
livestock farmers, this translates into a need to find new ways of
production.<br>
<br>
Following Neige (Snow), Idéale (Perfect) and Imminence, the new
ambassador of the International Agriculture Show, which opened
February 25 in Paris, is Ovalie, a 5-year-old cow of the Salers
breed. As usual, the star gets to have her photo printed on
posters for this annual event and her official public presentation
is also set to be one of the high points of the show. This
tradition highlights the importance of animal husbandry in French
agriculture. But as climate activists often decry the
environmental impact of meat production, the show also serves as
an occasion to rethink our methods of production as well as the
steaks on our plates.<br>
<br>
On a global scale, meat consumption continues to rise: It has
multiplied by almost five over the past 60 years, growing from 71
million tonnes in 1961 to 339 million tonnes in 2021, according to
statistics from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
This production has massive consequences for climate change: The
livestock sector is responsible for 14.5 percent of all greenhouse
gas emissions derived from human activities and half of the
emissions of the agricultural sector worldwide.<br>
<b><br>
</b><b>The main culprit of greenhouse gas emissions on our plates
</b><br>
“In France, we eat an average of 100 to 110 grams per day per
person, which is the equivalent of 85 kilograms per year. Twice
the global average”, noted agricultural economist Carine Barbier,
researcher for the French National Centre for Scientific Research
(CNRS) and The International Research Centre on Environment and
Development (CIRED). A mere quarter of the population describes
itself as flexitarian, eating meat only occasionally, while 2.2
percent describes itself as vegetarian.<br>
<br>
“It’s the principal cause of dietary-related greenhouse gas
emissions” Barbier added. “Ultimately, the whole food industry
already represents 25 percent of French emissions, this includes
the entire process, from the production to our plates as well as
imports. Animal farming alone represents 9 percent of total
emissions.”<br>
<br>
Due to emissions of three types of greenhouse gas – carbon dioxide
(CO2), nitrous oxide and methane – into the atmosphere, animal
husbandry is costing the planet dearly. “CO2 emissions come from
the use of fossil fuel for transportation, namely imports, (and)
the use of machinery in agriculture as well as in the food
processing industry and large retail outlets,” the expert
explained. Nitrous oxide (N2O), on the other hand, “comes from the
use of mineral nitrogen fertilisers in fields”, and methane is
produced by the digestive system of cattle. Although not as well
known as carbon dioxide, the latter two gases are not less
harmful: N2O reflects 300 times as much heat as CO2 while methane
reflects 28 times as much.<br>
<br>
“Therefore we have to differentiate between ruminants, swine and
poultry”, Barbier said. “Due to their particular digestive system,
ruminants have a larger impact on the climate.” According to the
French Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME), a kilogram of
beef represents around 14 kilograms of CO2 equivalent (CO2e),
which includes CO2, nitrous oxide and methane, 10 times that of
poultry.<br>
<br>
On top of its climate impact, animal farming is also responsible
for detrimental effects on the environment. According to a 2015
report by the Physics Institution, livestock production accounts
for 78 percent of terrestrial biodiversity loss, 80 percent of
soil acidification and atmospheric pollution as well as 73 percent
of water pollution.<br>
<br>
<b>‘It’s a wake-up call for the industry’</b><br>
Facing this situation, farmers envision several solutions to
reduce their environmental impact. In a press release published at
the opening of the International Agriculture Show, the national
inter-professional association of cattle and meat (Interbev) says
it aims to reduce the beef sector’s carbon footprint by 15 percent
in 2025, compared to 2015.<br>
<br>
“It’s a wake-up call for the entire industry to the urgency of
climate change,” the president of Interbev’s beef sector Emmanuel
Bernard said. “As animal farmers, we are the first to suffer from
global warming and its consequences.”<br>
<br>
Barbier suggested that farmers move “towards more extensive
breeding with a higher consumption of grass, and thus limiting the
production of cereal used in fodder. This in turn reduces the use
of fertilisers and pesticides.”<br>
<br>
“We also have to cut down on imports of animal feed. I’m thinking
of, for example, soybean meal imported from Brazil that leans
heavily on transport. Currently, transportation represents more
than one-fifth of the food industry’s carbon footprint,” she
continued. “Why not return to crop-livestock systems in which
farmers grow most of what the animals need by themselves?”<br>
<br>
Bernard tires to heed this advice as a farmer. Thirty years ago,
he took over the family ranch located in Nièvre. Today, he is
accountable for 110 charolais cows à vêler (to calve), meaning
they are destined to give birth to calves to be fattened before
being sent to slaughterhouses. For a few years now, he has also
started adding installations to make his farm more eco-friendly.<br>
<br>
“I don’t import any soy products. My cows and calves mostly feed
on grass, fodder and cereal that I grow myself, on my land. Among
the 220 hectares of land, 125 hectares are meadows while 25
hectares are used for growing cereal”, he said.<br>
<br>
Three years ago, Bernard went even further and submitted his
practices for evaluation to CAP2ER, which provides a diagnosis of
gas emissions. It's a five-year process that should allow him to
explore new ways to reduce his carbon footprint. “I envision, for
example, cultivating meslin, which is a mix of cereal and protein
crop, instead of maize.”<br>
<br>
<b>Adjusting herd sizes</b><br>
But to make further progress in transforming large-scale farming
methods, “it’s absolutely necessary to start reducing herd sizes”,
Barbier insisted. These practical changes would set into motion a
virtuous cycle. “For example, by cutting back on meat in our diets
and decreasing cereal fodder and oil and protein crops used in
animal feed, we would increase the area of arable land that we can
use to grow crops for human consumption,” she added.<br>
<br>
France has already announced its aim to reduce herd sizes via the
National Low-Carbon Strategy for agriculture published in June
2021, which targets a 13 percent reduction by 2030. The target is
lower than what the scientific community recommends. Nevertheless,
the trend is already growing among animal farms, as the total
number of lactating and milk cows declined by 8 percent between
2000 and 2019 according to the Institut de l’élevage (IDELE). The
same has been noted for sheep, which saw a decrease of 8.3 percent
from 2011 to 2020 while the number of sows in the swine industry
have dropped by 19 percent in 10 years.<br>
<br>
“Initiating this transition towards more sustainable agricultural
practices is nowadays indispensable in order to render the farming
system more resilient against climate change all the while
reinsuring our food sovereignty”, Barbier emphasised, pointing to
the fact that the animal husbandry sector is already in a crisis.
“But to do this, we need stronger support from the European Union.
We have to ensure a steady stream of income during this transition
period.”<br>
<br>
“Currently we are producing a lot of diagnosis and observations on
the problems surrounding animal farming, but we struggle to
implant real methods of change”, the farmer Bernard added. “And
the main reason behind this is tied to finances. If we had real
political support, we would be ready to make the change.”<br>
<br>
“Without all that, we risk becoming less competitive than other
countries and this would drive imports”, he stressed. “It would
neither be good for us, nor the climate.”<br>
<br>
<b>A revolution on our plates</b><br>
Meanwhile, real changes in production cannot take place without
consumers, according to Barbier, who authored a study published in
October establishing multiple scenarios for a carbon neutral diet
by 2050. “Above all else, we need to reduce our meat consumption.
That’s what will prompt farmers to transition.” <br>
<br>
In addition to purely ecological thinking, she also advanced
several nutritional arguments. “In any case, we consume too much
protein, around 80 percent more than what we need,” the expert
continued, pointing to oft-illustrated cardiovascular risks linked
to overconsumption of meat. In 2019, a commission formed by the
medical journal The Lancet estimated that Europeans should cut
their red meat consumption by 77 percent while doubling fruits,
vegetables, nuts and legumes in order to respect the limits of
Earth’s resources and to maintain their own health. “Reducing our
consumption to reflect our real needs will considerably decrease
the carbon footprint of our diets.”<br>
<br>
“If we stick to the most moderate scenario, then we need to cut
down two-thirds of our meat consumption and half that of mik
products”, she explained. “By no means do we seek to remove meat
completely from the entire population’s plates. It is a question
of developing our diet and animal-farming practices to reach
carbon neutrality.<br>
<br>
<b>Favour plant-based options</b><br>
Numerous plant-based alternatives exist in order to help implement
these changes to our dietary habits and progressively decrease
meat portions on our plates. The first and the most obvious one is
to consume more cereal and protein-rich legumes such as lentils
and chickpeas.<br>
<br>
In the last few years, supermarkets have started to push out more
and more plant-based meat substitutes. Among them are “plant-based
steaks”, “fake bacon bits”, and “plant-based meat strips” made
from peas, tofu or soybeans that imitate the taste and texture of
beef or chicken. “Nowadays, all of these options imitate meat
quite well and can be a helpful way to change one’s habits”, said
Tom Bry-Chevalier, an expert in alternative meats and a doctoral
student at the University of Lorraine.<br>
<br>
“This is all the better since we now know that these options have
a lesser impact on climate than meat”, he said. According to a
recent study, yhese plant-based substitutes emit 10 times less
greenhouse gas than beef, and as much as 25 times less for tofu.<br>
</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">A report from Boston Consulting Group published
in July estimates that the “investments in plant-based
alternatives to meat” are “much more efficient in reducing
greenhouse gas emissions than other green investments”. Each euro
invested in these products has up to three times as much impact as
it would have if placed in renovating buildings and 11 times as
much as in the production of electric cars”.<br>
<br>
“Another alternative could be the development of laboratory-grown
meat, produced directly from animal cells”, Bry-Chevalier
continued. Despite rapid growth with dozens of start-ups
worldwide, the project remains for now at the laboratory stage.<br>
<br>
“This option also has its limits. First of all, lab-grown meat is
still tied to high emissions if the energy used to produce it is
not carbon neutral”, Bry-Chevalier said. “But most importantly, we
are still very far away from large-scale commercialisation while
the climate crisis is an emergency. We can’t afford to wait for
lab-grown meat to change our habits.”<br>
<br>
According to Barbier, plant-based steaks and lab-grown meat – if
they develop – must be seen as resources for transition. “We
already have all the necessary ingredients for our daily protein
needs thanks to vegetables,” she said. “Let us offer delicious
vegetarian dishes in collective food halls, let people choose
their meat portions there ... It could really make a difference.”</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">This article is a translation of the original
in French. --
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.france24.com/fr/france/20230225-une-plan%C3%A8te-bleue-ou-bien-cuite-la-viande-face-au-d%C3%A9fi-du-d%C3%A9r%C3%A8glement-climatique">https://www.france24.com/fr/france/20230225-une-plan%C3%A8te-bleue-ou-bien-cuite-la-viande-face-au-d%C3%A9fi-du-d%C3%A9r%C3%A8glement-climatique</a><br>
</font><font face="Calibri"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.france24.com/en/environment/20230226-a-wake-up-call-for-the-industry-meat-production-in-france-under-scrutiny-amid-climate-change">https://www.france24.com/en/environment/20230226-a-wake-up-call-for-the-industry-meat-production-in-france-under-scrutiny-amid-climate-change</a><br>
</font>
<p><font face="Calibri"><br>
</font></p>
<p><font face="Calibri"><br>
</font></p>
<i><font face="Calibri">[ GB stung by carbon capitalism! A modern
history ]</font></i><br>
<b>How Energy Privatization Bankrupted Britain</b><br>
Tom Nicholas<br>
Feb 24, 2023 #Privatization #EnergyCrisis<br>
Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription:
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://go.nebula.tv/tomnicholas">http://go.nebula.tv/tomnicholas</a><br>
Watch this video ad-free on Nebula:
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://nebula.tv/videos/tomnicholas-how-energy-privatization-bankrupted-britain">https://nebula.tv/videos/tomnicholas-how-energy-privatization-bankrupted-britain</a><br>
<br>
A video about the energy crisis, privatization and profiteering.<br>
Written, directed and presented by Tom Nicholas.<br>
Edited by Georgia Burrows.<br>
Chapters<br>
<blockquote>0:00 The Energy Crisis in the UK<br>
05:42 Part 1: Maggie Thatcher, Energy Snatcher<br>
12:53 Part 2: Supply Guys<br>
22:37 Part 3. The Generation Game<br>
28:19 Nebula!<br>
31:25 Part 4: Poles, Pipes & Proft<br>
38:28 Part 5: Price Wars<br>
46:17 Part 6: The Case for Nationalisation<br>
</blockquote>
- -<br>
Britain is in crisis. A cost of living crisis. And, in particular,
an energy crisis. Since 2020, the typical UK energy bill has risen
by 400%. And many are having to choose between heating and eating.<br>
<br>
Some of this is the result of global oil prices which have spiked
since the beginning of 2022. But, much of it is the result of much
longer-term trends which and, in turn, the product of a radical
experiment the country undertook starting in the 1980s.<br>
<br>
Under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher (and, later, John Major),
the UK began selling-off the entirety of its energy infrastructure
to the private investors. Beginning with British Gas in the 1986 and
continuing with the electricity supply industry in the 1990s, every
part of the UK’s energy supply system has been handed over to
corporations whose primary motivation is the accumulation of profit.<br>
<br>
This is the story of how energy privatisation bankrupted Britain.<br>
<font face="Calibri"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVNQElN6VY8">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVNQElN6VY8</a></font><br>
<p><font face="Calibri">- -</font></p>
<font face="Calibri"><i>[ wicked, modern market colonialism ]</i><br>
</font><font face="Calibri"><b>Europe’s Gas Lobby Exploits Energy
Security Fears in Year Since Ukraine War</b><br>
DeSmog study finds surge in social media posts backing industry
plans for build-out of new projects.<br>
By Stella Levantesi and Thomas Lewtonon</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">Feb 24, 2023 <br>
</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">Europe’s gas industry has ramped up its
messaging since Russia invaded Ukraine, exploiting fears over
energy security to justify projects that risk locking the
continent into long-term dependence on fossil fuels, DeSmog can
reveal. <br>
<br>
Four big industry groups began to post many more tweets portraying
investments in gas and related infrastructure as the key to secure
energy supplies soon after the invasion started — and maintained
this strategy throughout last year, an analysis of their social
media accounts found. <br>
<br>
The lobby groups were Gas Infrastructure Europe; Gas For Climate;
Eurogas; and the European branch of the International Association
of Oil & Gas Producers, which represent companies operating
pipelines, gas storage, and infrastructure to import liquefied
natural gas (LNG). Members include oil majors such as Shell, BP,
TotalEnergies, Chevron, ExxonMobil, and Eni, which have posted
record profits off the back of the energy crisis triggered by the
invasion. <br>
<br>
Climate advocates fear the tweets represent the tip of the iceberg
of behind-closed-doors efforts to persuade European governments to
back long-term investments in gas over the rollout of renewables
and energy efficiency needed to achieve the European Union’s
climate goals.<br>
<br>
“The gas industry wants us to believe that more gas makes us more
secure, but more gas leads to more climate change which in reality
makes us less secure,” said Ben Franta, senior research fellow at
the Oxford Sustainable Law Programme, who analyses legal
strategies for holding fossil fuel producers accountable for their
climate impacts. <br>
<br>
“The gas industry is using today’s news — the war and the energy
crisis — to try to lock in more gas for decades, even though the
industry knows it’ll be disastrous for the climate and
international stability,” he said.<br>
</font><br>
<font face="Calibri"><b>“Big Boon”</b><br>
The DeSmog analysis of 1,075 tweets by the four lobby groups
showed that posts emphasising energy security, or the prospect of
an energy shortage or crisis, accounted for about three percent of
tweets in the 10 months prior to the invasion. That proportion
shot up more than tenfold after the war started, with energy
security–related messaging appearing in about a third of tweets
from late February to December. Collectively, the four lobby
groups have more than 15,000 followers.<br>
<br>
The tweets sometimes used hashtags such as #StrategicAutonomy or
#SecurityOfSupply....<br>
</font><font face="Calibri">- -<br>
</font><font face="Calibri">Russian President Vladimir Putin’s
invasion of Ukraine last February 24 pushed gas prices to record
levels; threatened to cripple European households; raised the
prospect of winter shortages; and sent countries reliant on
imports of Russian pipeline gas scrambling for alternatives.<br>
<br>
Climate advocates acknowledged the need for emergency gas imports
to bridge the gap as Europe rapidly weaned itself off its
dependence on Russia.<br>
<br>
But campaigners say the gas industry is exploiting a temporary
crisis to revive long-standing plans to build new terminals to
import LNG from suppliers from the U.S. Gulf Coast to Qatar to
Australia, and lay new pipelines — hooking Europe on imported gas
for decades to come. <br>
<br>
That prospect appears to contradict EU climate targets, which
imply a reduction in gas demand of at least 35 percent compared
with 2019 levels by 2030. The emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2)
and methane associated with the projects will also undermine
global climate goals, analysts warn. <br>
<br>
“Before February 2022, it seemed that gas infrastructure projects
were starting to flounder, gas was increasingly being seen as a
non-viable investment in Europe due to climate targets, stranded
asset threats, public protests,” said Greig Aitken of research and
advocacy group Global Energy Monitor. <br>
<br>
“The war has been a big boon for the European gas industry, and
the gas exporting countries that the EU is now more dependent on,”
Aitken said...<br>
</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">- -
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.desmog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Tweets-dot-chart_3x-2048x1679.jpeg.webp">https://www.desmog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Tweets-dot-chart_3x-2048x1679.jpeg.webp</a><br>
</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">The shift towards energy security messaging was
most marked in posts by Gas Infrastructure Europe — which
represents gas storage, pipeline, and LNG terminal operators —
with almost half of the group’s post-invasion tweets discussing
energy security.<br>
</font><font face="Calibri">- -<br>
</font><font face="Calibri">The surge in energy security messaging
occurred against a steady drumbeat of tweets portraying gas as a
clean energy source, and promoting gas and hydrogen infrastructure
as crucial to the energy transition, throughout the two 10
month-periods analysed on either side of the invasion. <br>
<br>
Terms such as “low-carbon gas” or “renewable gas” — which critics
say amount to greenwashing since they downplay the industry’s
climate impact — appeared in tweets from various lobby groups...<br>
</font><font face="Calibri">- -<br>
</font><font face="Calibri">Many of the companies in the groups
DeSmog analysed are members of the International Gas Union, a
global lobby that has also emphasised energy security since the
Ukraine invasion, according to an analysis published by
InfluenceMap in December.<br>
<br>
Shell, BP, and TotalEnergies have also communicated greater
“patriotism” in their post-invasion social media posts by focusing
on factors including energy security and energy independence,
according to a study published in November by research group Solid
Sustainability Research.<br>
<br>
“To sell imported gas infrastructure in Europe as an energy
security idea makes no sense,” said Kingsmill Bond, an energy
strategist at RMI, an energy think tank. “There are now superior,
cheaper, and domestic low-carbon solutions available, and they
will get cheaper over time. Gas will not.”...</font><br>
<font face="Calibri">- -
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.desmog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Gas-price_3x-2048x1547.jpeg.webp">https://www.desmog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Gas-price_3x-2048x1547.jpeg.webp</a><br>
</font><br>
<font face="Calibri"><b>Italy Pushes the Gas Pedal</b><br>
EU countries that were heavily dependent on Russia for supplies,
such as Germany and Italy, have pushed hard for new gas imports
and infrastructure. <br>
<br>
The Italian government has signed 11 gas supply deals with
exporting countries — more than any other EU country in the past
year — according to data compiled by the European Council on
Foreign Relations. <br>
<br>
Researcher Lorenzo Mario Pastore and colleagues at the University
of Sapienza in Rome published a study showing that it would be
cheaper for Italy to use energy efficiency and renewables to
reduce gas consumption, rather than find new fossil fuel sources.<br>
<br>
Drought has underscored Italy’s vulnerability to climate impacts,
with Venice canals running dry and lakes and rivers in Northern
Italy significantly below their usual level. <br>
<br>
Nevertheless, Italy’s government has struck gas agreements with
Algeria, Libya, and other African countries since the Ukraine
invasion; invested in two LNG import terminals; and, in November,
approved government funding for drilling of “Italian gas” in the
Adriatic.<br>
<br>
“In the face of growing pressure, the Italian government has not
taken the opportunity to decarbonize its energy mix with low-cost
renewables but has, in fact, been pursuing a policy of
substituting gas with other gas,” wrote Luka Vasilj, a policy
analyst at Climate Analytics, in an article published by Italian
climate think tank Ecco. <br>
<br>
Oil and gas company Eni and pipeline operator Snam have both
sought to justify new investments in terms of energy security.<br>
<br>
“We now have a problem of energy security,” Eni Chief Executive
Claudio DeScalzi told a conference call with financial analysts
three weeks after the Ukraine invasion. “What we need now,
especially nowadays for Europe, is gas.”<br>
<br>
DeScalzi and the chief executive of pipeline operator Snam have
since advocated for an increase in oil and gas investments in
Africa, InfluenceMap has found. Meanwhile, last May, Snam argued
that Italy could position itself as a European gas hub to counter
“the emergency” threat to gas supplies in the short term — and
boost energy security in the long term.<br>
<br>
Snam reinforced the message in a series of Facebook and Instagram
ads, according to DeSmog’s analysis. After the invasion, the
company paid the platforms’ parent company Meta between
1,800-2,100 euros for three ads that discussed energy security, or
promoted Snam’s role in guaranteeing stable supplies. These ads
made more than two million impressions across Italy. <br>
<br>
Eni and Snam did not respond to requests for comment.<br>
<br>
The right-wing coalition government of Prime Minister Giorgia
Meloni, who won snap elections in September, has also justified
new gas projects in terms of energy security.<br>
<br>
In a move indicative of the country’s changed priorities, Meloni’s
government has reorganised what had been the Ministry of
Ecological Transition, responsible for environmental protection,
into a new entity: the Ministry of the Environment and Energy
Security.<br>
<br>
“Energy security has always been a mantra to justify gas import
infrastructure,” said Alessandro Runci, public finance and
multinationals campaigner at Italy-based advocacy group ReCommon.
“Since the invasion, it has become a trump card.” <br>
</font><br>
<font face="Calibri"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.desmog.com/2023/02/24/european-gas-lobby-tweets-ukraine-war/">https://www.desmog.com/2023/02/24/european-gas-lobby-tweets-ukraine-war/</a><br>
</font>
<p><font face="Calibri"><br>
</font></p>
<p><font face="Calibri"><br>
</font></p>
<font face="Calibri"><i>[ Blocking clean energy using fear - a
known bullying tactic by Kevon Martis ]</i><br>
</font><font face="Calibri"><b>"It's Like a Cult" - The War on
Farmers and Clean Energy</b><br>
YaleClimateConnections<br>
Feb 26, 2023<br>
The fossil fuel industry is waging a war aimed at slowing the
critical clean energy transition across the United States, and has
trained a cadre of activists, and equipped them with tools and
tactics.<br>
They are targeting wind energy, solar energy, and anyone, whether
it is a farmer, or a local official, who believes in the need for
them.<br>
In Montcalm County, Michigan, interviews with local farmers and
officials detail a "cult like" network lead by a shadowy
influencer.<br>
</font><font face="Calibri"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35x39wpd2Rg">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35x39wpd2Rg</a><br>
</font>
<p><font face="Calibri">- -</font></p>
<font face="Calibri"><i>[ check this source for disinformation and
misinformation ]</i><br>
</font><font face="Calibri"><b>Climate Disinformation Database</b></font><br>
<font face="Calibri">In DeSmog’s Climate Disinformation Database,
you can browse our extensive research on the individuals and
organizations that have helped to delay and distract the public
and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce
greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming.<br>
</font><font face="Calibri"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.desmog.com/databases/">https://www.desmog.com/databases/</a><br>
</font><br>
<p><br>
</p>
<font face="Calibri"><i>[ Climate Colonialism -- from 2021 - fits
today, any day.]</i><br>
</font><font face="Calibri"><b>Gravitas Plus: Who is responsible for
Climate Change?</b><br>
WION<br>
Premiered Apr 17, 2021 #GravitasPlus #WION #ClimateChange<br>
Gravitas Plus | The West polluted the environment, then exported
its emissions. Today it preaches climate action. Palki Sharma
says: Saving the earth is a collective responsibility, but
shouldn't rich countries pay up before they preach?<br>
<br>
#GravitasPlus #ClimateChange #WION <br>
About Channel: <br>
WION -The World is One News, examines global issues with in-depth
analysis. We provide much more than the news of the day. Our aim
to empower people to explore their world. With our Global
headquarters in New Delhi, we bring you news on the hour, by the
hour. We deliver information that is not biased. We are
journalists who are neutral to the core and non-partisan when it
comes to the politics of the world. People are tired of biased
reportage and we stand for a globalised united world. So for us
the World is truly One.<br>
</font><font face="Calibri"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVyM6J2jbAU">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVyM6J2jbAU</a><br>
</font>
<p><br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<font face="Calibri"> <i>[ Harvard students demand information and
power ]</i></font><br>
<font face="Calibri"><b>How to make effective climate policy — and
policymakers</b><br>
</font>Dustin Tingley (pictured) and Stephen Ansolabehere
collaborated with students to design the course “Politics of the
Environment and Climate Change.” “They told us they really wanted
activity and engagement … something that was practical and
outward-looking,” said Tingley.<br>
<br>
Innovative class builds skills for conceiving, evaluating ideas,
turning them into real-world solutions<br>
<br>
Imagine the government has imposed a $50-per-month tax on fossil
fuels. Should that money be banked, gathering interest for future
investment in climate adaptation? Or should it be spent immediately
in developing countries hit hardest by climate change?<br>
<br>
The matter came up for debate this month in the government class
“Politics of the Environment and Climate Change.” One hand shot up
immediately with a vote for spending the money later, since
compounded interest adds to financial impact. Another student, more
tentative, took the position of spending now, to benefit the
greatest number of people — both existing humans and those still to
be born.<br>
<br>
Beaming at the front of the classroom was Dustin Tingley, professor
of government, deputy vice provost for advances in learning. “Good!”
he cried, rewarding every response with a grin. Climate change is a
minefield of competing priorities and interests. But when it comes
to finding policy solutions, Tingley later said, the goal is
“wrestling with the fact that different groups, all with good
intentions, can do things that subsequently lead to tension.”<br>
<br>
Launched last spring, GOV1722 contends with climate change as a
fundamentally political problem, challenging students to navigate
obstacles and opportunities for effective policymaking at all levels
of government. “This has always been a gap in the curriculum,”
offered Stephen Ansolabehere, the Frank G. Thompson Professor of
Government, who teaches the class alongside Tingley. “But it was
difficult to know what to do, because it’s a topic that spans so
many fields within our discipline — domestic politics, comparative
politics, international politics.”<br>
<br>
A recent lecture outlined the “normative frameworks” that different
negotiating parties may apply to the issue, including utilitarianism
and spiritual beliefs about caring for divine creation. Everyone
from philosopher John Rawls to economist (and former Harvard
University president) Larry Summers was mentioned. Future lessons
include the politics of mitigation and adaptation.<br>
<br>
The course is supported by Harvard University Center for the
Environment, with networking help from the Salata Institute for
Climate and Sustainability community. But students were Tingley and
Ansolabehere’s closest collaborators in designing the course in fall
2021. “They told us they really wanted activity and engagement,”
Tingley recalled. “They wanted something that was practical and
outward-looking.” As a result, lectures tend to be highly
interactive, requiring students to engage with in-class simulations
and polls (such as the $50 fossil fuel tax).<br>
<br>
“The assignment structure is atypical compared to other government
classes,” observed Pranav S. Moudgalya ’26, who described working on
a policy memo about the Colorado River water crisis. As a capstone
project, the whole class tackles real-world issues facing
surrounding communities. The inaugural GOV1722 section last spring
designed a climate plan for Boston, which was circulated around City
Hall.<br>
<br>
This semester students will break into groups to study the needs of
climate-vulnerable cities in the area including Lawrence, Chelsea,
and Fall River. They will then write grants to fund initiatives such
as flood mitigation and building up renewable energy infrastructure.<br>
<br>
“We’re teaching ideas and theories, but really pushing students to
apply those things,” said Tingley, who also co-chaired the recent
“Future of Climate Education at Harvard University” report.<br>
<br>
Student input shaped the course in other meaningful ways. For one,
Ansolabehere’s big lecture on environmental justice, originally
slated for late in the term, was pushed near the start. That meant
something to Kiersten Hash ’25, a government concentrator (with a
secondary in environmental science and public policy) who expressed
general frustration with the lack of diverse perspectives among
Harvard’s climate educators. “I’m pleased with the work our
professors are doing in this course,” Hash said. “From the jump,
they talked about the fact that the impacts of climate change will
be disproportionately felt by the most vulnerable.”<br>
<br>
There’s something more students appreciate about the class, which is
also available online via Harvard Extension School. As Hash put it:
“The general ethos is that we have the potential to solve these
problems through critical decision-making and strategic political
action.”<br>
<br>
Tingley and Ansolabehere can tick off a host of inspiring
accomplishments on climate and environmental cleanup: turning around
ozone depletion in the 1980s, the leadership of red states Iowa and
Texas on wind infrastructure.<br>
<br>
“The world has made progress in certain respects,” Tingley said,
“just not enough on carbon or greenhouse gases.”<br>
<br>
Not yet anyway. This class, and the students who take it, have hope.<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/02/innovative-class-teaches-students-how-to-navigate-politics-of-climate-change/">https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/02/innovative-class-teaches-students-how-to-navigate-politics-of-climate-change/</a><br>
<br>
<p>- -</p>
<br>
<i>[ podcast from Harvard and Brown ]</i><br>
<b>What Is Holding Up the Transition to Green Energy?</b><br>
February 6, 2023<br>
PODCAST | ep11 | with Dustin Tingley, Jeff Colgan, and Aleksandra
Conevska<br>
<br>
Green technology has come a long way, to the extent that it can, in
theory, be scaled up to solve the world’s energy problems. If this
is true, then why does the US lag so far behind in transitioning
away from fossil fuels? This episode addresses the politics of
climate change by looking at the sources of public distrust. To
frame the discussion, three scholars investigate the nature of major
economic transformations, the youth movement, and what we can learn
from other countries.<br>
<br>
[TRANSCRIPT available ]<br>
Traveling into the heart of US fossil fuel communities, Dustin
Tingley reports on the work of his team to uncover the sentiments of
the citizens who will be most affected when fossil fuel plants are
closed. The common theme is a lack of belief that the government
will offer a social safety net when workers lose their jobs and when
towns lose their revenue. <br>
<br>
Jeff Colgan takes us through some major energy transitions of the
past and explains why green energy is different. He also points to
strategies citizens in other countries have leveraged to move their
governments forward. <br>
<br>
Drawing on original research, Aleksandra Conevska explores
differences between youth and adult political behavior regarding
climate action, and separately on the unintended consequences of
green party politics. Ending on a hopeful note, the group explains
there are definitely new green jobs on the horizon, especially in
the trades, and it’s time to give vocational education more
attention.<br>
<br>
Host: Erin Goodman, Director, Weatherhead Scholars Program.<br>
<br>
Guests: Dustin Tingley, Faculty Associate; Chair, Weatherhead
Research Cluster on Climate Change. Professor of Government,
Department of Government, Harvard University. <br>
Jeff Colgan, Richard Holbrooke Associate Professor, Department of
Political Science and Watson Institute for Public and International
Affairs, Brown University.<br>
Aleksandra Conevska, Graduate Affiliate, Weatherhead Research
Cluster on Climate Change. PhD Candidate, Department of Government,
Harvard University. <br>
<br>
Producer/Director: Michelle Nicholasen, Editor and Content Producer,
Weatherhead Center for International Affairs.<br>
<font face="Calibri"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://epicenter.wcfia.harvard.edu/podcast/ep11-green-energy-transition">https://epicenter.wcfia.harvard.edu/podcast/ep11-green-energy-transition</a></font><br>
<font face="Calibri"> </font>
<p><font face="Calibri"><br>
</font></p>
<p><font face="Calibri"><br>
</font></p>
<i><font face="Calibri">[ </font></i><i><font face="Calibri">Fox
has pants on fire - </font></i><font face="Calibri"><i>disinformation
issues ]</i><br>
</font><font face="Calibri"><b>Fox Stars Privately Expressed
Disbelief About Election Fraud Claims. ‘Crazy Stuff.’</b><br>
The comments, by Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and others, were
released as part of a defamation suit against Fox News by Dominion
Voter Systems.<br>
</font><font face="Calibri"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/16/business/media/fox-dominion-lawsuit.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/16/business/media/fox-dominion-lawsuit.html</a></font>
<p><font face="Calibri"><br>
</font></p>
<font face="Calibri"><br>
<i>[The news archive - looking back at the Keystone XL pipeline ]</i><br>
<font size="+2"><i><b>February 28, 2014</b></i></font> <br>
On MSNBC.com, 350.org's Jamie Henn declares that President Obama
would imperil the Democratic Party's standing with younger voters
by approving the Keystone XL pipeline:<br>
</font>
<blockquote><font face="Calibri"> "A Keystone XL approval could also
turn off the very voters Obama and his allies hope to engage to
advance a Democratic agenda. Years of protest have turned the
pipeline into a symbolic test of the President’s commitment to
address climate change. Despite the State Department’s recent
back-flips to claim the pipeline wouldn’t have a dramatic
environmental impact, the nation’s top climate scientists have
made it crystal clear in reports and letters to the President
that Keystone XL is a climate disaster. If the pipeline goes
forward it will send a clear signal that the President isn’t
serious about taking on the crisis.</font><br>
<font face="Calibri"> </font><br>
<font face="Calibri"> "That would be bad news for Democrats who
hope to turn out the youth vote in 2014 and beyond. In a recent
poll, 70% of young voters said that support for action on
climate change will affect who they vote for, and 73% said
they’d vote against a politician who wasn’t addressing the
problem."</font><br>
</blockquote>
<font face="Calibri"> <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/obama-needs-anti-keystone-climate">http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/obama-needs-anti-keystone-climate</a><br>
<br>
</font>
<p><font face="Calibri">======================================= <br>
</font> <font face="Calibri"><b class="moz-txt-star"><span
class="moz-txt-tag">*Mass media is lacking, many </span>daily
summaries<span class="moz-txt-tag"> deliver global warming
news - a few are email delivered*</span></b> <br>
</font> <font face="Calibri"><br>
=========================================================<br>
</font> <font face="Calibri"><b>*Inside Climate News</b><br>
Newsletters<br>
We deliver climate news to your inbox like nobody else. Every
day or once a week, our original stories and digest of the web’s
top headlines deliver the full story, for free.<br>
</font> <font face="Calibri"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://insideclimatenews.org/">https://insideclimatenews.org/</a><br>
--------------------------------------- <br>
*<b>Climate Nexus</b> <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://climatenexus.org/hot-news/*">https://climatenexus.org/hot-news/*</a>
<br>
Delivered straight to your inbox every morning, Hot News
summarizes the most important climate and energy news of the
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class="moz-txt-star"><span class="moz-txt-tag">*</span></b> <br>
Every weekday morning, in time for your morning coffee, Carbon
Brief sends out a free email known as the “Daily Briefing” to
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and energy, as well as our pick of the key studies published in
the peer-reviewed journals. <br>
more at <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
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<br>
================================== <br>
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