Welcome to Planet Days, a green newsletter for a greenwashed Planet.
If you’re new to this newsletter, every week we curate a five-minute roundup of the latest climate news and what it means for our Planet. If this was forwarded to you, smash that subscribe button:
Before we get started, a bit of housekeeping: This will be our last weekly roundup this year. Still expect one or two more posts from us this month — maybe a 2022 in review (like we did for 2021) — but overall, we’re winding down for the year.
Thank you so much for reading every week, and we hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday. Now onto what happened around the Planet last week:
Monday, December 5
All about airlines
Lots of airline news last week — a signal that businesses and governments are trying to slash pollution from the sector, which makes up an ever-growing slice of global emissions.
First, a new report shows how to replace jet fuel with sustainable aviation fuels — more-efficient fuels made of waste, algae, and other materials — to meet U.S. climate targets, reports Axios.
Across the pond, the European Union agreed to up the price of credits airlines purchase to offset their emissions, reports Reuters.
And the European Commission approved a ban on short-travel flights in France, if a train route is available, Travel + Leisure reports.
Airlines are now warning that they will increased prices, should they have to pay for these carbon costs. For more about aviation and climate, last year Planet Days about the wildly different ways airlines are going net zero.
Russian oil price cap takes effect
The world continues to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine: This time with a price cap of $60/barrel on Russian oil. The deal — carried out by the U.S., E.U., and other major countries — seeks to hamper a major money-making export for Russia, without sending the Planet into a recession.
Russia is scrambling in response, saying both that the price cap will have little effect on production and that production may have to be cut. The nation, which historically provides vast shipments of fossil fuels to its European neighbors, is also floating potential discounts on crude oil. The Wall Street Journal breaks it down.
Europe, US split over climate law
French President Emmanuel Macron recently started a bit of a tiff. During his state visit to the U.S., Macron told lawmakers that domestic provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act — U.S. President Joe Biden’s landmark climate bill — were “super aggressive” toward European countries.
The claims reflect the rest of the European Union, whose president said on Monday that the E.U. must adjust their own rules to ensure U.S. tax breaks don’t harm the European economy, especially its energy and auto sector.
To avoid an all-out trade war, Biden proposed tweaking the IRA and said that recent laws, including the Chips and Science Act, won’t come at the expense of European allies. Though it’s still unclear if he can weather this storm. POLITICO has the story.
Tuesday, December 6
Renewables to jump coal
Some good news out of the International Energy Agency: Its latest report finds that renewables are on the rise, set to surpass coal as the largest source of electricity by 2025 — a surge partially triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Renewables were already expanding quickly, but the global energy crisis has kicked them into an extraordinary new phase of even faster growth as countries seek to capitalize on their energy security benefits,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol in a statement.
Additionally, total capacity growth of renewables worldwide is set to nearly double in the next five years — with the Planet adding as much renewable power in the next five years as it did in the previous 20. The New York Times has more.
Europe dumps deforestation
The European Union banned the import of goods tied to deforestation, in an effort to protect biodiversity and lower emissions, officials announced Tuesday.
The first-of-its-kind law requires companies to prove their supply chains don’t contribute to the loss of forests and will likely affect coffee, beef, soy, and other commodities. Activists hailed the announcement, as deforestation accounts for 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Read more from Reuters.
Wednesday, December 7
COP15 kicks off
Wait, another COP? It’s a bit confusing, but yes, the United Nations’ COP15 kicked off in Montreal Wednesday. Unlike last month’s COP in Egypt, COP15 focuses on biodiversity, or protecting animals and ecosystems.
At the summit, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres again did not mince words: “Humanity has become a weapon of mass extinction. We are treating nature like a toilet. And ultimately, we are committing suicide by proxy.”
Leaders at COP15 aim to negotiate a new Global Biodiversity Framework, which could include targets such as conserving 30% of the Planet’s land and sea by 2030. One major outcome so far has been Canada’s pledge of $800 million for Indigenous-led conservation projects across the country. The Guardian has more on that and the rest of the summit.
Thursday, December 8
Big Oil’s big projects
Oil and gas companies are expanding production, committing tens of billions of dollars to new projects and likely pushing global temperatures to catastrophic levels, according to new research.
To stay on track for Paris Agreement targets, companies must not start new long-term oil or gas projects, and consumption must fall rapidly. Instead, of the major oil companies, the report said only BP is planning production generally in line with current climate goals. Agence France-Presse has the full story.
Bonus
Democrats tip the scales
Senator Raphael Warnock fended off Republican challenger Hershel Walker in a close runoff race last week in Georgia. His victory gives the Democratic Party a true majority in the Senate, allowing the party more flexility on approving presidential nominees and weakening the voting power of climate challenger and swing vote Joe Manchin (D-WV)… at least briefly. E&E News detailed what the win means for climate.
Three days later, however, Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona announced she would leave the Democratic Party to become an independent. Sinema — who has caused headaches for Dems but generally votes along party lines — maintains the move won’t impact how she votes, so Democrats will still retain their majority.
Have a great rest of the year,
Brandon and Sam