December 5, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change
President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees signal a sharp turn toward fossil fuel expansion and climate deregulation. Key figures, including fracking executive Chris Wright f
Carbon capture project is ‘Band-Aid’ to greenwash $10bn LNG plant, locals say
Summary
The proposed Rio Grande LNG, situated on pristine wetlands between Port Isabel and the city of Brownsville is claimed by developer NextDecade to be the "greenest LNG project in the world," employing carbon capture and storage, or CCS, to collect more than 5 million tons of CO2 created during the process of supercooling the gas for loading into specialized ships for export. According to the firm, it will be one of the largest CCS systems in North America, as well as the first LNG terminal to cut CO2 emissions by more than 90%. However, according to a 2019 study by the Department of Energy, the process of cooling the gas generates just 6-7% of the total emissions connected with such facilities. As a result, the planned CCS facility will only be able to reduce a tiny portion of Rio Grande LNG's overall climate effect. According to the Sierra Club, developing Rio Grande LNG may result in up to 163 million tons of CO2 equivalent emissions per year, which is equal to 44 coal plants or more than 35 million automobiles. Due to technical and economic barriers, only 30 commercial CCS projects are in operation globally, many of which are utilized to recover additional oil by re-injecting CO2 into wells. According to the Global CCS Institute, the capacity of these current systems is 43 million tons of CO2 per year, or around 0.1% of global emissions. At least 15 proposed or current LNG export or upstream gas projects throughout the world have revealed intentions to use CCS, including five in Louisiana and Texas proposed by NextDecade, G2 Net-Zero LNG, Venture Global, Sempra Energy, and the French conglomerate TotalEnergies. The Biden administration boosted CCS in August by increasing a carbon-storage tax credit known as 45Q in the Inflation Reduction Act.
A $200 billion surge in liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects could release greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the annual emissions of all global coal plants, raising significa
December 4, 2024
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice
During his final overseas trip as president, Joe Biden highlighted the Lobito Corridor, an 800-mile U.S.-funded railway project in Angola connecting critical mineral-rich regions
December 3, 2024
Energy Justice
Energy Justice
Startups like Still Bright, Ceibo, and Jetti Resources are developing cleaner copper extraction technologies to meet surging demand driven by the energy transition. Innovations in
December 2, 2024
Energy Justice
Energy Justice
Long-duration energy storage (LDES) technologies, such as pumped hydropower and underground compressed air storage, are emerging as solutions to store renewable energy for extende
December 2, 2024
Energy Justice
Energy Justice
The Midwest Hydrogen Hub, spanning Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, and Michigan, has received $22.2 million as part of a $1 billion federal investment to expand clean hydrogen production
November 29, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change
A new study reveals that air pollution from wildfires causes 1.5 million deaths annually, with over 90% of fatalities occurring in low- and middle-income countries, particularly i
November 28, 2024
Economic Justice
Economic Justice
A report from the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) reveals systemic racial bias in home appraisals has cost Black Americans $150 billion in home equity. Homes i
November 27, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change
Community Church Atlanta transformed its Vicars Community Center into the city's first community-owned resilience hub, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Equipped with
November 27, 2024
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice
Michigan's Public Service Commission faces a lawsuit from about 80 townships and counties challenging its implementation of a new law, Public Act 233, which expedites permitting f
November 27, 2024
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice
The fifth and potentially final round of U.N. plastic treaty negotiations (INC-5) in Busan, South Korea, centers on whether to impose global caps on plastic production. Advocates,
November 26, 2024
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice
Highways in the Twin Cities have perpetuated environmental and social inequities, disproportionately affecting urban communities. Black residents were displaced during their const
November 26, 2024
Energy Justice
Energy Justice
Ahead of President-elect Trump’s inauguration, the Biden administration is fast-tracking clean energy investments. The Department of Energy announced nearly $12 billion in loans,
November 26, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change
COP29 approved controversial rules for international carbon markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, enabling countries to trade emissions reductions. Critics argue the gui
December 25, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change
COP29 concluded in Baku with a contentious climate finance agreement that left many nations dissatisfied. The deal commits wealthy countries to lead efforts to triple climate aid