Emissions

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau set a carbon emissions reduction target of 40-45% by 2030 for Canada, matching the goal declared Thursday by President Biden at the virtual global climate change summit. “Canada understands that if you don’t have a plan to tackle climate change, then you don’t have a plan to create jobs and economic…

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are poised to soar in 2021 as energy use mounts alongside global economic momentum, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a report Tuesday. The Paris-based energy watchdog estimated that emissions would spike by 1.5 billion metric tons/year. It would mark the second-biggest increase on record and more than reverse the…

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is unlikely to play a significant role in decarbonizing maritime transport, according to a World Bank report.  Ammonia and hydrogen produced from renewable electricity are more promising options as the sector works to cut its emissions to comply with international standards in the coming decades, the bank said.   The International Maritime…

French supermajor Total SE is partnering with German engineering firm Siemens AG to explore ways to lower carbon emissions at liquefied natural gas (LNG) sites. Total said Tuesday it had signed a technical collaboration agreement with the Siemens Energy subsidiary to study “sustainable solutions” for carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction, with a focus on LNG facilities…

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker on Monday signed into law climate change legislation to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. “Climate change is an urgent challenge that requires action, and this legislation will reduce emissions in Massachusetts for decades to come while also ensuring the commonwealth remains economically competitive,” Baker said. The new law, which passed…

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) on Tuesday set aggressive carbon reduction goals, pledging that its natural gas utility operations would achieve net zero emissions by 2045. Citing the global United Nations climate accord reached in late 2015, the Sempra Energy utility joined other U.S. gas distributors that have made greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction commitments. The…

FERC has for the first time incorporated a review of climate change impacts in a natural gas certificate decision, sparking a contentious debate among the commissioners over the major policy implications for future infrastructure projects under its purview. In a decision handed down during the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s open meeting last week, the agency…

Canadian utilities are starting trials of green uses for a natural gas substitute, hydrogen, that has to date chiefly served the Alberta oilsands production often criticized by environmentalists. In the 2021-22 heating season, household blends of hydrogen and gas are scheduled to enter field tests in Ontario and Alberta residential fuel markets. A Quebec variation…

Carbon dioxide emissions in the United States plunged 10% in 2020 as stay-at-home orders and the economic slump driven by the Covid-19 pandemic took a toll on energy demand. According to a new report by the International Energy Agency, annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions fell by almost 500 million metric tons in 2020, accelerating a…