The agreement on the EU Emissions Trading System and the Social Climate Fund

 The European Council and the European Parliament reached a provisional political agreement on legislative proposals of the ‘Fit for 55’ package that will allow the EU to reduce its net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels and to achieve climate neutrality in 2050 while making sure the most vulnerable citizens and micro-enterprises are effectively supported in the climate transition.

The Council and Parliament agreed to increase the overall ambition of emissions reductions by 2030 in the sectors covered by the EU ETS to 62%.

The largest in the world carbon capture plant is build in Iceland

 The largest in the world “direct air capture” (DAC) plant will allow to capture and remove annually from the atmosphere the amount of carbon dioxide equivalent to emissions produced by 870 cars. CO2 is filtered out, mixed with water, and pumped into deep underground wells, where over the course of a few years it turns to stone. The plant was opened in September 2021 in Iceland, and it is operated by the Swiss engineering startup Climeworks.

Current NDCs submission status under the Paris Agreement

Under the Paris Agreement, Parties must  submit  Nationally  Determined  Contributions  (NDCs)  to  the UNFCCC and  to introduce policies  aiming the achievement of their stated objectives. The first round of  NDCs,  submitted  by  191 countries,  covers  more  than  90%  of  global  energy‐related  and  industrial  process  CO2  emissions.

As  of  23  April  2021,  80 countries  have  submitted  new  or  updated  NDCs  to  the  UNFCCC,  covering  just  over  40%  of  global  CO2  emissions. 

Still, just a few percent of the global net zero emission targets currently are supported by law (see figure below).

Source: IEA, 2021

More than 80% of global new electricity capacity added last year were renewables

Over 260 GW of renewable energy capacity were added last year worldwide, exceeding expansion in 2019 by close to 50%, despite the economic slowdown that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. Renewables account for 80% of all new electricity capacity added last year, with solar and wind representing 91% of new renewables, according to the recent report by IRENA.

The 10.3% rise in installed renewable capacity reflects expansion that beats long-term trends of more modest growth year-on-year.

Global CO2 emissions are rebounding to pre-pandemic levels

According to the Global Carbon Project, world's fossil CO2-related emissions have dropped by about 2.6 GtCO2 in 2020 to 34 GtCO2 (see figure below). This  decrease, which is equivalent to EU's annual GHG emissions, was caused mainly by the measures taken to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is about 7% below 2019 levels, while, in most countries, daily emissions decreased at the peak of the country’s lockdown by on average 27%.

The pathway to climate leadership for the United States

These 21 GHG reduction policies may allow cutting total emissions in the U.S. by 48 percent in 2030, and by 95 percent in 2050, relative to 2010 levels.

Source: energyinnovation.org

Simulations conducted by Energy Innovation: Policy and Technology LLC have identified policies across all economic sectors to achieve the IPCC’s recommended GHG reductions required to limit global warming to 1.5C.

The U.S. Energy Policy Simulator, an open-source and non-partisan computer model developed by Energy Innovation, has designed a policy scenario that achieves the IPCC’s recommended emissions reductions.

Have countries done enough to meet their climate action promises made five years ago in Paris?

 Unfortunately, according to BloombergNEF, the world's biggest #GHG emitters still are far behind in terms of implementing policies and actions to meet their #ParisAgreement commitments...

BloombergNews

Alberta's goal is to eliminate coal-fired electricity production by 2023, ahead of 2030 provincial deadline

 In 2014, 55%  of Alberta’s electricity was produced from 18 coal-fired generators. The Alberta government announced in 2015 it would eliminate emissions from coal power generation by 2030.

Provincial electric utility Capital Power Corp. plans to spend nearly $1 billion to switch two coal-fired power units west of Edmonton to natural gas and stop using coal entirely. Capital Power expects that direct carbon dioxide emissions at its Genesee power facility will be about 3.4 million tonnes per year lower than 2019 emission levels when the project is complete. The natural gas combined cycle units will be the most efficient in Canada, and they will be capable of running on 30% hydrogen initially, with the option to run on 95% hydrogen in the future with minor investments.

The growing cost-competitiveness of renewable energy makes coal plant retirements possible, due to Capital Power’s plans to increase its investments in solar power.

Calgary-based TransAlta Corp. said it will end operations at its Highvale thermal coal mine west of Edmonton by the end of 2021 as it switches to natural gas at all of its operating coal-fired plants in Canada by four years earlier than previously planned.  The Highvale surface coal mine is the largest in Canada and has been in operation since 1970.

Source: globalnews.ca

European Commission raised Europe’s 2030 climate ambition

UPDATED.  On October 6, the European Parliament voted to increase the EU’s climate target for 2030, supporting a 60% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by the end of the decade, up from 40% currently. It is impressive that the adopted target is higher than one earlier proposed by the European Commission (55%)!

 EU-wide net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction target of at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels was proposed by EC on September 17.  Achieving of this level of ambition for the next decade will put the EU on a balanced pathway to reaching climate neutrality by 2050 but will require action in all sectors of the economy (see diagram below).

A comprehensive Impact Assessment of the social, economic, and environmental impacts demonstrates that this course of action is realistic and feasible.

CO2 emissions from the burning of fossil fuels are the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU, and together with fugitive non-CO2 emissions in the energy system, they are responsible for over 75% of EU greenhouse gas emissions.

Can China become carbon neutral by 2060?

The world's biggest polluter of greenhouse gases China  has pledged to go carbon neutral by 2060 during the United Nations General Assembly in New York  on Sep 22. It's the first time China has issued concrete plans to achieve net zero carbon dioxide emissions. If achieved, this could curb likely global warming by 0.2-0.3 Celsius this century.

China has not yet revealed details of how it will do this. But a research group at Tsinghua University presented a $15 trillion, 30-year road map on 27 September that calls for ending the use of coal for electricity generation around 2050, dramatically increasing nuclear and renewable power generation, and relying on electricity for 80% of China’s energy consumption by 2060.

Governments are planning to produce 50% more fossil fuels by 2030 than would be consistent with a 2°C pathway...

...,  and by 120% more than would be consistent with a 1.5°C pathway. Coal production planning is above numbers compatible with the climate goals by 150% and 280%, respectively.

These numbers are pointing at a huge challenge of  bringing the use of fossil fuels in line with climate goals, states The Production Gap report published by a group of leading research organisations supported by UNEP.

According to IEA, coal, oil, and natural gas remain the world’s dominant sources of energy accounting for 81% of total primary energy supply. These fuels are a source of over 75% of global GHG emissions, including about 90% of all CO2  emissions. IPCC estimates that CO2 emissions from fossil fuels will need to decline rapidly, by approximately 6% per year to remain on a 1.5°C-compatible pathway, and by roughly 2% per year to remain on a 2°C-compatible one. 

European Green Deal: putting Europe on track to reach net-zero global warming emissions by 2050

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced hotly anticipated European Green Deal on 11 October 2019,  and on 11 December she outlined a long list of policy initiatives to support Green Deal, including major policy area:

Clean energy - Opportunities for alternative, cleaner sources of energy

Sustainable industry - Ways to ensure more sustainable, more environmentally respectful production cycles

Building and renovating - The need for a cleaner construction sector

Last time the Earth experienced a comparable concentration of CO2 was 3-5 million years ago and back then...

... the temperature was 2-3°C warmer, sea level was 10-20 meters higher than now,  World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General Petteri Taalas stated in a news release.

Since 1990, there has been a 43% increase in total radiative forcing by long-lived greenhouse gases (LLGHGs) – the warming effect on the climate - by long-lived greenhouse gases. CO2 accounts for about 80% of this, according to figures from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration quoted in the WMO Bulletin. 

Circular economy gap: just 9% of the 92.8 billion tonnes of materials that enter the economy are re-used annually

These numbers were revealed in a report presented by Circle Economy in Davos during the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. According to the report, 62% of global greenhouse gas emissions (excluding those from land use and forestry) are released during the extraction, processing and manufacturing of goods to serve society’s needs; only 38% are emitted in the delivery and use of products and services. Authors of the report argues that innovation to extend the lifespan of existing resources will not only curb emissions but also reduce social inequality and foster low-carbon growth.

Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change combines carbon price and output-based credit

In recent publication Technical paper: federal carbon pricing backstop, Canadian Government proposes combination of carbon price and output-based credit to reduce GHG emissions and address the business competitiveness problem at the same time.

Environment Canada projects the country is on pace to miss its GHG reduction target

The report, published by Canadian government, projects the country may emit at least 30 per cent more by 2030 than promised that year. Climate and energy think tank the Pembina Institute said the report is a “red flag” and a constant reminder that the "job is not done".

Clean Energy Economy: how to get there

The new report, From Risk to Return: Investing in a Clean Energy Economy by the Risky Business Project, demonstrates that not only is managing the risks implied by climate change both economically and technically viable, but it also would create significant new business opportunities. The transition to a cleaner energy economy rests on three pillars: moving from fossil fuels to electricity wherever possible, generating electricity with low or zero carbon emissions, and using energy much more efficiently.

UNEP report: world is still heading for temperature rise of 2.9 to 3.4 °C this century

World must urgently take actions to reduce roughly a further quarter off predicted 2030 global greenhouse emissions to have any chance of minimizing dangerous climate change, says just released UNEP's annual Emissions Gap report. The report states that 2030 emissions are expected to reach 54 to 56 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent – far above the level of 42 needed for limiting global warming to 2°C this century.

GHG standards for light-duty vehicles: U.S. automaker performance report

National Program consisting of standards for light-duty vehicles that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve fuel economy was established by U.S. EPA  and requires compliance with progressively more stringent GHG emission standards for the 2012 through 2025 model years. According to the annual GHG Performance Report, which formally documents the status of auto company compliance with the GHG standards, the auto industry outperformed the GHG standard by a substantial margin for the fourth consecutive year.

Kigali HFCs agreement - climate deal which may be more practically important than Paris accords

The amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer endorsed in Kigali is the single largest contribution the world has made towards keeping the global temperature rise 'well below' 2 degrees Celsius. Leaders from 170 countries agreed to cut the worldwide use of hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs, which are used in air-conditioners and refrigerators.