Current:Home > NewsHere's what happened on Day 5 of the U.N.'s COP27 climate talks -EquityWise
Here's what happened on Day 5 of the U.N.'s COP27 climate talks
View
Date:2025-04-27 17:08:29
The war in Ukraine is driving a new push for fossil fuels, putting climate goals at risk
With the war in Ukraine disrupting natural supplies to Europe, many countries have been scrambling to replace gas exports coming from Russia, often from nations much farther away. Those gas supplies are super-cooled into a liquid that can be loaded onto tanker ships. The tankers dock in the importing countries at huge facilities that turn their cargo into gas again to send through pipelines.
Since the invasion of Ukraine, 26 of these massive facilities have been announced in the European Union, according to a new report from Climate Action Tracker, a climate think tank,.
Extracting more natural gas to offset the losses from Russia could lock in fossil fuel use for decades. If the proposed terminals and others under construction now around the world come online, they could more than double the emissions from natural gas by 2030, according to the report. That could jeopardize any commitments that governments make in the COP27 negotiations to rein in the pollution driving global warming.
To keep the world's goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius within reach, there should be no investment in new fossil fuel supplies, the International Energy Agency said.
Members of Congress start to arrive
Nancy Pelosi arrived in Egypt with a delegation of 13 other House Democrats, including the current chairs of multiple committees that work on climate policy.
A delegation of Congressional Republicans are enroute to the talks as well.
Congress passed a massive spending bill that puts more than $1.2 trillion toward infrastructure, including rebuilding roads and bridges to be more resilient to climate change, putting more electric vehicles on the road, upgrading public transit and expanding clean sources of electricity.
But control of Congress is still up in the air after Tuesday's election, and the future of U.S. spending on climate change also hangs in the balance. Among other policies, Republican lawmakers have argued against government funding of renewable energy, and in favor of investments in natural gas and other fossil fuels.
Scientists say reliance on fossil fuels needs to plummet immediately in order to avoid catastrophic global warming later this century.
White House calls for federal contractors to disclose climate information
The Biden administration wants big federal contractors to publicly disclose information about their greenhouse gas emissions and the financial risks they face from climate change, and to set targets for cutting emissions.
The U.S. government is the world's largest buyer of goods and services, the White House said, and the proposed rule would make federal supply chains more efficient and resilient to the impacts of global warming.
"Suppliers understand that you cannot manage what you don't measure — tracking emissions and setting and meeting targets can increase resilience and reduce costs," the White House said in a statement.
The administration made the announcement a day before President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak at the United Nations' annual climate conference in Egypt.
Under the proposed rule, the largest federal contractors — those with annual contracts of more than $50 million — would have to disclose emissions from their own operations and from the energy they buy, as well as certain emissions from their customers and suppliers. They would also have to provide information about their climate-related financial risks, and set science-based targets for cutting emissions.
Companies with annual contracts of $7.5 million to $50 million would only have to provide information about the emissions from their own operations and from their energy purchases. Companies with smaller contracts would be exempt.
"With this proposed rule, the Administration is providing a valuable model for other stakeholders as it becomes increasingly important for governments and corporations to provide visibility into their climate risks and resilience across their supply chains," Pankaj Bhatia, global director of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, said in a statement.
However, the proposal is likely to face pushback, says Arthur Wheaton, director of labor studies at Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations.
"The big question is how the administration will monitor and enforce these restrictions," Wheaton said in a statement.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed its own rule to require companies to disclose information about climate-related risks and greenhouse gas emissions. That proposal has faced fierce corporate opposition.
Climate news from the actor formerly known as Rainn Wilson
Actor Rainn Wilson, who is most famous for his role as Dwight Schrute in the U.S. version of the television show The Office, says he has changed his name.
He says he now goes by Rainnfall Heat Wave Extreme Winter Wilson.
In a video, Wilson says his goal is to draw attention to the effects of climate change in the Arctic. Indeed, more variable and extreme rain and heat waves are wreaking havoc in the Arctic, where temperatures are rising about four times faster than the global average.
Wilson also suggested new climate-related names for other celebrities, such as:
- Cardi the Arctic B. Melting
- Jack Black Carbon Is Killing Us
- Ty-phoons Are Increasing Burrell
- Amy Poehler Bears Are Endangered
- Harrison Why Not Drive an Electric Ford
veryGood! (454)
Related
- Former Milwaukee hotel workers charged with murder after video shows them holding down Black man
- Pitbull Stadium is the new home of FIU football. The artist has bought the naming rights
- Uganda sprinter Tarsis Orogot wins 200-meter heat - while wearing SpongeBob socks
- Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz's Daughter Lucie Shares Rare Photo With Brother Desi Jr.
- Kylie Jenner Shows Off Sweet Notes From Nieces Dream Kardashian & Chicago West
- Swollen ankles are a common problem. From compression socks to elevation, here's how to get rid of them.
- Cystic acne can cause pain, shame and lasting scars. Here's what causes it.
- Billions Actor Akili McDowell Arrested and Charged With Murder
- The FTC says 'gamified' online job scams by WhatsApp and text on the rise. What to know.
- 'House of the Dragon' Season 3 is coming: What we know so far
Ranking
- Jorge Ramos reveals his final day with 'Noticiero Univision': 'It's been quite a ride'
- Texas trooper gets job back in Uvalde after suspension from botched police response to 2022 shooting
- Energy Department awards $2.2B to strengthen the electrical grid and add clean power
- 2024 Olympics: Rower Justin Best Proposes to Girlfriend With 2,738 Yellow Roses in Nod to Snapchat Streak
- Sonya Massey's father decries possible release of former deputy charged with her death
- Canadian Olympic Committee revokes credential for track coach amid abuse allegations
- Oakland A’s to sell stake in Coliseum to local Black development group
- 'It's where the texture is': Menswear expert Kirby Allison discusses Italian travel series
Recommendation
From family road trips to travel woes: Americans are navigating skyrocketing holiday costs
What a last-place finish at last Olympics taught this US weightlifter for Paris Games
Horoscopes Today, August 5, 2024
Republican congressman who voted to impeach Trump fights to survive Washington primary
Macy's says employee who allegedly hid $150 million in expenses had no major 'impact'
2024 Olympics: Gymnast Laurie Hernandez Addresses Her Commentary After Surprising Beam Final
Details on Zac Efron's Pool Incident Revealed
Louisiana AG asks court to dismiss lawsuit against new Ten Commandments law