Ottawa Directs Dollars to Clean Grid, Transit, Indigenous Guardians – The Energy Mix: Last Wednesday, Natural Resources Minister Seamus O’Regan Jr. unveiled a C$960-million Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program, aimed at supporting non-emitting technologies like wind, solar, storage, hydropower, geothermal, and tidal, and at modernizing the country’s electricity grid. The Canadian Environment Week launch took place during a virtual forum hosted by the Canadian Electricity Association that laid out four key “disruptors” for electricity regulation—decarbonization, decentralization, digitalization, and democratization.

A day later, the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) said it would invest $14.4 million to help Edmonton buy 20 new zero-emission buses and complete a municipal building retrofit study. “The CIB is determined to support Canadian municipalities’ climate action and infrastructure renewal,” said President and CEO Ehren Cory.

Ottawa Directs Dollars to Clean Grid, Transit, Indigenous Guardians – The Energy Mix: Last Wednesday, Natural Resources Minister Seamus O’Regan Jr. unveiled a C$960-million Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program, aimed at supporting non-emitting technologies like wind, solar, storage, hydropower, geothermal, and tidal, and at modernizing the country’s electricity grid. The Canadian Environment Week launch took place during a virtual forum hosted by the Canadian Electricity Association that laid out four key “disruptors” for electricity regulation—decarbonization, decentralization, digitalization, and democratization.A day later, the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) said it would invest $14.4 million to help Edmonton buy 20 new zero-emission buses and complete a municipal building retrofit study. “The CIB is determined to support Canadian municipalities’ climate action and infrastructure renewal,” said President and CEO Ehren Cory.Read More

Biden to Restore State, Indigenous Right to Block Energy Megaprojects – The Energy Mix: Suddenly at risk of far greater scrutiny are projects near and dear
to fossil balance sheets, including “massive ports for shipping coal
abroad, seaside terminals for supercooling gas, and thousands upon
thousands of miles of pipelines cutting through rivers and streams.”

While Trump could not do a complete end-run around legislation that requires state and tribal permission for projects that could potentially pollute a watershed, he was
able to reduce the time and scope allowed for local impact review.
Under the new terms, state and tribal officials will be able to factor
in water-related impacts of the climate crisis, like drought, when
evaluating whether a particular project should be allowed to proceed.

“We have serious water challenges to address as a nation and, as EPA
administrator, I will not hesitate to correct decisions that weakened
the authority of states and Tribes to protect their waters,” said EPA
Administrator Michael Regan.

Biden to Restore State, Indigenous Right to Block Energy Megaprojects – The Energy Mix: Suddenly at risk of far greater scrutiny are projects near and dear
to fossil balance sheets, including “massive ports for shipping coal
abroad, seaside terminals for supercooling gas, and thousands upon
thousands of miles of pipelines cutting through rivers and streams.” While Trump could not do a complete end-run around legislation that requires state and tribal permission for projects that could potentially pollute a watershed, he was
able to reduce the time and scope allowed for local impact review.
Under the new terms, state and tribal officials will be able to factor
in water-related impacts of the climate crisis, like drought, when
evaluating whether a particular project should be allowed to proceed. “We have serious water challenges to address as a nation and, as EPA
administrator, I will not hesitate to correct decisions that weakened
the authority of states and Tribes to protect their waters,” said EPA
Administrator Michael Regan.Read More

HSBC to Phase Out Fossil Financing after 99% Shareholder Landslide – The Energy Mix:

The vote to drop coal and embrace Paris represents a strong gallop toward climate action, reports Nikkei Asia. “The resolution, supported by over 99% of votes at an annual shareholders meeting…was spearheaded by a coalition of investors managing US$2.4 trillion in assets led by UK-based non-profit ShareAction.” A 75% majority was all that was needed to make the resolution binding.

HSBC to Phase Out Fossil Financing after 99% Shareholder Landslide – The Energy Mix: The vote to drop coal and embrace Paris represents a strong gallop toward climate action, reports Nikkei Asia. “The resolution, supported by over 99% of votes at an annual shareholders meeting…was spearheaded by a coalition of investors managing US$2.4 trillion in assets led by UK-based non-profit ShareAction.” A 75% majority was all that was needed to make the resolution binding.Read More

Michigan Scorches ‘Meritless’ Claims it Can’t Shut Down Line 5 – The Energy Mix: Enbridge is trying to convince Michigan court Judge Janet Neff that the case needs to be heard by a federal judge because it raises “substantial federal questions” about Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s effort to shut down the line for fear of an environmental disaster in the Great Lakes. Nessel disagrees.

“This case is a state law action through and through,” her brief begins.

Michigan is “invoking powers that are unique to a state sovereign,” it says, and asserting claims under Michigan laws “over a strip of land that is owned by the state, located within the state, and held in trust by the state for the public benefit of its people.”

Michigan Scorches ‘Meritless’ Claims it Can’t Shut Down Line 5 – The Energy Mix: Enbridge is trying to convince Michigan court Judge Janet Neff that the case needs to be heard by a federal judge because it raises “substantial federal questions” about Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s effort to shut down the line for fear of an environmental disaster in the Great Lakes. Nessel disagrees.“This case is a state law action through and through,” her brief begins. Michigan is “invoking powers that are unique to a state sovereign,” it says, and asserting claims under Michigan laws “over a strip of land that is owned by the state, located within the state, and held in trust by the state for the public benefit of its people.”Read More

Canada Faces Scrutiny as New Fossil Forum Raises Greenwashing Fears – The Energy Mix: The NZPF is “arguably the first international initiative bringing
together fossil fuel producers to discuss the impact of climate policy
on the production of oil and gas directly,” the groups say. But “while
this tacit recognition by major oil and gas producers that their
contribution to the climate crisis can no longer be ignored is an
interesting development, the framing of the initiative and its main
objectives raise the prospect of the NZPF being a greenwashing tool in service to the oil and gas industry’s interests.”

Which means that, “unless the NZPF members align around the need for a
managed and equitable phaseout of fossil fuel production in line with
the 1.5°C limit, this forum will only serve as a smokescreen to help
prolong the life of fossil fuels assets and ultimately make the global
climate crisis worse.”

Canada Faces Scrutiny as New Fossil Forum Raises Greenwashing Fears – The Energy Mix: The NZPF is “arguably the first international initiative bringing
together fossil fuel producers to discuss the impact of climate policy
on the production of oil and gas directly,” the groups say. But “while
this tacit recognition by major oil and gas producers that their
contribution to the climate crisis can no longer be ignored is an
interesting development, the framing of the initiative and its main
objectives raise the prospect of the NZPF being a greenwashing tool in service to the oil and gas industry’s interests.”Which means that, “unless the NZPF members align around the need for a
managed and equitable phaseout of fossil fuel production in line with
the 1.5°C limit, this forum will only serve as a smokescreen to help
prolong the life of fossil fuels assets and ultimately make the global
climate crisis worse.”Read More