CLIMATE: U.S. climate envoy John Kerry tells a European Union gathering that the upcoming Glasgow summit represents the “last, best opportunity” to build on past climate commitments. (Associated Press)
ALSO:
• The U.S. and China “are inching closer” to working together on climate, as both countries will co-chair an upcoming G-20 study group. (Wall Street Journal, subscription)
• Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos says the $10 billion climate fund he announced last month will be spent by 2030. (Associated Press)
• Youth climate activists in Oregon are seeking to amend their lawsuit against the U.S. government after a setback in federal court. (Oregonian)
• Florida lawmakers advance a pair of bills that would prevent local governments from blocking or restricting construction of “energy infrastructure” or banning natural gas hookups in new construction. (Tampa Bay Times)
GRID:
• The Energy Information Administration projects U.S. electricity consumption will increase 2.1% in 2021 as the economy rebounds from the coronavirus pandemic, and finds natural gas use declined in all sectors except power generation in 2020. (Reuters, news release)
• Investor-owned utilities will need to invest an additional $500 billion to harden infrastructure against climate change risks, according to a report. (Utility Dive)
MINING:
• Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm says the U.S. needs to increase domestic production of minerals needed for electric vehicle batteries and other applications. (Reuters)
• Interest is growing in deep-sea mining for materials like lithium, cobalt and copper, raising questions about jurisdiction and environmental consequences. (The Revelator)
PUBLIC LANDS: Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer says Interior Secretary nominee Deb Haaland’s nomination process will begin this week, despite continued opposition from Republicans. (The Hill)
OIL & GAS:
• The Interior Department announces it will launch a review of oil and gas leasing on public lands, including looking at whether taxpayers are getting a fair deal on royalty payments. (Reuters)
• A bipartisan group of senators propose increasing minimum bids for oil and gas leases and raising taxpayer returns from production on federal lands. (Reuters)
• Experts say President Joe Biden will need to more precisely define federal subsidies and get Congress’ cooperation before ending incentives to the oil industry. (E&E News, subscription)
• Democratic senators propose a bill to weigh pricing methane emissions starting in 2023. (Reuters)
PIPELINES:
• The Biden administration backs the PennEast pipeline in a filing with the U.S. Supreme Court in a case where the company seeks to overturn a lower court ruling that prevented seizure of public lands in New Jersey. (Bloomberg Law)
• Former Vice President Al Gore will speak at a rally Sunday in Memphis to oppose the Byhalia Connection pipeline. (MLK50)
TRANSPORTATION: Connecticut advocates say a bill to promote state membership in a regional agreement to reduce transportation emissions does not go far enough to share proceeds with underserved communities. (Energy News Network)
EFFICIENCY: Global climate models are severely overestimating how much energy efficiency measures can do to cut emissions, a new study suggests. (Utility Dive)
COMMENTARY:
• Electric vehicles don’t threaten the grid, and can even bolster it by functioning as backup power sources, a retired petroleum engineer argues. (Energy News Network)
• An environmental science professor says a total ban on fossil fuels is the only way “to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and avoid catastrophic climate change.” (The Guardian)