California's battle to cut emissions with biofuels burns in new truck engines




California's battle to cut emissions with biofuels burns in new truck enginesFILE PHOTO: Pump at an alternative fueling station that provides fuel other than gasoline is shown in San Diego, California

Laura Sanicola
Thu, January 20, 2022

(This January 20 story corrects to reflect changes to LCFS would align with carbon neutrality goals; adds line regarding statistical significance of NOx increase in study)

(Reuters) - Renewable diesel is touted as a cleaner-burning fuel, but a recent study has shown the fuel falls short on one measure of reducing pollution from new truck engines - giving pause to California regulators who support increased production.

The state, the largest vehicle market in the country, has aggressively moved to curtail fossil fuel emissions from all vehicles while also encouraging production of renewable diesel - seen as key for reducing emissions in hard-to-electrify sources like trucking.

The efforts are part of California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), a rule designed to decrease the carbon intensity of the state's transportation fuel.

Renewable diesel lowers greenhouse gas emissions compared with petroleum-based diesel. The fuel has also been promoted as a way to cut emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx), a harmful pollutant that contributes to ozone deterioration and causes respiratory problems.

However, engines made more recently emit more NOx when running on renewable diesel when blended with 35% biodiesel or more, compared with conventional diesel, according to a study released by California Air Resources Board (CARB) in November.

CARB found in these new technology diesel engines, or NTDEs, running on 100% renewable diesel, NOx emissions increases were not statistically significant compared with CARB diesel,

That could affect the way regulators revise the LCFS, which spurred investment in renewable diesel, made from fats and vegetable oils.

State regulators are considering changes to the LCFS that align with a 2022 update on how to bring the state to carbon neutrality by 2045. The study means regulators could have to consider whether renewable diesel increases emissions in areas with worse air quality.

CARB said it has "identified several questions about the study results" that require further evaluation, and will be accepting public comment on the study until the end of January.

Regulators did not respond to a request for comment.

Heavy-duty vehicles are one of the largest contributors to NOx emissions - a precursor of ozone and particulate matter formation. Improved emissions control technology has helped NOx emissions fall by 60% between 1990 and 2019 nationwide, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Companies and regulators had previously purported that renewable diesel reduced NOx emissions by 10%, citing the results of earlier studies that examined the fuel's performance in older engines.

But trucks with newer engines that ran renewable diesel did not meaningfully lower NOx emissions, according to the study. While these NTDEs are present in only 43% of the state’s commercial vehicle registrations, they account for more than 75% of the miles traveled among the state's heavy-duty fleet.

“CARB threw caution to the wind and opened the door to renewable diesel's unlimited use without having properly studied NOx emissions impact in NTDEs,” said Pat McDuff, chief executive officer at Glendale-based California Fueling, in a public comment submitted in January.

He urged California regulators to reverse regulatory changes that prohibit his company from selling fuel additives meant to decrease NOx emissions in biodiesel.

The state is trying to bring 19 regions into compliance with air quality standards enacted in 2015. In two regions - the south coast and the San Joaquin Valley Air Basin - CARB has targeted lowering NOx emissions as one way of improving air quality. In 2020 regulators adopted a new regulation to reduce NOx emissions 90% by 2027.

Renewable diesel generally cuts greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants, said Tristan Brown, associate professor of energy resource economics at SUNY and advisor on New York's Climate Action Council.

Brown noted most biodiesel blending in the United States is 20% or less. "The real question is what amount of NOx is emitted by NTDE engines at volumes of 10% and 20% biodiesel blend levels, and that is not reported by the study," Brown said.

(Reporting by Laura Sanicola; Editing by Marguerita Choy and Daniel Wallis)

One chart shows how well 

vaccines and boosters protect 

against severe Omicron

compared to Delta

Aria Bendix

Fri, January 21, 2022

Jolanta Gawlik, left, gives Juliana Cepeda the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in New York.Mark Lennihan/AP Photo

• Booster shots appear to be at least 90% effective against hospitalization for Delta and Omicron.

• But Omicron poses a greater challenge to vaccine protection, according to three new CDC studies.

• Omicron increased the odds that vaccinated or boosted people would get infected relative to Delta.

COVID-19 booster shots were effective at preventing hospitalization and death before Omicron started spreading in the US. But protection from a third dose is essential now that Omicron cases are predominate, according to three new studies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The first CDC study looked at severe cases of COVID-19 among adults in 10 states from August to mid-December 2021, when the Delta variant was dominant, and from mid-December 2021 to January 2022, when Omicron started to take over. During that time, the CDC's Vision Network recorded around 88,000 hospitalizations for COVID-19.

Adults who received an mRNA booster saw the highest protection during both the Delta and Omicron periods: Boosters reduced the risk of hospitalization by at least 90%. But two mRNA doses were far less effective at preventing severe Omicron cases than severe Delta ones, the study found.

The chart below shows how well vaccines protected against hospitalization during the Omicron and Delta periods.

During the Delta period, the effectiveness of a second dose waned slightly after about 26 weeks — from 90% to 81%. A third dose brought that protection back up to 94%.

But protection significantly declined during the Omicron period: A second dose was 81% effective against hospitalization after 2-26 weeks, but just 57% effective after 26 weeks. Booster shots increased that protection to 90%.

Separately, the study also examined nearly 223,000 COVID-19-related visits to emergency departments or urgent care clinics from August 2021 to January 2022. Overall, booster shots reduced the risk of someone winding up in these settings, but protection was higher before mid-December.

During the Delta period, booster shots reduced the risk of a COVID-19-related visit to the emergency department or urgent care clinic by 94% two weeks after they were administered. During the Omicron period, boosters reduced the risk of those visits by 82%.

The findings nevertheless "underscore the importance of receiving a third dose" to prevent moderate and severe COVID-19, the researchers wrote.

Boosters protect against Omicron infections and symptoms, two more studies found

Dr. Carlos Ramirez conducts an examination on Juan Perez, 50, in Oakland, California on May 12, 2020.Jessica Christian/The San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images

New research also suggests that boosters protect against Omicron infections and symptoms.

A second CDC study found that vaccinated people who received an mRNA booster had more protection against a coronavirus infection in December 2021, when Omicron was spreading in the US, than people who had received two doses or none at all.

However, Omicron's arrival increased the odds that a vaccinated or boosted person would get infected relative to when Delta was dominant.

In October and November, unvaccinated people had around 14 times the risk of getting infected compared with people who had received booster doses. By the time Omicron emerged in December, unvaccinated people had just five times the risk of infection relative to people who had been boosted.

Like other vaccine doses, boosters didn't offer the same protection for every age group: The shots were more effective at preventing infections and deaths among people ages 50 and up than younger adults, the researchers found.

A third CDC study, released Friday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, also found that three mRNA shots were better than two doses at protecting against symptomatic Omicron — though boosters did a better job of warding off Delta symptoms.

HOISTED BY ONES OWN PETARD

Pigs Here, Feed There: Truck Cargoes Stuck on U.S.-Canada Border


Jen Skerritt and Michael Hirtzer
Thu, January 20, 2022

(Bloomberg) -- Pigs bound for slaughter in the U.S. are getting stuck in Canada while their feed is stranded in the U.S. as new trucker vaccine rules exacerbate a shortage of drivers.

A significant number of hog producers are unable to ship their weanlings to Iowa, Minnesota and the Dakotas as trucks have been canceled this week due to a lack of drivers, said Cam Dahl, general manager of Manitoba Pork. 

Compounding the problem, some truck shipments of soybean meal from the U.S. to Manitoba are also being scrapped at a time when producers are relying on the imports to feed their animals after drought withered Prairie supplies, he said. 

“If cancelations continue I’m not sure exactly where there’s going to be a home for all the weanlings,” Dahl said Thursday by phone. New rules that came into effect Jan. 15 require that American truck drivers crossing into Canada be fully vaccinated, though only about half of U.S. drivers have gotten their shots. 

The U.S. is poised to introduce its own mandate on foreign travelers on Jan. 22, which will apply to truckers. The health orders are adding to the North American supply-chain turmoil that was already strained from labor shortages and pandemic-related disruptions. 

Canadian produce importers have said that in less than a week, the new rules have boosted the cost of freight and added to difficulties stocking shelves with fruit and vegetables.

Pork packers in the U.S. already were paying higher prices for hogs after farmers reduced herds, in part because feed prices have soared. Fewer animals moving through the system should keep meat prices high, contributing to further food inflation.

Hog futures in Chicago climbed as much as 2.5% on Thursday to the highest since July.

The hog industry relies on “just in time” manufacturing, and Manitoba doesn’t have the capacity to feed and process a surge of hogs domestically, Dahl said.

 Last year, Manitoba shipped about 3 million weanlings to the U.S. to be finished, according to Manitoba Pork.

“Up until this point, we’ve recognized the need to keep product moving across our borders going both ways,” Dahl said. “We’ve recognized the need to move essential goods and we need to find a way to keep that happening.”

Hungry, Cold Cows in Canada Fuel Rare Buying-Spree of U.S. Corn


Jen Skerritt and Michael Hirtzer
Thu, January 20, 2022, 

(Bloomberg) -- Canada is now one of the top buyers of U.S. corn as cattle ranchers scour for grain to feed their animals.

Dry conditions zapped as much as 40% of western Canada’s grain output last year, sending prices for barley and other crops to all-time highs and leaving a dearth of feed for the nation’s cattle industry. 

The squeeze has prompted Canada to make a rare commitment to bring in about 3.2 million metric of tons of corn from its southern neighbor, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.

That’s the most in roughly two decades and compares to only 457,000 tons a year ago. Canada’s now one of the biggest purchasers alongside China, Mexico and Japan, and its buying binge is reducing already tight stockpiles of feed grains.

“If you can’t get a car tire, that’s an inconvenience. If a cow can’t get something to eat, that’s a major problem,’’ said Bob Lowe, president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association.

Chicago corn futures climbed as much as 0.6% to $6.1425 a bushel Thursday, the highest level for this time of year since 2013.

Lowe is using about 40 tons of American corn a day to feed his 5,000 cattle in Nanton, Alberta. The recent cold snap prompted him to buy about 15% more corn than he usually needs to sustain his animals this winter. Widespread drought means there are no local alternatives available, and omicron-related disruptions at Alberta’s biggest beef processing plants have left some producers feeding animals for longer, he said.

“Keeping cattle alive becomes the number one criteria and economics becomes a distant second,’’ Lowe said.

Earlier this week, Canada also made a rare purchase of European barley as there are limited supplies available in the Prairies, and European malt barley is cheaper and better quality than what is available. The northern nation hasn’t imported significant volumes from the European Union since the 2015-16 season, trade data show.

The extra corn exports are bolstering prices for U.S. farmers, but the demand could slow if Canadian farmers recover from last year's drought and boost yields this year.

“This will probably be a one-off,'' Angie Setzer, cofounder and partner of farm advisory ConsusROI, said by phone.

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant plans for 30 nuke waste shipments from Los Alamos 

lab in 2022



Adrian Hedden, Carlsbad Current-Argus
Thu, January 20, 2022, 9:54 AM·3 min read

Officials at the U.S. Department of Energy said they hope to dispose of 30 shipments of nuclear waste this year from Los Alamos National Laboratory in northern New Mexico at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad.

The goal was part of the DOE’s Office of Environmental Management (EM) list of 2022 priorities released Tuesday which included multiple plans to continue work at the WIPP site where transuranic (TRU) waste is disposed of about 2,000 feet underground.

TRU waste consists of clothing items, equipment and other materials irradiated during nuclear activities across the U.S.

More: State of New Mexico demands feds investigate WIPP, federal nuclear programs

It is buried at WIPP in an underground salt deposit where the salt gradually collapses to permanently sequester the waste.

To further this mission of cleaning up the DOE’s TRU waste from New Mexico labs and its sites throughout the nation, EM also planed to complete half of the needed mining for a western access drift, per the released priorities, that would provide access to a utility shaft being constructed at the site.

The new shaft, WIPP’s fifth, would act as an air intake to increase airflow in the underground to allow mining and waste emplacement to occur simultaneously, intended to allow better planning so that disposal panels are mined and ready when needed as others fill up.

More: Waste Isolation Pilot Plant criticized for accepting out-of-state nuclear waste

Airflow in the underground was restricted in 2014 after an accidental radiological release contaminated parts of the facility.

The DOE also planned this year to begin installing equipment at Los Alamos to help process TRU waste being sent to WIPP from the Waste Control Specialists facility in Andrews, Texas near the New Mexico state line.

Other priorities at WIPP included awarding contracts for transportation of the waste to WIPP and for management and operations of the site.

“Our many accomplishments in 2021 positioned EM to achieve an equally challenging slate of priorities in 2022,” said EM Senior Advisor William White.

“Our 2022 priorities underscore our goals to accomplish cleanup that is safe and protective of our workforce, the public and the environment, and in a manner that is transparent to the communities that host and support our sites.”

More: Ready for the future: WIPP projects in 2021 advance nuclear waste disposal mission

WIPP Laboratories achieves certification

As activities continue at the WIPP site, a laboratory known as WIPP Labs provides technical and scientific advising and environmental monitoring.

The lab’s recent sample data was found by the National Institute of Standards and Technology to meet criteria allowing it to operate with accreditation under the DOE’s Laboratory Accreditation Program (DOELAP).

The accreditation is reviewed by the DOE every three years, with the next opportunity to maintain the accreditation in spring 2022.

More: How the federal military spending bill will impact WIPP and nuclear projects in New Mexico

WIPP Labs maintained is accreditation since 2000.

This allowed WIPP Labs to continue analyzing water, air, soil and vegetation samples near the WIPP site for isotopes known to be present in TRU waste sent to WIPP.

The recent study that achieved the lab’s certification identified accurately all the known isotopes: plutonium, americium, uranium, cesium, cobalt and strontium along with their activity levels.

More: Waste Isolation Pilot Plant struggles to control costs, per annual performance evaluation

“One of the requirements for DOELAP is that the WIPP laboratories must demonstrate annually their ability to analyze blind bioassay samples under a rigid set of criteria to maintain NIST compliance,” said Ginny Jones, manager of the WIPP laboratories.

“Having the ability to analyze various isotopes at extremely low levels of activity helps WIPP demonstrate that our radiation protection protocols are working.”

Adrian Hedden can be reached at  achedden@currentargus.com 

This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: WIPP plans for 30 nuclear waste shipments from Los Alamos lab in 2022

1. 

   Carlsbad Caverns National Park

   www.nps.gov

   727 Carlsbad Cavern Hwy, Carlsbad, NM 88220

   +1 (575) 785-2232

   
   
   

   
   

   • 
     

Germany wants to attract 400,000 skilled workers from abroad each year

Thu, January 20, 2022, 

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's new coalition government wants to attract 400,000 qualified workers from abroad each year to tackle both a demographic imbalance and labour shortages in key sectors that risk undermining the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. 

  "The shortage of skilled workers has become so serious by now that it is dramatically slowing down our economy," Christian Duerr, parliamentary leader of the co-governing Free Democrats (FDP), told business magazine WirtschaftsWoche. 

  "We can only get the problem of an ageing workforce under control with a modern immigration policy... We have to reach the mark of 400,000 skilled workers from abroad as quickly as possible," Duerr added. 

  Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats, Duerr's libertarian FDP and the environmentalist Greens agreed in their coalition deal on measures like a points system for specialists from countries outside the European Union and lifting the national minimum wage to 12 euros ($13.60) per hour to make working in Germany more attractive. 

  The employer-friendly German Economic Institute estimates that the labour force will shrink by more than 300,000 people this year as there are more older workers retiring than younger ones entering the labour market. 

  This gap is expected to widen to more than 650,000 in 2029, leaving an accumulated shortage of people of working age in 2030 of roughly 5 million. The number of Germans in employment grew to nearly 45 million last year despite the coronavirus pandemic. 

  After decades of low birth rates and uneven migration, a shrinking labour force also poses a demographic time bomb for Germany's public pension system, in which fewer employees are burdened with the task of financing the pensions of a growing mass of retirees who are enjoying longer life expectancy. 

SOCIALISM IS ECONOMIC DEMOCRACY

Who is Publix owned by?

Publix Super Markets, Inc., commonly known as Publix, is an employee-owned American supermarket chain headquartered in Lakeland, Florida. Founded in 1930 by George W. Jenkins, Publix is a private corporation that is wholly owned by present and past employees and members of the Jenkins family.

Then Does Kroger own Publix?

Kroger operates their stores as Foods Co in northern and central California, because they do not have the rights to the Food 4 Less name in those areas. Other states, such as Nevada, formerly contained Kroger-owned Food 4 Less stores.

…

Food 4 Less.
Type Subsidiary
Industry Retail
Founded 1977
Headquarters Compton, California

Besides, Why are Publix employees so happy?

 Per Publix, the company offers employee benefits like healthcare, tuition reimbursement programs, retirement savings plans, and employee discounts. But perhaps the most enticing benefit, and the one that inspires such positive performance in its employees, is Publix’s status as an employee-owned company.

1 Is Publix a union company?
2 Why is Publix so successful?
3 Do Publix employees get free food?
4 What is Publix starting pay?
5 How much is Publix Christmas bonus?
6 How much does Publix pay hourly?
7 Do Publix employees get a discount?
8 Is Publix good quality?
9 What percent of Publix is owned by employees?
10 Does Publix have their own brand?
11 How long is a shift at Publix?
12 Does Publix pay more on Sundays?
13 How much do Publix stockers make?
14 What is the highest paying job at Publix?
15 How much does a cashier at Publix make?
16 How much do you get paid at Walmart?
17 How much money do Publix managers make?
18 What happens to your Publix stock when you quit?
19 How much do Publix stockers make?
20 Is working in Publix deli a good job?
Is Publix a union company?

For six years in a row, Publix was named among the top 100 best places in the country to work by Fortune magazine. … But a contentious battle has been brewing for nearly a decade between Publix and the UFCW, the largest union of retail and grocery workers.
Why is Publix so successful?

The Publix Super Market is the largest employee-owned grocery chain in the United States. Today, the business thrives because of the enduring philosophy of treating people with dignity and giving them a stake in the company’s success.

Do Publix employees get free food?

Nope, they never give any kind of discounts to their employees. They have actually reduced the perks and benefits over the last few years because Corporate is giving themselves raises.
What is Publix starting pay?

Publix in Florida Salaries
Job TitleLocationSalary
Deli Clerk salaries – 133 salaries reported Florida
$13/hr

Part Time Cashier salaries – 119 salaries reported Florida $11/hr
Sales Associate/Cashier salaries – 118 salaries reported Florida $12/hr
Publix Customer Service Staff salaries – 117 salaries reported Florida $13/hr

How much is Publix Christmas bonus?

5 answers. Yes, they get $1 per hour worked. Full time get 8 hrs additional pay or can bank the time for additional vacation day. So…if you are a part time emploee at Publix you will not receive time and a half when required to work holidays.
How much does Publix pay hourly?

Publix in Florida Salaries

Job TitleLocationSalary
Customer Service Representative salaries – 107 salaries reported Florida
$12/hr

Customer Service Staff salaries – 105 salaries reported Florida $14/hr
Cashier/Bagger salaries – 105 salaries reported Florida $10/hr
Customer Service salaries – 98 salaries reported Florida $12/hr

Do Publix employees get a discount?

There is no discount at Publix for associates. The average profit margin for grocery stores is only roughly 2.2%. Publix does provide several of the best benefits in the Country, by an employer.
Is Publix good quality?

While Publix is usually great with sales, you might end up spending extra if you’re buying certain pricier brands. Writers at Southern Living agree that Publix brand items are generally just as good as non-generic brands.
What percent of Publix is owned by employees?

Today, Publix Super Markets is the largest employee-owned company operating in America. 4 The family of Publix’s founder collectively own 20% of the company, while the remaining 80% is owned by past and present employees.
Does Publix have their own brand?

Our Publix Brand, Publix Premium, and GreenWise products are comparable to their national brand equivalents, but typically priced lower. Whether it’s spaghetti sauce or paper towels, when you see our Publix brand items on the shelf, you’ll know you’re getting true quality at a great price.
How long is a shift at Publix?

2 answers. Shifts are normally as long as 10 hours. if its over it would be because of call outs or the employee needs more hours and request more with the manager.
Does Publix pay more on Sundays?

NO! Not extra just regular pay.
How much do Publix stockers make?

The typical Publix Stocker salary is $12 per hour. Stocker salaries at Publix can range from $9 – $17 per hour.
What is the highest paying job at Publix?

Highest Paying Jobs At Publix
RankJob TitleAverage Salary
1
Pharmacist Manager
$126,932
2 Team Leader $88,550
3 Assistant Grocery Manager $41,804
4 Warehouse Selector $40,903

How much does a cashier at Publix make?

How much does a Cashier at Publix make? The typical Publix Cashier salary is $12 per hour. Cashier salaries at Publix can range from $8 – $18 per hour.
How much do you get paid at Walmart?

Walmart.com Jobs by Hourly Rate
Job TitleRangeAverage
Job Title:Cashier Range:

$10 – $14

Average:$12

Sales Associate Range:$10 – $15 Average:$12
Stocker Range:$10 – $15 Average:$12
Personal Shopper Range:$11 – $15 Average:$12


•
19 oct. 2021
How much money do Publix managers make?

Average earnings range from more than $55,000 per year for entry-level managers to $137,000 per year for store managers.
What happens to your Publix stock when you quit?

Age 59½ Withdrawal

If you would like to take a cash withdrawal of your account balance invested in the Publix stock component of the Publix Stock Fund, that portion of the withdrawal is processed on the next Publix stock valuation effective date.
How much do Publix stockers make?

Average Publix Stocker hourly pay in the United States is approximately $12.33, which is 9% below the national average.
Is working in Publix deli a good job?

Overall good place

Publix is an overall decent place to work. Working in the deli consisted of coming in around 7, doing prep work, etc. and around 10 am we would get a small rush and at about 12-2 a major lunch rush. Very busy but manager is helpful.

NOT THE ASTEROID

A fireball lit up the sky above Wisconsin on Thursday morning. More than 100 sightings were reported across the Midwest

Jake Prinsen, Appleton Post-Crescent
Thu, January 20, 2022, 

GREEN BAY – If you saw a huge fireball light up the sky early Thursday morning, you’re not alone.

More than 100 people across the Midwest reported seeing a “fireball event” around 6:45 a.m., according to the International Meteor Organization. The sightings came from as far away as Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri and Nebraska.

Most Wisconsin residents who reported the flaming object were concentrated in the southeast and northeast regions of the state.


Witnesses reported the fireball lit up the sky ranging from one second to longer than seven seconds.

WATCH: Video of the meteoroid from UW-Madison's Space Science and Engineering Center



University of Wisconsin-Madison astronomy professor James Lattis said the southwest direction of the object means it was likely a meteoroid and not a piece of space junk, which generally travels east.

He said it's common to see meteors in the early morning hours in the Midwest because the region is facing forward in the earth's obit around the sun.

"It’s like looking out the windshield of your car," he said. "You get more bugs on your windshield because that’s the direction you’re moving."

This meteor received more attention because it traveled over densely populated areas like Chicago, Milwaukee and the Fox Cities. Because so many people saw the meteor, Lattis said scientists would likely be able to calculate its speed, altitude, direction and ultimately where it came from in the solar system.

"They’re almost always more related to the asteroid belt, these extremely bright ones," he said. "It clearly was bright enough to collect a lot of attention."

Lattis said half of meteors streak across the sky during the day and three quarters fly over the ocean, so anyone who saw Thursday's fireball should consider themselves lucky. And if you missed the light show, just keep looking at the stars.

"It’s just a matter of time. If you watch the sky long enough, you will see plenty of meteors and even some bright ones," Lattis said. "It’s a reminder that we should all keep an eye on the great things happening in the sky."

BP and Shell Replenish Carbon-Trading Desks After Mass Departures


Laura Hurst
Thu, January 20, 2022

(Bloomberg) -- BP Plc and Royal Dutch Shell Plc have hired an array of carbon-emissions traders to replenish their ranks after an exodus of staff to trading houses last year.

Competition for traders of so-called environmental products has ramped up over the past year, with firms such as Trafigura Group Pte and Mercuria Energy Group Ltd expanding their footprint in businesses related to the transition to clean energy. With the cost of emissions rising, commodity-trading houses have looked to BP and Shell to hire experienced hands in the world of carbon credits and offsets.

The two oil majors are active in emissions trading throughout the world. The buying and selling of so-called carbon offsets could be a large part of the firms’ net-zero plans, which include development of renewable energy as well as tree-planting and reforestation to absorb greenhouse gases emitted by the burning of oil and gas.

Among BP’s recent hires are Julia Elmgren, who joins from Gazprom Marketing and Trading Ltd., where she was head of environmental products, according to people familiar with the matter. Former BNP Paribas SA trader Jason Jurado has also joined the London-based company, the people said.

In Houston, BP has hired carbon trader Kellen Locke, who has spent the bulk of his career as an environmental trader for Koch Industries Inc., the people said. Utkarsh Agarwal joined as a carbon offsets originator in Chicago. He has previously worked on voluntary and compliance carbon markets, having recently launched the LEAF Coalition to end tropical deforestation through the use of carbon markets. BP declined to comment.

Last year, BP lost a swathe of environmental-products traders to Glencore Plc, including in the Asia-Pacific region. That included Juan Carlos Parreno, who joined the commodity giant in December as a senior trader on its carbon portfolio, according to his LinkedIn profile. Glencore declined to comment.

Shell Hires

Following departures from Shell’s carbon emissions desk in Singapore last year, the company has relocated senior liquefied natural gas manager Sameer Kotecha to take on the role of team leader for environmental products trading in southeast Asia and Oceania, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

In London, the firm hired Beth Lang as a trader and originator for voluntary carbon markets in January from NEO Energy’s upstream unit. She started in January, according to her LinkedIn profile. Shell declined to comment.

Among the carbon traders the Anglo-Dutch firm lost last year were Sonia Battikh, who went to Citigroup Inc., and Kee-Nic Lee, who joined Trafigura’s carbon trading team in Singapore. Citigroup and Trafigura declined to comment.

Honduras new leader sees 'betrayal' before taking office

LIBRE! Free Party presidential candidate Xiomara Castro speaks to supporters after general elections in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Nov. 28, 2021. The prospects of Castro governing with support of a solid congressional majority has taken a hit before she's even been inaugurated. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo, File)

MARLON GONZÁLEZ
Fri, January 21, 2022

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) — Honduran President-elect Xiomara Castro saw her prospects of a successful administration take a hit on Friday even before she has been sworn in: A battle for leadership of the newly elected Congress devolved into shouting and shoving among her own allies.

The dispute threatens to split her own Liberty and Refoundation Party, as well as its alliance with the party of Vice President Salvador Nasralla — and raised suspicions that the outgoing government is trying to scuttle her administration before it can start.

Castro had promised to give leadership of the new Congress to an allied party she will depend upon to pass legislation after she takes office on Thursday.

Instead, 20 members of her own party broke ranks and chose one of their own members as leader — getting votes from anti-Castro parties to defeat the president-elect's candidate

It infuriated Castro, who tweeted, “The betrayal is complete."

Castro's party, known as Libre, won 50 seats in the 128-seat Congress in November elections and to pass legislation, it will need votes from allies such as Nasralla's Honduras Salvation Party.

Nasralla ended his own presidential campaign and endorsed Castro in October, creating a united front to remove the ruling National Party from power. As part of the deal, Nasralla got the vice presidency and his party was to lead the new Congress.

That leader was supposed to be Luis Redondo. But on Friday, 20 Libre lawmakers instead threw their support to one of their own, Jorge Cálix, and and other parties opposed to Castro backed him as well.

That set off shoving and shouting between loyalist and breakaway members of Libre inside the chamber. Outside, meanwhile, angry Libre supporters chained the doors of Congress so the lawmakers could not exit. Riot police moved in and eventually regained control.

Political analyst and former presidential candidate Olban Valladares said the dispute could be the result of interference from the outgoing administration of President Juan Orlando Hernández, whose National Party had controlled the previous Congress with its allies.

Valladares said the developments made it doubtful that Castro would be able to count on the full support of her party to resolve Honduras’ problems.

Former President Manuel Zelaya, Castro’s husband, said via Twitter that the selection of Cálix would not be recognized and traitors would be expelled.

Serbian government blasts green groups for scuttling Rio's lithium project

A sign adorns the building where mining company Rio Tinto

 has their office in Perth, Western Australia

Thu, January 20, 2022, 
By Aleksandar Vasovic

BELGRADE (Reuters) - Serbian politicians on Friday blasted environmentalists for forcing them to scuttle Rio Tinto Plc's proposed $2.4 billion lithium project, warning the move could hurt efforts to grow and diversify the Balkan country's economy.

Environmentalists, though, having scored a victory after the government bowed to pressure and revoked Rio's lithium exploration licences on Thursday, are now demanding a moratorium on lithium mining before expected elections in April to ensure the decision is not reversed afterwards.


Zorana Mihajlovic, Serbia's mining and energy minister, said late on Friday that Belgrade acted to fulfil the requests by various green groups to halt the Jadar lithium project, but accused them of injecting politics into environmental issues.

"The government showed it wanted the dialogue ... (and) attempts to use ecology for political purposes demonstrate they (green groups) care nothing about the lives of the people, nor the industrial development," Mihajlovic told reporters.

The country's populist ruling coalition, led by the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), has come under fire for backing lithium and copper mining, eroding the comfortable majority won in a 2020 vote.

The decision is a major setback for Rio, which was hoping the project would help make it one of the world's 10 biggest producers of lithium. China is the world's largest consumer and processor of the metal, and various European countries have been working to boost their own output.

Rio last month said it would buy a second lithium asset for $825 million in Argentina, as it looks to build its battery materials business.

The European Battery Alliance, a network of electric vehicle supply chain companies formed by Brussels, said the Jadar project "constituted an important share of potential European domestic supply." Serbia is not a member of the EU, though it hopes to join the bloc in coming years.

"It would have contributed to support the growth of a nascent industrial battery-related ecosystem in Serbia, contributing to a substantial amount to Serbia's annual GDP," the alliance said in a statement.

Rio's shares in Australia closed down 4.2% on Friday. While in London, Rio's shares ended down 2.2%.

Thousands of Serbians blocked roads in protests against the government's backing of the project in recent months, demanding Rio leave the country and forcing the local municipality to scrap a plan to allocate land for the facility.

More protests are scheduled for Saturday in the town of Loznica in western Serbia where the mine was to be built, said Ljiljana Bralovic, one of the protest leaders.

"We want not only to see Rio Tinto out (of Serbia), we also want a permanent ban on the exploitation of lithium and borates," Bralovic said.

Aleksandar Jovanovic Cuta, another protest leader, said green groups would prevent any future government's attempt to negotiate a new deal with Rio Tinto after the elections.

"Anyone who tries to do that is crazy, all of Serbia would pour to the streets," he said.

SUPPLY SHORTAGE

On Thursday, Rio said it was "extremely concerned" by Serbia's decision and was reviewing the legal basis for it.

The Australian government said it regretted Serbia's decision.

Relations between Belgrade and Canberra have soured after Sunday's deportation of Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic from Australia over its COVID-19 entry rules.

Djokovic spoke out in support of "clean air" in a December Instagram story post captioning a picture of the anti-mining protests, which was published by The Bridge, a digital sports platform.

Rio has already spent $450 million in pre-feasibility, feasibility and other studies on Jadar to understand the nature of the deposit, the company said in a project fact sheet in July.

"The level of opposition to it has really ratcheted up over the last six months," Credit Suisse analyst Saul Kavonic said of the Jadar mine.

"We've been highlighting for a while now there would be about $2 a share at risk if the government cancels it."

At full capacity, the Jadar mine was expected to produce 58,000 tonnes of refined battery-grade lithium carbonate a year, making it Europe's biggest lithium mine by output.

Experts said the world's shortage of lithium had been forecast to last for another three years at least, but with the cancellation of the Jadar project, the shortfall would be exacerbated.

"We're at the point now where lithium supply is going to set the pace of electric vehicle rollout," Kavonic said.

Robust global demand for the metal far outstripping supply growth has boosted lithium prices in recent years.

Lithium futures, which started trading on the CME in May last year, have jumped 171% to a record high of $38/kg on Thursday, according to Refinitiv data.

(Graphic: Benchmark lithium hydroxide prices surge to record highs on global demand boom, https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/ce/byvrjmyoyve/GlobalLithiumPrices.png)

(Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic and Ivana Sekularac in Belgrade, Sonali Paul and Praveen Menon in Melbourne; additional reporting by Clara Denina in London and Florence Tan in Singapore; writing by Praveen Menon and Ernest Scheyder; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell, Raju Gopalakrishnan and Paul Simao)