Ex-UN climate chief has 'lost patience' with fossil fuel industry
AFP
Thu, September 21, 2023
Speaking at the "Climate Changes Everything" summit at the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Christiana Figueres, among the key negotiators of the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement, said that the industry had failed to put "out of the park" profits back into developing renewables (Ezequiel BECERRA)
The UN's former climate chief said Thursday she had "lost patience" with fossil fuel companies and that they should steer clear of crunch talks in Dubai if the industry refuses to be part of the solution.
Speaking at the "Climate Changes Everything" conference on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Christiana Figueres, among the key negotiators of the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement, said that the industry had failed to put "out-of-the-park" profits back into developing renewables.
"Instead of doing everything that they do and applying their amazing engineering capacity, they've been actually doing the opposite," she said.
Oil and gas companies have been slowing down their decarbonization commitments, paying out handsome dividends to shareholders and lobbying governments to reverse climate commitments.
Asked whether to welcome them at the two-week talks in Dubai starting in late November, Figueres said "it should depend on whether they are there to help and to accelerate decarbonization," or "whether they are literally operating against those objectives."
The issue of the industry's participation is a hugely contentious point for the climate action community, even as the president-designate of the talks, Sultan Al Jaber, is himself an oil executive.
Figueres said the sector from which the COP president comes was not as relevant as being true to the mandate, and in this regard, she offered some cautious praise.
While she was initially skeptical Al Jaber was separating his country's national interest from global interest, "lately I have seen he is moving in that direction, which I celebrate.
"I think he has understood the political international responsibility, multilateral responsibility that comes with that presidency."
Jaber addressed a UN climate summit on Wednesday, acknowledging "the phasedown of fossil fuels is inevitable” and "essential."
ia/sct/jh
‘Fossil fuel industry speaks with
Al Gore tells Big Oil ‘get out of the way’ in climate battle
Louise Boyle
Thu, September 21, 2023 at 11:03 AM MDT·4 min read
Al Gore, former Vice President of the United States, speaks onstage at The New York Times Climate Forward Summit 2023 at The Times Center on September 21, 2023 in New York City (Getty Images)
Al Gore unleashed on the fossil fuel industry for engaging in “massive fraud” for decades and called on the powerful multinationals to “get out of the way” of those fighting the climate crisis.
The former vice president is the latest prominent political figure to break a long-held taboo, and directly name the fossil fuel industry as core perpetrator of creating - and continuing - the global crisis.
“I was one of many who felt for a long time that the fossil fuel companies, or at least many of them, were sincere in saying that they wanted to be a meaningful part of bringing solutions to this crisis,” Mr Gore told the New York Times at its Climate Forward event in Manhattan on Thursday, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
“But I think that it’s now clear they are not. Fossil fuel industry speaks with forked tongue.”
Mr Gore noted how the industry has been able to infiltrate the political process at every level including the United Nations annual climate summit.
He said that this year, the UN had gone “too far” in naming Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, head of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, as president of Cop28 in the United Arab Emirates this December.
“That’s just like taking the disguise off,” Mr Gore said.
“The fossil fuel companies, given their record today, are far more effective at capturing politicians than they are at capturing emissions.”
He pointed to how the fossil fuel industry spent just 1 per cent of overall profits on the clean energy transition last year.
“It is a ruse,” he said. “And many of the largest companies have engaged in massive fraud. For some decades now, they’ve followed the playbook of the tobacco industry, using these very sophisticated, lavishly-financed strategies for deceiving people.
He added: “I don’t think it’s fair to expect them to solve this when they’re incentivised to do otherwise. But I think it’s more than fair to ask them to get out of the way, and stop blocking the efforts of everybody else to solve this crisis. I think it’s time to call them out.”
Despite the challenges, and the worsening climate impacts, the former VP said there were encouraging signs like the speed of transition to clean energy in the power sector, and the growing number of electric vehicles.
“There used to be an old cliche, denial is just a river in Egypt, and you could add that despair is just a tire in the trunk,” he said.
“Despair is just another form of denial, and we have to resist it. We don’t have time to wallow in despair, we’ve got work to do. We can do this.”
Mr Gore’s fiery denouncement of the fossil fuel industry was part of a shift among some leaders in public statements about the climate crisis.
It was similarly evident on the floor of the UN headquarters on Wednesday at the so-called “no-nonsense” Climate Ambition Summit – an event championing the “movers and doers” taking accelerated action to cut emissions.
Presidents and prime ministers along with state and local leaders were invited to speak, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, who excoriated the fossil fuel industry for its decades of deception.
“It’s time for us to be a lot more clear. This climate crisis is a fossil fuel crisis,” he said, to applause and cheers in the chamber.
Ms Mottley also laid responsibility at the door of the fossil fuel industry, noting it had benefited from $7 trillion in subsidies last year, along with naming financial institutions and the transport sector.
“If you don’t take corrective action now, you will have to tell us where you’re keeping all your scientific research to relocate you and your families to the planet Mars or Pluto,” Ms Mottley said.
Petro Gustavo, president of major fossil fuel exporter Colombia, gave a stark assessment.
“The real goal that all countries should have is aiming for zero in terms of production and supply of coal, gas and oil. If we keep as we are on our current track, it will be suicide,” he said.
***(LIKE 'OFF THE RESERVATION' THIS IS RACIST)
Svitlana Romanko: UN climate summit offers chance to confront Russian fossil fuels, climate crisis
Thu, September 21, 2023 at 11:03 AM MDT·4 min read
Al Gore, former Vice President of the United States, speaks onstage at The New York Times Climate Forward Summit 2023 at The Times Center on September 21, 2023 in New York City (Getty Images)
Al Gore unleashed on the fossil fuel industry for engaging in “massive fraud” for decades and called on the powerful multinationals to “get out of the way” of those fighting the climate crisis.
The former vice president is the latest prominent political figure to break a long-held taboo, and directly name the fossil fuel industry as core perpetrator of creating - and continuing - the global crisis.
“I was one of many who felt for a long time that the fossil fuel companies, or at least many of them, were sincere in saying that they wanted to be a meaningful part of bringing solutions to this crisis,” Mr Gore told the New York Times at its Climate Forward event in Manhattan on Thursday, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
“But I think that it’s now clear they are not. Fossil fuel industry speaks with forked tongue.”
Mr Gore noted how the industry has been able to infiltrate the political process at every level including the United Nations annual climate summit.
He said that this year, the UN had gone “too far” in naming Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, head of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, as president of Cop28 in the United Arab Emirates this December.
“That’s just like taking the disguise off,” Mr Gore said.
“The fossil fuel companies, given their record today, are far more effective at capturing politicians than they are at capturing emissions.”
He pointed to how the fossil fuel industry spent just 1 per cent of overall profits on the clean energy transition last year.
“It is a ruse,” he said. “And many of the largest companies have engaged in massive fraud. For some decades now, they’ve followed the playbook of the tobacco industry, using these very sophisticated, lavishly-financed strategies for deceiving people.
He added: “I don’t think it’s fair to expect them to solve this when they’re incentivised to do otherwise. But I think it’s more than fair to ask them to get out of the way, and stop blocking the efforts of everybody else to solve this crisis. I think it’s time to call them out.”
Despite the challenges, and the worsening climate impacts, the former VP said there were encouraging signs like the speed of transition to clean energy in the power sector, and the growing number of electric vehicles.
“There used to be an old cliche, denial is just a river in Egypt, and you could add that despair is just a tire in the trunk,” he said.
“Despair is just another form of denial, and we have to resist it. We don’t have time to wallow in despair, we’ve got work to do. We can do this.”
Mr Gore’s fiery denouncement of the fossil fuel industry was part of a shift among some leaders in public statements about the climate crisis.
It was similarly evident on the floor of the UN headquarters on Wednesday at the so-called “no-nonsense” Climate Ambition Summit – an event championing the “movers and doers” taking accelerated action to cut emissions.
Presidents and prime ministers along with state and local leaders were invited to speak, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, who excoriated the fossil fuel industry for its decades of deception.
“It’s time for us to be a lot more clear. This climate crisis is a fossil fuel crisis,” he said, to applause and cheers in the chamber.
Ms Mottley also laid responsibility at the door of the fossil fuel industry, noting it had benefited from $7 trillion in subsidies last year, along with naming financial institutions and the transport sector.
“If you don’t take corrective action now, you will have to tell us where you’re keeping all your scientific research to relocate you and your families to the planet Mars or Pluto,” Ms Mottley said.
Petro Gustavo, president of major fossil fuel exporter Colombia, gave a stark assessment.
“The real goal that all countries should have is aiming for zero in terms of production and supply of coal, gas and oil. If we keep as we are on our current track, it will be suicide,” he said.
***(LIKE 'OFF THE RESERVATION' THIS IS RACIST)
Svitlana Romanko: UN climate summit offers chance to confront Russian fossil fuels, climate crisis
Svitlana Romanko
Fri, September 22, 2023
As world leaders gather for meetings at the UN’s Climate Ambition Summit, the urgency of addressing the climate crisis cannot be overstated. At the same time, we must confront Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, where innocent lives are being lost daily.
Over-dependence on Russian fossil fuels has already created severe energy insecurity, helped wreck the climate, and continued to threaten democracy.
Russia's war connects these seemingly disparate issues, and the role of the international community and multinational companies in indirectly supporting violence by facilitating Russia’s fossil fuel industry must be addressed.
The U.S., as a leader on the global stage, must spearhead efforts to create full and transparent sanctions against Russia’s fossil fuel industry. Equally important is holding U.S. companies like Halliburton accountable for their role in sustaining this industry.
The Climate Ambition Summit convened by U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres is held at the U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., on Sept. 20, 2023.
(Photo by Kyodo News via Getty Images)
As we discuss international climate action, it is essential to recognize that real progress means keeping Russian fossil fuels in the ground. Cutting down oil and gas production in Russia should be a priority for both ending the war in Ukraine and mitigating climate change.
While climate change threatens the planet, the expansion of Russian fossil fuel infrastructure, particularly liquefied natural gas (LNG), poses a dire threat to energy security, climate stability, and global peace.
As U.S. President Joe Biden arrives in New York, the U.S. must strengthen sanctions on Russia to halt the growth of this infrastructure. We also can’t ignore the fact that LNG expansion in the U.S. will also lock us in gas export dependency if the renewable energy revolution is not fast-tracked.
Furthermore, Russia has amassed about $445 billion for its exports of fossil fuels, and G20 countries that cause 80% of world emissions have paid $314 billion of this sum as of Sept. 1.
Ukraine has also called for major financial institutions like JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, and HSBC to be prosecuted for war crimes for allegedly financing companies that trade oil with Russia. TotalEnergies, a France-based multinational corporation, has faced accusations of complicity in war crimes due to its involvement in Russia’s energy sector.
In particular, the recent exposure of multinational fracking corporation Halliburton sending over $7 million worth of oil refining hardware to Russia highlights the need for immediate action, not empty promises.
These revelations cast a shadow over the role of Western companies in the ongoing violence in Ukraine.
The time to move forward and build out clean-energy solutions to the climate crisis is now, at the same time as Russia’s fossil fuel-propelled war is raging in Ukraine. It is not enough to merely express concern; we must take concrete steps to stop these crises.
To bridge the gap between climate action and accountability for Ukraine, we propose a two-fold approach.
As we discuss international climate action, it is essential to recognize that real progress means keeping Russian fossil fuels in the ground. Cutting down oil and gas production in Russia should be a priority for both ending the war in Ukraine and mitigating climate change.
While climate change threatens the planet, the expansion of Russian fossil fuel infrastructure, particularly liquefied natural gas (LNG), poses a dire threat to energy security, climate stability, and global peace.
As U.S. President Joe Biden arrives in New York, the U.S. must strengthen sanctions on Russia to halt the growth of this infrastructure. We also can’t ignore the fact that LNG expansion in the U.S. will also lock us in gas export dependency if the renewable energy revolution is not fast-tracked.
Furthermore, Russia has amassed about $445 billion for its exports of fossil fuels, and G20 countries that cause 80% of world emissions have paid $314 billion of this sum as of Sept. 1.
Ukraine has also called for major financial institutions like JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, and HSBC to be prosecuted for war crimes for allegedly financing companies that trade oil with Russia. TotalEnergies, a France-based multinational corporation, has faced accusations of complicity in war crimes due to its involvement in Russia’s energy sector.
In particular, the recent exposure of multinational fracking corporation Halliburton sending over $7 million worth of oil refining hardware to Russia highlights the need for immediate action, not empty promises.
These revelations cast a shadow over the role of Western companies in the ongoing violence in Ukraine.
The time to move forward and build out clean-energy solutions to the climate crisis is now, at the same time as Russia’s fossil fuel-propelled war is raging in Ukraine. It is not enough to merely express concern; we must take concrete steps to stop these crises.
To bridge the gap between climate action and accountability for Ukraine, we propose a two-fold approach.
Strengthening sanctions and oversight
The U.S. and its allies must enhance sanctions against Russian critical industries, especially oil and gas extraction and exports, which are key sources of revenue to fund the war.
Embargoes and secondary sanctions on entities involved in cooperation with the Russian oil and gas industry are only partial thus far and are limited in effect.
In the U.S., legal action is expected to close the “refining loophole,” which allows Russian oil to be laundered and flow into the U.S., by banning the import of oil products produced from Russian crude in countries like India and Turkey.
For its part, the EU is working on a 12th sanctions package, which should include an embargo on Russian LNG.
Regulatory bodies should intensify oversight of financial institutions' transactions with entities connected to the Russian government.
Transparency and accountability should be at the forefront of these efforts, and it must be the responsibility of national governments to monitor and hold firms operating under their oversight responsible.
Responsible corporate conduct
Multinational corporations operating in Russia must engage in responsible business conduct. This includes conducting due diligence to ensure their operations do not indirectly support war crimes or human rights violations.
Companies that fail to uphold ethical standards should face legal consequences and reputational damage.
New York Climate Week provides an opportunity for world leaders, corporations, and individuals to align their actions with the principles of justice, peace, and environmental stewardship and start their full-speed shift to a renewable energy future.
Empty promises will no longer suffice. To secure a sustainable future, we must simultaneously tackle the climate crisis and demand accountability for those inadvertently financing violence in Ukraine.
As we embark on a journey toward a greener, more just world, let us ensure that our steps are marked by integrity, responsibility, and a genuine commitment to the well-being of all, both on our planet and in regions marred by war and conflict.
The people of the world demand not only words but actions from their leaders to save the climate and create peace, and I will be keeping up the pressure to make them act at this pivotal moment of history.
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