Expanding oil production certainly gets a lot of attention these days. In an energy newsletter by the Financial Times (behind a paywall) this week, the lead article was on a technology breakthrough by Chevron that could extend the production lifespan of the US Gulf of Mexico oil basin and “and potentially bring billions of additional barrels of oil and gas within reach of producers globally.” Chevron expects its Gulf of Mexico production to increase 50 % by 2026. Just what we need?
Note that the “FT is a member of Business Declares, a network of more than 100 businesses that stand for urgent climate and ecological action and social justice.” Here is the link to its position on sustainability.
Then we have a news item in the Reuters newsletter Power Up reporting that “oil demand disappoints”. It goes on: “Global oil consumption is growing more slowly than anticipated at the start of the year as the rebound in the major economies runs out of momentum and consumer travel returns to normal after the post-pandemic boom.” Not all of us are disappointed by the lower demand – but perhaps by the reporting.
This week the Guardian reported that the Shell oil non-profit donated to anti-climate groups behind Project 2025. Project 2025 is billed as a policy “wish list” for the next Republican president that would vastly expand presidential powers and impose an ultra-conservative social vision on the US. The Shell USA Company Foundation provided $544,010 between 2013 and 2022 to organizations that broadly share an agenda of building conservative power.
In the context of COP29 in Azerbaijan in November, there is a global call to the UNFCCC to include cultural heritage, the arts and creative sectors in climate policy. From the Biosphere website, here are 5 reasons why Billie Eilish is a leader in the fight against climate change.
Are you up for a quiz? Check out the post on EnerWhizz. The quiz for August is now open. Be a winner!
In planning travel over the upcoming weeks, here is some useful news to help you along:
- Lonely Planet’s train expert provides his top 5 rail journeys in Europe for 2024.
- For the best hikes in Europe in 2024, there are many good suggestions on the 57 hours website. For those who want to combine hiking with food and wine, check out the Hedonistic Hiking website.
- Climbing House provides the 11 Top Climbing Spots in Europe.
- Epic Road Rides provides their choice of the best places to cycle for a cycling holiday this summer.
- There is always the option of virtual tourism at the Xplore Nature Channel. There are now 130 videos. Find out more about the channel here. Why not start with a tour to the Earth Pyramids in the South Tyrol region of Italy.
- CopenPay – To get tourists to act more sustainably Wonderful Copenhagen is launching a new initiative: Pay for a variety of Copenhagen attractions with climate-friendly actions.
Richard Hofstadter (1916-1970), an American historian and public intellectual of the mid-20th century provides us with an important message to reflect upon this week: “It is a poor head that cannot find plausible reason for doing what the heart wants to do.”
EiD welcomes your views about this week’s selection of posts on the zero-carbon energy transition:
- Nobel winners hit out at removal of fossil fuels from draft UN pact
- Understanding extreme weather
- Olympic sports and their sustainability strategies
- The impact of Africa’s growth on global carbon targets is likely to be low, especially in the short term
- It will be no simple task for farmers and the food sector to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050
- Blog by James Ritter: How does reducing our water consumption impact the environment?
- The US government has told campaigners that it will push for a new global treaty on plastic waste to limit the production of plastics rather than just encouraging measures like recycling
- ‘Agrivoltaics’ is not new, but is growing in popularity
Please send your comments on any of the posts. Please follow us on X at @EnergyDemand and @rodjanssen. Please recommend EiD to your friends and colleagues.
If you would like to subscribe to this weekly newsletter, please write to energyindemand@gmail.com. It is not available through the WordPress website.
Energy in Demand - Sustainable Energy - Rod Janssen 