FIRST LOOK: 

UAE Names Oil CEO As COP28 President: The United Arab Emirates on Thursday named Sultan al-Jaber, the CEO of the UAE's state-run oil company, as president of COP28 which will be held in that country in November. "This appointment goes beyond putting the fox in charge of the hen-house," said Teresa Anderson, global lead on climate justice, ActionAid. The world's leading climate scientists have concluded, with “unequivocal” certainty, that the extraction and combustion of fossil fuels is the main cause of climate change. "COP28 must speed up the global phase-out of fossil fuels - we cannot have another COP where fossil fuel interests are allowed to sacrifice our futures to eke out another few years of profit," Ugandan climate justice activist Vanessa Nakate said. A UN IPCC report last April concluded the world must immediately cease all new fossil fuel infrastructure and phase out existing fossil fuel extraction and combustion — and said entrenched "status quo" actors are the main barriers to doing so. Backlash from those seeking to limit and halt the present and mounting impacts of climate change was swift and predictably forceful. "An oil company CEO cannot be the kind of President that COP28 needs," Catherine Abreu, founder and executive director of environmental nonprofit Destination Zero, told ABC News. "A person tasked with making the most profit possible from oil and gas extraction can’t be the same person tasked with landing the most ambitious outcome possible from a climate conference."  (AP, Washington Post $, ABC, Context, Forbes, FT $, CNN, Reuters, BBC, The Hill, Climate Home, CNBC)

GOP Anti-ESG Laws Could Cost Taxpayers $700 Million: Taxpayers in six states could lose more than $700 million because of Republican officials' boycotts of firms that consider environmental, social, and (corporate) governance factors in their investment decisions, a new report from Econsult Solutions finds. The legislation enacted in Kentucky, Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, West Virginia, and Missouri spawned out of model legislation pushed by ALEC and a network of fossil fuel-funded dark money groups. "This report highlights the potential multi-million-dollar economic burden on both residential taxpayers and businesses in states that are taking or considering actions to limit climate and other ESG [environmental, social and governance] considerations within their municipal bond work," Steven Rothstein, a managing director at Ceres, said in a statement. (E&E $, Politico, Reuters, News from the States, ImpactAlpha $)

Exxon Knew … Really Accurately: ExxonMobil climate scientists predicted the climatic damage their product would cause with remarkable accuracy, all while the company spent huge sums of money denying and obfuscating the science of climate change, a study published Thursday in Science reveals. That "Exxon knew" its product was dangerously increasing global temperatures has been known for years, but the precision and accuracy of its predictions were "actually astonishing" Harvard science history and co-author of the study Naomi Oreskes told the AP. “ExxonMobil accurately foresaw the threat of human-caused global warming, both prior and parallel to orchestrating lobbying and propaganda campaigns to delay climate action,” the study's authors wrote. Researchers "dug into not just to the language, the rhetoric in these documents, but also the data. And I’d say in that sense, our analysis really seals the deal on ‘Exxon knew’,” Jeffrey Supan, an environmental science professor at the University of Miami and lead author of the study, told the AP. It “gives us airtight evidence that Exxon Mobil accurately predicted global warming years before, then turned around and attacked the science underlying it.” Multiple states and municipalities have filed lawsuits seeking to hold Exxon accountable, along with numerous other oil and gas firms and trade associations, for defrauding consumers about the damaging impacts of their products. (AP, Inside Climate News, LA Times $, New York Times $, Politico, Bloomberg $, Axios, Gizmodo, Grist, CNN, The Hill, The Guardian, CNBC, Exxon Knews)

FOSSIL FUELED POWER FAILURES: PJM cracks down on power plants after winter storm failures (E&E $), PJM generators face up to $2B in penalties for failing to run during December’s Winter Storm Elliott (Utility Dive)

CALIFORNIA STORMS: What is causing the parade of storms battering California? (LA Times $), As historic storms & flooding kill 19 in California, why is media ignoring role of climate change? (Democracy Now), 3 more atmospheric rivers to slam flood-hit California (Axios)

• DROUGHT: Nearly all of California exits the worst drought categories in US Drought Monitor (LA Times $), How California’s slew of storms stack up to previous drought-busters (LA Times $, AP), California suddenly has so much snow. But even this extraordinary bounty isn’t enough (LA Times $)
• MONTEREY ISLAND: Flooding threatens to turn Monterey Peninsula into an island (San Francisco Chronicle, Washington Post $, LA Times $, CNN, NBC Bay Area, CBS)

FOSSIL FUELED ENERGY CRISIS: Energy efficiency is now critical for Europe (OilPrice), Anxious Europe buys up diesel ahead of Russian import ban (Politico Pro $), Dutch power grid operator TenneT warns of shortages by 2030 (Reuters), Natural gas prices in Europe ease, but the energy crisis isn't over yet (OilPrice)

• GERMANY: Riot police clear coal mine activists from abandoned German village (Reuters, AP), Violinists play last tunes before German coal village demolition (Reuters)

CULINARY POLLUTORS' CULTURAL MOMENT: US regulators hinted at a possible ban on gas stoves. The debate boiled over. (Grist), Right's new fight: Gas stoves (Axios), Republicans introduce legislation to shield gas stoves (E&E $), Biden doesn't support banning gas stoves, White House says (E&E $), The gas stove regulation uproar, explained (Vox)

CLIMATE DIPLOMACY: Green with envy: Debate heats up over US subsidies (FT $)

DENIAL & GREENWASHING: Half of green claims used to sell products in EU are misleading, Brussels finds (FT $), EU to fight rogue climate claims in greenwashing push (Bloomberg $)

2022: Multiple agencies concur: ’22 was one of earth’s hottest years (Washington Post $, LA Times $, AP, Yale Climate Connections, NBC, Politico Pro $, The Guardian), 2022 was the warmest La Niña year on record. Scientists say this year will be warmer (CNN)

MEDIA: CNET has been quietly publishing ai-written articles for months (Gizmodo)

AGENCIES: DOT, DOE secretaries tout agency cooperation under decarbonization blueprint (Utility Dive), US nuclear agency falls short on scheduling, cost estimates (AP)

EPA: ‘Shoulder to the wheel’: EPA girds for 2023 (E&E News), Suit alleges EPA foot-dragging on soot compliance (E&E $)

DOE: DOE launches updated mapping tool to optimize renewable energy siting decisions (Utility Dive), Granholm: Mich. to see big boom from EV battery surge (E&E $)

DOI:  Interior proposes 5-year schedule for offshore wind sales (E&E News, Reuters, Politico Pro $), Biden’s new offshore energy chief becomes prime GOP target (E&E News), Geothermal project pits Burning Man vs. renewable energy (E&E $, CNBC, AP),Interior rids more areas of their offensive names (E&E $)

WHITE HOUSE: US grants temporary protected status to thousands of Somali immigrants (CBS), China's climate envoy Xie meets with US counterpart Kerry (Reuters), White House climate shop adds Capitol Hill veteran (E&E $)

HOUSE: House GOP fills Energy and Commerce, other top committees (E&E $), House GOP sets unattainable goals on government spending (Politico Pro $), Rodgers bets on bipartisanship for permitting bill (E&E $), Zinke backs ‘weaponization’ panel, decries ‘deep state’ (E&E News), House passes bill aimed at restricting oil reserve sales to companies with Chinese influence (The Hill, E&E News, AP, Politico Pro $)

REVOLVING DOOR: US senator Joe Manchin’s top aide to join oil lobby group (FT $, E&E $)

TRIBES: Osage nation's massive oil estate may get new US protections (Bloomberg $)

CITIES AND STATES: Which US states are winning the race to phase out coal? (Energy Monitor), Can clean-energy advocates stop new gas plants in North Carolina? (Canary Media), How CT officials are looking to tackle the rising cost of electricity (Connecticut Insider), Illinois makes divisive move to fight local renewable bans (E&E $), In the race to develop the best solar power materials, what if the key ingredient is effort? (Inside Climate News), Massachusetts climate advocates say the fight over renewable gas isn’t over yet (Energy News Network), Utility exec tapped to be Pa.'s top environmental regulator (E&E $), Oil companies sue Los Angeles over ban on oil and gas drilling (CNBC)

• NEW YORK: New York Gov. Hochul outlines climate, energy priorities with cap-and-invest program (Utility Dive), Hochul backs eventual ban on gas furnaces and stoves in new buildings (Politico Pro $)

FERC: Judges seek to untie 'Gordian knot' in FERC grid lawsuit (E&E $)

IMPACTS: Welcome to the era of weather whiplash (Vox), As flooding increases, Chicago looks to make basement housing safer (Energy News Network), Europe’s snowless ski resorts preview winter in a warming world (Washington Post $)

OCEANS: Oceans break heat record for fourth year in a row (E&E $), At least 6 confirmed dead from large tornado that ripped into Alabama (Washington Post $, AP)

WATER: Arizona report says development plans outstrip water resources (The Hill)

RENEWABLES: Black business owners test offshore wind for diversity (E&E News), German home solar power firm sees bright future as demand soars (Reuters), IEA says clean energy manufacturing set for substantial growth as world enters ‘new industrial age’ (CNBC), US offshore wind sees strong 2022, but challenges lie ahead: market survey (The Hill)

BATTERIES: Even high battery prices can’t chill the hot energy storage sector (Bloomberg $)

MINERALS: Rare earth find in Europe lifts hope for shift toward clean energy (Wall Street Journal $, Politico EU, AP, Bloomberg $, CNN, CNBC, Washington Post $, Al Jazeera, BBC)

LNG: Global LNG imports hit a record high in 2022 (OilPrice)

OIL & GAS: Chinese oil demand seen hitting record on COVID zero pivot (Bloomberg $), ConocoPhillips in talks to sell Venezuelan oil in US to recover billions it is owed (Wall Street Journal $), Fossil fuel producers must be forced to ‘take back’ carbon, say scientists (The Guardian), Uganda expands its oil exploration with two new partnerships (Business Insider)

PLASTICS: Why Walmart is eliminating single-use bags in some states but not others (CNN)

PIPELINES: Feds approve New Jersey pipeline expansion despite Murphy administration objections (Politico Pro $)

GRID: FBI memo urges utility vigilance in wake of power grid attacks (Politico Pro $)

EVs: How the Hummer is fueling a backlash against electric trucks (E&E News), EV startup Lucid beats production target, struggles to deliver cars (Wall Street Journal $), Switching to an electric car saves money. Unless you’re poor. (Grist, Reuters)

ACTIVISM: Is Extinction Rebellion right to move beyond disruptive tactics? (Atmos)

AVIATION: Contrails are a problem for aviation – but there could be an easy solution (CNN), Supersonic aviation program could cause ‘climate debacle,’ environmentalists warn (Inside Climate News), The smelly, greasy truth about how sustainable aviation fuel is made (Canary Media)

CARBON REMOVAL: Climate startup removes carbon from open air in industry first (Wall Street Journal $)

CAPTURE: A possible carbon-capture milestone in the fight against climate change (CBS)

DAVOS: Europe wants to cut short flights, but Davos attendees like private jets (Washington Post $)

INTERNATIONAL: China moves to rEPAir ties with Australia by lifting coal ban (Wall Street Journal $, Reuters), India to annually invite bids for 8 GW wind power projects to 2030, govt order says (Reuters), Japanese PM asks for Canada’s help on clean energy (AP), Malaysia says it could stop palm oil exports to EU after new curbs (Reuters)Net-zero tsar urges ‘step change’ in UK approach to meeting climate targets (FT $), UK review advises ‘step change’ in approach to climate change (Bloomberg $), Zimbabwe looks to public to provide solar power amid energy crisis (Context)

• Proposed methane rules would protect Texans (San Antonio Express-News, Sheila Serna. op-ed)
• A California mom asks, what will remain for our kids after the storm? (CNN, Amy Ettiinger op-ed)
• The age of energy abundance could be closer than we think (FT, Andrew Sissons op-ed $)
• Climate change progress hinges on massive changes in behavior from both public and private sectors (The Hill, Ashley Ward op-ed)
• Global LNG volumes hit record high as Europe crowds out poorer Asia (Reuters, Clyde Russell column)
• Clean energy permitting reform needed for California to boost economy, protect climate and burn less coal (The Hill, Dana Nuccitelli and Robert Taylor op-ed)
• The EU’s pioneering carbon border tax (FT, Editorial Board $)
• Why weeks of rain in California will not end historic drought (Reuters, explainer)
• How the green transition can revitalize American democracy (The Hill, Gordon LaForge, Ann Florini, and Hollie Russon Gilman op-ed)
• ‘Billionaire biffo’ shines light on hugely ambitious $30bn Sun Cable solar project (The Guardian, Peter Hannam op-ed)
• Wisconsin GOP election official boasted of targeting Black voters for low turnout, leaked email shows (NewsOne, Zack Linly op-ed)
• Busting the solar myth: A call to embrace the circular renewable economy (Utility Dive, Zoe Gossett op-ed)

Birth Of A Disinfluencer: Latest Anti-Wind Spokesman Shows How Grassroots Becomes Astroturf

In the world of PR, grassroots activism describes community action for or against a project or policy. Astroturfing, by contrast, is when industry-backed PR professionals use actors to pose as local activists, because media outlets treat normal people protesting differently than corporate-sponsored spokespeople. This distinction is rarely so cut and dry, though. 

For example, sometimes the fossil fuel industry's henchmen will go to a small town considering a renewable project and scare the community about the supposed dangers of wind turbines, kicking off fears of a non-existent "wind turbine syndrome" and turbo-charging toxic Facebook groups fighting the project. 

Other times, movements that may have begun as a grassroots pushback against a renewable project then get noticed by the professionals, who swoop in and essentially turn the grassroots into astroturf. And that's exactly what we're seeing unfold around a proposed wind farm in Lava Ridge, Idaho. 

It starts with a conservative lobby group like CFACT somehow finding the money to send someone to Idaho, where a proposed wind farm is getting a little pushback from the "Stop Lava Ridge Committee" (which is mostly a Facebook group). One of the committee members is named Dean Dimond, and CFACT did a video with him as well as a podcast on the project. 

The expenditures that go into such a production (plane tickets, hotel rooms, video equipment and someone to operate it, editing, etc.) aren’t for the 10,000 views on CFACT’s video, though.

In reality, the video essentially served as a pitch to Fox News, and in this case, it was successful. Just days after the video was published, Fox’s Jesse Watters did a segment on the Lava Ridge project that featured Dimond. One day after that, Fox then also covered Stop Lava Ridge’s efforts on its website and headlined a quote from Dimond about how wind turbines will "destroy the desert."  

Then, to keep the drumbeat going, the Daily Caller followed suit with a hit piece on the wind farm project, describing two of the anti-wind activists as a local farmer and rancher, neglecting to mention their recent appearances on Fox News or that they're working with an anti-wind advocacy group, something that even Fox disclosed. 

From here, we'll have to see if the organized denial network picks up Dimond for further astroturfing or if he decides to keep it legit and stay grassroots. Either way, it seems pretty clear from this initial burst of traction that CFACT went to Lava Ridge and found a Dimond in the rough.

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