FIRST LOOK: 

Senegal's Saint-Louis At Forefront Of Sea Level Rise-Fueled Disruption: Accelerating sea level rise could dislocate one of every 10 people on the planet, setting off massive economic, stability, and cultural disruption, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday. The dislocation of 900 million people living in coastal areas would amount to “a mass exodus of entire populations on a biblical scale,” Guterres warned, driving "ever-fiercer competition for fresh water, land and other resources." The Senagalize fishing town of Saint-Louis is one of the legion of communities already facing that climate change-fueled dislocation. Rising tides and flooding have destroyed homes and a school in the town, forcing more than 300 families to relocate five miles inland to a makeshift tent settlement devoid of all the ocean brings. “When I was a child, every morning we used to go to the sea to swim, to play hide and seek,” Khadi Sarr told NPR. “Our kids nowadays won’t have that opportunity.” “God has pushed the sea up to our houses,” Sarr's husband Mamadou Thiam, a fisherman who grew up in the town, said. “Climate change destroyed many homes.” (UN: The Guardian, AP, Washington Post $, Inside Climate News; Saint-Louis: NPR)

Kentucky Flooding Deaths Linked To Coal Strip Mining: The locations of the 36 drowning deaths during the catastrophic flooding in eastern Kentucky last summer are closely correlated with large-scale coal strip mines, and a local non-profit is calling on the DOI to investigate further. “It was pretty chilling to see the location of the deaths, and to follow up a stream and see these large-scale mines at the head of the hollows,” public health nurse and Kentukians for the Commonwealth volunteer Beverly May told reporters. Along with compiling an interactive map of the 36 deaths definitively caused by drowning of the 44 who perished during the flooding, KFTC is calling of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to investigate and determine whether the 46-year-old Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 should be reformed. “With mining, there’s nothing on the mountain to hold the water back,” said Neon resident Steve Peake, a KFTC volunteer whose home and property was damaged by the flooding. “We have strip mining in front of us. We have strip mining behind us. … We’ve had some floods before, but we never had anything like what came through July 28.” (Inside Climate News, WEKU)

Freeport LNG Seeks FERC Commercial Restart Approval: Freeport LNG officially sought permission from federal regulators to restart commercial operations on Monday amid growing concerns over the safety of the long-idled gas export terminal. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is still reviewing Freeport LNG's request. In a rare public meeting over the weekend, an official with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) told residents Freeport LNG failed to investigate an operator's warning that a pipeline had visibly shifted. Yet, [n]one of the more experienced personnel went to the site to look at it themselves," PHMSA's Bryan Lethcoe said. That pipeline exploded two days later. No one from Freeport LNG attended the community meeting, much to the displeasure of local residents like Gwendolyn Jones. “We want Michael Smith, the CEO, to put your big boy pants on” and meet with residents, Jones told Bloomberg. Methane gas prices jumped 5% on the news that some gas had already begun flowing to the liquefaction and export terminal. (Restart request: Reuters, E&E $; Freeport absence: Bloomberg $; Gas prices: Reuters)

(ENVIRONMENTAL) RACISM: Why a pipeline project in Houston is raising concerns over environmental racism (USA Today), Mississippi legislature creates all-white court system in Jackson (Black Wall Street Times, Esquire)

COP28: UAE's COP28 president-designate says world needs climate 'course correction' (Reuters, Climate Home), UAE ‘running towards’ renewable future, says oil boss COP28 president (The Guardian)

FOSSIL FUELED ENERGY CRISIS: Moscow's decades-old gas ties with Europe lie in ruins (Reuters), Pakistan plans u-turn on fuel imports after prices surge (Bloomberg $), Russia did most oil drilling in decade even as sanctions hit (Bloomberg $)

CLIMATE DIPLOMACY: Single Market, Health and Climate will bring together Caricom leaders (Prensa Latina), US delegation to visit Pakistan as two sides seek to repair ties (Reuters)

9:37 🚂 TO THE PETROCHEMICAL DYSTOPIA: 3 more chemicals discovered in Ohio train derailment (The Hill, Washington Post $), Ohio town takes resident questions on derailment, chemicals (AP, E&E $, The Hill), What we know about Ohio train derailment (Axios, AP), Footage showing a fiery axle 20 miles before East Palestine train derailment raises questions about alert timing (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette $, Gizmodo)

WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?: Tesla factory announces union bid, testing Elon Musk’s very public contempt of unions (Vanity Fair), Tesla workers at South Buffalo plant launch union campaign (Buffalo News, Wall Street Journal $, CNBC, Bloomberg Law, New York Times $, CBS, The Verge, Tech Crunch, Reuters, BBC, Bloomberg $, Business Insider, Axios), Tesla workers trying to unionize are turning to the group that launched Starbucks’ nationwide union wave (Fortune)

EUROCARS:  EU lawmakers approve effective 2035 ban on new fossil fuel cars (Reuters, Bloomberg $, Wall Street Journal $, New York Times $), EU to propose 90% cut in CO2 emission limits for trucks (Reuters, FT $)

DENIAL: Climate love (and lies) on dating apps (Atmos), Just how good were Exxon’s climate projections? (Grist)

GAS STOVES: Indoor pollutant concentrations are significantly lower in homes without a gas stove, nonprofit finds (Inside Climate News)

INFLATION REDUCTION ACT: US issues Inflation Reduction Act guidance to drive billions to low-income and coal communities (Utility Dive), VW and BMW battery supplier could reap billions from Biden’s EV bill (Bloomberg $), Biden earmarks billions for rooftop solar under climate law (Bloomberg $)

AGENCIES: USDA to help farmers navigate the murky world of soil carbon offsets (Grist)

EPA: At EPA, staffing crisis clashes with expanded mission (Grist), EPA's $27B climate fund targets solar, underserved areas (E&E $, AP, The Hill), EPA poised to undo controversial Trump air pollution rollback (E&E $, Politico Pro $), US oil industry flags concern about EPA's methane 'super emitter' plan (Reuters)

DOE: Biden admin bets $74M on 'enhanced' geothermal tech (E&E $), DOE readies first look at transmission master plan (E&E $)

DOT: Biden nominates acting NHTSA chief to full-time position (E&E $)

TREASURY: Treasury finalizes IRA rules for clean energy projects (E&E $)

WHITE HOUSE: Biden to tap Brainard, Bernstein to economic team, leaving Fed gap (Reuters, New York Times $), Brainard’s exit spurs speculation on Fed vice chair replacement (Bloomberg $), Here’s who scored White House climate sit-downs (E&E News), US to move forward with scheduled 26M barrel sale from strategic oil reserve (The Hill)

THE HILL: Republicans slam Ford's battery bet, oppose tax credits (E&E $)

HOUSE: Democrat says Biden’s EPA air pollution limit doesn’t go far enough (The Hill), House panel travels to Texas, attacks Biden on drilling (E&E $)

SENATE: Hickenlooper rallies senators to help accelerate Colorado River compromise (The Hill), Carper outlines vision for permitting, committee agenda (E&E News, interview, Politico Pro, interview $), Sen. Dianne Feinstein says she will not seek reelection in 2024 (Washington Post $), Senators ask Biden for more 'forever chemicals' spending (E&E $)

ELECTIONS: Haley to enter presidential race with mixed climate record (E&E News, Washington Post $, E&E $)

TRIBES: Osage Nation rejects proposed oil rules, citing red tape (Bloomberg $)

CITIES AND STATES: States with fracking disclosure rules have higher water quality: study (The Hill), Complex energy legislation puts burden on Virginia’s part-time lawmakers (Energy News Network), Voluntary buyouts could help reduce flooding in six Rhode Island neighborhoods (Yale Climate Connections)

• TEXAS: Texas probes Targa’s failure to swiftly report big gas release (Bloomberg $), Black and Latino lawmakers slam Gov. Greg Abbott for order limiting diversity considerations in hiring (Texas Tribune) 

FERC: NextEra, renewable trade group urge FERC to keep competitively bid East Texas transmission project alive (Utility Dive)

IMPACTS: Flowers and trees blooming up to 3 weeks earlier than normal in the Eastern US (CNN), January 2023: Earth’s seventh-warmest January on record (Yale Climate Connections, The Hill), Explaining climate change, with a little tech help (New York Times $), Floating ice around antarctica just hit a record low (Washington Post $), How climate change can impact your finances (AP)

CYCLONE GABRIELLE: Cyclone Gabrielle worst storm to hit New Zealand this century, says PM (The Guardian), New Zealand climate minister blasts parliament as Cyclone Gabrielle devastates North Island – video (The Guardian)

DROUGHT: Droughts trigger water-saving debates in rainy regions (FT $)

DEFORESTATION: Colombia cuts deforestation-reduction target following 2022 increases (Reuters), How EU wants to stop deforestation in your coffee (Bloomberg $), The $20m flip: the story of the largest land grab in the Brazilian Amazon (Mongabay)

RENEWABLES: Chinese wind and solar output is nearly equal to household demand (OilPrice)

BATTERIES: Battery tech gets another boost with $65 million startup bet (Bloomberg $), Lobby shop led by ex-Biden aide adds battery firms to portfolio (E&E $), New treatment improves lithium ion battery performance by 20% (OilPrice)

BUILDINGS: Can construction cut carbon and keep its love affair with concrete? (FT $), Cheap and green: Heat pumps take hold around the world (NBC), New skyscraper, built to be an environmental marvel, is already dated (New York Times $)

MINERALS: EU to launch quest for raw materials critical for cleantech (Energy Monitor)

STORAGE: 200-MW Texas project is first to leverage IRA tax credit for stand-alone energy storage, Eolian says (Utility Dive)

LNG: EU officials huddle with US LNG companies to discuss buyers club (Politico Pro $)

OIL & GAS: A gas lifeline is opening in Texas. Whether the fuel goes to Europe is another matter (Bloomberg $), At North Sea field a scoreboard tracks Norway’s rising oil clout (Bloomberg $), OPEC expects stronger economies to boost oil demand (Wall Street Journal $, Bloomberg $), US shale to set production record in March (OilPrice), Oil and gas industry earned $4 trillion last year, says IEA chief (Reuters)

COAL: Top Thai coal producer to boost US shale gas investments (Bloomberg $)

HYDROGEN: Canadian company cleared to build $6B green hydrogen facility with 2 GW wind farm (Utility Dive), France’s hydrogen pipeline with Spain is at risk over green rules (Bloomberg $, Reuters)

NUKES: 10 years ago, we were turning nuclear bombs into nuclear energy. We can do it again. (Vox), Nuclear power wins carve-out under EU’s green hydrogen rules (Bloomberg $)

EVs: Could electric vehicles be hacked? (Wall Street Journal $), Electric vehicle sales top $1 trillion in wake-up call for carmakers (Bloomberg $), Ford halts output of F-150 Lightning EV due to battery issue (Wall Street Journal $), Ford to invest $3.5B to build Michigan EV battery plant (Utility Dive, The Hill), Ford's EV deal with a Chinese company highlights security debate in clean tech (Washington Post $), Startup Motor revs up its EV subscription service with Series A funding (Canary Media), Tesla board member says Musk doesn’t mind bankruptcy if a rival builds a better car: ‘That’s his philosophy’ (CNBC), Elon Musk agrees to open parts of Tesla’s charging network to everyone (Washington Post $, AP)

AMMONIA: Germany’s RWE partners in proposed south Texas ammonia export, production hub (Natural Gas Intel)

AVIATION: Lufthansa to offer higher-priced green flight option (E&E $)

THE BIG GAME: A climate letdown at the Super Bowl (LA Times $)

CARBON CAPTURE: A blue state asks: Is carbon capture part of climate agenda? (E&E News), Swiss CO2 removal leader pitches Gulf Coast hub (E&E $)

SHIPPING: Electrifying US ports could drive sharp cuts in air pollution (Canary Media)

FINANCE: Green finance gets messy in a world where oil makes big profits (Bloomberg $), Larry Fink says private companies create structural ESG problem (Bloomberg $), Sustainability bond market stumbles as investors get picky (FT $)

INTERNATIONAL: After violent evictions, Indigenous Maasai call human rights investigation a sham (Grist), Alberta minister says Canada emissions cap stalls other climate action (Reuters), Australian court overturns natural gas exploration ban (OilPrice), Eleven EU countries urge 'great caution' in loosening state aid rules (Reuters), Indonesia promises move to clean energy, but challenges loom (AP), South Africa’s energy crisis sparks money manager’s solar fund (Bloomberg $), Welsh road building projects stopped after failing climate review (The Guardian), Wood burning air pollution in UK has doubled in a decade (The Guardian)

• To protect families from surging energy bills, stop the foot-dragging on energy efficiency for furnaces (Utility Dive, Richard Eckman op-ed)
• The other risk from the East Palestine disaster (Washington Post, Philip Bump column $)
• Poland primed for unlikely role as key energy transition test case (Reuters, Gavin Maguire op-ed)
• Why ‘circularity’ is missing from the US climate incentives bill (FT, Gillian Tett column $)
• Economic war with China would be MAD (Reuters, Hugo Dixon column)
• It’s time to climate-proof our homes (Context, Lauren Salz op-ed)
• The new interventionism could pose a threat to global trade (FT, Martin Wolf column $)
• We need to find better ways to fund energy development in Africa (The Hill, Scott Brown and David Nicholson op-ed)

Exxon Stops Pretending to Care About Algae and Cuts its Flagship Greenwashing Project

ExxonMobil is cutting funding for the algae biofuel programs that it has used to greenwash its image for over ten years.

Bloomberg reported last week that Exxon “has slashed its support for Viridos Inc., a biotech company… that operated as the oil giant’s key technical partner since it began its algae push in 2009.” The oil and gas company also “halted funding for a multi-million-dollar algae project at the Colorado School of Mines at the end of last year, after supporting the work for eight years,” and plans to end a joint effort with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Exxon previously produced numerous television ads and splashy sponsored content about its algae projects in an attempt to convince the public that the oil giant, which has known about the climate risks of its product since at least the 1970s, actually cares about solving the climate crisis.

Outlets like E&E News and The Wall Street Journal have previously named Exxon’s algae research for what it is: greenwashing. “Exxon said it has spent more than $300 million on algae research since 2009, less than 3% of its annual research budget,” The WSJ explained in 2021, “By contrast, Exxon spent more than $500 million on advertising between 2009 and 2015, according to a 2019 study in the journal Climatic Change.” Exxon certainly tried its best to look like it’s doing something to address climate change, while actually continuing to invest in new oil and gas extraction projects.

Algae biofuels were always a longshot as a renewable energy option. It would be incredibly challenging to produce algae biofuels at scale, and experts have found that while solar and wind energy projects continue to be implemented successfully, algae biofuels technology still needs significantly more research and development investment. Despite the fact that Exxon and Viridos boasted in 2017 that they had made significant breakthroughs in their research, Exxon internally admitted in 2018 that the algae technology was “still decades away from the scale we need.” It is no wonder that companies like Shell abandoned algae biofuels research over a decade ago!

The termination of Exxon’s algae programs is certainly not the end of the company’s greenwashing efforts, though! Exxon is now trying to launder its oil-stained reputation by spending billions of dollars on things like carbon capture and hydrogen, which are also longshot, last-ditch efforts that are more useful as greenwash than as green solutions.

After all, research has shown that even though evidence of carbon capture effectiveness remains tenuous at best, the mere presence of a carbon capture policy option decreases Republicans’ support for renewable energy policies.

Brace yourself, because it’s only a matter of time until Exxon starts producing even more cute and quirky ads about its carbon capture projects, likely spending significantly more money on these ads and on oil and gas drilling than on the carbon capture technology itself!

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