Author: Graham Foster

Standing in entrance of the modernist structure of Brasília’s presidential palace, a triumphant Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva contemplated the complicated balancing act that lay earlier than him. “The world expects Brazil to once again be a leader in tackling the climate crisis,” he informed crowds gathered for his inauguration in January final yr. “And an example of a socially and environmentally responsible country, capable of promoting economic growth.”The election that returned Lula to energy was billed as pivotal for the destiny of our planet. His defeated rival, former president Jair Bolsonaro, had been accused of turning a blind eye…

Chile has performed down warnings that plans to cut revenues for smaller renewable power operators might set off a wave of debt defaults and hurt the nation’s hard-won belief from international buyers.The US Chamber of Commerce and power buyers raised the alarm after President Gabriel Boric’s leftwing coalition unveiled a draft invoice that would scale back revenues earned by smaller, principally photo voltaic providers producing lower than 9MW to assist fund an electrical energy subsidy for poorer customers. Finance minister Mario Marcel advised the Financial Times that the issues had been overblown. “People should not overreact,” he stated. “It’s reasonable…

The closure of Scotland’s solely oil refinery subsequent 12 months has accelerated efforts in Holyrood and Westminster to plot a pathway for a inexperienced future on the sprawling industrial complicated at Grangemouth.Petroineos’ choice to flip the location right into a fuel-import terminal, first trailed in November, will lead to a net lack of 400 jobs — a transfer the union Unite has known as “industrial vandalism”.The disaster kinds Labour’s most critical check in Scotland, the place the social gathering gained dozens of Westminster seats on the common election in July. After his victory, Sir Keir Starmer, prime minister, pledged to…

European energy prices have fallen beneath zero for a record variety of hours this yr, because the speedy growth of photo voltaic and wind era outpaces the continent’s means to cope with extra provide.Electricity prices fell into destructive territory for 7,841 hours throughout the continent throughout the first eight months of the yr, in keeping with consultancy ICIS, with prices falling beneath minus €20 ($22) per megawatt hour in some cases. Power prices may be extremely unstable and delicate to sudden shifts in demand or provide, which means occasionally customers may be paid to make use of electrical energy.While useful…

Stay knowledgeable with free updatesOil and gas manufacturing within the North Sea might halve by 2030, far sooner than presently anticipated, under tax proposals that might trigger “irreversible damage” to the sector, in accordance to a report from energy consultants Wood Mackenzie. North Sea oil and gas firms have already dramatically scaled again their exercise whereas they watch for a call on taxes in subsequent month’s Budget. “The ongoing uncertainty makes planning extraordinarily hard and financing all but impossible,” mentioned the report. Companies could have to pay 78 per cent tax from November, after a rise within the “energy profits levy”…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest without costOil-rich nations are making a concerted effort to sluggish progress on a landmark UN local weather settlement to finish using fossil fuels, in response to western nations collaborating in international local weather change talks. Negotiators from 5 western international locations informed the Financial Times that they have been making use of stress to Azerbaijan because the host nation for the upcoming UN COP29 summit to prioritise fossil fuel phaseout discussions, in an try and counter a “pushback” from the petrostates and their allies.At COP28 in Dubai final December, nearly 200 international locations agreed to transition away…

Green tech leaders have warned a Donald Trump presidency may decimate the US offshore wind business, gradual the roll out of electrical automobiles and imperil the nation’s efforts to turn into a renewable energy superpower that may compete with China.With polls exhibiting the previous president working neck and neck with Kamala Harris within the race for the White House, business and local weather teams are stepping up their efforts to spice up the vice-president’s prospects by internet hosting donor occasions, financing promoting campaigns and talking out about political dangers to the sector.“There is a very good chance that he’ll try…

Stay knowledgeable with free updatesThe High Court in London has dominated towards the planning permission granted for a metallurgical coal mine in West Cumbria, ending a years-long controversy over what would have been the UK’s first new coal mine in 30 years. The carefully watched verdict underlines how the brand new Labour authorities, bolstered by a key authorized precedent set in June, is curbing the event of any new fossil gasoline initiatives within the UK.Justice David Holgate issued the choice right this moment, upholding a authorized problem from two environmental teams who argued that the licence for the mine didn’t…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest without spending a dimeThe Hague will become the world’s first city to write into law a ban on promoting that promotes fossil fuels, petrol vehicles, air journey and cruise ships, within the newest in a wave of crackdowns by cities world wide.The choice by the council within the Netherlands’ administrative centre and the hub of worldwide law is important as a result of not like different bans it doesn’t depend on negotiations to finish particular person promoting contracts, and might be tougher to overturn.It will apply throughout public areas equivalent to billboards and freestanding screens, and…

Simon Quack adopted in his father’s footsteps, becoming a member of the group at RWE’s coal-fired plant in Bergheim within the North Rhine-Westphalia area that has powered the German economic system for many years. But as Europe’s manufacturing powerhouse begins to show its again on coal, his profession has taken a special path. The 28-year-old now works for RWE’s rising renewables arm, serving to handle apprentices. “I wanted not to just talk about the change but to help shape it,” he mentioned.  Quack’s profession shift is emblematic of a labour market pattern world wide, as international locations transfer away from…