Mining firm withdraws plan for UK’s first deep coalmine in 30 years https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/apr/04/mining-firm-withdraws-plan-for-uks-first-deep-coalmine-in-30-years
"#ForOurKids has a number of actions folks can take at the school board, provincial & federal levels of government. At school boards we ask them to establish policies to vet resources to exclude organizations that have a conflict of interest like #FossilFuel industry funding."
First month on record: #fossilfuels drop below 50% of #US power mix
What this means is that #cleanenergy generated more than half – 50.8% – of US #electricity for the first month on record. Together, wind and #solar reached an all-time high, generating 83 TWh of US electricity, 11% higher than the previous record of 75 TWh set in April 2024. #Fossilfuel generation fell by 2.5% (-4.3 TWh) compared to March 2024.
https://electrek.co/2025/04/04/first-month-on-record-fossil-fuels-drop-below-50-of-us-power-mix/
In an example that may demonstrate how Trump's tariff policy is about amassing influence and not economic policy, a fossil fuel industry that donated to Trump in record amounts and remains closely tied to the regime through the numerous folks with industry ties appointed to the US administration, received an exemption from the tariffs.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/04/trump-exempts-big-oil-donors-from-tariffs
‘Oligarchy’: Trump exempts big oil donors from tariffs package
"The exemption came after the fossil fuel industry poured $96m into Trump’s re-election campaign and affiliated political action committees, as he pledged to deregulate the sector and roll back environmental regulations. This was less than the $1bn Trump requested from the sector in an infamous meeting at his Mar-a-Lago club, but still constituted record levels of spending.
“Oil and gas billionaires just bought themselves an exemption from Trump’s tariffs,” Stevie O’Hanlon, spokesperson for youth-led environmental justice group the Sunrise Movement, said on Thursday. “While the rest of us have to deal with skyrocketing prices and rising temperatures, they’re sitting on their thrones and raking in billions. We need an end to this oligarchy now.”
In the first three months of his second term, Trump has made good on his promises to attack green policies. He has also maintained a cozy relationship with the industry, appointing an array of industry interests to his administration.
Last month, the president held a meeting with more than a dozen oil executives at the White House, where he floated an energy exemption from his tariff package, according to the Washington Post, with one source telling the outlet that it was unclear if Trump was making a joke or a serious policy pledge."
Because Trump's tariffs are effectively a regressive, compounding tax that therefore harms labor class people way more than it harms the wealthy, there's a valid argument that exempting fossil fuel products from the tariffs represents an effort to mitigate the increased costs of Trump's mafia-style shakedown on regular people. The problem with that idea of course, is that Trump himself is *directly* responsible for those increased costs due to these tariffs (again, which function as a regressive compounding tax on labor class people) as part of his destructive global trade war, and thus clearly does not give a fuck about consumers. What he does care about however, is an oil and gas industry that happily turned over vast sums of money to fuel his political career; who will now be exempt from the tariffs threatening to bankrupt other American businesses and millions of average people who don't benefit at all from fossil fuel lobby donations.
'"Oil interests celebrated the carveout: “We welcome President Trump’s decision to exclude oil and natural gas from new tariffs, underscoring the complexity of integrated global energy markets and the importance of America’s role as a net energy exporter,” Mike Sommers, head of the top US fossil fuel lobby group, the American Petroleum Institute, wrote in a social media post.'
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/04/trump-exempts-big-oil-donors-from-tariffs
Can the #FossilFuel industries be trusted with phasing out the extraction & burning of fossil fuels?
Does, e.g., the "middle aged" \ "retired" couple that owns a diesel camper van know anything about the chemical composition of diesel "fumes"?
Are they aware they're
animals? If they aren't aware that they live in an #ecosystem, how can they know, or care, about that which they don't understand?
Is their psychological misalignment, "disconnection" from #nature, THE problem?
"A new analysis from Environmental Defence reveals that in 2024, #Canada’s federal government provided nearly $30 billion in subsidies and financing to the #fossilfuel industry, including $21 billion for the TransMountain pipeline. This financial support comes at a significant cost to taxpayers and ignores the global shift toward #renewableenergy." https://environmentaldefence.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Canadas-Fossil-Fuel-Funding-in-2024_EDC_April-2025-1.pdf
Climate disasters are on the rise: Some states want to make oil companies pay https://phys.org/news/2025-04-climate-disasters-states-oil-companies.html
Finland Shuts Down Its Last Utility-Scale Coal Plant https://www.ecowatch.com/finland-coal-plant-closing.html
BP chairman to step down after energy strategy reset | National https://www.byteseu.com/893965/ #BobDudley #BP #ClimateChange #ClimateChangeMitigation #ClimateChangePolicy #economy #Energy #EnergyEconomics #EnergyIndustry #EnvironmentalSocialScience #FossilFuel #FossilFuels #NaturalEnvironment #NaturalGas #NaturalResources #partners/afp #ResourceEconomics
There will be no exceptions, he said.
Then:
"‘Oligarchy’: Trump exempts big oil donors from tariffs package"
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/04/trump-exempts-big-oil-donors-from-tariffs
«Package of #tariffs unveiled by #Trump..includes exemption 4 #energy sector, clear sign of president’s fealty to #BigOil donors over American people, advocates say
Trump’s new 10% universal tariffs – which r higher 4 many major economies – r wreaking havoc on global #economy & r expected 2 increase consumer prices in US. But levies will not apply 2 many #FossilFuel products: #LiquefiedNaturalGas imprts, crude oil from #Canada, materials needed 4 making #Petrochemicals»
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/04/trump-exempts-big-oil-donors-from-tariffs
Günther Thallinger, board member of Allianz SE:
“At 3C of global heating, #climate damage cannot be insured against, covered by governments, or adapted. That means no mortgages, real estate development, no long-term investment, no financial stability. The financial sector as we know it ceases to function. And with it, capitalism as we know it ceases to be viable.”
The only solution was to cut #fossilfuel burning, he said, with everything else being a delay or distraction.
“Klimaschutz trägt nach Ansicht von Experten des Instituts für Weltwirtschaft (IfW) in Kiel zur Sicherheit in Europa bei.
Der Analyse zufolge spült jeder Euro, den Europa weniger für Öl ausgibt, 13 Cent weniger in die russische Kriegskasse und nimmt so den Druck auf europäische Verteidigungsausgaben.”
Leaked data reveals decades of unreported pollution by Colombia oil giant https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/03/leaked-data-reveals-decades-of-unreported-pollution-by-colombia-oil-giant/
"The funding comes from #FossilFuel companies who then turn around and lobby the government for weaker climate policy & fund grassroots groups involved in #climate denial & #disinformation campaigns. That information isn't shared with teachers and students at these conferences. It feels insidious."
Fossil fuels drive climate, health and biodiversity crises, scientists warn https://phys.org/news/2025-03-fossil-fuels-climate-health-biodiversity.html
Research: Top Scientists Issue Urgent Warning on Fossil Fuels https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/research-top-scientists-issue-urgent-warning-on-fossil-fuels-2025-03-31/
Fossil Fuels Are Killing Us’: Major Study Details How Fossil Fuels Are Driving Climate, Health and Biodiversity Crises https://www.ecowatch.com/fossil-fuels-impacts-climate-health-biodiversity.html
How Finland has replaced coal power with wind in less than 10 years.
Power utility company Helen officially decommissioned its Salmisaari plant in Helsinki on 1 April, dropping coal to a less than 1% share of the country’s energy mix.
The closure of a coal power plant in Finland today brings the country to the brink of a full coal phase-out - four years ahead of schedule.
Finland phases out coal, ahead of schedule:
“Imported fossil energy has been replaced with cleaner solutions that reduce climate emissions, while consumers benefit from lower energy prices”
“As Finland previously relied primarily on coal imported from Russia, the phase-out has also boosted Finland’s energy independence and, therefore, national security.”
"It needs to be in the public sphere & we need to get corporate #FossilFuel influence out. We need our governments to step up on this with full transparency and accountability to really address the trajectory we're on and the critical need to change course. It's URGENT."
