John Kerry gives a speech at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London on July 20, 2021.
TOLGA AKMEN | AFP | Getty Images
The United States’ climate envoy John Kerry issued a stark warning on Tuesday, claiming that the suffering brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic would be “magnified many times over in a world that does not grapple with, and ultimately halt, the climate crisis.”
In a speech delivered in London, Kerry — who on Thursday is due to attend a G20 ministerial meeting in Italy focused on the environment, climate and energy — sought to emphasize the magnitude of the challenge facing the planet.
“The climate crisis, my friends, is the test of our times,” he said. “And while some may still believe it is unfolding in slow motion, no, this test is now as acute and as existential as any previous one.”
Former Secretary of State Kerry also stressed the need for geopolitical cooperation, acknowledging that “no country and no continent alone can solve the climate crisis.”
Turning to China, Kerry noted that “a foundational building block” of its growth had stemmed from “a staggering amount of fossil fuel use” and called on it to step up when it came to cutting emissions.
“As a large country, an economic leader and now the largest driver of climate change, China absolutely can help lead the world to success by peaking and starting to reduce emissions early during this critical decade of 2020 to 2030,” he went on to add.
“The truth is there’s no alternative, because without sufficient reduction by China, together with the rest of us, the goal of 1.5 degrees is essentially impossible.”
The goal referenced by Kerry refers to 2015’s Paris Agreement, which aims to “limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels.”
Later this year, world leaders are set to gather for the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow, Scotland. It’s seen as a crucial event, with many hoping it will act as a catalyst for governments to step up their climate ambitions in order to meet the targets set out in the Paris accord.
“Glasgow is the place, 2021 is the time and we can, in a little more than 100 days, save the next 100 years,” Kerry said.
While there is an undoubted sense of urgency about COP26, the reality on the ground shows just how big a challenge achieving climate-related goals will be in the years ahead.
On the same day that Kerry made his speech, the International Energy Agency said only a small chunk of governments’ recovery spending in response to the Covid-19 pandemic had been allocated to clean energy measures.
The IEA’s analysis notes that, as of the second quarter of this year, the world’s governments had set aside roughly $380 billion for “energy-related sustainable recovery measures.” This represents approximately 2% of recovery spending, it said.
In a statement issued alongside its analysis, the IEA explained just how much work needed to be done in order for climate related targets to be met.
“The sums of money, both public and private, being mobilised worldwide by recovery plans fall well short of what is needed to reach international climate goals,” it said.
Indeed, the Paris-based organization is forecasting that carbon dioxide emissions will hit record levels in 2023, with “no clear peak in sight.”
The first of 23 caissons for Princess Elisabeth Island, the world’s first artificial energy island, is nearly complete.
Princess Elisabeth Island will be an electricity grid at sea that will connect offshore wind farms to the Belgian mainland and also serve as a hub for future interconnectors with the UK and Denmark. Belgian electricity transmission system operator Elia is the project’s developer.
The 20,000-ton caissons, which will form the energy island’s outer walls, are being built at Jan De Nul Group and DEME’s construction site in Vlissingen, the Netherlands. It takes around three months to build one caisson. The production process is split into five 20-day stages. The caissons are moved between the different work sites using “runners,” which takes about six hours.
When the caissons are ready, a semi-submersible vessel will transport them further down the harbor, where they’ll be temporarily stored in the water. They’ll then be moved to their final location in the North Sea this summer, weather allowing, said maritime infrastructure company Jan de Nul.
You can watch a time-lapse video of Princess Elisabeth Island’s first caisson being built here:
Princess Elisabeth Island is part of the larger Princess Elisabeth Zone, a future 3.5 gigawatt (GW) offshore wind farm in the North Sea, around 45 km (28 miles) off the Belgian coast. The world’s first artificial energy island will receive power from the wind turbines via undersea cables, and it will then be converted to high-voltage electricity and distributed to the Belgian mainland and other European countries. The energy island will combine both direct current (HVDC) and alternating current (HVAC).
The energy island will be finished in late 2026 when the electrical equipment will start to be installed. Princess Elisabeth Island is expected to be fully connected to all wind farms and the mainland by 2030.
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Honda is finally joining the EV race after announcing a massive $11 billion (CAD$15 billion) investment to build four new EV plants in Canada. The historic investment will be used to build Canada’s first EV supply chain, enabling 240,000 Honda EVs to be made for the US and Canada annually.
Honda reveals game changing investment to build EVs
Honda announced its largest investment in Canada ever as it prepares for the electric era. The plans for a new Honda EV plant and stand-alone EV battery factory in Alliston, Ontario.
Once fully operational, the EV facility will be able to produce 240,000 EVs a year, while its battery plant will have capacity of 36 GWh per year. Production is expected to begin in 2028.
According to a press release from the prime minister’s office, Honda will build Canada’s first comprehensive EV supply chain. The project will include four new manufacturing plants in Ontario.
In addition to the EV plant and battery factory, Honda will build a cathode active material and precursor plant through a joint venture with POSCO Future M. A second is planned with Asahi Kasei Corp.
Justin Trudeau, prime minister of Canada, said Honda’s investment is a “game changer for manufacturing in Canada.” With a full supply chain, Honda expects to cut costs by over 20%.
Honda aims for EVs and FCEVS to account for 100% of vehicle sales by 2040. Honda also invested $700 million to retool three Ohio plants to serve as its hub for future EV and EV battery production.
Meanwhile, Honda’s first electric SUV, the Honda Prologue, went on sale earlier this year. Starting at $47,400 (excluding destination), the Prologue offers up to 296 miles range.
2024 Honda Prologue trim
Starting Price (w/o $1,395 destination fee)
Starting price after tax credit (w/o $1,395 destination fee)
Starting price after tax credit (with $1,395 destination fee)
EPA Range (miles)
EX (FWD)
$47,400
$39,900
$41,295
296
EX (AWD)
$50,400
$42,900
$44,295
281
Touring (FWD)
$51.700
$44,200
$45,595
296
Touring (AWD)
$54,700
$47,200
$48,595
281
Elite (AWD)
$57,900
$50,400
$51,795
273
2024 Honda Prologue prices and range
With the $7,500 federal tax credit, the Prologue’s starting price can fall to as low as $39,900 (excluding destination).
Lace Woelfer, VP of Honda America National Auto Sales, said the Honda Prologue hits the “sweet spot” as a sporty, stylish electric SUV.
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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will require existing coal-fired and new natural gas-fired power plants to control 90% of their carbon emissions or shut down.
It’s the first time the federal government has restricted CO2 emissions from existing coal-fired power plants and one of four measures the EPA announced today to transition the US to a clean energy economy.
The EPA states that “the best system of emission reduction for the longest-running existing coal units and most heavily utilized new gas turbines is based on carbon capture and sequestration/storage (CCS),” which qualifies for Inflation Reduction Act tax incentives.
Coal plants that intend to stay online beyond 2039 will have to cut or capture 90% of their CO2 emissions by 2032. If a coal plant retires by 2039, it has to capture emissions but to a less stringent standard. If a coal plant retires by 2032, it’s exempt from the new final rule. Coal powered around 16% of US electricity in 2023.
The rule is projected to reduce 1.38 billion metric tons of carbon pollution through 2047 – equivalent to preventing the annual emissions of 328 million gasoline cars or nearly an entire year of US electric power sector emissions.
Harold Wimmer, president and CEO of the American Lung Association, said, “Burning fossil fuels in power plants harms people’s lungs, makes kids sick, and accelerates the climate crisis. The stronger clean air and climate protections will save lives.”
The other three final rules for coal-fired plants are:
A tightening of the emissions standard for toxic metals by 67% and finalizing a 70% reduction in the emissions standard for mercury from existing lignite-fired sources
A reduction of pollutants discharged through wastewater from coal-fired power plants by more than 660 million pounds per year
The safe management of coal ash placed in areas that were unregulated at the federal level until now
EPA administrator Michael S. Regan said, “By developing these standards in a clear, transparent, inclusive manner, EPA is cutting pollution while ensuring that power companies can make smart investments and continue to deliver reliable electricity for all Americans.”
The new EPA rules are part of the Biden administration’s pledge to achieve net zero in the electricity sector by 2035.
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