U.S. Green Economy Produced 10 Times More Jobs Than Fossils in 2016

The U.S. green economy produced 9.5 million jobs in 2015-2016, more than 10 times as many as a lavishly-subsidized fossil fuel sector, and its US$1.3 trillion in output accounted for 7% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), according to analysis released this week by two researchers at University College London.

Majority of Canadians, 65% of Northerners Support Extending Arctic Oil and Gas Drilling Ban

More than half of Canadians support a permanent ban on Arctic oil and gas drilling, and nearly two-thirds of northerners want the current ban extended to 2026, according to an Environics Research poll released last week by WWF-Canada.

Democracy Watch Complaint Alleges Possible ‘Collusion’ Between Conservative Campaign, Fossil PR

An Ottawa-based ethics watchdog is calling on Commissioner of Canada Elections Yves Côté to investigate whether possible “collusion” between the Conservative Party and the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) violated the Canada Elections Act.

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Job Transition for Coal Workers Faces Uncertainty as Alberta Government Prepares First Budget

The 70 unionized workers and dozen administrative staff who are about to lose their jobs at Alberta’s Highvale coal mine face “a lot of uncertainty” as the province’s latest budget approaches, with a change in government throwing their job transition plans into doubt.

Saskatchewan Issues Proposal Call for 300 MW of New Wind Capacity

Saskatchewan is out with a new call for proposals for 300 megawatts of wind energy capacity.

Shell Has ‘No Choice’ About Investing in New Fossil Projects, CEO Claims

Colossal fossil Royal Dutch Shell has “no choice” but to invest in new, long-lasting fossil projects, a defiant CEO Ben van Beurden told Reuters this week, in an interview in which he decried the “demonization” of oil and gas and “unjustified” worries that the company’s business model is unsustainable.

Set Climate Risk Reporting Rules Or Have Them Imposed, Carney Warns Major Companies

Major corporations have received a two-year ultimatum from Bank of England Governor Mark Carney to devise their own approach to reporting the climate risks they face, or have global regulators develop a set of rules and make them mandatory.

Google Claims Climate Leadership While Funding U.S. Climate Denial Groups

While consistently claiming to support political action to get global warming under control, Google has made “substantial” donations to “some of the most notorious climate deniers in Washington,” The Guardian reports, as part of its multi-story exposé last week on the forces driving the climate crisis.

IMF Calls for $75/Ton Carbon Tax to Hold Average Warming to 2.0°C

A global carbon tax of US$75 per ton by 2030 would limit average global warming to 2.0°C, and any economic disruption that resulted could be offset by returning the proceeds to citizens, the International Monetary Fund concludes in a study released last week.

42 Dead, 15 Missing as Typhoon Hagibis Brings Record Rains to Japan

At least 42 people are dead,15 are missing, and 198 were injured in and around Tokyo after Typhoon Hagibis, which means “speed” in Tagalog, brought record rains to many parts of Japan’s main island of Honshu on Saturday.

Turn Climate Fear, Frustration Into Votes, Ex-New York Times Reporter Urges

In an era of fires, floods, and power outages, “the most urgent imperative now is to turn our fear and frustration into votes,” ex-New York Times environment reporter Justin Gillis argues in an opinion piece for his former paper.