By ALEXA ST. JOHN and TAMMY WEBBER Associated Press
Oil and gasoline prices are rising as the war in Iran intensifies and other global conflicts affect supply. That means pain at the pump for drivers filling up with gas. But electric vehicle drivers are largely unaffected by spikes in oil prices. Electricity prices — even as different grids have different power mixes — are more regulated. Experts say prolonged high gas prices may drive some EV interest and sales. Car-buying resource Edmunds says it has seen an uptick in people researching EVs and hybrids. But the experts also say just how far that will go is unclear. And in the U.S., significant incentives to buy EVs have gone away.
By JAMEY KEATEN and SETH BORENSTEIN Associated Press
The United Nations weather agency said carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere reached record highs last year, intensifying climate change and extreme weather. The World Meteorological Organization said CO2 growth rates have tripled since the 1960s, reaching levels that existed 800,000 years ago. The report, released Wednesday, highlights emissions from coal, oil, and gas, along with wildfires, as major contributors. Despite flat fossil fuel emissions last year, CO2 levels continue to rise. The agency has urged policymakers to reduce emissions, warning that the world is heading into a dangerous state. Other greenhouse gases like methane and nitrous oxide have also hit record levels.
The United Nations reports a global shift toward renewable energy, calling it a "positive tipping point." Tuesday's U.N. reports reveal that 92.5% of new electricity capacity in 2022 came from renewables, with wind and solar leading the way. Renewables like solar and wind are now significantly cheaper than fossil fuels, driving investment to $2 trillion last year. However, officials warn the transition is not happening fast enough, especially in regions like Africa. Despite booming renewables, fossil fuel production continues to rise due to increasing energy demands. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calls on tech firms to power data centers completely with renewables by 2030.
After the Palisades and Eaton fires scorched entire neighborhoods, the Army Corps of Engineers set up operations to recycle concrete and metal from mostly fire-damaged homes. Tons of these everyday materials are washed where they're collected, loaded onto trucks, and sent to begin the recycling process. For example, metal is compacted and concrete is crushed, then shipped to recycling facilities before re-entering the supply chain for future uses. In the world of planet-warming emissions, making fresh concrete and steel are major contributors to climate change, and industry experts say recycling is a good way to rebuild more sustainably.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has a message for environmentalists who despair at the the approach of President Donald Trump's administration: "Stop whining and get to work." The new U.S. administration has taken an ax to Biden-era environmental ambitions, rolled back landmark regulations, withdrawn climate project funding and instead bolstered support for oil and gas production. The former Republican governor of California has devoted time to environmental causes since leaving political office in 2011. On Tuesday at the Austrian World Summit in Vienna, Schwarzenegger pointed to examples of local and regional governments and companies taking action and argued 70% of pollution is reduced at the local or state level.
Most of the world has dirty air, with just 17% of global cities meeting WHO air pollution guidelines, a report Tuesday found. The report, from the air quality monitoring database IQAir, looked at data from 138 countries and found that India is home to the greatest number of polluted cities, and Los Angeles ranked as the most polluted city in the United States. Air pollution is a major killer, with studies estimating it kills 9 million people worldwide a year and sickens millions more.
California is considering a bill that would allow insurers and victims of climate-driven natural disasters to sue the oil industry for damages. State Sen. Scott Wiener, who authored the bill, said the oil industry should be liable in a natural disaster because companies intentionally deceived the public about the risks of fossil fuels on climate change. Those changes have intensified storms and wildfires and caused billions of dollars in damage. Such disasters have also driven the state insurance market to a crisis. The bill is supported by several environmental and consumer protection groups, but the oil industry has already signaled it will fight the legislation.
