CALIFORNIA FIRE DOUBLES IN SIZE OVER TWO DAYS: A wildfire in California has spread to more than 164,000 acres Friday, becoming the largest blaze to sweep the state this year, the Los Angeles Times wrote.
The Park Fire grew to large spans over two days, with containment being reduced from 3% Thursday to 0% Friday morning. Conditions are likely to continue to be a challenge, according to forecasters.
At least 134 buildings have been destroyed, and another 4,000 are in danger of being destroyed, according to Cal Fire. 4,000 people were evacuated around Cohasset and Forest Ranch.
The cause? According to ABC News, officials in Southern California said they are searching for suspects that may have sparked the fire with illegal fireworks. The estimated economic toll is likely to be more than $10 million in damages. Read that here.
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GUTERRES GAME PLAN ON EXTREME HEAT: The United Nations’ Secretary General is launching a global call to action to combat heat – and went as far as to blame fossil fuels for the record-breaking temperatures many countries are experiencing.
The deets: During a press conference yesterday, UN Secretary General António Guterres detailed the unprecedented heat that both developed and developing countries are witnessing. The official outlined a plan to combat heat, with four areas of focus: caring for vulnerable populations, upping protections for workers, boosting the infrastructure of economies to adapt to the heat, and phasing out fossil fuels.
“To tackle all these symptoms, we need to fight the disease. The disease is the madness of incinerating our only home,” he said. “The disease is the addiction to fossil fuels. The disease is climate inaction.
More about that plan: The secretary general advocated for increased access to low-carbon cooling and expanded passive cooling, measures to protect workers, and efforts to heat-proof economies and the environment. In his call to divest from fossil fuels, Guterres called for ending new coal projects and shifting fossil fuel subsidies to renewables while supporting vulnerable countries.
Why this is important: Guterres’ call to action comes ahead of this year’s annual global climate summit – otherwise known as COP29 – where global leaders will discuss and debate measures to combat global warming. However, a record number of fossil fuel representatives were at last year’s summit, marking an increase in influence from the industry as more countries look to divest from the sector and invest heavily in renewables.
Guterres notably mentioned the importance of climate finance – stating “climate action also requires finance action.” The secretary general called for multilateral development banks to increase lending capacity to help developing countries tackle climate change, and for wealthier countries to make good on their climate finance commitments.
TRANS MOUNTAIN PIPELINE DELAYED UNTIL AFTER 2025 ELECTION: The sale of the Trans Mountain oil pipeline is likely to be delayed until after Canada’s national election in 2025, sources tell Bloomberg, over promises made to tribal groups and the valuation of the sale itself.
The pipeline was bought by the Canadian government in 2018 to help ensure the expansion of the project could be completed. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that the government will not be the permanent owner.
However, preparing for the sale is getting more complicated, the publication outlines. First, the government had promised to sell a stake to dozens of individual indigenous groups in Western Canada, but the process is moving slowly.
There’s also a regulatory battle brewing over how much Trans Mountain will charge oil companies to ship crude. The project is expected to cost several times more than previous projections – and until final tolls are determined, potential buyers won’t have a full picture of the pipeline’s profitability, threatening the sale. Delaying the sale, at the very least, allows for more time for the government to prove the project is valuable – and pay off or refinance any debts. Read more about that here.
ORAL ARGUMENTS ON VINEYARD WIND: Federal judges are considering legal challenges against Vineyard Wind – the country’s first major offshore wind project – and it’s looking like they're leaning toward siding with the Interior Department following oral arguments on Thursday, E&E News reports.
In arguments before the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Seafreeze Shoreside and the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance advocated for three judges to overturn lower court rulings that would support approvals for the project.
A pattern: The two cases appearing before the panel seem to be following a similar path to other legal challenges facing the offshore wind industry. Judges struck down previous lawsuits – including ones against the Vineyard Wind project – because the groups challenging the approvals did not do enough to show the parties were harmed from offshore development.
The panel of judges – all appointed by President Joe Biden – asked the fisheries groups to explain the substance of their claims against the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. The judges appeared skeptical of claims brought by both groups.
Why this is important: The hearings come as the project is facing even more scrutiny following the halting of the project after a turbine blade broke off, scattering debris along the coast of Nantucket. The project was halted a few days later to investigate the incident. While the incident was not mentioned during the hearings, it could create even more pushback to the offshore wind project. Read more on that.
RUNDOWN
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