OIL AND GAS SPEND ON LNG ADS: Oil and gas industry groups are increasing their ads advocating for U.S. liquefied natural gas since the Biden administration enacted a pause on LNG export approvals in January.
What’s going on: Groups like the American Petroleum Institute and the Texas Oil & Gas Association have spent upwards of $140,000 on over 100 ads advocating for LNG, according to an analysis for climate think tank InfluenceMap. The ads have generated over 8.5 million impressions.
Why this is important: Many of the ads are either condemning or commending lawmakers – depending on their alignment with industry interests – and run in states that could determine November’s election, such as Pennsylvania. A disproportionate number of these ads are running in the Washington metropolitan area, home to policymakers and industry players.
Furthermore, many of the ads promote LNG as a climate solution, while arguing that the pause threatens domestic job security and strengthens adversaries abroad. InfluenceMap’s analysis pushes back against the narratives, highlighting that LNG contributes to climate change through the release of potent greenhouse gases such as methane. The report also asserts that the LNG pause could accelerate investment into renewables in Europe – looking to dispel the claim that the pause could force the region to rely on energy supply from adversaries such as Russia.
Who else is behind the ads: Along the aforementioned groups, the American Exploration & Production Council (AXPC), the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the PAGE Coalition were identified as major spenders on LNG advertisers in recent months. The analysis finds that six months before the pause, the groups did not run any ads on LNG, signaling a concerted effort to try to influence public opinion.
Just a reminder: The Biden administration instituted the pause on new approvals of exports to non-free trade agreement countries in an effort to study the environmental and national security impacts of the export facilities. A federal judge reversed the DOE’s LNG pause last month, giving a win to industry and red states that opposed the move. However, the agency filed an appeal earlier this month to keep the pause in place.
Welcome to Daily on Energy, written by Washington Examiner Energy and Environment writer Nancy Vu ( @NancyVu99 ). Email nancy.vu@washingtonexaminer dot com for tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. If a friend sent this to you and you’d like to sign up, click here . If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email, and we’ll add you to our list.
CHINA HITS RENEWABLES TARGET SIX YEARS EARLY: China has surpassed its renewable energy power target six years early – another signal the globe’s largest polluter is outpacing other nations in clean energy.
Bloomberg outlines China has reached a total capacity of 1,206 gigawatts in renewables in July, according to a statement from the National Energy Administration. President Xi Jinping set a goal in December 2020 of supplying 1,200 GW from clean energy technology by 2030.
Why this is important: China has been ahead globally in investing in clean energy, particularly wind and solar. The growth has led to a drawdown in coal power generation most recently, and could point to the country reaching peak emissions before its 2030 target.
But: Keep in mind – solar and wind are only generating 14% of the country’s electricity so far this year, and more strides will have to be made to grow the grid's share of renewables. More on that here.
AFPM LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN AGAINST HARRIS: The American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers is launching an ad campaign blasting Kamala Harris ’ former 2019 presidential platform, claiming that she would ban gas-powered cars if she were to win the White House in November.
The ads : Dubbed “Driver’s Seat, ” the television ads claim Harris will “enforce the extreme standards of her home state of California,” and look to end the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035.
“These policies will drive us straight off the cliff,” the ad says.
The ad campaign calls on lawmakers facing reelection in competitive races to put a stop to the effort, with the message running in Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
“Until the Vice President says otherwise, we have to believe she still stands for everything that was in her 2019 policy plan and for every policy she cosponsored as a Senator,” Chet Thompson , AFPM President and CEO, said in a statement.
Why this is important: The ad campaign is a part of an eight-figure buy from the group to message against the Biden administration’s efforts to clamp down on gas cars, as the culture war on EVs continues to take shape in the 2024 elections.
To be clear: Federal regulations and policies don’t currently ban gas-powered cars, but rather look to phase them down. The EPA has finalized stricter standards for tailpipe pollution that meant to cut more than 7 billion tons of carbon emissions. The agency estimates that fully electric cars will make up 56% of new passenger vehicle sales in 2032, while hybrids will make up another 13%.
Going back in history: In 2019, then-Sen. Harris said that she would work to ensure 100% of passenger vehicle sales were zero-emissions by 2035 with a set of incentives that would expand the EV tax credit and set up a new “cash for clunkers” program.
ICELAND VOLCANO ERUPTION BRINGS FEARS OF POLLUTION: The aftermath of a volcanic eruption in Iceland is raising concerns of pollution, Reuters outlines, hours after the hazard forced an evacuation of a spa resort.
Lava and smoke first erupted from the volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula on Thursday, with much of the spew continuing for a second day. The flow from the volcano has since slowed, Rikke Pedersen , head of the Nordic Volcanological Centre, told the publication.
The meteorological office warned that pollution from the volcano could be carried by wind.
Other consequences: The Blue Lagoon spa, which has large outdoor geothermal pools near the volcano, was evacuated on Thursday and remained closed on Friday. 1,300 guests and staff were at the spa.
Lava flowed out of the volcano at a rate of 2,000 cubic meters per second. The volcano has erupted six times since December. Read more on that here.
RUNDOWN
Bloomberg Harris Skips Over Climate Change Even as Party Touts Green Wins
E&E News Businesses with climate plans pay lower interest rates — research
Financial Times The global power of Big Agriculture’s lobbying
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