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Alaska Oil Project Approval Adds Yet Another Climate Concern
Alaska, Juneau — Even as experts urgently warn that only a halt to more fossil fuel emissions can stem climate change, the Biden administration’s approval of a large oil development in northern Alaska binds the U.S. to yet another decades-long crude project.
At its height, the Willow project by ConocoPhillips would produce 180,000 barrels of oil per day, and burning that oil would emit at least 263 million tons (239 million metric tons) of greenhouse gases over 30 years.
As the earth warms, oil demand isn’t declining, and a contentious political battle over the project, which was approved on Monday, has highlighted the Democratic administration’s struggle to strike a balance between economic constraints and commitments to reduce fossil fuel use. The plan in the isolated area north of the Arctic Circle also draws attention to the contradiction that the United States and other countries are currently dealing with: the world’s transition to renewable energy lags behind the realities of an economy that is still mainly dependent on oil consumption.
We must eventually leave coal, oil, and gas in the ground. And that time is now, especially in a delicate ecosystem like the Arctic, according to Stanford University climate scientist Rob Jackson.
Upon announcing Willow’s clearance, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland emphasized that the number of drill pads had been decreased from ConocoPhillips’ initial plan by 40%, noting that this would benefit both humans and wildlife. Yet, according to official estimates, the corporation will still likely obtain the majority of the oil it sought, resulting in a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of only 8%.
After a severe decline in oil production since the late 1980s, the project hopes to revitalize Alaska’s economy. It had the support of both party leaders in the state. The North Slope of Alaska, which is petroleum-rich, is where distant communities and villages can benefit from oil’s economic vitality.
Greenhouse gases produced by the project would contribute to melting the Arctic sea ice in Alaska.
Yet, the state has also experienced the effects of climate change: sea ice is receding, unique wildfires are surfacing, and melting permafrost threatens to release carbon into the atmosphere.
Lawyers for an Alaska Native organization and environmentalists have petitioned a federal judge to halt Willow’s approval in a lawsuit filed on Tuesday. According to The Sovereign Iupiat for a Living Arctic, Sierra Club, and other organizations, Interior Department officials disregarded that every ton of greenhouse gases produced by the project would contribute to melting the Arctic sea ice, endangering polar bears and Alaskan villages.
If nations, including the United States, are to achieve their 2050 objective of net-zero emissions—where only as much planet-warming gas is emitted into the atmosphere as can be absorbed—new drilling investments must be halted, according to the International Energy Agency.
90% of global carbon dioxide emissions and 75% of all greenhouse gases produced by humans are attributed to the energy industry.
Nonetheless, industry analysts and the U.S. Energy Information Administration predict that the demand for crude will keep growing globally.
Jim Krane, an energy specialist, suggested that authorities should concentrate on lowering demand rather than aiming to reduce domestic supplies of such fuels, such as initiatives like Willow.
According to Krane of Rice University’s Baker Center for Public Affairs, refiners will withdraw their oil from abroad if supply in the United States is targeted without any effort made to reduce demand in Alaska.
Willow’s greenhouse gas emissions would be almost 1.7 million automobiles worth or little over 0.1% of all emissions.
Electric vehicles are a potential replacement for gasoline-powered automobiles and trucks, but they have yet to do much to reduce the demand for fossil fuels. According to Enverus Intelligence Research, a company specializing in data research for the energy sector, EVs are anticipated to replace 2.7 million barrels of oil annually by 2030 in Alaska.
That is less than 3% of the world’s total oil consumption, which Al Salazar, senior vice president of the research firm, predicts will be around 100 million barrels per day in 2030.
Demand doesn’t suddenly disappear, according to Salazar. “Replacing the whole fleet of light duty vehicles takes time.”
Republican U.S. senators have stated that drilling should be anticipated in the National Petroleum Reserve- Alaska, where the Willow project is located.
Willow’s greenhouse gas emissions would be almost 1.7 million automobiles worth or little over 0.1% of all emissions in the United States. Officials from the Interior Department have used these comparatively tiny numbers to justify approving coal mines and oil and gas leases for years.
According to Jackson, if the worst effects of climate change are to be avoided, this perspective cannot be maintained. The Earth is “as far from zero emissions as we’ve ever been,” despite the focus on renewable energy.
It’s the same as thinking that any new automobile we build or coal plant in Alaska we construct is irrelevant because millions of other coal plants and thousands of other coal plants are functioning worldwide, he said.
In contrast to the early months of Biden’s presidency, the administration had already eased its attitude to oil and gas before the Willow decision. To win over Democratic holdout U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, the administration committed to tens of millions of acres of new leasing during discussions over last year’s climate package.
The legislation includes clauses connecting renewable energy sources’ growth and oil and gas leasing. As a result, on March 29, the administration will put up for sale oil and gas leases Alaska covering more than 73 million acres (29.5 million hectares) in the Gulf of Mexico. It also intends to auction off around 350,000 acres (141,600 hectares) of onshore oil and gas leases in Wyoming, New Mexico, Montana, Nevada, and other states over months beginning in May.
Activists claim that during 50 years, the Gulf sale alone may produce more than 1 billion barrels of oil.
“This administration has promised to supervise a historic shift to renewable energy, but deeds speak louder than words,” said George Torgun of Earthjustice, who represents environmental groups attempting to halt additional lease sales.
SOURCE – (AP)
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(VOR News) – French President Emmanuel Macron greeted Donald Trump to Paris on Saturday with presidential grandeur following a four-year hiatus.
Claiming to be in a “a little crazy” world as they met one-on-one before Notre Dame Cathedral’s reopening five years following a catastrophic fire, Donald Trump, the future president, said.
As Trump arrived at the Elysee Palace, the official house of the French president, Macron extended numerous handshakes and back-patted him. Declaring it “a great honour,” Donald Trump hailed their “great relationship.”
As they met one-on-one before Notre Dame Cathedral reopened five years following a catastrophic fire, Trump suggested the two would talk about a “a little crazy” world.
Like the French do for sitting American presidents, the palace spread out a red carpet. Trump noted before he came in, “The world feels wild right now.” We will explore that.
Accepting the Paris invitation, Donald Trump asserted Macron had done “a wonderful job ensuring that Notre Dame has been restored to its full glory, and even more so”. Today will be unique for each of us! A 2019 fire almost destroyed the 861-year-old monument.
More than 20 French government security agents were guarding Trump alongside the Secret Service, according to the French national police. Trump’s procession was guarded from drones by a specially equipped French police truck.
Scores of international VIPs were expected at the Notre Dame reopening, hence security was more rigorous than usual outside the U.S. Embassy and other Paris sites.
Despite Donald Trump’s loss last month, Macron has tried to repair his relationship.
Macron’s staff minimised the offer, citing invitations to other former leaders.
Declaring Trump invited as president-elect of a “friendly nation,” Macron’s office added, “This is in no way exceptional. We’ve done it before.”
Red carpet treatment by Macron and other European leaders revealed their aim to placate Trump prior to his inauguration. Trump enjoys pomp and spectacle. During his first tenure as president, he paid Paris a guest of honour visit for Bastille Day events. Macron Later on, Trump insisted he wanted a US large military exhibition.
Democratic President Joe Biden is also invited but won not be present. White House communications secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said first lady Jill Biden will represent the US due to a scheduling issue.
Trump last visited Jill Biden at the White House for the customary farewell-incoming president’s conference following the election.
During Donald Trump trip to France, Macron and other European leaders are trying to convince him to help Ukraine fight Russia’s intrusion. According to Macron’s office, Macron and Donald Trump would discuss Middle East conflicts as well as others.
Prince William and Jill Biden will meet prior to Notre Dame, according to the British royal house.
Macron would meet Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine. It depends on whether Trump meets Zelenskyy. Future conversations worry Kyiv as Trump has vowed to swiftly stop the war on Ukraine but has not said how.
On a two-day trip earlier this week, Zelenskyy’s top advisor Andriy Yermak visited important Donald Trump team members to build confidence in the incoming government. Requesting anonymity, a senior Ukrainian official hailed the discussions as successful but omitted specifics.
Under Donald Trump’s first term, France-US relations deteriorated.
Trump paid many trips to France and introduced Macron at his first state dinner. Macron attacked Trump for challenging NATO’s necessity and America’s dedication to the mutual defence agreement, therefore endangering the alliance.
If France taxed American businesses during the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump often mimicked Macron’s accent and threatened to levy high taxes on wine and champagne bottles shipped to the U.S.
Among the first international leaders to congratulate Trump last month was Macron. Noted for its stained glass, the Notre Dame fire destroyed its spire in 2019, endangering one of the most iconic architectural sites worldwide. At the time Trump was president.
“So horrible to watch the massive fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris,” he wrote, counselling Paris. “Perhaps flying water tanks could help eradicate it. Be fast!” he advised.
Shortly afterwards, French officials reported that “all means” were being employed to put out the flames, “except water-bombing aircrafts which, if used, could lead to the collapse of the entire structure of the cathedral.”
Last weekend, Trump declared he would name Jared Kushner’s father, Charles Kushner, ambassador to France. Pioneers in such a great role were Franklin and Jefferson.
SOURCE: NPR
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Salman Ahmad is a seasoned freelance writer who contributes insightful articles to VORNews. With years of experience in journalism, he possesses a knack for crafting compelling narratives that resonate with readers. Salman’s writing style strikes a balance between depth and accessibility, allowing him to tackle complex topics while maintaining clarity.
(VOR News) – Elon Musk, the wealthiest man in the world, is said to have made a significant contribution to the re-election campaign of Donald Trump, President-elect of the United States of America, in the year 2024.
This information has been reported. Specifically, the information in question was collected from the Federal Election Commission by means of their most current filings.
More than $259 million was contributed by Elon Musk to the campaign of Donald Trump, which he subsequently used to support his own campaign.
Elon Musk contributed a total of $269.
The Chief Executive Officer of Tesla and the owner of SpaceX is now in the position of being one of the top donors in the history of a presidential campaign in the United States.
This is due to the massive financial support that has been provided to him. Consequently, this contributes to the strengthening of his power in the area of the Republican Party. One of the corporations that own Tesla is SpaceX, which is a corporation.
There was a contribution of two hundred and thirty-nine million dollars made by Elon Musk to America PAC, which is a super PAC that he founded with the goal of assisting in the mobilisation of votes in support of Trump. This represents a big new development that has taken place.
RBG PAC is an organisation that makes an effort to persuade voters that President Trump, who is 78 years old, would not sign into law a national abortion ban. It is alleged that Musk, who is 53 years old, contributed an additional twenty million dollars to RBG PAC.
There is strong suspicion that Elon Musk made this financial contribution to RBG PAC. As can be seen from the documentation that was handed over to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Elon Musk was the one who made this donation.
This organisation got its name from the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who was well-known for her advocacy of abortion rights. Ginsburg was the inspiration behind the name of this organisation. In addition to being a well-known liberal personality, Ginsburg was also well-known for her advocacy of the right to abortion.
Ginsburg was a significant figure in the feminist community and a prominent member of the liberal community.
In addition to being the owner of the social networking platform known as X, Elon Musk has emerged as a prominent counsellor to the transition team that Trump has gathered. This is a significant development.
The platform’s owner is Elon Musk, so keep that in mind.
Trump has nominated him, together with Vivek Ramaswamy, a former candidate for the Republican presidential nomination and an entrepreneur, to lead a task group that will strive to minimise the amount of money that the government spends and the number of rules that it imposes. Ramaswamy is also an entrepreneur.
Ramaswamy is also an entrepreneur in his way. In his own way, Ramaswamy is likewise recognised as an entrepreneur.
Thursday was the day that Elon Musk and Ramaswamy met with senators on Capitol Hill in an effort to obtain the significant cutbacks in expenses that Trump has asked.
The gathering was held on Thursday of this week. On the other hand, in order for them to be successful in their ambitions, they will want the support of these politicians.
These two individuals have not only advocated for the termination of thousands of federal employees, but they have also battled for the reduction of regulations and the elimination of programs that have had their authorisation revoked, such as healthcare for veterans. In addition to this, they have campaigned for the dismissal of all employees and employees of the government.
At the Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, where the president-elect has been residing during the transition, Musk has been a frequent visitor and a close confidante of Trump.
Musk has attended the residence on multiple occasions. Many times, Elon Musk has been seen on the premises of the mansion. In addition to that, Musk has been a frequent visitor to the home on a number of occasions.
SOURCE: TN
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Salman Ahmad is a seasoned freelance writer who contributes insightful articles to VORNews. With years of experience in journalism, he possesses a knack for crafting compelling narratives that resonate with readers. Salman’s writing style strikes a balance between depth and accessibility, allowing him to tackle complex topics while maintaining clarity.
(VOR News) – A federal appeals court dismissed TikTok’s assertion that the crackdown infringes upon the free expression rights of millions of Americans on Friday.
The court affirmed a statute that would ban the viral video application from usage nationwide unless its Chinese parent company divested from it.
The court’s verdict led the president and Congress to determine that TikTok’s “expansive reach” necessitated its divestiture from Chinese ownership, which is “essential to protecting our national security.”
The court’s ruling indicates that TikTok’s ownership by the Chinese corporation ByteDance poses a greater national security threat than the issues related to free expression associated with TikTok.
In the United States, the First Amendment safeguards the right to free expression. The official court acknowledged that the government acted to safeguard this freedom from a foreign adversary and to restrict that adversary’s ability to acquire information about American citizens.
TikTok critics include the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University.
“This ruling is fundamentally flawed, interpreting significant First Amendment precedents too restrictively and granting the government extensive authority to limit Americans’ access to foreign information, ideas, and media,” stated Jameel Jaffer, the executive director of the organization.
“This decision is fundamentally erroneous.” “We anticipate that the appellate court’s decision will not be final.”
The decision issued by the three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit was a notable triumph for the administration of Vice President Joe Biden; yet, it concurrently places TikTok in a precarious position.
Donald Trump, the future president, has pledged to guarantee the continued existence of TikTok. Nonetheless, that may be construed to signify a multitude of alternative interpretations.
According to the law, TikTok faces a potential ban throughout the state unless it divests from its Beijing-based parent company, ByteDance, by January 19th.
The deadline may be prolonged by ninety days if “significant progress” is made towards finalising a sale. Consequently, one possibility is that Trump may seek to negotiate an agreement for the app to be held by an American entity or consortium of investors, while concurrently postponing the implementation date.
Notwithstanding China’s enduring opposition to the compelled divestiture of the application, analysts contend that Chinese authorities may want to auction TikTok to enhance their bargaining position in trade discussions with President Trump’s new administration.
Notwithstanding this, TikTok maintains that it is not available for acquisition from any third party.
TikTok’s initiatives to separate itself from ByteDance, exemplified by Project Texas, which seeks to segregate American data from China, represent divestiture, and Trump possesses the authority to assert that these initiatives qualify as divestiture. Furthermore, Trump may instruct his attorney general to abstain from enforcing the law.
Merely disabling TikTok is inadequate to preclude its utilisation. The regulation targets app stores operated by Google and Apple, leading to the removal of TikTok from their platforms by the digital giants.
Moreover, TikTok cannot be endorsed by web hosting companies.
Neither Apple nor Google has issued any statements concerning their possible reactions to the legislation. Moreover, given that Trump has expressed his intention to maintain the application despite an impending court-imposed deadline, it remains unclear what precise measures web-hosting companies would undertake.
TikTok would ultimately deteriorate, even if the legislation were implemented by a presidential administration. The application will remain accessible on devices for its 170 million users in the United States.
Conversely, the program would become ineligible for software updates. TikTok is on the verge of being inoperable because to its sluggish performance and numerous glitches.
A prohibition on the social media site would solely benefit Meta, which Trump has condemned for his unfounded assertion that the network adversely affected him during the 2020 presidential election.
Trump, who previously sought to prohibit TikTok during his initial presidency, reversed his stance and asserted that a restriction on the platform would merely benefit Meta. This transpired throughout his political efforts.
The subsequent phase may involve an appeals process that requires considerable time to finalise. The DC appeals court can entertain petitions from any party involved to reassess the case. The Supreme Court may then be requested to deliberate on it following its presentation.
SOURCE: TET
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Salman Ahmad is a seasoned freelance writer who contributes insightful articles to VORNews. With years of experience in journalism, he possesses a knack for crafting compelling narratives that resonate with readers. Salman’s writing style strikes a balance between depth and accessibility, allowing him to tackle complex topics while maintaining clarity.
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