In the U.S., a New Day Dawns for Energy and Environmental Responsibility

From Desmog, an organization whose mission is: “Clearing the PR Pollution that Clouds Climate Science.”

Finally, as President Joe Biden entered the White House he signed a slew of executive orders on January 20, including rejoining the Paris climate agreement and rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline. The move blocks construction of the 1,200-mile pipeline, and puts an end to a saga that has persisted for more than a decade. In a statement, Madonna Thunder Hawk of the Lakota People’s Law Project said: “We only achieve huge wins like this by speaking out together.” 

Exactly how much progress the U.S. makes in the upcoming Biden administration remains to be seen.  Even with a Democratic majority in the Senate, there is no reason to think that Biden will be much more effective in transitioning from fossil fuels to clean energy than Obama had been, simply because of the vastness of the oil companies’ wealth and power.

It’s an epic battle, in which disinformation is a major weapon.  The current ruse coming from the fossil fuel industry is green hydrogen.  Also from Desmog:

And if you haven’t noticed, it seems like nearly every day another hopeful article touts the potential of using hydrogen as a fuel to tackle climate change. What’s known as “green hydrogen” — which relies on renewable power for production — is getting the bulk of that attention. So, from “what is hydrogen energy” to “can we believe all the hype,” DeSmog’s Justin Mikulka takes a critical look at the burgeoning new fuel — and debunks some of the myths surrounding it. 

Regardless, we all need to acknowledge how good it feels to have a U.S. president in office who is essentially a good and honest person, and how completely different an experience this is from the last four years.  Driving along yesterday, I was listening to a briefing given by the new Press Secretary, and I almost had to pull my car to the side of the road; I said to my wife sitting next to me, “My God! Most of what this woman is saying is actually true!“