350 CHICAGO

Your bi-weekly newsletter for all things climate-related

June 14, 2021

A Triple Blow to Big Oil

May 26 saw several major developments in the fossil fuel industry. First, a court in the Netherlands ordered Shell to cut its carbon emissions by 45% by the year 2030. The ruling was the result of a lawsuit by Friends of the Earth Netherlands, Greenpeace, and several other environmental groups. The precedent set by this verdict will likely encourage climate activists in other jurisdictions to file similar suits.

While Shell was being challenged in the courtroom, ExxonMobil and Chevron faced rebellion in the boardroom. Frustrated by ExxonMobil’s reluctance to transition away from fossil fuels, the company’s shareholders elected two new board members who intend to steer the company in a more climate-friendly direction. A majority of Chevron’s investors voted for a proposal requiring a cut to “scope 3” greenhouse gas emissions. These changes underscore the fact that fossil fuels are increasingly viewed as a bad investment, leading pragmatic investors to see the appeal of a greener future.

Illinois Climate Legislation Update

The Illinois General Assembly did not pass an energy bill before the end of its session on May 31. In the final days of the session, it appeared that near-consensus had been reached on a bill that would close coal power plants by 2035 and natural gas power plants by 2045 and provide $600 million over five years to three of the state’s nuclear plants. At the very end of the session, some unions, local officials, and legislators asked that the 1,600 megawatt Prairie State Energy Campus coal plant in southern Illinois, the largest polluter in the state, be allowed to continue operating past 2035. This disagreement prevented further progress, though legislators plan to reconvene this week to vote on an energy bill. During an extended session, they will need a three-fifths majority to pass legislation. Though energy legislation did not move forward, the General Assembly passed many other environmental bills, which are outlined below:

Bill Passed:

Decarbonization Call to Action

While the Illinois General Assembly continues to work on energy legislation, we at 350 Chicago want to express our support for rapid decarbonization of the power sector. While we do not ask legislators to vote against an energy bill that includes some strong environmental components, and we recognize the pressing need for renewable energy funding, we believe that any bill that includes a decarbonization date as late as 2045 would put the state on a path to climate catastrophe. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the world would have to curb its carbon emissions by at least 49 percent of 2017 levels by 2030 if it is to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. President Biden aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2030, and decarbonizing the power sector is one of the best ways to achieve this goal. To drastically cut emissions and avoid the worst effects of climate change, we must close all coal and natural gas power plants by 2030, as the Clean Energy Jobs Act proposed. Illinois is home to many nuclear plants, which makes rapid decarbonization here possible. With declining costs of renewables and technological advances in areas such as storage, we can decarbonize in a way that is affordable and reliable.

We should not exempt any power plant from decarbonization goals. This means that the Prairie State Energy Campus, a coal plant that is the largest polluter in the state and the seventh-largest polluter in the country, should be closed along with all other fossil fuel power plants in the state. Please call your legislators and Governor Pritzker to ask them to support energy legislation that includes rapid decarbonization by 2030 and closes the Prairie State coal plant by that year. Find your elected officials (State Senator and Representative) by entering your address here. (Your State Senator will be listed second, under “Senate District #...”, and your State Representative will be the third person listed, under “Representative District #...” ) Call Governor Pritzker at any of these numbers: 855-980-5638, 217-782-6830, 217-782-6831, 312-814-2121, or 312-814-2122.

Other Climate News

Putting Pembroke’s Priorities Above a Gas Giveaway

In this blog post for the NRDC, Amulya Yerrapotu challenges a proposed Nicor gas line extension that would harm a historical Black farming community.

We Need to Change How We Talk About Climate Action

For Jacobin, Holly Buck explores potential routes to net zero emissions and calls for a climate action narrative focused on opportunities, not restrictions.

Yes, We Can Electrify Almost Everything. Here’s What That Looks Like.

At Inside Climate News, Dan Gearino reports on the potential for an electrified economy.