Cloudy outlook for pipelines gets even murkier amid court rulings, U.S. election

Jul 13 2020 – CBC News –

This past week, two North American pipelines were dealt legal and regulatory setbacks and another major project was cancelled. These events and others call into question the wisdom of Alberta Premier Jason Kenney’s decision to invest $1.1 billion US in the Keystone XL pipeline, plus $4.2-billion in loan guarantees. Why must Alberta’s leadership continue to tie that province’s economic future so completely on oil?

Global temperatures could exceed 1.5 C target in next five years

Jul 9 2020 – CNN –
There is now one chance in 5 that one of the next five years will be at least 1.5℃ warmer than pre-industrial levels. That probability is “increasing with time.” This flies in the face of the determination of the Paris climate accord – arrived at just 5 years ago. Countries are committed to reduce their carbon output and halt global warming below 2℃ – and if possible, below 1.5℃ – by the end of the century. But here we are…

June 2020 ties temperature record

Jul 8 2020 – Discover –

Last month finished in a virtual tie for warmest June on record. Temperature records now show that last month’s global temperatures were 0.53℃ warmer than the long-term average for June. That’s a virtual tie with June of 2019. In particular, extraordinary warmth in Siberia helped push the global average for the month into that record-tying territory. Temperatures across the entire region averaged about 13℃ above normal last month.

‘Million-mile’ vehicle batteries are coming. Are they a revolution?

Jul 6 2020 – Grist –

Two hundred thousand miles is considered a good, long run for a new car today. Recently, multiple EV battery makers have announced the imminent arrival of “million-mile” batteries, power packs that supposedly have enough juice to be driven to the moon and back twice.