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Australia, Turkey urged to commit to coal phase-out
Australia, Turkey urged to commit to coal phase-out
Edinburgh, 5 October (Argus) — Australia and Turkey, the co-presidents of this year's Cop 31 climate summit, should commit to coal phase-out dates and publish national roadmaps to transition away from fossil fuels, climate advocacy group 350.org said. The organisation said Australia and Turkey are among the few industrialised countries without coal phase-out dates, while acknowledging differences in their wealth and historical responsibility for climate change. It also criticised the absence of any reference to fossil fuels in official Cop 31 presidential communications. Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan should announce long-overdue coal phase-out dates at home, 350.org's head of political strategy said. "Cop 31 and national roadmaps on transitioning away from fossil fuel production and consumption provide an opportunity to rectify this glaring gap," the organisation said. Turkey will host Cop 31 in Antalya on 9-20 November, while Australia will lead the negotiations. Global electrification will be at the centre of Turkey's Cop 31 action agenda, a parallel process to the formal negotiations aimed at accelerating implementation. But some countries and civil society organisations have argued that the effort should focus on clean energy sources. Australia is the world's second-largest coal exporter after Indonesia, while Turkey is the seventh-largest coal importer, according to the IEA. Fossil fuel interests in both countries are standing in the way of the leadership needed to fulfil the goals of the Paris climate agreement and help limit warming to 1.5°C, according to 350.org. Turkey imported more than 28mn t of coking coal, thermal coal and other coal from Australia during 2015-25, the organisation said, citing UN Comtrade and OECD trade data. Australian independent Woodside Energy has also signed an LNG agreement with Turkey's state-controlled oil and gas company Botas for the supply of about 5.8bn m³ of natural gas equivalent for up to nine years from 2030. The Paris Agreement aims to keep the increase in global temperatures well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels while pursuing efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C. Countries at the Cop 28 summit in Dubai in 2023 recognised the need for "deep, rapid and sustained reductions" in greenhouse gas emissions in line with the 1.5°C goal. By Caroline Varin Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Air, sea sustainable fuel tipping points still far off
Air, sea sustainable fuel tipping points still far off
Strong global policy is needed to change sustainable shipping fuel economics, writes Michael Ball Washington, 2 October (Argus) — Significant work remains to transition the world away from fossil fuel in aviation and shipping, despite repeated support pledged at UN climate talks. The need to ramp up the use of alternative fuels will be a focus of the UN's Cop 31 climate summit next month in Antalya, Turkey. The host wants countries to join a new pledge to boost electricity to 35pc of all global final energy consumption by 2035, up from about 20pc currently. Last year's host, Brazil, has its own initiative to quadruple global output and use of sustainable fuels, including biofuels, by 2035. And past Cops have produced other pledges to reduce emissions in aviation or shipping. But alternative fuels have not yet reached their tipping point, accounting for less than 1pc of the fuel used in aviation or shipping globally. Cost and politics remain two of the major roadblocks. The sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry has shown signs of growth. Major fuel users, including Delta Airlines and FedEx, have recently extended and expanded SAF offtake agreements . And production is on the rise. For example, Neste, the leading producer of SAF, currently has production capacity of 1.5mn t/yr, which it plans to grow to 2.2mn t/yr in 2027, or about 750mn USG. But SAF still makes up a small, but growing, sliver of fuel use. Suppliers in the EU blended nearly 3pc into jet fuel last year , surpassing the bloc's 2pc mandate in its first year. In the US, SAF accounts for roughly 1pc of jet fuel supply, although the US EIA expects that to soon reach about 2pc. Global production this year is set to exceed 790mn USG, up by 26pc on the year, according to the International Air Transport Association. The story is similar in shipping. Globally, ships of at least 5,000 gross tonnage used more than 223mn t of fuel oil in 2024, about 92.5pc of which came from heavy fuel oil, light fuel oil or diesel, according to International Maritime Organization (IMO) data. Only about 0.8pc came from "other" fuels, despite biofuels jumping to more than 1.2mn t from less than 400,000t in 2023. But the slow pace of fleet turnover, and the need for more engines that can use alternatives, means that the course the industry plots over the next few years could determine whether it can meet the IMO's goal of net zero emissions by 2050, according to a recent report from the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD). Cost calculations Cost remains a major hurdle to greater SAF use in aviation and shipping. SAF can reduce emissions under the International Civil Aviation Organisation's Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (Corsia) system, which seeks to offset any growth in aviation CO2 above 85pc of 2019 levels. But using Corsia carbon offsets currently costs significantly less. Argus assessed Corsia phase 1 credits at $12.45/t this week, compared with an abatement cost as high as $310/t for the US west coast. In other parts of the world , the cost of abating 1t of CO2 equivalent in emissions by using SAF instead of jet fuel is even higher. In shipping, GCMD says strong global policy is needed to change the economics of sustainable fuels, as national and sub-national efforts will fall short. At the top of the list is the IMO-proposed carbon pricing system, the adoption of which was delayed last year in the face of US opposition. IMO pledged to try again this year. The agency will meet next month to consider next steps toward achieving its greenhouse gas emissions goals. "Achieving a price signal of this magnitude will be challenging, but without it, the economics are unlikely to support the transition to new fuels at scale," the GCMD said. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Oil, gas industry can deliver more emission cuts: OGCI
Oil, gas industry can deliver more emission cuts: OGCI
Edinburgh, 1 October (Argus) — Major oil and gas companies meeting their 2025 carbon and methane intensity targets shows the wider industry can deliver further emissions reductions from operated assets, although financial and geopolitical obstacles remain, the industry-led Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI) said today. The 12 OGCI members reduced their average upstream carbon intensity from operated assets to 16.5kg of CO2 equivalent per barrel of oil equivalent (CO₂e/boe) in 2025, from 17.2kg CO2e/boe in 2024. The group's voluntary target was to reach or be below 17kg CO2e/boe last year. Their collective upstream methane intensity was 0.13pc in 2025, compared with 0.12pc a year earlier, meeting their ambition to stay below 0.20pc. Methane intensity is calculated as emissions from operated upstream assets as a share of marketed gas. OGCI members comprise state-controlled Saudi Aramco, BP, Chevron, China's CNPC, Italy's Eni, Norway's Equinor, ExxonMobil, US firm Occidental, Brazil's Petrobras, Spain's Repsol, Shell and TotalEnergies. The members' total operated scope 1 emissions, including from downstream operations, fell to 542mn t of CO2e in 2025, from 545mn t a year earlier and 709mn t in the 2017 base year. Their upstream methane emissions fell to 760,000t in 2025 from 1.95mn t in 2017. Operated oil and gas production from the 12 companies rose by 3pc on the year to 43.4mn boe/d in 2025, equivalent to around 24pc of global output. But their operated upstream assets accounted for only 1pc of methane emissions from global oil and gas operations, according to OGCI. "We continue to believe that flaring can come down for the OGCI members and the industry at large," OGCI executive committee chairman Bjorn Otto Sverdrup said. The biggest opportunity for OGCI members to reduce flaring further is through their non-operated joint ventures and partnerships, he said. The firms reduced upstream gas flaring by 62pc from 2017 levels to 9.2bn m³ in 2025. Routine flaring fell by 74pc from its 2018 baseline to 1.45bn m³. The companies are showing that methane emissions can be reduced across oil and gas assets globally, OGCI managing director Julien Perez said. OGCI also acts as the secretariat of the Oil and Gas Decarbonization Charter (OGDC), giving it direct links to national oil companies (NOCs) in emerging economies. A total of 56 oil and gas companies have signed the charter since its launch at the UN Cop 28 climate summit in 2023. Awareness of methane leaks is essential to fixing them, and so access to data, measurements and detection technologies including satellites and drones is crucial, Perez said. OGCI is helping companies outside the initiative by using aircraft to assess leaks, supported by data from non-profit organisation Carbon Mapper, as well as providing advice. Financing constraints, geopolitical pressure Many methane leaks can often be reduced without mobilising large sums of capital, but in some cases it requires substantial spending, Perez said. The operating environment and the regulatory landscape vary from country to country, and for some NOCs, allocating capital to reducing methane leaks is not easy, he said, pointing out that the cost of debt is much higher for firms in developing countries. "It is a long process, and they need finance and raise debt," Perez said. OGCI is working closely with the World Bank's Global Flaring and Methane Reduction Partnership fund to lower financing costs for these companies. But geopolitical and sanctions restrictions prevent OGCI from working in some countries where methane leaks are known to be substantial, according to Perez. The UN has more capacity to address the potential for emissions reductions in those countries, Perez said. "The geopolitical context has been challenging with the Ukraine crisis and now the crisis in the Middle East, but the message from the CEOs [in the OGCI] is to stay the course" on reducing emissions and flaring, Perez said. The Middle East conflict is particularly challenging for Gulf oil and gas companies, "but we have not seen changes in their desire to maintain a clear focus on the goals they have set", he said. By Caroline Varin Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
EU warns against ETS price controls
EU warns against ETS price controls
Brussels, 1 October (Argus) — Brussels has warned that proposed changes to carbon-market intervention rules could weaken the EU emissions trading system (ETS) and has criticised broader free allocation exemptions in the European Parliament's draft reform package, but the European Commission has broadly welcomed German centre-right EPP lawmaker Peter Liese's draft report ahead of internal parliamentary negotiations. The proposed changes to the excessive price fluctuation mechanism under Article 29a of the ETS directive would ultimately weaken the bloc's carbon market, a senior commission official told the European Parliament's environment committee today. "Trying to engineer a carbon price through frequent market intervention will lead to less cost effectiveness and will reduce market and investment predictability. It will ultimately weaken our well-designed ETS system," said Rosalinde van der Vlies, director for carbon markets and clean mobility at the commission's climate directorate. Van der Vlies also criticised Liese's proposal to broaden exemptions from conditionality requirements for free ETS allocations granted to installations among the 40pc most efficient facilities in a sector or sub-sector. "We want to stop being in the business of handing out free lunches," she said, while acknowledging Liese's "very solid report" and his efforts to build a majority in the parliamentary committee. While Liese's draft proposal "may not be perfect", he said he was open to ideas to improve it. "But we need to work fast," he said. EU states are eyeing agreements on their position on ETS reform for a meeting of climate and environment ministers on 11 December. A key priority for Liese is ensuring member states make more effective use of ETS revenues. "Too much of their money has not been used efficiently enough," he said. On aviation, Liese said including flights to the US and Asia within the ETS could have triggered "serious" reactions from third countries. "The 5,000km approach improves environmental integrity while being fairer to European hubs and tourist regions. But the devil is still in the details," he said. On maritime transport, Liese said the commission had proposed a sound approach. "We are looking at improvements, particularly to protect European ports against evasion," he said. On waste, Liese noted parliament has repeatedly called for waste incineration to be included in the ETS, but said a 2028 start date would be too early. "The commission's gradual approach towards 2034 is more pragmatic," he said, adding that member states should use the intervening period to prevent waste being diverted to landfill. "I don't believe that the commission's proposal, nor Liese's proposal, will fulfil the climate law," Dutch S&D lawmaker Mohammed Chahim said. Chahim, who is drafting parliament's opinion on reform of the carbon border adjustment mechanism, noted that both member states and parliament had approved the EU Climate Law. "And then they come with legislation that breaks the climate law," he said. Chahim argued that under the current proposals, sectors covered by the effort-sharing regulation would have to deliver deeper emissions cuts if the ETS is to achieve its 2040 target. "That's agriculture, that's transport, that's all non-ETS sectors," he said. Far-right Patriots lawmaker Mathilde Androuet said Europe's decarbonisation targets remain overly ambitious. "We cannot shift the industrial burden on to agriculture and transport, which are already struggling," she said. Androuet called for the annual reduction rate of ETS allowances, known as the linear reduction factor, to be cut to 1.7pc for 2031-35 and to 1.3pc from 2036, and from 3.7pc and 1.7pc proposed by the commission, respectively. The Patriots group also opposes the inclusion of municipal waste incinerators in the ETS and rejects conditions attached to member states' use of ETS auction revenues, particularly minimum spending requirements. "States must remain free to allocate these resources," Androuet said. She also voiced opposition to extending the ETS to international flights. Lawmakers have until 6 October to offer amendments to the draft report. The environment committee is expected to vote on its position on 1 December, followed by a plenary vote later in the same month. By Dafydd ab Iago Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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