As time permits, I'm going to put the esoterica I encounter related to climate change here rather than trying to update the various pages. So this will be in reverse chronological rather than logically organized within the structure of the rest of this website. Please don't rely on this as a consistent and current source for climate change information updates. Sadly, we cannot rely on our corporate-controlled mass media for good information on this, and my time is limited.

Past blog pages:
2019: May    June    July    August    September    October    November    December   
2020: January    February    March    April    May    June    July [COVID gap]
2021: [COVID gap] October-December
2022: January-February    March    April    May-August    September    October    November-December
2023: January    February    March-April    May-July    August-September    October-November    December
2024: January    February    March    April    May    June    July    August    September    October    November    December   
2025: January    February    March-May    June-July    August-September    October    November-December   
2026: January    February   

There is no Plan B because there is no Planet B. - Emmanuel Macron (President of France)

2026.04.14 The IEA needs to get off hallucinogens and using AI to write its copy.

IEA warns Iran war oil shock will cut supply, cause demand to shrink (Reuters)
It's not demand destruction in the short term, it's customers that simply can't or won't pay the current peaking prices. The world's just-in-time fossil fuel energy system simply can't change its primary energy currency that fast. The world has been through this a dozen times or so since 1973. Everybody panics, the oil industry pockets the windfall profits, supply increases due to the higher market price, and despite some token adjustments (U.S. suddenly embracing fuel efficient Japanese cars in the mid-70s and 80's), the great majority adjust their budgets and suck up the petrol again at the new higher price.

How do I know? Because I own a 1976 EVA Metro electric car made in Cleveland Ohio in response to the 1973-4 oil price shocks. Never heard of the U.S. automaker EVA? Exactly. Long story short: there's plenty of proven reserves of crappy or difficult-to-access crude oil. With world crude prices at higher levels, some of them will become financially viable to exploit. Supply will go up. People will pay the higher price and go back to sleep.

If you're just regular poor(er) folks trying to get by, it's the same old recipe for you: work more, eat less, travel less, pay more taxes to ensure the oil company profits don't drop. I mean, you could try some other things, like actually using less fossil fuels, or grow some food with home-made compost instead of fossil fuel ammonia fertilizer made from fossil fuels, but it's all so much extra effort, right? Easier to relax, right? It's cool, Exxon's got you. Right where they want you.

If you're looking to actually make some long-term changes, but a bit at a time on a tight budget, to save money on your energy bills, I've got a book for you. [Shameless plug for my benefit follows.] I have been there. I did the research, I did the analysis, I wrote the book and got it published - about 20 years ago. Frightening how most of it is still relevant and true. Crazy thing, way back then, I thought the e-book fad might take off, despite being told by multiple publishers to forget about it, nobody wanted a book you would read on a computer. I did it anyway, so you can choose from a traditional paper version or a dated looking black and white PDF. Here's my offer, buy the e-book, pick one or two easy things from what it suggests as money-savers, and I'm pretty sure you'll save more than you spent on the book (US$6). I know, reading, right? It's so hard, and on a computer screen, or tablet, or smart phone - really, who DOES that, right?]
Where to buy the award-winning ebook, The Emperor's New Hydrogen Economy, or at your favourite bookstore or ebook site.
OK, it's safe to start reading here again for free.

2026.04.13 Solar power project in Australia deemed financially unviable ... wait for it ....

"Not economically viable:" Global funds giant drops plans for solar farm, (Renew Economy)
The photovoltaic project isn't financially attractive, because the market for cheap solar generation is saturated.
What do you do when you have more solar generation than your peak demand? Why, build storage of course, so you can have 24-hour a day electricity with zero fuel costs, and export it to neighbours without your intelligence for big profits. Hence the pivot to a bigger battery instead.

2026.04.13 The Israel- US- Iran dust-up over the Strait of Hormuz is making my typing muscles sore

Explainer: Why oil prices aren't what you think - and what it means for global supply (Al Jazeera)
Why the Israel-US oil disruption is worse that you think.

The real price of physical oil is over US $140 per barrel as I type this. Not $103 as reported on the oil futures (paper) market which assumes things will go back to 'normal' in 2-4 months, as that has happened before, but on the spot market where oil is being bought and sold for real, right now.

However, it may not be so simple this time.

• Iran (and other producers) have learned they have an effective lever in disrupting supply lines. That's different from past OPEC pressure which only slightly turned down their supply rates.
• Due to Trump's past manipulations, the U.S. is once again a net crude oil importer. Trump is lying about this now. For accurate data, check US EIA and international IEA data, noting that "all petrochemical products" is not the same as "crude oil". That's really important for the U.S., because it is a net refined oil products exporter. It's a big profit area for the US, but it collapses without enough cheap crude oil to keep the refineries humming. This is why Maduro was illegally kidnapped and removed from Venezuela, so a more pliable Venezuela government would ship more oil to the US.
• Once military activity by Israel and the US ends in the middle east, crude oil and refined products won't just resume at previous levels, because real long-term damage has already been done to oil products production and transport which will take years to repair. Israel and US haven't stopped their attacks, so Iran is going to continue responding.
• The US doesn't mind the damage to refineries in the middle east. The US plan is to take that market share for its own future profits.
• So far, Iran has chosen not to attack U.S. targets which are not directly involved in the current attacks. You should not assume that will remain the case into the indefinite future. The rules of engagement now allow for illegal attacks.
• Ukraine is successfully targeting Russian crude oil production and transport capacity as Russia was planning on windfall profits from higher prices and removal of sanctions (so far only by Trump). That takes another source of crude oil production off the board, and further weakens Russia's economy and ability to feed it's attrition and looting based war strategy.
• U.S. action has been questionable so far. No advance notification of the attacks to allies. Assumption of a quick, easy win a la Putin in Ukraine (it's been a bit more than 3 weeks now, right? More than 4 years and it appears Ukraine is now on the offensive).
• "Decapitating" (Trump's word) the Iranian leadership as a starting point has had 3 key impacts so far. Trump has proved he can't be trusted to follow international protocols or keep hls word. It has cemented the grip of a new Iranian leadership team, even more opposed to the U.S., and cut off the earlier internal opposition to the IRGC control at the knees. Now that the U.S. has not achieved a quick win, it's unclear who they can 'negotiate' with, as the Iranians see 'US negotiations' as a sham, particularly now that Israel has repudiated the supposed outcomes as reported by Trump on social media.
• What is becoming clear is that Trump has not achieved his stated objectives
  (destroying Iran's missile capabilities; annihilating Iran's navy; preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons; and, ensuring the regime can't continue to arm, fund or direct "terrorist armies" outside its borders [per CBS News] ) to justify unilateral US military action against Iran, and the war has not been concluded within the 5-week duration Trump set out (ended on April 9th).

2026.04.13 This foreseeable Pacific LNG glut is what Canadians are going to get fleeced for because the private sector knows better.

Australia's LNG export window is closing, new report suggests (ABC - Australia)

Solar leads global additions in 2025 as wind growth accelerates (pv magazine)
I have to imagine that those numbers will grow in 2026 in the wake of stories like Global Oil Shortage Sends Spot Prices Above $140 as Supply Race Intensifies 2026.04.12)

2026.04.12 IMO, this is a great article, stronger grids with a smart plan using old EV batteries

Some Weird Things Are Happening And The Grid May Never Be The Same (CleanTechnica)

Interest in EVs surges in Europe as fuel prices jump after Iran war (The Guardian)

Why reopening the Strait of Hormuz won’t be enough to solve shipping woes and high oil prices (CNN)
Again, there is no short term fix for high oil prices for at least a couple of years. That's gasoline, diesel, heating oil, jet fuel, HFO, LNG or other products based on oil and gas, like industrial fertilizer and ammonia, and electricity generation.
I suggest you start planting gardens focused on foods you like, figuring out food preservation methods that don't require freezing, making compost, and getting an inexpensive but reliable bicycle and a couple of good locks. If you live in a metropolitan area, ensure your city officials are focused on reliable, usable mass transit and finding ways to reduce commuting traffic (like working from home and car pooling). If they didn't already have a program for buying electric vehicles, it's probably already too late to get any at reasonable prices in North America. This is going to get expensive for the next five years or so.

And remember, none of the U.S., Israel or Iran are finished destroying stuff yet.

2026.04.12 A panic spanning a few weeks is a terrible frame of reference for long-term investment decisions

A Panicked Race for Barrels Is Gripping the Global Oil Market (Bloomberg)

What's the real problem to be solved? Reliable access to affordable energy of the right kind where it is needed.

Note: the word 'oil' did not appear in that sentence. Neither did LNG. It's hard to run a data centre on wood fuel. It's easy to run a data centre on electricity produced from photovoltaics with battery storage. It takes about a decade to bring major oil production online and set up the logistics to move it to refineries. For the easy stuff. It takes 5-7 years to bring a new LNG liquefaction plant online from the time the plan passes environmental assessment. By then, the world won't be interested in big new supplies of oil. It will have moved onto reliable, affordable energy sources.

2026.04.11 Apparently a carbon tax could have sparked a shift to clean energy ... if it had been 50% in one shot.

Now we know what it would have taken to get the attention of consumers and politicians to try real climate change mitigation (The Guardian)
Octopus Energy, the biggest GB energy supplier, shared figures with the Guardian showing its heat pump orders had more than doubled in March compared with February, while sales of solar power systems were up almost 80% and new leases of electric vehicles rose by more than 85%.

2026.04.10 While most oceans are warming, the North Atlantic is cooling as the AMOC collapses. Not good for northern Europe.

Atlantic exceptionalism in the twentieth century (Nature - Climate Change)

2026.04.08 Regular readers here know I have been beating the methane emissions drum for a long time

The underappreciated importance of small wetlands in global methane emissions (Nature - Climate Change)
This aligns with my research going back to 2020 on the methane contribution from algal blooms creating eutrophic lakes and anaerobic decomposition of the seasonal algal bloom die-off creating methane (and a proposal on how to remedy that

Scientists warn that Arctic Ocean may lose key food source: 'No basis for ... populations of fish' (TCD)

2026.04.03 If you still think oil and gas prices are going back to February 2024 prices ...

Why thousands of New Yorkers swap gas for induction stoves in clean energy push: ‘It makes sense’ (The Guardian)

2026.04.02 I have never met anyone who actually wants a gas stove. People want a cooking appliance that works well and is affordable.

Why Losing the Iran War May Be the Best Outcome for the Global Economy (OilPrice.com)

2026.04.01 Perhaps it's time for renewables generators to prank the unresponsive grid operators

Grid bottlenecks threaten 120 GW of planned renewables in Europe (pv magazine)
If the wires monopoly is the barrier to your success, it's time to exploit its weaknesses and create new markets.
The grids were designed to accommodate 'normal peak' demand and big fossil generators. So, they're oversized for average demand, and way oversized for 'baseload' demand. Right now, the illegal attacks on Iran (not a war, because neither aggressor has legally declared war via their legitimate governments, just their rogue leadership), but the cost of fossil fuel generation via LNG and oil is going up and is going to be there for years ahead because real infrastructure is being destroyed and Iran has secured the Strait of Hormuz, and will be charging tariffs on passage of ships allied with those who are still illegally attacking Iran. That presents renewable electricity operators with some options. Remember, most corporate customers for electricity don't care if it's 'green' or 'pitch-black'; they want the lowest price. With rising fossil fuel prices for legacy generators and zero fuel costs for renewables generators, the margin is going to increase in favour of renewables generation, especially if its available reliably 24/7.

Invest in on-site battery storage, so you can make your electricity fully dispatchable, and based on your energy storage, bid on the peak demand time auctions at a price that undercuts the fossil fuel generators. You will be awarded the sales, and the ROI business model for the fossil fuel generators collapses.

Invest in battery storage near major demand points. Then, when the grid is relatively unloaded, move electricity from your generation point(s) to storage at customer premises, to sell to those customers at times when the daily cycle prices are higher. (You can also do time arbitrage by buying grid power from the big generators at off-peak periods where the price is low, even occasionally negative, because its hard and expensive to shut down and restart big nukes and coal plants multiple times a day. Take those big customers away from the utilities, which will upset their business model. They'll respond by making electricity more expensive for small customers, which will encourage households to put up PV and storage batteries and defect from the grid.

Encourage major power users to locate near your generation & storage sites, like data centres. Running data connections is cheap compared to increasing long-haul electric transmission capacity.

2026.03.31 Not in Canada, eh? Pity.

Exclusive: Renewables grew to almost 50% of global electricity capacity in 2025 after solar boost (Reuters)
For Canada, according to the Canadian Renewable Energy Association it took over 5 years to manage 50% growth (2020-2025), and that figure is inflated because includes storage. (Storage is important for the success of renewables, but it is not generation.) There is no clear national strategy in Canada, where the Carney government has handed national energy policy over to the oil industry, with its Major Projects Office located in Calgary for the convenience of the oil patch. At the provincial level, nominally the responsible level of government for energy, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario are openly hostile to renewable energy. BC has pledged its recent major renewable energy production (e.g. Site C dam) to powering fossil fuels production, notably LNG for export by non-Canadian companies, and LNG is worse than coal for GHGs emissions. Quebec remains locked into big hydro, and is not visibly shifting to faster, cheaper renewables like PV and wind. NB seems fascinated by LNG, but as a customer only, importing from other countries. NS is installing wind turbines as part of their hydrogen delusion, but not making the effort to connect to mainline grids to distribute to their own citizens to reduce their continued dependence on coal-fired generation. The Canadian north is fully addicted to liquid fossil fuels for heating, transportation and electricity generation, with no strategy in sight to change, and only small, but successful, projects like in Beaver Creek YK making any progress.

2026.03.30

Why the Real Oil Crisis Hasn't Started Yet (Heatmap)
If the Canadian government was smart, it would be ensuring that affordable Chinese EVs are on sale in BC by May, and raise the quota, as gasoline there is going to get really expensive this summer. So, won't happen.
If GM was smart, it would get the Brightdrop plant back into production for tradesman vans, especially electricians who can install charging stations. So, that also won't happen.
Europe isn't going to join an illegal war started by Israel and the U.S., because (most of) the EU is smart.
Hungary and Turkey are going to regret insulting Ukraine over the Russian destruction of the Druzhba pipeline. So is Russia, who are now seeing how much damage Ukraine can do to Russia's oil export infrastructure.

2026.03.30 Because scale, experience and renewables plus storage are lowering generation costs

As petrol and diesel prices soar, EV fast-charging costs are falling (The Driven)

2026.03.30 If the trucking industry in Oz wants serious charging infrastructre, it's a DIY project. They didn't help before.

"I don't think she'll be right this time:" Many in trucking industry say it's electric or bust (The Driven)
We have known for decades that electrification of heavy transport was technically feasible and low hanging fruit (China was in it starting a decade ago). But in the west, our oil-industry-worshipping governments threw up barriers instead of incentives while hanging green curtains in the windows for public view. But now that the price of fossil fuels is starting to gain on the actual costs in spite of billions in taxpayer subsidies, the gored oxen are starting to pay attention. No matter, governments won't address the subsidies, and will continue protecting their financial donors in Big Oil. If the trucking industry wants infrastructure, they better figure out how they're going to install and operate it. Despite all Musk's failings, he got this important part right, and Tesla built its own charging network and made sure it works. Daily. That's dramatically different from GM's feeble Magnecharger roll-out which strongly signalled it's lack of commitment to its EVs (which continues to resonate even now).

2026.03.29 New Energy in Oz is moving freight electrically, reducing fuel cost by 84%.

Electric truck completes Sydney to Canberra freight first (BigRigs)

2026.03.28 Do I have to say it again? Renewables plus storage for the wins: cost, GHG reduction, environment, health, quality of life ...

Apparently Yes, and will have to keep doing so because facts aren't even welcome in important energy conversations now.
Solar is winning the energy race (DW)

2026.03.28 The federal governments will protect the oil industry with more handouts, but not drivers

Iran War Is The Beginning Of The End For Fossil Fuels (CleanTechnica)

2026.03.28 Brace, brace, brace for world wide oil shortage impacts

The Cushion Is Gone and the Oil Market Is Now Exposed (OilPrice.com)

2026.03.27 Just one message for today: for your own benefit, plan your personal oil and gas exit strategy now; you can't afford not to.

What in that list makes you think oil prices are going to come down anytime soon?

The current price manipulations and windfall profits are free money for the oil industry, because today you're buying gasoline they refined months ago. It's only going to get really expensive when the oilogopoly starts selling the stuff they're buying and refining now for sale in a couple of months from now.

Are you worried or angry enough yet to actually do something before the prices really go up?

2026.03.26 It has been called the air conditioner for the northern hemisphere.

Arctic sea ice just dropped to an alarming new low (CNN)

2026.03.26 Another chapter in the Big Oil deny, distort, delay playbook

ossil fuel companies finally accept the climate crisis – just not their role in it (The Guardian)

2026.03.25 It's definitely time to address your oil addiction, if you have not already

France confirms oil crisis, says 30-40 percent of Gulf energy infrastructure destroyed (France24)
The oil and natural gas infrastructure already destroyed by Israel, the U.S. and Iran won't be back fully for years, and all parties are still launching munitions to create additional damage.

2026.03.25 US, top carbon emitter in history, has ‘a lot of responsibility’ for causing ‘substantial’ harm globally, scientist says

US has caused $10tn worth of climate damage since 1990, research finds (The Guardian)

2026.03.25 "Here we show that extreme global climate outcomes may occur even under moderate 2 °C warming for several sectors."

Moderate global warming does not rule out extreme global climate outcomes (nature)
Beyond the paper, note that rising GHG emissions - especially methane - mean we're on track to surpass 2 degrees C warming.

2026.03.25 "It points to a systemic failure, one that is already distorting public debate, undermining trust in institutions, and delaying urgent policy action."

‘Denial machine’: climate misinformation is fuelling conflict in Australian communities, inquiry finds (The Guardian)
Corporate profits vs. survival of the species - guess which one is winning. Your future, your childrens' future, your decision.

2026.03.25 OR, Europe could finally own their fossil fuel addiction and resulting vulnerability,

and shift hard and fast now to petrol and diesel demand reduction, increasing electricity generation from renewables and related energy storage. It has mostly worked for Spain a d Portugal, so probably not. Russian vassal state Hungary is probably the preferred model for the current EU.
Europe could face fuel shortage by April as Iran throttles supplies, says Shell boss (The Guardian)

2026.03.24 Finally, a decision-maker gets the right answer:

'overproduction' of renewable electricity PLUS STORAGE for the wins; financial; speed to deploy; no GHG emissions; no nuclear waste; massive reductions in pollution (air, water, soil, noise)
France proposes linking solar subsidies to storage as prices turn negative (pv magazine)

2026.03.23 The UN has given up trying to get people to understand or care. It's lemming time for humans.

Analysis: The new UN climate report is boring ... except when it’s not (CNN)

2026.03.21 Do I have to keep saying it? Renewables plus storage for the wins: financial; speed to deploy; environmental.

California achieves solar energy milestone during 44-hour period: 'Taking over before the sun rises' (TCD)

2026.03.21 A U.S. electric utility planning to survive grid defection by serving, not gouging, customers

Vermont utility makes it easier than ever to add a home backup battery (electrek)

2026.03.20 Why the current oil wars mean you should trade in your pollute-mobile for an EV

Qatar's LNG Exports Disrupted For 5 Years In Iran War: These Nations Impacted (NDTV World)
The disruptions to propane, natural gas, oil and refined products are not going to recover in a week from the time the U.S. chickens out and declares 'victory'. It has taken decades to build the infrastructure in the Gulf states, and so far it appears Israel and the U.S. are still escalating, so there will be more damage done before it cools down. Even then, the Strait of Hormuz probably won't reopen to all traffic unless there is a negotiated peace with Iran, which Israel will likely sabotage for months or years. Other pieces of the supply line have also been shattered. The U.S. is starting to see the early consequences, and they're panicking now: the Jones Act restrictions have been lifted so U.S. refineries can get enough oil; the U.S. has lifted sanctions on Russian oil (even as their reluctant allies are holding fast on that); and, the U.S. is making deals to move oil using Iranian tankers. That's not a win for the U.S., and it's going to get worse. Ras Laffan was not just a petroleum production site, it is (was?) a major source of helium outside of the U.S., and that impacts semiconductor and microprocessor production world-wide.

The takeaway there is that it's going to get worse, and Qatar says recovery for one damaged facility will take years.
Your takeaway: the prices of oil, gasoline, diesel and heating oil are going to get higher and stay there for 5 years or more. My guess is more than 10, because Israel hasn't stopped its attacks, and the U.S. is still ramping up their rhetoric.

If you want reliable, affordable transportation going forward and you currently use a petro-burner, you want to shift to an EV as soon as you can. Right now, EVs are pretty affordable. That likely won't last once fleet owners figure this out.

You also can't afford to wait for the U.S. carmakers to deliver it to you, because they are all-in on the U.S. government's current agenda of killing renewables, any affordable version of electricity generation or EVs. They won't be serious players in tomorrow's EV world as a result.

However, renewable electricity generation worldwide - and even in the U.S. - is increasing because it is cheap and quick to deploy - including energy storage, and there is no on-going fuel cost. Smart money in the U.S. and world-wide get this. And even if they didn't, many people could invest in PV panels on a house roof and a house battery (charging when the sun is shining or grid electricity is cheap, like most nights) to have a manageable transportation fuel bill. I speak from experience. The fuel cost in our EVs is less than $0.01 per km. Yes, that's less than 1 cent per km. ($0.04 per kWh during overnight charging period, and we get over 6 km per kWh, so actually about $0.006 per km. How's your fuel economy - in dollars? As an example, the Nissan Kicks - seen as a pretty fuel-efficient CUV, gets uses about 7.7 litres per 100 km (combined city highway), or flipping that around, about 13 km per litre. With regular gasoline selling at $1.75 per liitre (Ottawa 2026.03.20), that's $0.135 per km, or 22 times as much as our fuel cost for EVs. Our EVs do about 12,000 a year each, so our fuel savings are about $1,560 per year per vehicle. We also don't miss doing oil changes or exhaust system repairs, and our brakes definitely last longer due to regenerative braking. Just saying, those savings grow each time the numbers at the gas pumps ratchet up.

2026.03.20 Spain figured it out for electricity, but a lot of Europe didn't follow through on renewables and bet on Russia instead

‘Europe learned the wrong lesson’ by doubling down on fossil fuels while India and China went green (Yahoo)

2026.03.20 Spain is in good shape on electricity generation, but not for heating and transportation.

What the EU can — and can’t — learn from Spain’s low energy bills (Politico)

2026.03.20 Disinformation from U.S. government is protecting climate change enemy #1.

Feds Are Downplaying Methane Leaks in America’s Biggest Oil Field, Satellite Data Suggests (Gizmodo)

2026.03.20 Energy does not equal oil. Productivity does not equal energy consumed.

Why ‘decoupling’ energy emissions from economic growth underpins the green transition (The Conversation)

2026.03.19 More EVs, less need for resource wars

The US broke the all-time heat record for March. Yes, it’s climate change (CNN)

2026.03.19 Seems obvious the way to end a resource war is to end dependence on the resource

Global EV fleet avoided oil consumption equivalent to 70 pct of Iran’s exports in 2025 (The Driven)

2026.03.19 Deceit by headline - there's no link to the alleged recent report

Consumers favouring combustion engine cars as interest in EVs wanes: report (Automotive News Canada)
They probably meant this report.
Thing is, it's based on 2025 consumer intentions, and the big intention was to keep their vehicles longer. Perhaps they should have looked at Canadian sales data instead. Or read a couple of current headlines.
Personally, I see a few things suggesting a shift to EVs in Canada over the next couple of years.
a) the price of gas cars is going up faster than the rate of inflation
b) the federal government has reintroduced a purchase incentive for EVs
c) the oil industry is going to gouge consumers more, pushing gasoline over $2/litre
d) Korea or China are going to delivery amazingly affordable EVs in Canada within 2 years
e) the fast-charge network is finally being deployed seriously in large parts of Canada