Decline of the North American decarbonization charade: Fossil fuels signal the end of green illusions
07/07/2025 / By Willow Tohi
Nippon Steel’s $14.9B acquisition of U.S. Steel signals a resurgence of carbon-intensive manufacturing in the U.S.
Saskatchewan, Canada, defies federal climate rules, extending coal-fired power plants beyond 2030.
ESG-aligned financial firms like Citibank and Goldman Sachs facilitated deals contradicting their Net Zero pledges.
Fossil fuels remain dominant globally, powering 80% of energy needs as China adds 106 GW of coal capacity in 2024.
Decarbonization narratives collapse, with energy security and cost stability prioritized over climate ideals.
This June, two seismic events upended the climate agenda’s facade in North America: Nippon Steel’s $14.9 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel—the largest industrial deal in decades—and Saskatchewan’s defiant plan to keep coal-fired plants operational beyond 2030. These actions signal not minor setbacks but a tectonic shift: the end of the era of climate orthodoxy. The “decarbonization fantasy,” built on ESG mandates and Net Zero pledges, is crumbling under the weight of economic pragmatism and the unassailable truth that fossil fuels remain the linchpin of global progress.
https://www.climate.news/2025-07-07-decline-of-the-north-american-decarbonization-charade.html
