U.S., Canada, Mexico ally for clean power

The United States and Mexico are committing to join Canada in boosting the use of wind, solar and other carbon-free sources of electricity to help North America meet a goal of generating at least 50 percent of its energy from "clean" sources by 2025.

The pledge is to be made today as part of a summit of North American leaders in Ottawa, Ontario. The meeting will also focus on trade and regional security issues.

"We believe this is an aggressive goal but one that is achievable by all three countries," Brian Deese, a senior adviser to President Barack Obama on environmental and energy matters, said Monday on a conference call with reporters.

The goal applies across the continent, meaning it's an average for Canada, Mexico and the U.S. The goal is "achievable if all three countries respectively make ambitious progress toward executing and in effect exceeding the targets" established in a climate accord reached in Paris last year, Deese said.

The commitment will apply to any electricity generated without producing carbon-dioxide emissions, including nuclear and renewable sources such as wind and solar. Deese said it also could apply to power from plants that use carbon-capture technology to siphon off emissions. The goal does not include natural gas, which burns more cleanly than coal but still produces carbon-dioxide emissions.

The nations will also seek to boost energy efficiency, Deese said.

Environmentalists applauded the announcement, with Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune saying it demonstrates "North American unity behind a consensus for strong global climate action."

"This agreement means the United States will dramatically increase the amount of clean, renewable energy we get from sources like wind and solar within the next decade," Brune said.

According to April data from the Energy Information Administration, the U.S. in the previous year derived about a third of its power from carbon-free sources, including nuclear power at 19.9 percent. Continentwide, about 37 percent of electricity came from carbon-free sources in 2015, largely because Canada already obtains more than half of its energy from clean sources.

Deese declined to speculate on how much of the 50 percent goal would need to be from the U.S.

It's a "do-able" goal, said Adam Sieminski, head of the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The agency forecasts growing use of wind and solar electricity.

Policy agreements, such as the goal being announced in Ottawa, can "intensify some of the trends that are already underway," Sieminski said during an event previewing the Energy Information Administration's annual energy outlook.

The target represents a stronger pledge for Obama and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. The Obama administration had previously said it aimed for the U.S. to get one-fifth of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, as part of a commitment made with Brazil last year. Mexico last year promised to get 35 percent of its electricity from wind, solar and other renewable sources by 2024, up from 3 percent a year ago.

As part of the new partnership, Mexico also will agree to join Canada and the U.S. in lowering emissions of methane, which scientists say is more potent than carbon dioxide in warming the atmosphere.

Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in March committed to cut methane emissions from the oil and gas industry by as much as 45 percent from 2012 levels by 2025. A new Environmental Protection Agency rule limits methane releases from new oil and gas wells, setting the stage for mandates targeting existing infrastructure, too.

Mexico's move on methane is significant because "North America accounts for 15 to 20 percent of global oil and gas methane emissions," said Mark Brownstein, a vice president in the climate and energy program at the Environmental Defense Fund.

At today's meeting, the fallout from the United Kingdom's vote to leave the European Union will also loom large.

"Certainly [it] will be on the agenda," said Mark Feierstein, the U.S. National Security Council's senior director for Western Hemisphere affairs. "It'll be evident to Americans and people beyond that when North America speaks and acts as a single unit, it's really for the good of our citizens and people around the world."

Risks to North America are palpable, as the U.K.'s decision roils global financial markets and anti-trade rhetoric ramps up in the U.S. presidential campaign.

Information for this article was contributed by Brian Wingfield, Josh Wingrove, Mike Dorning, Eric Martin, Angela Greiling Keane and Theophilos Argitis of Bloomberg News.

A Section on 06/29/2016

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