Tuesday's energy & climate stories

Seismic guns used to hunt for oil kill scallops
Blasts from seismic air guns used to search for oil and gas beneath the ocean floor increase the death rate in scallops and change their behavior, according to a study published Monday. The U.S. Atlantic scallop fishery raked in $546 million dollars in 2012, making it one of the most lucrative in the country.
Why it matters: The Trump Administration's plan to allow oil and gas exploration in Atlantic coastal areas has re-ignited a decades-old controversy about the impacts of tools like seismic airguns. This research means opposition may not just come from environmental groups and marine mammal advocates, but the shellfish industry as well.

Cohn tells allies U.S. will withdraw from Paris accord
White House economic adviser Gary Cohn met with representatives from top allies at a breakfast ahead of the United Nations General Assembly, telling them that the Trump administration still plans to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement, per the NYT.
- ICYMI: The WSJ dropped a story over the weekend that the U.S. wanted to find a middle ground to stay in the deal rather than pull out entirely.
- The response: The White House pushed back quickly, stating that there was "no change" to Trump's position on Paris. Cohn's statements at the breakfast reiterated that point.
- Why it matters: The fact that Cohn met with other countries about Paris ahead of the UNGA indicates that the White House might at least be open to hearing other ideas regarding the agreement — an idea floated yesterday by Axios' Ben Geman and Amy Harder.

U.K. plant reopens to make electric London black cabs
An aluminum plant closed three years ago is reopening to service the manufacture of electric London black cabs, reflecting a nascent revival of industry in reaction to a new requirement that all new taxis in the British capital be capable of zero-emissions driving as of this coming January, per Reuters. The new law requires either hybrid or electric cabs.
Why it matters: The move is not yet a story of gigantic reemployment — the move will create just 130 jobs at a Sapa plant in the Welsh town of Bedwas. But the London Electric Vehicle Company, which is owned by China's Geely and makes the cabs, plans to manufacture about 10,000 of them for sale in the U.K. and abroad, another data point in an early electric car trend.
- It is good news on top of a revival in metals prices.
- In 2014, aluminum prices crashed because of a surplus, and plants closed across the U.K. and elsewhere.
- But aluminum prices are up 24% this year because of a rise in Chinese demand, and a cut in supply.


