City of Alton Illinois aligns with COP28

December 18, 2023

COP28 (Conference of Partners) concluded in Dubai on December 12th. COP meets approximately once a year with a common agenda of global unity on the purposeful means of collaboration of controlling and limiting global warming. 

Nations at COP28 in Dubai approved earlier on Wednesday a roadmap for “transitioning away from fossil fuels” – a first for a UN climate conference – but the deal still stopped short of a long-demanded call for a “phaseout” of oil, coal and gas. -Source UN News https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/12/1144742 

The USA’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) pegs CO2 as the cause of 79% of all global warming elements and that the transportation sector is 35% of that 79% or 28% of the total global warming from cars, trucks, ships and aircraft. 

In a December 14th Letter of Support to the US Department of Energy (DOE) penned by the Mayor of Alton Illinois: “The fuel produced (drop-in renewable) for Alton includes gasoline, diesel, aviation and marine fuel. The environmental profile of this fuel when operating in existing combustion engines (ICE) is far “greener” than electric vehicles (EV). Biorefineries creating this type of fuel also keep traditional ICE manufacturing sector relevant – thus sustaining a very important existing workforce in the region.”.

Like COP, the City of Alton, while acknowledging an environmentally responsible gateway is the only way forward, it must be done by embracing RE (Renewable Energy) platforms that are both climate friendly and conducive to maintaining the legacy jobs associated with the ICE. Caterpillar, Cummins, Navistar, Deere, Mercury Marine, Briggs & Stratton, and Detroit Diesel sustain the economic engine of midwestern families … some for over 100 years. 

By transitioning from the crude oil distillate fuel (gasoline & diesel fuel) feeding the ICE to drop-in renewable fuels, the LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) is a +90% reduction in GHG (Greenhouse Gases) compared to crude oil distillates – also a much “greener” alternative than the EV. We believe the path forward chosen by Alton will set an example for other municipalities looking to sustain existing jobs in the ICE sector but at the same time improving their economic and environmental envelope. Alton will be adding 100’s of well-paid jobs to the community.