John Woodside
@woodsideful.bsky.social
Ottawa Bureau Chief with @nationalobserver.com. Covering the money and politics fuelling the climate crisis.
Reposted by John Woodside
A loaded barge taking on water and the disastrous Nathan E. Stewart diesel spill underscore the dangers of oil tankers in B.C.’s coastal waters, Coast First Nations say. www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/20/n...
Near-sinking barge off of BC coast stokes fears over oil tanker threats
A loaded barge taking on water and the disastrous Nathan E. Stewart diesel spill underscore the dangers of oil tankers in B.C.’s coastal waters, Coast First Nations say.
www.nationalobserver.com
November 21, 2025 at 1:16 AM
A loaded barge taking on water and the disastrous Nathan E. Stewart diesel spill underscore the dangers of oil tankers in B.C.’s coastal waters, Coast First Nations say. www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/20/n...
Reposted by John Woodside
“If current text is accepted, #COP30 will be the deadliest talk show ever. Negotiators spend days discussing what to discuss ... solely to avoid committing to a just transition away from fossil fuels and putting money on the table,” says Harjeet Singh
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...
Cop30 live: summit president warns ‘everybody will lose’ if countries fail to cooperate
André Corrêa do Lago issues plea to preserve Paris agreement with countries far from reaching agreement on scheduled final day
www.theguardian.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:14 PM
“If current text is accepted, #COP30 will be the deadliest talk show ever. Negotiators spend days discussing what to discuss ... solely to avoid committing to a just transition away from fossil fuels and putting money on the table,” says Harjeet Singh
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...
www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...
Despite a comparable number of global fossil fuel lobbyists from the last summit to this year, the proportion of Canadian oil and gas representatives to attend is less than one-third.
Why go to Brazil when the PM is granting your wishlist at home anyway?
Why go to Brazil when the PM is granting your wishlist at home anyway?
More Canadian fossil fuel lobbyists skip out on climate talks
The number of oil and gas advocates in Canada’s delegation at the ongoing UN climate summit is down from past years with Prime Minister Mark Carney delivering demands at home.
www.nationalobserver.com
November 21, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Despite a comparable number of global fossil fuel lobbyists from the last summit to this year, the proportion of Canadian oil and gas representatives to attend is less than one-third.
Why go to Brazil when the PM is granting your wishlist at home anyway?
Why go to Brazil when the PM is granting your wishlist at home anyway?
Canada is in "in principle" in favour of a global roadmap to transition off fossil fuels — a position hard to square with PM Mark Carney's fossil fuel expansion plans at home.
Canada talks oil and gas transition abroad while doubling down on industry back home
The Carney government has tipped its hand, revealing its position on a key diplomatic sticking point at this year's UN climate summit — and it's hard to square with the Liberals' latest domestic moves...
www.nationalobserver.com
November 21, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Canada is in "in principle" in favour of a global roadmap to transition off fossil fuels — a position hard to square with PM Mark Carney's fossil fuel expansion plans at home.
Not my footage, but COP30 is on fire
November 20, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Not my footage, but COP30 is on fire
Carney is blowing up his own coalition with this pipeline stuff. You can tell from the Liberal MPs comments they're not happy, their constituents aren't happy, and if Carney pursues this path he'll ignite way more opposition than he's bargaining for.
Liberal MPs express surprise and opposition to reports of pipeline deal
Even if the Carney government and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith come to an agreement, opposition from First Nations and the BC government — as well as existing legislation — create substantial legal ...
www.nationalobserver.com
November 20, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Carney is blowing up his own coalition with this pipeline stuff. You can tell from the Liberal MPs comments they're not happy, their constituents aren't happy, and if Carney pursues this path he'll ignite way more opposition than he's bargaining for.
Since the election, there has been a systematic dismantling of (or threats to dismantle) almost every policy that would accelerate our energy transition to a climate-safe economy and society. Via @jvipondmd.bsky.social
Carney’s calamitous course causes consternation at climate summit
Canada arrived at COP30 with empty hands, expressly moving backwards on almost every climate policy we’ve put in place since Paris.
www.nationalobserver.com
November 20, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Since the election, there has been a systematic dismantling of (or threats to dismantle) almost every policy that would accelerate our energy transition to a climate-safe economy and society. Via @jvipondmd.bsky.social
Reposted by John Woodside
A few months ago @thelocal.to got a promising pitch from a writer with bylines in whole bunch of reputable publications—The Cut, The Guardian, Dwell, Architectural Digest, etc. Then I started investigating. Here's a story about fabulists in journalism's AI slop era. thelocal.to/investigatin...
Investigating a Possible Scammer in Journalism’s AI Era | The Local
A suspicious pitch from a freelancer led editor Nicholas Hune-Brown to dig into their past work. By the end, four publications, including The Guardian and Dwell, had removed articles from their sites.
thelocal.to
November 19, 2025 at 2:10 PM
A few months ago @thelocal.to got a promising pitch from a writer with bylines in whole bunch of reputable publications—The Cut, The Guardian, Dwell, Architectural Digest, etc. Then I started investigating. Here's a story about fabulists in journalism's AI slop era. thelocal.to/investigatin...
Reposted by John Woodside
Civil society is calling for adaptation finance at #COP30
The goal to double adaption finance - agreed in Glasgow in 2021 - comes to an end this year, and isn’t going to be met.
LDCs are calling for a goal to triple adaptation finance, but it remains a contentious issue in negotiations
The goal to double adaption finance - agreed in Glasgow in 2021 - comes to an end this year, and isn’t going to be met.
LDCs are calling for a goal to triple adaptation finance, but it remains a contentious issue in negotiations
November 19, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Civil society is calling for adaptation finance at #COP30
The goal to double adaption finance - agreed in Glasgow in 2021 - comes to an end this year, and isn’t going to be met.
LDCs are calling for a goal to triple adaptation finance, but it remains a contentious issue in negotiations
The goal to double adaption finance - agreed in Glasgow in 2021 - comes to an end this year, and isn’t going to be met.
LDCs are calling for a goal to triple adaptation finance, but it remains a contentious issue in negotiations
Carney is open to the federal government facilitating equity ownership for First Nations in Ksi Lisims LNG and related infrastructure — a tactic critics say is akin to laundering fossil fuel subsidies through Indigenous nations.
Feds open to First Nations ownership of new LNG
Prime Minister Mark Carney is open to the federal government facilitating equity ownership for First Nations in Ksi Lisims, the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline, and the proposed North Coast Tr...
www.nationalobserver.com
November 19, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Carney is open to the federal government facilitating equity ownership for First Nations in Ksi Lisims LNG and related infrastructure — a tactic critics say is akin to laundering fossil fuel subsidies through Indigenous nations.
Reposted by John Woodside
The chaos and confidence votes on the federal budget forced ministers to leave critical international climate negotiations a week early, right as negotiations are going down to the wire. From me and @woodsideful.bsky.social www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/19/n...
Federal budget scramble leaves Canadian negotiators rudderless at UN climate summit
The federal budget made it through confidence votes unscathed at the cost of Canada sacrificing its ministerial presence at international climate negotiations in Brazil.
www.nationalobserver.com
November 19, 2025 at 3:31 PM
The chaos and confidence votes on the federal budget forced ministers to leave critical international climate negotiations a week early, right as negotiations are going down to the wire. From me and @woodsideful.bsky.social www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/19/n...
The votes on the federal budget forced ministers to leave critical international climate negotiations a week early, right as negotiations are going down to the wire.
Canada is missing in action at COP30 and now is less able to even participate. An all around pathetic summit for Carney's gov.
Canada is missing in action at COP30 and now is less able to even participate. An all around pathetic summit for Carney's gov.
Federal budget scramble leaves Canadian negotiators rudderless at UN climate summit
The federal budget made it through confidence votes unscathed at the cost of Canada sacrificing its ministerial presence at international climate negotiations in Brazil.
www.nationalobserver.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:23 PM
The votes on the federal budget forced ministers to leave critical international climate negotiations a week early, right as negotiations are going down to the wire.
Canada is missing in action at COP30 and now is less able to even participate. An all around pathetic summit for Carney's gov.
Canada is missing in action at COP30 and now is less able to even participate. An all around pathetic summit for Carney's gov.
At COP30 Canada just got awarded the fossil of the day — first time since 2014 (the harper years). Clear sign of how Carney’s pro fossil fuel agenda and backsliding on climate policy is being noticed internationally.
November 18, 2025 at 10:37 PM
At COP30 Canada just got awarded the fossil of the day — first time since 2014 (the harper years). Clear sign of how Carney’s pro fossil fuel agenda and backsliding on climate policy is being noticed internationally.
In the Ring of Fire a battle is brewing between a mining company owned by Australian billionaires and the Neskantaga First Nation — and federal officials are sitting on the fence. www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/17/n...
Ontario First Nation battles Australian-owned company over Ring of Fire mine
Without federal intervention, no environmental assessment will be carried out on a proposed mine in the Ring of Fire — a boon to Australian billionaires at the expense of the local Neskantaga First Na...
www.nationalobserver.com
November 17, 2025 at 2:36 PM
In the Ring of Fire a battle is brewing between a mining company owned by Australian billionaires and the Neskantaga First Nation — and federal officials are sitting on the fence. www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/17/n...
Reposted by John Woodside
Mark Carney may be aiming to hasten Ksi Lisims LNG plant and its associated infrastructure through the regulatory process — but what about the courts? @woodsideful.bsky.social and @natashabulowski.bsky.social report.
Feds send Ksi Lisims LNG to Major Projects Office amid court challenges
Indigenous leaders, climate advocates and financial experts are condemning Prime Minister Mark Carney's decision to refer the Ksi Lisims LNG project to the Major Projects Office for potential fast-tra...
www.nationalobserver.com
November 14, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Mark Carney may be aiming to hasten Ksi Lisims LNG plant and its associated infrastructure through the regulatory process — but what about the courts? @woodsideful.bsky.social and @natashabulowski.bsky.social report.
New from me and @natashabulowski.bsky.social on Carney's decision today to refer Ksi Lisims LNG, which would require a new gas pipeline snaking through Indigenous territory without consent, to the Major Projects Office.
Expect more court challenges to this carbon bomb in the months ahead.
Expect more court challenges to this carbon bomb in the months ahead.
Feds send Ksi Lisims LNG to Major Projects Office amid court challenges
Indigenous leaders, climate advocates and financial experts are condemning Prime Minister Mark Carney's decision to refer the Ksi Lisims LNG project to the Major Projects Office for potential fast-tra...
www.nationalobserver.com
November 14, 2025 at 12:30 AM
New from me and @natashabulowski.bsky.social on Carney's decision today to refer Ksi Lisims LNG, which would require a new gas pipeline snaking through Indigenous territory without consent, to the Major Projects Office.
Expect more court challenges to this carbon bomb in the months ahead.
Expect more court challenges to this carbon bomb in the months ahead.
Three decades of climate summits and the planet is still getting hotter. We know these meetings aren’t working well enough, but if you believe that means it’s pointless, you’re dead wrong. Better questions to ask are how to improve it and which complimentary tools can best help.
UN climate summits are an arena of politics worthy of your attention
Three decades of climate summits and the planet is still getting hotter. We know these meetings aren’t working well enough, but if you believe that means it’s pointless, I’m here to tell you you’re de...
www.nationalobserver.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Three decades of climate summits and the planet is still getting hotter. We know these meetings aren’t working well enough, but if you believe that means it’s pointless, you’re dead wrong. Better questions to ask are how to improve it and which complimentary tools can best help.
If COPs didn’t have potential to help address the climate crisis, the fossil fuel industry wouldn’t devote itself to infiltrating them. Climate diplomacy skeptics should recognize these are vital arenas of modern international relations and consequently worth paying serious attention to.
Exclusive by me: How thousands fossil fuel lobbyists got access to UN climate talks – and then oil and gas companies kept drilling
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
How thousands of fossil fuel lobbyists got access to UN climate talks – and then kept drilling
Exclusive: Research shows oil, gas and coal firms’ unprecedented access to Cop26-29, blocking urgent climate action
www.theguardian.com
November 9, 2025 at 2:07 PM
If COPs didn’t have potential to help address the climate crisis, the fossil fuel industry wouldn’t devote itself to infiltrating them. Climate diplomacy skeptics should recognize these are vital arenas of modern international relations and consequently worth paying serious attention to.
Incredibly weak statement from Canada at COP30. It says “effective action starts with detailed planning” and points to this week’s climate competitiveness plan as proof of Canada’s efforts. Weird given that plan has no target, no GHG modelling, dismantles policies policies and calls LNG low carbon.
Canada delivers its national statement at COP30 - Canada.ca
Canada delivers its national statement at COP30
www.canada.ca
November 8, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Incredibly weak statement from Canada at COP30. It says “effective action starts with detailed planning” and points to this week’s climate competitiveness plan as proof of Canada’s efforts. Weird given that plan has no target, no GHG modelling, dismantles policies policies and calls LNG low carbon.
Reposted by John Woodside
“I don't see any prospect of a pipeline unless it is fully taxpayer funded, and the federal government forces it through provincial and indigenous objections," says BC Premier David Eby.
Eby and coast First Nations push Ottawa to honour oil tanker ban. www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/06/n...
Eby and coast First Nations push Ottawa to honour oil tanker ban. www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/06/n...
BC and First Nations unite to defend tanker ban
Premier David Eby and coastal First Nations signed a declaration on Wednesday calling on the federal government to defend BC's oil tanker ban.
www.nationalobserver.com
November 6, 2025 at 9:14 PM
“I don't see any prospect of a pipeline unless it is fully taxpayer funded, and the federal government forces it through provincial and indigenous objections," says BC Premier David Eby.
Eby and coast First Nations push Ottawa to honour oil tanker ban. www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/06/n...
Eby and coast First Nations push Ottawa to honour oil tanker ban. www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/06/n...
Since April's election, oil and gas lobbyists notched at least 177 meetings with federal officials — a third of which were in September alone. If the budget is any indication, they successfully persuaded Mark Carney's government.
Feds faced intense lobbying pressure before budget
Since April's election, oil and gas lobbyists notched at least 177 meetings with federal officials — a third of which were in September alone. If Tuesday's budget is any indication, they successfully ...
www.nationalobserver.com
November 6, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Since April's election, oil and gas lobbyists notched at least 177 meetings with federal officials — a third of which were in September alone. If the budget is any indication, they successfully persuaded Mark Carney's government.
This is the most harmful budget from a climate perspective since the Harper era. It's a complete abdication of climate responsibilities, and while at least $3 billion in climate funding gets cut, taxpayer supports for oil and gas are set to grow.
Great breakdown @hadrianmk.bsky.social
Great breakdown @hadrianmk.bsky.social
Oil and gas trumps climate action in brutal federal budget
The budget makes clear that fossil fuel production for export is a central pillar of this government’s economic strategy — and that it won’t let climate measures get in the way.
www.nationalobserver.com
November 4, 2025 at 9:50 PM
This is the most harmful budget from a climate perspective since the Harper era. It's a complete abdication of climate responsibilities, and while at least $3 billion in climate funding gets cut, taxpayer supports for oil and gas are set to grow.
Great breakdown @hadrianmk.bsky.social
Great breakdown @hadrianmk.bsky.social
Reposted by John Woodside
I’m still with @nationalobserver.com, but as of today, I’m reporting from Toronto! Excited to cover climate, energy and the environment from a new perspective — please reach out with story ideas or just to say hi ☺️
November 3, 2025 at 7:58 PM
I’m still with @nationalobserver.com, but as of today, I’m reporting from Toronto! Excited to cover climate, energy and the environment from a new perspective — please reach out with story ideas or just to say hi ☺️
Reposted by John Woodside
For my 400th story with @nationalobserver.com (and my last from Atlantic Canada!) I reported from the Chignecto Isthmus, where efforts to preserve a fragile landscape meet plans for a new gas plant with a 25 year lifespan.
Planned New Brunswick gas plant could threaten vital migratory bird corridor
As the province moves ahead with plans for a new gas plant, experts and residents warn it could endanger one of Canada’s most fragile and important ecological corridors.
www.nationalobserver.com
November 3, 2025 at 7:46 PM
For my 400th story with @nationalobserver.com (and my last from Atlantic Canada!) I reported from the Chignecto Isthmus, where efforts to preserve a fragile landscape meet plans for a new gas plant with a 25 year lifespan.