MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Thu, Nov 6, 2025 [FREE ACCESS] – Marcellus Drilling News

Global Energy Sector Analysis: A Sustainable Development Goals Perspective

Regional and National Energy Developments

Advocacy for Natural Gas in the Context of SDGs 7, 8, and 13

• Advocacy for natural gas is positioned as a strategy to achieve SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by providing reliable energy and promoting community development.
• This perspective critiques renewable energy subsidies and infrastructure prohibitions, proposing a diversified energy portfolio to ensure energy security and address global energy poverty.
• The debate highlights the tension between leveraging fossil fuels for economic progress and the objectives of SDG 13 (Climate Action).

State-Level Energy Policy Impacts on Economic and Social Goals

• The prohibition of hydraulic fracturing in New York is reported to have negatively impacted SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and contributed to economic hardship, which relates to SDG 1 (No Poverty).
• This policy decision illustrates a conflict between state-level environmental objectives and the pursuit of local economic development and community resilience, a key component of SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

National Market Volatility and Regulatory Frameworks

1. Fluctuations in U.S. natural gas futures directly impact progress toward SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) by affecting price stability for consumers and industries.
2. The role of the judiciary is identified as a significant factor influencing the development of national energy infrastructure, which is crucial for SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure).
3. Legal challenges to federally approved energy projects are reported to impede the nation’s ability to achieve energy security and support industrial growth, affecting SDG 7 and SDG 8. This raises questions regarding the alignment of institutional processes with SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).

International Energy Dynamics and Global SDG Alignment

Global Commodity Market Trends and Economic Implications

• Declining crude oil prices, driven by oversupply, affect global progress on SDG 7 by influencing the cost of energy worldwide, while also impacting the economic stability of oil-producing nations under SDG 8.
• Price reductions in the European natural gas market, facilitated by strong LNG imports, contribute to short-term energy affordability under SDG 7, though market vulnerability persists due to inventory levels.
• A significant increase in LNG tanker freight rates underscores intense global competition for energy resources, highlighting logistical pressures on the infrastructure required to meet SDG 9 and the energy security targets of SDG 7.

National Climate Policies and International Partnerships

• Canada’s strategic shift from a direct emissions cap toward an industrial carbon pricing system reflects an evolving approach to balancing SDG 13 (Climate Action) with SDG 8 and SDG 9 by fostering investment in decarbonization technologies.
• The United Arab Emirates is leveraging U.S. expertise in hydraulic fracturing, demonstrating SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), to develop its unconventional gas resources. This initiative aims to achieve national gas self-sufficiency, supporting SDG 7 and bolstering global energy supply chains in line with SDG 9.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

   • The article extensively discusses the production, pricing, and trade of natural gas and oil, which are central to global energy supply. It highlights the importance of “abundant, reliable energy solutions” and “energy security” to combat “global energy poverty.” The focus on natural gas, LNG imports/exports, and energy prices directly relates to ensuring access to affordable and reliable energy.

2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • The text connects energy policy directly to economic outcomes. It argues that promoting natural gas leads to “economic development” and “job creation.” Conversely, it claims that banning fracking in New York led to “high poverty in Western New York.” The discussion on “reindustrialization” supported by affordable energy also aligns with this goal.

3. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

   • The need for energy infrastructure is a key theme. The article mentions the blocking of “pipelines and LNG terminals” by court action, which paralyzes “national infrastructure.” It also highlights the development of new infrastructure, such as the UAE’s “multibillion-dollar Ruwais liquefied natural gas project,” and the use of innovative technology like hydraulic fracturing.

4. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • The article addresses climate policy through the debate on energy sources. It mentions Canada’s plan to scrap its “oil and gas emissions cap” in favor of an “industrial carbon pricing system” to achieve “net-zero goals by 2050.” This reflects national strategies for climate change mitigation.

5. SDG 1: No Poverty

   • The article explicitly links energy access to poverty alleviation, stating that an “abundant, reliable energy” portfolio can “lift people out of global energy poverty.” It also provides a negative example, linking New York’s fracking ban to “high poverty” in a specific region, connecting energy policy to local poverty levels.

6. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

   • The article critiques the role of judicial institutions, specifically the “District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals,” in halting federally-approved energy projects. The author calls for institutional reform, suggesting that Congress should mandate where challenges to projects are heard, which relates to developing effective and accountable institutions.

7. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • The article provides an example of international partnership and technology transfer. The UAE’s state oil company, ADNOC, is described as leaning on “USA expertise” and “lessons learned from US shale fields” to develop its own unconventional gas resources. This demonstrates international cooperation for development.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

   • Target 7.1: By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services. This is addressed through the advocacy for natural gas to provide “abundant, reliable energy” and lift people from “global energy poverty.”
   • Target 7.a: By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology… and promote investment in energy infrastructure. This is reflected in the UAE (ADNOC) utilizing “USA expertise” for its shale gas development.

2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.2: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation. The article’s promotion of the “shale revolution” and its benefits for “reindustrialization” and “economic development” aligns with this target.

3. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

   • Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure… to support economic development and human well-being. The call for “more pipelines and infrastructure” and the criticism of court actions that halt “pipelines and LNG terminals” directly relate to this target.

4. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. The description of the Canadian government’s shift from an “emissions cap” to a “revamped industrial carbon pricing system” to meet “net-zero goals” is a direct example of this target in action.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicators for Energy Prices and Supply (SDG 7)

   • Commodity Prices: The article provides specific prices that serve as direct indicators of energy affordability, such as “Nymex natural gas settles down 2.6% at $4.232/mmBtu,” “WTI… settle at $59.60 a barrel,” and “Dutch TTF contract down 0.7% to 31.58 euros a megawatt hour.”
   • Energy Inventories: Data on energy supply levels are mentioned, including a “5.2 million barrel increase in crude inventories” and a natural gas “storage surplus over the five-year average to 160 Bcf.”
   • LNG Export/Import Capacity: The development of new infrastructure is quantified, such as the Ruwais LNG project adding “9.6 million tons” to annual export capacity, indicating an increase in energy availability.

2. Indicators for Infrastructure Development (SDG 9)

   • Infrastructure Project Status: The article implies an indicator by discussing the number of “federally-approved energy projects, like pipelines and LNG terminals” that are being halted by court action. Progress could be measured by the number of projects successfully completed versus those blocked.

3. Indicators for Economic and Market Activity (SDG 8)

   • Freight Rates: The article notes that “Global liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker freight rates have surged, with Atlantic rates jumping over 50% in a week.” This is a specific financial indicator reflecting market dynamics and demand related to energy-driven economic activity.

4. Indicators for Climate Policy (SDG 13)

   • National Climate Policies: The existence and type of national policies are used as indicators. The article points to Canada’s plan to scrap the “oil, gas emissions cap” and replace it with an “industrial carbon pricing system” as a measure of its strategic approach to climate action.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article. In this table, list the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), their corresponding targets, and the specific indicators identified in the article.

Source: marcellusdrilling.com