Week of November 27, 2023
COP28 Focus: UN Climate Summit Puts Renewables at the Forefront
The UN climate summit in Dubai is expected to see a flood of new pledges, projects, and initiatives, with nearly 200 countries having 13 days to reach a new, unanimous agreement on how to tackle climate change.
The most likely area to yield progress is a package of commitments to further the energy transition, including a pledge to triple global renewables capacity by 2030.
Tripling renewables by 2030 would require a doubling of the rate of renewables investment to an average of $1.18 trillion per year through 2030, compared with $564 billion in 2022.
Developed nations are expected to make good on their 2009 pledge to annually provide $100 billion in climate finance to developing economies.
Modest progress is expected in the new global carbon offset mechanism known as “Article 6.4,” which enables governments and companies to trade carbon credits.
EPA Announces $2 Billion in Grants for Environmental and Climate Justice Projects
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is accepting applications for $2 billion in grants to support community-driven projects promoting environmental and climate justice.
The new Community Change Grants program will support clean energy and resilience projects that help disadvantaged communities better address environmental challenges.
Projects selected for grants will address a range of issues including climate resiliency and adaptation, pollution monitoring, prevention and remediation, and low- and zero-emission technologies and related infrastructure.
The funding was allocated under last year’s Inflation Reduction Act, with the bulk of the $2 billion planned to support about 150 projects, each valued at about $10 million to $20 million.
The activities to be performed under the grants are expected to fall under several categories, including climate resiliency and adaptation, mitigating climate and health risks, investments in low- and zero-emission and resilient technologies, and facilitating the engagement of disadvantaged communities in public processes.
November 20, 2023
H.W. Lochner, Inc. (Lochner), an Illinois-based transportation infrastructure planning and engineering services firm, has acquired Triunity, Inc. (Triunity), a Colorado-based project management and controls, construction management, and specialized communication systems/electrical engineering services firm. The acquisition expands Lochner’s service offerings and professional talent in the Transit & Rail and Municipal Services markets. Terry Ruhl, Lochner Chairman and CEO, said of the transaction, “Triunity’s stellar reputation for program/construction management services and differentiated engineering solutions are complementary to Lochner’s infrastructure-focused transit and rail portfolio. Lochner now has the scale and expertise to establish a National Transit & Rail Practice.”
November 20, 2023
Raba Kistner, Inc. (Raba Kistner), a Texas-based engineering consulting and program management firm, has acquired the construction materials engineering and testing (CoMET) assets of Furgo NV (Furgo), a Texas-based geo-data specialist. The acquisition expands Raba Kistner’s North Texas presence, especially in the Dallas-Fort Worth community. Raba Kistner President and CEO, Chris Schultz, said of the acquisition, “Raba Kistner is dedicated to ensuring a smooth transition for both staff and clients during the integration process and will provide uninterrupted and exceptional service to our new and current clients.”
November 20, 2023
Colliers International Group Inc. (Colliers), a Canada-based professional services and investment management company, has acquired Rise International Ltd (Rise), a UK-based project management firm. The Rise team will join Colliers' London office and strengthen their existing 40-person project management team. Rob Perry, co-head of Colliers’ Project & Building Consultancy team, said of the acquisition, “[Rise] has a strong record of both project and construction management experience working with corporate clients, as well as arts and culture clients…we look forward to seeing the team’s careers grow within the London team and Colliers as a whole.”
November 29, 2023
Trinity Consultants (Trinity), a Texas-based environmental health and safety services firm, has acquired Longman Lindsey, a New York-based full-service acoustical consultancy firm with specialized expertise in construction. Longman Lindsey will join the firm’s Built Environment business and combines the acoustical capabilities of Cerami, which Trinity acquired in 2022, and Longman Lindsey into one entity.
November 29, 2023
Trinity Consultants (Trinity), a Texas-based environmental health and safety services firm, has acquired WestLand Resources (WestLand), an Arizona-based engineering and environmental consulting firm. WestLand joins Trinity’s Water & Ecology team of experts formed from Trinity’s previous acquisitions and solidifies Trinity's Water & Ecology business service offerings. Mike Remsberg, divisional president of Water & Ecology at Trinity, said of the acquisition, “The company’s complementary services, combined with its cultural synergies, will serve as the foundation to expand our engineering, planning, and environmental consulting businesses and ultimately set the stage for continued growth and innovation in North America.”
November 30, 2023
Allied Resources Group (ARG), a Pennsylvania-based holding company of critical infrastructure services firms, has acquired the Oil and Gas Business Operations of STV, Inc. (STV), a Pennsylvania-based engineering and architectural consulting and design services firm. The transaction allows STV to exit the oil and gas market and concentrate on expanding the firm’s core markets, services and geographic footprint. Greg Kelly, President and CEO of STV, said of the transaction, “With the launch of our new Strategic Plan, we recognized the timing was right to rethink our position in this market. Finding the right partner where our talented oil and gas group would become the core business was essential to our team. We found that partner in ARG.”
November 30, 2023
Trinity Consultants (Trinity), a Texas-based environmental health and safety services firm, has acquired Soundview Consultants, a Washington-based environmental consulting firm specializing in natural resource assessments, environmental planning, land use, and permitting services, to join its Water & Ecology business. The transaction highlights Trinity’s commitment to developing its natural and aquatic resource consulting practice in the US market and complements existing areas of expertise including air, water, and acoustics.
Black & Veatch, participated in the Ocean Conservancy's annual International Coastal Cleanup alongside organizations around the world. Over 675 Black & Veatch employees and their families volunteered at the event at 31 different global sites. The volunteers collected 3,178 pounds of trash including "tires, laundry detergent containers, food wrappers and broken glass" from various waterways. Regarding the event, Deepa Poduval, Global Sustainability Leader at Black & Veatch commented," By cleaning up waterways and removing litter, we are part of a global effort to create healthier environments and greatly reduce the pollutants harming natural ecosystems." The International Coaster Cleanup began over 35 years ago and has since expanded into 150 countries.