Climate Change

According to an 'notice' on the US. Budget office website. The Securities and Exchange Commission made the move a year ago, after refusing to say to a federal judge whether it intended to either change the rule or defend its 2024 regulations from industry-backed legal challenges which 'dogged' the agency’s rule-making under the previous administration. Donald Trump has rejected 'the scientific consensus regarding climate change, and his administration is moving to undo the?related regulations that were adopted by former president Joe Biden. Paul Atkins, SEC chair, said in a statement that the agency is working to rescind this rule and...

The U.S. Justice Department has filed a lawsuit to block Minnesota's long-running lawsuit that seeks?to hold Exxon Mobil and other oil industry participants accountable?for the harms caused by climate changes. The lawsuit was the latest in a long line of lawsuits filed by President Donald Trump to stop Democratic-led state governments from enforcing climate change laws and pursuing lawsuits against fossil fuel companies. Judges have recently dismissed ?two similar lawsuits that the Justice Department filed against Michigan and Hawaii, which are among the ?numerous states and local governments that have in recent years pursued climate-change-related investigations or lawsuits against fossil...

On 'Monday, the U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Minnesota for its regulation of global greenhouse gas emissions. This is a part of a series of federal actions that has included fraud investigations and immigration raids in Minnesota. In its complaint, the department claims that Minnesota tries to regulate greenhouse gas emissions by suing companies of energy in state courts. In a statement, Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward stated that Minnesota officials could not 'undermine President Trump's directive to unleash American energy dominance by requiring their woke climate preferences be the uniform policy? of the nation. Tim Walz, the...

The Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a law on Wednesday that prohibits local government in his state from promoting and?funding?diversity?initiatives. He claims such programs are discriminatory against certain groups, like white men. Republican state leaders in the United States and President Donald Trump’s administration have rallied to oppose diversity, equity and inclusive (DEI). Civil rights activists say DEI practices address historical inequities faced by marginalized groups such as women, the LGBT and racial/ethnic minorities. DeSantis stated on Wednesday that "I think the white males have been discriminated against" by DEI. DeSantis’ office stated that the bill prohibits local...

Environmental activists will protest outside SpaceX Starbase launch 'facilities' on Tuesday, ahead of the highly-anticipated IPO 'of Elon Musk’s company. They'll be pressuring public pension funds to reject the deal because they're worried about safety and pollution issues. The South Texas Environmental Justice Network has announced that its members will protest Tuesday outside the main entrance of SpaceX as it begins three days tours and meetings with Wall Street analysts. Bekah Hinojosa, co-founder of Network, has urged investors to boycott the IPO. She also lobbied against the purchase of shares by the New York City Comptroller Mark Levine for the...

Kevin Warsh, the U.S. president Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Federal Reserve, will say to lawmakers during his confirmation hearing on Tuesday that he "is committed to ensuring the conduct of monetary policies remains strictly independent", according to prepared remarks that were released on Monday. The 56-year old former Fed governor and financier will say to members of the Senate Banking Committee that he is "committed to working with both the Administration and Congress in non-monetary issues which are within the Fed's mandate". Warsh stated in his prepared remarks that Fed independence "reaches its peak" when it comes to...

A new study shows that shareholders have submitted 184 proposals to promote environmental, social, and governance themes in U.S. firms so far this proxy season. This is about half of what they did last year, as Republicans work 'to shift corporate control from investors to managers. According to Michael Passoff, CEO and co-author of the report, a proxy voting service for sustainable investors, 355 proposals were filed at a similar point last year during spring proxy season. These proposals encourage companies to report more about their carbon emissions and workforce diversity. Although most proposals are not binding, they may lead...

The Trump administration proposes to lift certain restrictions on the?use of ethylene dioxide, a carcinogenic?gas?used for sterilisation. They claim that previous restrictions imposed by former president?Joe Biden could hinder medical 'device manufacturers' ability to clean their facilities. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a statement Friday saying that its proposed rule would not only follow the current law, but also make it easier for businesses to adhere to commercial sterilization regulations. It will also save costs and protect the nation's supplies chain for devices such as heart stents. Medical officials, industry representatives and the Food and Drug Administration have all...

In an interview with NBC News on Tuesday, John Catsimatidis said that consumers will be relieved of the steep increases in fuel prices at the pump in the next month or two. Fuel prices have soared due to supply disruptions resulting from the Israel-U.S. conflict with Iran. This poses a serious threat to U.S. president Donald Trump and the Republican Party in advance of November's midterm elections. Catsimatidis said that he believed the worst of the price increases were over. U.S. average gasoline prices have risen by nearly 60 cents in the past month since the joint U.S. and Israeli...

A senior OECD official said that inflation is the biggest?risk to global bond markets. This comes as energy prices have risen following?the U.S. and Israeli air war against Iran. Carmine Di Noia, OECD director of financial affairs and enterprise affairs, said in an interview before the release of Wednesday's annual debt reports by the Paris-based organization that "Now we 'are having another huge stress test." Investors are worried about inflation and higher energy costs, as oil prices have increased by 16% in the last week. Di Noia said that if this happens, the higher bond yields will "put even more...

The U.S. Interior Department officials said that a database which revealed how the Trump administration intended to revise information about key phases in American history on national 'park sites, was deliberate and the employees who released it would be held accountable. The Washington Post first revealed an internal government database, which was posted to two public websites on Monday. It showed the extent of the Trump Administration's efforts to remove or revise information about African-American History, LGBT rights and climate change at hundreds of National Park sites. A spokesperson for the Interior Department said, "The narrative advanced is false?and these...

Activists said that a new federal approach, which gives U.S. firms more control over the proposals that shareholders vote on during their annual meetings, creates regulatory uncertainty and leads to litigation. In November, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission changed its tradition of having staff approve shareholder proposals before a company rejects them. It gave executives greater discretion in deciding which resolutions to include on their proxy statement, the mandatory document distributed before shareholder meetings. At least three lawsuits have been filed by investors against AT&T and Axon Enterprises, and there could be more. Giovanna Eichner, a shareholder advocate with...

Researchers in Rio de Janeiro reported that the coral cover on Brazil's Abrolhos reefs, which is the most biodiverse ecosystem of the South Atlantic, had fallen by around 15% in 18 years due to climate changes and human activity. The climate change-linked heatwaves have intensified the so-called "bleaching events" where corals expulse the algae they call home. This permanently undermines the coral health. Corals are dying because their health is compromised by the increased frequency of heatwaves. They may even regain color with this increase, but will develop diseases and necrosis. Coral reefs sustain about 25% of marine life around...

Researchers in Rio de Janeiro have reported that the coral cover on Brazil's Abrolhos Reefs, which is the most biodiverse coral system in the South Atlantic has decreased by around 15% in 18 years as a result of climate change and human activity. The marine heatwaves caused by climate change have intensified the so-called "bleaching" events, where corals expulse the algae they call home. This permanently damages coral health. Corals are dying because of their compromised health, Moura explained. "With increasing heatwaves corals might regain color but develop diseases and?necrosis." Scientists have called the current state of coral reefs in...

WMO said that the return of El Nino weather conditions is expected as early as this May, and could affect?global temperatures, and a?rainfall pattern. El Nino, as defined by the WMO, is a periodic increase in sea surface temperature over the eastern and central Pacific Ocean. It typically lasts nine to twelve month. It said that a clear'shift' has been observed, with sea surface?temperatures rapidly rising, indicating a high probability of El Nino developing between May and July. Wilfran Moufouma OKia, WMO's Chief of Climate Prediction, said in a press release that "after a period neutral conditions, the climate models...

Oliveiro Guerreiro Filho, an agronomist at the Campinas Agronomy Institute, wanders among a mess of coffee plants. Unlike the uniform rows on most Brazilian coffee farms each cluster is a little different. Researchers hope that the genes from these 15 non-commercial and uncommon breeds, such as racemosa and liberica, could help to ensure future supplies of Arabica coffee. Scientists warn of the impact climate change will have on arabica, the most common bean in coffee production. Brazil is expected to be among those countries that see a decline in output. Rabobank released a report this week that said climate change...

Brazil has been fighting to protect the Amazon for many years, but now it is enlisting new allies to help in this fight: bankers. The new rule, which takes effect Wednesday, requires that banks check whether rural loan applicants have deforestation in their farms by using government tools based on satellite images. Farmers applying for government-funded rural credits must provide proof of deforestation permissions if bank managers detect clearing in the Amazon or Woodlands since?2019. Andre Lima is the head of Brazil's Environment Ministry, which leads efforts against deforestation. Brazil's powerful agricultural sector has reacted negatively to the new policy....

The Brazilian government has auctioned off its first public land concession to startup Re.green for reforestation. This is the first attempt to use carbon credits to fund the recovery of millions acres of degraded protected areas. Re.green is the only bidder who offered to restore and protect for 40 years a 145,000-acre parcel in the Bom Futuro Reserve in the Amazon rainforest. According to the auction notice, the fee was 0.7% of the revenue generated by the project. This is expected to be around $2 million per year. The company is part of a group that buys degraded land from...

Business leaders and climate agencies have warned that Peru's agricultural export sector, which is booming, could be hit by heavy?rains this year due to the coastal El Nino weather phenomenon, as its effects are already being felt on local fruit plantations. El Nino coastal is a climate event that occurs periodically. It is caused by abnormally warm water, which is found primarily along the north Pacific coasts of Peru and Ecuador. This causes heavy rains. Gabriel Amaro is the leader of the agricultural producers association. He said that while the phenomenon was weak at the moment, it had destroyed 6,000...

Former international affairs secretary Tatiana Rosito said that the Brazilian government plans to mobilize over?250 billion Reais ($48.4 Billion) in sustainable investment during President Luiz Inacio Lula's four-year current term. 2026 will be centered on consolidating initiatives currently underway. Rosito said that Brazil had assembled a wide range of financial instruments to be showcased at its G20, BRICS, and COP30 leadership. She added that the priority is to deliver results and attract capital, rather than creating new tools. Rosito says that Brazil's recent push for policy has helped it regain its status as a global player. Peers now see Latin...

While 2026 is off to a rough start in terms of geopolitics, many equity investors around the world are still trying to find bargains. There are still some pockets of potential value for those who are willing to look outside the U.S. You might not expect to find them. Last year at this time, European and emerging markets equities traded below their historical valuation ranges. But after a strong 12 month run, these broad discounts have mostly disappeared and now most major indices look fully valued. Price pullbacks are likely to occur in a year with high valuations and increased...

Juan Solari weaves between rows of corn in Chivilcoy. He brushes past yellowing leaves, and smaller ears, which are a result of the heat and lack rain of January in Argentina's Pampas plains. Argentina, which is one of the top food exporters in the world, was on track to have a record-breaking corn harvest for the 2025/26 year. However, unusually high temperatures in January, with some areas reaching 35 degrees Celsius, coupled with low rainfall, caused crops in Argentina's agricultural heartland to be stressed. The Buenos Aires Grain Exchange lowered its estimate of Argentina's grain production to 57 millions metric...

The Patagonia forest fires destroyed an area twice as large as Buenos Aires. This has sparked criticism about the austerity measures taken by President Javier Milei, which have reduced aid resources significantly. On Thursday, the government announced that it would declare an 'emergency' in the southern provinces? of Chubut, Rio Negro and La Pampa. Wildfires are common in Patagonia during the summer months, but the current fires have breached Los Alerces National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site famed for its alerce trees, which can live more than 3,600 years, ?making them the world's second-longest-living tree species. Forest fires are...

The fires that raged near Concepcion, a city in southern Chile, were putting out by Wednesday morning. Cloudy skies and humid air brought cooler temperatures to coastal areas after extreme heat for days. The smoke plumes lingered and it was expected that the death toll would rise, as the police and state coroner continued to search for bodies inside apartment blocks damaged by fire. Residents began to clear debris and rebuild with the help of neighbors and volunteers. Carlos Lopez, city councillor of nearby Cobquecura gathered money, nails and wood as well as cement and other construction materials. With the...