Environment

Canada announced a C$1 trillion ($729 billion), strategy on Thursday to double its capacity of 'electricity grids by 2050. The plan was based on the rapidly growing 'power demand' and the need for energy safety. Mark Carney's announcement comes at a time when Canada's electrical systems are being put under increased strain by industrial growth, AI data centers and the use of electric vehicles. However, the?country?s total electricity production has decreased, in part due to droughts that have reduced hydroelectric capability and the retirements of coal-fired plants. Canada is looking to reduce its trade dependence on the United States because...

The refining industry is trying to sabotage the biofuels initiative. The industry is now closer to reaching a goal that they've been pursuing for years. However, they are still facing opposition from legislators in the refining states as well as uncertainty within a deeply divided Senate. In 2024, a similar provision was removed after Elon Musk and conservative lawmakers opposed it. Musk was the Trump administration's efficiency head at the time. In January 2026, a renewed effort failed as well. Instead, lawmakers formed a taskforce to study the possibility of allowing E15 to be sold year-round. Elon Musk's representatives did...

The U.S. Energy Information Administration?said Tuesday that U.S. Natural Gas?output would reach a record-high?in 2026 while demand would decline. EIA predicted dry gas production would rise from a 107.7 billion-cubic-foot record in 2025, to 110.6 bcfd by 2026, and 115.0 bcfd by 2027. The agency also projected that domestic gas consumption would fall from an all-time high of?91.9 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) in 2025, to 91.2 in 2026 and then to?94.4 in 2027. May's projections were higher than EIA forecasts in April, which predicted 109.6 billion cubic feet per day for production and 90.6 for demand. The agency...

Scientists warned that climate change is causing unprecedented fire outbreaks in Africa, Asia, and other parts of the world this year. Conditions are expected to worsen as summer in the northern hemisphere approaches and El Nino weather patterns take hold, they said. Scientists warned that fires in the northern hemisphere from January to April had already caused unprecedented damage. They burned more than 150,000,000 hectares of land (370.66,000,000 acres), 20% more than previous records. Researchers said that temperature records may be broken this year. This will cause widespread fires and drought, as well as the effects of climate change caused...

Donald Trump, the president of the United States, is expected to sign an executive order on Monday to increase beef imports to the U.S. White House officials said that they would support the renewal of U.S. cattle herds in an effort to reduce beef prices. The official didn't provide any details about the two executive orders. They come at a moment when the U.S. herd is at its lowest point in 75 years, and beef prices are continuing to rise. The Wall Street Journal had reported earlier that Trump would suspend tariff-rate limits on beef. This would allow for more...

The U.S. Air Force has yet to answer Maryland's congressional delegation about the delay in notifying them of a fuel spill from Andrews Air Force Base. Maryland lawmakers say they have yet to receive a response from Defense Department following a letter they sent earlier this week asking for answers regarding a fuel spill into Piscataway Creek, Prince George's County. They were notified of the incident on March 23 - two months after it occurred. About 22,000 gallons were released into the environment contaminating soils, and Piscataway Creek. The delegation, with the exception of Republican Congressman Andy Harris said that...

Satellite images this week showed a suspected oil spill covering dozens square kilometers of sea near Iran's main oil hub, Kharg Island. Images from Copernicus Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 satellites on May 6-8 showed a grey-and-white slick covering the waters west of the island's 8-kilometre (five-mile) length. Leon Moreland of the Conflict and Environment Observatory said that "the slick appeared visually consistent with oil." He estimated that it covered an area of about 45 square kilometers. Louis Goddard of 'consultancy Data Desk', which focuses primarily on commodities and climate, also agreed that it was likely an oil slick. He said the...

Patricio Hernández lives in the north of Chile's capital, Santiago. He and his neighbors fear that a massive Amazon data center could destroy their area. He said that the hill was very important for the community. It is a green area, a place to relax and for community. He and other local residents attempted to block the construction of the data center. They argued that the permit failed to take into consideration the possibility of building a high voltage power line, which they claimed would be needed to supply the site. They lost their case. Early April, environmental authorities ruled...

According to a federal forecast issued on Thursday, Colorado River flows will reach record lows in Lake Powell this summer after the lowest ever snowpacks were recorded in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. According to the Colorado Basin River Forecast Center, a March heatwave "prematurely" melted any snow that fell during a warm and dry winter. This will result in Colorado River flows to Powell being only 13% above average from April to July. This would be the lowest spring-summer runoff since 1963, when the reservoir was created. It supplies water to 40 million people in cities like Los Angeles, Phoenix,...

The French utility Engie reported on Thursday that its first-quarter earnings had dropped after the?warmer temperatures?had lowered domestic gas sales and deliveries. The company's earnings before interest, tax and nuclear were $4 billion, down 8.4% compared to a year ago. This was in line with the analyst consensus estimate of 3.4 billion Euros compiled by LSEG. The company stated that the decline in 'earnings was partly attributable to their energy management business which supplies gas and power to both retail customers as well as business clients. Operating profit at this business was down 12.2% to?1.14billion euros. Data from the company...

Eversource Energy cut its annual profit forecast on Wednesday. This was due to lower electricity rates in New England, and the final approval of the sale of their 'water utility business. After the bell, shares of 'the company' fell by 1.6%. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has decided to lower electricity rates in New England. This will have a negative impact on the company's annual earnings. Joe Nolan, CEO of New England Power Generation, said that the decision was "arbitrary" and "flawed", and came at a time when New England needs to make significant investments in order to increase its...

U.S. utility Exelon increased its capital expenditure plans and surpassed Wall Street expectations for the first-quarter adjusted profits on Wednesday, due to higher electricity prices, strong demand, and favorable weather. U.S. utilities have increased their capital budgets in order to keep up with the increase in demand for power. Exelon also increased its capital expenditures projected for the next four-year period to $41.7 billion from $41.3 billion. Executives said that the company and Invenergy bid on two Illinois transmission projects, valued at $1.9 billion, in Tranche 2.1.1 of regional grid operator MISO. The company added that?Exelon’s data-center pipe is supported...

In a press release, Brazilian labor inspectors fined Sigma Lithium after they found that the company had deposited waste into a pile which was closed because it posed a "grave" and "imminent" risk to workers and local residents. Inspectors discovered that despite three Sigma waste piles being closed last December, trucks continued to deposit waste on one of them. Sigma did not respond immediately to a comment request. The largest lithium producer in Brazil announced that it would resume mining at its flagship Grota do Cirilo Mine despite the piles having been shut down. When the piles closed late last...

Brazil's trade surplus in April jumped 37.5% from a year earlier to $10.5 billion. This was a record for that month. The government revealed the data on Thursday. It was boosted by the strong shipments of important commodities such as soybeans, crude oils, iron ore, and beef. However, the result was lower than the median estimate of $10.9 billion in an economist's poll. According to the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services, exports increased?14.3% compared to a year ago, to $34.1 billion. Exports rose by 18.8% in value, with soybeans, crude oils, iron ore, and beef all increasing by...

The London Court of Appeal has ruled that BHP can't appeal against the UK ruling that found it liable for the 2015 collapse of a dam in southeastern Brazil. In November, London's High Court ruled BHP was legally responsible for the collapse of the Fundao dam in Mariana, southeastern Brazil, ?which was owned and operated by Samarco, a joint venture ?between Australia-headquartered BHP and Brazilian company Vale. Brazil's worst ecological disaster unleashed a toxic sludge wave that left 19 dead, thousands homeless, inundated?forests, and polluted?the length of the Doce River. The High Court refused BHP permission to appeal the ruling...

The federal government announced on Saturday that heavy rains have caused tens of thousands to be displaced in the states of Pernambuco, and Paraiba. Pernambuco experienced flooding and landslides due to heavy rainfall in Recife, the capital of the state, and surrounding areas. Two people were killed in Recife, and two more in the neighboring town of?Olinda. Around 1,500 people were left homeless or displaced. According to the Integration and Regional Development Ministry of Brazil, in 'Paraiba two people were killed and 1,800 left homeless or displaced. The worst affected cities included Conde, Joao Pessoa, and Campina Grande. The National...

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...

Forecasters say that a powerful El Nino will develop in the second half 2026. This phenomenon is expected to bring hotter and drier conditions across Asia while increasing rains throughout North America and South America. What do forecasters predict? Japan's Weather Bureau says that there is a 70% probability of an 'El Nino' forming during the summer in the northern hemisphere, and Indian weather authorities warn that the South Asian 'nation's Monsoon Season could be below normal for the first time since three years. El Nino is expected to continue through the year, after first appearing in May. U.S. Climate...

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...

Official data released on Wednesday showed that the increase in fuel prices in Peru was the sharpest since December 1993. The higher fuel prices were attributed to a rupture in a natural gas pipe and the conflict in Middle East. According to the national statistics agency INEI, consumer prices in the third largest copper supplier in the world rose 2.38% from the previous month. This is a sharp acceleration from a 0.69% rise in February. According to the agency, the main cause of the increase in inflation was the 9.06% rise in transportation prices. Fuel supplies were disrupted by a...

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....

Chicago corn and Wheat futures sawsawed Thursday, while soybeans ticked up as traders'monitored Middle East developments amidst'mixed signals?from the U.S. As of 11:00 am CT (1800 GMT), the most active corn contract on Chicago Board of Trade had fallen 1-3/4 cents, to $4.65-1/4 per bushel. CBOT Wheat rose by 3-1/4 Cents to $6.01 a bushel. CBOT Soybeans?added 4-1/2 cents to $12.76 a bushel. Prices rose in the previous session due to technical buying, and the uncertainty over the negotiations to end the U.S./Israeli war against Iran. "It's President. There's no way of knowing what he will say and it is...