Environment

Ghana has banned mining within forest reserves as part of environmental protections to protect water bodies and stop deforestation. Africa's leading gold producer, which is also the world's largest, is fighting a rise in small-scale mining, which is degrading forests, rivers and cocoa farms. It is also increasing sustainability risks to its mining industry, resulting in protests. Industrial miners have reported frequent incursions of illegal operators on concessions. This has forced key operators such as Gold Fields AngloGold Ashanti Newmont Asante Gold and Newmont to increase their investments in surveillance drones and community engagement programs. According to data from the...

Authorities announced on Monday that a levee break in Washington State following heavy rains has resulted in a flash flood alert and evacuation orders. National Weather Service?said?it issued a Flash Flood Warning after a failure of the Desimone levee in Tukwila, along the Green River about five miles from downtown Seattle. The National Weather Service said the 'waters are likely to be heading towards Interstate 405, which is a major road, and that an evacuation notice has been issued for a large part of King County. A social media message from the'service said: "Leave this area immediately if you find...

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a statement Monday announcing that the United States and Mexico have signed a new agreement to address 'the ongoing Tijuana river sewage crisis. Mexico and the U.S. have been at odds for decades over the issue of Mexican sewage flowing across the border into the Tijuana River and then into the Pacific Ocean. The EPA stated that the 'new agreement' saw the U.S. - and Mexican Sections - of the International Boundary and Water Commission, agree on infrastructure projects, research and enhanced monitoring. "And planning for the operation and maintenance" of critical systems and sites,...

After a year of flooding and a long dry spell, Simon Ellis expected "catastrophic" failure when he first drove his combine through this crop. Instead of shriveled seeds, plump grains of wheat, oats, and soybeans were poured into the combine. Ellis, 38, who is a fourth generation farmer in Wawanesa (Manitoba), credits the investment made into expensive systems, such as minimum- and zero-till agriculture, for helping to protect soil. Tile drainage is an underground system that prevents flooding. It also contains pellets of fertilizer with a slower release rate, which are more efficient. A professional agronomist can provide advice on...

A document from the U.S. Government, seen by, shows that the United States wants the European Union to exempt oil and gas imports from the methane emission law of the bloc until 2035. The EU will require importers of gas and oil to Europe, starting this year, to report and monitor the methane emission associated with these imports. This is in an effort to reduce the emissions of the powerful planet-warming gas. Chris Wright, the U.S. Energy secretary, has criticized this 'world-first' climate policy. He has said that it is impossible to implement and has warned it may disrupt U.S....

On Thursday, a federal judge ruled that the U.S. President Donald Trump's Administration unlawfully terminated an Emergency Management Agency grant programme designed to?protect communities and states against natural disasters? before they happen. U.S. District judge Richard Stearns, in Boston, sided with the majority of Democratic-led states and found that the Republican administration's decision to terminate the Building Resilient Communities and Infrastructure program and to use the money Congress authorized to support it to other purposes was illegal. The agency, part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), announced that it would terminate the program in April, describing it as...

Data showed that global EV sales grew at their slowest pace since February 2024 in November as China plateaued. Meanwhile, the United States ended its EV tax credit program in November and North America is now on course for the first year of a 'decline' since 2019. According to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, the consultancy, European registrations of battery-electric vehicles and plug-in-hybrids have grown by more than a third compared to 2024. Why is it important? Electric transport groups say a swift EV transition is necessary to curb planet-warming CO2 ?emissions, but carmakers and governments have backtracked on some green commitments...

The U.S. Climate Prediction Center said on Thursday that La Nina will likely continue for a month or two more before giving way to neutral Pacific weather conditions between January 2026 and March 2026. This is a probability of?68%. Climate Prediction Center reported on Thursday. The CPC's monthly update noted that "La Nina could still be a factor in the Northern Hemisphere early spring 2026, even after equatorial Pacific SSTs transition to ENSO neutral." Why it's important La Nina is a part of El Nino and the Southern Oscillation, which affects the water temperatures in central and eastern Pacific Ocean....

Ghana has banned mining within forest reserves, as part of an environmental protection program aimed at protecting water bodies and halting the deforestation. Africa's leading gold producer, which is also the world's largest, is fighting a "surge" in?poorly-regulated small-scale mining, which is destroying cacao farms, degrading rivers and forests, and increasing sustainability risks for its mining industry, sparking protests. Industrial miners have reported frequent incursions of illegal operators on concessions. This has forced key operators such as Gold Fields AngloGold Ashanti Newmont and Asante Gold, to increase their investments in surveillance drones, security systems, and community engagement programmes. According to...

Ammu Kanampilly NAIROBI (Dec. 11) - On Thursday, the United States threatened to reduce their foreign aid to South Sudan unless Juba lifted what they said were illegal?fees? on humanitarian shipments. In a remarkably pointed statement entitled "Time to Stop Taking ADVANTAGE of the United States," U.S. Bureau of African Affairs alleged that South Sudan's Government "imposed exorbitant charges on humanitarian shipments", and "obstructed U.N. Peacekeeping Operations". South Sudan's Minister of Humanitarian Affairs did not respond immediately to a comment request. The U.S. is the biggest humanitarian donor in South Sudan. This year, it has made rapid and 'deep' cuts...

The Danish government announced on Wednesday that it had reached a deal in parliament for compensation to be paid to Greenlandic women who suffered from a decades-long, involuntary campaign of birth control. This is just one of many cases that have emerged in recent years regarding allegations of Danish authorities' misconduct against Greenland residents, now a Danish semi-autonomous territory. In 2022, records revealed that thousands of women as young as 13 years old were fitted with intrauterine device without their consent or knowledge between 1966 and 1991 when Greenland gained control over its healthcare system. Aaja Chemnitz said, "Now women...

By Ross Kerber Dec. 10 - Financial leaders and corporate leaders will soon learn if U.S. president Donald Trump is going to continue his Republican crusade aimed at giant index funds. Washington trade groups expected last month that the White House would issue an executive directive to reshape corporate governance by imposing new limitations on proxy advisers, and big passive index funds. Republicans claim that the "Big Three", passive firms, including?BlackRock?,?Vanguard? and State Street? "use shareholder voting to advance a political agenda" according to the 2022 staff report of the Senate Banking Committee?s Republican staff. Since 2022, the votes of...

The Asian Development Bank approved a $500-million policy-based loan for the Philippines to help support its blue?economy. This will focus on protecting the marine ecosystem from threats such as extreme weather conditions and plastic pollution. The?programme will be cofinanced by Agence Francaise de Developpement (French Development Agency) and Germany's KfW Development Bank, each contributing about $235 millions. It aims to ensure environmental resilience as the Philippines taps into its ocean resources via industrial fishing, tourism -and offshore energy. In a press release, ADB Philippines Country director Andrew Jeffries stated that this is ADB’s first extensive multi-sectoral program focused on fostering...

Indonesia will revoke mine permits if it is found that companies have violated the rules in flood-ravaged Sumatra, said the Energy Minister as questions about deforestation's role in the disaster intensified. According to data from the government, cyclone-induced flooding and landslides in West Sumatra have killed 800 people and left 564 others missing. The cyclones have also caused the deaths of almost 200 people across Malaysia and Thailand. They followed months with deadly weather conditions in Southeast Asia including deadly typhoons that hit Vietnam and the Philippines. Landslides in Indonesia have blocked roads and cut off power, making it difficult...

The authorities battling the floods that hit Sumatra, an island in Indonesia, this week and killed around 800 people have asked for additional central government assistance to address shortages of food, fuel and funds. According to updated government figures, 463 people are missing in West Sumatra (North Sumatra), Aceh and West Sumatra. Local officials say that the lack of power and roads is preventing aid from reaching those who need it. Iskandar Al-Farlaky, the chief of East Aceh, stated that fuel had been limited in East Aceh for days and that aid was delivered by boat. Some people who lived...

As the flood waters receded, authorities began coordinating recovery efforts, rescuing stranded residents, restoring power and communications, and rescuing stranded citizens. A rare tropical storm has formed in the Malacca Strait, causing torrential rainfall across large parts of Indonesia and Malaysia. Authorities said that a cyclone killed 46 more people in the island nation of Sri Lanka. According to three Indonesian provincial authorities, by Friday afternoon 94 deaths had been confirmed in the badly affected Sumatra. Search and Rescue personnel were still unable to reach residents in the Padang Pariaman area of Sumatra on Friday, where 22 people had died....

The top Indonesian official in charge of the program said that the plan to retire coal-fired plants with a capacity of 6.7 gigawatts by 2030 is likely to fail due to the stalled funding from rich nations. The Just Energy Transition Partnership, a coalition of ten donor countries, promised to raise $20 billion for Indonesia in three to five year by 2022. This was once called the "single largest climate finance transaction." The sum was to include funds to retire coal-fired plants that represented 13.5% of Indonesia's total power capacity. Paul Butarbutar (JeTP Indonesia Secretary) said that no one has...

Authorities said that at least 18 people have died in landslides caused by rain in Central Java Province, Indonesia, last week. Search operations are ongoing. The disaster mitigation agency reported that a landslide last week in Cilacap buried 12 houses in Cibeunying. It said that the search and rescue effort was difficult because people were buried between 3 to 8 metres (ten to 25 feet). M Abdullah said that the landslide in Cilacap has left at least 16 dead and 7 people missing. KompasTV, a news channel, showed footage on Monday of excavators digging through the dirt in Cilacap. The...

A government official announced on Thursday that Indonesia will open 600,000 new hectares for palm oil production to boost stagnant production. This is the first expansion of plantation areas since a four-year moratorium expired. Abdul Roni Angkat, Agriculture Ministry official in Indonesia's resort island Bali, told an industry conference that the move was to increase production of palm oil due to a projected higher demand for food as well as energy independence. Roni stated that the plan will be implemented in four years, and will include 400,000 acres of "plasma" for smallholders. This category is usually composed of smallholder farmers...

Scientists warn that extreme weather events will only increase in frequency as temperatures continue to rise. At least 188 people were killed by Typhoon Kalmaegi in the Philippines. It also caused extensive damage to farmland and infrastructure across the archipelago. After landing in central Vietnam on Thursday night, the storm destroyed homes and uprooted many trees. The path of destruction of Kalmaegi coincides with the meeting of more than 190 delegates in Brazil's rainforest city of Belem for the latest round in climate talks. Researchers claim that the failure of leaders around the world to control greenhouse gas emission has...

The Norwegian government announced on Thursday that it would contribute around $3 billion to the Tropical Forests Forever Facility. This multilateral fund is intended to support the global conservation of endangered forest. The largest donation announced to date for the new fund proposed in Brazil by the summit's host is this first-reported gift. In a statement, the Norwegian government confirmed that it will contribute up to 30 billion crowns (2.99 billion dollars) to the fund by 2035. The fund aims to use contributions from government to raise more private funding. Brazil and Indonesia each contributed $1 billion to the fund....

Grace Fu, Singapore's Environment Minister, said Thursday that momentum on global climate change is waning, as geopolitical concerns create uncertainty for businesses and governments. The COP30 Climate Summit will take place from November 10-21. She told reporters that, in addition to geopolitical tensions and higher food and energy prices, these "political obstacles" are making it difficult for countries take the necessary climate action. She said that "the fact that the U.S. pulled out of Paris Agreement is an extremely important factor"... but there are also many political considerations." The annual summit is expected to attract around 50,000 delegates from 190...

Residents in the central Philippines began scrubbing mud off streets and houses that were still standing after the typhoon Kalmaegi tore through the area, killing at least 85 people and leaving dozens of others missing. As floodwaters receded in Cebu, the province that was hardest hit, scenes of destruction were revealed. Homes reduced to rubble and vehicles overturned, streets choked by debris, lives upended. Marlon Enriquez, 58, of Cebu City tried to salvage the belongings left in his home by scraping off the thick mud. This was the first flood that we have experienced. "I've lived here for 16 years,...

Fernando Haddad, Brazil's Finance minister, said that mobilizing 10 billion dollars in public resources to the Tropical Forests Forever Facility would be an ambitious but "possible target" for its first-year. The TFFF is a flagship project for Brazil, as it hosts the COP30 Climate Talks. It aims to raise $125 Billion to support global conservation of endangered forest. Haddad, speaking on the sidelines a Bloomberg event held in Sao Paulo said that other nations might indicate contributions to the fund at the United Nations Climate Summit in Belem, Brazil next week. Haddad, a G20 member, said that if a few...