Environment








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Fossil Fuels

India's highest court-appointed panel clears Ambani's son's Wildlife Centre of wrongdoing

The Supreme Court of India announced on Monday that a wildlife rescue center run by a philanthropic branch of Mukesh Ambani’s group was cleared of accusations of animal mistreatment and illegal acquisition. It cited findings of a committee appointed by the court. In August, India’s top court appointed an investigation team to investigate complaints by non-profits and wildlife groups alleging mistreatment of animals at Vantara. Questions were raised about how the animals had been brought to the centre. The court ruled that the evidence does not support the claims of abuse or illegal acquisition. Vantara, a project led by Anant...

Climate Change

US appellate court pauses on climate rule challenges

Court documents show that a federal appeals court said on Friday it would suspend its consideration of the legal challenges against U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission climate regulations until Wall Street regulators decide whether they will change them or defend them in court. The SEC, under former president Joe Biden adopted rules that required publicly traded companies, led by Republican states, to inform investors about climate risks, emissions, and spending. Republican-led state and an industry group immediately challenged this in court. In March, under Republican President Donald Trump the SEC decided to stop defending this rule. The U.S. Court of...

Environment

US EPA proposes to end mandatory greenhouse gas reporting

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a rule on Friday to end the mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions by 8,000 facilities. This program, the EPA said, was burdensome for businesses but left the public in the dark about the environmental impact. The agency stated that mandatory collection of GHG emission data is unnecessary as it "is not directly related to potential regulations and has no significant impact on improving the health and environment of humans." KEY QUOTE The Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, according to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, is nothing but bureaucratic red-tape that doesn't improve air quality....

Environment

EU Aluminium Producers Push for 30% Scrap Export Levy

The European Union’s aluminium industry is calling on the European Commission (EC) to impose a duty of about 30% on scrap metal exports to prevent it from flooding out of Europe and leaving local producers short. According to the industry group European Aluminium, EU aluminum scrap exports will reach a record 1,26 million metric tonnes in 2024. This is around 50% more than it was five years ago. The majority of these scraps are headed to Asia. According to the EU industry, since then, the situation has worsened because of President Donald Trump’s import tariffs. These were set at a...

Fossil Fuels

US CPC predicts 71% La Nina in Oct-Dec

The U.S. Climate Prediction Center said that a transition from El Nino/Southern Oscillation neutral to La Nina will likely occur in the next few months. There is a 71% probability of La Nina between October and December. Climate Prediction Center reported on Thursday. The U.S. forecaster said that "La Nina will be favored in the future, but chances of it occurring are expected to decrease from 54% between December 2025 and February 2026." Why it's important La Nina is a part of El Nino-Southern Oscillation, a climatic cycle that affects the water temperatures in central and eastern Pacific Ocean. La...

Environment

How New York transforms millions of pounds of food waste to 'black Gold'

Watermelon rinds and pizza boxes with grease, as well as yard trimmings. These items would be destined for a landfill in many cities. In New York, these items are used to make something surprising valuable: "black-gold." Jennifer McDonnell, the Deputy Commissioner of Solid Waste Management for the New York City Department of Sanitation said: "We are making this amazing compost that we can utilize throughout the city to improve soil health." Staten Island's Compost Facility is managed by Denali Water Solutions. It has been processing landscaper waste for many years, but now it also processes residential organic waste. The facility...

Climate Change

Climate advisory panels are dismantled by the US Treasury Department

The U.S. Financial Regulators voted Wednesday to dissolve two committees that were charged with monitoring the financial risks caused by climate change. This ends a multi-year effort of the Biden Administration to embed climate threats in financial regulations. The Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC), a multi-regulator body that monitors risk and is chaired Scott Bessent of the Treasury Department, revoked, by voice vote, without dissent, or abstentions, during a public meeting, the charters for its Climate-Related Financial Risk Committee, as well as its Climate-Related Financial Risk Advisory Committee. Janet Yellen was Bessent’s predecessor in the Biden administration. She warned that...

Fossil Fuels

Top cases heard by the US Supreme Court in 2025-2026

The U.S. Supreme Court is preparing to decide a number of cases during its upcoming term that begins in October. These cases include issues like tariffs, transgender, campaign finance, crisis pregnancy centers and religious rights. The following are some of the cases that will be heard during the upcoming court term. Separately, the court has also acted in emergency cases in several cases that involved challenges to President Donald Trump’s policies. TRUMP TARIFFS On September 9, the court agreed to rule on the legality Trump's sweeping tariffs around world, a test that will be a major part of his agenda...

Nuclear Power

US lawmakers ask Trump to cancel the plutonium fuel project over concerns about proliferation

Democratic U.S. legislators on Wednesday called for President Donald Trump's cancellation of a plan that would make surplus plutonium derived from Cold War era atomic weapons available to nuclear power operators as fuel, citing a proliferation threat. In May, Trump signed executive orders that directed the government to stop a large part of its current program to dilute plutonium and dispose of it and to instead use it as fuel for advanced nuclear technology. The administration announced last month that it would make about 20 metric tonnes of plutonium, which was derived from decommissioned nuclear warheads, available as fuel for...

Environment

Lazy investors, unite! Vanguard takes on the challenge of 'rational indifference': Ross Kerber

The problem that would-be reformers of corporate voting continue to face is the same: It's so complicated for an individual investor. Reformers might want to be careful about what they wish for. Shareholders in Vanguard 500 index funds, for example, could be faced with 4,500 decisions each year regarding how to vote proxy ballots during corporate annual meetings. Who could sort all that out, anyway? In a forthcoming paper, a group of professors of law and business from Duke University, University of Florida and Columbia University refers to the "rational apathy" problem. They say that shareholders will not waste time...

Pollution

MAHA Report on US Children's Health Targets Food and Drug Marketing

In its second report, released on Tuesday, the Commission "Make America Health Again" said that it will tackle what is perceived as an epidemic among American children. It has called for changes, such as full-fat dairy in cafeterias, and to limit marketing of drugs and food. The commission was established by Donald Trump via an executive order, and is led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. a longtime anti-vaccine activist. It builds on the findings of a commission report from May. This report linked the rising rates of childhood diabetes, obesity, autism and ADHD to processed foods, overprescriptions of medications, and...

Environment

UN Human rights chief condemns "mass killing" of Palestinians in Gaza

The United Nations Human Rights Chief condemned Israel for "massacring" Palestinian civilians in Gaza, and "hindering sufficient life-saving aid", saying that the country has a case before the International Court of Justice. Volker Turk is the head of the Office of the United Nations' High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). He did not describe the Gaza War as a genocide in progress, as had been urged by hundreds of U.N. employees. In his opening remarks to the 60th Human Rights Council session in Geneva, Turk expressed disgust at the "open use of genocidal language" and the "disgraceful humanization" of Palestinians...

Europe

Environment

Trump's visit to Britain will see the signing of a nuclear power agreement between the US and Britain

The British government announced that during Donald Trump's visit to the United States this week, Britain and the United States would sign an agreement to boost nuclear power together, which will help secure funding for new plants. The British government has been pushing to expand the use of nuclear energy in recent months. It has pledged to invest 19 billion dollars in a new Sizewell C plant and is advancing plans to have a Rolls-Royce division build Britain's first small-modular reactors. Trump will arrive in Britain on Tuesday for a 2-day visit, where he and Keir starmer, the Prime Minister...

Climate Change

EU countries delay deal on new climate goal, diplomats say

Three EU diplomats said on Friday that the European Union has shelved its plans to adopt a new target for climate change next week after France and Germany resisted plans to reach a quick agreement. The countries are discussing a legally binding target of reducing net EU greenhouse gas emission by 90% from 1990 levels by 2040. A portion of this will be covered by purchasing foreign carbon credits. According to the European Commission, this will provide investors with certainty and help Europe reach net zero emissions in 2050. Climate change has caused Europe to become the fastest-warming continental in...

Environment

Rome's Mayor says River Tiber may be open to swimming within five years

Rome's mayor announced on Thursday that he hopes to open up the River Tiber for public swimming in five years. This initiative was also taken by Paris. After a thorough cleaning, the French authorities allowed swimming in the Seine for the first since 1923. This was prompted by the use of the venue for the Paris Olympics 2024. Rome's mayor Roberto Gualtieri announced that he has set up a Tiber working group and will open it up to all national and regional authorities. Gualtieri, during a trip to Japan's Osaka Expo fair, said: "We are happy to have established that...

Western Europe

East Asia

Energy Markets

EU drafts plans to prevent carbon border tariff circumvention

A spokesperson for the European Commission said that measures will be proposed this year to stop countries from avoiding its border carbon tariff. Some in Brussels are concerned that Chinese companies could restructure their trade to avoid paying the tax. Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, the first carbon border tax in the world, will begin to charge fees for CO2 emissions from imported goods, including steel, aluminum, cement, and fertilisers, starting in January. The system is designed to bring foreign producers up to par with European manufacturers who pay for their carbon emissions through the European Carbon Market. Brussels officials are...

Climate Change

Shanghai locals try to beat the heat by indoor skiing

On Thursday, thousands of people in Shanghai flocked to the largest indoor ski resort in the world to escape the heat. The temperatures in the Chinese capital reached around 37 degrees Celsius. Shanghai L+SNOW Indoor Skiing Resort is a 98,000-square-metre (117207 square yard) indoor ski resort where temperatures are kept at or below 5degC all year. Tang Junqi spent a day with her mother. It was hot and felt like I was in a pot. The 10-year-old boy said, "But it feels like you're in a refrigerator inside." Shanghai experienced on Friday its 24th consecutive August day with temperatures above...

Environment

Iron ore prices fall as supply increases and offsets strong near-term demand

The price of iron ore fell on Wednesday, for the second session in a row. This was due to a rising supply that outweighed brisk short-term demand. The daytime trading price of the most traded January iron ore contract at China's Dalian Commodity Exchange was 0.64% less than its previous closing price, which was 777.5 Yuan ($108.70). As of 0714 GMT, the benchmark September iron ore price on the Singapore Exchange remained flat at $102,35 per ton. The daily hot metal production hovered around 2.4 millions tons due to healthy steel margins. This boosted demand for raw materials including iron...

Mineral Resources

Iron ore prices rangebound due to rising supply and firm demand

The iron ore price ranged on Wednesday, as a growing supply of the steelmaking component offset a solid demand in the near term. As of 0237 GMT, the most traded January iron ore contract at China's Dalian Commodity Exchange dropped 0.38% to 775 yuan ($108.70). As of 0227 GMT, the benchmark September iron ore traded on Singapore Exchange was up 0.26% at $102.6 per ton. The daily hot metal production hovered around 2.4 millions tons due to healthy steel margins. This resulted in a steady demand for raw materials including iron ore and prevented a price drop. Analysts say that...

Carbon Emissions

China's carbon markets will introduce absolute emission caps in 2027

The cabinet announced on Monday night that China would tighten the market for carbon trading by introducing absolute emission caps in certain industries starting 2027. According to a joint statement from the State Council of China and the Central Committee of the Communist Party, the caps will first be implemented in industries that have relatively stable carbon emission levels by 2027. China's national carbon market, or emissions trading system (ETS), will be largely established by 2030. "Policymakers have tightened the system", said Xuewan Chen senior research analyst at LSEG. In a statement, it was stated that the national carbon market...

Environment

Brazil rejects UN demand for hotel subsidies in tense COP30 discussions

Brazilian officials announced on Friday that the government of Brazil has ruled out subsidizing hotel rates for all delegates at the United Nations Climate Summit it will be hosting in November. This was after a meeting they described as being tense with U.N. officials. As delegations become increasingly concerned about the price of accommodation in Belem, the Amazonian coastal city that hosts the Amazon Conference, the standoff has occurred. Brazil is trying to double the number of hotel rooms available. Entrepreneurs have also been creative in converting love-motels and ferryboats into hotels to accommodate delegations. The Brazilian government has rejected...

Environment

China suspends Argentine chicken imports five months following lifting of ban

China has suspended the imports of Argentinean poultry products as of August 20, only five months after lifting a ban that lasted two years. The ban was imposed after the Argentinean government temporarily halted shipments due to a detection of avian influenza in a commercial poultry farm. The notice of suspension posted on the Chinese Customs website did not specify the reason or the length of time the suspension would last. The Customs authorities didn't immediately respond to an inquiry for comment. This week, Argentina's National Health Service (Senasa), confirmed a case in the province of Buenos Aires of Highly...

Environment

Beijing, historically dry, is it ready for a wetter future?

Cui Jian, the owner of a rural hotel in Beijing, and his guests were stranded in the rain on a roof during the deadly floods that struck Beijing last month. Rescuers had to battle through metres-high silt and mud to reach them the following day. Beijing's northern Huairou District and the neighbouring Miyun District received an entire year's rain in just one week. This led to flash floods which devastated entire villages, killing 44 people. It was the worst flood in Beijing since 2012. Most Huairou villagers were asleep when the authorities issued their most severe weather warning. In the...

Climate Change

Northern China flash flood kills 8, Xinhua reports

State media reported that at least eight people died in a flash flooding in northern China on Sunday. Four others are still missing. The East Asian monsoon is continuing to create atmospheric chaos in the second largest economy in the world. A report stated that the banks of the river flowing through grasslands in Inner Mongolia burst around 10:00 pm (1400 GMT) Saturday night, washing away thirteen campers near Bayannur, a major agricultural center. One person was rescued. Since July, China has been hit by weeks of extreme weather. The monsoon is stalled over the north and south. As flash...

Coal

US to provide nearly $1 billion for minerals and materials

Energy Department announced on Wednesday that the Trump administration will propose funding of nearly $1 billion to accelerate the development and production of critical minerals and materials in the United States, which are used in everything from electric vehicles batteries to semiconductors. The statement stated that the department will offer funding for the advancement and scaling up of mining, processing, and manufacturing technologies within the vital minerals and materials supply chain sectors, which have traditionally been dominated China and other countries. Chris Wright, Energy Secretary, said that the United States had relied too much on foreign actors for the supply...

Environment

Chinese villages hit by the worst floods for generations claim they did not have warning

Over the years, Pingtou's residents, who live in a sub-tropical village of China, have experienced many typhoons, rainstorms, and other natural disasters. Nothing prepared them for the flooding that hit Pingtou this week, which was the worst in decades. On Friday, Guangdong residents were still dragging furniture and appliances from their homes that had been damaged by the recent downpour. At least four of these items collapsed. One villager in his fifties, who requested to be identified only by his surname Zhong, said that the older people here have never seen such flooding in their 100 years of living here....

Mining

Australian miner Fortescue receives a loan of nearly $2 billion to advance decarbonisation

Fortescue announced on Friday that it had secured a term loan facility of 14.2 billion Chinese Yuan ($1.9 billion), as the Australian mining company looks to support ambitious decarbonisation goals. The mining giant announced at the end July that they would be scaling back their green hydrogen projects both locally and in the United States. Fortescue said that it was evaluating options for repurposing the assets and land of the Arizona Hydrogen Project, and the PEM50 Project at Gladstone in Australia. It is expecting a preliminary write-down of $150 million before taxes in its second-half earnings, related to the spending...