Environment

Radiant, a startup company, announced on Wednesday that it had raised $300 million for its latest funding round to mass-produce nuclear reactors. The funding round was led by Draper Associates & Boost VC, and included funding from Founders Fund ARK Venture Fund Chevron Technology Ventures, and other investors. Why it's important After decades of stagnation, the U.S. nuclear industry is seeing a surge of demand. This is due to the demand for data centers that are used in artificial intelligence technologies as well as electrifications of industries like transportation and manufacturing. The funding round will assist Radiant in commercializing as...

The Trump administration announced on Tuesday night that it would dissolve a federally funded?climate research center located in Colorado. This is the latest attempt to?defund this research. Ross Vought of the White House Office of Management and Budget said that the administration would break up the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder (NCAR), which conducts scientific research on earth systems. The facility, he added, "is one of America's largest sources of climate alarmism." Vought posted on X Tuesday night that "a?comprehensive' review was underway & vital activities like weather research would be relocated to?another location or entity." This is...

The world is blind to the horrors of Sudan DRC is hellscape for women Twelve crises that are often overlooked by the public Emma Batha Experts warn that aid operations are in danger of collapsing and two cities are on the brink of famine. Abdurahman Sharif, director of Save the Children's humanitarian department, said that the Sudan crisis should dominate the front pages of the newspaper every day. "Children live a nightmare in plain view, but the world continues to look away shamefully." The Democratic Republic of Congo, widely regarded as the deadliest war since World War Two is ranked...

The U.S. energy secretary signed an executive order on Tuesday that will 'keep a unit at TransAlta coal power?plant open for most of the winter in Washington State, the latest step taken by the Trump Administration to support fossil fuels. The order instructs the unit 2 at Centralia Generating?Station, to remain open. The order says that it is to close at the end of 2025. However, it will remain in force until March 16, 2026. Chris Wright, Energy Secretary of the United States, said in September that he expected that many coal plants would delay their retirement to provide electricity...

On Tuesday, a group of 16 states plus?the _District of Columbia? sued the U.S. Government after the Trump administration suspended two grant programmes for electric vehicle charging facilities. California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated that Trump's Department of Transportation refused to approve new funding for two electric vehicle charging infrastructure programs created by Congress in 2022 as part of the $1 trillion infrastructure law. In June, an?U.S. In June, a?U.S. Bonta stated that "this is just another reckless attempt to stall the fight for air pollution and climate changes, slow innovation, and thwart creation of green jobs, leaving communities without...

The European Commission has proposed that the EU will drop its effective ban on combustion engine cars by 2035, allowing some non-electric vehicle sales to continue. This is in response to intense pressure from Germany and Italy as well as Europe's auto sector. The EU executive has reportedly bowed down to carmakers who want to continue selling plug-ins and range extenders which burn fuel, as they are struggling to compete with Tesla and Chinese electric vehicles makers. All new cars and vans must have zero emissions by 2035, according to current EU regulations. In the proposal of Tuesday, instead, the...

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...

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...