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• China commits to controlling steel production during the 2026-2030 period

  China said on Friday that it would continue to regulate crude-steel output and prohibit the addition of illegally new capacity between?2026 and 2030. As part of its plan to reduce carbon emissions, the world’s largest steel producer and consumer will stop increasing crude steel production in 2021. A protracted downturn in the property market had also affected domestic steel consumption, leaving the industry with an overcapacity. China's crude output of steel fell by 4% in the first 11 month of?2025 compared to the same period a year ago, keeping the annual total on course to drop below 1?billion tonnes for the first time in 6 years. In a recent statement, the National Development and Reform Commission (the state planner) said that the raw materials industry, including the steel, is currently experiencing a problem with an unbalanced supply-demand. The report added that "the raw-materials industry must deepen the supply-side reform in the Fifteenth Five Year Plan (2026-2030)... survival of the fittest is promoted." China's steel imports have been a booming business since 2023. This has helped to offset the decline in domestic demand. They have also sparked a global protectionist backlash with a growing number countries enforcing trade barriers because they claim that China's cheap goods harm local manufacturers. Beijing announced last week a plan for a licensing system to be implemented in 2026, to regulate the exports of around 300 steel-related products.

• Odesa Zoo saves birds after Russian attacks

  Volunteers lift a dead bird from the wind-swept beach of 'Odesa. The Black Sea port town where an oil spill, blamed by Ukrainian officials on Russian attacks, has left wildlife fighting for survival. Odesa is a Russian target, and has been since the Russian troops invaded Ukraine on February 20, 2022. However, the attacks are more intense now. Wildlife is also among the victims. Russia hasn't commented on the spill but previously denied targeting civilian infrastructure. Odesa Zoo is determined to save birds that survive after being coated with oil. Birds can no longer move due to their feathers becoming coated. "They can't fly or swim," said zoo director Ihor Bilyakov outside a rescue point to rehabilitate the birds. They lose their mobility and freeze quickly because it is cold now. The spill, which was caused by Russian air strikes that damaged storage tanks of sunflower oil in Pivdennyi Port last week, killed dozens of birds. Regional governor Oleh Kiper blamed the incident on Russian attacks. The birds screech indignantly when volunteers clean them of oil from their bill to toe. Biliakov said that the two most elegant species, the great crested and horned Grebes, were the worst affected. He said that the great crested Grebe is a waterfowl species that is particularly vulnerable to contamination by oil. The port administration reported that emergency crews deployed floating barriers and specialised vessels to contain spillage, and temporarily closed the channel. The oil will degrade organically, according to authorities. However, monitoring and cleanup efforts are ongoing in order to prevent any further spread. Reporting by Iryna Nazaarchuk, writing by Ron Popeski and editing by Howard Goller

• US regulator extends the driving time limit waiver to heating fuel haulers

  To speed up deliveries, the U.S. Transport Safety Regulator has extended an 'emergency waiver' on driving time limits for truckers transporting heating fuels. The extension was given on Tuesday because extreme cold and severe winter storms in Pennsylvania, as well as a major power outage at an important gas refinery, had 'disrupted' propane supplies and created immediate dangers to the public health, safety, and welfare of those states. U.S. regulations normally require truck drivers to take mandatory rest breaks and cap their daily?and weekday driving hours in order to reduce fatigue-related crashes. However, regulators may temporarily waive these limits to speed up deliveries of essential supplies during emergencies. The extension comes after an earlier emergency declaration by the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that relaxed'mandated rest and drive-time limits for trucks transporting heating 'fuels like propane, natural gas and heating oil in parts of the U.S. Northeast until December 26. The FMCSA stated that the affected states and jurisdictions include Connecticut, Delaware Maryland, Massachusetts New Hampshire New Jersey New York Pennsylvania West Virginia. (Reporting by Varun Sahay in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)

• EU to tighten import controls on plastics to aid struggling recyclers

  The European Union will implement stricter rules on imports of plastics. This is to help European recycling facilities that are struggling with cheaper imports. Plastics Recyclers Europe, a trade group, says that Europe's plastics recycling industry will lose more capacity by 2025 than it did in any other year. Low-cost imports of plastic and high energy prices are driving closures, including in the Netherlands. It is of particular concern that recycled plastic, which is made?from used material, is mislabeled as virgin plastic, which is a cheap new material made out of fossil fuels. This puts local recyclers in a difficult position because their recycled plastic can't compete on price. The European Commission (EU executive body) announced that it would introduce a 'legal change in the first half 2026, requiring stricter documentation of imported recycled plastics. A second proposal is to 'create separate customs code for recycled plastics and virgin plastics to make it easier to track imports. The Commission stated in a document laying out its plans that "the recycling sector is faced with high energy costs, low prices and instability for virgin plastics (linked to oil price) and competition by imports of cheap materials (often virgin plastics falsely claimed to have been recycled)." Additional measures include EU audits, even outside Europe, of recycling plants and the support of laboratories that conduct control checks to ensure recycled plastic shipments are genuine. Brussels will also examine whether or not it is necessary to introduce trade restrictions. The Commission announced that an EU import surveillance taskforce will monitor plastics imported during the year 2026. The EU imposed antidumping duties on Chinese PET Plastic - used in the manufacture of?bottles- to combat imports that Brussels claimed were so cheap?that they forced EU companies?to sell at a profit to compete. Six European countries including France, Spain, and the Netherlands?asked the EU to take further actions against the imports of low quality recycled plastics that they claimed were being sold for heavily discounted prices. The EU has also proposed rules that specify how products that are chemically recycled can be counted towards the EU's requirements for recycled materials in products. (Editing by Timothy Heritage).

• Five killed as Mexican plane carrying burned children crashes near Texas coast

  Five people were killed when a Mexican Navy small aircraft crashed off the Texas coast, near Galveston on Monday. The plane was part of a mission for an organization that assists?burn victims and transfers them to the U.S. for treatment. Mexico's Navy Secretariat said that the aircraft was carrying eight people: four?naval and four civilians. Two people are still alive and one person is missing. The aircraft was on an 'assignment to provide specialized medical transportation. The Michou y Mau Foundation, which helps Mexican children with severe burns, coordinated the operation. The Mexican authorities added that investigations?will be conducted to determine the causes of the crash. Reporting by Aida Pélaez-Fernandez Editing Frances Kerry

• EU expands compensation to industry for costs of emissions regulations

  It said that the European Commission would allow energy-intensive industries to get compensation to offset the cost of meeting EU emission?rules. The European Union, under pressure from some member countries and industries, has taken a number of steps to reduce the burden of climate legislation to ensure that European businesses remain competitive. The changes made on Tuesday loosen the rules for so-called state aids, which allow member states to compensate the industries for a portion of the increased power bills that result from the carbon price increase. Commission: The new guidelines will prevent "carbon leakage" which occurs when production is moved to countries outside of the EU that have weaker emission restrictions or when EU products are substituted with more carbon-intensive imports. The 'list of industrial sectors eligible to receive compensation under the EU's emissions trading system has been extended to include 20 additional sectors, such as the production?of organic chemical and certain activities in the ceramic, glass, and battery sectors. The Commission stated that the expansion was necessary because emissions costs have increased significantly in recent times, putting more industries at risk of carbon leakage. (Reporting and editing by Bart Meijer)

• Sinkholes in Turkey’s agricultural heartland cause farmers to be concerned

  Due to the dwindling rain and receding water levels, hundreds of sinkholes are appearing in Turkey's agricultural central region. This is causing concern among environmentalists and farmers who view it as an?unsettling sign of climate changes. In Karapinar, Konya, sinkholes are a common sight on farmland that produces?maize?,?wheat? and sugar beet. At times, there can be more than 10 in a single field. Ancient sinkholes in mountainous regions, which were once filled with water, are now mostly dry. According to Fetullah rik, a professor of geology at Konya Technical University who studies sinkholes, the pace at which they form has increased in recent years. The total is now approaching 700. Arik explained that the main reasons for the increase are climate change and the?drought which has affected the entire world since 2000. The groundwater level is decreasing every year as a result. He stated that the rate of groundwater?levels' decline has increased to 4 to 5 metres per year compared to half an metre per annual in the 2000s. This is a cause for concern in Turkey's main agricultural sector. Local farmers are forced to dig additional wells due to the drought and the receding water table. Many of these wells are not licensed, which further depletes the groundwater. Arik added that the demand for water in the Konya basin is extremely high. There are approximately 120,000 wells without licenses compared to 40,000 licensed ones. He said that while the new sinkholes had not yet caused any deaths, they were unpredictable and could endanger the lives of the locals. In the past two years, Mustafa Sik's farm in Karapinar has been ravaged by sinkholes. Sik's brother was working at the farm, a short distance away, in August 2024, when the second sinkhole appeared with a "terrifying, extremely loud rumbling sound." Geologists on Sik's Land found two additional areas where sinkholes may form, but it is impossible to predict when they will occur. "Are we worried? He said, "Of course we are worried." Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen, Editing by Daren and Alexandra Hudson

• US Interior Dept. weakens protection for sage-grouse to allow more oil and minerals development

  The Trump administration rolled back protections on Monday for the greater Sage-grouse in 8 western states of?U.S. The Trump administration has opened up more federal land for energy and mineral development. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) said that proposed changes would allow more development space than was allowed in 2015 plans while still protecting some important habitats for endangered birds across 65 million acres of sagebrush land. The agency said that the changes made to sage grouse protections are in accordance with two executive orders signed by Donald Trump earlier this year, which were intended to unleash U.S. production of energy and energy independence. Bill Groffy, Acting Director of the Bureau of Land Management, said: "We're strengthening American energy security while ensuring that the sage grouse continues its flourishing." In early 2010, the Endangered Species Act was amended to include greater sage grouse as a protected species. This was due to the rapid decline of the population. The Trump proposal would eliminate an annual warning system which aimed to flag declining populations of the ground-dwelling birds, as well as removing protections from more than 4 million acres sage grouse habitat in Utah. Idaho, Montana and North and South Dakota are also affected, as well as Nevada, Wyoming and California. Environmentalists have warned that opening up more federal land for energy extraction will push bird species into extinction, and harm other species. Randi Spivak is the public lands director for the Center for Biological Diversity. She said that Trump's reckless actions would speed up the extinction rate of the greater sage grouse if he allowed unrestricted fossil fuel extraction on tens and millions of acres of federal lands.

• Mercedes settles with US States for $150 Million over Diesel Scandal

  Mercedes-Benz reached a settlement of $149.6 Million with U.S. States to end a??long-running probe into allegations that the German automaker had cheated on diesel emissions, New York Attorney-General Letitia Jim said Monday. The automaker said that the deal effectively ended its legal issues in America over Dieselgate - first discovered at Volkswagen in September 2015 - and the emissions scandal. Mercedes has agreed to pay $149.6 millions and provide $2,000 in payments for eligible owners and lessors of vehicles that have received the required emission repairs. Mercedes agreed to take a number of 'actions' to avoid future misconduct, and to comply with the oversight requirements. According to the states, Mercedes had installed illegal software that was not disclosed in its diesel vehicles, which hid true pollution levels and incorrectly reduced emissions during government tests. However, in normal driving conditions the vehicles emit up to 30 or 40% more than the legal limit. MERCEDES SAYS THE BOTTOM LINE OF THE GROUP WILL NOT BE AFFECTED Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares stated that?the settlement includes the estimated?39.565 U.S. cars that have not been repaired or removed permanently from the road by the end of August 2023. Mercedes must cover the cost of installing the approved software for emission modification on all affected vehicles, provide consumers with an expanded warranty and pay them $2,000 each. Mercedes' spokesperson stated that the bottom line earnings of the group would not be affected, and "sufficient provisions have been made for the cost of the overall settlement". In a press release, the company stated that final court approval is required for these settlements. Mercedes-Benz has agreed to pay $2.2billion in 2020 to settle a U.S. Government investigation into diesel emissions cheating and to settle claims from 250,000 U.S. car owners. The automaker is required to pay $120 million immediately as part of the settlement announced Monday. The suspension of $29.6 millions will result in a reduction by $750 per affected Mercedes vehicle that is repaired, taken off the market or bought back. In 2020, the states will launch an investigation into Mercedes-Benz following Volkswagen's diesel emission scandal. VW paid more than $20 billion to settle fines and penalties after admitting in 2015 that it had installed "defeat devices", sophisticated software and other methods of cheating emissions tests in almost 11 million cars worldwide. Some of the biggest automakers in the world continue to be sued over the scandal. Mercedes could face further payouts in England where it's one of many companies, including Ford, Nissan, and Renault, facing a mass suit launched in October. Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington and Valerie Volcovici and Rachel More from Berlin, with editing by Barbara Lewis.

• Mercedes Benz settles with US States for $149,6 Million over diesel emissions

  Mercedes Benz reached a settlement of $149.6 Million with U.S. States to resolve a long-running probe into allegations?of cheating on diesel emissions?by the 'German automaker New Letitia James, York Attorney General, said on Monday. The settlement reached with Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia and 48 U.S. States includes the following: Mercedes will pay $149.6 millions and make $2,000 payments to owners and lessees of vehicles that require emissions repairs. Mercedes also 'agreed' to take a number of steps to prevent further misconduct and comply with the oversight requirements. The States?said Mercedes Benz has agreed to pay $2.2billion in 2020 to settle a U.S. government investigation into diesel emissions cheating and the claims of 250,000 U.S. car owners. In a new settlement, Mercedes Benz must pay an immediate $120 million to the states. The remaining $29.6 millions is suspended, and the amount will be reduced by $750 per affected vehicle Mercedes repairs or removes from the market. It paid out more than $20 billion in fines and penalties after admitting?in 2015 that it had cheated on emissions tests by installing sophisticated software and "defeat devices". Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington and Valerie Volcovici

• German Engineers are Building Future-Proof Forests

  Forest engineers use biodiversity for future-proofing forests Plantations of Spruce are vulnerable to pests and climate change Long-term forest restoration is hindered by financial challenges Joanna Gill From the 35-metre tower, all that is visible now is a flattened plateau. The trees are gone after being wiped out by a bark beetle infestation in 2018. Experts call this "calamity" that happened so quickly, 60-year-old oak trees fell in a matter of weeks in this forest in North Rhine-Westphalia along Germany's border to the Netherlands and Belgium. Petra Trompeter of Arnsberg's city forestry department said, "It is shocking for me, and for every forester." She was squinting in the low winter sunlight from the base the tower. Over many years, storms and droughts created conditions that allowed bark beetles the opportunity to consume rows upon rows of spruce. According to the World Meteorological Organization, 2024 will be the first year that global warming exceeds 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit). Climate change disasters will increase in intensity and frequency in a warmer world. They could also threaten the ability of forests to absorb carbon and thousands of jobs in the tourism and wood sectors. The independent Expert Council on Climate Issues in Germany warned that the country may miss its climate targets after 2030 as forests and wetlands, which were previously carbon sinks, are now becoming sources of emissions as a result of forest degradation. Forest engineers in North Rhine-Westphalia are now working to create resilient forests by combining tree species. This is part of a European Union-funded program. Trompeter said that even before the disaster we had been working to make the forest more diverse and structurally rich. The calamity forced us to act more quickly. Future Forests After World War Two, Germany planted spruce trees to harvest timber to pay reparations owed by the Allies. The species is favored by timber producers for its rapid uniform growth. These single-species plantations make?North Rhine-Westphalia’s forests vulnerable to heat, pests and drought. When everything is going well, the returns are positive, but when extreme weather causes mass tree losses, these are seen as "inevitable". Monoculture plantations may also be partly responsible for Germany's forests being unable to absorb carbon. He said that "natural forests can hold a lot more carbon." Diversification has been identified as a possible solution and is currently being tested across Europe. The 20 million-euro SUPERB Project, led by the European Forest Institute, and funded through the EU Green Deal, has seen forestry experts from Sweden to Spain set up twelve demonstration sites, including Arnsberg, in order to restore habitats, and transform monocultures. The Arnsberg area is 34 hectares and includes both public and private land. Forestry experts carefully selected four conifers and broad-leaf trees they believed could adapt to altitude and climate, and withstand hotter and dryer conditions in the future. Marcus Lindner is the head of resilience at the European Forest Institute. While the majority of forestry experts agree that variety is important, there are differing opinions on how to achieve it. Others prefer curated plantings of local species while others want to experiment with nonnative trees. Trompeter explained that this is not possible because nature protection laws in North Rhine-Westphalia only allow for local species. "And there we reached our limit." Banning on Biodiversity According to the German Agriculture Ministry, trees?play a critical role in the economic system, providing 76 million cubic meters of timber each year, 750,000 employment opportunities in forestry and wood, as well as boosting the rural economy through eco-tourism. Rouven Soyka is the press officer of the Sauerland Tourism Board. The Sauerland region in?North Rhine-Westphalia has a hilly terrain that's a popular hiking destination. However, the massive dieback caused the area to be unrecognisable to some visitors. Nature tourism is affected by all means. It's very important that nature is preserved in our classic outdoor region. Many forest owners cannot afford to reforest without state subsidies that do not cover the entire cost. Peter Jungermann says that he must think twice about investing in high-maintenance broad leaf varieties, rather than market-friendly conifers. This is especially true given the financial pressures on forest owners. It can be a "existential threat" to the nursery if he makes the wrong decision about which tree he should plant. The shifting political winds can also complicate planning for the future. Due to the backlash of businesses and farmers, key laws that were meant to be part the EU's Green Deal have been watered-down in the last year. It is still unclear how much money the EU budget for 2028-2034, which amounts to 2 trillion euros (2.35 trillion dollars), will allocate to forest restoration. Negotiations are expected to take place over the next two-year period. The German budget for 2026 prioritizes defence and infrastructure as the government tries to revive a sluggish economic. Trompeter said that forests are essential to human life and the health of the planet. "Where else can we spend it than on preserving nature and making it climate resilient?"

• Swiss court admits Indonesian Islanders climate case against Holcim

  A Swiss court said Monday that it would accept a lawsuit against Holcim, a Swiss cement manufacturer. The complaint alleged the company was doing too little in order to reduce carbon emissions. Four residents from the low-lying Indonesian Island of Pari who have been repeatedly flooded by warmer temperatures?pushing up sea levels?, filed a legal complaint to the cantonal Court in?Zug in Switzerland in January 2023. The court admitted the case, but said that it could be reversed in a subsequent appeal if it found that the procedural requirements were not met. Holcim has announced that it will appeal the ruling and that the issue of "who can emit how much CO2?" should be decided by lawmakers, not a civil court. Swiss Church Aid, a non-profit organization that is supporting the Pari case, stated in a press release that this was the first time a Swiss court had admitted climate litigation against a large company. We are delighted. This decision gives me the strength to fight on," Ibu Asmania said in a statement by Swiss Church Aid. Ibu is one of four Pari residents who are pursuing this case. This is great news for our family and us. The NGOs that backed the complainants said they chose Holcim as it is one of the largest carbon dioxide emitters in the world and "a so-called Carbon Major" in Switzerland. Holcim has stated that it is committed to achieving net zero by the year 2050, and follows a 'rigorous, science-based' approach to reach this goal. The company also claims to have reduced CO2 emissions directly from its operations more than 50% in the last five years. The plaintiffs want compensation from Holcim, for the climate damage that they have experienced. They also want financial support in flood prevention measures and a reduction in CO2 emissions. Global Cement and Concrete Association reports that cement production is responsible for about 7% CO2 emissions worldwide. (Reporting and editing by Dave Graham, Denis Balibouse)