Pollution








Asia

ADB approves $500 mln loan to support a sustainable Philippine blue economy

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...

North America

Pollution

US Supreme Court will hear Bayer's request to limit Roundup cases

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear Bayer’s request to limit lawsuits claiming the Roundup weedkiller caused cancer. This could potentially save billions of dollars and prevent millions of dollars in damages. The justices heard Bayer's appeal of a lower-court ruling in a case filed by a man who claimed he had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma following years of exposure Roundup. The Missouri Court of Appeals has rejected the German pharmaceutical &?biotechnology firm's argument that federal law governing insecticides prohibits lawsuits relating to pesticides brought under state laws. Bayer faces similar claims in state and federal courts in...

Pollution

The top cases in the US Supreme Court docket

During its current term, the U.S. Supreme Court weighs a number of important cases involving such issues as presidential powers and tariffs, gun rights, race, transgender sportspeople, campaign finance laws, voting rights, LGBT “conversion therapy”, religious rights, capital punishment, and more. The term began in October, and will run through June. Separately, the court has also acted in emergency cases in several cases that challenge President Donald Trump's policy. TRUMP TARIFFS During arguments on the 5th of November, the justices raised questions about the legality and impact of Trump’s sweeping tariffs. This case has implications for the global economic system....

Pollution

Trump to limit state's ability to block energy project in water rule

The Trump administration proposed on Tuesday a rule that would revise the 'Biden-era protections against pollution for waterways. This move, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), would speed up permitting of energy infrastructure and artificial intelligence. The 'proposed' rule would revise a rule from the administration of former President Joe Biden in 2023 on Section 401, which gave tribes and states authority to protect waters during their review of federally-permitted projects such as pipelines and power stations. Biden's rule replaced one from the first administration of President Donald Trump that limited the power?of tribes and states to force changes...

Carbon Emissions

Report: Power and building sectors are responsible for the rise in US greenhouse gases emissions

The U.S. greenhouse gases emissions increased for the first two years at a faster rate than the U.S. economy. They rose by 2.4% by 2025. This was largely due to the increase in power sector demand and the use of fuel for heating buildings. According to the research firm, the increase in emissions was primarily due to increased emissions from direct fuel used to heat buildings. These emissions rose 6.8% from 2025 to the previous year. The power sector also saw a 3.8% increase in emissions as a result of coal-fired generators being added to meet the demand for?data centres...

Coal

US EPA rejects Colorado haze plans to retire coal plants earlier

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rejected Colorado's plan on Friday to comply with regional haze regulations by closing its coal plants. It said the state "needs" the plants to continue running to maintain reliable power. The agency stated that Colorado's plan to reduce pollution from sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxidation, which causes haze and smog in national parks and wilderness regions, violated the Clean Air Act since the state failed to?get the consent of one of the coal plant targeted for an early retirement. Why it's important The Trump administration is extending the life of coal-fired plants in order to...

Carbon Emissions

"US withdrawal from key UN climate treaty is criticized as self sabotage".

Simon Stiell, the UN climate chief, said that the United States' decision not to sign a key U.N. climate treaty was a "colossal own goal" which would harm its economy, jobs and living standards. Stiell stated in a statement that "while all other nations are moving forward together, the latest step backward from global leadership can only harm the U.S. Economy, Jobs and Living Standards, as wildfires and?floods become more severe, and mega-storms, droughts, and floods worsen." "It's a colossal goal that will make the U.S.?less secure and less prosperous." Donald Trump, the U.S. president, who has been a vocal...

Energy Markets

Legal questions arise from Trump's withdrawal of the UN Climate Treaty

Some legal experts believe that the Trump administration's decision, made by the Trump Administration, to withdraw from the U.N. Climate Treaty, which was unanimously adopted in the U.S. Senate more than 30 year ago, could be illegal. They say Congress would have to approve the withdrawal. On Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced that the United States will withdraw from dozens international and U.N. organizations. This includes the U.N. The Framework Convention on Climate Change and the scientific Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are both "opposed to U.S. National Interests" by focusing on oil, gas, and mining development. Trump, who is...

Pollution

Nestle recalls infant formula in China and Brazil

Nestle has expanded its recall of certain batches of infant nutritional products beyond Europe, to include the Americas, Asia, China, and Brazil. This is according to statements from the company and the national health ministries. Nestle has recalled batches of SMA formula, BEBA formula, NAN formula, and Alfamino due to possible contamination by cereulide. This toxin can cause nausea and vomiting. At least 37 countries have issued health warnings about the possibility of contamination in infant formulas. This includes?most European States, Australia, Brazil and China. Nestle and its new CEO Philipp Navratil are under more pressure after the recall. Nestle...

Environment

Futures prices for soybeans and grains are rising as China purchases more US supplies

Chicago Board of Trade Soybean futures rose slightly on Tuesday, as China purchased more U.S. soybeans. The corn and wheat futures both rose slightly as the agricultural markets continued to gain after recovering?on Monday? from recent multi-week?lows. Traders were watching closely the?Chinese?demand for U.S. soybeans after Washington announced in late October Beijing's agreement to purchase supplies as part a truce between the two countries in their trade war. Three traders said that China's stockpiler Sinograin bought 10 U.S. soy cargoes this week, totaling around 600,000 tons. U.S. Department?Agriculture confirmed later that exporters had sold 336,000 metric tonnes of U.S. soya...

Environment

The top cases in the US Supreme Court docket

During its current term, the U.S. Supreme Court weighs a number of important cases involving such issues as presidential powers and tariffs, gun rights, race, transgender sportspeople, campaign finance laws, voting rights, LGBT “conversion therapy”, religious rights, capital punishment, and more. The term began in October, and will run through June. Separately, the court has also acted in emergency cases involving challenges against President Donald Trump's policy. TRUMP TARIFFS During arguments on 5 November, the justices raised questions about the legality and impact of Trump’s sweeping tariffs. This case has implications for the global economic system. It is a test...

Environment

GRAINS-Wheat Futures Posts Modest Gain on US Plains Dryness and Global Supply Weighs

Chicago wheat futures edged up on Tuesday, as a combination of dry conditions in the U.S. Plains region and increasing tensions in Black Sea export regions supported prices that were under pressure due to global?supplies. By 0415 GMT, the most active?wheat contracts on CBOT (Wv1) had risen 0.05% to $5.12-3/4 per bushel. Corn (Cv1) rose 0.17% to $5.12-3/4 a Bushel and soybeans (Sv1) gained 0.28 % to $10.65. Wheat, soybeans, and corn all extended gains in the second session of trading following traders' return from their?year-end holiday and assessment of crop weather. Last Friday, soybeans, wheat and corn reached their...

Climate Change

Trump Administration dissolves key climate research agency

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...

Europe

Environment

UN Biodiversity Treaty comes into force and aims to protect 30% oceans by 2030

On Saturday, a landmark global treaty to preserve biodiversity on the high seas went into effect. It provides countries with a legally-binding framework to tackle threats like overfishing and achieve a 30% target for the ocean environment by 2030. After 15 years of negotiation, the U.N. Biodiversity beyond National Jurisdiction Treaty (BBNJ) was finalised in March of 2023. It will create a global "marine protection area" network in previously unregulated ocean ecologies in international waters. At a press briefing, Adam McCarthy, the first assistant secretary of the Australian Foreign Ministry and co-chairman of the treaty’s preparatory comittee, said: "It is...

Pollution

Nestle recalls infant formula in Africa, Americas and Asia

Nestle has expanded its recall of certain batches of infant nutrition products beyond Europe. It now includes Africa, Americas, and Asia. Nestle recalled batches of SMA formula, BEBA formula, NAN formula, and Alfamino formulation because they may have been contaminated with cereulide. This toxin can cause nausea and vomiting. Health warnings have been issued in 37 countries including the majority of European states, Australia, Brazil and China. The recall puts more pressure on KitKat, Nescafe and its new CEO Philipp Navratil who is trying to restore growth with a portfolio review following management changes. Nestle shares are down 5.7% this...

Carbon Emissions

Weather service: UK to record hottest year and most sunny ever in 2025

The National Weather Service announced on Friday that Britain had its sunniest and hottest year ever in 2025. This was a record-breaking high, exceeding the previous one set in '2022. The?Met Office reported that the average annual temperature in 2018 was 10.09 degrees Celsius. This is higher than the previous average of 10.03 C. It's only the second time since 1884, when detailed records were first kept, that the annual average temperature has exceeded 10 C. Met Office first announced the possibility of setting a new record last month. The reading placed four of the five most recent years among...

Western Europe

South America

Environment

After 25 years of negotiation, EU and Mercosur Sign Trade Deal

After 25 years of negotiation, top officials from the EU signed a free-trade agreement with the Mercosur bloc in Paraguay on Saturday. This is the largest trade deal ever for the European Union. The agreement is designed to lower tariffs between the two regions and increase trade. It must now be approved by the European Parliament, and ratified in the Mercosur member countries of Argentina, Brazil?Paraguay, and Uruguay. The European Commission's Ursula von der Leyen, the European Council's Antonio Costa, and the Mercosur presidents all attended the ceremony on Saturday, except for the Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva...

Pollution

Nestle CEO apologizes for instant formula recall

Nestle CEO Philipp Navratil apologized?over the recall of certain batches of 'the?firms infant nutrition products in dozens of -countries. This was a new blow for the Swiss consumer goods company after a difficult 2025. "Before I go into more detail about the situation, I want to sincerely apologize for any worry or disruption this may have caused our customers, our caregivers, and parents," Navratil stated in a video released by the 'company. Navratil announced that all recalls had been made. According to the CEO, there are no confirmed illnesses linked to products. The recall has increased the 'pressure' on KitKat...

Environment

The EU objectors to the proposed deal prolong the COP30 discussions

Brazil's COP30 summit was forced to face a crucial day on Saturday after all-night discussions to break an impasse. The European Union had blocked a deal that it felt would not advance efforts to curb greenhouse gases, which are driving global climate changes. The two-week climate conference, billed as an opportunity to demonstrate that nations could still unite to combat climate change in the absence of the United States, was supposed to end on Friday. However the standoff forced the negotiators to work overtime. The Brazilian presidency tried to reach a compromise over a deal which most of the 200...

Fossil Fuels

The EU objectors to the proposed deal prolong the COP30 discussions

Brazil's COP30 Climate Summit faced a crunch-day on Saturday, after all night talks to overcome an impass after the European Union had blocked a deal it claimed would not advance efforts to curb greenhouse gases that are driving global climate changes. The two-week climate conference, billed as an opportunity to demonstrate that nations could still unite to combat climate change in the absence of the United States, was supposed to end on Friday. However the standoff forced the negotiators to work overtime. The Brazilian presidency tried to reach a compromise over a deal which most of the 200 countries attending...

Pollution

Draft COP30 deal drops effort for fossil fuel transition agreement

Brazil, the COP30 summit's president, released a draft of a proposed agreement for this year’s U.N. Climate Summit early on Friday. It dropped a proposal that was included in a previous version to develop a plan to move away from fossil-fuels. This issue was one of the most controversial at the two week conference in the Brazilian Amazon city of Belem, attended by nearly 200 government officials. The nations have been arguing over the future for fossil fuels. Their burning releases greenhouse gases, which are the biggest contributors to global warming. The first draft of the deal, which was released...

Carbon Emissions

Brazil's Lula presses COP30 negotiators to reach an early climate agreement

Brazil's President was scheduled to meet with key negotiators on Wednesday at the COP30 Summit as part of a push to reach a deal before schedule on some the most controversial issues in the global talks on climate change, including fossil fuels. Nearly 200 countries have gathered in the Amazonian city of Belem for a two-week U.N. Summit to increase multilateral action on climate change. The United States was absent, but the United States is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Brazil, the host country, hopes to break the trend of recent climate summits that have run past their deadlines...

Environment

Launch of UN-backed carbon markets could be delayed by funding issues

Five sources said that plans to launch a U.N. supported global market to trade carbon offset credits hit a snag during the COP30 Summit, as governments struggled to resolve a disagreement over funding in order to get the market running. The U.N. has been trying to create a global carbon market since the early 2000s. At last year's climate summit, rules were agreed on for a U.N. centralised trading system that allows countries and companies to buy CO2 emission credits which represent emissions reductions from poorer countries. It is intended to allow richer countries and companies to count these emission...

Carbon Emissions

Demand for carbon credits is fueled by the Big Tech industry

The demand from tech giants for high-quality credits to offset their AI emissions is fueling a shortage, which experts say is what's needed to stimulate investment in this nascent industry. Credits tied to forest preservation projects will be nearly four times as expensive in 2024 due to heavy purchases by companies such as Microsoft and Google over the past two years. Credit experts report that Big Tech collectively has spent hundreds of millions on carbon removals which capture and store CO2 for an extended time, a large portion of this in the past two years. According to CDR.fyi, the total...

Pollution

Climate protesters swelter in Brazilian sun outside COP30 summit

On Saturday, thousands of climate activists marched peacefully through the Brazilian city Belem to call for more action in order to protect the fate and future of the planet. They also vented their anger towards governments and fossil-fuel industries. Negotiators have reached the halfway mark of the marathon COP30 Climate Summit, which aims to put years of promises to action in order to stop global warming and provide support for those who are most affected. Indigenous people, youth activists, and civil society groups sang, played musical instruments, and waved banners in the sweltering heat. Marina Silva, Brazil's Environment Minister, addressed...

Climate Change

Brazilian protesters barricade the entrance to the COP30 Climate Summit

On Friday morning in Brazil, dozens of indigenous protesters blocked the entrance of the COP30 Summit venue. They staged a sit-in which forced delegates into a side door to resume their climate change negotiations. During the peaceful protests, security guards increased checks, and long queues formed to get into the compound. The sprawling complex is built on an old airport site in the Amazonian city of Belem. The venue hosts the annual U.N. Climate Conference where delegates of 195 countries are trying to make progress in halting global temperature rises that threaten delicate ecosystems, including the Amazon rainforest. The protesters...

Environment

Indigenous protesters defend summit intrusion as climate talks continue

On Wednesday, indigenous protesters defended the charging of the gates at Brazil's COP30 summit on climate change and the clash with security a few days earlier. They said the action was meant to demonstrate the desperation in their fight for the protection of forests. The protesters said they were mainly concerned about having their voices heard. They had been inside the compound listening to negotiators discussing the changing world as the temperatures increase. Auricelia is a member from the Arapiun tribe in Para state, Brazil, which hosts the Belem summit. She said that the protest was aimed at attracting the...

Environment

Raoni, an indigenous leader from the Amazon region, says that Brazil's infrastructure plans are a threat to the Amazon forest.

Raoni Metuktire, a 93-year-old indigenous leader, has urged Brazil to empower natives in order to preserve the Amazon rainforest. She also warned that the plans to build infrastructure are a direct danger to the forest and the people who live there. In an exclusive interview with The Telegraph on Tuesday, Chief Raoni, a leader widely known as the chief of the Raoni tribe, warned that the proposed rail projects, oil wells and highways will harm people around the world. "These projects continue to destroy rivers and land. It's not good. Raoni, who spoke in his native Kayapo language with his...