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KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 3 (Reuters) - U.S. customs authorities said palm oil products made by Sime Darby Plantation <SIPL.KL> were no longer produced with forced labour, in a sign that a two-year import ban on the Malaysian firm will soon be lifted. Goods made by Sime Darby Plantation, the world's largest palm oil company by land size, have been blocked by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) from entering the United States since December 2020 over suspected abusive labour practices. Sime Darby said it was aware of the U.S. notice. Shares of Sime Darby Plantation eased 0.5% on Friday morning. Sime Darby Plantation is among eight Malaysian firms that have been banned by the United States in the past four years over forced labour allegations.

[1/5] Aerial view of the northern border state of Sonora where state electric utility CFE is building the largest solar plant in all of Latin America, in Puerto Penasco, Sonora state, Mexico February 2, 2023. REUTERS/Raquel Cunha/PoolCompanies Alchimie SA FollowPUERTO PENASCO, Mexico, Feb 2 (Reuters) - The first power from a giant solar energy park in the desert of northern Mexico will enter the country's electricity grid in April, officials said on Thursday, as the nation aims to burnish its green credentials with the flagship project. Mexican officials on Thursday, during a tour of the solar park with a group of over 60 foreign diplomats, sought to dampen concerns over Lopez Obrador's commitment to renewables and energy transition. Mexico is looking for partners to help fund the park and the country's broader transition to greener energy sources. Reporting by Stefanie Eschenbacher in Puerto Penasco, Mexico Editing by Stephen Eisenhammer and Alistair BellOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Experts estimate that about half of the German electric vehicles registered in the United States are leased. While the scale of the U.S. subsidies has attracted most attention, the EU has large potential resources of its own. THE REAL PROBLEM"The amounts of subsidies in Europe are in line or even more than those in the United States, that is not the problem," said one senior European Union official. "The real problems are the incentives to make firms move production to the United States," said the official, referring to the local content requirements. To ensure Europe can compete with the United States, the European Commission on Wednesday proposed measures including loosening EU state aid rules and repurposing existing EU funds.

"Major economies are rightly stepping up investment in net zero industries," von der Leyen told a news conference. And we want to be an important part of this net-zero industry that we need globally," von der Leyen said. RESISTANCEThe European Commission is hoping member states will back its plan at a Feb.9-10 summit but it faces a hot debate. Solar sector industry group SolarPower Europe said it was concerned by what it called a "lack of focus" on specific technologies in the EU plan. The bloc is heavily reliant on China for rare earths and lithium, which are vital materials for the green transition.

The plan is partly a response to multi-billion-dollar support programmes of China and the United States, including the latter's Inflation Reduction Act. Many EU leaders are concerned that the local content requirements of its $369 billion of green subsidies will encourage companies to relocate, making the United States a leader in green tech at Europe's expense. RESISTANCEThe European Commission is hoping member states will back its plan at a Feb.9-10 summit but huge chunks are likely to be hotly debated among member states. There is also clear opposition from some EU members to previous suggestions that the plan could entail further joint borrowing. The bloc is heavily reliant on China for rare earths and lithium, which are vital materials for the green transition.

The plan is partly a response to multi-billion-dollar support programmes of China and the United States, including the latter's Inflation Reduction Act. Many EU leaders are concerned that the local content requirements of its $369 billion of green subsidies will encourage companies to relocate, making the United States a leader in green tech at Europe's expense. Longer term, the Commission will propose creating a European Sovereignty Fund to invest in emerging technologies. The bloc is heavily reliant on China for rare earths and lithium, which are vital materials for the green transition. The EU executive also wants to seal more free trade agreements and partnerships to make supply chains more resilient and to open markets for green goods.

FASTER PERMITSClean tech firms could be in line for simpler rules and fast-tracked permits to build production facilities in Europe. The EU executive said it would produce a "Net-Zero Industry Act" offering faster permits to manufacturers of technologies key to its climate goals. That could include carbon capture and storage, renewable energy, renewable hydrogen production facilities and batteries. Brussels had already slashed the time lines and simplified the rules for renewable energy projects last year. The Commission, which oversees EU trade policy, wants to increase the EU's network of trade agreements, such as those concluded with Chile, Mexico, New Zealand and Mercosur and one it aims to agree with Australia.

Jan 31 (Reuters) - Solar panels and home batteries have soared in popularity because they allow consumers to generate and store their own carbon-free power and save on their electricity bills. When used this way, they are called virtual power plants, or VPPs. "Virtual power plants are at the center of that." U.S. solar companies including Sunrun Inc (RUN.O) and SunPower Corp (SPWR.O) have pooled some of their customers' systems into virtual power plants in California, Hawaii and New England. Sunrun last year, for example, operated a virtual power plant with thousands of homes in New England that provided 1.8 gigawatt-hours to the grid during June through August.

Instead, the draft seen by Reuters offers to re-purpose some of the money the EU has already agreed to raise jointly for its post-coronavirus pandemic recovery fund. It will also loosen state aid rules to allow governments to support their firms more. GREEN TRANSITIONThe Recovery Fund already earmarks 250 billion euros in total to be spent on the transition to a green and sustainable economy. But an additional 225 billion euros in the Recovery Fund has not even been claimed by any country because these are cheap loans and governments prefer grants. The Commission said governments will now be able to use these unclaimed loans for green industry support, along with a 5.4 billion euro reserve in the EU budget created to counter the effects of Brexit.

BRUSSELS, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Producers of clean technologies like renewable hydrogen and batteries could receive faster permits under European Union plans to support industries facing U.S. and Chinese competition, a draft document showed on Monday. Specific projects considered important to developing clean technology supply chains could also receive speedier permits, said the draft, which could still change before it is published. Potential options include batteries, carbon capture and storage, renewable energy, renewable hydrogen, energy storage, and low-carbon construction technologies, although the EU will assess which projects to make eligible, the draft said. The EU would also set goals to expand these industries by 2030, to ensure they keep up with Europe's growing needs for clean energy and products. Brussels is looking to create more EU-wide standards for clean technologies - potentially by defining requirements for net-zero emissions products, which could then guide national governments' public procurement of such goods, the draft said.

The funds, which reflect a range of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, are also set to lag the performance of non-ESG funds for the first time in five years, data shows, after the fossil fuel shares they typically shun soared. "They (ESG funds) are subject to the same market movements," she added. Reuters GraphicsHowever, non-ESG funds have also suffered withdrawals, losing $420 billion in the first 11 months of 2022, the data shows. Reuters GraphicsUNDERPERFORMINGAfter several years of outperform - thanks partly to large holdings of U.S. technology stocks - ESG equity funds, which make up the bulk of assets in the sector, have fallen back to earth. ESG equity funds have lost 18% to end-November, versus a 15.8% fall in non-ego equity funds, based on Refining Lipper data.

[1/2] A trader works as a screen displays the trading information for BlackRock on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., October 14, 2022. Elsewhere, Florida said it plans to pull $2 billion in investments from BlackRock, which said the action put politics above investor interest. BlackRock, meanwhile, also faces pressure from campaigners and others to drive quicker change by using its voting power to force boards to act to reduce carbon emissions. Against that backdrop, BlackRock said in an annual update on its stewardship policies, which guide talks with boards ahead of shareholder meetings, that it had only made a "few changes". One was to mention in the policy for the first time its support for enhanced disclosures from companies exposed to risks and opportunities relating to nature.

Exxon has yet to set any 2030 Scope 3 target. Shell said it believed its targets are aligned with the U.N. climate targets. We remain committed to constructive engagement with our investors," a Shell spokesperson said in a statement. The group of investors co-filing the resolutions includes Edmond de Rothschild Asset Management, Degroof Petercam Asset Management and Achmea Asset Management. Exxon and Chevron have in the past successfully blocked attempts to file climate resolutions with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

BRUSSELS, Dec 17 (Reuters) - European Union negotiators were set on Saturday morning to resume efforts to reach a deal on overhauling the EU carbon market, the bloc's main policy tool for fighting global warming, after a first round of talks failed on Friday. Meeting that goal will require the EU carbon market to be reformed to cut emissions faster, which it does by requiring around 10,000 power plants and factories to buy CO2 permits when they pollute. Negotiators are at odds over how quickly to end the free CO2 permits the EU gives industries to protect them from foreign competition. But EU lawmakers want to exclude private consumers from the new CO2 market, a stance opposed by EU countries. If approved, the revamped carbon market will form the centrepiece of a package of 12 new EU policies designed to cut planet-heating emissions faster.

☆ Four leaders sign agreement to bring green Azeri energy to Europe
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Expert Analysis | Reuters Professional | Calls Grow For Companies To Disclose Impacts On Nature In Bid To Plug Finance Gap | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BUCHAREST, Dec 17 (Reuters) - The leaders of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and Hungary signed an agreement on Saturday on an underwater electric cable under the Black Sea to carry green Azeri energy to Europe. "Given the current security context marked by the military aggression against Ukraine we need to cooperate better and show more solidarity to mitigate common challenges," Romanian President Klaus Iohannis told the meeting, also attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Reporting by Gergely Szakacs and Luiza Ilie, Editing by Angus MacSwanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Factbox: Aluminium companies compete to sell low-carbon products
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Expert Analysis | Reuters Professional | Calls Grow For Companies To Disclose Impacts On Nature In Bid To Plug Finance Gap | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Aluminium companies have launched a raft of aluminium products with lower carbon emissions, largely by either using hydro power or recycled material. Below are low-carbon aluminium brands by the major producers. * ALCOA (AA.N)ECOLUM - Primary aluminium with a total carbon footprint of under 4 tonnes of CO2, including bauxite mining and refining. * RIO TINTO (RIO.L), (RIO.AX)RENEWAL - Primary metal with CO2 emissions of 4 tonnes or less of CO2 per tonne of metal. * CHINA HONGQIAO GROUP (1378.HK)The Chinese producer has introduced two low-carbon products, HQALoop and HQALight, one made with recycled aluminium and the other from low-carbon aluminium produced in Yunnan using hydro electricity and other renewables.

Negotiators from EU countries and the European Parliament aim to strike a deal on the world-first law on Tuesday evening - after which, both sides would need to formally rubber stamp it. The EU scheme would require companies importing goods into Europe to buy certificates to cover the CO2 emissions embedded in those products. The aim is create a level playing field between overseas firms and domestic EU industries, who must buy permits from the EU carbon market when they pollute. The tariff is part of a package of EU policies designed to help the world avoid disastrous climate change by cutting EU emissions 55% by 2030 from 1990 levels. Separate EU negotiations later this week will seek a deal on the centrepiece of that package - a reform of the EU carbon market.

☆ Investor group launches campaign to help companies protect nature
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Expert Analysis | Reuters Professional | Calls Grow For Companies To Disclose Impacts On Nature In Bid To Plug Finance Gap | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Luis EcheverriaMONTREAL, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Here's the plan: Select 100 companies whose business burdens nature. Such is the vision of a campaign called "Nature Action 100" launched on Sunday by 11 investment firms hoping to encourage companies to help preserve ecosystems that support more than half the world's economic output. "The aim of Nature Action 100 is to engage those companies that have the highest impact on nature, not only to protect the natural environment but also to mitigate the risks these companies face from mounting pressure to effectively address biodiversity issues," Wearmouth said in a statement. The list of 100 companies will be published next year. Nature Action 100 would seek to select 100 companies for investors to focus on in suggesting how the private sector can navigate any new rules and monitoring their progress, the group said.

[1/3] A natural gas flare on an oil well pad burns as the sun sets outside Watford City, North Dakota January 21, 2016. REUTERS/Andrew Cullen/File PhotoWASHINGTON, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Major energy companies are not doing enough to prevent the worst effects climate change despite public promises to fight the problem, a U.S. House panel said about documents released on Friday that it got in a probe. Shell's Smith said the House panel's probe failed to uncover evidence of a climate disinformation campaign. "Today's new evidence makes clear that these companies know their climate pledges are inadequate, but are prioritizing Big Oil’s record profits over the human costs of climate change." The House panel previously released a memo on Sept. 14 showing that oil majors "greenwashed" their record on climate change "through deceptive advertising and climate pledges - without meaningfully reducing emissions."

☆ EU expects only partial fix from talks on U.S. green subsidy law
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Expert Analysis | Reuters Professional | Calls Grow For Companies To Disclose Impacts On Nature In Bid To Plug Finance Gap | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File PhotoBRUSSELS, Dec 8 (Reuters) - The European Union should not expect talks with the United States to resolve all the problems it sees in the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act and is not ruling out any potential response, EU trade chief Valdis Dombrovskis said on Thursday. The EU argues that the $430 billion act, which grants consumers tax credits for U.S.-produced electric vehicles (EV) and other green products, could make the United States a world leader in the EV market at Europe's expense. "And then we'll see to which extent our concerns are taken into account," he told lawmakers. At that point, the European Union would have to consider its response, Dombrovskis said, adding that the bloc did not want to enter a subsidy race. Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop Editing by Mark HeinrichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

DUBAI, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia and China have signed memorandums of understanding on hydrogen energy and the encouragement of direct investment between the two states, state news agency (SPA) said on Thursday, during a state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Riyadh. Xi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also signed an agreement for harmonization between the kingdom's 2030 vision and Beijing's belt and road initiative, SPA added. Reporting by Riham Alkousaa; Editing by Toby ChopraOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Air Products, AES to invest $4 bln in building largest U.S. green hydrogen plant
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Expert Analysis | Reuters Professional | Calls Grow For Companies To Disclose Impacts On Nature In Bid To Plug Finance Gap | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 8 (Reuters) - Industrial gas supplier Air Products (APD.N) and renewable energy firm AES Corp (AES.N) said on Thursday they would invest about $4 billion to build the largest U.S. green hydrogen facility, amid rising demand for the clean fuel. The companies aim to start commercial operations by 2027 at the Texas facility, which will be capable of producing over 200 metric tons of green hydrogen per day. Air Products, which had sales of $12.7 billion in fiscal 2022, will serve as the exclusive acquirer and marketer of the green hydrogen from the plant under a 30-year deal. AES and Air Products will have equal ownership of the plant's renewable energy and electrolyzer assets, which help break water into hydrogen and oxygen, they added. There has been an uptick in demand for green hydrogen, produced using renewable energy, which could include offshore wind and solar, to power electrolysis plants.

LISBON, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Portugal wants to speed up investments in green hydrogen projects, which are essential to decarbonize the economy, and will end mandatory environmental assessments for them in March 2023, Prime Minister Antonio Costa said. Portugal expects to become a major producer and exporter of green hydrogen with 70 private investors or groups planning to spend 10 billion euros ($10.51 billion). Environmentalists have criticized the so-called Simplex package as it may have impacts on nature and the well-being of populations. Portugal's largest utility EDP (EDP.LS) and oil and gas company Galp Energia (GALP.LS) are both planning to build green hydrogen plants in the industrial hub of Sines. The three main glass producers and two biggest cement makers, together accounting for 10% of the country's industrial carbon emissions, also joined a new consortium to launch a green hydrogen plant.

☆ Keadby 3 becomes first UK carbon capture power station to win planning permission
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Expert Analysis | Reuters Professional | Calls Grow For Companies To Disclose Impacts On Nature In Bid To Plug Finance Gap | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Sse Plc FollowEquinor ASA FollowLONDON, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Keadby 3 Carbon Capture Power Station in northern England has become the UK's first carbon capture and storage (CCS) project to receive planning permission. The project is backed by Britain's SSE Thermal, part of SSE (SSE.L), and Norwegian energy company Equinor (EQNR.OL). The power station could be operational as early as 2027. SSE Thermal and Equinor are also collaborating on building Peterhead Carbon Capture Power Station in the northeast of Scotland. They are also developing Keadby Hydrogen Power Station and Aldbrough Hydrogen Storage.

The proposal from the U.S. Trade Representative's office to be negotiated with the European Union would create a "club" of countries seeking to reduce carbon emissions. Countries with emissions exceeding the standards would pay higher tariffs when exporting metals to countries with lower emissions, the sources briefed on the plans said. Countries with steel and aluminum plant emissions at or below the standards would pay lower tariffs, the sources said. U.S. steelmakers claim to have the world’s lowest carbon emissions levels, in part because 70% of American steel is made from scrap iron in electric-arc furnaces rather than coal-fired blast furnaces. The U.S.-EU talks on low-carbon steel have been aimed in large part at China, which relies on coal for most of its steel output as well as low-grade iron ore that contributes to high carbon emissions.

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