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☆ The mystery of Siberia's strange exploding craters may have finally been solved
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

They may be due to hot time bombs made of natural gas building up under the frozen ground. AdvertisementScientists are putting forward a new explanation for the giant exploding craters that seem to be randomly appearing in the Siberian permafrost. AdvertisementNow scientists are proposing that hot natural gas seeping from underground reserves might be behind the explosive burst. The natural gas building up over a layer of sediment is represented in purple. The area is rife with natural gas reserves, which lines up with Hellevang and colleagues' theory, per the study.

Persons: —, Helge Hellevang, VASILY BOGOYAVLENSKY, It's, Sofie Bates, Hellevang, Helge Hellevang et, Lauren Schurmeier, Thomas Birchall, Hellenvang Organizations: Service, University of Oslo, Gas, Getty, NASA, University of Hawai'i, New, University Locations: Siberia, Norway, AFP, Northern Russia, Canada, Svalbard

☆ Meet the female force who halted a major development project to preserve her working-class neighborhood and make it a leader in clean energy
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-13 | by ( Kelly Burch | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

To that end, Yeampierre helped prevent developer Jamestown Properties, which manages billions of dollars worth of real estate globally, from rezoning her Brooklyn neighborhood, Sunset Park. AdvertisementA new vision for Sunset ParkSituated along the scenic New York Bay in southwestern Brooklyn, Sunset Park is a diverse neighborhood that many working class individuals call home. Climate change has led to consequences like more extreme drought, severe storms, and destructive flooding that can disrupt supply chains for local communities. To help protect Sunset Park from complete chaos in the face of an extreme weather event, UPROSE is focused on growing more food locally. Because when it comes to finding solutions for climate change, "We just don't have any time anymore."

Persons: —, Elizabeth Yeampierre, Yeampierre, Toshi Sasaki, UPROSE, Chris Halfnight, Halfnight, we've Organizations: Service, Business, Big Apple, Latina, Environmental Justice, Council, Climate Justice Youth Summit, Jamestown Properties, Sunset, Urban Green Council Locations: New York, New York City, Jamestown, Brooklyn, Sunset, Boston, Houston

☆ Asia’s year in review: Who had it good — and who had it bad — in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-22 | by ( Curtis Chin | Jose B. Collazo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

As 2023 comes to a close, we take a look at the year that was in Asia and the Pacific region. But who had it good and who had it bad in 2023? Bad year: China's property marketWith millions of Chinese citizens still waiting for homes they put down payments on — but might never be built — 2023 was a particularly bad year for China's property market. A newly built property is seen from the air in Hangzhou city, Zhejiang province, China, Dec 15, 2023. Chinese families and individuals who once saw homes as more than somewhere to live but also as investments have reason to fear 2023 won't be the last bad year they face.

Persons: Curtis, Chin, Jose B, —, Vikram, Amit Dave, Narendra Modi, Taylor Swift, Kim Ji, Jennie, Kim Jennie, Roseanne Chae, Lisa, Lalisa, King Charles, Rose, Roseanne Park, Jisoo Kim, Jennie Kim, King Charles III, Yoon Suk Yeol, Kim Keon Hee, Victoria Jones, Blackpink, Michelle Yeoh, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, San Francisco —, China Evergrande, Moody's, Asia's Organizations: Asian Development Bank, RiverPeak Group, ISRO —, Indian Space Research, Orbiter, ISRO, Buckingham, Sustainable, COP26, Getty, YG Entertainment, APEC, U.S, International Monetary Fund Locations: U.S, Asia, Turkey, Syria, Maui, Hawaii, Lahaina, Pacific, India, Gujarat Science City, Ahmedabad, Korea, British, LONDON, ENGLAND, Glasgow, London, England, South Korea, Malaysian, New Zealand, Thailand, China, San Francisco, United States, Taiwan, South China, Country, Hangzhou city, Zhejiang province

CHANNELVIEW, Texas — For nearly 20 years, Texas environmental regulators have kept a disturbing secret. AdvertisementTexas Community Health News; Texas Commission on Environmental Quality"Any exposure to a carcinogen increases your risk of developing cancer. AdvertisementTim Doty, a former TCEQ mobile air monitoring expert, at the industrial edge of River Terrace Park in Channelview, Texas. In fact, the agency rarely fines companies that violate Texas air pollution laws. Mark FelixHoneycutt's toxicology division soon took an even more dramatic step to weaken Texas' benzene guidelines.

Persons: Loren Hopkins, Hopkins, Mark Felix, TCEQ, AirToxScreen, AirToxScreen Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee, Menefee, Tim Doty, Doty, Solv, He'd, Glenn Shankle, Kelly Keel, Todd Riddle, Riddle, Lopez, Joe Lopez, Dora, Joel Lopez, Randy Lopez, It's, Joel, Felix Benzene, wildcatters, Houston —, Forbes, Lorenzo de Zavala, Alison Cohen, Cohen, Tim Doty's, Houston Mayor Bill White, Shankle, Michael Honeycutt, Valerie Meyers, Meyers, Mark Felix Meyers, Richard Hyde, John Sadlier, Ryder, Hyde, hadn't, Russell Allen, Matt Baker, Jacintoport, Cloelle Danforth, Public Health Watch —, Danforth, Mark Felix Honeycutt's, Eric Schaeffer, Schaeffer, Honeycutt, Jim Tarr, polluters, upended, Mark Felix Fracking, Barnett, Glenn Shankle —, —, Rick Perry, Perry, Sadlier, David Bower, misstep, Baker, Bower, Michael Burgess, Greg Abbott, Abbott, Mark Felix Meanwhile, Randy, That's, Carolyn Stone, Stone, Carolyn Stone's, Mark Felix The, Cynthia Benson, Benson, Mark Felix Tim Doty, Mark Felix K, Jordan Gass Organizations: Public Health Watch, Texas Commission, Environmental, American Petroleum Institute, Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, U.S . Navy, Geospatial - Intelligence Agency, General, Health, Public Health, Rice University, Environmental Protection Agency, Texas Community Health, AirToxScreen Harris County Attorney, polluters, Mark Felix Public Health, TCEQ, Solv, Mark Felix Public Health Watch, myelodysplasia, Houston, Oil, Gas Watch, Texas, Houston Ship, University of California, Houston Mayor, ., . Texas Community Health, NASA, Exxon Mobil, Public, Watch, Environmental Defense Fund, Management, Civil, Air Alliance Houston, Republican, Fort, United, Texas toxicologist, EPA, Texas Tribune, Google, Land Office, . Geological Survey, National Oceanic, Firefighters, U.S . Occupational Safety, Health Administration, Channelview, Improvement Coalition, Health Watch, San Jacinto, K, Texas Legislature, Solv Group, Services Locations: , Texas, Texas, Houston, Channelview's Jacintoport, San Jacinto, California, Jacintoport, Channelview , Texas, AirToxScreen Harris County, Channelview, Harris County, United States, North Channelview, Gulf, Terrace, Joel's, Houston , Texas, Spindletop, Mexico, Republic of Texas, Port of Houston, San Francisco, . Texas, That's, polluters, lacquers, Dallas, Fort Worth, Fort Worth City, Austin, Round, Minnesota, Galveston, U.S

☆ Why automakers are turning to hybrids in the middle of the industry's EV transition
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-08 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Sales of traditional hybrid electric vehicles, or HEVs, such as the Toyota Prius, are outpacing those of all-electric vehicles in 2023, according to Edmunds. Sales of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, or PHEVs, accounted for only 1% of U.S. sales through November. In comparison, Ford's EV sales are up 16.2% to roughly 62,500 units, accounting for 3.5% of its total sales. Battery breakdown Both hybrids and plug-in hybrids have a traditional engine combined with EV technologies. The world's largest automaker is considered the pioneer of traditional hybrids, with the Prius.

Persons: Scott Mlyn, Biden, HEVs, EVs, There's, Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds, Morgan Stanley, Eric Watson, Jim Farley's, Jeep Wrangler, Motors, Mary Barra, It's, Mark Reuss, Stephanie Brinley, Akio Toyoda Organizations: CNBC DETROIT —, EV, Toyota Prius, Toyota, Honda Motor, Hyundai, Kia, U.S, Representatives, Kia America, CNBC, Detroit automakers, Detroit, Ford Motor, Ford, Chrysler, Jeep, Cherokee, GM, Chevrolet, Automotive Press Association, National, Traffic Safety Administration, American Automotive Policy Council, Reuters, NHTSA, P Global Mobility . Industry, EVs, Wall Street Locations: Edmunds, U.S, That's, Kia America's, China, Detroit, EVs

☆ Opinion: What do you expect when an oil executive runs the climate talks?
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Opinion John D. Sutter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —As someone who’s been reporting on the climate crisis for more than a decade, I can say that the most insidious threat to climate action isn’t denial or apathy. That’s tragic, especially in light of the long and frustrating history of fossil fuel interests injecting doubt into policy conversations about the climate crisis. The broad strokes of climate science have been well understood for several decades now. The fallout of that doubt still haunts political conversations about the climate crisis today. In the United States, only 35% of adults talk about the climate crisis at least occasionally, according to a 2021 survey from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.

Persons: John D, Sutter, Ted Turner, Read, who’s, Sutter Beth Mickalonis, Sultan Al Jaber, Al Jaber, Mary Robinson, ”, Al Jaber’s, It’s Organizations: Environmental Media, George Washington University, CNN, COP28, United, Abu, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, “, The Guardian, UN, Programme, Sutter, Yale Locations: Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, UN, Paris, United States

☆ How old fishing nets could be part of the climate crisis solution
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Paul Glader | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

De Bouter’s company, Brikole, is a startup “circular business” that recycles discarded nets from the industrial tuna fishing industry. Kyle de Bouter holds board shorts made of recycled Nylon fishing nets similar to the kind he is recycling. Since the area is prime for fishing, especially tuna fishing, many in Seychelles believe those industries are a good place to start. He championed activity by “inventive young entrepreneurs” to improve society, mentioning recycled fishing nets as one example. “This is solving the problem of exhausted fishing nets,” said Julio Morón, a managing director of the Spanish tuna fishing organization called OPAGAC.

Persons: Seychelles CNN — Kyle de Bouter, ”, De, Kyle de Bouter, Paul Glader, CNN “, de Bouter, Joshua Tiatouse, CNN De Bouter, Ellen MacArthur, Eduardo Soteras, James Alix Michel’s, Michel, De Bouter, Julio Morón, Brikole, Bouter, de, Manuel Sigren, Bureo, Joshua Tiatousse, Tiatousse, “ Organizations: Seychelles CNN, United Nations, CNN, Bank, “ Department of Blue, Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Washington Post, Economy Research, University of Seychelles, snags, Electricity, Bureo, DuPont, BASF, DOMO Chemicals, Grandview Research Locations: Victoria, Seychelles, Patagonia, Spain, France, South Korea, Kosovo, Ghana, Philippines, Mahé, “, Dubai, China, California, Africa, Asia, Grandview

☆ Will guilt-free long-haul flights ever be possible? Here’s what we know
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Jacopo Prisco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, is a type of alternative jet fuel that can curb carbon emissions by up to 80%. The main reason for the slow adoption is that it’s still more expensive – between 1.5 to 6 times pricier than regular jet fuel. Boeing is not out of the race either, but doesn’t see a hydrogen long-haul plane as around the corner. On medium- and long-haul flights, we don’t see it as a direct source of propulsion until 2040. We would need to see magnitude-order changes [in batteries] for us to consider those for long-haul flights.

Persons: ”, Gary Crichlow, Gökçin Çınar, Ryan Faucett, Alexandre Doumenjou, Andreas Schäfer, Britten, “, Artemis, that’s, Boeing’s Faucett, “ You’re, Schäfer Organizations: CNN — Aviation, Boeing, “, Aviation Environment Federation, SAF, Airbus, University of Michigan, CNN, Virgin Atlantic, University College London, Cranfield Aerospace, Norman, Engineers, NASA, Critchlow Locations: London, Bangkok, New York, California, ZeroAvia

A Radical AgendaTo be sure, some of what Mr. Trump and his allies are planning is in line with what any standard-issue Republican president would most likely do. For example, Mr. Trump would very likely roll back many of President Biden’s policies to curb carbon emissions and hasten the transition to electric cars. He has said he would fundamentally re-evaluate “NATO’s purpose and NATO’s mission” in a second term. After some demonstrations against police violence in 2020 became riots, Mr. Trump had an order drafted to use troops to crack down on protesters in Washington, D.C., but didn’t sign it. “You look at any Democrat-run state, and it’s just not the same — it doesn’t work,” Mr. Trump told the crowd, calling cities like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco crime dens.

Persons: Trump, Biden’s, it’s, ” Mr, I’m, ” Organizations: U.S, NATO, Washington , D.C, Democratic Locations: United States, Mexico, Washington ,, Iowa, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco

☆ U.S. lays out plan at COP 28 to slash climate 'super pollutant' methane from oil and gas
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Biden administration on Saturday unveiled final rules aimed at cracking down on U.S. oil and gas industry releases of methane, part of a global plan to rein in emissions that contribute to climate change. The rules, two years in the making, were announced by U.S. officials at the United Nations COP28 climate change conference in Dubai. Methane tends to leak into the atmosphere undetected from drill sites, gas pipelines and other oil and gas equipment. It has more warming potential than carbon dioxide and breaks down in the atmosphere faster, so reining in methane emissions can have a more immediate impact on limiting climate change. The American Petroleum Institute, an oil and gas industry trade group, said it was reviewing the rule.

Persons: Biden, Michael Regan, Michelle Lujan Grisham, Jill Tauber, Dustin Meyer, Darren Woods Organizations: Saturday, U.S, United, Environmental, EPA, New, American Petroleum Institute, Reuters Locations: United Nations, Dubai, The United States, U.S, New Mexico, United States, COP28

The rules, two years in the making, were announced by U.S. officials at the United Nations COP28 climate change conference in Dubai. Methane tends to leak into the atmosphere undetected from drill sites, gas pipelines and other oil and gas equipment. It has more warming potential than carbon dioxide and breaks down in the atmosphere faster, so reining in methane emissions can have a more immediate impact on limiting climate change. The agency also tweaked the Super Emitter Program so that third parties send information on methane leaks to EPA directly for verification. The American Petroleum Institute, an oil and gas industry trade group, said it was reviewing the rule.

Persons: Liz Hampton, Biden, Michael Regan, Michelle Lujan Grisham, Jill Tauber, Dustin Meyer, Darren Woods, Nichola Groom, Valerie Volcovici, Diane Craft, Giles Elgood Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Saturday, U.S, United, Environmental, EPA, New, American Petroleum Institute, Reuters, Thomson Locations: New Mexico, U.S, United Nations, Dubai, The United States, United States, COP28

It is responsible for about one-third of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. The new methane rule will help ensure that the United States meets a goal set by more than 100 nations to cut methane emissions by 30% by 2030 from 2020 levels, Regan said. The EPA rule is just one of more than 100 actions the Biden administration has taken to reduce methane emissions, Zaidi added. The plan marks the first time the U.S. government has directly imposed a fee, or tax, on greenhouse gas emissions. The oil industry has generally welcomed direct federal regulation of methane emissions, preferring a single national standard to a hodgepodge of state rules.

Persons: —, Biden, Joe Biden, Michael Regan, Ali Zaidi, Regan, ” Regan, Zaidi, Harris, Harold Wimmer, Wimmer, David Doniger, ”, Obama, I'm, Fred Krupp Organizations: WASHINGTON, Environmental Protection Agency, United Nations, United Arab Emirates, Oil, UN, United States, Biden, Harris Administration, American Lung Association, EPA, Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental Defense Fund Locations: Dubai, United Arab, U.S, Paris, Scotland, Egypt, United

U.S Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during the Transforming Food Systems in the Face of Climate Change event on the sidelines of the COP28 climate summit at Dubai Expo, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates December 1, 2023. SAUL LOEB/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsSummary COP 'side deals' have boomed in recent yearsVoluntary climate pledges yield mixed resultsSome have led to tougher CO2-cutting policiesDUBAI, Dec 2 (Reuters) - While the world's climate diplomats huddle over draft decisions to be made at the end of this year's U.N. climate summit, governments at COP28 are firing off a flurry of new promises for action. Among the expected pledges at COP28 are a goal to triple renewable energy capacity and initiatives on methane and coal power. These voluntary side deals have proliferated in recent years, even as global temperatures and greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise. "They go much further than what you can do multilaterally," said Marc Vanheukelen, a former EU official who led the bloc's work on an international methane emissions pledge launched at the COP26 climate summit in 2021.

Persons: Antony Blinken, SAUL LOEB, Marc Vanheukelen, Jonathan Banks, Laurie van der, OCI, It's, Erin Matson, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Matson, Kate Abnett, Tommy Wilkes, Katy Daigle, Jon Boyle Organizations: Food Systems, United Arab Emirates, REUTERS Acquire, EU, Global, Air Task Force, Reuters, Bank, U.S, Change, WWF, Rainforest Alliance, Climate, Thomson Locations: Dubai, United Arab, DUBAI, COP28, Glasgow, U.S, Nigeria, Canada, The U.S, China, Russia, COP26, Britain, France, United States, Italy, Germany, Brazil

☆ De Winton’s golden mole rediscovered after nearly 100 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Nell Lewis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —A blind golden mole that glides through sand has been rediscovered in South Africa, 87 years after wildlife experts feared it had gone extinct. A beach in the northwest of South Africa where De Winton's golden moles are living. The challenge was pinpointing if De Winton’s golden mole was one of them. Common species, such as Cape golden mole and Grant’s golden mole were easily identifiable, but since there was only one De Winton’s golden mole reference DNA available, the team could not confidently identify it. De Winton’s golden mole is the 11th of its “most-wanted lost species” rediscovered since the program launched in 2017.

Persons: CNN —, JP Le Roux, eDNA, De, ”, Samantha Mynhardt, Jessie –, Nicky Souness, Cobus Theron, Christina Biggs, “, Theron Organizations: CNN, Wildlife Trust, University of Pretoria, Stellenbosch University, EWT Locations: South Africa, Port Nolloth, Cape

☆ Surging U.S. Oil Production Brings Down Prices and Raises Climate Fears
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Clifford Krauss | More About Clifford Krauss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“There is a foreign policy dividend in keeping a lid on oil prices,” said David Goldwyn, who was a leading energy diplomat in the Obama administration. Exxon Mobil was kicked out of the Dow Jones industrial average, and some European oil companies announced plans to pivot from fossil fuels to renewables more quickly. While he has supported green energy and battery-powered cars, he has also hectored oil companies to increase production in an effort to drive down prices for consumers. He has approved a large drilling project in Alaska over the objections of environmentalists and a small number of offshore oil and gas permits. Mr. Biden has been under pressure from some Democrats to trumpet gains in oil production as a way of reaching out to voters who are leery of high gas prices.

Persons: ”, David Goldwyn, Obama, Joe Biden, Biden Organizations: Investors, Exxon Mobil, Dow Locations: Alaska

☆ COP28 Lines up New Climate Pledges - but Do They Work?
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Dec. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

By Kate AbnettDUBAI (Reuters) - While the world's climate diplomats huddle over draft decisions to be made at the end of this year's U.N. climate summit, governments at COP28 are firing off a flurry of new promises for action. Among the expected pledges at COP28 are a goal to triple renewable energy capacity and initiatives on methane and coal power. These voluntary side deals have proliferated in recent years, even as global temperatures and greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise. Unlike official summit decisions, which must be passed by consensus among the nearly 200 countries, voluntary pledges can be made quickly, and boldly, without the worry of one party objecting. "They go much further than what you can do multilaterally," said Marc Vanheukelen, a former EU official who led the bloc's work on an international methane emissions pledge launched at the COP26 climate summit in 2021.

Persons: Kate Abnett DUBAI, Marc Vanheukelen, Jonathan Banks, Laurie van der, OCI, It's, Erin Matson, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Matson, Kate Abnett, Tommy Wilkes, Katy Daigle, Jon Boyle Organizations: Reuters, EU, Global, Air Task Force, Bank, U.S, Change, WWF, Rainforest Alliance, Climate Locations: COP28, Glasgow, U.S, Nigeria, Canada, The U.S, China, Russia, COP26, Britain, France, United States, Italy, Germany, Brazil

“He was travelling in a boat,” when assailants blocked the river with a tree trunk, Kevin Inuma said. “There were many shots fired.”The boat carried six people, said Kevin Inuma, including his mother, brother, sister and uncles. Quinto Inuma was shot three times in the back and once in the head, and Kevin Inuma’s aunt was wounded too, he said. Political Cartoons View All 1274 ImagesQuinto Inuma had received numerous death threats over illegal logging, said Kevin Inuma. Quinto Inuma attended a meeting in 2022 with Peruvian national parks authority Sernanp, which was observed by The AP, to discuss the conflict.

Persons: Quinto Inuma Alvarado, Kevin Arnol Inuma Mandruma, “, Kevin Inuma, Quinto Inuma, Kevin Inuma’s, ”, “ They’ve, National Police ”, Servindi Organizations: Associated Press, Interior, Environment, Justice, Human, National Police, Cordillera, Amazon, Peruvian, AP, Forest Peoples Programme Locations: LIMA, Peru, San Martín, Peruvian

☆ The US Navy released a wild video of a P-8A plane stuck on a Hawaiian coral reef after it missed a runway
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The US Navy has released a video of the submerged P-8A aircraft. The aircraft's fuel had to be extracted before the US Navy can salvage it. AdvertisementNaval divers have been sent to survey a plane that got stranded on a Hawaiian coral reef after it missed the runway, according to a video released by the US Navy. AdvertisementThe statement also said that the US Navy had successfully extracted all of the plane's fuel. The US Navy said in a statement on Tuesday that they had to remove the aircraft's fuel first before they could recover it.

Persons: —, Kevin P, Lenox Organizations: US Navy, Service, US Locations: Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, Kaneohe

☆ U.S. tap water has a $47 billion forever chemicals problem
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Lindsey Jacobson | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is adding some "forever chemicals" to the list of toxins that must be reported by drinking water utilities. That's why they got the nickname 'forever chemicals,'" explained Tom Neltner, senior director of safer chemicals at the Environmental Defense Fund. About 300 million people in the U.S. receive their water from a public water system, according to the EPA. At least 45% of tap water in the U.S. is known to have PFAS in it, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Watch the video above to learn more about how safe tap water is in the U.S.

Persons: Radhika Fox, they're, Tom Neltner, Cheryl Norton, Fox, Neltner, Sydney Evans, Evans, Norton Organizations: Environmental Protection Agency, EPA's, Water, CNBC, Environmental Defense Fund, Utah Department of Environmental, . Geological Survey, Environmental Locations: U.S

☆ Insight: Defying Pope's calls for climate action, US Catholic bishops cling to fossil fuels
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Richard Valdmanis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

The ongoing investments in the U.S. reflect a long-running rift between U.S. Catholic bishops and the pope on how to address global warming. The pope's Laudato Si encyclical urged immediate action against climate change, declaring that "highly polluting fossil fuels need to be progressively replaced without delay." The Vatican bank, which is separate from APSA, also does not invest in fossil fuels, a bank official said. A CCF official said energy and fossil fuels stocks make up between 3.5% and 6% of archdiocese investment funds, and that CCF uses its shareholder status to press for corporate environmental improvements. He called the enormous financial gains by oil companies "immoral profits."

Persons: Pope Francis, Dan DiLeo, Peter Marlow, Remo Casilli, Anne, Marie Welsh, William Lori, Bernard Hebda, Saint, Joshtrom Kureethadam, Chieko Noguchi, Noguchi, USCCB, Sabrina Danielsen, Danielson, Richard Valdmanis, Philip Pullella, John Mair, Suzanne Goldenberg Organizations: Catholic, drillers, U.S . Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic Church, Reuters, Justice, Peace, Creighton University in, Vatican, Opportunity Fund, Collective Investment, Archdiocese, Minneapolis, Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota, CCF, Development, American Petroleum Institute, Christian Brothers Investment Service, Investment, BP, Shell, Creighton University, U.S, Thomson Locations: United States, Dubai, Creighton University in Nebraska, U.S, APSA, Vatican, Ireland, Germany, Archdiocese, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Erie , Pennsylvania, Texas, San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth . Erie, Erie, Baltimore, Saint Paul, Paris, Saudi Aramco, PetroChina, India, Vatican City, Berlin, Sydney

☆ Defying Pope's calls for climate action, US Catholic bishops cling to fossil fuels
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Richard Valdmanis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

The ongoing investments in the U.S. reflect a long-running rift between U.S. Catholic bishops and the pope on how to address global warming. The pope's Laudato Si encyclical urged immediate action against climate change, declaring that "highly polluting fossil fuels need to be progressively replaced without delay." The Vatican bank, which is separate from APSA, also does not invest in fossil fuels, a bank official said. Notably absent are any dioceses in the U.S.Reuters reviewed the financial reports published by two dozen of the nation's more than 170 Catholic dioceses, including several of its largest, and found that few provide details on specific investments. He called the enormous financial gains by oil companies "immoral profits."

Persons: Pope Francis, Remo Casilli, Dan DiLeo, Peter Marlow, Anne, Marie Welsh, William Lori, Joshtrom Kureethadam, Chieko Noguchi, Noguchi, USCCB, Sabrina Danielsen, Danielson, Richard Valdmanis, Philip Pullella, John Mair, Suzanne Goldenberg Organizations: Catholic, drillers, U.S . Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic Church, Reuters, Justice, Peace, Creighton University in, Vatican, Opportunity Fund, Collective Investment, Archdiocese, Development, American Petroleum Institute, Christian Brothers Investment Service, Investment, BP, Shell, Creighton University, U.S, Thomson Locations: United States, Dubai, Creighton University in Nebraska, U.S, APSA, Vatican, Ireland, Germany, Archdiocese, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Erie , Pennsylvania, Texas, San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth . Erie, Erie, Baltimore, Paris, Saudi Aramco, PetroChina, India, Vatican City, Berlin, Sydney

View of the Cobre Panama mine, of Canadian First Quantum Minerals, in Donoso, Panama, December 6, 2022. The comments are the first by the company on the future of the Cobre Panama mine's ownership since Tuesday's court ruling. Panama has seen unprecedented public protests after the government signed a new contract with First Quantum for its Cobre Panama mine. MacWilliam told the conference that given the events in Panama, it remains unclear when Cobre Panama will be able to resume operations. The mine closure also has consequences for the Central American nation, as Cobre Panama contributes about 5% to Panama's economy.

Persons: Laurentino Cortizo, Ryan MacWilliam, MacWilliam, Divya Rajagopal, Elida Moreno, Denny Thomas, Chizu Nomiyama, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Minerals, REUTERS, Aris, Rights TORONTO, Quantum, Scotiabank, Reuters, Jiangxi Copper Co, Central, Thomson Locations: Panama, Donoso, Canadian, Jiangxi, Central American, Lincoln

[1/4] Ambulances move inside a tunnel where rescue operations are underway to rescue trapped workers, after the tunnel collapsed, in Uttarkashi in the northern state of Uttarakhand, India, November 28, 2023. While augur machines managed to horizontally drill through nearly three-quarters of the debris, it fell on half a dozen miners adept at burrowing in tight spaces to reach the trapped workers on Tuesday. Some of the miners involved in the rescue operation said they were not involved in coal mining and got their training in Delhi. The pits are sized just enough for the workers, often children, to descend using ropes or ladders to extract coal - often without safety measures and proper ventilation. The practice became illegal in the 1970s, when India nationalised coal mines and gave state-run Coal India a monopoly.

Persons: Francis Mascarenhas, Qureshi, Nasir Hussain, Saurabh Sharma, Shivam Patel, Angus MacSwan Organizations: REUTERS, Rescuers, Thomson Locations: Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, India, Meghalaya, Delhi, Silkyara, New Delhi

[1/2] People watch drones creating a 3-D display outside the United Nations Headquarters calling attention to the Amazon rainforest and climate change in New York U.S., September 15, 2023. The analysis by the nonprofit Amazon Conservation's MAAP forest monitoring program offers a first look at 2023 deforestation across the nine Amazon countries. That estimate is likely low as there are some holes in the data, Finer said. Brazil's Lula has led a push among its Amazonian neighbors and other rainforest countries to get rich nations to pay for woodland conservation. While the country is battling massive wildfires, many of them are not in the Amazon, Finer said.

Persons: Eduardo Munoz, Matt, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Jair Bolsonaro, Carlos Nobre, Nobre, Brazil's Lula, Gustavo Petro, Jake Spring, David Gregorio Our Organizations: United Nations Headquarters, New York U.S, REUTERS, SAO PAULO, Reuters, United, University of Sao, Amazon, NASA, Union, Democratic, Watch, Thomson Locations: New York, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, United Nations, Jan, Puerto Rico, University of Sao Paulo, Amazon, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela, COLOMBIA, PERU Brazil, Democratic Republic of Congo

Eventually, China wants the schemes to be integrated into national emissions trading and generate credits that can offset emissions by industrial polluters, government plans show. PERSONAL CARBON TRADINGChina's carbon inclusion ambitions have been in gestation since 2015, when the southeastern province of Guangdong published rules on how to convert low-carbon activity into credits. Guangdong also allows enterprises to meet 10% of carbon reduction obligations through carbon inclusion credits. And there are worries the carbon inclusion schemes could let industrial polluters off the hook by shifting the burden of emission cuts to households. China climate official Su Wei told local media the green transformation of China would "inevitably involve profound changes in people's daily habits and consumption patterns", but he said carbon inclusion schemes would remain voluntary.

Persons: David Kirton, China's, Xie Zhenhua, Banks, Benjamin Sovacool, Li, Zhang Xin, people's, Yaqiu Wang, Su Wei, David Stanway, Sonali Paul Organizations: REUTERS, China, Communist, China Academy of Sciences, People's Bank of, Boston University, Environmental Studies, New, Thomson Locations: Pingshan district, Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China, SHENZHEN, Dubai, Guangdong, People's Bank of China, Quzhou, Finland, British, Singapore, New York, Shanghai, Beijing

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