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☆ We’re not taking away your gas stove, regulator tells CNN
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The federal government isn’t going to take away your gas stove, a top consumer regulator told CNN on Wednesday. Trumka confirmed to CNN that “everything’s on the table” when it comes to gas stoves, but stressed that any ban would apply only to new gas stoves, not existing ones. That study found almost 13% of current childhood asthma in the United States is attributable to gas stove use. “I’ll NEVER give up my gas stove,” Jackson tweeted on Tuesday. If the exhaust is not vented outside the home, Trumka said gas stove users should open a window or turn on a fan to clear the air.

☆ Aiming to cut emissions, New York to collect over $1 billion with big polluter permits
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 10 (Reuters) - New York will implement a program that sets an annual cap on pollution throughout its economy to lower emissions while aiming to bring in more than $1 billion a year, Governor Kathy Hochul said as part of her 2023 State of the State address on Tuesday. "Big emitters will have to purchase permits to sell polluting fuels. New York Governor Kathy Hochul speaks during a campaign rally with other New York Democrats, in Yonkers, New York, U.S., November 6, 2022. New York is among the 12 northeastern states participating in a cap-and-invest style program, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, since 2005, which has helped halve power plant emissions and raised nearly $6 billion, it said. Reporting by Deep Vakil in Bengaluru; Editing by Aurora EllisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Mississippi agency denies NAACP’s water discrimination claim
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

A Mississippi environmental regulator has denied claims that the state agency he leads discriminated against the capital city of Jackson in its distribution of federal funds for wastewater treatment. Most of Jackson lost running water for several days, and people had to wait in lines for water to drink, cook, bathe and flush toilets. The EPA announced on Oct. 20 that it was investigating whether Mississippi state agencies discriminated against the state’s majority-Black capital city by refusing to fund improvements to the water system. EPA Administrator Michael Regan has visited Jackson multiple times and has said “longstanding discrimination” has contributed to the decline of the city’s water system. The federal agency could withhold money from Mississippi if it finds wrongdoing — potentially millions of dollars.

☆ In a tough year for hedge funds, the top firms still crushed it
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But first, we've got hedge fund returns. It's returns season for hedge funds, and boy is this year a doozy. Insider's Alex Morrell has a breakdown of how some of the flagship strategies at top hedge funds like AQR, Citadel, D.E. Alex's story gets into the nitty gritty — and more importantly, the specific numbers — but the big takeaway is this: While 2022 was a pretty awful year for the hedge fund industry, some of the industry's top funds absolutely crushed it. And while it might seem impossible to figure out a way to make money in that type of environment, that's exactly when I'd expect a hedge fund to step up.

☆ A US federal agency is considering a ban on gas stoves
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —A federal agency is considering a ban on gas stoves as concerns about indoor pollution linked to childhood asthma rise, Bloomberg first reported. A US Consumer Product Safety commissioner told Bloomberg gas stove usage is a “hidden hazard.”“Any option is on the table. The CPSC has been considering action on gas stoves for months.Trumka recommended in October that the CPSC seek public comment on the hazards associated with gas stoves. The study found that almost 13% of current childhood asthma in the US is attributable to gas stove use. Trumka told Bloomberg the agency plans to open public comment on gas stove hazards.

☆ A flurry of environmental tax breaks just came into effect thanks to last year's climate bill. From solar to electric vehicles, here's how you could save thousands of dollars.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The bill includes tax credits for electric vehicles, solar panels, and home energy updates. At that price, the claimable tax credit would be $6,000. The tax credit for solar is set to last until 2032, at which point it will lower and then expire in 2035 unless Congress renews it. As of January 1, a household can claim a tax credit of up to $150 for an energy audit conducted by a professional inspector. Buying an electric vehicleIncentives to purchase new or used electric vehicles were also boosted in the new climate bill.

☆ That gas stove you're cooking on could be giving your kids asthma, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

About 650,000 kids in the US likely have asthma because of gas stoves, a study found. The momentum was met with an opposition campaign by the gas industry and their allies in state legislatures. The gas industry also often points out that proper ventilation significantly reduces the concentration of pollutants from gas stoves. The Consumer Product Safety Commission could also regulate pollutants from gas stoves or require warning labels, Seals said. The commission's head, Richard Trumka Jr., in December indicated the agency was headed in that direction and said an outright ban on new gas stoves was "a real possibility," The Hill reported.

☆ Activists accuse India of lapses in genetically modified mustard approval
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Mayank Bhardwaj | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW DELHI, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Indian authorities rushed approvals for a locally developed genetically modified (GM) mustard variety by violating environmental regulations, a group of activists opposed to GM crops said on Friday. In October, India granted environmental clearance for indigenously developed GM mustard seeds, paving the way for the commercial use of its first GM food crop. The regulator has followed every guideline for approving the GM mustard crop, it said. New Delhi approved GM mustard, part of the rapeseed family, to help cut the country's expensive cooking oil imports. In 2017, Pental's team came close to getting government approval to grow GM mustard seeds commercially, following years of field trials and the analysis of crop data.

☆ A new test for autism hopes to help doctors diagnose before symptoms show
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Evan Bush | Evan Bush Is A Science Reporter For Nbc News. He Can Be Reached At Evan.Bush Nbcuni.Com. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

Researchers have discovered myriad risk factors associated with autism, including infections during pregnancy, air pollution and maternal stress. “We can detect the clear rhythm of autism with just about one centimeter of hair,” Arora said. Autism diagnosis timingArora and his team hope their technology could help young children, even newborns, receive early interventions for autism sooner than they can now. “We want to enable early intervention.”There is not yet a biological test for autism spectrum disorder. Perhaps eventually, that information could open up new pathways for the development of drugs or therapies for autism, he said.

☆ When ‘Drop It’ Is the Best New Year’s Resolution
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Alex Janin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Millions of people spend the final days of December coming up with ambitious tasks for the new year. In 2023, resolve to take something off your plate instead. Physical and mental health—including eating habits, self-care, exercise and weight loss—are among the most common focuses for resolutions. But nearly two-thirds of people who set New Year’s resolutions abandon them within the first month, according to research published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

☆ Biden names Phillips acting head of energy regulator
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Federal Energy Regulatory Commission FollowWASHINGTON, Jan 3 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden has named Willie Phillips, a Democrat, acting chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, FERC said on Tuesday. Phillips joined the commission in December, 2021 after being appointed by Biden and approved by Congress. After Phillips joined FERC, that began to change as Democrats had a 3-2 majority and the Biden administration pursued policies to transition to low-carbon energy. But now Phillips is acting chairman, FERC will be locked at a 2-2 because the former head, Richard Glick, left FERC after Senator Joe Manchin, a conservative Democrat, did not hold a confirmation hearing to consider Biden's re-nomination of Glick. Phillips will serve as temporary chief of the commission as the Biden administration considers nominating a permanent chair.

☆ Banks will pump H2O to top of climate agenda
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Antony Currie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

That’s when the United Nations’ first water confab in almost five decades starts in New York. Achieving that globally requires spending $1 trillion a year on the sustainable provision of drinking water and sanitation, and preparing for floods, scarcity and pollution, per the World Resources Institute. And 90% of climate change’s effects manifest through water, as recent floods and scarcity demonstrate. Knowing when to turn off the funding tap is important, too, just as many banks won’t back Arctic drilling or new coal mines. With some financial groups distancing themselves from umbrella climate change bodies, it’s a challenging time to make this case.

☆ Throw Out Your New Year’s Resolutions. Try These Antiresolutions Instead.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Alex Janin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

☆ For 60 years, the US Navy has been training dolphins and sea lions to keep rivals away from its most sensitive hardware
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Gidget Fuentes | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

The US Navy has been training dolphins and sea lions to detect undersea threats since the 1960s. A US Navy trainer with a Mark 5 Marine Mammal sea lion in Key West in October 1990. The program worked with sharks, rays, and sea turtles but settled on dolphins and sea lions. US NavyThe Navy Marine Mammal Program's budget for 2023 provides $40 million for "food, medicine, veterinary care, husbandry, and facilities," Wilson said. A US Navy sea lion jumps into a riverine command boat during a mine-countermeasures exercise in Bahrain in November 2014.

☆ India joins EU in mandating USB-C charging port on smartphones, as Americans still have to deal with 3 different types of ports and cables
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Britney Nguyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

India will require mobile devices sold in the country to have the USB-C charging port by March 2025. The government will find two types of charging ports for mobile devices and wearable electronics. It's following the European Union which will require USB-C charging ports by December 28, 2024. But the company confirmed that it will make iPhones with a USB-C port to comply with EU laws. Samsung is next, with 30% of the market share in the same quarter, and Lenovo is third with 9% of the market share.

☆ EPA is investigating Colorado for potentially discriminating against Hispanic residents with air pollution regulations
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

DENVER — The Environmental Protection Agency is investigating whether Colorado’s regulation of air pollution from industrial facilities discriminates against Hispanic residents and other racial minorities, according to a letter released Wednesday. Since then she’s pushed for community air monitoring and stronger protections, but it all feels too late. “We would have moved.”Advocates say the Suncor refinery too often malfunctions, spiking emissions. Nevertheless there are some signs the agency chose Colorado because it could prove a willing partner. Ian Coghill, an attorney with Earthjustice that is challenging the Suncor permit, says the push and pull between the EPA and state hasn’t yielded major improvements.

☆ Explainer: What is Zelenskiy's 10-point peace plan?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Dec 28 (Reuters) - Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has been vigorously promoting his 10-point peace plan, discussing it with U.S. President Joe Biden among others, and urging world leaders to hold a Global Peace Summit based on it. Here is an explainer on the plan and world reaction:WHAT IS ZELENSKIY'S 10-POINT PEACE PLAN? WHAT IS ZELENSKIY'S GLOBAL PEACE SUMMIT PROPOSAL? In December, Zelenskiy urged the leaders of the Group of Seven nations to support his Global Peace Summit idea in winter that would focus on the peace plan "as a whole or some specific points in particular". But response to Zelenskiy's peace plan and his proposed peace summit has been more cautious.

☆ How a millennial transformed his childhood home into a maximalist Georgian mansion that he rents out for nearly $200 an hour for photo and video shoots
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( Zoe Rosenberg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Emmanuel Hébert grew up in a small Montréal house that he has transformed into a Georgian mansion. He also rents it out for $184 an hour and uses the funds to further renovate the mansion. The living room of Manoir Blackswan in its full glory, dripping in antique chandeliers Hébert sells through his antiques business. Emmanuel HébertThe mansion is Hébert's home, where he's raising his 5-year-old son, Romeo, as well as a showroom for his antiques business. On Instagram, nearly 10,000 people follow Manoir Blackswan — what he calls the mansion — and 13,700 people follow his antiques business.

☆ Colombia's oil theft soars, leaving trail of environmental harm
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Oliver Griffin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

Reuters accompanied a police unit tasked with tackling oil theft in September to two sites near Tumaco, a Pacific port in southwest Colombia that is the terminal for the country's Transandino oil pipeline. The animals, the trees - everything is totally burned," said Colonel Johan Pena, commander of the police unit charged with tackling oil theft in Narino, a province bordering Ecuador that is known for cocaine production. Reuters approached more than a dozen environmental groups, rights advocates, government agencies and international organizations who either said they had no detailed information on the extent of the environmental damage in Colombia from oil theft or did not respond to questions. Oil spills on land smother soil pore spaces, restricting microorganisms' access to oxygen, said Martha Daza, a professor at Cali-based university Universidad del Valle's school of engineering of natural resources and the environment. Regional health authorities in Narino did not immediately respond to questions about the health impact of oil spills.

Among the most prolific rulemakers was the European Union, which began to roll out sustainability rules for asset managers as part of a series of dictates aimed at ensuring the bloc hits its climate targets and helps rein in global warming. Regulatory scrutiny also broadened to include investment ratings and the labeling of sustainable investment funds. In the United States, for example, both Goldman Sachs Asset Management and BNY Mellon Investment Adviser were fined over ESG failures. ESG rules will also fast become mandatory rather than optional in 2023 - with the EU expected to push out 200 pages of guidance in January alone to help market participants use its green taxonomy, a list of environmentally friendly activities, and other ESG rules. However, this is only likely to happen in stages from 2023 given there are no global taxonomies or rules on what constitute sustainable investments.

☆ Abandoning rational energy policy in favor of environmental policy is an economic risk, says Jason Trennert
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailAbandoning rational energy policy in favor of environmental policy is an economic risk, says Jason TrennertJason Trennert, chairman and CEO of Strategas Research Partners, a Baird company, joins CNBC's 'Squawk Box' to discuss his market outlook ahead of the open.

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.

☆ Australia's sovereign wealth fund buys gold, commodities as shadow of 1970s looms
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Lewis Jackson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Australia's A$200 billion ($134.28 billion) sovereign wealth fund is increasing exposure to gold, commodities, private equity and infrastructure as it warns the future will echo the low-growth, high-inflation era of the 1970s. Investors large and small are scrambling to adjust portfolios and philosophies undermined by the simultaneous cratering of equity and bond markets. Investors now faced a world corrosive to asset prices: more war, the risk of capital controls and confiscations, bigger government, and the spectre of higher inflation. In response the Future Fund is implementing six broad sets of changes, including more focus on dynamic asset allocation and liquidity. Traditional approaches have delivered strongly, but it is doubtful they are fit for purpose in the future," it said.

☆ Historic biodiversity agreement reached at UN conference
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Hannah Ward-Glenton | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Negotiators reached a historic deal to protect the world's lands and oceans at a United Nations biodiversity conference Monday. The agreement includes a commitment to protect 30% of land and water considered important for biodiversity by 2030, and has been coined "30 by 30." The deal was reached on the final day of the United Nations Biodiversity Conference, also known as COP15, in Montreal, Canada. We have an agreement to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, to work on restoration, to reduce the use of pesticides," Guilbeault said. 'A floor, not a ceiling'While many see the agreement as progress, some argue "30 by 30" isn't enough in itself to tackle the global biodiversity crisis.

☆ Covid, flu and RSV: What science shows about being contagious
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Benjamin Ryan | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

People know when they have Covid symptoms, but do minor sniffles at the end of a coronavirus infection, for example, mean they’re still contagious? It’s a good time to brush up on what scientists know, and still don’t know, about how long people remain infectious with viral diseases — Covid, influenza, RSV — that are spreading across the U.S.How long am I contagious with Covid? If you’ve been exposed to someone who has tested positive for Covid, symptoms from any of the omicron subvariants generally appear two to four days later. How contagious you are is connected to how much of the virus, known as the viral load, is in your body. As far as relying on Covid tests to determine whether someone is still contagious, PCR tests are good at diagnosing Covid.

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