In The News

The Diplomat: Asia and the Fall of Coal

Nithin Coca June 26, 2017
Asia, accounting for about 60 percent of the world’s population, is abruptly shifting away from coal toward renewable energies, especially solar. The most populated nations could lead the continent. “From 2002 to 2012, the global coal trade doubled, with the four largest Asian economies – Japan, South Korea, China, and India – accounting for the majority of imports,” reports Nithin Coca for the...

Climate News Network: UK Nuclear Industry Faces Brexit Fallout

Paul Brown May 17, 2017
Nuclear power is the source about one-fifth of the United Kingdom’s energy, and the government has shifted support in subsidies away from solar and wind toward nuclear power with plans to construct more. “However, the industry relies on foreign companies − based both in the EU and outside − that provide parts, fuel and raw materials,” reports Paul Brown for Climate News Network. France’s ETF owns...

Financial Times: Sharp Drop in US Emissions Keeps Global Levels Flat

Pilita Clark March 18, 2017
The world has kept emissions that cause climate change in check for the third year in a row during a period when the prices of fossil fuels were low and global economic growth averaged about 3 percent per year. Natural gas has quickly replaced coal as an energy source, seven nuclear power plants went on line in China and renewable energies are becoming more affordable. The trends suggest “a shift...

US Fossil Fuel Projects Around the World

Sonali Prasad, Jason Burke, Michael Slezak and Oliver Milman December 2, 2016
The United States claims to lead on climate change yet fossil fuels make up the bulk of the country’s energy consumption. The country also supports fossil-fuel use around the globe: “Through the US Export-Import Bank, Barack Obama’s administration has spent nearly $34bn supporting 70 fossil fuel projects around the world, work by Columbia Journalism School’s Energy and Environment Reporting...

Germany Struggles to Find United Stance on Russia

Christiane Hoffmann, Peter Müller, Ralf Neukirch, Christoph Pauly, Christoph Reuter, Mathieu von Rohr and Christoph Schult October 27, 2016
Politically divided nations struggle to present a strong front on foreign policies. The United States supports sanctions against Russia for supporting Syria’s dictator, attacking civilians, delaying negotiations, as well as annexation of Crimea. Such sanctions are ineffective without solid European support. German Chancellor Angela Merkel governs with a coalition government, and German Foreign...

Warming Russia-Turkey Relations Send a Chill Through Ukraine

Fred Weir October 18, 2016
Despite rising tensions among Russia, Turkey and the West over civil war in Syria, agreements are emerging over sending natural gas from Russia to Europe. Proposed development of two new pipelines would allow Russia to pass Ukraine in sending gas to the rest of Europe, reports Fred Weir for the Christian Science Monitor: “With TurkStream, Turkey will stand to become the chief distributor for...

Britain Approves Controversial Chinese-Financed Nuclear-Reactor, With a Catch

Griff Witte September 22, 2016
British Prime Minister Theresa May hesitantly agreed to a nuclear power plant, Britain’s first in decades, financed in part by China with a controlling stake by EDF, a French firm. May, who came to power after the Brexit referendum in June, and others in her staff have expressed concern that a large Chinese investment in British energy could leave Britain vulnerable should geostrategic interests...