Environment
The U.S.’ deep-sea mining plans could hurt global rules-based order and benefit China, policy experts warn
The U.S. is preparing to mine the sea floor for critical minerals to reduce its dependence on China. But doing so in international waters could undermine a global rules-based order and indirectly benefit Beijing, policy experts warn. Efforts to create international guidelines on seabed mining through the International Seabed Authority (ISA), a U.N. regulator, have […]
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Solar executives warn that Trump attack on renewables will lead to power crunch that spikes electricity prices
Witthaya Prasongsin | Moment | Getty Images President Donald Trump’s attack on solar and wind projects threatens to raise energy prices for consumers and undermine a stretched electric grid that’s already straining to meet rapidly growing demand, renewable energy executives warn. Trump has long said wind power turbines are unattractive and endanger birds, and that […]
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Microplastics are everywhere. Here’s why that matters to big oil
Microplastics are increasingly being found in our bodies and food supply. They are defined as pieces of plastic smaller than 5 millimeters — about the size of a pencil eraser. But they can also be much smaller, like the size of a virus particle or a strand of DNA. Petrochemicals, the building blocks of plastic, […]
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This Asian data center hub is quietly grappling with the massive costs of AI: energy and water
The artificial intelligence boom has brought with it hundreds of billions of dollars in investments and promises of economic growth . But the infrastructure required is demanding massive amounts of energy and resources. One lesser-known example of that dilemma can be found in the southern tip of Malaysia, which has quietly become one of Southeast […]
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Power cuts and blackouts: Why can’t Iraq keep the lights on?
Iraq was plunged into a nationwide blackout earlier this week, as a temperature surge to 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50° Celcius) — and subsequent spiking demand for electricity — pushed the country’s faltering power grid to the breaking point. For a country that has seen as much conflict and instability as Iraq, this could come as […]
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Why a landmark ruling from the world’s top court puts financial markets on notice
Vanuatu’s Climate Change Minister Ralph Regenvanu (C) delivers a speech as he attends a demonstration ahead of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) session tasked with issuing the first Advisory Opinion (AO) on States’ legal obligations to address climate change, in The Hague on July 23, 2025. John Thys | Afp | Getty Images Gripped […]
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This startup wants the $80-billion U.S. railroad industry to switch from diesel to batteries
Voltify plans to build a series of energy microgrids to power its locomotive batteries, as shown in this computer-generated image. Voltify Daphna Langer has a bold ambition: To decarbonize the rail industry in less than a decade. How? By convincing U.S. freight railroad companies to switch from diesel power to rechargeable batteries — part of […]
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SpaceX rival AST SpaceMobile prepares to deploy nearly five dozen satellites
Jaque Silva | Lightrocket | Getty Images Satellite designer AST SpaceMobile said it’s preparing to deploy nearly five dozen satellites to power cellular-based broadband networks, a move that establishes the company as a rival to Elon Musk’s dominant SpaceX. The company, based in Texas, released its second-quarter earnings after the bell on Monday, reporting that […]
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Ford announces $2 billion investment in Louisville assembly plant aimed at cheap EVs
An aerial view as a Ford sign stands on the sales lot of the Metro Ford dealership on May 06, 2025 in Miami, Florida. Joe Raedle | Getty Images Ford on Monday announced it would invest $2 billion in a Louisville, Kentucky, assembly plant aimed at rolling out more affordable electric vehicles. The investment comes […]
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Here’s what U.S. automakers are saying about Trump’s changing EV policies
Tesla electric vehicles at a charging station in Alhambra, California on March 11, 2025. Frederic J. Brown | AFP | Getty Images On President Donald Trump’s first day in office, he signed an executive order aiming to eliminate the “electric vehicle mandate” and remove subsidies that favor EVs. Since then, his administration has taken steps […]
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