Author: staff
Trump might not be able to cut as much “red tape” as he has said he will. With the inauguration now upon us, President-elect Donald Trump has said he wants to waste no time in undoing the environmental “red tape” of the previous administration. That includes stripping out environmental protections, putting a stop to clean energy projects, rolling back Biden’s landmark climate law – the Inflation Reduction Act – and drilling as much oil as the US has to offer from day one of his presidency. It comes just after the country experienced its most costly and impactful 12 months…
Despite calls from the WEF and global NGOs for Davos delegates to travel more sustainably, elevated private jet activity in Switzerland suggests they didn’t listen. As the World Economic Forum kicks off in Davos, world leaders, CEOs and business leaders have descended on Switzerland in their hundreds. But how did these high-flyers get there?The World Economic Forum (WEF) urged its delegates to consider more sustainable travel this year. They made it free to travel there by train and provided snow grips for shoes to encourage attendees to walk rather than drive around the conference.But did delegates listen and choose a…
The US already produces more oil and gas than any other country in the world. On the first day of his Presidency, Donald Trump declared an “energy emergency”.It is part of a raft of measures to boost America’s already colossal fossil fuel production, backed up by claims that the country needs to tackle high energy prices and prepare for increased demand from “the next generation of technology”. There was no mention of energy shortages caused by increasingly intense extreme weather events. The US has never declared a national energy emergency before, only local ones under then-President Jimmy Carter in the…
“A lot is at stake” in EU-US relations, Ursula von der Leyen said the day after Donald Trump’s inauguration. The European Union will have a “pragmatic” attitude towards the new administration of Donald Trump but “always” stand ready to defend its strategic interests against any unjustified measure, Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday in a speech that set the tone for how Brussels intends to engage with Washington in the next four years.During his campaign, Trump threatened to impose across-the-board tariffs on foreign goods and heavily revise aid for Ukraine, setting alarm bells ringing across the bloc. The Republican…
The ruling follows earlier verdicts that have highlighted the ineffectiveness of the government’s nitrogen-cutting policies. A Dutch court has ordered the government to cut nitrogen pollution in protected nature areas after a case brought by Greenpeace NetherlandsGreenpeace brought the case to the courts as it argued the government was failing to address critically high levels of nitrogen oxide pollution, mostly from farming and transport. The organisation called it the “last chance to save the most vulnerable habitats because if nitrogen emissions don’t go down, we risk losing unique plants and animals,” at a hearing last November. Nitrogen pollution can degrade…
France has one of the highest and longest-standing budget deficits in the eurozone – but attempts to resolve it have already toppled one government. France’s plans to bring its swollen budget under control by 2029 won support from EU counterparts on Tuesday.But Prime Minister François Bayrou still has a tightrope to walk to avoid the fate of his predecessor Michel Barnier, who was forced to quit in December after a dispute over cost-cutting led fractious lawmakers to vote against his reign.“Overall, France maintains a level of ambition over a seven-year period, albeit in a less frontloaded way,” EU Economics Commissioner…
La Niña is the counterpart to El Niño which caused drought and deadly heat in 2024. The long-awaited La Niña has finally arrived but it is weak and meteorologists say it’s unlikely to cause as many weather problems as usual.Experts have been expecting the arrival of the climate phenomenon since last spring but finally, the cooling of waters in the central equatorial Pacific Ocean was confirmed in early January by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Its counterpart, El Niño ended in June last year after an unusual three-year stretch. Lars Lowinski, a meteorologist at Weather & Radar, says forecasts…
Slovakia’s Moscow-friendly prime minister has faced accusations by the country’s largest opposition party of trying to take the country out of the EU. Prime Minister Robert Fico survived an attempt from opposition parties to bring a no-confidence vote in the Slovak parliament on Tuesday after his opponents walked out of the debate in protest over attempts to make the session partly private. Fico was expected to survive the vote due to his government holding the majority of seats in the parliament. However, the no-confidence motion never took place after the opposition walked out halfway through the session. The prime minister…
Scientists have a few theories to explain the re-appearance of the majestic creatures. Cetaceans in UK waters are nothing new. Minke whales, dolphins and porpoises are often seen off the British coast. But recent sightings of a much bigger visitor have caused both excitement and concern among locals and scientists.Over the last few weeks, multiple sightings of the magnificent humpback whale have been reported by people living along the coast. These 15-metre long animals have been spotted in growing numbers at various locations along the southern coast, from Kent in the southeast to the Isles of Scilly. In just 11 days…
The European Union wants to bolster defence in face of Russia’s aggression on Ukraine and growing US demands for greater European financial support for NATO. Since Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the EU has supplied much weaponry and logistical support. But the conflict highlighted difficulties in increasing ammunition and weapons production within the bloc.The European Commission proposed a European Defence Industry Program in March 2024, that would provide for €1.5 billion to be allocated to defence from the EU budget between 2025 and 2027.The money should boost defence, technology and industry, but is scanty when compared with the €500 billion of investment in the sector, which experts…