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Iraq losing $1mn daily due to dust storms
Iraq is losing approximately $1mn per day due to dust and sandstorms that strike the country, according to a report by the Iraq Green Observatory, an environmental affairs monitoring body.
UK insect numbers plummet by two thirds in three years, Bugs Matter survey shows
The population of flying insects in the United Kingdom has fallen by two thirds in just three years, according to new findings from a nationwide “Bugs Matter” citizen survey, raising alarm among ecologists and conservation groups.
Bosnia secures €80mn World Bank loan to finance coal phase-out and energy transition
Funds to back project to repurpose post-mining lands in Banovići, Zenica and Kreka, and facilitate the closure of underground mining operations in Zenica.
EU swaps China for Russia in procurement of rare earth metals
The EU is increasingly turning to China to source hard-to-find rare earth metals and dropping previous import deals with Russia.
Australia holds the key to breaking China’s stranglehold over global critical minerals supplies
In the deepening trade conflict between Washington and Beijing, one exception has stood out: 31 critical minerals, including rare earth elements, were exempted from tariffs. The move was less a concession than an admission of depence on China.
Spanish blackout caused by extreme weather and a major renewables failure for the first time
A widespread blackout that plunged Spain, Portugal, Andorra and parts of southern France into darkness this week was caused by extreme weather events that saw the renewable power system collapse, as now the third disaster starts.
Iraq facing worst drought in history as water resources dwindle and climate crisis intensifies
Iraq is facing what officials are calling the "worst drought in its history," as water resources continue to dwindle and agricultural land deteriorates across the country, threatening both human security and economic stability.
Caspian Sea may become next Aral, but who is to blame?
Some forecasting even indicates the decline of the body of water could pose a threat to the shipping section of the rapidly expanding Middle Corridor transit route.
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Chipping point – the climate toll of AI chip-making in East Asia
The meteoric rise of AI is sparking a parallel and largely overlooked environmental challenge: the significant climate impact of chip manufacturing, particularly in East Asia, says a new report from Greenpeace.
China and EU step up climate leadership as Trump left out of pre-COP30 talks
Leaders of more than a dozen countries, including China’s President Xi Jinping and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, gathered virtually last week for high-level climate talks ahead of the Brazilian COP30.