Daily Digest for

Authors argue for accelerated deep drilling, improved detection, regulatory reform and investment to test whether natural hydrogen occurrences (notably Bourakébougou, Mali) can yield commercially viable reservoirs; no large-scale reserves have yet been confirmed.

California state leaders are considering the extension of the Cap-and-Invest (Cap-and-Trade) climate program through 2045.

• Study by Environmental Defense Fund and Greenline Insights projects the extension would generate 287,000 jobs, $55 billion in economic growth, and $232 million in net household savings; it would also raise at least $47 billion for California Climate Investments.
• Clean and Prosperous California reports the program has lost up to $3 billion in potential revenue in the past year due to legislative uncertainty, with ongoing losses of $600 million to $1 billion per quarterly auction until reauthorization.

Sandro Vattioni and Timofei Sukhodolov highlight that the rapid increase in global rocket launches could delay the recovery of the ozone layer, a risk that is currently underestimated.

• Rocket launches and re-entering space debris release pollutants (chlorine, soot, metals, nitrogen oxides) into the middle atmosphere, where they persist and damage the ozone layer; unregulated rocket emissions could delay ozone recovery by years or decades.
• A projected scenario of 2,040 launches in 2030 could reduce global average ozone thickness by 0.3% and up to 4% seasonally over Antarctica; only 6% of launches currently use cryogenic fuels with negligible ozone impact, and re-entry effects are still poorly understood but likely significant.