Global Climate News

Egypt's El Alamein Petroleum Company allocated $25 million to drill three development wells in East Abu Sinnan in FY2026/2025. The company also plans to use solar energy to power one well, reducing solar consumption and carbon emissions.

US-based Algaeo, founded by Nick Sokol, has developed a technology to produce organic fertilizers from microalgae. This reduces reliance on petroleum-based synthetic fertilizers, decreasing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Algaeo is part of the Innovation Crossroads program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, utilizing ORNL resources to optimize its fertilizer production.

Jeremy Collins has submitted an environmental permit application to the Environment Agency for Meridon House in Bishops Sutton, UK. The application concerns waste and mining waste operations, installations, water discharge and groundwater activities, and medium combustion plant and specified generators.

The Environment Agency in England is consulting the public on an environmental permit application submitted by Richard Pearson-Wood for White Farm Stables in Kingsdown, Kent. The application concerns waste and mining waste operations, installations, water discharge, groundwater activities, and medium combustion plant and specified generators.

The UN Secretary-General expressed sorrow over devastating wildfires in California, claiming lives and displacing thousands. Damages are estimated to exceed $50 billion. The UN commended first responders and highlighted prevention strategies such as clearing underbrush and improving evacuation planning. The WHO emphasized the health risks of wildfire smoke. The UN stands ready to provide assistance if needed.

ETH Zurich researchers have optimized arsenic detection methods, finding it in aerosols, clouds, and rainwater in the Pyrenees. They identified transport patterns from the Atlantic, Spain, France, the Mediterranean, and Africa, showing biological processes are more important in the arsenic cycle than previously assumed. This necessitates incorporating biological processes into models to better estimate global arsenic distribution.

US-based research organization RMI found that uneconomically dispatched coal plants cost communities \\$13–\\$26 billion in health costs annually (2015-2023 total: \\$236 billion). The highest health impacts were in MISO (Midwest) and PJM (Mid-Atlantic) regions due to plant proximity to dense populations. The study used EPA's COBRA tool to assess health impacts, revealing 19,565 ER visits, 16,661 premature mortalities, and 50,000 new asthma cases.

The article discusses the nomination of Lee Zeldin as the EPA administrator under the Trump administration. Zeldin's past financial ties to the oil and gas industry and his stance on climate change legislation are highlighted. Concerns are raised regarding potential weakening of environmental regulations and cuts to the EPA's budget under his leadership. The article proposes three key questions for Zeldin regarding factory farm pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and the safety of agricultural chemicals.

The Environment Agency in England issued an environmental permit (EPR/VP3732VD/V002) to Hovis Limited for its Forest Gate Bakery under the Industrial Emissions Directive.

UK-based Iron Mountain (UK) Data Centre Limited has submitted an environmental permit application to the Environment Agency for its LON3 Data Centre in Slough. The application is for waste and mining waste operations, installations, water discharge and groundwater activities, and medium combustion plant and specified generators.

India has created around 56,000 sq meters of dense forests in Prayagraj in the last two years using the Miyawaki technique. The Prayagraj Municipal Corporation planted trees at more than 10 locations, transforming garbage dumps into green spaces and improving air quality. The project included various species, including fruit-bearing, medicinal, and ornamental plants.

Taiwan's Executive Yuan held a technology advisory meeting in 2025, focusing on climate change adaptation and low-carbon energy. The meeting resulted in recommendations for achieving net-zero emissions and improving climate adaptation strategies, including strengthening science-based public communication, developing localized climate adaptation technologies, promoting diversified low-carbon energy sources, and considering national security in net-zero planning. The government aims to achieve a net-zero transition by 2050 and build Taiwan into an ‘artificial intelligence island’.

Taiwan's Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) extended its "Good Air Wishing Pool" campaign to gather public opinions on air quality improvement, and will hold three public forums in January 2025 to discuss air pollution reduction, carbon neutrality, scientific research, and health sustainability.

Taiwan's Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) encouraged citizens to participate in spring cleaning, properly dispose of waste, and utilize eco-friendly cleaning products. The EPA also promoted the use of environmentally friendly pest control and highlighted the importance of reducing air pollution from burning paper money during the Lunar New Year.

The Plzeňský kraj (Pilsen Region) in Czechia has published a report on demographic, social, and economic development in 2023, including a section on environmental factors such as emissions, waste, and protected areas.

The UK government, through the Environment Agency and Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, published guidance on air emissions risk assessment for environmental permits. The guidance details calculations, screening processes, and standards for various pollutants, including nitrogen oxides, ammonia, and others impacting protected conservation areas.

Nordea, a responsible and sustainable bank, conducted a field visit to ArcelorMittal's steel plant in Zenica, Bosnia, to assess its environmental impact. The plant's high pollution levels, causing health issues for residents, were noted. Nordea emphasized the need for emission reduction measures, and ArcelorMittal acknowledged the need for further action. A hood for capturing emissions is in development.

The 14th Annual Meeting of the Chilean Society for Regional Studies (SOCHER) was held in Chile, focusing on innovation and partnerships for local development. Nearly 30 people participated in the SOCHER Summer School, offering modules on spatial data analysis and other topics. The congress included sessions on Energy Transition and sustainable territorial development.

India's Ministry of Road Transport and Highways organized a two-day workshop to discuss solutions for transforming the road transport sector. Key initiatives included accelerating the Vehicle Scrapping Policy, pan-India adoption of PUCC 2.0, and the introduction of BS-VII emission norms. A scheme for pan-India Driver Training Institutes was launched, along with new road safety technologies like Naksha. Efforts also focused on improving e-rickshaw safety, vehicular safety (including bus body codes and ADAS for trucks), and implementing integrated command control centers for women's safety in public transport.

The Environment Agency in England issued an environmental permit (EPR/EP3507SL/V002) to Telehouse International Corporation of Europe Limited for its Docklands Technical Centre in London under the Industrial Emissions Directive.