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A growing oil slick has been detected off Oman after the sanctions-hit tanker Caroline Bezengi became stranded near the Hallaniyat Islands, with satellite imagery showing oil spreading from the vessel into surrounding waters. The tanker, which has been linked to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, was carrying Russian crude and had reportedly stopped transmitting its automatic […]

Malawi has taken an important step towards a more reliable clean-energy future by installing its first utility-scale battery energy storage system, a 20 MW/40 MWh facility in Lilongwe. Commissioned by the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) in July 2026, the project cost around US$20.25 million and is designed to store electricity when supply is

A series of new scientific breakthroughs is reshaping our understanding of how life and Earth respond to environmental change. Researchers have uncovered evidence that early rice cultivation began adapting to changing climates thousands of years ago, offering fresh insights into the origins of sustainable agriculture. In another study, scientists identified a key “death gene” that

A new study using artificial intelligence (AI) has revealed that the global rush to mine critical minerals for clean energy technologies could pose significant risks to biodiversity if development is not carefully planned. Researchers combined AI models with satellite imagery, mining data and ecological information to identify areas where the extraction of minerals such as

The European Central Bank (ECB) has announced that it will expand the use of climate-related considerations within the Eurosystem collateral framework, reinforcing its commitment to integrating climate risks into monetary policy operations. Under the updated approach, the ECB will continue applying climate-related criteria when assessing corporate assets that banks use as collateral in exchange for

A new analysis by JPMorgan warns that the combination of a potential super El Niño event and a sharp rise in global oil prices could fuel another wave of inflation, posing risks to economic growth and food security worldwide. The financial institution noted that an exceptionally strong El Niño could disrupt agricultural production across major

Brazil’s plan to increase the mandatory ethanol content in gasoline has come under legal scrutiny after federal prosecutors sought to halt the policy, arguing that its potential environmental, economic and consumer impacts have not been adequately assessed. The proposed measure would raise the ethanol blend from 27% to 30% (E30) as part of Brazil’s strategy

India’s ambitious drive to become a global leader in solar manufacturing is facing significant challenges, with several newly built factories operating below capacity due to continued dependence on imported components from China. While government initiatives such as the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme and domestic manufacturing targets have encouraged investment in solar module and cell

Exceptionally low water levels along the Danube River have created a growing environmental and economic challenge in Serbia and Croatia, where boats have been left stranded and decades-old shipwrecks have re-emerged from the riverbed. Prolonged heatwaves, below-average rainfall and persistent drought have reduced the Danube to some of its lowest levels in decades, disrupting one

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose new tariffs on Canadian goods, blaming smoke from Canada’s record-breaking wildfires for deteriorating air quality across several American states. Thick smoke drifting south from large wildfires burning in provinces such as British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario has triggered air quality alerts across parts of the northern