1
Supreme Court weighs Boulder's climate lawsuit against Suncor and ExxonMobil
The Supreme Court heard arguments Monday on whether local governments can sue oil and gas companies in state court to recover climate-related costs, a question with potentially billions of dollars at stake. Boulder city and county, which first sued Suncor Energy and ExxonMobil in 2018, say the companies should help bear the financial burden of floods and wildfires. Suncor and Exxon argue the Clean Air Act gives the federal government, not states, power over emissions, and the Trump administration backs them, calling the suits unconstitutional. Justice Samuel Alito recused himself, raising the possibility of a tie, which would leave in place Colorado's highest court ruling allowing the case to proceed.
Key facts
- Chief Justice John Roberts said a Boulder win would presumably prompt a suit from a municipality in every state.
- Justice Brett Kavanaugh said a Boulder win could bankrupt oil companies and other potential defendants.
- Justice Elena Kagan called the case "Chapter 3" after tobacco and opioid lawsuits by states.
- Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson suggested waiting until state courts finish hearing the claims.
- The 2021 Marshall Fire destroyed nearly 1,100 homes, killing two people and causing an estimated $2 billion in damage.
Commentary
Sources: The North State Journal
2
Chile declares Las Condes, part of Santiago, a disaster zone after heavy rains
Chile has declared Las Condes, an affluent suburb of Santiago, a disaster zone after torrential rains triggered flash floods and mudslides. The declaration lets public agencies adopt extraordinary measures to coordinate emergency aid, assess damage and support recovery. Heavy rain on Thursday, falling on already saturated ground, sent water and mud through streets, swept away vehicles and flooded homes, while the Mapocho River overflowed and made roads impassable. Injuries were reported, and firefighters carried out numerous rescues and evacuations. Authorities have also warned of further landslides in hill areas, and officials urged residents to follow safety instructions. The government said the declaration would help public services assist affected households.
Key facts
- Mayor Catalina San Martin said 14.4 centimeters (5.7 inches) of rain fell in recent days, around nine times October's average.
- Local media reported at least six people injured, including a one-year-old with fractures.
- Firefighters rescued or evacuated more than 1,000 people.
- The National Disaster Prevention and Response Service declared a red alert for 10 municipalities due to landslide risk.
Commentary
Sources: Anadolu Ajansı
3
Brazilian prosecutors sue Shell subsidiary for $108 million over deadly 2024 floods
Brazilian public prosecutors filed an unprecedented civil suit on Friday against Shell's Brazilian subsidiary, seeking $108 million for material and moral damages from floods that hit Rio Grande do Sul state in April and May 2024. The floods left nearly 200 people dead and 500,000 more displaced. Prosecutors argue that Shell should be held responsible in proportion to its greenhouse gas emissions, citing past and current emissions tied to its exploration, production and sale of fossil fuels. The case is part of a wider push in the courts. NGOs and lawyers have sought compensation from major polluters for climate harm in recent years, and similar suits are pending in several countries.
Key facts
- The lawsuit puts Shell's contribution to global warming at two percent of historical global greenhouse gas emissions.
- The suit was brought in conjunction with Instituto Preservar, a Brazilian NGO.
- Sabin Center's Maria Antonia Tigre said no national prosecutor had sued an oil major over a climate disaster before.
- German courts rejected Peruvian farmer Saul Luciano Lliuya's claim against RWE but left the door open to emitter liability.
- New Zealand changed its law to block Maori activist Mike Smith's lawsuit against six domestic companies.
Commentary
Sources: Macau Business
4
Trump administration relaxes fuel economy standards for gasoline cars and light trucks
The Trump administration has relaxed fuel economy standards for gasoline-powered cars and light trucks, a move critics say carries a significant environmental cost. The change furthers Trump's pledge to revoke policies encouraging electric vehicle production. The rules were released shortly after Trump rejected an Iranian proposal to open the Strait of Hormuz, which sent oil prices soaring. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the previous requirements an illegal mandate that forced automakers to build electric vehicles Americans did not want. The Sierra Club vowed to fight it, and the Center for Biological Diversity's Dan Becker said the rule ignores the feasibility of clean technology. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation called it an appropriate course correction.
Key facts
- Fleetwide target rises from 30.1 mpg for 2024 models to 34.9 mpg for 2031 models, versus 50.4 projected under Biden.
- DOT says the rule cuts average new vehicle cost by $1,300 and saves Americans $138 billion over five years.
- Environmental groups estimate cars could produce 22,111 more tons of carbon dioxide yearly in 2035 than under Biden-era rules.
- AAA put average gasoline prices at $4.47 on Sept. 28, up from $3.13 a year earlier.
- DOT estimates the rule cuts yearly oil consumption in 2050 by about 1.3 billion barrels versus 2024.
Commentary
Sources: Agri News
5
Trump administration exempts Alaska winter oil exploration from case-by-case environmental reviews
The Bureau of Land Management has exempted most winter oil exploration in Alaska's National Petroleum Reserve from individual environmental analysis, relying on past studies. Alaska state director Kevin Pendergast said the change would let developers more nimbly locate energy resources and bring more revenue to Alaskan communities. The Alaska Oil and Gas Association welcomed the move, while the Alaska Wilderness League said the drill-first approach puts Arctic lands and wildlife at risk. The agency says winter work normally does not significantly affect the environment, but several scientific studies have found North Slope exploration causes negative effects. The rule extends a wider push to open the reserve, where the administration replaced an Obama-era plan protecting about half of it.
Key facts
- Seismic surveys and well drilling on western North Slope federal lands no longer need case-by-case review.
- The rule took effect Friday and has no public comment period.
- A similar BLM rule for development projects is open to public comment until November 9.
- A March record lease sale in the reserve drew $163 million in high bids.
- University of Alaska Fairbanks scientists found seismic surveys can cause lasting damage to permafrost terrain.
Commentary
Sources: The Daily Chronicle
6
Waterspouts destroy school in western Sicily as severe weather injures several across Italy
Two waterspouts formed at sea and moved inland around Marsala and Trapani in western Sicily on Friday, damaging buildings and vehicles, ANSA reported. One struck the Terrenove campus of the Alcide De Gasperi school, destroying it while 273 children were present; staff moved them indoors. Principal Leonardo Gullotta said there were no injuries to staff or children beyond a few scrapes. Several people were injured across the affected area. Power outages affected parts of Marano, and orange weather alerts for Lazio and Campania warned of torrential rain.
Key facts
- Two people were hospitalized in nearby Petrosino after a car was thrown into a ravine.
- A Thursday evening outage cut internet and phone services on Ischia for over two hours, preventing emergency calls.
- Heavy rain triggered flooding and landslides on Ischia, prompting 13 firefighting operations.
- A storm dumped nearly 100 millimeters of rain on Castelleone in Cremona province within hours.
- A supermarket wall collapsed in Pozzuoli, near Naples.
Commentary
Sources: Anadolu Ajansı
7
Iran to pursue environmental damage from US attacks on Kharg Island through legal and UN channels
Bushehr Province's Department of Environment is compiling a comprehensive record of environmental damage from US attacks on Kharg Island, aiming to pursue the matter through legal and international channels, including the United Nations. Abdolrahman Moradzadeh, the province's environment director general, said protecting the island's habitats and wildlife is part of safeguarding national assets. Environmental experts warn that explosions, habitat destruction and prolonged noise can leave lasting harm on animal populations, and Masoumeh Safaei of Iran's Office for Wildlife Protection and Management said nearby blasts stressed captive animals. Shina Ansari, head of the Department of Environment, called war's environmental damage the most severe and inhumane harm, and said aggressors must be held accountable and pay full compensation.
Key facts
- At least 25 deer confirmed dead on Kharg Island after attacks during the US-Israeli war on Iran.
- Masoumeh Safaei says the deer count covers only areas outside military zones and the real toll is higher.
- Shina Ansari said the US-Israel coalition has imposed two illegal wars on Iran over the past year.
- Ansari spoke at the ninth Committee on Environment and Development session, held July 1-3 in Bangkok.
Commentary
Sources: Tehran Times
8
Mineral Europa, World's First Ammonia-Fueled Dry Bulk Carrier, Completes Sea Trials
The Mineral Europa, described as the world's first ammonia-fueled dry bulk carrier, has completed sea trials and is set for its maiden voyage to Australia. The vessel, owned by Belgian shipowner CMB.TECH, can run on either ammonia or traditional marine fuels as part of the company's effort to cut emissions from its operations. Green ammonia, made from renewable energy, water and nitrogen taken from the air, contains no carbon and releases no carbon dioxide directly when burned, though its environmental benefits depend on how it is made, supplied and used. Because ammonia is toxic, ports and suppliers need storage and distribution facilities before more vessels can use it.
Key facts
- CMB.TECH plans 21 ammonia-powered vessels by 2029, including 18 dry bulk carriers.
- Nearly all of the planned ships are to be received within the next nine months.
- CEO Alexander Saverys says more ammonia-powered ships will operate after the Mineral Europa launch.
- CMB.TECH intends to invest in ammonia storage facilities and bunker barges to distribute the fuel.
- Mineral Europa was manufactured at Qingdao Beihai Shipyard in China.
Commentary
Sources: Marine Insight
9
Jamling Tenzing says climate change is making Himalayan climbing more dangerous
Jamling Tenzing, son of Everest pioneer Tenzing Norgay, has warned that climate change is making mountaineering more dangerous in the Himalayas. The warning comes as the biopic "Tenzing" recounts his father's 1953 Everest ascent with Edmund Hillary. He said Nepal's recent floods were not isolated incidents, noting that almost half the country is mountainous, so the threat reaches people in lower valleys and river basins. As glaciers melt, water pressure builds in glacial lakes until their barriers collapse, sending floodwaters through surrounding areas. Sherpa guides already face unpredictable weather and more frequent avalanches. Jamling said the countries emitting the most greenhouse gases bear primary responsibility.
Key facts
- Guides found standing water at Camp 2, about 6,400 metres up, where it had never been seen before.
- A glacial lake burst its banks two years ago, wiping out half of Thame, a village at 3,800 metres.
- Jamling says Sherpas climb primarily to feed their children and give them a good education.
- The biopic Tenzing was released on Apple TV on Friday, October 2.
Commentary
Sources: The Climate Watch
10
Iberdrola pulls out of South Korea wind power market over regulatory uncertainty
Iberdrola has pulled out of South Korea's wind power market, citing regulatory uncertainty. Begoña Díaz González, the company's head of international business, said in a Bilbao interview that the Korean market was at an early stage with an unstable regulatory framework. Her main concern was that power purchase agreement terms could change depending on the administration, upsetting the long-term revenue model that wind projects depend on. Other European energy firms have also retreated, citing complex permitting, grid shortages, PPA price uncertainty and surging construction costs. Díaz González said withdrawing does not rule out a return.
Key facts
- Iberdrola and GS Energy signed a 2021 memorandum of understanding to pursue Korean wind and solar projects.
- Equinor scrapped its large offshore wind projects in Ulsan and Chuja Island this year.
- Corio Generation, a U.K. offshore wind company, shut its Korean unit on March 3.
- Shell left the Korean market in 2024, and RWE is scaling back its Korean offshore wind business.
- Díaz González called Korea attractive given high power demand and decarbonization policies.
Commentary
Sources: Chosunbiz