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Future of Coal Series

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Despite major shifts in the industry and serious worries in coal communities, today coal still supplies nearly 40% of our electricity. According to the Bureau of Land Management, one out of every five homes and business in the US use electricity made from Wyoming coal. But what does the future look like for fossil fuels in a world where there is increasing pressure to keep them in the ground? In this series, we examine the role of coal as an energy source in a world where constraints on carbon emissions are adopted to mitigate global warming. Indeed, the challenge for governments and industry is to find a path that mitigates carbon emissions yet continues to utilize coal to meet urgent energy needs, especially in developing economies.

Future of Coal Series

COAL: Best performing commodity of the year

Sep 14, 2016 08:49 am UTC| Commentary

Surprisingly yes and specifically metallurgical coal. Surprising, because the declining price of coal for past few years have claimed some prominent victims. Peabody Energy, which was the worlds largest producer of coal...

Future of Coal Series

As coal mining declines, community mental health problems linger

Aug 02, 2016 05:32 am UTC| Insights & Views Health

The U.S. coal industry is in rapid decline, a shift marked not only by the bankruptcy of many mine operators in coal-rich Appalachia but also by a legacy of potential environmental and social disasters. As mines close,...

Future of Coal Series

Climate Change Series

India is hedging its bets on coal to bring power to the people

Jun 15, 2016 07:08 am UTC| Insights & Views Economy Nature

As the world moves to combat climate change, its increasingly doubtful that coal will continue to be a viable energy source, because of its high greenhouse gas emissions. But coal played a vital role in the Industrial...

Future of Coal Series

Is coal the only way to deal with energy poverty in developing economies?

Jun 14, 2016 08:30 am UTC| Insights & Views Nature Economy

Future of Coal Series

Coal and industrial relations: how miners secured workers' rights

Jun 10, 2016 02:32 am UTC| Insights & Views

Coal mining, major industrial disputes, and the coal miner himself, are iconic representations of the industrial age. Demand for coal came from expanding urban centres as a result of the Industrial Revolution, and new...

Future of Coal Series

Climate Change Series

South Australia is now coal-free, and batteries could fill the energy gap

May 13, 2016 10:15 am UTC| Insights & Views Nature

South Australias last coal-fired power station closed on Monday this week, leaving the state with only gas and wind power generators. The Northern Power Station, in Port Augusta on the northern end of the Spencer Gulf,...

Future of Coal Series

Climate Change Series

River on fire: even if it's not coal seam gas we should still be concerned

May 03, 2016 07:12 am UTC| Insights & Views Nature

Astonishing footage of a river in Queensland on fire has once again stoked the coal seam gas (CSG) debate. The video shows NSW Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham setting fire to methane seeping from the Condamine...

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Economy

Asian Currencies Slide as Strong US Dollar and Hawkish Fed Pressure Regional FX Markets

Asian currencies weakened on Thursday as a stronger US dollar and hawkish signals from Federal Reserve officials weighed on regional foreign exchange markets. The South Korean won and Indian rupee led losses, while the...

BOJ Rate Hike to 1% by June in Focus as Inflation and Weak Yen Pressure Mount

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) is increasingly expected to raise its key interest rate to 1% by the end of June, according to a recent Reuters poll of economists. The shift in forecasts reflects growing concerns about rising...

Sanae Takaichi Seeks Market Trust as Japan Weighs Spending and Tax Cuts

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is preparing to defend her proactive fiscal policies as parliament begins deliberations on her flagship spending and tax cut plans next week. While Takaichi has pledged to boost...

RBNZ Signals Potential Interest Rate Hike as Inflation Outlook Remains Uncertain

New Zealands central bank has indicated that the next move in interest rates is likely to be upward, although economic uncertainty continues to cloud the timing. Karen Silk, Assistant Governor of the Reserve Bank of New...

Oil Prices Ease After 4% Surge as U.S.-Iran Tensions and Supply Risks Remain in Focus

Oil prices edged lower during early Asian trading on Thursday, retreating slightly after a sharp 4% rally in the previous session. Investors are closely monitoring rising geopolitical tensions between the United States and...

Politics

Bill Gates Pulls Out of India’s AI Impact Summit Amid Controversy and Event Mismanagement

Bill Gates withdrew from Indias AI Impact Summit just hours before his scheduled keynote address, dealing a major setback to the high-profile artificial intelligence event in New Delhi. The Gates Foundation confirmed that...

Trump Convenes Board of Peace as $5 Billion Gaza Reconstruction Fund Announced

U.S. President Donald Trump will chair the first meeting of his newly formed Board of Peace on Thursday, placing the future of Gaza reconstruction and regional stability at the center of global attention. The high-profile...

Peru Elects Jose Balcazar as Interim President Ahead of April General Elections

Peruvian lawmakers have elected veteran left-wing legislator Jose Balcazar as the countrys new interim president, marking Perus eighth president in just eight years and underscoring the nations ongoing political...

Trump Says U.S. Trade Deficit Shrinking Sharply as 2026 Trade Surplus Looms

U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Americas trade deficit has narrowed significantly due to his 2025 trade tariffs, adding that the country could post its first trade surplus in decades as early as this year....

Lavrov Warns of Serious Consequences if U.S. Launches New Strike on Iran

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned that any new U.S. strike on Iran would trigger serious consequences and further destabilize the Middle East. In an interview aired by Saudi Arabias Al-Arabiya television...

Science

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

Elon Musks SpaceX is shifting its near-term space exploration strategy, choosing to prioritize a return to the Moon before pursuing missions to Mars, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar...

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Technology

OpenAI Nears $100 Billion Funding Round at $850 Billion Valuation: Bloomberg Report

OpenAI is reportedly close to completing the first phase of a massive new funding round expected to raise more than $100 billion, according to a Bloomberg report citing sources familiar with the matter. The deal could push...

Microsoft Responds to ICE Surveillance Concerns Amid Azure Cloud Expansion

Microsoft said Wednesday it does not believe U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is using its technology for mass surveillance of civilians, following a report that the agency significantly expanded its use of...

Mark Zuckerberg Testifies in Youth Social Media Addiction Trial Over Instagram Policies

Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified in a landmark Los Angeles trial addressing allegations that Instagram and YouTube contributed to youth social media addiction and harmed a young users mental health. The...

European IT Hardware Stocks to Watch as Gaming Demand Outpaces Smartphones, Says BofA

BofA Researchs February report highlights a clear split in European IT hardware demand trends, with gaming spending significantly outperforming other consumer technology categories while smartphone sales remain under...

Microsoft Plans $50 Billion AI Investment to Accelerate Growth in the Global South

Microsoft has announced plans to invest up to $50 billion by the end of the decade to expand artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure and digital capabilities across countries in the Global South. The announcement was...