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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

Australian trade deficit narrows in September, driven by firmer coal exports

Nov 03, 2016 05:25 am UTC| Commentary Economy

Australias trade balance improved during the month of September, driven by strong exports of coal and significantly beating market expectations. This surprise improvement was driven by a spike in resource exports, with...

Future of Coal Series

Australia's coal politics are undermining democratic and Indigenous rights

Oct 26, 2016 09:45 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Can Australia achieve fair and open decision-making when big coal players are involved? The case of Adanis proposed Carmichael coal mine suggests the answer is no, and Indigenous land owners are bearing the brunt. The...

Future of Coal Series

The gas industry needs a carbon price to compete with coal

Oct 25, 2016 17:20 pm UTC| Insights & Views

Putting a price on carbon would benefit the Australian gas industry, at least in the short term. It is therefore in the interests of gas producers to lobby for the emissions trading scheme proposed for the electricity...

Future of Coal Series

China’s coal imports likely to remain strong, policy measures to dictate prices

Oct 20, 2016 06:36 am UTC| Economy Commentary

Coal imports in China are expected to remain strong in the near term, despite efforts to limit the impact of capacity closures on utilities, while prices are likely to be dictated by the countrys policy...

Future of Coal Series

Bangladesh is building a dirty and expensive coal plant next to the world's largest mangrove forest

Sep 27, 2016 13:42 pm UTC| Insights & Views

A controversial new coal power plant being built in Bangladesh is already running out of friends. Environmentalists worry it will spell disaster for the worlds largest mangrove forest, while locals worry about pollution...

Future of Coal Series

King Coal is dethroned in the US – and that's good news for the environment

Sep 23, 2016 08:08 am UTC| Insights & Views

This is the worst year in decades for U.S. coal. During the first six months of 2016, U.S. coal production was down a staggering 28 percent compared to 2015, and down 33 percent compared to 2014. For the first time ever,...

Future of Coal Series

Pacific pariah: how Australia’s love of coal has left it out in the diplomatic cold

Sep 23, 2016 08:06 am UTC| Insights & Views

Australias Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will have some explaining to do when he attends the Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting in Pohnpei, Micronesia, this week. Australias continued determination to dig up coal,...

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Economy

Japan Nominates Reflationist Economists to BOJ Board, Signaling Policy Shift

The Japanese government has nominated academics Toichiro Asada and Ayano Sato to join the Bank of Japans nine-member policy board, a move that could shape the future direction of Japans monetary policy under Prime Minister...

Trump Touts Stock Market Gains and 401(k) Boost Amid Tariff Uncertainty

U.S. President Donald Trump highlighted strong stock market performance and proposed new retirement savings incentives during his State of the Union address on Tuesday, while offering limited clarity on the future of U.S....

Hong Kong Economy Forecast to Grow 2.5%-3.5% in 2026, Budget Deficit Set to Narrow

Hong Kongs economy is projected to remain resilient in 2026, with growth expected between 2.5% and 3.5%, according to Financial Secretary Paul Chans annual budget speech. The forecast signals renewed momentum for the...

UBS Boosts Chinese Tech and AI Stocks for 2026 as Sector Eyes Strong Growth

UBS analysts are turning increasingly bullish on Chinese technology stocks, raising portfolio allocations after a recent sector pullback. The brokerage believes strong earnings, attractive valuations, and accelerating...

Australia Inflation Rises Above Forecast in January, Fueling Interest Rate Hike Concerns

Australias inflation rate came in stronger than expected in January, intensifying speculation that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) may consider another interest rate hike in the coming months. Fresh data released by...

Politics

Trump Pushes Tech Giants to Build Power Plants to Offset AI Data Center Energy Costs

President Donald Trump announced during his State of the Union address that his administration is urging major technology companies to build and operate their own power plants to support energy-intensive data centers. The...

Trump State of the Union 2026: Economy, Inflation, and Midterm Election Stakes

President Donald Trump delivered his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, positioning the speech as a defining moment ahead of the November midterm elections. With all 435 House seats and...

Irish Council Approves Trump Doonbeg Ballroom Plan with Snail Protection Conditions

Clare County Council has approved plans by the Trump family to construct a new ballroom at Trump International Golf Links Hotel in Doonbeg, located on Irelands west coast. The decision allows the development to move...

Claudia Sheinbaum Considers Legal Action Against Elon Musk Over Cartel Allegations

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is considering legal action against tech billionaire Elon Musk after he alleged on X that she was connected to drug cartels. The controversy erupted after Mexican security forces...

Bipartisan Senate Resolution Backs Ukraine Ahead of Trump’s State of the Union Address

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced a resolution on Tuesday reaffirming strong American support for Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against Russias ongoing invasion. The measure was led by Democratic...

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

Anthropic Resists Pentagon Pressure Over Military AI Restrictions

Artificial intelligence company Anthropic is standing firm on its military AI usage restrictions despite mounting pressure from the U.S. Department of Defense, according to a source familiar with the discussions. The...

Hyundai Motor Plans Multibillion-Dollar Investment in Robotics, AI and Hydrogen in South Korea

Hyundai Motor is reportedly preparing a multibillion-dollar investment in South Koreas Saemangeum west coast zone, targeting robotics, artificial intelligence, a large-scale data centre, and hydrogen infrastructure....

Meta Encryption Plan Sparks Child Safety Concerns Amid New Mexico Lawsuit

Meta executives moved forward with plans to implement end-to-end encryption across Facebook Messenger and Instagram Direct despite internal warnings that the change could significantly reduce the companys ability to detect...

Apple to Begin Mac Mini Production in Texas Amid $600 Billion U.S. Investment Plan

Apple is set to shift part of its Mac Mini production to the United States, marking a significant expansion of its domestic manufacturing footprint. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, the tech giant will...

Nvidia Earnings Preview: AI Chip Demand, Data Center Growth and Blackwell Shipments in Focus

Nvidia is poised to report another quarter of strong growth, with Wall Street anticipating upbeat guidance driven by accelerating demand for AI infrastructure, rising shipments of next-generation Blackwell chips, and...