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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

Nations will release an extra 400 million barrels of oil to the market. All we need to do now is not panic at the pump

Despite being one of the worlds top exporters of fossil fuels (coal and gas), Australia has little left of its own oil. Neither does New Zealand. Both Australia and New Zealand sit at the end of a long supply chain for...

ANZ and Westpac Forecast Two RBA Rate Hikes in March and May 2026

ANZ has joined Westpac in predicting that the Reserve Bank of Australia will raise interest rates at both its March and May 2026 meetings. Analysts cite persistent inflation and a resilient labor market as the primary...

UK Housing Market Slows Amid Geopolitical Tensions and Mortgage Rate Fears

Britains housing market is showing signs of cooling as prospective buyers grow increasingly cautious in response to escalating geopolitical tensions and the threat of prolonged high mortgage rates. According to a recent...

Venezuela Names Paula Henao as New Oil Minister Amid U.S.-Led Industry Overhaul

Venezuelas acting President Delcy Rodriguez has appointed Paula Henao as the countrys new oil minister, marking a significant leadership shift as the South American nation undergoes a sweeping transformation of its energy...

IEA Releases Record 400 Million Barrels of Oil Amid U.S.-Iran War

The International Energy Agency has approved an unprecedented release of 400 million barrels of oil from strategic reserves held by its 32 member nations, marking the largest coordinated stockpile drawdown in the agencys...

Politics

After the Iran war, Persian Gulf nations face tough decisions on the US – a former diplomat explains

When the US-Israeli war on Iran finally ends, the Middle East will be even less predictable than it was before it started. The decision by US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to go to...

Trump Doubts Iran Mining Reports as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Escalate

President Donald Trump cast doubt Wednesday on reports that Iran had placed naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the worlds most critical oil shipping routes. When pressed by reporters, Trump responded simply, We...

Bipartisan Housing Bill Advances in Senate, Aims to Tackle U.S. Affordability Crisis

In a rare show of bipartisan cooperation, Republican and Democratic lawmakers are rallying behind sweeping legislation designed to address Americas growing affordable housing shortage. The Senate voted 84-10 in favor of a...

Trump Administration Launches Trade Investigations Against 16 Countries Over Industrial Overcapacity

The Trump administration has opened sweeping new trade investigations targeting 16 major trading partners, signaling a fresh push to restore tariff leverage after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a key pillar of...

Pentagon Taps Wall Street Talent to Manage $200 Billion Defense Investment Fund

The Pentagon is assembling an elite 30-person team of investment professionals with private equity backgrounds to oversee an ambitious $200 billion defense investment initiative spanning three years, according to a Semafor...

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

Pokemon Pokopia Sells 2.2 Million Copies in Four Days, Boosting Nintendo Switch 2 Momentum

Nintendo has announced that its newly released life simulation game, Pokemon Pokopia, surpassed 2.2 million copies sold within just four days of launch a strong debut that is helping ease investor concerns surrounding the...

UK Regulators Demand Social Media Platforms Strengthen Children's Age Verification

Britains media and privacy regulators are turning up the heat on major social media companies, demanding stronger measures to prevent children from accessing platforms that were never designed for them. Ofcom and the...

Alphabet's GFiber Merges with Astound Broadband to Build Major U.S. Internet Provider

Alphabets fiber internet subsidiary GFiber is joining forces with Astound Broadband in a landmark merger set to reshape the U.S. broadband landscape. Astound, backed by infrastructure investment firm Stonepeak, will hold a...

Big Tech Turns to Debt Markets to Fund AI Infrastructure Boom

The worlds largest technology companies are increasingly tapping debt markets to bankroll their artificial intelligence ambitions, signaling a notable departure from Silicon Valleys traditional reliance on cash reserves....

Anduril Industries Acquires ExoAnalytic Solutions to Bolster Space Defense Capabilities

Anduril Industries has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire ExoAnalytic Solutions, a national security firm specializing in space situational awareness and missile defense technology. The move signals Andurils...