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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

US Moves to Secure Gulf Shipping Amid Rising Tensions with Iran

The United States has announced plans to assist vessels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz following escalating tensions linked to the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. President Donald Trump stated that efforts would begin...

Middle East Conflict Impacts Australia and New Zealand Businesses

Companies across Australia and New Zealand are increasingly feeling the economic pressure caused by the ongoing Middle East conflict, particularly the U.S.-Israeli war involving Iran. Rising fuel prices, supply chain...

Global Markets Rise as Oil Prices Stabilize Amid Middle East Tensions

Asian stock markets showed modest gains on Monday as investors reacted cautiously to ongoing developments in the Middle East conflict, while oil prices remained relatively stable. Market sentiment improved slightly due to...

Dollar Holds Firm as Asian Currencies Stabilize Amid Middle East Tensions and Rate Uncertainty

The U.S. dollar remained steady in Asian trading on Monday, while most Asian currencies moved within a narrow range as investors weighed geopolitical risks and uncertainty surrounding U.S. interest rates. Trading activity...

Gold Prices Hold Steady Amid Iran Tensions and Interest Rate Uncertainty

Gold prices remained relatively stable during Asian trading on Monday, as ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and uncertainty surrounding global interest rates continued to influence market sentiment. Despite...

Politics

Oil Prices Hold Above $100 Amid Strait of Hormuz Tensions and U.S.-Iran Uncertainty

Oil prices remained elevated above the $100 mark on Monday despite a slight pullback, as ongoing geopolitical tensions and supply disruptions continued to influence the global energy market. Brent crude futures dipped...

Australia Launches Public Hearings on Bondi Beach Shooting and Rising Antisemitism

Australia has officially opened public hearings into the Bondi Beach mass shooting that occurred in December, marking a significant step in a broader national inquiry into antisemitism and social cohesion. The tragic...

Ukraine Drone Strikes Hit Russian Oil Port Primorsk and Naval Targets

Ukraine has intensified its long-range drone campaign against Russia, targeting key energy infrastructure and military assets in a large-scale overnight assault. Ukrainian forces reportedly struck the Baltic Sea port of...

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te Visits Eswatini Amid Rising China Pressure

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te has arrived in Eswatini, marking a significant diplomatic move after his earlier trip was delayed due to restricted airspace access reportedly influenced by China. The visit underscores...

Japan Signals Potential Shift on Arms Exports, Opening Door to Ukraine Support

Japans recent decision to relax its long-standing weapons export restrictions has created a potential pathway for future defense cooperation with Ukraine, according to Kyivs ambassador to Tokyo. While no immediate arms...

Science

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

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...

Technology

Anthropic’s $1.5B AI Venture with Wall Street Firms Targets Private Equity Market

Anthropic is reportedly nearing completion of a major $1.5 billion joint venture with leading financial institutions, including Blackstone and Goldman Sachs, aimed at expanding the use of artificial intelligence tools...

Samsung Appoints New TV Business Head Amid Rising Competition from Chinese Rivals

Samsung Electronics, the worlds leading TV manufacturer, has made a significant leadership change in its television division for the first time in over two years. The company announced that Lee Won-jin, formerly head of...

U.S. Cybersecurity Pushes Faster Patch Deadlines Amid Rising AI-Driven Threats

U.S. cybersecurity officials are exploring significantly shorter deadlines for fixing critical vulnerabilities in government IT systems, driven by growing concerns that hackers are leveraging advanced artificial...

Apple Q2 2026 Earnings Surge as iPhone 17 Sales Drive Record Revenue

Apple delivered a strong fiscal Q2 2026 performance, reporting record-breaking revenue and profit growth fueled by robust iPhone sales and expanding services. The tech giant posted earnings of $2.01 per share on $111.18...

FBI Warns of China’s Expanding Hack-for-Hire Network Amid Extradition Case

The Chinese governments alleged hack-for-hire ecosystem is rapidly expanding and becoming increasingly difficult to control, according to a senior FBI official. Speaking on Thursday, FBI Assistant Director Brett Leatherman...