King’s Speech puts energy independence and water reform centre stage
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Overshadowed politically by mounting speculation over Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership, the King’s Speech nevertheless set out an expansive programme of infrastructure and regulatory reform, with energy independence, grid resilience and the future governance of the UK water sector emerging as major themes alongside headline measures on immigration, NHS restructuring, transport infrastructure and closer EU cooperation. […]
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The Dark Earth of the Amazon That Lets Trees Grow Six Times Larger — And Scientists Think It Could Be Key to Fighting Climate Change
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There is a soil that doesn’t behave like soil should somewhere along a slow bend of the Xingu river, where the macaws scream louder than the rain. It is dispersed throughout an otherwise pale, sandy, and, to be honest, somewhat worn-out landscape in dark, nearly charcoal-black patches. It has been known for generations by the […]
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Green Newton’s Grassroots Climate Campaign Is the Most Effective Local Environmental Organizing Story in Massachusetts – Here’s the Model.
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Alan Gordon made a statement in front of a small group of people in Newton on a rainy Tuesday in early May that initially seemed almost too modest for the occasion. He discussed the sense that the future has already been decided, the gloom of the climate, and doom. Conversely, he stated that this is […]
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Financial Speculation in Capacity Markets Undermines the Energy Transition
Compounding their significant climate and environmental harms, fossil fuels are also volatile commodities. In 2022, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine disrupted the supply of natural gas, causing prices to spike. More recently, the United States’ war on Iran resulted in the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important oil and gas chokepoints […]
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Universal AI is “a pathway to AI fluency that’s accessible and approachable to anyone, anywhere”
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“Artificial intelligence is not just for computer scientists anymore; it’s going to permeate every aspect of our lives and influence every business,” says MIT President Sally Kornbluth. The world is reaching an inflection point with artificial intelligence: over half of U.S. adults use generative AI — with 12 percent using it daily at work — and 88 […]
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Q&A: Expanding MIT’s global reach through Universal Learning
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MIT’s Universal Learning is a new initiative from MIT Open Learning designed to prepare learners everywhere to tackle complex global challenges through boundary-crossing thinking. Universal Learning offerings combine subject matter expertise from MIT faculty and experts and Open Learning’s more than 25 years of innovation in online education to deliver a learning experience centered on […]
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Gibraltar faces scrutiny over decades of untreated sewage discharges into Mediterranean
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Wastewater from the island community is discharged at Europa Point (pictured) Gibraltar has come under renewed environmental scrutiny following reports that the British overseas territory has discharged untreated sewage directly into the Mediterranean Sea for decades because it has never operated a wastewater treatment plant. An investigation published by The Guardian on 6 May said […]
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Environment Agency launches river ecosystem mapping tool for England
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The Environment Agency has published a new open-data mapping platform designed to show how rivers across England support ecosystem services and where interventions may be needed to improve environmental outcomes. The tool, known as the Ecosystem Service Map Explorer (ESME), was released on 11 May as part of the agency’s Riverine Natural Capital Condition and […]
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Europe’s largest vanadium flow battery completed in East Sussex ahead of 2026 launch
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Aerial view of the Copwood VFB Energy Hub in East Sussex, showing rows of solar panels in the foreground alongside dozens of white vanadium flow battery units. Invinity Energy Systems has completed construction of its 20.7 MWh Copwood VFB Energy Hub in East Sussex, a project set to become Europe’s largest vanadium flow battery (VFB) […]
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Green Laundry Guide: Read This Before You Upgrade
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Most of us don’t think much about the environmental footprint of doing the washing. But laundry is one of the more resource-intensive routines in the average Australian household. Between the hot water, the electricity, the chemicals going down the drain and the microfibres entering waterways, it adds up. The good news is that a greener […]
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How the Natural Resources Defense Council Is Using the Pennsylvania Clean Water Grant Program as a National Template for Urban Water Justice
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A certain type of annoyance develops gradually over years when you witness an issue that is acknowledged by all but is hardly ever resolved. That kind of issue is the cost of water in American cities. Unlike a chemical spill, it doesn’t make front pages. The visceral images of a flooded street or a collapsed […]
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Factcheck: What the UK car industry is not saying about EV targets
For several years, the UK car industry has been claiming that demand is not high enough to meet the government’s targets for sales of “zero emissions vehicles” (ZEVs). To date, however, the car industry has actually beaten the targets under the government’s “ZEV mandate”. This pattern of claiming demand is not high enough is being […]
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DeBriefed 8 May 2026: EU eyes fossil-fuel exemptions | Wind and solar save UK ‘£1.7bn’ | Amazon ‘tipping point’
Welcome to Carbon Brief’s DeBriefed. An essential guide to the week’s key developments relating to climate change. This week ‘Leeway’ for fossil fuels METHANE EXEMPTION: The European Commission is considering making changes to its flagship methane emissions regulation to give fossil-fuel companies “leeway to avoid penalties…in what would be a major win for the oil and […]
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Ultra-Cheap Solar And Storage Can Save Indian Industry From Iran War’s Chokehold
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The post Ultra-Cheap Solar And Storage Can Save Indian Industry From Iran War’s Chokehold appeared first on Energy Innovation.
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Analysis: Wind and solar have saved UK from gas imports worth £1.7bn since Iran war began
The UK has avoided the need for gas imports worth £1.7bn since the start of the Iran war, as a result of record electricity generation from wind and solar, reveals Carbon Brief analysis. The surge in wind and solar output is cutting the need for gas-fired generation, which has been nearly a third lower than […]
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Study: Firms often use automation to control certain workers’ wages
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When we hear about automation and artificial intelligence replacing jobs, it may seem like a tsunami of technology is going to wipe out workers broadly, in the name of greater efficiency. But a study co-authored by an MIT economist shows markedly different dynamics in the U.S. since 1980. Rather than implement automation in pursuit of […]
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Hidden water risks place strain on Europe’s long‑term resilience, says report
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Europe’s ageing water infrastructure is under increasing pressure from climate-related flooding, water stress and pollution, says Sweco. Europe faces growing long-term risks as flooding, water scarcity and pollution increasingly converge across the continent, according to a new analysis from engineering and architecture consultancy Sweco. The report, Too much, too little, too polluted, warns that climate-driven […]
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Digital twin analysis identifies potential £64k annual energy savings at university
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New analysis carried out by climate technology company IES has identified potential annual energy savings of around £64,000 at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, equivalent to approximately 11% of the university’s current energy spend. The project, commissioned by the university, used IES’s live digital twin technology to analyse operational performance across the institution’s 236,310 sq […]