Experts: What do Trump’s tariffs mean for global climate action?
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The Trump administration in the US has imposed tariffs on all imports from China, Mexico and Canada, as well as on steel, aluminium and cars from around the world. In response, the US has been hit with retaliatory tariffs from major trading partners, including the EU. US president Donald Trump has said he intends to […]
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Hakimo Raises $10.5M to Revolutionize Physical Security with Autonomous AI Agent
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With reports of crime rates rising, security teams understaffed, and false alarms overwhelming traditional systems, the need for smarter, more reliable protection has never been more urgent. Stepping up to meet this demand, Hakimo, a Menlo Park-based AI security startup, has announced a $10.5 million Series A funding round to supercharge its mission of transforming […]
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New York City’s Building Electrification Law Wins in District Court
Last week, building electrification secured an important victory in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. In Association of Contracting Plumbers of The City of New York, Inc. et al v. City of New York, plumbing and building trade groups challenged New York City’s Local Law 154 of 2021, a […]
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Towards Total Control in AI Video Generation
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Video foundation models such as Hunyuan and Wan 2.1, while powerful, do not offer users the kind of granular control that film and TV production (particularly VFX production) demands. In professional visual effects studios, open-source models like these, along with earlier image-based (rather than video) models such as Stable Diffusion, Kandinsky and Flux, are typically […]
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Gemini 2.5 Pro is Here—And it Changes the AI Game (Again)
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Google has unveiled Gemini 2.5 Pro, calling it its “most intelligent AI model” to date. This latest large language model, developed by the Google DeepMind team, is described as a “thinking model” designed to tackle complex problems by reasoning through steps internally before responding. Early benchmarks back up Google’s confidence: Gemini 2.5 Pro (an experimental […]
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Significant challenges obstruct plans to use AI to support the public sector, says PAC report
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Image credit: Sharaf Maksumov / Shutterstock.com. In a new report on the UK government’s use of AI, the Public Accounts Committee warns that while AI has the potential to radically change public services, the scale of the task ahead in grasping these opportunities is concerningly great. The Government is seeking to scale up AI adoption […]
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We are vastly overestimating the amount of fresh water available for lithium mining, says new study
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A better understanding of the complex hydrology in arid regions will give environmental managers the information they need to make the best possible decisions, say the authors (image credit: David Boutt). New research into lithium mining in the “Lithium Triangle” of Chile, Argentina and Bolivia — source of more than half of the world’s lithium […]
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Artificial Intelligence: Addressing Clinical Trials’ Greatest Challenges
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Modern medicine is a marvel, with previously unimaginable cures and treatments now widely available. Think of advanced medical devices such as implantable defibrillators that help regulate heart rhythm and reduce the risk of cardiac arrest. Such breakthroughs would not have been possible without clinical trials – the rigorous research that evaluates the effects of medical […]
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Dave Williams, Senior Principal at PAE Engineers – Interview Series
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Dave Williams, is the Senior Principal at PAE Engineers, he has 20 years of experience in mechanical engineering. Through his extensive work with data centers, laboratories, and healthcare facilities, he has become exceptionally skilled at providing designs for controlled environments. Dave focuses on reducing operating and maintenance costs, and increasing energy efficiency. He counts Kaiser […]
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Over £19.5 million awarded in latest round of the Heat Network Efficiency Scheme in England and Wales
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Announced on 26 March, this latest Round (7) is the biggest so far of the UK government’s Heat Network Efficiency Scheme (HNES), and will see almost £20 million allocated to help 63 heat networks. Funding is intended to unlock efficiency improvements, greater reliability, and lower costs for low-income households, colleges, universities, and vital NHS facilities. […]
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Cancelling the Buy Clean Program Will Not Cancel Low Embodied Carbon Construction
Photo by Oliver Ulerich on Unsplash On his first day in office President Trump axed the Biden-era federal Buy Clean program. Buy Clean was designed to leverage the federal government’s buying power to help grow the low carbon building materials industry. Killing it will have consequences—buildings are responsible for a major share of global carbon […]
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Cropped 26 March 2025: US birds in peril; UK ecologists ‘job fears’; Finance ‘fuelling’ deforestation
We handpick and explain the most important stories at the intersection of climate, land, food and nature over the past fortnight. This is an online version of Carbon Brief’s fortnightly Cropped email newsletter. Subscribe for free here. Key developments Forest and biodiversity funds TRANSFORMING FOREST FINANCE: A Forest Declaration Assessment report revealed that global forest finance […]
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Dark Factories and the Future of Work: How AI-Driven Automation is Reshaping Manufacturing
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In today’s fast-changing industrial world, AI-driven automation is no longer just a part of the future; it is happening right now. One of the most notable examples of this transformation is the rise of dark factories in China. These advanced factories operate entirely without human workers and even without traditional lighting. Instead, they rely on […]
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MIT Maritime Consortium sets sail
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Around 11 billion tons of goods, or about 1.5 tons per person worldwide, are transported by sea each year, representing about 90 percent of global trade by volume. Internationally, the merchant shipping fleet numbers around 110,000 vessels. These ships, and the ports that service them, are significant contributors to the local and global economy — […]
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Camden project provides localised air quality for tenants
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Air quality technology firm EarthSense describes a recent project Grand Central Apartments is a residential tower in London, offering 68 one, two and three-bedroom apartments and stunning penthouses in London’s vibrant King’s Cross district. Designed by award-winning architects Stiff + Trevillion and inspired by the linear forms and materials of the railway, this is […]
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A planetary boundary for geological resources: Study quantifies limits of regional water availability
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Water treatment facility at a copper mine and processing plant. New study appears to show that regional water availability constrains the current and future production of 32 geological resources Geological resources such as critical metals and minerals, essential for the diffusion of technologies such as renewable energy and energy storage towards a decarbonized society, are […]
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Guest post: How human behaviour shapes effective climate policies
There is clear evidence that technological change will be insufficient to meet UK and global climate goals on its own, leaving a vital role for consumer and business behaviour change. Indeed, most measures to reach net-zero emissions by mid-century will require at least some behaviour change by the public. This includes reducing car use, changing […]
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Is Your Drinking Water Truly Safe? Unveiling the Truth with Water Analysis
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We often assume the water flowing from our taps is clean and safe. You turn on the faucet, fill a glass, and sip without a second thought. But here’s something that might make you pause: the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates over 2 billion people globally drink water contaminated with feces. Even in places like […]