Environment

Thursday, October 17th 2013 - 19:49 UTC
UK sets out its Arctic policy with “legitimate interests in the region” and priorities

The United Kingdom government set out its approach and policy on the Arctic in a paper released on Thursday and titled: Arctic Policy Framework - Adapting To Change: UK policy towards the Arctic.
Thursday, October 17th 2013 - 05:47 UTC
Pulp mill dispute: Uruguay rejects Argentine ultimatum and doubles the bet

The Uruguayan government rejected on Wednesday Argentina’s ultimatum referred to the UPM (former Botnia) pulp mill production expansion, and doubled the bet by proposing a reform of the shared River Uruguay Statute to increase environmental impact standards but also include both margins of the waterway.
Wednesday, October 16th 2013 - 00:26 UTC
Pulp mill conflict: Argentina summons Uruguay: roll back latest decision or see you in The Hague

In a formal presentation Argentina summoned Uruguay ‘to leave without effect’ its latest controversial decision allowing the Botnia/UPM pulp plant to increase its annual production and accused Uruguay of ‘unilateral violation’ of the River Uruguay statute which rules over the neighbouring countries shared-border waterway.
Tuesday, October 15th 2013 - 23:09 UTC
Chevron/Ecuadorean villagers case in new chapter before a US Judge

Chevron Corp will try to convince a US judge that a group of Ecuadorean villagers and their US lawyer used bribery to win a 18 billion dollars judgment against Chevron from a court in Ecuador, in the latest chapter in a long-running fight over pollution in the Amazon jungle.
Sunday, October 13th 2013 - 12:09 UTC
China becomes world’ biggest net importer of oil displacing the US

$US is increasingly able to support itself after the growth of its domestic hydraulic fracturing, or fracking$

China has knocked the US from its top spot as the world's biggest net importer of oil, US government data shows. The country's fast-growing economy, as well as the rise in car sales, has led to its new status, according to September's data. Oil consumption in China had outstripped production by 6.3 million barrels a day, said the Energy Information Administration (EIA). In the US, the figure was 6.1 million.
Saturday, October 12th 2013 - 21:55 UTC
Argentina denies having set any ultimatum regarding the pulp mill controversy with Uruguay

The Argentine Foreign ministry denied on Friday it had given a two-day ultimatum to Uruguay to suspend the decision allowing the controversial Botnia/UPM pulp mill a production expansion and also demanded an immediate return to bilateral negotiations.
Saturday, October 12th 2013 - 10:19 UTC
Balancing Geological Potential and Political Risk: Interview with Tony Hayward

From Kurdistan to Somaliland, for independent oil companies, getting your hands on new exploration acreage where both technical risk and political risk are low is impossible. Exploring for oil and gas in new frontiers is all about striking the right balance between geological potential and political risk. Take it from Anglo-Turkish Genel Energy, the largest producer in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), where it seems nothing can shake investor confidence right now.
Friday, October 11th 2013 - 12:48 UTC
Brazil begins next year work on new Antarctic base at a cost of 54m dollars

Brazil said on Thursday it will start work early next year on a new Antarctic base to replace the one gutted by a 2012 fire. The new station would be modern and built with more resistant material, Navy Admiral Julio Soares de Moura told reporters as he unveiled the 54 million dollar project.
Friday, October 11th 2013 - 10:18 UTC
Uruguay: Pulp mill controversy: “Only God sets an ultimatum” Mujica tells Timerman

“Only God sets an ultimatum” said Uruguay’s President José Mujica in a laconic reply to Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman demand (and countdown) to return to negotiations regarding the UPM pulp plant and Montevideo’s decision to allow an increase in production.
Thursday, October 10th 2013 - 05:18 UTC
Scientists find huge water channels flow underneath Antarctica’s ice cap

Channels nearly as tall as the Eiffel Tower gouge into the undersides of floating ice in western Antarctica. The recently discovered channels could influence how quickly Antarctic ice sheets slip into the sea, melt, and contribute to rising sea levels.