Ash and debris delays return for 2,000 Fort McMurray evacuees

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Some 2,000 residents of wildfire-ravaged Fort McMurray, Alberta, will not be able to return home this week as planned because of the risks posed by debris and contaminants including "caustic" ash, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said on Monday.

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Tropical Depression Bonnie loses steam after dousing the Carolinas

(Reuters) - Tropical Depression Bonnie dissipated on Monday after drenching the Carolinas and Virginia with rain and whipping up strong winds that ruined the holiday weekend plans of many beachgoers.

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Big cats removed from Thailand's infamous Tiger Temple

KANCHANABURI, Thailand (Reuters) - Wildlife authorities in Thailand on Monday raided a Buddhist temple where tigers are kept, taking away three of the animals and vowing to confiscate scores more in response to global pressure over wildlife trafficking.

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Flint, Michigan, pipe-replacement cost nearly doubles: newspaper

(Reuters) - The cost of replacing water lines in Flint, Michigan, has nearly doubled amid a health crisis from high lead levels in drinking water, the Detroit Free Press reported on Saturday.

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As much as 35 percent of northern and central Great Barrier Reef dead or dying: scientists

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Mass bleaching has destroyed as much as 35 percent of the coral on the northern and central Great Barrier Reef, Australian scientists said on Monday, a major blow to the World Heritage Site that attracts about A$5 billion ($3.59 billion) in tourism each year.

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Tropical Storm Bonnie stalls en route toward South Carolina

(Reuters) - Tropical Storm Bonnie, the first of the year to threaten the United States, stalled in the Atlantic on Saturday but its center is expected to cross the South Carolina coast on Sunday night and Monday, National Hurricane Center said.

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Edible bug industry hopes crickets and kin are the next sushi

DETROIT (Reuters) - Just like raw tuna is a favorite of foodies everywhere, Robert Nathan Allen foresees a day when crickets will make their way onto consumers' plates.

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At least one person dies in severe flooding in southeast Texas

(Reuters) - Record rainfall and severe flooding have hit parts of southeast Texas, forcing evacuations and killing at least one person, authorities said on Friday.

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Australia pulls Great Barrier Reef damage from UNESCO tourism report

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's Department of the Environment said on Friday it had omitted its contribution to a U.N. report examining the impact of climate change on world heritage sites over concern it could create "confusion" and have a negative impact on tourism.

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Earthquake measuring 6.3 magnitude strikes deep off Tonga: usgs

SYDNEY (Reuters) - A powerful earthquake measuring 6.4 magnitude struck 572 kilometres (355 miles) beneath the earth's surface on Friday about 340 kilometers west of the South Pacific island nation of Tonga, the United States Geological Survey reported.

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Japan to cut emphasis on nuclear in next energy plan: sources

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan will cut reliance on nuclear power when it releases an updated energy plan as early as next year, reflecting public opposition and a recognition that current policy is unrealistic, three sources familiar with official thinking told Reuters.

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Tornado warning prompts evacuation of Kansas City airport

(Reuters) - The Kansas City International Airport was evacuated briefly on Thursday over a tornado warning, airport officials said, a day after tornadoes destroyed or damaged nearly 30 homes in neighboring Kansas.

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'Honeymoon over', rules for UN climate pact may take two years

BONN, Germany (Reuters) - A first United Nations meeting on implementing a 2015 global agreement to combat climate change showed it could take two years to work out a detailed rule book for a sweeping shift from fossil fuels, delegates said.

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From Easter Island to Stonehenge, climate change threatens iconic tourist sites

LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Extreme weather is becoming one of the biggest risks to World Heritage icons like the Polynesian Easter Island or Britain's Stonehenge, posing a threat to tourism and economies alike, scientists and U.N. experts said on Thursday.

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NHC says 50 percent chance of cyclone for low between Bermuda and Bahamas

(Reuters) - A low pressure area centered between Bermuda and the Bahamas has a 50 percent chance of developing into a cyclone in the next 48 hours, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Thursday.

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Italy's Mount Etna volcano erupts again

CATANIA, Italy (Reuters) - Italy's Mount Etna, Europe's highest and most active volcano, has once again erupted, spewing red torrents of lava into the sky.

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As climate risks expand, diplomats start to overshadow green experts

BONN, Germany (Reuters) - Diplomats are gradually crowding out environment experts in global efforts to tackle climate change, a shift signaling a higher profile for the issue and improved chances for more coordination to fight it.

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Trump unlikely to be able to renegotiate climate deal: U.N. climate chief

COLOGNE (Reuters) - Donald Trump would be "highly unlikely" to be able to renegotiate the global accord on climate change if elected U.S. president, the U.N.'s climate chief said on Wednesday, as doing so would require the agreement of 195 countries.

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Exxon shareholders pass measure that may put climate expert on board

DALLAS/SAN RAMON, Calif. (Reuters) - Voters at Exxon Mobil Corp's annual meeting on Wednesday approved a measure to let minority shareholders nominate outsiders for seats on the board, meaning a climate activist could eventually become a director at the world's largest publicly traded oil company.

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Tornados, storms hit U.S. Great Plains, injure two in Kansas

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Two people were critically injured and buildings were damaged on Tuesday in southwest Kansas as several tornados and storms hit the U.S. Great Plains, a local official and a meteorologist said on Wednesday.

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Sri Lankan flood-hit families left with nothing, Red Cross says in emergency appeal

LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Floods in Sri Lanka which have forced more than 350,000 people from their homes have left some families with nothing, the Red Cross said on Wednesday as it launched an emergency appeal to deliver relief to tens of thousands of people in the country.

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China to replace direct coal combustion with electricity in new plan

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will reduce the amount of coal burned directly in industrial furnaces and residential heating systems in order to tackle a major source of smog, the country's energy regulator said on Wednesday.

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Malawi says 8 million people need food relief due to drought

LILONGWE (Reuters) - More than 8 million people in Malawi need food aid as a result of a drought that has decimated crops, the minister of agriculture said on Wednesday.

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Magnitude 5.5 earthquake strikes off Greek island

ATHENS (Reuters) - A 5.5 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the Greek island of Crete on Wednesday but there no immediate reports of damage, authorities said.

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Greens urge halt to G7 nations' funding for overseas coal

BONN, Germany (Reuters) - Environmental groups urged Group of Seven (G7) nations led by Japan and Germany to stop financing coal projects abroad, which they said amounted to $42 billion since 2007.

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Tuvalu PM urges new legal framework for climate migrants

ISTANBUL (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Tuvalu's prime minister on Tuesday called for a U.N. resolution to create legal protection for people displaced by the impacts of climate change, saying there was currently no international framework to protect their rights.

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Some crude production restarts as cool weather saps Canadian wildfire

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Some crude producers restarted operations on Tuesday in Canada's energy heartland as a mass evacuation of the Fort McMurray oil town entered its fourth week, though cool weather and light winds were helping firefighters dampen the blaze.

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Firefighters protect Canada's oil sands battling 1,100 C flames

(Editor's Note: Please be advised that the last paragraph contains language that some readers may find offensive)

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Pit collapse kills at least 13 in Myanmar jade-mining district

YANGON (Reuters) - A collapse at an illegal mine killed at least 13 people in Myanmar's northern Kachin State, a resident involved in rescue efforts said on Tuesday, the latest in a series of deadly accidents to hit the jade-mining area.

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Cambodia takes solace from plow ceremony amid worst drought in 50 years

PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - As the worst drought in half a century delays rice planting in Cambodia, a pair of oxen on Tuesday delved into rice, corn and bean bowls at an annual plowing ceremony in an omen for good harvests for those crops in the year ahead.

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Strongest El Nino in nearly 20 years now over: Australia weather bureau

SYDNEY (Reuters) - The strongest El Nino in nearly 20 years, that has persisted through 2016 is now over, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said on Tuesday.

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Climate change takes center stage at Exxon, Chevron annual meetings

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil Corp and Chevron Corp will face their toughest-ever push by shareholders concerned about a warming world at annual meetings on Wednesday, as the Paris accord to tackle climate change ratchets up investor pressure on two of the world's largest oil companies.

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New Mexico sues EPA, mine owners over massive gold mine waste spill

(Reuters) - New Mexico sued the U.S. Environmental Protection agency, an agency contractor and two mining companies on Monday over the 2015 breach of an abandoned Colorado gold mine that spilled some 3 million gallons of toxic wastewater into three states.

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Peru declares mining-related emergency in remote part of Amazon

LIMA (Reuters) - Peruvian President Ollanta Humala has declared a 60-day emergency in a remote part of the Amazon to curb high levels of mercury poisoning from rampant illegal gold mining, the country's environment minister said on Monday.

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Wildfire-sparked evacuation orders lifted at more Canadian work camps

CALGARY/TORONTO (Reuters) - Authorities in Canada lifted evacuation orders on Monday for more work camps and oil facilities that had been shuttered when a massive wildfire threatened the nation's energy hub, bringing more good news for companies eager to restart production.

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Beijing to adopt China's tightest fuel standards by Jan : Xinhua

BEIJING (Reuters) - Beijing plans to roll out China's tightest fuel standards by January 2017, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Monday citing the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau, as the smog-choked city aims to drastically cut vehicle emission.

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South African court gives green light to domestic trade in rhino horn

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal has dismissed a government bid to keep a seven-year ban in place on the domestic trade in rhino horn, an industry group said on Monday.

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Could UAE solar push lead a trend for the Gulf?

DUBAI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - As the Gulf states take steps to expand their use of clean energy, a bold plan by the United Arab Emirates to boost its use of renewable electricity from less than 1 percent to 24 percent in the next five years could be a game-changer for the region, experts say.

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Ivory Coast abundant rains favorable for cocoa crop

ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Abundant rain that continued last week in most of Ivory Coast's primary cocoa growing regions will boost the growth of flowers and pods on the trees, although harvesting remained weak and the quality of beans had not yet improved, farmers said on Monday.

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India braces for more heat after temperatures break records

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India was bracing on Monday for another bout of extreme heat after temperatures smashed records in some parts of the country, while weather officials warned against more frequent heat waves.

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Sri Lanka floods expected to cost at least $1.5 billion

COLOMBO (Reuters) - The cost of Sri Lanka's landslides and floods will be between $1.5 billion and $2 billion at the minimum, the government said on Monday, as the Indian Ocean island struggles to recover from its worst natural disaster since the 2004 Asia tsunami.

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Poland adopts limits on where wind farms can be built

WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland has adopted a new law banning construction of wind farms close to dwellings and hiking project costs in a move which the industry says could hobble Poland's move to renewables and away from coal.

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Indonesia volcano spews hot clouds of ash, kills at least seven

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Seven people have died and two are in critical condition after Mount Sinabung on Sumatra island erupted on Saturday, said an Indonesian disaster agency official, adding that the army and police are still searching for survivors in the area.

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Some evacuation orders lifted in Canada's scorched oil lands

TORONTO (Reuters) - Authorities in Canada's wildfire-ravaged energy heartland have lifted evacuation orders on Suncor Energy Inc and Syncrude oil sites after rain and cold weather helped dampen the flames.

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Magnitude 5.0 earthquake strikes southern Taiwan: USGS

(Reuters) - An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.0 struck 27 miles (43.5 km) east north east of Kao-Hsiung, Taiwan, on Sunday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

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Five killed as cyclone Roanu starts to batter Bangladesh

DHAKA (Reuters) - A cyclone battered the coast of Bangladesh on Saturday killing at least five people after lashing India's east coast with heavy rain and wind.

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Canada's aboriginals tell Trudeau they can block pipelines

VANCOUVER (Reuters) - Canadian aboriginal groups and their allies said on Friday they have the power to block proposed oil pipelines on land where they have proven title, dismissing comments by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who said no community has a veto.

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Bangladesh relocates millions as cyclone Roanu approaches

DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladesh is relocating around 2 million people from its coastal areas ahead of cyclone Roanu's likely landfall on Saturday evening, officials said on Friday, an event that has also kept authorities in neighboring India and Myanmar on edge.

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Magnitude 5.9 earthquake recorded in central Australia: USGS

SYDNEY (Reuters) - A earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9, unusually powerful for Australia, struck the country's desert center early on Saturday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

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Pakistan city readies graves, hospitals, in case heat wave hits again

KARACHI (Reuters) - Pakistani grave digger Shahid Baloch is taking no chances.

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Norway's greenhouse gas emissions rise, despite promised cuts

OSLO (Reuters) - Norway's greenhouse gas emissions rose by 1.5 percent last year, lifted by the oil and gas sector and industry, making it harder for Oslo to keep promises of deep cuts to limit global warming, official data showed on Friday.

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Fiat Chrysler shares hit by squabble with Germany over meeting

MILAN (Reuters) - Shares in Fiat Chrysler Automobiles fell more than 2 percent in early trade in a higher Milan stock market after the car maker drew criticism from Germany's transport minister for not showing up at a meeting over emissions.

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Canadian firefighters make progress against fire in oil sands region

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Firefighters made progress against a wildfire in the Fort McMurray region of northern Alberta on Thursday as a shift in winds pushed it away from communities and oil sands facilities.

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German minister slams Fiat for not showing up at emissions meeting

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt has criticized Italian carmaker Fiat Chrysler Automobiles for not showing up for a meeting on Thursday to discuss emissions irregularities of its diesel vehicles.

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U.S. blames Plains pipeline company for Santa Barbara oil spill

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Numerous lapses in safety measures, judgment and planning by Plains All American Pipeline LP led to and worsened a major oil spill last year that fouled miles of shoreline and ocean near Santa Barbara, California, the U.S. Transportation Department said on Thursday.

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Canada approves GMO salmon as food, livestock feed

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian health officials said on Thursday they have approved a type of genetically modified salmon as safe to eat, clearing the way for it to be sold in the country.

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South Africa plans levy on mines to tackle acid mine water pollution

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's water ministry plans to charge mining firms two-thirds of the cost for treating polluted water emanating from their century-long operations in Johannesburg's mining belt.

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Hopes fade for 150 feared buried in Sri Lanka landslides

ARANAYAKA, Sri Lanka (Reuters) - Hopes faded on Thursday for the survival of about 150 people trapped under the mud and rubble of two landslides in Sri Lanka, as heavy rain hampered rescue operations and the death toll from the disaster rose to 41.

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NAACP sues Michigan, governor over Flint's lead-contaminated water

DETROIT (Reuters) - The NAACP has filed a federal lawsuit against Michigan and its governor on behalf of the residents and businesses in Flint, where high levels of lead in the drinking water has created a health crisis.

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Trump threat to renegotiate U.N. climate deal causes dismay abroad

OSLO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump's vow to renegotiate the global accord on climate change if elected U.S. president caused dismay abroad on Wednesday, with supporters of the deal saying it was in his interests to embrace a plan that seeks to end dependence on fossil fuels.

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Black bear captured near junior high school in California

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A black bear wandered on sidewalks and climbed trees on Wednesday in the Southern California city of Rancho Cucamonga, causing a scare at a nearby junior high school, police said.

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Texas energy regulator faces questions on oil-linked quakes

HOUSTON (Reuters) - An oil and gas regulator in the top U.S. energy-producing state of Texas cast doubt on research linking growing seismic activity to petroleum production on Wednesday, following the release of a study arguing most of the state's earthquakes are manmade.

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U.S. EPA proposes modest rise in 2017 biofuels targets

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. regulators proposed on Wednesday a modest increase in the amount of corn-based ethanol and biofuels fuel companies must mix into diesel and gasoline next year, a move that will likely disappoint two of the biggest U.S. industries: oil and farming.

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Kayakers want Albania to keep wild river free of dams

TOC, Albania (Reuters) - Environmentalists, kayakers, villagers and politicians called on the Albanian government on Wednesday not to spoil one of the last wild rivers in Europe by building hydroelectric dams.

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Climate changes mean Canada to spend more on disasters : insurers

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada will have to set aside more money to deal with natural disasters like wildfires, storms and floods as climate change starts to bite, the country's property insurance industry group said on Wednesday.

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Hot weather, winds complicate battle to control Alberta wildfire

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Hot and dry weather and strong winds were expected to push a massive wildfire near Fort McMurray, Alberta eastward on Wednesday, threatening facilities and work camps in the prized oil sands region.

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Ecuador hit by 6.7 earthquake; president says no damage

QUITO (Reuters) - A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Ecuador's coast overnight in the same zone where a 7.8 tremor killed more than 650 people last month.

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More than 150 people feared buried in Sri Lanka landslides: rescue officials

COLOMBO (Reuters) - More than 150 people are feared dead after they were buried under two landslides triggered by more than three days of heavy rain in central Sri Lanka, disaster officials said on Wednesday as rescuers raced to find survivors and recover the dead.

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Exclusive: Skeptical Trump says would renegotiate global climate deal

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Republican presidential contender Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would renegotiate America’s role in the U.N. global climate accord, spelling potential doom for an agreement many view as a last chance to turn the tide on global warming.

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Most Texas quakes likely caused by oil, gas activities: study

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil and gas activities may have caused nearly nine in 10 of the earthquakes Texas has experienced in the past 40 years, and the quakes have become more frequent as oilfield activity has picked up in the past decade, according to a forthcoming study.

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Sri Lanka's torrential rains drive more than 130,000 from homes

COLOMBO (Reuters) - Flash floods and landslides in Sri Lanka, triggered by more than three days of heavy rain, have forced more than 130,000 people to leave their homes for higher ground and killed at least 11, disaster officials said on Tuesday.

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Yellowstone issues warning after visitors put baby bison in car

(Reuters) - Yellowstone National Park managers on Monday warned visitors to leave wildlife alone after two tourists put a newborn bison calf in their car, touching off a string of events that led to the animal's death.

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Texas attorney general backs Exxon in climate change fight

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton asked a state judge on Monday to block U.S. Virgin Islands officials from subpoenaing 40 years of internal climate change documents from Exxon Mobil Corp, saying the probe is "a fishing expedition of the worst kind."

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Alberta wildfire near Enbridge crude oil tank farm: officials

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - A massive wildfire burning around the oil sands hub of Fort McMurray, Alberta is about 1 km (1,094 yards) away from Enbridge Inc's Cheecham crude oil tank farm, but is under control for now, emergency officials said on Monday.

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Red tuna crabs carpet Southern California beaches again

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Masses of tiny red crustaceans known as tuna crabs have washed up for a second straight year along stretches of the Southern California coast in a phenomenon marine scientists say is linked to a rise in ocean temperatures.

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Governments seek rules for Paris climate deal; temperatures soar

OSLO (Reuters) - Governments began work on Monday on a rule book to implement the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global warming, with the United Nations urging stronger action after a string of record-smashing monthly temperatures.

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U.S. top court rejects Exxon appeal in groundwater contamination case

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected Exxon Mobil Corp's appeal of a $236 million judgment against the oil company in a case brought by the state of New Hampshire over groundwater contamination linked to a gasoline additive.

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Ontario to spend $5.4 bln to cut carbon footprint : Globe and Mail

(Reuters) - The government of the Canadian province of Ontario plans to spend more than C$7 billion ($5.41 billion) over four years from 2017 in a bid to cut the province's carbon footprint, the Globe and Mail reported on Monday.

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Vanuatu aims to generate all electricity from renewable sources by 2030: media

SYDNEY (Reuters) - The South Pacific island of Vanuatu plans to generate all its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Ham Lini told Radio New Zealand.

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Canada PM tours Alberta oil town ravaged by fire, vows major aid

BONNYVILLE, Alberta (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau praised firefighters on Friday for defending the energy hub of Fort McMurray and promised the federal government would pour money in to its recovery.

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Dozens arrested in Washington state environmental protest

(Reuters) - Dozens of people were arrested in Washington state on Sunday, two days after protesters set up a blockade on railroad tracks leading to a pair of oil refineries as part of a global protest over dependence on fossil fuels, authorities said.

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Climate activists in New York, Washington state protest fossil fuels

(Reuters) - Hundreds of climate change activists in Washington state and New York mobilized on Saturday as part of a global protest against fossil fuels, event organizers said.

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Two tigers on the loose after escaping from Dutch animal shelter: RTL

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Two tigers have escaped from a big cat shelter near a small Dutch village, media reported on Saturday, and residents have been warned to stay indoors.

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Chile to examine possible link between salmon industry, red tide

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - A team of scientists will determine if salmon producers dumping tons of dead fish into the Pacific contributed to a massive "red tide" that is wreaking havoc among fishermen in southern Chile, the government said on Friday.

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Forests re-grown on cleared lands in LatAm key for climate, land rights: study

RIO DE JANEIRO (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Forests re-grown on lands that had been cleared for agriculture in Latin America could play a key role in trapping carbon from the atmosphere and mitigating climate change if they are managed properly, researchers said in a study published on Friday.

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London could levy extra charge on most polluting cars

LONDON (Reuters) - London could introduce an extra charge on the most polluting vehicles entering the center of town and bring forward an ultra-low emission zone as part of proposals from the city's new mayor which will go to a public consultation.

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China environment ministry given powers to inspect provinces: paper

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's environment ministry has been given powers to send inspection teams to provinces and regions across the country as part of its efforts to root out local polluters, the official China Daily newspaper reported on Friday.

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Coast Guard responding to crude spill from Shell pipeline off Louisiana

(Reuters) - The United States Guard said it is responding to a crude oil spill from a Shell subsea well-head flow line about 90 miles off Timbalier Island, Louisiana on Thursday.

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U.S. lawmakers put pressure on EPA over handling of glyphosate review

CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers have asked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to explain why it published - and then withdrew - documents related to its review of glyphosate, the chemical in Monsanto Co's Roundup herbicide, according to a letter seen by Reuters.

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Shrinking Arctic bird suffers double hit from global warming: study

OSLO (Reuters) - Red knots, a type of bird that makes one of the longest annual migrations, are shrinking because climate change in their Arctic nesting grounds makes life harder during their winters in Africa, scientists say.

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Solar plane departs Arizona on 11th leg of round-the-world flight

(Reuters) - An experimental airplane powered solely by energy from the sun stored in batteries took off from Arizona early on Thursday on the eleventh leg of an historic bid by its pilots and developers to fly around the globe without a drop of fuel.

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Man sues over balloons released at University of Nebraska football games

(Reuters) - An Omaha man has sued the University of Nebraska, claiming the school's tradition of releasing thousands of red balloons into the air after its Cornhuskers football team scores litters the planet with pieces of latex and ribbon that can harm or kill wildlife.

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Michigan expands water payments in Flint to speed recovery

DETROIT (Reuters) - Michigan on Thursday extended and expanded coverage of water bills for residents of Flint to speed recovery from a health crisis caused by high levels of lead.

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EPA takes aim at methane emissions in oil and gas sector

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday published the first U.S. regulations to target methane emissions from new or modified oil and gas facilities, one of the key remaining pieces of the Obama administration's climate change strategy.

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Iranian, Indian cities ranked worst for air pollution

GENEVA (Reuters) - India is home to four of the five cities in the world with the worst air pollution, the World Health Organization said on Thursday.

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Insurers shun risk as oil-linked quakes soar in Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) - As the number of earthquakes in Oklahoma exploded into the hundreds in the last few years, nearly a dozen insurance companies moved to limit their exposure, often at the expense of homeowners, a Reuters examination has found.

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Japan expects La Nina weather pattern to emerge in coming months

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's weather bureau said on Thursday there was a high possibility that a La Nina weather pattern would emerge in summer after the current El Nino phenomenon ends, reiterating an earlier forecast.

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Strong quake strikes northeast Taiwan, shakes buildings in capital

TAIPEI (Reuters) - An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.6 shook northeast Taiwan on Thursday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, with tremors felt in the capital, Taipei.

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U.S. plan to lift Yellowstone grizzly protections faces mounting opposition

SALMON, Idaho (Reuters) - A U.S. government plan to lift Endangered Species Act protection of the grizzly bear in and around Yellowstone National Park drew a torrent of criticism from environmentalists and Indian tribes as the public comment period for the proposal came to a close on Wednesday.

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Oil refiners, gas producers face higher costs from climate laws: report

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil refiners and gas producers could face higher production costs if countries use a high carbon price to follow through promises made at last year's global climate summit in Paris, research showed on Thursday.

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Earthquake shakes Guadalajara, Mexico: emergency services

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A 4.8 magnitude earthquake shook Mexico's second most populous city Guadalajara on Wednesday afternoon, authorities said, but there were no immediate reports of major damage.

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Flash floods displace nearly 120,000 in Ethiopia: aid agencies

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Flash floods displaced nearly 120,000 people in Ethiopia last month and a total of almost half a million are expected to be affected this year, government and humanitarian agencies said on Wednesday.

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Chile's 'red tide' outbreak widens in threat to fishing industry

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - A "red tide" outbreak is widening in southern Chile's fishing-rich waters, the government said on Wednesday, deepening what is already believed to be one of the country's worst environmental crises in recent years.

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Brazil mining dam reforms unsettle companies, do little for safety

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Brazilian regulators plan to tighten rules on dams used in the mining industry after a breach last year caused the nation's worst environmental disaster but the changes, while opposed by struggling companies, look unlikely to improve safety.

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Nine sherpas first to climb Everest after Nepal disasters

KATHMANDU (Reuters) - A Nepali sherpa led a nine-man team to the top of Mount Everest on Wednesday, becoming the first to scale the world's tallest peak from the Nepali side since a deadly earthquake in 2015 and a fatal avalanche the year before forced climbers to retreat.

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New Zealand warns hikers away from 'Lord of the Rings' volcano

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand has warned hikers and climbers to steer clear of a volcano in a national park whose jagged volcanic rock formations and eerie barren landscapes featured in "The Lord of The Rings" movies.

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Canadian oil production trickles back as wildfire threat eases

EDMONTON, Alberta (Reuters) - Oil sands companies around the Canadian energy center of Fort McMurray began to restart operations on Tuesday after an out-of-control wildfire forced a week-long shutdown.

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Carbon-offset deal would cost airlines $6.2 billion in 2025: IATA

MONTREAL (Reuters) - A global market-based measure to curb aviation emissions would cost the airline industry up to $6.2 billion in the year 2025, but carriers could face higher charges if governments fail to reach a deal by October, the International Air Transport Association said.

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Native Americans in Oklahoma join forces to help monarch butterflies

SHAWNEE, Okla. (Reuters) - Seven Native American tribes in Oklahoma will provide habitat and food on their lands for monarch butterflies, whose numbers have plummeted in recent years due to troubles along their lengthy migration route.

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Groups ask U.S. to seize rancher Bundy's cattle to protect tortoises

(Reuters) - Environmental groups have asked the U.S. government to seize hundreds of jailed militant rancher Cliven Bundy's cattle, saying unregulated grazing of his herd on public lands in Nevada threatens habitat for federally protected desert tortoises.

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Nissan's electric cars in UK trial to sell surplus power

LONDON (Reuters) - Nissan is to launch a trial this year to allow electric car owners in Britain to sell electricity back to the National Grid and potentially make money in the process.

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Climbers near Everest summit for first time in three years

KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Climbers on Mount Everest are on the brink of the first attempts in three years to make the final ascent to the world's tallest peak, after fatal avalanches cut short the 2014 and 2015 campaigns.

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Fifth of plant types at risk as farms, logging expand

LONDON (Reuters) - One in five types of plant worldwide is at risk of extinction from threats such as farming and logging that are wrecking many habitats, a first global overview of plant life said on Tuesday.

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Large tornado hits south of Oklahoma City, one death

OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) - A large and violent tornado hit an area south of Oklahoma City on Monday, causing at least one death and reducing at least three homes to splinters.

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Ancient lava bubbles reveal conditions on primordial Earth

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Tiny bubbles that formed inside volcanic rock 2.7 billion years ago are providing big insights into the conditions on primordial Earth.

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California to lift severe mandatory water conservation rules

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - California on Monday prepared to lift severe mandatory water conservation orders imposed at the height of the state's multi-year drought, after a wet winter led to swelling reservoirs and a deep snowpack in numerous parts of the state.

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Brazilian lawsuit over Samarco dam will struggle to match U.S. BP claim

RIO DE JANEIRO/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Any relief felt by the mining firms BHP Billiton and Vale over what looked like a final $5.7 billion settlement for the cost of last year's dam burst at their Brazilian iron ore mine must have evaporated when state prosecutors scoffed at the deal and last Tuesday filed a $44 billion claim of their own.

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Australian inquiry backs nuclear power after decades-long aversion

SYDNEY (Reuters) - An Australian royal commission on Monday recommended building a nuclear industry, including a waste dump, in the uranium-rich state of South Australia, propelling the case for overturning long-held opposition to nuclear power.

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U.N. agency says needs $290 million for drought-stricken Zimbabwe

HARARE (Reuters) - The United Nations Development Programme has raised $70 million since February for humanitarian aid for drought-stricken Zimbabwe but has a funding gap of $290 million for assistance until March next year, a U.N. official said on Monday.

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EPA chief says carbon rule not killing coal country

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top U.S. environmental regulator said Friday that federal rules to curb power plant pollution are not the cause of the economic decline of coal country after presidential candidates confronted anger on the campaign trail this week from laid-off West Virginia miners.

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Alberta flies drones to find cause of epic Canadian wildfire

LAC LA BICHE, Alberta (Reuters) - Fire-ravaged Alberta will use drones to investigate the cause of a huge blaze that has scorched the Canadian province and displaced some 88,000 people.

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Click bait: baby koala bites and scratches his way to stardom

BEERWAH, Australia (Reuters) - The first koala joey born at Australia Zoo this season has begun exploring his new surroundings, with his early steps out of the pouch attracting over 100,000 views on social media.

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Brazil judge approves Samarco dam burst settlement with government

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - A Brazilian judge on Thursday ratified the settlement Samarco and its owners, BHP Billiton and Vale SA , signed with Brazil's government in March to cover damages for a deadly dam spill last year, Vale said in a statement.

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Five-cent bags eyed for consumers as New York City looks to cut waste

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A proposal that would require stores in New York City to charge 5 cents for plastic and paper bags at the checkout as a way of encouraging consumers to shift to reusable sacks could become law on Thursday when the City Council votes on it.

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BHP-Vale's Samarco has not done enough to fix dam disaster : prosecutor

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - State prosecutors in Brazil said on Thursday that Samarco, owned by Vale SA and BHP Billiton, has not done enough to clean up and compensate communities for the damage caused by a dam that collapsed last November causing the country's worst ever environmental disaster.

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U.S. proposes giving wind farms 30-year permits to kill eagles

(Reuters) - U.S. wildlife managers on Wednesday again proposed granting 30-year permits to wind farms that would forgive them for thousands of eagle deaths expected during that time frame from collisions of the birds with turbines, towers and electrical wires.

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Flint official cuts deal in water crisis, agrees to aid prosecutors

FLINT, Mich. (Reuters) - An official in Flint, Michigan, agreed to cooperate in probes of dangerous levels of lead in the city's drinking water as part of a deal reached on Wednesday in which he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge and won the dismissal of a more serious felony charge.

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Obama visits Flint as questions linger on EPA role in water crisis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Wednesday will visit Flint, Michigan, a city struggling with the effects of lead-poisoned drinking water, as questions linger over whether his environmental regulators could have acted more urgently to address the crisis.

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EU lawmakers want to increase free carbon allowance share

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The largest political group in the European Parliament said on Wednesday it wants a greater proportion of EU carbon permits to be handed out free to industry from 2020.

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Digital farming could spell shake-up for crop chemicals sector

IRLBACH, Germany (Reuters) - Global pesticides, seeds and fertilizer companies may be forced to re-engineer their business models as farmers adopt specialist technology that helps maximize harvests while reducing the use of crop chemicals.

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Canada's Fort McMurray wildfire forces evacuations

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - An uncontrolled wildfire burning near Fort McMurray in northern Alberta, the heart of Canada's oil sands region, has forced the evacuation of nearly all the city's 80,000 residents, local authorities said on Tuesday.

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Fishermen protest as deadly red tide blooms in southern Chile

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Thousands of Chilean fishermen blocked roads with barricades in the region of Los Lagos on Monday and Tuesday, saying government efforts to mitigate the economic effects of a harmful algal bloom have been insufficient.

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Economies could shrink by mid-century due to scarce water - World Bank

NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Economies across large swathes of the globe could shrink dramatically by mid-century as fresh water grows scarce due to climate change, the World Bank reported on Tuesday.

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Brazil prosecutors file $44 billion lawsuit against Vale, BHP for dam spill

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Federal prosecutors in Brazil said on Tuesday they filed a 155 billion-real ($43.5 billion) civil lawsuit against iron miner Samarco, and its owners Vale SA and BHP Billiton, for a collapsed tailings dam in November that killed 19 people and polluted a major river.

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Ex-Mexican foreign minister Espinosa nominated as U.N. climate chief

OSLO (Reuters) - Former Mexican Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa has been nominated to be the new U.N. climate chief, helping to bolster a 2015 Paris Agreement to shift the world economy from fossil fuels, officials said on Tuesday.

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Clinton vows to support U.S. coal regions while embracing cleaner energy

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on Tuesday said the United States must move toward a cleaner energy future but not forget those who work in the coal industry.

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Germany to exit coal power 'well before 2050' - draft document

BERLIN (Reuters) - Coal-fired power production in Germany should come to an end "well before 2050", according to a draft environment ministry document seen by Reuters on Tuesday on how Europe's biggest economy can achieve its climate goals.

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Drought-hit Zimbabwe sells off wild animals

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe put its wild animals up for sale on Tuesday, saying it needed buyers to step in and save the beasts from a devastating drought.

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Some Hebei steelmakers breaching shutdown orders: China ministry

BEIJING (Reuters) - Steelmakers in China's Hebei province have built new plants in contravention of state measures aimed at tackling overcapacity, and have kept mills running that should have been shut down, China's pollution watchdog said on Tuesday.

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U.S. Supreme Court rejects appeal in shareholder suit against BP

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined a request from shareholders seeking to revive their class action lawsuit against BP claiming the British oil company misrepresented its safety procedures prior to the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

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EPA takes offline report that says glyphosate not likely carcinogenic

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday pulled a report offline that concluded glyphosate is not likely to be carcinogenic to humans, saying the document was inadvertently published and the agency had not finished its review of the chemical, which is the key ingredient in Monsanto's herbicides.

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Spring rains could spur more U.S. rangeland fires this summer

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A wet winter and spring in the American West has set the stage for a wildfire season likely to see more fast-spreading rangeland blazes fueled by thicker growth in grass and brush than last year, government fire forecasters said on Monday.

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Drink Flint water? White House does not know if Obama will

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House said it does not know whether President Barack Obama will drink filtered city water when he visits Flint, Michigan on Wednesday for the first time since a drinking water crisis began there.

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New York businesses to cut trash by half in 'Zero Waste' plan

NEW YORK (Reuters) - More than 30 New York City businesses, including Whole Foods Market Inc, Walt Disney Co's ABC and Anheuser Busch, have agreed to cut the trash they send to landfills by half by June, the mayor's office said on Monday.

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Countries eyeing coal-fired plants must reassess energy strategy: IRENA

KITAKYUSHU, Japan (Reuters) - Countries that plan to build coal-fired power plants need to reassess their energy strategy because such facilities may not be a viable investment, the head of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) said on Monday.

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Greenpeace publishes confidential U.S-EU trade deal documents

BERLIN (Reuters) - A sweeping free trade deal being negotiated between the European Union and the United States would lower food safety and environmental standards, Greenpeace said on Monday, citing confidential documents from the talks.

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Nepal, northern India battle worst forest fires in years

NEW DELHI/KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Nepal and parts of northern India are battling their worst forest fires in years that have devastated thousands of hectares of woodland, killed at least 18 people and sent a pall of smoke across the southern Himalayas that can been seen from space.

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Half of leading investors ignoring climate change: study

LONDON (Reuters) - Almost half of the world's top 500 investors are doing nothing to address climate change through their investments, a study showed on Monday.

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Six killed in Texas floods as severe weather lashes central U.S.

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - A grandmother and four of her grandchildren were killed and another person also died in floods in Texas caused by storms that unleashed tornadoes, damaging hail and torrential rains on several central U.S. states, officials said on Saturday.

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Freight train derails in Washington, cars leaking hazardous chemicals

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A CSX freight train derailed on Sunday morning in northeastern Washington DC, with several cars overturned and leaking hazardous liquids near the Rhode Island Avenue Metro Station, the District of Columbia Fire Department tweeted.

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Circus lions rescued in South America arrive in new African home

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - A group of 33 lions rescued from circuses in Peru and Columbia arrived by plane in Johannesburg on Saturday to begin a new life in the African bush.

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