Thursday, September 22, 2016

Climate change could cross key threshold in a decade: scientists

OXFORD, England (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The planet could pass a key target on world temperature rise in about a decade, prompting accelerating loss of glaciers, steep declines in water availability, worsening land conflicts and deepening poverty, scientists said this week.

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Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Rusty patched bumble bee proposed for U.S. endangered species status

(Reuters) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Wednesday proposed listing the rusty patched bumble bee, a prized but vanishing pollinator once widely found in the upper Midwest and Northeastern United States, for federal protection as an endangered species.

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Volkswagen investors seek $9 billion in damages over emissions scandal: court

BERLIN (Reuters) - Volkswagen faces 8.2 billion euros ($9.1 billion) in damages claims from investors over its emissions scandal in the legal district where the carmaker is based, a German court said on Wednesday.

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EU court rules against Britain over power plant emissions

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Court of Justice ruled against Britain on Wednesday, finding that it had failed to respect EU limits on nitrogen oxide emissions from the coal-fired Aberthaw power plant in Wales.

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UK pledges to ratify Paris climate deal by year-end

(Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May has pledged to world leaders to ratify the Paris agreement to slow climate change by the end of the year.

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Flash floods in Indonesia kill 20; rescuers hunt for missing

GARUT, Indonesia (Reuters) - Indonesian search and rescue teams worked on Wednesday to find victims of flash floods that killed 20 people and damaged hundreds of homes, authorities said.

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Philippines recommends suspension of 12 more mines

MANILA (Reuters) - A dozen more Philippine mines, mostly nickel projects, are in danger of being suspended in an ongoing environmental crackdown on the sector, an environment undersecretary said on Wednesday.

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Tuesday, September 20, 2016

U.S. nuclear waste backlog could be eased by private disposal: Moniz

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States could alleviate growing stockpiles of nuclear waste at U.S. power plants by allowing private companies to dispose of it and foster support for new nuclear projects, U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said on Tuesday.

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China chemical accidents cause 199 deaths from Jan-Aug: Greenpeace

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China had 232 chemical-related accidents from January to August this year, causing 199 deaths and 400 injuries, according to research from the environmental group Greenpeace published on Wednesday.

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U.S., Montana to make announcement on 2011 Exxon pipeline spill

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department said on Tuesday it would join officials from Montana and other federal agencies on Wednesday to announce a "significant development" toward restoring natural resources damaged by a 2011 crude oil spill from a pipeline owned by Exxon Mobil Corp.

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Typhoon Malakas hits southern Japan, heading toward Tokyo

TOKYO (Reuters) - A strong typhoon made landfall on southwestern Japan on Tuesday, bringing heavy rain that caused floods, forcing flight cancellations and prompting local authorities to issue evacuation advisories for more than 600,000 residents.

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More than 300 scientists warn over Trump's climate change stance

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hundreds of top scientists warned on Tuesday against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's vow to pull the United States out of the Paris climate-warming accord if elected in November.

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Tropical storm Lisa forms west of Cape Verde Islands

(Reuters) - Tropical depression 13 has strengthened into tropical storm Lisa over the eastern tropical Atlantic, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Tuesday.

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Beached humpback whale rescued off Australian coast

Sydney (Reuters) - A humpback whale has been cut free from a fishing net by a rescue team after becoming entangled and beached in shallow water off the Queensland coast in Australia on Tuesday.

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Regional powers back studies on impact of Ethiopia's Nile dam

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia commissioned studies into the environmental and economic impact of a $4 billion dam on the Nile that Addis Ababa aims to make the centerpiece of its bid to become Africa's biggest power exporter.

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Indonesia rejects U.S. research estimate of 100,000 'haze' deaths

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Harvard and Columbia university research showing smoke from land fires in Southeast Asia led to more than 100,000 premature deaths last year "makes no sense at all," an official at Indonesia's Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

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Monday, September 19, 2016

Most states on track to meet emissions targets they call burden

LOS ANGELES/WASHINGTON(Reuters) - The 27 states challenging Obama’s Clean Power Plan in court say the lower emissions levels it would impose are an undue burden. But most are likely to hit them anyway.

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California restricts pollutants from cow flatulence to diesel emissions

(Reuters) - California on Monday moved to restrict air pollutants from sources as diverse as diesel trucks and cow flatulence, the latest of several efforts in the most populous U.S. state to reduce emissions leading to climate change.

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Australia settles six years after Barrier Reef marine accident

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia on Monday reached a A$39.3 million ($29.66 million) out-of-court settlement with the owners of a Chinese coal carrier that ran aground in 2010 on the Great Barrier Reef.

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Sunday, September 18, 2016

Former tropical storm Julia becomes a remnant low: NHC

(Reuters) - Former tropical storm Julia weakened into a remnant low on Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said in its latest advisory.

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Canada will impose nationwide carbon price: minister

TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada will impose a carbon price on provinces that do not adequately regulate emissions by themselves, Environment Minister Catherine McKenna said on Sunday without giving details on how the Liberal government will do so.

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U.S. meeting on ocean conservation nets $5.3 billion in pledges

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - International participants at a high-level conference on the world's oceans pledged more than $5.3 billion for conservation and designated vast areas as protected waters, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Friday.

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Saturday, September 17, 2016

China issues alert for second typhoon in a week

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China is bracing for its second typhoon in a week after the government issued a "yellow alert" for Typhoon Malakas on Saturday, just as southeastern provinces continue to clean up after an earlier, stronger storm, state news agency Xinhua reported.

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Friday, September 16, 2016

EPA says glyphosate, key ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup, likely not carcinogenic

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Friday said its current position on glyphosate, the key ingredient in Monsanto Co's Roundup herbicide, is that the chemical is not likely carcinogenic to humans.

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L.A. Dept. of Water and Power waters fake grass during drought: report

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Los Angeles Department of Water and power has installed sprinkler systems to water artificial turf laid down in place of grass at several of its substations during California's four-year drought, a local TV station reported on Friday.

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U.N. 'certain' Paris climate deal will enter into force by end-2016

BARCELONA (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - U.N. officials have said they are confident the Paris climate change agreement will enter into force by the end of 2016, with at least 20 countries indicating they will join it at a U.N. event on Sept. 21, adding to the 27 that have already done so.

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EU will take action against states over car emissions

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union will take legal action against some member states for failing to police car emission rules, its industry commissioner said on Friday, and is stepping up efforts to seek redress for consumers cheated by Volkswagen .

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Typhoon kills at least 11 in China and Taiwan; another on the way

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - The world's strongest storm this year killed at last 10 people in China when it hit the southeast coast, the government said on Friday, as rescuers scoured flooded streets and work crews struggled to restore power to more than a million homes.

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Australia's wheat crop threatened as La Nina climate indicator rises: analysts

SYDNEY (Reuters) - The quality of Australia's near-record wheat crop will likely be hit, as a sudden spike in a climate indicator shows there is a high chance of crop-damaging rains linked to a La Nina weather event over the next few months, analysts and traders said.

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Thursday, September 15, 2016

NOAA buys first commercial satellite weather data

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - The U.S. government on Thursday awarded its first contracts to buy weather data from commercial satellite operators, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said.

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Julia re-strengthens into a tropical storm: NHC

(Reuters) - Tropical Depression Julia has strengthened into a tropical storm again, and is expected to meander off the coast of South and North Carolina for the next few days, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Thursday.

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NHC sees 20 percent chance of cyclone in Gulf of Mexico

(Reuters) - A broad low pressure system over the northwestern Gulf of Mexico has a 20 percent chance of developing into a tropical cyclone over the next 48 hours, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Thursday.

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U.S. congressional panel to hold fuel rules hearing

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A congressional panel will hold a hearing on Sept. 22 to look at the fate of fuel efficiency rules through 2025 amid growing concerns from automakers.

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U.S. Senate approves aid for Flint, Michigan, water crisis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Thursday passed a broad $10 billion water projects development bill that will help Flint, Michigan, deal with a long-running problem of lead contamination in the city's water supply.

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U.S. among nations set to unveil sanctuaries to protect oceans

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday will join more than 20 countries to announce the creation of 40 new marine sanctuaries around the world to protect the world's oceans from the threat of climate change and pollution.

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Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Climate change 'significant and direct' threat to U.S. military: reports

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The effects of climate change endanger U.S. military operations and could increase the danger of international conflict, according to three new documents endorsed by retired top U.S. military officers and former national security officials.

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Typhoon cuts power as it slams into China, but losing strength

BEIJING (Reuters) - Typhoon Meranti slammed into southeastern China on Thursday, bringing strong winds and lashing rain and cutting power in what state media said was the strongest storm of the year globally, but there were no immediate reports of casualties.

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After uproar, U.S. government says does not plan to kill wild horses

(Reuters) - The U.S. government said on Wednesday it has no plans to euthanize a large share of the more than 45,000 wild horses and burros removed from lands mostly in the U.S. West, after an advisory panel's proposal to kill some of the animals sparked outrage.

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Volkswagen says it might not resume U.S. sales of diesel vehicles

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Volkswagen AG said on Wednesday it has not decided if it will resume selling diesel vehicles in the United States, even if it were allowed to, in the wake of the automaker's emissions cheating scandal.

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Flint residents seek bottled water delivery in lead contamination crisis

DETROIT (Reuters) - A coalition of Flint residents and national advocacy groups on Wednesday asked a federal judge in Detroit to order city and Michigan officials to ensure access to safe drinking water in response to the lead-contamination crisis that began in 2014.

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Protesters slam North Dakota pipeline but company 'committed'

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Holding signs and banners and chanting "Oil Kills," protesters in Atlanta and other U.S. cities on Tuesday shouted support for Native American activists trying to stop construction of a North Dakota pipeline they say will desecrate sacred land and pollute water.

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Indonesian Islamic council issues fatwa on forest fires

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia's highest Islamic council has issued a fatwa on burning land and forests, a government official said on Wednesday, in an effort to halt the toxic smog that blankets the region each year.

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Storm Julia may weaken into depression late Wednesday, NHC says

(Reuters) - Tropical Storm Julia was dumping heavy rains and packing strong winds early on Wednesday as it moved slowly northwest along northeastern Florida into Georgia and South Carolina, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its latest advisory.

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Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Schools shut, flights canceled as Super Typhoon Meranti hits Taiwan

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of homes lost power across Taiwan on Wednesday as Super Typhoon Meranti hit the island, a storm seen as the strongest in the world so far this year, forcing schools and businesses to close and flights to be canceled.

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Quake strikes northwest of Medellin, Colombia

(Reuters) - An earthquake measuring 6.0 magnitude struck off northwest Colombia on Tuesday, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

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California to end breeding of captive killer whales

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - California will no longer allow the breeding of captive killer whales such as those used in SeaWorld's famous "Shamu" shows under a measure signed on Tuesday by Democratic Governor Jerry Brown.

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U.S. Hurricane Center says 70 percent chance of cyclone developing near Florida

(Reuters) - An area of low pressure located just inland near St. Augustine, Florida, has a 70 percent chance of developing into a tropical cyclone in the next 48 hours, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Tuesday.

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Peru's president throws cold water on Chinese railway proposal

LIMA (Reuters) - Peru President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski said a transcontinental railway proposed by China to slash the costs of shipping Brazilian goods to Asia could be too expensive and environmentally harmful to build.

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Romania moves to protect some of Europe's last virgin forests

VIDRARU, Romania (Reuters) - With new technology and a crackdown on logging, Romania is racing to save some of Europe's last virgin forests, home to wolves and brown bears.

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India monsoon rains to start withdrawing in 3-4 days: weather office

MUMBAI (Reuters) - India's June-September monsoon rains could start withdrawing from the north-western region of the country in the next 3-4 days, the weather department said on Tuesday.

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German court throws out pollution case against K+S executives

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - A German court said on Tuesday it would not open proceedings against executives of German potash and salt miner K+S on charges of water pollution.

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Reykjavik unveils plan to limit urban sprawl to become carbon neutral by 2040

LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The Icelandic capital of Reykjavik is aiming to become carbon neutral by 2040 by imposing strict limits on urban sprawl and improving the efficiency of public transport, according to a plan unveiled by the city's mayor.

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Monday, September 12, 2016

Volcano erupts on the island of Reunion

REUNION ISLAND, FRANCE - The Piton de la Fournaise volcano on the Reunion Island erupted on Sunday (September 11), a surprise treat for some lucky 250 locals and tourists who happened to be hiking on trails nearby.

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Brazil ratifies Paris deal; joins top polluters U.S., China

BRASILIA/SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazil, one of the world's largest emitters of heat-trapping gases, on Monday ratified the Paris agreement to fight global warming, joining top polluters United States and China and bringing the deal closer to implementation.

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North Korea flooding kills 133, displaces 107,000: U.N.

SEOUL (Reuters) - Flooding from heavy rain in North Korea has killed 133 people in its northeast while 395 are missing, with many homes and critical infrastructure destroyed, a U.N. agency said on Monday.

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Low east of Northern Leeward Islands could become tropical storm on Monday: NHC

(Reuters) - A low pressure system, located about 800 miles east-northeast of the Northern Leeward Islands, has a 90 percent chance of becoming a tropical storm in the next 48 hours, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

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Death toll in Tanzania quake reaches 16, smaller tremor strikes

DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) - The death toll from an earthquake that struck northwest Tanzania at the weekend has risen to 16, the government said on Monday as a smaller aftershock hit the same area.

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E.ON expects nuclear waste storage deal in next few weeks

BERLIN (Reuters) - E.ON on Monday said it expected to reach a deal with the German government on the terms of funding the storage of the country's nuclear waste, denying a media report that costs would be higher than initially proposed in April.

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UK could save $6.6 billion a year by 2050 using carbon capture: report

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain could save 5 billion pounds ($6.64 billion) a year by 2050 if it invests now in technology to capture and store emissions underground, a government advisory body report said on Monday.

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Sunday, September 11, 2016

NHC says 80 percent chance of cyclone near Leeward Islands

(Reuters) - A low pressure system located about 900 miles east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands has an 80 percent chance of developing into a tropical cyclone in the next 48 hours, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Monday.

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Russia demands swift payment for canceled Bulgarian nuclear plant

SOFIA (Reuters) - Russian nuclear company Rosatom has asked Bulgaria to swiftly pay 620 million euros ($696 million) in compensation over the canceled Belene nuclear project, it said on Saturday.

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U.S. refiners revamp operations as renewable fuel costs surge

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. oil refiners, beset by the weakest profit margins in six years, have been laying off workers, revamping operations and ratcheting up pressure on regulators and lawmakers to tweak the renewable fuel program, whose costs have ballooned.

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Earthquake hits Macedonia, no injuries or major damage reported

SKOPJE (Reuters) - A 5.3 magnitude earthquake struck close to Macedonia's capital Skopje on Sunday but there were no reports of injuries or major property damage.

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Saturday, September 10, 2016

Earthquake measuring 5.7 hits northwest Tanzania: USGS

(Reuters) - An earthquake measuring 5.7 hit northwest Tanzania on Saturday, 44 km from Bukoba, close to the western shore of Lake Victoria, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

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Earthquake measuring 6.1 hits northern Peru: USGS

(Reuters) - An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 hit northern Peru at 1008 GMT on Saturday, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported.

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Homeowners sue California's Fresno, saying lead in water supply

(Reuters) - Five homeowners filed a lawsuit against Fresno, California on Friday, accusing the city of letting dangerous levels of lead and other toxins into the water supply and failing to alert the public of the potential danger, local media reported.

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Friday, September 9, 2016

California nears adoption of energy-saving rules for computers

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - California regulators moved a step closer on Friday to the first mandatory U.S. energy efficiency standards for computers and monitors, gadgets that account for 3 percent of home electric bills and 7 percent of commercial power costs in the state.

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NHC says 70 percent chance of tropical cyclone off Lesser Antilles

(Reuters) - A broad area of low pressure located about 1,200 miles east of the Lesser Antilles has a 70 percent chance of developing into a tropical cyclone in the next 48 hours, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Friday.

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System off Florida has 40 percent chance of becoming tropical storm: NHC

(Reuters) - A low pressure system located in the Straits of Florida, south-southeast of the mainland, has a 40 percent chance of developing into a tropical storm in the next 48 hours, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Friday.

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Irrigation on rise in Africa as farmers face erratic weather

STOCKHOLM (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Sub-Saharan Africa is seeing a surge of interest in irrigation among small-scale farmers as climate change brings more erratic weather and as rising populations in countries from Nigeria to Kenya mean demand for a reliable harvest is growing, agriculture and water experts say.

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China's green car subsidy scandal spreads, 20 more car makers named

BEIJING (Reuters) - China has accused more than 20 additional car makers, including Nissan and Hyundai, of breaking rules on green car subsidies, according to a state media report, widening a scandal over a $4.5 billion annual payout program.

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Thursday, September 8, 2016

California tightens climate change rules under bills signed by governor

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - California will tighten controls on greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles, factories and public utilities under a pair of bills signed on Thursday by Democratic Governor Jerry Brown.

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Magnitude 5.3 seismic event in North Korea: USGS

(Reuters - The U.S. Geological Survey reported a 5.3-magnitude seismic event in North Korea on Friday, near a nuclear test site in the northeastern part of the county.

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Cincinnati Zoo, site of gorilla slaying, evacuated over suspicious device

(Reuters) - Cincinnati police found nothing on Thursday after receiving a phone threat of a suspicious device at a zoo where a gorilla was shot earlier this year to protect a child who had fallen into its enclosure.

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Expanded U.S. habitat protection ordered for rare lynx

SALMON, Idaho (Reuters) - A federal judge ordered U.S. wildlife managers on Wednesday to enlarge habitat protections in Idaho, Montana and Colorado for the Canada lynx, a rare wild cat that roams the Rockies and mountain forests of several other states.

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U.S. weather forecaster says La Nina no longer likely in fall, winter

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. government weather forecaster reduced its outlook on Thursday for La Nina conditions to develop during the Northern Hemisphere fall and winter 2016/17, saying neutral conditions were more likely.

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EPA sued over clean water rules to curb ocean acidification

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Environmentalists sued the Obama administration on Thursday seeking new federal water-quality standards designed to protect marine life against the corrosive effects of carbon emissions absorbed into the ocean from the burning of fossil fuels.

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Summer drought takes further toll on EU maize harvest

PARIS (Reuters) - Hot, dry weather over the past two months has damaged European Union maize (corn) crops and this year's harvest is now expected to be almost as bad as in 2015 when production was also hit by drought.

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South Africa still in grip of historic drought: government

CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa remains in the grip of a drought that has reduced the national cattle herd by 15 percent with no relief in sight, a government task team said on Thursday.

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Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Australia awards funding for solar plants, set to triple capacity

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - The Australian government will help fund a dozen large-scale solar projects worth A$1 billion ($770 million), as it looks to boost the use of clean power in a coal-rich country, which is one of the world's biggest carbon emitters per head.

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Oklahoma Sept. 3 earthquake was strongest recorded in state -USGS

(Reuters) - An earthquake in Oklahoma on Sept. 3 was the strongest on record in the state and had a magnitude of 5.8, the U.S. Geological Survey said on Wednesday.

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North Dakota pipeline fight gives spark to Native American activism

CANNON BALL, N.D./WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Native American tribe's efforts to halt construction of a crude oil pipeline in North Dakota have swelled into a movement, drawing international attention and the support of movie stars and social media, and making a major oil company blink.

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U.S. judge halts fracking plan for federal lands in California

HOUSTON (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Wednesday halted a plan to allow fracking on public lands in central California, saying a federal agency's environmental plan should have taken a "hard look" at the potential impact of the process.

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Daimler to sell Mercedes-Benz branded all-electric battery cars in China

BEIJING (Reuters) - Germany's Daimler AG plans to sell Mercedes-Benz branded all-electric battery cars in China, its China chief said on Wednesday, as the automaker capitalizes on government initiatives aimed at growing the market for new-energy vehicles (NEVs).

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Nine dead and two missing after rains cause mudslide in Guatemala

GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - At least nine people died and two people were missing from a small town near Guatemala City on Wednesday after intense rains the night before caused a mudslide, emergency workers said.

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Abe's Fukushima 'under control' pledge to secure Olympics was a lie: former PM

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's promise that the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant was "under control" in his successful pitch three years ago for Tokyo to host the 2020 Olympic Games "was a lie", former premier Junichiro Koizumi said on Wednesday.

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Minor earthquake in the State of Washington rattles homes

(Reuters) - A 3.2 magnitude earthquake struck the northwest of the State of Washington on Tuesday night, the United States Geological Survey reported, briefly shaking homes and rattling residents.

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'Too soon' to take giant panda off the endangered list

BEIJING (Reuters) - It is too soon to downgrade the conservation status of China's giant pandas as they still face severe threats, a leading conservationist said, after the International Union for Conservation of Nature took the species off its endangered list.

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Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Tokyo shaken by magnitude 4.9 earthquake; no tsunami warning

TOKYO (Reuters) - An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.9 shook buildings in Tokyo on Wednesday, but no tsunami warning was issued and there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

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U.S. lifts protection for most humpback whales

(Reuters) - The United States lifted protection for most humpback whales around the globe on Tuesday, including some in American waters, based on evidence they have made a strong comeback since commercial whaling drove them to near extinction.

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Global coal power plans fall in 2016, led by China, India: study

OSLO (Reuters) - The amount of coal-fired power generation under development worldwide has shrunk by 14 percent this year, driven down by China as it struggles with oversupply and tries to promote cleaner energy, a study showed on Wednesday.

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Brazil could raise emissions and still meet Paris goal: study

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazil could increase its carbon emissions by up to 21 percent from 2014 to 2030 and still meet its pledge under the 2015 Paris climate agreement to fight global warming, according to a study released on Tuesday.

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Hurricane Newton storms up Mexico's Baja California peninsula

CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico (Reuters) - Hurricane Newton barreled up Mexico's Baja California peninsula tourist haven on Tuesday, dumping heavy rains as winds whipped, but there were no immediate reports of major damage.

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Funds leader BlackRock calls on investors to assess climate change impact

NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) - BlackRock Inc, the world's largest asset manager, said all investors should factor climate change into their decision-making and doing so would not mean having to accept lower returns. Global moves to coordinate a response to climate change took a big step forward on Saturday when both China and the United States ratified a 2015 plan to curb climate-warming emissions, raising chances it will enter into law this year.

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Monday, September 5, 2016

Global warming disrupts oceans, seen lingering in the depths

OSLO (Reuters) - Global warming is disrupting ocean life from plankton to whales and the heat may linger in the depths for centuries even if man-made greenhouse gas emissions are halted, an international study said on Monday.

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Drivers fume as Paris turns right bank of Seine into park

PARIS (Reuters) - Paris plans to turn a stretch of highway on the right bank of the river Seine into a pedestrian zone in an attempt to reduce pollution despite protests from drivers.

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China may penalize offshore oil companies for spills: Xinhua

BEIJING (Reuters) - The Chinese government is considering imposing penalties on offshore oil companies that damage marine environment, state media said on Monday, the latest effort by Beijing to clamp down on environmental pollution and tackle risks from oil leaks.

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Tropical storm Newton heads for Mexico's Baja peninsula

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Tropical storm Newton moved along Mexico's Pacific coast on Monday and could be near hurricane intensity as it hits the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

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Indonesia environment team threatened with death investigating haze

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Dozens of Indonesian men, suspected of being hired by an oil palm plantation company, threatened to kill environmental investigators checking on fires on Sumatra island, the environment ministry said.

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Sunday, September 4, 2016

Hunting pushes Eastern gorillas close to extinction: Red List

OSLO (Reuters) - Illegal hunting in Democratic Republic of Congo has wiped out 70 percent of Eastern gorillas in the past two decades and pushed the world's biggest primate close to extinction, a Red List of endangered species showed on Sunday.

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Climate change threatens to double malaria risk from African dams, say researchers

LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The number of Africans at risk of malaria who live near dams will nearly double to 25 million by 2080 as areas where the disease is not currently present will become transmission zones due to climate change, researchers said on Monday.

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Hermine lurks off U.S. East Coast, could regain hurricane strength

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Storm Hermine lurked off the U.S. Middle Atlantic Coast on Sunday, threatening to regain hurricane strength after carving a path of destruction through the South while so far sparing the Northeast from the worst of its wind, rain and sea surge.

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Helicopter search suspended for missing U.S. climbers in Pakistan

KARACHI, Pakistan (Reuters) - An aerial search for two American mountaineers missing in Pakistan was suspended on Sunday, an official said, after an initial flight showed no sign of the men but indicated an avalanche on the peak they were climbing.

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Saturday, September 3, 2016

Earthquake of magnitude 5.6 hits U.S. State of Oklahoma: USGS

(Reuters) - An earthquake of magnitude 5.6 hit the U.S. state of Oklahoma on Saturday, the United States Geological Survey reported.

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North Korea says 15 missing after recent flooding

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea said on Saturday that 15 people were missing in the northern city of Hoeryong and thousands were left homeless by flooding caused by heavy rain in recent days.

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Gaston weakens to post tropical storm: NHC

(Reuters) - Gaston weakened to a post-tropical storm and was moving away from the Western Azores in the Atlantic Ocean, the National Hurricane Center said on Saturday.

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Friday, September 2, 2016

Grasping onto a dock near Tampa Bay, watching Hermine roll away

GULFPORT, Fla. (Reuters) - As Hurricane Hermine lashed out at Florida’s Gulf Coast, Maia Marksberry got as close as she could to the fury, gripping tightly to the side of a floating dock.

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China parliament ratifies Paris climate change agreement

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's parliament on Saturday ratified the Paris agreement on climate change, the Xinhua state news agency said, which could help put the pact into force by as early as the end of the year.

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Hermine pounds Florida, raising new Zika fears, then heads north

TAMPA, Fla. (Reuters) - Hurricane Hermine wreaked havoc across Florida on Friday, knocking out power to nearly 300,000 homes and businesses, flooding low-lying areas and raising concerns about the spread of the Zika virus from pools of standing water left behind.

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Hawaii braces for arrival of Hurricane Lester

(Reuters) - Hurricane Lester bore down on Hawaii on Friday, bringing heavy rains, large ocean swells and high winds as residents still drying out from Tropical Storm Madeline prepared for another dousing.

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Major nations urge China to back aviation emissions pact: source

MONTREAL/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Major countries are urging China to join the start of a U.N.-brokered deal to limit carbon emissions from international flights because its participation is seen as essential to hitting targets, according to an Asian source familiar with the talks.

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China provides $1 trillion in 'green credit' by end-June: regulator

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's banks had provided a total of 7.26 trillion yuan ($1.09 trillion) in "green credit" by the end of June this year, the banking regulator said on Friday, part of its efforts to steer its economy onto a more environmentally friendly course.

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Gaston weakens to tropical storm: NHC

(Reuters) - Gaston weakened to a tropical storm and was approaching the Western Azores in the Atlantic Ocean, the National Hurricane Center said on Friday.

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Thursday, September 1, 2016

In China's electric car boom, global automakers select different gear

TIANJIN, China (Reuters) - By 2020, Beijing says automakers must meet tough new green standards to cut epic pollution in China's cities. As domestic firms bet heavily on electric cars to meet that goal, foreign peers are set to stay in a different, petrol-driven gear.

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Powerful 7.1-magnitude quake off coast of New Zealand: USGS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.1 struck off the coast of New Zealand early on Friday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, but there were no immediate reports of injury or damage.

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Obama visits Midway Atoll, a symbol for his climate, Asia legacy

HONOLULU (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Thursday is set to visit Midway Atoll, the remote coral reef that serves as a reminder of both modern global climate challenges and the dominance the United States has held in the Pacific since its World War Two victory there.

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Pope urges Christians to save polluted planet from 'debris, desolation and filth'

ROME (Reuters) - Pope Francis called on Thursday for concerted action against environmental degradation and climate change, renewing his fierce attack on consumerism and financial greed, which, he said, were threatening the planet.

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Hurricane warning issued for parts of Florida; Madeline weakens off Hawaii

(Reuters) - Forecasters and public officials urged Floridians to prepare for potentially catastrophic flooding and damaging winds as Tropical Storm Hermine was expected to become a hurricane by the time it reached Florida's northern Gulf Coast on Thursday.

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