Oil prices jump more than $2 a barrel
Oil prices broke out of a month-long trading range on technical buying and industry talk as well as U.S. government data suggesting the global supply glut could be ebbing.
Renewables could supply nearly a quarter of Africa’s energy by 2030: report
Almost a quarter of Africa’s energy needs could feasibly be supplied by renewables within the next 15 years, according to a new report released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IREA).
How EPA missed its best chance to catch VW cheating
More than a decade ago, the EPA helped develop a technology that ultimately was used by an independent laboratory to catch Volkswagen’s elaborate cheating on car emissions tests. But EPA used the technology primarily to test trucks rather than passenger cars because such heavy equipment was a much bigger polluter.
How Saudi Arabia uses influence to quash human rights investigations
The UN’s Human Rights Council refuses to investigate Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen. And American leaders refuse to openly criticize the kingdom
Could diesel actually emerge stronger than ever?
In Europe, where three-quarters of the world’s diesel cars are sold, concerns over rising air pollution from diesel motor tailpipes have fueled calls for a radical rebalancing of the region’s road fuel mix for some time.
U.S., BP finalize $20.8 billion Deepwater oil spill settlement
The Obama administration said Monday it has finalized the terms of a record $20.8 billion dollar settlement with BP PLC over the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
U.S. fuel economy data on cars inaccurate and getting worse, study finds
The U.S. government’s testing underestimates how much fuel cars will burn on the road, and the problem has gotten worse, according to a study released on Thursday.
Texas shed 28,300 oil and gas jobs since December
The oil slump has claimed at least 28,300 oil and gas jobs in Texas since December as the industry continues to pare back amid the worst downturn in years, according to the latest estimates released by an industry group.
Obama administration to tighten smog limits but will satisfy few
The Environmental Protection Agency will propose tightening limits on smog-related pollution Thursday, according to individuals briefed on the decision, but the new standard will fall short of what environmentalists and public health experts had recommended.
What the Volkswagen scandal means for our health
By now, the depth of Volkswagen’s deception is clear: The German automaker deliberately misled American regulators by installing software on 11 million vehicles that reduced emissions during testing, but allowed the emissions to increase by 4,000 percent once they got out into the real world where people live and breathe.
