The European Parliament’s endorsement on July 18 of German Ursula von der Leyen for a second five-year term as president of the European Commission marks a bid for continuity in the EU’s executive branch with a seasoned politician whose European tenure has been inextricably bound to the fortunes of the …
Read More »Saudi Arabia’s Economic Strategy is a Double-Edged Sword for OPEC Stability
While countries like Brazil and the United States are often seen as major pressures on OPEC oil production policies, Saudi Arabia’s ambitious Vision 2030 might pose an even greater challenge. This transformative economic strategy, spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, aims to shift the kingdom’s reliance away from oil, …
Read More »Is China Getting ahead in the Race for Commercial Nuclear Fusion?
Nuclear fusion research and development has gained momentum in recent years after several momentous breakthroughs and achievements. The global race to overcome the engineering challenges to achieving zero-emission power from a nuclear reaction without risking disaster and radiation has heated up. The U.S. and other Western nations have worked for …
Read More »Raw Material Shortages Weigh on EU Ammunition Production
The European Union’s capacity to produce 155 mm artillery ammunition may be less than half as large as public estimates by senior EU officials indicate, affecting the bloc’s ability to keep promises about supplies to Ukraine, Schemes and its partners in a journalistic investigation have found. The finding is a …
Read More »China’s Economic Recovery Stumbles as Industrial Output Disappoints
Clearly, China’s economy is not yet back on the recovery track, as evidenced by the mixed bag of data for May released on Monday. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), industrial production in China saw a 5.6% increase in May 2024 compared to May 2023. However, …
Read More »Business World Begins U-Turn on Climate Targets
Barely a couple of years ago, setting climate targets and emission reduction plans was de rigueur in the business world. There was a veritable race to out-target competitors in order to win the hearts, minds, and wallets of customers and investors. Now, this has all changed. Last week, the Energy …
Read More »Growing Global Uncertainties Muddle Energy Transition Path
Recent years have witnessed an increase in global uncertainties, driven by economic, political and technological shifts, adding complexity to the environment in which countries operate and their energy transition trajectory. Geopolitical tensions pose risks to energy security and hinder international co-operation, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF). Ongoing conflicts …
Read More »The Future of Water Management in a Changing World
‘Day Zero’ never arrived in Cape Town, South Africa. Day Zero was the name given by Cape Town officials to the day in 2018 they would have to shut down water flows to most of the city taps because of inadequate water supplies—supplies that had run desperately short in the …
Read More »Geothermal Energy: A Win-Win for Democrats and Republicans?
Geothermal energy is at the precipice of a major breakthrough in the United States. As technology rapidly advances, it’s seeming more possible than ever that the once niche energy production method could soon scale up for mass deployment in nearly any environment. Pilot projects are taking off across the country …
Read More »Saudi Arabia Signals a Shift in Oil Strategy
In 1943 President Franklin Roosevelt declared that “the defense of Saudi Arabia is vital to the defense of the United States.” The reason: Ten years earlier the desert kingdom had granted a concession to Standard Oil of California to explore for oil. It turned out there was some, in fact, …
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