Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest crude oil exporter, was the ringleader of a group of oil-rich nations including Russia and Iran that successfully blocked efforts to limit plastic production during last month’s talks in Busan, South Korea. And there’s no reason to think they won’t try to pull the same thing this year. “Saudi Arabia … Read more
The Busan summit was billed as the culmination of two years of talks, with U.N. countries having previously agreed to “forge an internationally binding agreement by 2024.” Greenpeace called it “the most important multilateral treaty” since the 2015 Paris climate agreement. But in the end, differences proved irreconcilable between those countries wanting a comprehensive deal … Read more
Scandals and controversies have plagued previous Olympics, of course, ranging from the benign, like a torch not lighting during the 2010 Games opening ceremony in Vancouver, to the political, such as the 1980 Games held in Moscow that were boycotted by 65 countries over the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. But Paris is off to … Read more
Oil and fertilizer have poured into the Red Sea from a sinking cargo ship attacked by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, putting the local environment and a critical waterway for cargo shipments to Europe at risk. U.S. officials confirmed early Sunday that U.K.-owned MV Rubymar carrying 21,000 metric tons of fertilizer had sunk two weeks after it … Read more
In 2022, Bryan Comer, director of the marine programme at the International Council on Clean Transportation, examined the carbon footprint of cruising compared to a hotel stay plus air travel – since cruises are effectively floating hotels. Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship, heads to the dock in Port Miami. … Read more
