The Persian Gulf crisis has not ignited a major price spike, thanks to growing oil production in the U.S. and a slowing in overall demand. New York Times
America’s coal-burning power plants are shutting down at a rapid pace, forcing electric utilities to face the next big climate question: Embrace natural gas, or shift aggressively to renewable energy? New York Times
Indonesia has promised to stop clearing jungle for plantations. So why are endangered apes still on the front lines of the conservation battle? New York Times
A better way to edit DNA and a Russian scientist announces plans to make more designer babies. The Economist
By Jonathan Aldred. Modern economics, the author argues, dismisses ethics in favour of a narrow focus on self-interest. “The argument that both parties to a voluntary transaction must be better off, otherwise it wouldn’t take place,” he writes, “is used to wash away all considerations of justice, fairness, responsibility, exploitation and so on.” The Economist
The skinny waterway, the gateway for a third of all crude oil by tanker, has become a security risk that could threaten the oil market. New York Times
European Union leaders failed to reach an agreement on a proposal to reduce their net carbon emissions to zero by 2050. New York Times
The White House tried to stop a State Department senior intelligence analyst from discussing climate science in congressional testimony this week, internal emails and documents show. New York Times
Always volatile, oil prices have tumbled more than 20 percent since late April because of growing fears that demand is weaker than expected as the global economy slows. New York Times
Summertime heat is forecast to become even deadlier without action to drastically reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change, according to a new study. New York Times
© Stefan P. Schleicher 2019
