Piece of metal with shiny areas and rusty color.

B.C. mining company turns to U.S. to bypass stalled global deep-sea mining talks

A Canadian firm frustrated by delays at the international seabed regulator is seeking U.S. approval to mine critical minerals from the Pacific Ocean floor.

Inayat Singh reports for CBC News.

In short:

The Metals Company (TMC), based in Vancouver, wants to mine polymetallic nodules from international waters using a decades-old U.S. law instead of waiting for international approval from the UN-backed International Seabed Authority.
The U.S. has never permitted commercial seabed mining, and it is not party to the international convention that created the ISA, raising legal and environmental concerns about TMC’s move.
Environmental advocates and some nations warn that unilateral mining could set off a global rush for seabed resources, endangering ecosystems that remain largely unexplored.

Key quote:

"Any unilateral action would constitute a violation of international law and directly undermine the fundamental principles of multilateralism, the peaceful use of the oceans and the collective governance framework established under [the UNCLOS]."

— Leticia Carvalho, secretary general of the International Seabed Authority

Why this matters:

Far beneath the ocean’s surface, in darkness deeper than Mount Everest is tall, lie vast fields of polymetallic nodules—potato-sized rocks rich in cobalt, nickel, manganese, and rare earth elements essential for green technologies like electric vehicle batteries and grid-scale energy storage. The deep seabed, stretching thousands of meters below, hosts strange and ancient life forms — many of which have never been named, let alone studied — and plays a subtle but vital role in regulating Earth’s climate by storing carbon and cycling nutrients. The maneuvering of companies like TMC has raised alarms among marine scientists and environmental advocates, who warn that bypassing global governance could open the floodgates to unregulated exploitation, threatening not only deep-sea biodiversity but also the ocean’s ability to buffer planetary climate change.

www.cbc.ca

Senator Whitehouse puts climate change on budget committee’s agenda

For more than a decade, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse gave daily warnings about the mounting threat of climate change. Now he has a powerful new perch.

Polluting oil refinery emits smoke under cloudy sky.

Credit: Patrick Hendry/Unsplash

New Trump-era EPA move could let polluters dodge toxic air rules

A new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency policy under the Trump administration may allow chemical giants to sidestep rules that limit mercury, benzene, and other hazardous pollutants — with big consequences for public health.

Matthew Daly reports for the Associated Press.

In short:

Industry groups representing ExxonMobil, Dow, Chevron, and hundreds of other chemical and petrochemical makers are lobbying the EPA for blanket exemptions from air pollution rules, citing high costs and “unworkable” timelines.
The EPA, now led by Lee Zeldin, has set up what environmental groups have called a “polluters’ portal” — an email inbox where companies can request two-year exemptions from nine Biden-era environmental rules.
Environmental groups warn that this loophole could result in increased exposure to pollutants known to cause cancer, asthma, and birth defects, especially in children.

Key quote:

“There is no basis in U.S. clean air laws — and in decency — for this absolute free pass to pollute.”

— Vickie Patton, general counsel, Environmental Defense Fund

Why this matters:

This policy could open the floodgates to more cancer-causing fumes, more neurotoxins in kids’ bodies, and more birth defects — especially in the communities that already bear the brunt of pollution. It's one in a series of major regulatory rollbacks that Zeldin has announced that have major implications for public health and well-being.

B.C. mining company turns to U.S. to bypass stalled global deep-sea mining talks

'Hands off': Protesters rally nationwide to defend democracy, public health, and climate action

New Trump-era EPA move could let polluters dodge toxic air rules

Coal plant seeks pollution waiver after Trump administration opens email-based exemption process

EU delays corporate sustainability rules as businesses push back

Poilievre promises oil and gas companies swift approvals, fewer environmental rules

Trump pushes for federally backed AI data hubs as power needs surge

Trump allies in oil and gas poised to profit from AI boom and environmental rollbacks

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

Op-ed: Why funding for the environmental justice movement must be anti-racist

We must prioritize minority-serving institutions, BIPOC-led organizations and researchers to lead environmental justice efforts.

Biden finalizes long-awaited hydrogen tax credits ahead of Trump presidency

Responses to the new rules have been mixed, and environmental advocates worry that Trump could undermine them.

Op-ed: Toxic prisons teach us that environmental justice needs abolition

Prisons, jails and detention centers are placed in locations where environmental hazards such as toxic landfills, floods and extreme heat are the norm.