California seeks long-term water savings as drought lingers

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - California water regulators on Wednesday recommended tighter oversight of agricultural irrigation and a permanent ban on over-watering urban lawns, a first step toward developing a long-term conservation plan amid ongoing drought.

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China's Hebei province issues red alert for smog

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's northern Hebei province has issued its first "red alert" of the year for severe pollution, the official Xinhua news agency said on Thursday, the highest level alert for smog which will see factories suspended and cars pulled off the road.

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Germany's Merkel says will work with Trump on climate policy

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's Angela Merkel said on Wednesday she would try to work on climate policy with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who has said he may pull out of a landmark international accord to fight global warming.

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China slaps extra 10 percent tax on 'super cars'

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China will impose an extra 10 percent tax on high-end cars in a bid to rein in lavish spending and to reduce emissions, the ministry of finance has said, a potential headache for luxury car makers.

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Obama moves to lock in vehicle greenhouse gas rules

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday said it will push to lock in fuel efficiency standards central to outgoing President Barack Obama’s climate policy before the Trump administration takes over in January.

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EU unveils power market reform to boost renewables

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU regulators set a path on Wednesday for renewables to power half of Europe by 2030, with plans to cut energy use, phase out subsidies for coal and enforce greater cross-border trade.

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EU plan for CO2 limit to power reserve schemes hasty: Poland

WARSAW (Reuters) - The European Commission's proposal to attach emissions limits to subsidies paid to utilities that set aside capacity to avert blackouts would be hasty and bad for the environment, Poland's energy ministry said.

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EU unveils power market reform, energy efficiency target

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission unveiled a reform of Europe's power grid after 2020 on Wednesday, proposing to cut energy waste, better integrate renewables and phase out subsidies for coal-fired electricity generation.

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Deadly tornadoes rip through Mississippi, Alabama

(Reuters) - At least three people were killed and four children in a daycare center were injured as tornadoes tore through the U.S. south overnight and into Wednesday morning, forecasters said.

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Exxon Louisiana refinery poorly maintained, environmentalists say

HOUSTON (Reuters) - A Louisiana environmental group said on Tuesday that ExxonMobil Corp's Baton Rouge, Louisiana, refinery, where four workers were burned in a November 22 fire, has been poorly maintained for years.

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China to limit water usage to below 670 billion cu m to 2020

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China will keep national annual water consumption below 670 billion cubic meters through to 2020, the state planning agency said on Wednesday, part of efforts to ease chronic regional shortages by cutting waste and boosting efficiency.

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Bill for Japan's Fukushima cleanup to double to $201 billion: source

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 is likely to cost 22.6 trillion yen ($201 billion), slightly more than double a previous estimate, according to a source involved in government discussions on the issue.

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Rescuers searching for miners trapped after quake in Poland: local media

WARSAW (Reuters) - Ten miners are missing after an earthquake occurred at the Rudna mine in Polkowice in southwestern Poland, state news agency PAP reported on Tuesday.

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Canada approves new pipelines to boost exports, greens ready to fight

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada on Tuesday approved Kinder Morgan Inc's hotly contested plan to twin a pipeline from the Alberta oil sands to the Pacific coast, setting up a battle with environmentalists who helped elect Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

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Giant arch slides over Chernobyl site to block radiation for a century

CHERNOBYL, Ukraine (Reuters) - In the middle of a vast exclusion zone in northern Ukraine, the world's largest land-based moving structure has been slid over the Chernobyl nuclear disaster site to prevent deadly radiation spewing from the stricken reactor for the next 100 years.

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Thousands flee U.S. Great Smoky Mountains as wildfires roar

(Reuters) - Wildfires forced thousands of residents and tourists to flee the Great Smoky Mountains area in Tennessee on Tuesday, as the blazes burned hundreds of structures and threatened many more, including country music star Dolly Parton's theme park "Dollywood."

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Lack of fuel, guns hits Brazil's Amazon guardians

NOVO PROGRESSO, Brazil (Reuters) - The rainforest shook with the sound of exploding tires and groaning steel as flames tore through a truck carrying giant tree trunks illegally sawn from the Amazon.

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Scientists record biggest ever coral die-off on Australia's Great Barrier Reef

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Warm seas around Australia's Great Barrier Reef have killed two-thirds of a 700-km (435 miles) stretch of coral in the past nine months, the worst die-off ever recorded on the World Heritage site, scientists who surveyed the reef said on Tuesday.

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China to invest $174 billion in hydro and wind from 2016-2020: NEA

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will spend at least 1.2 trillion yuan ($174 billion) on hydro and wind energy infrastructure between 2016 and 2020, the National Energy Administration (NEA) said in blueprint document for the two industries.

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Wildfires force evacuations in Tennessee resort towns

(Reuters) - Wildfires threatened homes and businesses in two small Tennessee resort towns north of the Great Smoky Mountains, forcing residents and visitors to flee on Monday, officials said.

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China 'green' sector seen growing to 3 percent of GDP by 2020: official

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China expects the output value of its energy saving and environmental protection industry to rise from 4.5 trillion yuan ($653 billion) last year to more than 10 trillion by 2020, lifting its share of gross domestic product from 2.1 percent to 3 percent.

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U.S. says biofuels program not expected to meet targeted emissions cuts

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. biofuels program, designed to boost demand for renewables in gasoline and diesel, is unlikely to meet its targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, the government said in two reports on Monday.

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Pope urges world leaders not to hobble climate change pact

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis urged national leaders on Monday to implement global environmental agreements without delay, a message that looked to be squarely aimed at U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.

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Solar, wind industries hope years courting Republicans pays off under Trump

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - U.S. wind and solar companies for the first time gave more money to Republicans than Democrats during the 2016 election cycle, according to federal campaign disclosures, part of a years-long effort to expand renewable energy’s appeal beyond liberal environmentalists.

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European Commission approves Czech state aid for renewable energy

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission said on Monday it approved Czech state aid granted in 2006-2012 to renewable energy installations.

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Climate change 'threatens Thai fight against illegal fishing'

SAMUT SAKHON, Thailand (Reuters) - Climate change threatens to undermine Thailand's efforts to combat illegal fishing and avoid a potential European Union ban on exports by the multi-billion dollar seafood industry, environmental groups say.

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Washington zoo's panda cub recovering after emergency surgery

(Reuters) - Bei Bei, a giant panda cub who is a star attraction at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., was in stable condition on Friday after emergency surgery to remove a "lemon-sized mass of bamboo" lodged in his digestive tract, officials said.

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Jaguar Land Rover wants to build electric cars in Britain

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's biggest carmarker Jaguar Land Rover said it wants to build electric cars in Britain in what would be a further boost to the UK automotive sector after the Brexit vote.

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Magnitude 6.5 earthquake strikes in northeast Tajikistan: USGS

Nov 25 (Reuters) - An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.5 struck northeastern Tajikistan, close to the borders with China and Kyrgyzstan, at 1424 GMT on Friday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

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More company climate votes ahead, as Trump may loosen energy rules

BOSTON (Reuters) - Activist shareholders plan a record number of resolutions focused on climate change at U.S. company annual meetings in 2017, even as President-elect Donald Trump looks set to loosen environmental regulations.

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Israel arrests 12 on suspicion of arson after mass wildfires

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli police said on Friday they had arrested 12 people on suspicion of arson after massive wildfires tore through central and northern Israel, forcing the evacuation of about 80,000 people in the city of Haifa and destroying hundreds of homes.

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Hurricane Otto hits Nicaragua, Costa Rica as quake shakes region

BLUEFIELDS, Nicaragua (Reuters) - Hurricane Otto battered Nicaragua and Costa Rica with powerful winds and torrential rains on Friday, damaging homes, forcing thousands to evacuate and causing an undetermined number of deaths.

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Wildfires tear across drought-stricken parts of Peru

LIMA (Reuters) - Wildfires have torn through more than 22,000 hectares (54,363 acres) of forest, protected areas and farmland in drought-stricken parts of Peru as the Andean country suffers one of its driest periods in years, authorities said on Thursday.

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China sends environmental inspection teams to seven more regions

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China has dispatched another seven environmental inspection teams to check how its anti-pollution rules are being implemented throughout the regions, the Ministry of Environmental Protection said late on Thursday.

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BHP Vale to fund, extend credit over Samarco disaster

SYDNEY (Reuters) - BHP Billiton and Vale Sa have each approved $181 million to fund remediation and compensation programs at the Samarco iron ore joint venture in Brazil following a deadly mine disaster in November 2015.

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Magnitude 7 offshore quake shakes Central America as hurricane hits

SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) - A strong earthquake off the Pacific Coast of Central America shook the region on Thursday, and could prompt hazardous tsunami waves, U.S. monitoring agencies said, just as a hurricane barreled into the Caribbean coasts of Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

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EU requires pension funds to assess climate change risks

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU pension funds will have to include environmental risks in their investment strategies, under a law passed on Thursday, that ecologists hope will encourage money to flow out of fossil fuels and into greener sectors.

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Wildfires tear across Israel, minister blames arson for some blazes

HAIFA, Israel (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of residents were ordered to leave Israel's third largest city on Thursday as wildfires tore through Haifa and threatened other areas, including the Israeli-occupied West Bank, fueled by unusually dry conditions and an easterly wind.

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Tokyo hit by first November snow in 54 years

TOKYO (Reuters) - The Japanese capital of Tokyo on Thursday was hit by its first November snow in 54 years, slowing rush hour trains as residents slogged to work wearing heavy coats and boots in a city far more accustomed to earthquakes than to snow.

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Australia storm triggers 'unprecedented' pollen asthma attacks

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - A storm in the Australian city of Melbourne triggered thousands of pollen allergy asthma attacks which killed at least four people and on Thursday was labeled a health emergency of "unprecedented scale".

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Otto strengthens to hurricane again: NHC

(Reuters) - Otto, the seventh hurricane of the 2016 Atlantic season, regained hurricane strength and is located about 180 miles (285 km) east-southeast of Bluefields, Nicaragua, the U.S. National Hurricane Centre (NHC) said on Wednesday.

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Israel asks Greece and Croatia for planes to help firefighters

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel asked Greece and Croatia on Wednesday for planes to help fight forest fires that have raged across the country for the past two days, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

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Otto forecast to become hurricane again: NHC

(Reuters) - Tropical storm Otto was forecast to become a hurricane again on Thursday before weakening over central America after landfall, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Wednesday.

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U.S. government to up 2017 biofuels target from proposed levels: sources

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. government is expected to finalize targets for biofuel use for next year at 19.28 billion gallons, up from the volumes proposed in May, according to two sources.

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Fortescue gets environmental approval for iron ore mine expansion

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's environmental authorities on Wednesday cleared the way for the world's No. 4 iron ore miner Fortescue Metals Group to extend operations at a key mine site for another 35 years.

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EPA delays cleanup proposal for radioactive waste in Missouri

(Reuters) - The U.S. government said on Tuesday it was delaying indefinitely its proposal for how to clean up or seal off radioactive soil buried in a St. Louis-area landfill adjacent to another waste site where an underground fire has been smoldering for several years.

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Storm Otto becomes hurricane off Nicaragua's Caribbean coast

(Reuters) - Storm Otto became a hurricane off the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua on Tuesday, the U.S.-based National Hurricane Center said, with additional strengthening expected over the next couple of days.

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Alberta 'orphan' wells needing cleanup proliferate after court ruling

(Reuters) - The number of ownerless oil and gas wells awaiting cleanup in Canada's energy heartland of Alberta rose by a quarter within a three-month period following a May court ruling that prioritized creditors over cleanup costs in company bankruptcies, official data showed.

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For Standing Rock Sioux, new water system may reduce oil leak risk

(Reuters) - For months, North Dakota's Standing Rock Sioux tribe has been protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline's planned crossing under the Missouri River, adjacent to their lands, in part due to worries about contamination of their primary water source.

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Trump says keeping 'open mind' on climate change: New York Times

(Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Tuesday he thinks there is some connection between climate change and human activity and "clean air is vitally important," a New York Times reporter said in a tweet.

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EU considering halving crop-based biofuels by 2030: draft

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission is considering halving the maximum amount of crop-based biofuels used in transport after 2020 over concerns they increase rather than reduce carbon emissions, according to a draft seen by Reuters.

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Strict approvals needed for gene-edited crops: German minister

BERLIN (Reuters) - The European Union should apply strict approval standards to new generations of gene-edited crops similar to those for genetically modified organisms (GMOs), Germany's junior environment minister said on Tuesday.

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China declines to say if it supports Philippine fishing ban

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday declined to say if it supported an executive order by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declaring part of the disputed Scarborough Shoal a marine sanctuary off-limits to fishermen.

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Earthquake of magnitude 6.3 hits New Zealand's North Island: USGS

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.3 struck central New Zealand on Tuesday, little more than a week after a powerful tremor centered in the upper South Island rocked the country and killed two people.

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Trump's Interior Department shortlist vexes employees, green groups

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President-elect Donald Trump's shortlist of candidates to lead the U.S. Department of Interior has employees and environmental advocates fearful of a shift in the agency's direction, from one focused on preserving public lands to one that would open them up to more drilling and mining.

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Beijing to ban polluting cars during smog alerts

BEIJING (Reuters) - Beijing will next year ban highly polluting old cars from being driven whenever air quality alerts are issued in the city or neighboring regions, the city's environmental protection bureau said on Monday.

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Tropical depression forms, bound for Nicaragua's Caribbean coast: NHC

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A tropical depression has formed in the Caribbean and is heading for southern Nicaragua, the U.S. based National Hurricane Center said on Monday.

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Swedish government to abolish solar energy tax

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - The Swedish government proposes to effectively abolish a newly introduced tax on solar energy after heavy criticism from environmental experts and the opposition, the country's finance minister said on Monday.

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With support of China's Xi, Philippine leader to ban fishing in disputed lagoon

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will issue an executive order declaring part of the disputed Scarborough Shoal a marine sanctuary off-limits to all fishermen, a move his office said was supported by Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

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Tropical depression 16 forms over southwestern Caribbean Sea: NHC

(Reuters) - Tropical depression 16 has formed over the southwestern Caribbean Sea and is expected to intensify into a tropical storm later on Monday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

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Cargo ship evacuated off England's storm-hit southern coast

LONDON (Reuters) - Emergency services rescued 11 people from the Saga Sky cargo ship on Sunday after it collided with a barge carrying rocks and started to take on water as Storm Angus battered England's southern coast.

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Under Trump shadow, climate talks set 2018 deadline to agree rules

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - Nearly 200 nations agreed around midnight on Friday to work out the rules for a landmark 2015 global deal to tackle climate change within two years in a new sign of international support for a pact opposed by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.

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U.S. weather satellite that is 'a quantum leap' poised for launch

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla (Reuters) - A U.S. weather satellite that will "revolutionize" forecasting was scheduled for launch from Florida's Cape Canaveral on Saturday, promising to deliver continuous high-definition views of hurricanes and other storms over the Western Hemisphere.

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China inspects barbecues, closes some factories to battle smog: Xinhua

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Provincial governments across China are taking measures ranging from inspecting outdoor barbecues to halting production at industrial plants to reduce worsening air pollution, the official Xinhua news agency said on Saturday.

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Western Japan jolted by 5.4 magnitude quake

TOKYO (Reuters) - An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.4 shook western Japan on Saturday but there was no immediate reports of damage and a tsunami warning was not issued.

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First blizzard of U.S. season moves into upper Midwest

(Reuters) - The season's first major winter storm in the continental United States swept the northern Plains with heavy snow and high winds on Friday, creating blizzard conditions in parts of South Dakota and Minnesota.

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Obama administration bars new oil, gas exploration off Alaska

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration on Friday blocked the sale of new permits to drill oil and gas in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas off Alaska, in a win for environmental groups that had fought against development in the fragile region.

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Brazilian judge to hear criminal charges for Samarco dam disaster

BRASILIA (Reuters) - A federal judge in Brazil has agreed to hear a criminal case brought by prosecutors against four companies and 22 employees for a burst tailings dam at the Samarco mine last November, according to a court document seen by Reuters on Friday.

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Aid convoy reaches quake-hit New Zealand town as damage bill mounts

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - A convoy of 27 military trucks reached the quake-stricken New Zealand town of Kaikoura on Friday, five days after the seaside community was completely cut off by huge landslides caused by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that killed two people

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Smog may be easing, but in parts of China water quality worsens

SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) - China is making progress in battling the damaging smog that can shroud its big cities, but in many areas - from parts of the giant Yangtze river to the coalfields of Inner Mongolia - its water pollution is getting worse.

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African rats to turn sensitive noses against poaching

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Africa's giant rats have been trained to sniff out landmines and detect tuberculosis in humans, and soon they could turn their superior noses to protecting other animals by finding illegal wildlife trophies being smuggled out of African ports.

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Planet heads for hottest year after third-warmest October: U.S. agency

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The earth is on track for its warmest year on record after October temperatures equaled the third-warmest for the month ever, a U.S. government agency said on Thursday.

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EU drops part of reservation to Hungary's Paks nuclear project

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission has ended proceedings against Hungary over the award of a contract to Russia's Rosatom to expand the Paks nuclear power plant, although it is still investigating the country's funding for the project.

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Trump fears push nations at Morocco talks to declare climate deal an 'urgent duty'

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - Fears that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will pull out of the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global warming pushed almost 200 nations at climate talks in Morocco on Thursday to declare the deal an "urgent duty".

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Planet heads for hottest year after third-warmest October: U.S. agency

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The earth is on track for its warmest year on record after October temperatures equaled the third-warmest for the month ever, a U.S. government agency said on Thursday.

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First blizzard of season to hit northern U.S. Plains, Midwest

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The first blizzard of the season in the continental United States was due to bring heavy snowfall and howling winds on Thursday as it moved northeast from the Rocky Mountains into the northern Plains.

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Trump fears push nations at Morocco talks to declare climate deal an 'urgent duty'

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - Fears that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will pull out of the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global warming pushed almost 200 nations at climate talks in Morocco on Thursday to declare the deal an "urgent duty".

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First blizzard of season to hit northern U.S. Plains, Midwest

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The first blizzard of the season in the continental United States was due to bring heavy snowfall and howling winds on Thursday as it moved northeast from the Rocky Mountains into the northern Plains.

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Trump fears push nations at Morocco talks to declare climate deal an 'urgent duty'

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - Fears that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will pull out of the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global warming pushed almost 200 nations at climate talks in Morocco on Thursday to declare the deal an "urgent duty".

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First blizzard of season to hit northern U.S. Plains, Midwest

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The first blizzard of the season in the continental United States was due to bring heavy snowfall and howling winds on Thursday as it moved northeast from the Rocky Mountains into the northern Plains.

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Trump fears push nations at Morocco talks to declare climate deal an 'urgent duty'

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - Fears that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will pull out of the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global warming pushed almost 200 nations at climate talks in Morocco on Thursday to declare the deal an "urgent duty".

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First blizzard of season to hit northern U.S. Plains, Midwest

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The first blizzard of the season in the continental United States was due to bring heavy snowfall and howling winds on Thursday as it moved northeast from the Rocky Mountains into the northern Plains.

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Trump fears push nations at Morocco talks to declare climate deal an 'urgent duty'

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - Fears that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will pull out of the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global warming pushed almost 200 nations at climate talks in Morocco on Thursday to declare the deal an "urgent duty".

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First blizzard of season to hit northern U.S. Plains, Midwest

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The first blizzard of the season in the continental United States was due to bring heavy snowfall and howling winds on Thursday as it moved northeast from the Rocky Mountains into the northern Plains.

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Trump fears push nations at Morocco talks to declare climate deal an 'urgent duty'

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - Fears that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will pull out of the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global warming pushed almost 200 nations at climate talks in Morocco on Thursday to declare the deal an "urgent duty".

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Nations reaffirm support for global climate deal after Trump win

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - Almost 200 nations reaffirmed backing on Thursday for a 2015 global deal to fight climate change at talks overshadowed by worries that U.S. President elect Donald Trump will pull out of the agreement.

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Dakota Access pipeline to be completed despite protests, company official tells PBS

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The company behind the controversial Dakota Access crude pipeline will seek to complete the project even if protests against its construction continue, its chief executive told the PBS NewsHour television news program late on Wednesday.

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Britain ratifies Paris climate agreement

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - Britain said on Thursday it had ratified the Paris Agreement, the global deal to combat climate change.

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Dakota Access pipeline to be completed despite protests, company official tells PBS

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The company behind the controversial Dakota Access crude pipeline will seek to complete the project even if protests against its construction continue, its chief executive told the PBS NewsHour television news program late on Wednesday.

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U.N. says Zimbabwe drought relief funding deficit at $140 million

HARARE (Reuters) - The United Nations on Thursday said its budget to assist people suffering from Zimbabwe's worst drought in a quarter of a century that left millions in need of food aid had fallen short by $140 million.

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Britain ratifies Paris climate agreement

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - Britain said on Thursday it had ratified the Paris Agreement, the global deal to combat climate change.

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U.N. says Zimbabwe drought relief funding deficit at $140 million

HARARE (Reuters) - The United Nations on Thursday said its budget to assist people suffering from Zimbabwe's worst drought in a quarter of a century that left millions in need of food aid had fallen short by $140 million.

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Britain ratifies Paris climate agreement

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - Britain said on Thursday it had ratified the Paris Agreement, the global deal to combat climate change.

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Storm lashes New Zealand quake zone, more buildings evacuated

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (Reuters) - Rain and strong winds battered central New Zealand on Thursday, threatening further damage just days after a powerful earthquake killed two people and devastated parts of the country's South Island with huge landslides.

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U.N. says Zimbabwe drought relief funding deficit at $140 million

HARARE (Reuters) - The United Nations on Thursday said its budget to assist people suffering from Zimbabwe's worst drought in a quarter of a century that left millions in need of food aid had fallen short by $140 million.

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Global green energy growth seen weathering Trump storm, for now

MARRAKESH/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Renewable energy will keep growing in the next few years as costs drop and coal use continues to fall, despite U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's pledge to revive the fossil fuel, investors and analysts said.

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Vietnam, neighbors told to close illegal wildlife markets

HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam and neighboring countries should shut down illegal wildlife markets and step up their fight against the trafficking of rhino horn, ivory and tiger parts, international conservationists said on Thursday.

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Global green energy growth seen weathering Trump storm, for now

MARRAKESH/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Renewable energy will keep growing in the next few years as costs drop and coal use continues to fall, despite U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's pledge to revive the fossil fuel, investors and analysts said.

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Vietnam, neighbors told to close illegal wildlife markets

HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam and neighboring countries should shut down illegal wildlife markets and step up their fight against the trafficking of rhino horn, ivory and tiger parts, international conservationists said on Thursday.

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Global green energy growth seen weathering Trump storm, for now

MARRAKESH/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Renewable energy will keep growing in the next few years as costs drop and coal use continues to fall, despite U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's pledge to revive the fossil fuel, investors and analysts said.

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Vietnam, neighbors told to close illegal wildlife markets

HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam and neighboring countries should shut down illegal wildlife markets and step up their fight against the trafficking of rhino horn, ivory and tiger parts, international conservationists said on Thursday.

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Global green energy growth seen weathering Trump storm, for now

MARRAKESH/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Renewable energy will keep growing in the next few years as costs drop and coal use continues to fall, despite U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's pledge to revive the fossil fuel, investors and analysts said.

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Vietnam, neighbors told to close illegal wildlife markets

HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam and neighboring countries should shut down illegal wildlife markets and step up their fight against the trafficking of rhino horn, ivory and tiger parts, international conservationists said on Thursday.

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Tesla's SolarCity vote comes as rooftop solar growth hits the brakes

(Reuters) - The rooftop solar industry has slowed sharply this year as the sector moved from one of scrappy upstarts to a mature business.

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Global green energy growth seen weathering Trump storm, for now

MARRAKESH/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Renewable energy will keep growing in the next few years as costs drop and coal use continues to fall, despite U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's pledge to revive the fossil fuel, investors and analysts said.

Read more

Tesla's SolarCity vote comes as rooftop solar growth hits the brakes

(Reuters) - The rooftop solar industry has slowed sharply this year as the sector moved from one of scrappy upstarts to a mature business.

Read more

Global green energy growth seen weathering Trump storm, for now

MARRAKESH/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Renewable energy will keep growing in the next few years as costs drop and coal use continues to fall, despite U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's pledge to revive the fossil fuel, investors and analysts said.

Read more

Tesla's SolarCity vote comes as rooftop solar growth hits the brakes

(Reuters) - The rooftop solar industry has slowed sharply this year as the sector moved from one of scrappy upstarts to a mature business.

Read more

Global green energy growth seen weathering Trump storm, for now

MARRAKESH/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Renewable energy will keep growing in the next few years as costs drop and coal use continues to fall, despite U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's pledge to revive the fossil fuel, investors and analysts said.

Read more

Tesla's SolarCity vote comes as rooftop solar growth hits the brakes

(Reuters) - The rooftop solar industry has slowed sharply this year as the sector moved from one of scrappy upstarts to a mature business.

Read more

Global green energy growth seen weathering Trump storm, for now

MARRAKESH/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Renewable energy will keep growing in the next few years as costs drop and coal use continues to fall, despite U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's pledge to revive the fossil fuel, investors and analysts said.

Read more

Tesla's SolarCity vote comes as rooftop solar growth hits the brakes

(Reuters) - The rooftop solar industry has slowed sharply this year as the sector moved from one of scrappy upstarts to a mature business.

Read more

Global green energy growth seen weathering Trump storm, for now

MARRAKESH/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Renewable energy will keep growing in the next few years as costs drop and coal use continues to fall, despite U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's pledge to revive the fossil fuel, investors and analysts said.

Read more

Tesla's SolarCity vote comes as rooftop solar growth hits the brakes

(Reuters) - The rooftop solar industry has slowed sharply this year as the sector moved from one of scrappy upstarts to a mature business.

Read more

Global green energy growth seen weathering Trump storm, for now

MARRAKESH/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Renewable energy will keep growing in the next few years as costs drop and coal use continues to fall, despite U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's pledge to revive the fossil fuel, investors and analysts said.

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Germany to hold 2017 climate talks with Fiji as host: source

BERLIN (Reuters) - Next year's international conference on climate change will likely be held in Germany with the small island nation of Fiji as the official host, a delegation source told Reuters on Wednesday.

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Global green energy growth seen weathering Trump storm, for now

MARRAKESH/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Renewable energy will keep growing in the next few years as costs drop and coal use continues to fall, despite U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's pledge to revive the fossil fuel, investors and analysts said.

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Kerry warns of climate threat at talks overshadowed by Trump

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had hoped his presence at a Marrakesh conference to decide on the finer points of a historic agreement to stave off climate change would be a victory lap.

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Germany to hold 2017 climate talks with Fiji as host: source

BERLIN (Reuters) - Next year's international conference on climate change will likely be held in Germany with the small island nation of Fiji as the official host, a delegation source told Reuters on Wednesday.

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Kerry warns of climate threat at talks overshadowed by Trump

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had hoped his presence at a Marrakesh conference to decide on the finer points of a historic agreement to stave off climate change would be a victory lap.

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Germany to hold 2017 climate talks with Fiji as host: source

BERLIN (Reuters) - Next year's international conference on climate change will likely be held in Germany with the small island nation of Fiji as the official host, a delegation source told Reuters on Wednesday.

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Kerry warns of climate threat at talks overshadowed by Trump

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had hoped his presence at a Marrakesh conference to decide on the finer points of a historic agreement to stave off climate change would be a victory lap.

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Germany to hold 2017 climate talks with Fiji as host: source

BERLIN (Reuters) - Next year's international conference on climate change will likely be held in Germany with the small island nation of Fiji as the official host, a delegation source told Reuters on Wednesday.

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Radical energy shift needed to meet 1.5C global warming target: IEA

LONDON (Reuters) - A radical shift in the energy sector, cutting emissions to zero by around 2040, is needed to limit the global rise in temperature at 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Wednesday.

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Kerry warns of climate threat at talks overshadowed by Trump

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had hoped his presence at a Marrakesh conference to decide on the finer points of a historic agreement to stave off climate change would be a victory lap.

Read more

Radical energy shift needed to meet 1.5C global warming target: IEA

LONDON (Reuters) - A radical shift in the energy sector, cutting emissions to zero by around 2040, is needed to limit the global rise in temperature at 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Wednesday.

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Kerry arrives at climate negotiations overshadowed by Trump

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry hoped his presence at a Marrakesh conference to decide the finer points of an historic climate agreement would be a victory lap, capping off a year of negotiations that resulted in global agreements to stave off the worst effects of climate change.

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Radical energy shift needed to meet 1.5C global warming target: IEA

LONDON (Reuters) - A radical shift in the energy sector, cutting emissions to zero by around 2040, is needed to limit the global rise in temperature at 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Wednesday.

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Business calls for Trump, world leaders to support Paris climate pact

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - More than 360 businesses and investors called on U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and world leaders on Wednesday to continue to support agreed curbs on global warming and to speed up efforts to move to a low-carbon economy.

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Kerry arrives at climate negotiations overshadowed by Trump

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry hoped his presence at a Marrakesh conference to decide the finer points of an historic climate agreement would be a victory lap, capping off a year of negotiations that resulted in global agreements to stave off the worst effects of climate change.

Read more

Radical energy shift needed to meet 1.5C global warming target: IEA

LONDON (Reuters) - A radical shift in the energy sector, cutting emissions to zero by around 2040, is needed to limit the global rise in temperature at 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Wednesday.

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Dakota Access pipeline protests spread, firms fight back

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Demonstrators fanned out across North America on Tuesday to demand the U.S. government halt or reroute the Dakota Access pipeline as the companies behind the controversial project asked a federal court for permission to complete it.

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Kerry arrives at climate negotiations overshadowed by Trump

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry hoped his presence at a Marrakesh conference to decide the finer points of an historic climate agreement would be a victory lap, capping off a year of negotiations that resulted in global agreements to stave off the worst effects of climate change.

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Dakota Access pipeline protests spread, firms fight back

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Demonstrators fanned out across North America on Tuesday to demand the U.S. government halt or reroute the Dakota Access pipeline as the companies behind the controversial project asked a federal court for permission to complete it.

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Radical energy shift needed to meet 1.5C global warming target: IEA

LONDON (Reuters) - A radical shift in the energy sector, cutting emissions to zero by around 2040, is needed to limit the global rise in temperature at 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Wednesday.

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Exclusive: Billionaire green activist Steyer vows to battle Trump, says money not an issue

BOSTON (Reuters) - Billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer, who has spent more than $140 million on fighting climate change, said on Tuesday he will spend whatever it takes to fight President-elect Donald Trump's pro-drilling and anti-regulation agenda.

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China's top coal province says 29 percent of water unsuitable for humans

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Nearly a third of the surface water in Shanxi, China's biggest coal producing province, is so polluted that it cannot be used by humans, the local environmental watchdog said in a notice on Wednesday.

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Ahead of pipeline ruling, Canada says it wants Asia exports

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's natural resources minister said on Tuesday it was important that Canadian oil exports reach Asia, as the Liberal government prepares to decide whether to approve Kinder Morgan Inc's plans to more than double the capacity of a pipeline to the Pacific.

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Exclusive: Billionaire green activist Steyer vows to battle Trump, says money not an issue

BOSTON (Reuters) - Billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer, who has spent more than $140 million on fighting climate change, said on Tuesday he will spend whatever it takes to fight President-elect Donald Trump's pro-drilling and anti-regulation agenda.

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Ahead of pipeline ruling, Canada says it wants Asia exports

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's natural resources minister said on Tuesday it was important that Canadian oil exports reach Asia, as the Liberal government prepares to decide whether to approve Kinder Morgan Inc's plans to more than double the capacity of a pipeline to the Pacific.

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Exclusive: Billionaire green activist Steyer vows to battle Trump, says money not an issue

BOSTON (Reuters) - Billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer, who has spent more than $140 million on fighting climate change, said on Tuesday he will spend whatever it takes to fight President-elect Donald Trump's pro-drilling and anti-regulation agenda.

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Ahead of pipeline ruling, Canada says it wants Asia exports

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's natural resources minister said on Tuesday it was important that Canadian oil exports reach Asia, as the Liberal government prepares to decide whether to approve Kinder Morgan Inc's plans to more than double the capacity of a pipeline to the Pacific.

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Exclusive: Billionaire green activist Steyer vows to battle Trump, says money not an issue

BOSTON (Reuters) - Billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer, who has spent more than $140 million on fighting climate change, said on Tuesday he will spend whatever it takes to fight President-elect Donald Trump's pro-drilling and anti-regulation agenda.

Read more

Ahead of pipeline ruling, Canada says it wants Asia exports

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's natural resources minister said on Tuesday it was important that Canadian oil exports reach Asia, as the Liberal government prepares to decide whether to approve Kinder Morgan Inc's plans to more than double the capacity of a pipeline to the Pacific.

Read more

Exclusive: Billionaire green activist Steyer vows to battle Trump, says money not an issue

BOSTON (Reuters) - Billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer, who has spent more than $140 million on fighting climate change, said on Tuesday he will spend whatever it takes to fight President-elect Donald Trump's pro-drilling and anti-regulation agenda.

Read more

Ahead of pipeline ruling, Canada says it wants Asia exports

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's natural resources minister said on Tuesday it was important that Canadian oil exports reach Asia, as the Liberal government prepares to decide whether to approve Kinder Morgan Inc's plans to more than double the capacity of a pipeline to the Pacific.

Read more

Exclusive: Billionaire green activist Steyer vows to battle Trump, says money not an issue

BOSTON (Reuters) - Billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer, who has spent more than $140 million on fighting climate change, said on Tuesday he will spend whatever it takes to fight President-elect Donald Trump's pro-drilling and anti-regulation agenda.

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Trump looks to Bush-era for new head of U.S. environmental agency

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President-elect Donald Trump’s short-list of contenders to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency includes two current energy industry lobbyists who held leading roles there under Republican President George W. Bush, according to two sources with knowledge of the list.

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Wildfires scorch U.S. Southeast, forecast adds to concerns

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Dozens of wildfires burned in the U.S. Southeast on Tuesday, scorching tens of thousands of acres of forest and sending plumes of smoke across hundreds of miles of western North Carolina, northern and central Georgia and parts of eastern Tennessee.

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France, U.N. tell Trump action on climate change unstoppable

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - France and the United Nations on Tuesday stepped up warnings to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump about the risks of quitting a 2015 global plan to combat climate change, saying a historic shift from fossil fuels is unstoppable.

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NHC says 20 percent chance of storm over southwestern Caribbean Sea

(Reuters) - A broad low pressure system over the southwestern Caribbean Sea has a 20 percent chance of strengthening into a tropical storm over the next couple of days, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Tuesday.

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Obama administration completes rule to curb methane from federal oil, gas production

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Interior Department finalized rules on Tuesday that would prevent leaks of potent methane emissions from oil and gas production of federal and tribal lands, one of the last major Obama administration rules that aim to address climate change.

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Groin-flashing frog found in Australia

(Reuters) - A new species of frog, whose groin flashes orange to scare away predators, has been discovered in Australia.

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As climate change uproots communities, innovation can rescue culture

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - When powerful Cyclone Heta hit the tiny Pacific island nation of Niue in 2004, it caused huge damage, including destroying 95 percent of the collection in Niue’s museum.

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New Zealand evacuates quake-hit town, fears of Wellington building collapse

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand emergency services and defense personnel evacuated hundreds of tourists and residents from a small South Island town amid more strong aftershocks on Tuesday, a day after a powerful earthquake killed two people.

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China says air pollution worsens in October

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Air quality in China's smog-hit northern regions, which include the capital Beijing, worsened in October despite overall improvements over the course of the year, the environment ministry said in a notice late on Monday.

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Army, Interior Department call for more review on Dakota pipeline

(Reuters) - Federal authorities deferred a final decision on a controversial North Dakota section of the Dakota Access Pipeline on Monday in a statement that highlighted concerns about the "repeated" dispossession of tribal lands in the country's past.

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Sweltering 2016 to set heat record, stoked by man-made warming: WMO

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - The world is set to notch up a new heat record in 2016 after a sizzling 2015 as global warming stokes more floods and rising sea levels, the U.N. weather agency said on Monday at climate change talks overshadowed by Donald Trump's election win.

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Germany considers keeping poultry indoors after bird flu outbreaks

HAMBURG (Reuters) - Germany is considering ordering its poultry farmers to keep their flocks indoors following an outbreak of bird flu in the country, German Agriculture Minister Christian Schmidt said on Monday.

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Rights groups urge permanent move from China mall for 'saddest' polar bear

BEIJING (Reuters) - Animal rights groups have called for the permanent return home of "the saddest polar bear in the world" on display in a shopping mall in southern China after the mall aquarium announced the bear would temporarily be moved during an upgrade.

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World CO2 emissions stay flat for third year, helped by China falls: study

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - World greenhouse gas emissions stayed flat for the third year in a row in 2016, thanks to falls in China, even as the pro-coal policies of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump mean uncertainty for the future, an international study said on Monday.

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China to burn, not bury, as it tackles trash challenge

WUJIANG, China (Reuters) - Thousands of tonnes of urban waste are hidden behind scrubbed white walls at a new power plant on the outskirts of the Chinese city of Wujiang, with even its chimney disguised as a clock tower.

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U.S. to push ahead on climate pact before Trump takes over: Kerry

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Sunday the Obama administration would do everything it could to implement a global agreement to combat climate change before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

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U.S. will be 'rogue' state if it ditches climate accord: U.N. envoy

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The United States would become "a kind of rogue country" if it pulls out of an international agreement to combat global warming, leaving the world more vulnerable to droughts and other climate extremes, warned Mary Robinson, a former Irish president and human rights advocate.

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Daimler boss tells German Greens he shares vision of zero-emission cars

BERLIN (Reuters) - The chairman of Germany's largest luxury carmaker, Daimler-Benz, braved boos and a frosty reception as guest speaker at a Greens party congress on Sunday to tell delegates he too wants CO2-free cars on the roads.

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Strong earthquake strikes near Christchurch, New Zealand: USGS

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.4 struck central New Zealand just after midnight (1102 GMT Sunday), the U.S. Geological Survey said, knocking out power in some areas and sending people into the streets of the capital Wellington.

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Trump looking at fast ways to quit global climate deal: source

WASHINGTON/MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - Donald Trump is seeking quick ways of withdrawing from a global agreement to limit climate change, a source on his transition team said, defying widening international backing for the plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

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U.S. regulator has opened Audi investigation: Bild am Sonntag

BERLIN (Reuters) - A U.S. government regulator has started investigating Volkswagen's Audi brand over a reported discovery of a new cheat software device at the luxury carmaker, Bild am Sonntag reported, without citing the source of the information.

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Trump win threatens climate funds for poor, a key to Paris accord

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - President-elect Donald Trump's policies are likely to make it harder for developing nations to obtain the growing finance they need to combat climate change, threatening one pillar of a 2015 international agreement to slow global warming.

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Trump's climate plan 'catastrophic': France's Royal

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - Donald Trump's plan to drop out of world cooperation on slowing climate change would be "absolutely catastrophic" and weaken the United States, France's environment minister said on Friday.

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Trump threat fires up U.S. climate activists, draws in more

(Reuters) - Seattle financial worker Harrison Karlewicz had been considering joining an environmental activist group for a while. The day after Donald Trump won the White House, he signed up.

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Trump win opens way for China to take climate leadership role

WASHINGTON/BEIJING (Reuters) - The election of climate change skeptic Donald Trump as president is likely to end the U.S. leadership role in the international fight against global warming and may lead to the emergence of a new and unlikely champion: China.

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German ruling coalition agrees climate action plan: government sources

BERLIN (Reuters) - The German ruling coalition has reached agreement on a new climate action plan, government sources said Friday.

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History of music

History of music

China coal fumble casts doubt on its global commodities pricing goal

BEIJING (Reuters) - Unprecedented steps by Beijing to snuff out a months-long rally in coal prices are casting fresh doubts on China's drive to become a global price-setting hub for commodities worth trillions of dollars.

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Climate scientists say Trump win means U.S. emissions may not fall as pledged

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - Donald Trump's election as U.S. president muddies the outlook for efforts to cut greenhouse gases and could mean U.S. emissions stay flat until 2030, compared with deep cuts planned by President Barack Obama, scientists said on Thursday.

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Smog lifts, but companies' view of polluted Delhi skies is dim

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - As New Delhi grappled with its worst smog in 17 years, the head of India's largest mobile payment firm got on a plane and left, one of thousands of professionals escaping pollution that could cost the capital and the broader economy dear.

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Judge orders bottled water delivered in Flint, Michigan, in water crisis

(Reuters) - A federal judge on Thursday ordered state and city officials to deliver bottled water directly to qualified residents in Flint, Michigan, where a water contamination crisis has made unfiltered tap water unsafe to drink since April 2014.

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U.S. seeks to speed wind, solar development on federal lands

(Reuters) - The Obama administration on Thursday took a major step toward encouraging development of renewable energy on federal lands in six Western states by establishing a competitive bidding process similar to how oil and gas leases are awarded.

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Trade group urges Trump to revise auto emissions rules

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A major auto trade group on Thursday urged President-elect Donald Trump's transition team to revise fuel efficiency mandates that could cost them billions of dollars and called for a full-scale review of the Obama administration's autonomous vehicle policies.

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ArcelorMittal says new EU plans for CO2 permits pose business threat

DUESSELDORF, Germany (Reuters) - ArcelorMittal <ISPA.AS sees EU plans to scrap some free carbon permits for energy-intensive industries as a threat to its European business, a senior executive at the world's biggest steelmaker told Reuters on Thursday.

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Canada PM: will stick to carbon price plan despite Trump win

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday indicated he would stick to plans to introduce a national price on carbon despite the U.S. election win of Donald Trump, who in the past has dismissed climate change as a hoax.

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Trump could pull out of global climate accord in a year: lawyers

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump could use legal short-cuts to pull out of a global agreement for fighting climate change within a year, keeping a campaign promise and by-passing a theoretical four-year wait, lawyers say.

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EPA set to deny refiner requests to change biofuels program

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said on Thursday it plans to deny several petitions from oil groups to start the process toward making a change to the country's biofuels program.

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U.S. forecaster sees La Niña likely to persist in coming months

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. government weather forecaster on Thursday said that previously predicted La Niña conditions have arrived and are slightly favored to persist into the Northern Hemisphere winter 2016-17.

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Living in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew

JEREMIE, Haiti (Reuters) - Haiti had been hit so hard by Hurricane Matthew, the fiercest Caribbean storm in nearly a decade, that people considered themselves lucky to be alive.

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Trump win boosts coal, hits renewable stocks

MARRAKESH, Morocco/CHICAGO (Reuters) - The prospect of an abrupt shift in U.S. climate policy under President-elect Donald Trump lifted the shares of U.S. mining equipment giant Caterpillar Inc , North American railroads and other companies tied to fossil fuels, and slammed shares of renewable energy firms.

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Trump win will not derail global climate effort, activists vow

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Grim-faced activists at U.N. climate negotiations in Morocco pledged on Wednesday that the election of Donald Trump as U.S. president would not derail global action to curb climate change and deal with its worsening consequences.

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Last five years were hottest on record, more signs heat is man-made: WMO

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - The past five years were the hottest on record with mounting evidence that heat waves, floods and rising sea levels are stoked by man-made climate change, the United Nations weather agency said on Tuesday.

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Germany aims to pass climate plan next Wednesday: ministry spokeswoman

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel wants the cabinet to approve the country's climate plan next Wednesday, while an international climate conference takes place in Marrakesh, a ministry spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

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Oklahoma regulators target more disposal wells following Cushing quake

HOUSTON (Reuters) - The Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) on Tuesday said it was implementing an action plan that shuts or reduces volumes from 58 wastewater disposal wells in the Arbuckle formation of Oklahoma following Sunday's magnitude 5.0 earthquake.

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Rainstorms kill three in Albania, flooding land and highway

TIRANA (Reuters) - Rainstorms and floods killed at least three people in Albania on Tuesday and the country braced itself for even worse weather overnight and on Wednesday.

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New Delhi targets older diesel vehicles to clear up choking smog

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Authorities in New Delhi began revoking licenses for thousands of older diesel vehicles on Tuesday and halted construction work on the underground rail network, as air pollution remained several times over the safety limit.

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Spend climate cash smartly to make it stretch, experts urge

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - When heavy rains hit the tiny West African nation of Togo in September, filling a hydropower dam close to overflowing, the Togolese Red Cross took an unusual step.

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Delhi under cloud of smog, considers traffic measures to ease pollution

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - A million school children were forced to stay at home, thousands of employees reported sick and long queues formed outside shops selling face masks on Monday as New Delhi struggled with its worst pollution for nearly 20 years.

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Japan ratifies Paris Agreement after the pact enters into force

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan on Tuesday ratified the 2015 Paris Climate Change Agreement to cut emissions and prevent climate change, four days after the global pact officially entered into force.

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Seized ivory comes almost exclusively from recent poaching: study

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Seized illicit shipments of elephant ivory are almost entirely made up of tusks from recently poached animals rather than siphoned from government stockpiles, scientists using a forensic technique reported on Monday.

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Ignoring Trump, U.N. talks seek to turn climate pledges into action

MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - Almost 200 nations began work on Monday to turn promises for fighting climate change into action at a U.N. conference that played down threats to a 2015 global agreement if Republican Donald Trump wins the U.S. presidency.

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Investors call for moratorium on Arctic high seas oil & gas activity

LONDON (Reuters) - A group of investors representing more than 5 trillion euros ($5.53 trillion) in assets under management have called on oil and gas companies to observe an unlimited moratorium on activity in the Arctic high seas.

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Palm oil's green body comes under fire from activists

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Some activist groups are withdrawing support for the palm oil body that provides sustainability certificates for the industry, saying it is biased toward producers and its complaints panel is flawed.

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Floods kill 15 in Vietnam, thousands evacuated

HANOI (Reuters) - Floods in Vietnam's central, central highland and southern provinces have left 15 people dead and six missing and displaced thousands, the Department of Natural Disaster Prevention and Control said on Monday.

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Magnitude 5.3 quake strikes near Cushing, Oklahoma: USGS

(Reuters) - A magnitude 5.3 quake struck near Cushing, Oklahoma, on Sunday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

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After years of delay, climate talks face a new problem: speed

LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Efforts to build a new global deal to tackle climate change were for many years criticized for moving at glacial pace. But this week climate negotiators meeting in Morocco find themselves facing an entirely new problem: a deal that, astonishingly, has come into effect more than three years ahead of schedule.

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Canada oil spill program hit by cheap crude, lacks applicants

(Reuters) - The two-year oil price crash has hurt a Canadian government program that funds research on oil spill cleanups, resulting in fewer applicants than expected, a senior federal official said.

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Haitian president defends aid effort as anger mounts

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - Haiti's interim President Jocelerme Privert defended a government-coordinated storm relief effort on Friday, saying aid had reached some 2 million victims of Hurricane Matthew, amid anger about uneven distribution of food and other materials.

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U.S. safety board opens probe into Colonial Pipeline accident

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said on Friday it had opened an investigation into the Colonial Pipeline Co accident in Helena, Alabama, which killed one worker and seriously injured four others.

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Vast Moroccan solar power plant is hard act for Africa to follow

OUARZAZATE, Morocco (Reuters) - On the edge of the Sahara desert, Morocco is building one of the world's biggest solar power plants in a project largely funded by the European Union.

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