Energy

Oil prices surged again on Friday on the hope that a production cut deal will soon be reached after OPEC and its allies announced they will hold a virtual meeting on Monday, and after Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly said that the county wanted to see global action on cuts of around 10 million barrels

Companies inside China are slow to resume their normal productions due to various factors. These include the shortage of parts from lower-tier suppliers; the shortage of labor workers who might still be trapped due to the shutdown of their villages and other infected regions; the stringent requirements for companies to establish adequate protective measures and

The Royal Dutch Shell logo Chris Ratcliffe | Bloomberg | Getty Images Working at Royal Dutch Shell‘s Deepwater division in New Orleans gives Barbara Waelde a front-row seat to how the right data can unlock crucial information for the oil giant. So when her supervisor asked her last year if she was interested in a

Week in Review Commentary on this week’s news highlights begins at 3:00. Not just biofuels: Algae’s next wave This is exactly the time to be talking about climate change Corporate America, it’s your time to shine Features What CSOs are doing amid the pandemic (19:00) Two sustainability leaders share insights into how COVID-19 is reshaping

Oil pumping jacks, also known as “nodding donkeys”, operate in an oilfield near Almetyevsk, Tatarstan, Russia, on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. Andrey Rudakov | Bloomberg via Getty Images Oil prices fell on Friday, coming off their biggest one-day gains in the previous session after U.S. President Donald Trump said he had brokered a deal between

Amid the white noise of COVID-19 pandemic coverage last week, news about the $80 million funding round for alternative protein company Nature’s Fynd offered a bright beacon of positivity. While the financing revelation was delayed a week because of the crisis, the sizeable round extends the steady growth of funding for this particular niche of

A worker at an oil processing facility of Saudi Aramco, a Saudi Arabian state-owned oil and gas company, at the Abqaiq oil field. Stanislav Krasilnikov | TASS | Getty Images April is going to be a hellish month for the oil industry.  Already down more than 65% year-to-date, crushed by the coronavirus crisis and the

Since the launch of the first green bond (labeled a “Climate Awareness Bond”) on July 4, 2007, by the Luxembourg-based European Investment Bank, green bonds have seen many breakthroughs, but challenges remain. One challenge has been defining what constitutes a green bond or a green investment. External review processes such as certifications and second opinions

The U.S. continues to pump near record amounts of oil, but U.S gasoline demand continues to drop as the whole world sees less need for fuel. The latest weekly data from the Energy Information Administration showed the U.S. oil industry was still pumping 13 million barrels of crude oil per day, just under record production

Much has been written in recent weeks comparing the shocking and oppressive impacts of COVID-19 and future effects of climate change. But one of the most important links could be the one right under (and up into) our noses: air pollution. Dirty air — a substantial chunk of it caused by emissions from the tailpipes

Oil production in Azerbaijan Vostok Crude oil benchmarks opened the month mixed on Wednesday, following their biggest-ever quarterly and monthly losses,  overshadowed by fears of global oversupply as data showed a bigger-than-expected rise in inventories in the United States. Brent crude was down by 21 cents, or 0.8%, at $26.14 a barrel by 0032 GMT,

I rarely get exasperated from reading environmental business media, but a quote last week in a Bloomberg article about sustainability and the U.S. economic crisis got me headed in that direction. The quote came from Ted Nordhaus, co-founder of the Breakthrough Institute, a research group whose founders, self-described environmentalists, have made a career out of

A pumpjack near the Yamashinskoye rural settlement in the Almetyevsk District. Yegor Aleyev | TASS via Getty Images Oil prices are on pace to register their worst quarterly performance on record, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to crush global demand for crude. A public health crisis has meant countries around the world have effectively had

If you’ve looked into designing a business, you’ve most likely come across a business model canvas. Made up of nine components — customer segments, value propositions, channels, customer relationships, revenue streams, resources, activities, partnerships and costs — it’s a wonderful, easy tool to describe what happens within a business. But it has certain limitations. Osterwalder

Sen. Ted Cruz told CNBC on Monday he and eight other GOP senators recently ripped into the Saudi ambassador in a conference call over the oil price war with Russia that has threatened to put American producers out of business.  “We quite frankly unloaded on her,” Cruz said of the call during an interview with

Climate change is already a reality. The deadly bushfires in Australia, ferocious flooding in Indonesia and extended droughts in Vietnam have led to the destruction of infrastructure, investments and livelihoods. Yet across Asia, acceptance of this reality has not yet changed consumer behaviors across the region.  After a temporary slowdown in the past five years,

Patrick Pleul | picture alliance | Getty Images Wind power may have enjoyed a strong year in 2019, but the coronavirus pandemic is casting a shadow over the sector that could impact growth in the years ahead.  More than 60 gigawatts (GW) of wind energy capacity was installed last year, a 19% increase compared to

A couple of years ago, luxury retailer Nordstrom collected data from its customers to get a better sense of their actions and sentiments about circularity, shopping and its impact on the environment. Seventy percent of those surveyed said they would drop off items for resale or donation, and 35 percent said they worried about the

Corporations have been driving the uptake of renewables across the United States for years. Hundreds of companies have made voluntary commitments to transition to 100 percent clean energy, and companies of all sizes have spearheaded renewable procurement deals, adding clean energy capacity to the grid.  That’s all well and good in a bull market. The COVID-19

Oil production in Azerbaijan Vostok Oil prices rose on Friday after world leaders promised a massive injection of funds to limit the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, despite fears the outbreak will destroy demand for oil. After tumbling for the past four weeks, Brent crude was up 50 cents, or nearly 2%, at $26.84

This is an excerpt from “Hacking Planet Earth: How Geoengineering Can Help Us Reimagine the Future” by Thomas Kostigen, published March 24 by TarcherPerigee, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Copyright 2020 by Thomas Kostigen. When Edward Jenner in 1796 developed the first human vaccine (for smallpox) many

CNBC’s Jim Cramer said Friday he thinks the price of oil will fall further because of demand and supply shocks from the dual crises of the coronavirus pandemic and global producer infighting. Cramer cited oil prices as something high-frequency, computerized stock market traders are watching. “I think oil takes out $20,” Cramer said on “Squawk

Week in Review Commentary on this week’s news highlights begins at 4:46. COVID-19 shines a spotlight on flexible, digital freight Gore, Gates lead $80M round for protein startup born in Yellowstone hot springs It’s just numbers: A ROSI view of corporate sustainability Features How retailers can embrace the circular economy (15:02) Tune in for highlights

For many, the hamburger’s combination of bun, meat and salad is the perfect marriage of simplicity, flavor and familiarity. Whether it’s a gourmet patty with shavings of truffle, or a cheap and cheerful offering from a fast food outlet, today’s diners are spoilt for choice.    Our hunger for burgers does, however, have an impact on

Much of the European economy is on some level of lockdown, with citizens and businesses in Italy, Spain, France, Germany and the United Kingdom all forced to curtail their usual habits, stay inside and wait until the coronavirus pandemic is under some sort of control. No one knows quite how long these measures could be

A drilling crew member on an oil rig in the Permian Basin near Wink, Texas.  Nick Oxford | Reuters The U.S. Department of Energy is suspending its plans to buy crude for the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve after the requested $3 billion in funding for the project was left out of the $2 trillion stimulus package. “Given

When the University of Massachusetts Boston decided to move classes online for the rest of the semester, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the school’s dining service had roughly one to two pallets of fresh produce and dairy products on its hands. That food could go to waste, or it could go to an organization that

A kayaker passes in front of an offshore oil platform in the Guanabara Bay in Niteroi, Brazil, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020. Dado Galdieri | Bloomberg | Getty Images Oil prices were mixed on Thursday following three days of gains, with the prospect of rapidly dwindling demand due to coronavirus travel bans and lockdowns offsetting hopes

Plastic pollution is the environmental issue Americans care most about. According to a recent poll, plastic in the oceans has overtaken climate change as the environmental issue of greatest concern. Unfortunately, the poll didn’t ask people whether they knew that plastic is also a climate issue. We can’t tackle one successfully without tackling the other,

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (C-L) meets with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (C-R) at Irqah Palace in the capital Riyadh on February 20, 2020. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS | POOL | AFP via Getty Images The U.S. has called on OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia to put a stop to its ongoing oil price

Just before the coronavirus clampdown, NYU’s Stern Center for Sustainable Business hosted its third annual practice forum. Once again, the forum’s focus was the Return on Sustainability Investment (ROSI) framework. Judging by the increased turnout (more than twice as many attended as last year), there’s significant interest in alternative approaches to justifying sustainability investments. The

Energy companies are coming under pressure as oil prices sink, but Chevron CEO Michael Wirth said the company has no plans to slash its dividend. “Our dividend is our number one priority and it’s very secure,” he said Tuesday on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.” ”We’re taking actions to preserve cash. It will have some impact on production

Many established alternative protein upstarts — including Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat — draw on plants as the feedstock for their innovations. Nature’s Fynd (formerly known as Sustainable Bioproducts) draws on a fermentation process linked to unique microbes that live in the geothermal hot springs of Yellowstone National Park. The company, which began production this month

A kayaker passes in front of an offshore oil platform in the Guanabara Bay in Niteroi, Brazil, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020. Dado Galdieri | Bloomberg | Getty Images U.S. crude oil futures climbed nearly 3% on Tuesday in light trading as the Trump administration launched an effort to work with Saudi Arabia to stabilize oil

You may not immediately recognize the name Aramark, but you’ve probably been in a facility where the company operates, maybe eaten the food it provides or even worn some of its clothes. The Philadelphia-based company, which posted revenue of $16.2 billion for fiscal 2019, is one of the largest facility service providers in the world

A pumpjack near the Yamashinskoye rural settlement in the Almetyevsk District. Yegor Aleyev | TASS | Getty Images Oil prices fell on Monday as governments escalated lockdowns to curb the spread of the global coronavirus outbreak that has slashed the demand outlook for oil and threatened a global economic contraction. Brent crude futures fell $1.09, or

In 2012 the Ellen MacArthur Foundation published its first report analyzing the circular economy’s opportunities for business. This research focused on complex-medium-lived products and demonstrated that a circular economy scenario could represent a net material cost-saving opportunity of $520 billion to $630 billion a year in the EU in 2030. Analysis on washing machines indicated

A local resident wears a protective face mask on the streets of Lagos, Nigeria, on Friday, Feb. 28, 2020. George Osodi | Bloomberg | Getty Images Trade disruptions, debt vulnerabilities and a limited scope for monetary policy maneuvers threaten a slew of African economies as the coronavirus pandemic arrives on the continent. The global demand

It turns out our economic systems are more fragile than we thought.  As locations across the world implement “shelter-in-place” orders in an effort to flatten the coronavirus contagion curve, we’re getting a real-time lesson in how intertwined our transportation and distribution systems are. It’s staggering to see how efforts to curb the human toll of

Crude oil just had its best day ever, only a day after its third-worst drop in history. West Texas Intermediate jumped more than 23% to $25.22 a barrel on Thursday. However, it remains on track for its worst monthly decline on record as a supply glut and demand concerns keep oil investors on edge.  Three

With another World Water Day upon us, it is a good time to examine how we can accelerate progress in solving wicked water problems, including achieving United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6, ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. I come back to the belief that we can create water

Factory farming, better refrigeration and globalization have all transformed billions of people’s diets. From beef, chicken and fresh seafood to exotic fruits and vegetables flown in from around the world, we are now spoilt for choice when it comes deciding what to put on our plates. Many diets are now based around meat, while dairy

Companies vying for climate leadership had better get in line. From Microsoft to Starbucks, there’s no shortage of organizations coming out with bold sustainability commitments — including net-positive, carbon-negative, science-based and all other manner of hyphenated ambition. Businesses seem to be stepping up to prioritize the climate crisis as never before. This is good news,

Muslim pilgrims wear masks at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca on February 28, 2020. Saudi Arabia suspended visas for visits to Islam’s holiest sites for the “umrah” pilgrimage, an unprecedented move triggered by coronavirus fears that raises questions over the annual hajj. ABDEL GHANI BASHIR | AFP | Getty Images

Week in Review Commentary on this week’s news highlights begins at 4:09. COVID-19 and climate change: A healthy dose of reality Will COVID-19’s transport slowdown stick? Here’s how retail can be both sustainable and profitable Why do large asset managers vote against most climate-related shareholder proposals? Features ‘Well-governed companies are more resilient’ (20:56) Cornerstone Capital

Silhouette of Permian Basin pumpjacks taken at dusk, north of Midland, Texas, U.S. in late 2019. Richard Eden | via Getty Images U.S crude oil prices edged higher on Friday, extending gains after a 24% jump the previous day, buoyed by hints from U.S. President Donald Trump he may intervene in the price war between

The first in a monthly series exploring how clean energy can deliver on finance and corporate social and governance goals alongside climate and environmental benefits. Solar deployment is accelerating as more states, municipalities and corporations adopt clean energy goals; and access is expanding as more states adopt community solar policies. At its current trajectory, however,

An abra driver wears protective gloves and a face mask on March 18, 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Francois Nel | Getty Images Abu Dhabi is putting its development plans “on steroids” despite low oil prices and the global coronavirus outbreak, according to the chairman of the city’s department of economic development. “One of the most