2024-03-23 10:10

March 23 (Reuters) - When environmentalists talk about climate change, it's typically in stark terms, describing it as a crisis that threatens the future of the planet. A scrappy group of filmmakers and activists think it can also be funny. The Gas Leaks Project, a group formed by climate advocacy veterans, launched a $1 million campaign this week that uses humor to push back against oil and gas industry messaging that natural gas, which is lower emitting than coal, is a critical "bridge fuel" in the transition to renewable energy. In recent years, research has shown that natural gas contributes significantly to global warming by leaking from distribution infrastructure and other sources. A 2022 Harvard study also found that natural gas used in homes contains hazardous pollutants. Called "Hot & Toxic," the campaign's trailer is a riff on a reality television show in which 21 irritating housemates symbolizing pollutants associated with natural gas descend on an unsuspecting homeowner. The message is clear: Using natural gas inside your home is not safe. "I did not come here to make friends," the actor playing Carbon Monoxide, or C.Mo, says directly to the camera as if being interviewed. "I came here to cause chest pain, nausea and vomiting." In addition to the trailer, the campaign includes social media content and billboards in Los Angeles and Washington. It is sponsored by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, a nonprofit that advises and manages charitable giving. "We really took a lot of care to design it in the most engaging way possible so it feels like a reality TV show," James Hadgis, a filmmaker who was tapped to run the Gas Leaks Project as its executive director, said in an interview. "I hope it brings people in to want to watch it and make it fun and funny and click to learn more." Asked to comment on the campaign, the American Gas Association trade group said natural gas is fundamental to energy security, economic prosperity and achieving the nation's environmental goals. "Despite advocacy groups willfully spreading misinformation and promoting ill-informed energy policy that would drive up prices and sacrifice environmental progress, this industry will continue to implement inclusive solutions to deliver life essential energy and reduce emissions for our customers and communities," AGA President Karen Harbert said in a statement. Though the campaign is kicking off with warnings about the public health impacts of natural gas, Hadgis said he is eager to produce more content focused on climate. Gas Leaks Project was created by a coalition of firms focused on climate communications, including Fossil Free Media, Energy Media, Sunstone Strategies and Climate Nexus. "A lot of climate messaging is really boring," said Jamie Henn, founder of Fossil Free Media. "We need to be out there talking to people a little less like their science teachers and a little more like their best friends." Get weekly news and analysis on the U.S. elections and how it matters to the world with the newsletter On the Campaign Trail. Sign up here. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/ad-campaign-uses-humor-urge-americans-ditch-natural-gas-2024-03-23/

2024-03-23 06:31

MUMBAI, March 23 (Reuters) - India has extended its ban on onion exports indefinitely - a surprise move that comes ahead of a general election and is set to exacerbate high prices in some overseas markets. Imposed by India - the world's biggest exporter of the vegetable - in December, the ban was due to expire on March 31. Traders had anticipated it would be lifted as local prices have more than halved since the export restrictions were implemented and this season's crop is yielding fresh supplies. However, the government issued an order late on Friday that the ban will remain in place until further notice. "The extension is surprising and completely unnecessary, considering the falling prices with rising supplies from the new season crop," said an executive at a Mumbai-based export firm, who declined to be identified. Onion prices in some wholesale markets in Maharashtra, the biggest onion-producing state, have fallen to 1,200 rupees ($14) per 100 kg from 4,500 rupees in December, the executive said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a record-equalling third straight term in upcoming elections that will be held over almost seven weeks from April 19. Countries such as Bangladesh, Malaysia, Nepal and the United Arab Emirates rely on imports from India to fill domestic gaps in onion supply and many of those nations have struggled with high prices since the ban. "India's move is allowing rival exporters to quote much higher prices since buyers have no choice," said another executive at an export company based in Mumbai. Traders estimate that India, which has shorter shipment times than rivals such as China or Egypt for many markets, accounts for more than half of all onion imports by Asian countries. India exported a record 2.5 million metric tons of onions in the financial year that ended on March 31, 2023. The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here. https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-extends-ban-onion-exports-indefinitely-ahead-general-election-2024-03-23/

2024-03-23 05:00

WASHINGTON, March 23 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate was preparing to vote early on Saturday on final passage of a bill providing $1.2 trillion to avoid a partial government shutdown, after Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced a deal just before a midnight deadline. The Senate was quickly working its way through a series of proposed amendments - all of which were expected to fail - before casting votes on passing the bill, which was approved on Friday in the House of Representatives. If successful, as expected, the Senate would dispatch the 1,012-page bill that includes funding for the Defense, Homeland Security and other federal agencies to President Joe Biden for signing into law. After a long day of negotiations between Senate Democrats and Republicans over amendments that could be offered, the Senate failed to meet the Friday midnight deadline for approving the massive bill. Temporary funding was expiring at that deadline. But the White House Office of Management and Budget promptly announced that it would cease plans for shutting federal agencies given its confidence in the Senate's ability to approve the full funding for about two-thirds of government programs for the rest of the fiscal year, ending on Sept. 30. Earlier this month Congress approved funding for the other one-third of discretionary programs. Get weekly news and analysis on the U.S. elections and how it matters to the world with the newsletter On the Campaign Trail. Sign up here. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-senate-prepares-vote-deal-reached-12-trillion-funding-bill-2024-03-23/

2024-03-23 03:46

CAIRO, March 23 (Reuters) - U.S. forces conducted self-defense strikes against three Houthi underground weapons storage facilities in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Friday. The strikes targeted capabilities used by the Houthis to threaten and attack naval and merchant vessels in the region, it posted in a statement on X. CENTCOM also said its forces had destroyed four unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen in self-defense. Attacks by Yemen's Houthis in the Red Sea region, which the Iran-aligned militants say are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, have disrupted global shipping, forcing firms to take longer and more expensive journeys around southern Africa. The head of the Houthi supreme revolutionary committee, Muhammad Ali Al-Houthi, said earlier there had been "reckless" U.S.-British attacks on Yemen. The Houthi-run Saba News Agency said U.S. and British aircraft had launched five raids on Hodeidah, the area where Yemen's main port is located. CENTCOM said that during the time frame of the U.S. attacks on the UAVs, Houthi militants had fired four anti-ship ballistic missiles from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward the Red Sea. "There were no injuries or damage reported by U.S., coalition, or commercial ships," it said. CENTCOM said its strikes on the storage facilities were "actions are necessary to protect our forces, ensure freedom of navigation, and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels." The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-says-it-conducted-self-defense-strikes-against-houthi-facilities-2024-03-23/

2024-03-23 03:35

CHICAGO, March 22 (Reuters) - Costs are the main obstacle to increasing the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) , opens new tab Senior Vice President Jack Williams said on Friday. SAF accounts for just 0.2% of the jet fuel market but policymakers including U.S. President Joe Biden see its adoption as a way to meet goals on lowering carbon emissions. But SAF, a biofuel made from plant or animal materials including used cooking oil or agricultural waste, is up to five times more expensive than regular fuel. "There's one big negative and that's the cost," Williams said at a conference near Chicago. "As we think about how we want to grow SAF ... we have got to focus on how do we minimize the costs?" Williams said demand for jet fuel could increase from 7 million barrels a day now to 12 million barrels a day in 2050. Seven million barrels a day is the same as the International Energy Agency's estimate for all jet fuel demand. By comparison, current production of SAF is only 15.8 million gallons per year, as per U.S. government data. Williams described the Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act as the catalyzing action for biofuel production as well as carbon capture and storage and low carbon hydrogen. Biden launched a challenge in 2021 to supply at least 3 billion gallons of SAF annually by 2030. Major airlines, including Delta Air Lines (DAL.N) , opens new tab and Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) , opens new tab, have said they want to replace 10% of jet fuel with SAF by 2030. (This story has been corrected to say jet fuel and not SAF in paragraph 5) The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here. https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/sustainable-aviation-fuel-costs-must-be-lower-exxon-vp-says-2024-03-22/

2024-03-23 01:49

CAIRO, March 23 (Reuters) - The head of the Houthi supreme revolutionary committee, Muhammad Ali Al-Houthi, said on Saturday there have been "reckless" American-British attacks on Yemen. The American-British attacks aim to break a naval blockade of ships linked to Israel, which is besieging Gaza, Muhammad Ali Al-Houthi said on X. The Houthi-run Saba News Agency said separately that U.S.-British aircraft had launched five raids on Hodeidah, the area where Yemen's main port is located. Iran-aligned Houthi militants have repeatedly launched drones and missiles at international commercial shipping in the Red Sea region since mid-November, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians against Israel's military actions in Gaza. The attacks have disrupted global shipping, forcing firms to take longer and more expensive journeys around southern Africa. The United States and Britain have carried out strikes against Houthi targets in response. The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/houthi-leader-says-there-has-been-reckless-american-british-attacks-yemen-2024-03-23/