East Asia

China allows first pollution suit under new law

A court in China ruled that a lawsuit against ConocoPhillips China and China National Offshore Oil for a 2011 oil spill can proceed under a new law allowing NGOs to directly sue polluters.

Planet Watch

Ice Age fears: don’t believe the hype

Russia Today trumpets specious claims of a new Little Ice Age—convenient propaganda for Putin to go on exploiting Arctic oil without worrying about global warming.

Planet Watch

Doomsday Clock: three minutes of midnight

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has set the hands of its iconic Doomsday Clock at three minutes to midnight—two minutes closer than in 2014.

Planet Watch

Behind oil slump: shale boom or geopolitics?

Experts tell us the North American shale oil boom is responsible for low prices despite Middle East unrest. But the price slump serves Western aims of weakening Russia and Iran.

The Amazon

Lima climate summit in shadow of state terror

Peru's government made much of its rainforest protection efforts at the Lima climate summit—but a new report names it as the fourth most dangerous country for ecology activists.

South Asia

Massive oil spill fouls Bangladesh mangroves

A massive oil spill is threatening endangered dolphins, Bengal tigers and other rare wildlife in the world's largest mangrove forest, the Sunderbans of Bangladesh.

The Amazon

Andes: repression ahead of Lima climate summit

The slaying of an indigenous leader who planned to travel from Ecuador to denounce a mining project before the Lima climate summit is the latest attack on regional ecological defenders.

East Asia

US and China in new carbon pact; trading seen

China, the top emitter of greenhouse gases, has for the first time pledged to cap emissions—but is following the US and EU in carbon trading schemes as the means to achieve the cuts.