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“Situation is extremely dangerous” warns former UN Environmental Director | ticker VIEWS

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Former UN Environmental Director and climate activist Svein T Veitdal warns the climate crisis needs immediate action

Svein T Veitdal is a global expert and activist on climate change, renewable energy & nature. He is a former UN Director and is now the Director of Klima 2020. Based in Norway, Svein says “we still have hope and possibility, but we have to act extremely fast.”

“I think everybody understands that the situation is extremely dangerous for future generations. There is no doubt about that anymore. There is one recipe that works. That is to take the source to the problem. Which is the fast reduction of emissions. And that means cutting down on fossil energy production.”

Svein T Veitdal, former UN Director, climate activist

Nordic countries lead the way on climate action

The recent IPCC climate report sent a stark climate science warning around the world. Now, more extreme weather events are wreaking havoc across Greece, the United States.

Nordic countries like Norway, Sweden, and Denmark are showing great leadership when it comes to climate change action. Now, more than 50%, of all new cars sold in Norway are fully electric, with no hybrids.

Norway is focusing on subsidising, with free parking, no road tolls, and a growing network of charging stations.

 “So we are not more environmentalists than other countries, it’s just to do it like this and it will happen everywhere. So that’s a way to speed up the transition. But now, we are starting to withdraw the benefits because now the market works and we can withdraw the benefits.”

Svein T Veitdal, former UN Director, climate activist

Norway also leads the way for remarkable hydrogen opportunities. More than 95% of their energy is renewable, mainly from hydrogen.

“We definitely continue to invest in hydrogen and hydrogen development”

Svein T Veitdal, former UN Director, climate activist

However, while Norway is leading in so many ways Veitdal insists Norway can also be seen as hypocritical. He says in comparison to Sweden and Denmark, Norway has only reduced its emissions by 4% since 1990.

” Norway is not willing to set an end date to oil and gas and we are even subsidising to look for new areas. And we are going against the advice to the Secretary-General in the UN and also the new report from the International Energy Agency.”

“Our neighbours have done much better.”

Svein T Veitdal, former UN Director, climate activist

Cop26 Glasgow

The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, is fast approaching. It’s scheduled to be held in the city of Glasgow, Scotland between 1 and 12 November 2021.

Glasgow will potentially be one of the most important global climate discussions of all time. Action must happen now before it’s too late.

“It’s super important because maybe it’s the last chance we have to reach global climate goals. I don’t think we will make the 1.5 goals but what is needed is an agreed plan to phase out fossil energy production and increased renewable energy production much faster than what is happening today.”

“We need to reduce emissions by 10% a year until 2030.”

Svein T Veitdal, former UN Director, climate activist

“We now have almost 80% of the world’s emissions covered by net-zero pledges – up from about 20% in 2019. AUS still has a target set in 2015”

Scott Hamilton, Energy expert & ticker climate co-host

 

Veitdal has attended most of the climate conferences in the past and says Australia’s track record is not great. He believes Australia is a victim of climate change to forest fires, heatwaves, and the downgrading of the Great Barrier Reef.

Veitdal warns if Australia doesn’t pick up its game, it will lag behind, lose a lot of green business opportunities and suffer more from the impact.

“It looks like you have failed to act to protect your people from I think, maybe the greed of the fossil fuel industry before sea lobby, the coal lobby is probably too strong.”

“Even if you have excellent conditions for renewable energy production, it looks like the shift is coming slower to Australia than the rest of the world.”

“Australia must leave fossil energy behind that’s your solution, that will be successful to the people and to the world.”

Svein T Veitdal, former UN Director, climate activist

Watch this week’s full episode here: https://originals.tickernews.co/category/climate/

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Trump to meet Xi at APEC amid trade tensions

Trump to meet Xi at APEC summit as trade tensions escalate and tariffs loom

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Trump to meet Xi at APEC summit as trade tensions escalate and tariffs loom

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In Short:
– Trump will meet Xi Jinping at the APEC summit in South Korea later this month amid trade tensions.
– China has reshuffled its trade team, appointing Li Yongjie as the new WTO representative.
President Donald Trump confirmed he will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit later this month in South Korea.
It marks their first face-to-face encounter in six years amid ongoing trade tensions.Trump expressed hope about achieving a “fantastic deal,” despite escalating disputes. He is prepared to impose significant tariffs on Chinese imports if no agreement is reached. Current U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods average 55%, with a potential increase to 155% looming.

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Trump mentioned that he believes an excellent trade deal would benefit the U.S., China and the global economy. He acknowledged the importance of the negotiations, stating that China respects the U.S. but is always seeking advantages in trade.

China’s Trade Reshuffle

China has reshuffled its trade negotiation team. Li Chenggang has been removed from his position as the representative to the World Trade Organization, while retaining his role as vice minister of commerce. This change aligns with Beijing’s strategy to adjust its trade diplomacy amid tensions.

Li Yongjie has been appointed as the new WTO representative. This team transition comes after scrutiny from U.S. officials and reflects China’s commitment to recalibrating its approach within the ongoing trade discussions.

The upcoming APEC summit will gather leaders from 21 economies, representing a significant portion of global GDP. It serves as a pivotal platform for dialogue, despite the backdrop of intensified trade negotiations.


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The global race is on to secure critical minerals. Why do they matter so much?

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Amir Razmjou, Edith Cowan University

Critical minerals are having a moment. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is at the White House to talk up Australia’s rich deposits with President Donald Trump. China, which has a global stranglehold on rare earth elements, recently imposed new export restrictions, much to Trump’s annoyance.

It’s clear there’s an era of global competition underway. Critical minerals are essential for manufacturing advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), electric vehicles and renewables. And governments everywhere are racing to secure a future supply.

Australia holds vast reserves of lithium, rare earths, cobalt and tungsten. This presents both a golden opportunity and a looming challenge.

What, exactly, are critical minerals? And what advantages might they offer to Australia?

What are they?

Critical minerals are the raw materials used to manufacture objects like mobile phones, wind turbines and weapons. They underpin the technologies of the next industrial age, from lithium-ion batteries to F-35 fighter jets.

There’s no single list of critical minerals, as countries have their own definitions of what is essential. The Australian government describes them as elements essential for modern technologies, the economy and national security with supply chains vulnerable to geopolitical risk.

In Australia, the 31 minerals and rare earths defined as ‘critical’ include lithium, magnesium and zirconium. Rare earths are heavy metals used in electrical and magnetic components. These elements aren’t truly rare in the Earth’s crust but occur in low concentrations, making them difficult and expensive to extract.

Geoscience Australia has mapped extensive deposits of critical minerals across the continent. Accessing them could position Australia as a key supplier to global clean-energy industries.

A booming industry

Australia’s current Critical Minerals Strategy sets out a plan to move from simply mining and extracting these minerals to going further to refine, process and manufacture them.

This is backed by initiatives such as the $4 billion Critical Minerals Facility to support projects aligned with the strategy. This also includes a new 10% production tax credit for onshore refining.

Together, these policies form a strong foundation for stimulating domestic mineral processing and investment. But their effectiveness will depend on how quickly they can translate into operational projects.

These are already emerging. Mining companies such as Arafura Rare Earths and Alpha HPA are developing chemical processing plants for magnet materials and high-purity alumina. The CSIRO-led Critical Minerals Research and Development Hub is pioneering new refining technologies that will enable domestic production of high-value materials. Australia’s technical capability, long seen as lagging behind its geological advantage, is catching up.

Yet most of Australia’s critical minerals are still exported in raw form. Domestic processing and refining remain limited, while high energy costs and workforce shortages constrain growth. Australia still relies on overseas processing, which limits the economic benefit from its resources.

Extracting critical minerals has a considerable environmental footprint. Producing one tonne of lithium generates 15–20 tonnes of CO₂ and consumes 77 tons of fresh water. The government needs to invest in sustainable technologies with minimal environmental impact.

A tightening global race

The urgency to act has intensified amid escalating US–China trade tensions. In recent weeks, China imposed tighter export controls on rare-earth materials and magnet technology, forcing foreign firms to seek special approval to export items that contain even trace Chinese content.

In response, President Trump announced a 100% tariff on Chinese imports from next month, a move designed to decouple US supply chains from Chinese dominance.

This geopolitical shift presents both a risk and an opening for Australia. Washington is accelerating investment with Australian miners to diversify its supply chains away from China.

Canberra, for its part, is exploring a Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve, an investment initiative that would see the federal government acquire agreed volumes of critical minerals from commercial projects, selective stockpiling and offering preferential access to allied buyers.

Global energy giants are turning their focus to critical minerals. With such deep-pocketed players entering the field, the pace toward commercial-scale extraction technologies is set to accelerate dramatically. Australia must keep up if it wants to stay ahead in the race.The Conversation

Amir Razmjou, Associate Professor, Edith Cowan University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Trump, Albanese sign minerals deal

Trump and Albanese sign minerals deal, supporting submarine pact to counter China’s influence in critical resources

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Trump and Albanese sign minerals deal, supporting submarine pact to counter China’s influence in critical resources

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In Short:
– Trump and Albanese signed an agreement on rare earths to secure supplies amidst concerns over China’s control.
– The U.S. and Australia plan a $2 billion investment in mining projects to enhance critical minerals production.

President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed a rare earths and critical minerals agreement aimed at securing material supplies amid concerns over China’s control of global supply.The leaders discussed a nuclear-powered submarine deal intended to counter China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region. The agreement includes a joint investment of $2 billion into mining and processing projects over the next six months.

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Trump indicated confidence in the deal, suggesting significant increases in critical mineral production within a year. The U.S. seeks access to rare earths worldwide as tensions with China escalate ahead of an upcoming meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Australia holds substantial rare earth reserves, valuable for various technologies, including electric vehicles and military applications. Despite friendly exchanges, Trump had a tense moment regarding past comments made by Australia’s Ambassador Kevin Rudd.

Submarine Agreement Confirmed

Trump expressed support for the AUKUS submarine agreement between the U.S., Australia, and the UK, which involves Australia purchasing U.S. nuclear submarines by 2032. Despite concerns regarding the U.S.’s ability to meet its submarine needs, Trump described the AUKUS deal as moving forward smoothly, emphasizing economic contributions from Australia to U.S. military capabilities.

Concerns over delays in meetings between the two leaders raised anxieties in Australia about defense spending. The rare earths agreement is part of a broader strategy to enhance cooperation and streamline mining operations to ensure supply security, with a focus on countering China’s influence in strategic industries.


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