Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Louisa Casson @louisacasson.bsky.social · 2d

Global renewable energy generation surpasses coal for first time!

Thank god for @ember-energy.org relentlessly bringing the good news of booming solar & wind successes 🙌

Ember @ember-energy.org · 2d

NEW | Solar and wind OUTPACED global electricity demand growth in the first half of 2025, leading to a fall in fossil fuels compared to this time last year ☀️🌪️

Record solar and steady wind growth is reshaping global power as renewables OVERTAKE coal for the first time.

https://loom.ly/c-MNZSk

Louisa Casson @louisacasson.bsky.social · 19d

We can still achieve big things in hard times

The creation of the Global Ocean Treaty has weathered election cycles—and will now become international law

We can use it to put vast areas of the ocean off-limits to destruction, to start healing our life support system
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Key oceans treaty crosses critical threshold to come into force

Sixty states have ratified a global treaty to protect the oceans - it will become law in January.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Reposted by Louisa Casson

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 19d

Breaking News: A hard-fought international treaty to protect ocean life, decades in the making, cleared a final hurdle. It allows for the establishment of enormous conservation zones in international waters.

Hard-Fought Treaty to Protect Ocean Life Clears a Final Hurdle

The global High Seas Treaty, decades in the making, will become international law. It aims to create vast maritime conservation areas.

nyti.ms

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Louisa Casson @louisacasson.bsky.social · Sep 8

If China’s carbon use peaks this year or very soon, it would be a moment of considerably greater significance than Trump’s decision to withdraw from UN climate negotiations

A good read by @jonathan-watts.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

‘There is only one player’: why China is becoming a world leader in green energy

As US reneges on climate breakdown pledges, China’s response to crisis will shape geopolitics and our future

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Louisa Casson

Josiah Mortimer @josiah.writes.news · Sep 5

EXCLUSIVE: Reform UK’s deputy leader Richard Tice co-owns a second home purchased for £4 million in 2013, Byline Times can reveal – despite attacking Angela Rayner for supposedly owning a “property mountain”
bylinetimes.com/2025/09/05/r...

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Louisa Casson @louisacasson.bsky.social · Sep 3

"No place is safe under this administration. They’re not just trying to drill for oil in the Gulf of Mexico — they’re going to the farthest reaches of the American empire to extract"

How deep sea miners are trying to override American Samoan opposition by going to Trump grist.org/indigenous/a...

American Samoa says no to deep-sea mining. The Trump administration might do it anyway.

The CEO of a seabed mining startup says the decision about mining leases will be made in Washington, D.C.

grist.org

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Louisa Casson @louisacasson.bsky.social · Aug 22

Rather than annexing Greenland, trying to mine the deep sea or slapping on tariffs, the US could meet its critical minerals needs by using mining waste more smartly, study finds

www.ft.com/content/29cd...

US could meet critical minerals needs from mining waste, study finds

China dominates production of crucial materials as other nations push to shore up their supplies

www.ft.com

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Louisa Casson @louisacasson.bsky.social · Aug 19

My favourite story from the summer holidays: How a livestream from the ocean floor became the latest social media hit - resisting Argentina's far-right government attacks on science through the joy of “Which deep sea creature are you?"

www.independent.co.uk/news/science...

How a livestream from the bottom of the ocean became the latest social media hit

The glimpse into the deep sea is captivating more than 1.6 million viewers per day

www.independent.co.uk

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Louisa Casson @louisacasson.bsky.social · Aug 19

Native Hawaiians & environmental groups win court battle to protect ocean sanctuary from commercial fishing, resisting Trump 💪

As Indigenous rights fall victim to Trump's executive orders, it's vital to legally challenge White House attempts to destroy protected ecosystems
pmn.co.nz/read/environ...

Conservationists win legal battle to protect marine sanctuary

A court in Hawai'i has tossed a federal directive allowing commercial fishing in protected Pacific waters, in defiance of orders from the White House.

pmn.co.nz

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Louisa Casson @louisacasson.bsky.social · Jul 30

History shows multilateral courage can prevail. We protected the ozone layer. We banned nuclear testing. Let us add the deep seabed to that honour roll - and stop deep sea mining before it causes any harm to the oceans

insideclimatenews.org/news/2907202...

Nations Denounce Deep Sea Mining Company’s Bid to Exploit Metals in the Pacific Under US Law - Inside Climate News

A U.S. subsidiary of The Metals Co., based in Vancouver, has applied for permits to mine a deep sea zone in international waters under an executive order issued in April by President Donald Trump.

insideclimatenews.org

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Louisa Casson @louisacasson.bsky.social · Jul 23

World’s highest court delivers historic protections for climate-impacted communities

International Court of Justice’s decision obligates States to regulate businesses on the harm caused by their emissions *regardless of where the harm takes place*

#ClimateJustice
www.greenpeace.org/internationa...

World’s highest court delivers historic protections for climate-impacted communities - Greenpeace International

The Court’s decision obligates States to regulate businesses on the harm caused by their emissions regardless of where the harm takes place.

www.greenpeace.org

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Reposted by Louisa Casson

🌍⚖️ Sébastien Duyck @duycks.bsky.social · Jul 23

52/🚨The Court then delivers a powerful statement: failure of a state to take appropriate action to regulate fossil fuel consumption, the granting of fossil fuel licences, fossil fuel subsidies may constitute an internationally wrongful act which is attributable to that state

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Reposted by Louisa Casson

🌍⚖️ Sébastien Duyck @duycks.bsky.social · Jul 23

33/ 🗣️By affirming that the Paris Agreement imposes real mitigation obligations on States, the Court reclaims its role as a cornerstone of climate accountability—pushing back against years of attempts by high-emitting States and corporations to render it toothless.

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Reposted by Louisa Casson

Bloomberg News @bloomberg.com · Jul 21

Trump wants to spur a deep sea mining rush. International regulators want to put a brake on that

Seabed Regulators Will Scrutinize Mining Firms Seeking US Licenses

The move is in response to a Trump directive to issue mining licenses in global waters under US law.

bloom.bg

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Reposted by Louisa Casson

Deep Sea Conservation Coalition @deepseaconserve.bsky.social · Jul 23

The first two days of the ISA Assembly we heard bold statements against deep-sea mining.

It threatens our ocean and the people who depend on it—and we don’t need it!

We need a moratorium before it’s too late. #DefendTheDeep #ISA30

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Reposted by Louisa Casson

🌍⚖️ Sébastien Duyck @duycks.bsky.social · Jul 23

10/ 🔥Judge Iwasawa Yuji quotes straight from the IPCC: "Warming of 1.5°C is not considered 'safe' for most nations, communities, ecosystems and sectors, and poses significant risks to natural and human systems." - this is a very strong basis for the Court's legal conclusions!

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Louisa Casson @louisacasson.bsky.social · Jul 21

Seabed regulator will scrutinise deep sea mining companies trying to do a deal with Trump

The international community is taking action to show that rogue actors will face consequences

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Seabed Regulators Will Scrutinize Mining Firms Seeking US Licenses

The move is in response to a Trump directive to issue mining licenses in global waters under US law.

www.bloomberg.com

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Reposted by Louisa Casson

Greenpeace Canada @greenpeaceca.bsky.social · Jul 5

🚨 BREAKING: We showed up to
@themetalsco.bsky.social’s HQ in Vancouver to paint a massive mural with a message they can’t ignore: The ocean is not for sale.

Let's #StopDeepSeaMining before it starts.

Add your name: act.gp/4l4QokS

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Louisa Casson @louisacasson.bsky.social · Jul 7

Deep sea mining negotiators meet today under Trump's shadow

Nations must not be bullied - they can stand strong and united against a single company's incredibly controversial & rogue move to bypass international law to try to mine the global oceans

timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/...

Deep-sea mining negotiators to meet under Donald Trump shadow - The Times of India

The International Seabed Authority (ISA) meets next week to continue debating rules for ocean floor mining in international waters, after the United S

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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Louisa Casson @louisacasson.bsky.social · Jul 4

After losing the argument in the court of public opinion, fossil fuel corporations are increasingly weaponising courtrooms in an attempt to silence their critics.

But they’re not getting away with it - it’s time to resist

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

‘Legal bullying’: global protest rights on line in Dutch court case, say activists

After US jury said it should pay oil pipeline firm $660m, Greenpeace is hoping to reclaim funds via EU anti-Slapp law

www.theguardian.com

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Louisa Casson @louisacasson.bsky.social · Jun 16

Deep sea miners The Metals Company want to mine the international seabed - but a weak spot is they rely on Allseas for their mining machine and ship

Now the Dutch government is now raising concerns with Allseas about this unilateral Trumpian move
www.trouw.nl/duurzaamheid...

Kabinet bezorgd over de rol van Nederlands bedrijf Allseas bij omstreden zeemijnbouw

Ondanks internationale afspraken wil de VS mineralen winnen uit de diepzee. Een Nederlands bedrijf dat dit als enige ter wereld kan, moet het land helpen. Reden tot zorg bij het demissionair kabinet, ...

www.trouw.nl

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Louisa Casson @louisacasson.bsky.social · Jun 11

This is where just one of their problems lie!

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Louisa Casson @louisacasson.bsky.social · Jun 11

Moratorium on deep sea mining a 'necessity' says Macron at UN summit #UNOC

www.rfi.fr/en/environme...

Moratorium on deep-sea mining a 'necessity' says Macron at UN summit

World leaders gathered for the UN Ocean Conference in Nice on Monday called for strict rules to govern deep-sea mining and warned against racing to exploit the ocean floor. This comes amid growing anx...

www.rfi.fr

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Louisa Casson @louisacasson.bsky.social · Jun 10

Trump’s view is that China has already won the clean energy race - so he'd rather take the loss

What a loser

www.politico.eu/article/trum...

In Trump’s war on clean energy, China (and everyone else) wins

It’s a shift from the U.S. president’s first term, and is driving a fresh wedge within his Republican Party.

www.politico.eu

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Louisa Casson @louisacasson.bsky.social · Jun 10

We can move from plunder to protection, UN chief Antonio Guterres tells ocean summit - throwing shade on Trump & The Metals Company's deep sea mining plans by calling on world leaders to act: “The deep sea cannot become the wild west”

#UNOC

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

World must move from ‘plunder to protection’ to save oceans, UN chief warns

Speaking at summit in France, António Guterres calls for bold pledges to stop deep sea becoming ‘wild west’

www.theguardian.com

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