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Sam Li and Lewis Jackson, Reuters
A deal for China to import more energy from the US could be “under consideration” during the meeting in Beijing this week between Chinese president Xi Jinping and US president Donald Trump, reports Reuters. However, the US has never been a “major source” of oil for China and any increase in gas imports would “likely be limited”, as China sees another year of “sluggish” gas demand, adds the newswire. People’s Daily publishes an article under the byline “Zhong Sheng”, signalling the party leadership’s view on international relations, saying that addressing climate change requires “coordinated efforts and cooperation” between China and the US. State-run newspaper China Daily says the US-China cooperation on energy security and climate governance is “essential” because the two countries have “considerable influence over international institutions”. They also have “strong incentives to prevent further escalation” in the Middle East conflict that undermines energy security, according to Wu Xinbo, dean of Fudan University’s Institute of International Studies, reports China Daily.
MORE ON CHINA
China faces a “severe” marine disaster “prevention situation” this year, with a strong El Niño expected, reports China Daily. China Daily also reports that the country may experience “higher-than-average temperatures” during the upcoming flood season against the “backdrop of global warming”. Reuters reports Asian fires this year have burned 40% more than the previous record year of 2014, with countries including China among the “worst hit”. People’s Daily says the “green content” of Chinese manufacturing has continued to rise, with “new three” sectors leading the world. Xinhua: “China leverages space tech for carbon monitoring to meet climate goals.” The world’s first “international digital standard for product carbon footprints”, led by China, was recently approved, reports China News Service. China has allocated 2.6bn yuan ($380m) of subsidies for fuel-cell vehicle “demonstration applications” across 15 regions, reports International Energy Net.
The Economic Times
India’s oil-and-gas minister Hardeep Singh Puri has “dismissed concerns of any imminent lockdown-like restrictions” after prime minister Narendra Modi “urged citizens” to adopt fuel-saving and austerity measures, reports the Economic Times. Puri has sought to “allay fears”, as the government pushes measures “similar to those seen” during the Covid-19 pandemic, with Modi appealing to citizens to “reduce fuel consumption, use public transport, postpone foreign travel and avoid non-essential spending”, adds the paper. Meanwhile, a comment piece in Mint by Kirit S Parikh – economic advisor to multiple Indian prime ministers – argues that a “much more effective way” to reduce fossil-fuel consumption would be to raise fuel prices, which the government “can[‘t] delay much” longer. Reuters says that a “sustained spike in energy prices triggered by the Iran war has clouded India's macroeconomic outlook”, with a “widening current account gap”, foreign investors pulling out more than $20bn in Indian equities and the rupee falling to a “record low” this week. Another Reuters story reports that India’s retail inflation rose to 3.48% in April, “driven by dearer food prices”, expected to rise higher with a “fertiliser price shock” and “less-than-normal rainfall due to El Niño conditions”.
According to a major air quality tracking platform AQI, “every one of the world’s 50 hottest cities was located inside India at the end of April – a global weather-tracking anomaly,” reports Inside Climate News. Meanwhile, Down to Earth examines state and city heat action plans, which experts say remain “largely guiding documents on paper”, despite their rapid spread to more than 130 cities since 2013. Finally, health researcher Neha Yadav explains in Down to Earth that the war on Iran and “India’s rising heat are not separate files in the lives of ordinary people”.
MORE ON INDIA
Writing for Mongabay, researchers Minal Pathak and Vaibhav Chaturvedi argue that “mitigation and adaptation are central to India’s next phase of growth”. Google has “failed to disclose” to Mongabay details about its water consumption plans for its “largest data centre outside the US”, while experts question how much of the “1GW AI hub” would be powered by renewable energy. Power-sector experts tell the Hindu Businessline that private power distribution licences – similar to the licence Google secured for its data centre – could be a “red flag for already struggling” state utilities. Bloomberg reports that China’s Eve Energy has signed a deal with India’s Godawari New Energy to provide large-scale batteries “of 8 gigawatt-hours capacity”, as “rapid renewable power expansion drives demand for energy storage” in the country. The Indian Express quotes the country’s renewable energy minister saying India is set to “link the adoption of renewable energy to long-term, interest-free loans states get” from the union government.
Elena Mazneva, Bloomberg
Europe’s reliance on US gas is projected to reach a record this year as the continent looks for alternatives to fuels from the Middle East, according to a report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) covered by Bloomberg. It says: “In the years since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the EU has sought to diversify its sources of gas to avoid heavy dependence on one single supplier. Seaborne deliveries of American LNG [liquid natural gas] have proven a crucial replacement for piped flows from Russia, but some European officials have warned that the continent risks swapping one over-reliance for another.” It quotes IEEFA’s lead energy analyst, Ana Maria Jaller-Makarewicz, saying: “LNG has become the Achilles’ heel of Europe’s energy-security strategy, leaving the continent exposed to high gas prices and to new forms of supply disruption.” Reuters adds that, according to the report, Europe is expected to source two-thirds of its LNG from the US in 2026. Euractiv also has the story.
MORE ON ENERGY CRISIS
Al Jazeera: “Global energy crisis highlights meagre oil buffers in developing world.” Associated Press: “Iran war drives solar sales in energy-hungry Asia.” Iraq and Pakistan have struck “new energy deals” with Iran amid the crisis, reports Reuters. Vietnam is importing more fuel amid an oil shortfall, says Reuters. Russia has “revised down” its oil and gas production forecasts for 2026-29, reports Reuters. Cuba plans to “adjust fuel prices at the pump” amid the crisis and a US blockade, according to Reuters.
Nick Lester, The Independent
US president Donald Trump has accused UK prime minister Keir Starmer of “windmilling the country to death” and said it is “up to him” whether or not “to quit”, reports the Independent. Trump made the remarks to journalists ahead of flying to China for a state visit. The Independent adds that Trump has “previously said it was ‘absolutely crazy’ not to boost oil and gas extraction in the North Sea and focus instead on renewable energy.” According to the Sun, Trump also said: “My advice to him has always been, open up your oil in the North Sea. I told him from day one, you’re getting killed on energy.” [See Carbon Brief’s factcheck: “Nine false or misleading myths about North Sea oil and gas.”] Elsewhere, the Times “has been told” that energy and net-zero secretary Ed Miliband “informed cabinet ministers he was prepared to run for the leadership as the left-of-centre candidate”, if Starmer resigns and a contest is held before Manchester mayor Andy Burnham can qualify. The newspaper adds that Miliband has denied saying this.
MORE ON UK
The Times: “Britons embrace green technology to dodge rising fuel costs.” BusinessGreen covers a new study: “Clean power 'bringing down wholesale prices', as gas' influence wanes.” Sales of used electric cars hit a record high in the UK in the first three months of the year, report the Times and Independent. Charities are urging the government to introduce a “clean air act”, to address air pollution and emissions from polluting transport and heating systems, says the Guardian. The climate-sceptic Daily Telegraph is critical of the government “holding back” approval of the Buchan oil field, which contains “100m barrels of oil and gas”. The Independent: “Risk of drought in UK grows after unusually dry start to spring.” Two adverts promoting British beef and milk have been banned after TV nature presenter Chris Packham complained that they misled the public about their climate impact, says the Independent.
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