Axios

Following its IPO this month, Chinese lithium-ion battery manufacturer CATL became one of the highest-valued companies on the ChiNext stock exchange. Founder Zeng Yuqun, vice chairman Huang Shilin and shareholder Pei Zhenhua have become newly minted billionaires.

Why it matters: Founded 7 years ago, CATL has the largest market share of battery makers in China and recently surpassed Panasonic as the world’s largest supplier of electric vehicle (EV) batteries.

U.S. exports of crude oil surged to average 3 million barrels per day for the week ending June 22, by far the highest level ever, according to newly released data from the federal Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Why it matters: The record signals how the U.S. has become an increasingly powerful force in global crude oil markets as domestic production, already at record levels, inches closer to reaching 11 million barrels per day.

Oil prices are up following yesterday's claim by a senior State Department official that the U.S. doesn't intend to grant sanctions waivers for buyers of Iranian crude oil.

Why it matters: The Trump administration plans to take a hard line once the penalties are reimposed in November, but the posture comes with uncertainties.

Oil and gas companies are increasingly focusing on how to cut emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that’s also the primary component of natural gas. At a conference underway in Washington, attendees can try for themselves with virtual reality.

Why it matters: With the world’s use of natural gas growing, determining its impact on climate change is key. While many people are familiar with carbon emissions, less awareness exists around methane. A virtual reality exhibit by the Environmental Defense Fund at the World Gas Conference is aimed at making something intangible to most people seem less so — at least virtually.

U.S. natural-gas production has increased more than 50% since 1997, and prices have dropped to levels not seen since then.

NASA chief Jim Bridenstine said he’s not getting pushback from Trump administration officials over his recent, high-profile endorsement of the scientific consensus that human activities are the dominant cause of global warming.

"The administration has been very supportive of my position. Nobody's given me a hard time about it at all"

Why it matters: Bridenstine leads one of the world's top climate science research agencies, so his position on this issue will influence support for studies that in turn form the basis for policy decisions. Yet he's out of step with senior Trump officials.

The U.K. has historically supported the emerging marine-energy industry with incentives to encourage adoption. The region has some of the best wave and tidal resources in the world and could benefit substantially from the industry once it fully matures.

Yes, but: The government’s support for the industry may be ebbing. After nearly two years of waiting and debate, the U.K. government decided to throw out the £1.3 billion Swansea Tidal Lagoon project, to be developed in Wales, on the grounds that it would not provide sufficient value for the cost. This directly contradicts a government-commissioned independent review that found the project economically viable.

By 2050, the world’s population will balloon from roughly 7.6 billion people to nearly 10 billion, which poses enormous challenges to securing an abundant and safe food supply.

Why it matters: Without effective research and development to increase crop yields, combat climate change's impact on agricultural output and increase global access to more nutritional diets, the world will experience more famines leading to forced migrations, political instability and human suffering.

A federal district court judge has tossed out a lawsuit against five major oil companies, including Exxon and Shell, brought by two California cities seeking compensation for the costs of dealing with rising seas.

Why it matters: The litigation by San Francisco and Oakland is an early and important battleground in a wider group of lawsuits that directly go after powerful oil companies over the effects of climate change.

The world’s biggest publicly traded oil and natural gas companies account for less than 4% of the world’s energy-related carbon emissions, according to the head of the International Energy Agency, Fatih Birol.

Why it matters: The datapoint underscores the large symbolic and political role companies like ExxonMobil, BP, and Shell fill in the world’s climate debate, despite accounting for a relatively small piece of the global carbon-emitting pie. Just as much attention should be paid to growth in coal electricity in Asia, Birol said in an interview Monday ahead of a big natural-gas conference kicking off Tuesday.

With the rise of scooter-sharing startups, China-based scooter maker Segway-Ninebot is looking to remain the manufacturer of choice by expanding into commercial-grade vehicles.

Bottom line: Setting up a scooter startup is as easy as ever, so there's an immense opportunity for manufacturers like Segway-Ninebot.

Surging Chinese natural gas consumption, combined with its limited domestic production, will make the country the world's largest gas importer starting in 2019 or even this year, the International Energy Agency said in a new report.

Why it matters: That projection, and other new IEA forecasts of China's remarkable gas demand growth, underscores the country's huge and growing presence in global energy markets.