Axios

A three-day severe weather outbreak threatens to bring damaging winds, large hail, flooding and strong tornadoes to a vast region in the Central U.S.

The big picture: The storms may peak on Saturday, when the threat area will extend from the Gulf Coast to Wisconsin and tornado danger may be highest.

Artificial intelligence's thirst for electricity is conspiring with other factors to trigger a sharp spike in electricity demand that the U.S. is only beginning to address.

Why it matters: How lawmakers, utilities, regulators and tech companies manage this trend may determine whether America's emissions reduction goals are met, with more fossil fuel-powered plants under consideration in the near-term.

Deadly rains that swamped the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Bahrain last week and flooded Dubai in apocalyptic scenes were likely tied in part to climate change, a new study finds.

Why it matters: The new research shows how human-caused climate change is interacting with natural climate cycles to render existing infrastructure inadequate.

Australia's' BHP Group has offered to buy London-based mining giant Anglo American for nearly $39 billion in stock.

Why it matters: It would create the world's largest copper miner, at a time when copper demand is surging due to its use in energy transition technologies.

Money will take center stage at the next UN climate summit, to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, in November. And in the run-up to the meeting, there are currently few signs of major progress.

Why it matters: Industrialized countries need to spend at least $1 trillion to help developing nations move away from fossil fuels and adapt to climate impacts. So far, few countries have committed significant additional funds.

The Environmental Protection Agency just imposed what may become the first federal mandate to cut carbon dioxide from power plants — if it survives legal and political hurdles that has tripped up past administrations.

Why it matters: Electricity is among the largest sources of U.S. carbon emissions. The country's power mix has trended away from coal for years as gas and renewables gained market share.