President Trump's Truth Social announcement of a blockade around Venezuela has left international law experts scrambling to assess how it would be implemented and if it constitutes an act of war.
The big picture: A traditional naval blockade involves military forces cutting off access to a coast, a move recognized under international law as an act of war.
The House on Thursday passed a bill that would streamline and speed up agencies' environmental reviews for energy and other projects — but it faces major changes in the Senate.
Why it matters: Overhauling the process for green-lighting industry projects is of paramount importance for many business groups.
International Energy Agency head Fatih Birol wants to move Africa's need for clean cooking fuels and tech higher on the global agenda — and sees the U.S. as a fruitful partner.
Why it matters: Widespread use of fuels like wood, charcoal and dung — and open fires or inadequate stoves — is a massive health and economic problem.
Nearly 3,000 new data centers are under construction or planned across the U.S., per a new analysis shared first with Axios — adding to the more than 4,000 already in operation.
Why it matters: Big tech and many local leaders are full steam ahead on building as many data centers as possible to generate revenue and power the AI boom — but they're fueling a major political fight, with locals pushing back over energy use and other concerns.
BP CEO Murray Auchincloss is stepping down a little over two years into the job, with Meg O'Neill, head of Australian multinational energy giant Woodside Energy, tapped as his replacement, the oil major said.
Why it matters: The exit announced Wednesday comes as BP — whose performance has lagged its Big Oil rivals — is undergoing an Auchincloss-led pivot back toward its core oil and gas business and scaling back green energy plans.
Seesawing government policy can wreak havoc on companies.
Exhibit A: Ford Motor Co., which has written off tens of billions in stranded investments over the past 15 years.
Why it matters: Big shifts in political power tend to lead to extreme regulatory swings, too, as policymakers try to steer consumer markets in one direction or another.
Why it matters: The Boulder lab is one of the world's leading institutions for Earth systems and climate research, playing a crucial role in weather forecasting and climate modeling, and its absence would significantly impact U.S. scientific capabilities.
Crude prices bounced upward early Wednesday from four-year lows following President Trump ordering a blockade of U.S. sanctioned oil tankers going in and out of Venezuela.
Why it matters: The risk of a disruption in supply has stopped — for now — a long slide that steepened this week.
Solar manufacturer T1 Energy has started building a $400 million to $425 million solar cell fabrication plant around 50 miles from Austin, Texas.
Why it matters: The move bolsters one trend — Texas as a growing clean tech hub — while showing confidence in market growth despite Trump 2.0's moves against renewables.
President Trump designated Venezuela a "foreign terrorist organization" Tuesday and formally ordered a blockade of all U.S. sanctioned oil tankers servicing the country.
Why it matters: Trump's newest escalation, backed by a giant U.S. armada, exerts unprecedented pressure on Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro's regime, threatening to bankrupt the country's already struggling economy.
