Lead Story
Amazon deforestation falls to lowest level since satellite records began in 1988
Brazil's government announced on October 16 that deforestation in the Amazon rainforest fell to its lowest level since satellite monitoring began in 1988, with official data showing 3,335 square kilometers cleared between August 2025 and July 2026, the period used to calculate the annual rate. Officials credited enforcement policies revived under President Lula, including the PPCDAm anti-deforestation plan that had been shelved under the previous government, saying deforestation has dropped 71 percent since 2023. That marks a sharp reversal from 2019-2022, when more than 45,000 square kilometers were cleared under Lula's predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro. The figures cover the world's largest rainforest, a critical carbon sink whose protection is seen as central to global efforts to slow climate change.
Read more →Lead Story
Amazon deforestation falls to lowest level since satellite records began in 1988
Brazil's government announced on October 16 that deforestation in the Amazon rainforest fell to its lowest level since satellite monitoring began in 1988, with official data showing 3,335 square kilometers cleared between August 2025 and July 2026, the period used to calculate the annual rate. Officials credited enforcement policies revived under President Lula, including the PPCDAm anti-deforestation plan that had been shelved under the previous government, saying deforestation has dropped 71 percent since 2023. That marks a sharp reversal from 2019-2022, when more than 45,000 square kilometers were cleared under Lula's predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro. The figures cover the world's largest rainforest, a critical carbon sink whose protection is seen as central to global efforts to slow climate change.
New Zealand utility opens its first grid-scale battery, among the cheapest ever built in the country
Genesis Energy opened the first stage of a 100MW/200MWh battery storage system at Huntly Power Station in New Zealand's Waikato region on October 15, the company's first large-scale battery and, it says, the cheapest such project built in the country to date at roughly NZ$130 million. The battery, supplied by Saft and installed by Northpower, can store enough energy to help balance the grid during peaks in demand or dips in wind and solar output. Genesis reached a final investment decision in April on a second, matching 100MW/200MWh stage, which would double the site's capacity to 200MW/400MWh, enough to power an estimated 120,000 homes for two hours, at an additional cost of about NZ$106 million.
Read more →New Zealand utility opens its first grid-scale battery, among the cheapest ever built in the country
Genesis Energy opened the first stage of a 100MW/200MWh battery storage system at Huntly Power Station in New Zealand's Waikato region on October 15, the company's first large-scale battery and, it says, the cheapest such project built in the country to date at roughly NZ$130 million. The battery, supplied by Saft and installed by Northpower, can store enough energy to help balance the grid during peaks in demand or dips in wind and solar output. Genesis reached a final investment decision in April on a second, matching 100MW/200MWh stage, which would double the site's capacity to 200MW/400MWh, enough to power an estimated 120,000 homes for two hours, at an additional cost of about NZ$106 million.
European heat pump sales climb 11% as households shift away from gas amid energy shock
Residential heat pump sales across 12 European countries rose 11 percent in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier, to about 1.163 million units, according to data from the European Heat Pump Association reported October 23. Industry groups tied the jump to the energy shock from Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz earlier in the year, which pushed gas and oil prices sharply higher and added urgency to households' shift away from fossil-fuel heating, alongside EU pressure on governments to cut electricity taxes. Germany led the gains, with its heat pump association reporting a 40 percent year-on-year rise to 195,000 units sold in the first half, while the Netherlands saw a more modest 6 percent increase. Growth was even stronger earlier in the year, with first-quarter sales across 11 countries up 17 percent before slowing over the full half-year.
Read more →European heat pump sales climb 11% as households shift away from gas amid energy shock
Residential heat pump sales across 12 European countries rose 11 percent in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier, to about 1.163 million units, according to data from the European Heat Pump Association reported October 23. Industry groups tied the jump to the energy shock from Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz earlier in the year, which pushed gas and oil prices sharply higher and added urgency to households' shift away from fossil-fuel heating, alongside EU pressure on governments to cut electricity taxes. Germany led the gains, with its heat pump association reporting a 40 percent year-on-year rise to 195,000 units sold in the first half, while the Netherlands saw a more modest 6 percent increase. Growth was even stronger earlier in the year, with first-quarter sales across 11 countries up 17 percent before slowing over the full half-year.
Zaragoza named European Green Capital 2028 for its climate governance
The European Commission named Zaragoza, Spain as European Green Capital 2028 at a ceremony in Guimarães, Portugal on October 8, beating four other finalists -- Aalborg, Bielsko-Biała, Košice and Porto -- among 27 cities that competed this year. The jury praised Zaragoza's "strong governance and long-term commitment" to climate action, highlighting how the city has paired ambitious environmental measures with social resilience and community involvement, and the city receives a 600,000-euro prize to support its sustainability programs. The smaller-city European Green Leaf awards for 2028, each carrying a 200,000-euro prize, went to Benidorm in Spain and Estarreja in Portugal.
Read more →Zaragoza named European Green Capital 2028 for its climate governance
The European Commission named Zaragoza, Spain as European Green Capital 2028 at a ceremony in Guimarães, Portugal on October 8, beating four other finalists -- Aalborg, Bielsko-Biała, Košice and Porto -- among 27 cities that competed this year. The jury praised Zaragoza's "strong governance and long-term commitment" to climate action, highlighting how the city has paired ambitious environmental measures with social resilience and community involvement, and the city receives a 600,000-euro prize to support its sustainability programs. The smaller-city European Green Leaf awards for 2028, each carrying a 200,000-euro prize, went to Benidorm in Spain and Estarreja in Portugal.
Seven-year study links more physical activity to slower decline in Parkinson's patients
A study published in the journal Neurology found that people with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease who were more physically active showed slower declines in both movement symptoms and cognitive abilities like memory and thinking, compared with less active patients. Researchers led by Dong-Woo Ryu of the University of Cincinnati followed 294 people with an average age of 66 for up to seven years, finding the strongest association among those who exercised more than eight hours a week. The authors cautioned that the study shows an association rather than proof that exercise causes slower progression, and noted that no large clinical trial has yet directly tested whether exercise can slow cognitive decline in Parkinson's patients, but the findings add to evidence encouraging exercise as part of managing the disease.
Read more →Seven-year study links more physical activity to slower decline in Parkinson's patients
A study published in the journal Neurology found that people with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease who were more physically active showed slower declines in both movement symptoms and cognitive abilities like memory and thinking, compared with less active patients. Researchers led by Dong-Woo Ryu of the University of Cincinnati followed 294 people with an average age of 66 for up to seven years, finding the strongest association among those who exercised more than eight hours a week. The authors cautioned that the study shows an association rather than proof that exercise causes slower progression, and noted that no large clinical trial has yet directly tested whether exercise can slow cognitive decline in Parkinson's patients, but the findings add to evidence encouraging exercise as part of managing the disease.