Fossil gas: methane-rich hydrocarbon mixture
UK government has cut VAT on domestic electricity and Nesta-backed reforms are being considered to shrink bills further. The package aims to make heat pumps cheaper than gas boilers by shifting costs from electricity to general taxation and removing levies, potentially saving households around £130 a year. Implementation hinges on budget decisions this autumn.
A record summer of heat, drought and wildfires has prompted an emergency Cobra meeting and voluntary retailer suspensions of disposable-barbecue sales. Green groups have written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham urging him to call the crisis 'climate change' and stop new North Sea drilling; Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice has questioned net zero and urged adaptation and celebration of warmer weather.
RWE has relinquished its offshore wind leases in the US after a settlement with the Trump administration. The company will reinvest about $1.2 billion into a Louisiana LNG terminal and 15 natural gas peaker plants, while winding down projects on New York, California and Louisiana coasts. The move follows a pattern of government buybacks of offshore wind leases.
Israeli forces have ordered the evacuation of Mansouri and carried out strikes that injured at least eight people, displacing families who are waiting on the towns outskirts to learn whether they can return. Residents and local officials say Israel has demolished homes and burned farmland, and negotiators in Rome have not secured a withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
Amazon has confirmed plans for an on-site natural gas power plant to power a Pecos County data center campus. The plant would emit up to 33 million tons of CO2 annually and is positioned as a path to faster deployment and potential future grid connections, though critics warn it could become the largest climate pollution source in the U.S.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has met French President Emmanuel Macron on Saint-Pierre and Miquelon and has announced plans to deepen economic and security ties with France and the European Union, including backing for a proposal that Canada become the EU's first "associate member." The leaders have discussed energy, critical minerals, defence and technology as Ottawa shifts away from U.S. dependence.
Iranian naval forces have captured a US Dive‑LD autonomous underwater vehicle at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command has said the drone malfunctioned more than a day earlier and carried no classified sonar or radar. Manufacturer Anduril has confirmed the loss and called the system attritable.
Bloomberg reports that the Trump administration has rolled back climate data and tools from federal websites as part of a broader deregulatory push, potentially increasing corporate and research uncertainty about environmental risks. The move follows earlier steps to reduce protections for water bodies and emissions rules, and experts warn the changes will erode decision-making resources for businesses and policymakers.
Britain’s £70bn grid modernisation is under way but progress is slow. NAO warns delays could push constraint costs to £7.8bn by 2030, while bills may rise if upgrades lag. Regulators and government say transparency and delivery must improve to shield households from volatility.
The Scottish government has introduced environmental impact assessments for data centres above 50MW and will pause decisions until guidance is published, as Holyrood weighs a national strategy to manage a rapid boom in hyperscale AI facilities.
Andy Burnham is meeting Donald Trump at the UN and Ursula von der Leyen as the UK faces international talks. He is framing a middle path with the US while pressing for an EU-UK reset; British parliamentarians and business voices warn of domestic strain as inflation and taxes stay high.
The European Commission has proposed opening a new 'associate member' status to deepen ties with Canada. Canadian prime minister Mark Carney has welcomed the idea as a path to reduce dependence on US markets while President Donald Trump has threatened heavy tariffs if he judges the move hostile. Leaders plan a Canada‑EU summit in Montreal on Oct 29–30.
Iran has told Qatari mediators that they have discussed US ideas on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and expect a formal American reply within a day. Tehran is maintaining a blockade of commercial shipping and is demanding a seven-day Middle East ceasefire, the release of frozen assets and an end to US sanctions and naval restrictions. Washington has so far rejected Tehran’s seven‑day truce offer and is relying on economic pressure rather than further military strikes.
The energy price cap is expected to rise sharply in January, with Cornwall Insight forecasting a 16% increase to about £1,999 for the typical dual‑fuel bill. UK households on Ofgem tariffs face a 4% rise in October, driven by high wholesale prices amid Middle East tensions and supply disruptions.
The Guardian has found that in July and August, over 176,000 tonnes of diesel and other fuels loaded at South Korean ports were shipped on seven tankers to Russia’s Far East, including vessels under UK and EU sanctions. South Korea says its laws were not violated and will review vessel routes and declarations. Ukraine calls this a breach of sanctions amid escalating tensions with Seoul.
Zelenskiy has been received in London with strong UK support, while ministers announce accelerated delivery of missile systems and new sanctions against Russia. The visit follows tensions after Trump’s diesel deal with Moscow and aims to reinforce allied unity and arms deliveries for Kyiv.