Valerie Volcovici
Reuters Top News
Washington, DC, United States
Contact Valerie
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
| Recent: |
|
| Past: |
|
Past articles by Valerie:
Insight: World's war on greenhouse gas emissions has a military blind spot
When it comes to taking stock of global emissions, there's an elephant in the room: the world's armed forces. → Read More
Insight: Biden's green hydrogen plan hits climate obstacle: Water shortage
The Biden administration's climate agenda is facing an unexpected challenge in drought-prone Corpus Christi, Texas, where a proposed clean hydrogen hub would require the installation of energy-intensive, expensive and potentially environmentally damaging seawater desalination plants. → Read More
US lawmaker asks Blinken for details on probe of US' Iran envoy
A powerful Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives has asked Secretary of State Antony Blinken for details about an investigation into the security clearance of the U.S. envoy for Iran, amid reports he may have mishandled classified documents. → Read More
U.S. launches $7 billion program to bring solar to low-income households
The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday launched a $7 billion competitive grant program that aims to give low-income communities access to residential solar panels, the latest effort by the Biden administration to expand renewable energy across the country. → Read More
Exclusive: Accounting for war
The war in Ukraine is deepening the climate crisis at time when global greenhouse gas emissions are already running at a record high, according to report by carbon accounting experts who have tallied the overall impact of the conflict. → Read More
After rough start, UN plastic treaty talks end with mandate for first draft
After a rocky start to a week of negotiations, around 170 countries agreed to develop a first draft by November of what could become the first global treaty to curb plastic pollution by the end of next year. → Read More
Plastic recycling in focus as treaty talks get underway in Paris
As talks start this week on a global plastics treaty, debate is emerging between countries wanting to limit the production of more plastics and the petrochemical industry favoring recycling as the solution to plastic waste. → Read More
US EPA tightens rules to clean up toxic coal ash at power plants
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to force some utilities to clean up older piles of toxic coal ash at their power plants to prevent contamination of groundwater, the latest in a series of rules to reduce pollution in the sector. → Read More
Exclusive: US climate envoy Kerry says China has invited him for talks
U.S. climate envoy John Kerry said on Wednesday China has invited him to visit "in the near term" for talks on averting a global climate change crisis even as diplomatic relations between the world's two biggest greenhouse gas emitters remain tense. → Read More
U.S. proposes limits for cancer-causing chemicals in drinking water
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday proposed the first-ever national drinking water standard for six cancer-causing chemicals known as polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). → Read More
Biden administration approves Willow oil project in Alaska
The Biden administration is approving a scaled-back version ConocoPhillips' $7 billion oil and gas drilling project in Alaska, the U.S. Department of Interior said on Monday. → Read More
Analysis: Incoming World Bank chief faces tests before he gets to climate
Ajay Banga, U.S. President Joe Biden's pick to run the World Bank, will face a tough slate of issues around the institution's finances and capital structure from the get-go, thorny problems he must address as he reshapes the bank into a force for combating climate change on top of its traditional role as a poverty fighter. → Read More
U.S. proposes first offshore wind auction in Gulf of Mexico
The United States on Wednesday proposed its first sale of offshore wind power development rights in the Gulf of Mexico, expanding the nascent clean energy industry to a major hub for oil and gas production. → Read More
U.S. orders Norfolk Southern to clean up 'mess' from Ohio train chemical spill
The head of the U.S. government's environmental agency said on Tuesday that rail operator Norfolk Southern Corp must "pay for cleaning up the mess" created when a freight train derailment in Ohio released toxic chemicals into the environment. → Read More
Trump pick Malpass surprises with early exit from World Bank
World Bank President David Malpass will leave well before his term ends, months after running afoul of the White House for failing to say whether he accepts the scientific consensus on global warming. → Read More
Factbox: Who could replace World Bank President David Malpass?
David Malpass, president of the World Bank, unexpectedly said he would resign in June on Wednesday, leaving open a job that oversees billions of dollars of funding and has a direct impact on poverty, climate change preparation, emergency aid and other issues in developing countries around the globe. → Read More
U.S. lawmakers ask Kerry to urge UAE to replace oil boss as COP28 president
Over two dozen U.S. representatives on Friday called on top U.S. climate envoy John Kerry to urge the United Arab Emirates to withdraw its appointment of the head of its state oil company as president of the COP28 climate summit it will host this year. → Read More
Biden's climate agenda has a problem: Not enough workers
U.S. clean energy companies are offering better wages and benefits, flying in trainers from overseas, and contemplating ideas like buying roofing and electric repair shops just to hire their workers as firms try to overcome a labor shortage that threatens to derail President Joe Biden's climate change agenda. → Read More
U.S. Interior Department names Elizabeth Klein to oversee offshore energy
The U.S. Interior Department on Tuesday named Elizabeth Klein, a lawyer who worked in the Obama and Clinton administrations, to head the bureau that oversees offshore oil, gas and wind development. → Read More
GM, Ford, Google partner to promote 'virtual' power plants
Companies including GM, Ford, Google and solar energy producers said on Tuesday they would work together to establish standards for scaling up the use of virtual power plants (VPPs), systems for easing loads on electricity grids when supply is short. → Read More