Geopolitical Monitor - Topic: Environment

While the usual international posturing on the Arctic continues unabated, signs are beginning to emerge that Canada and the United States might be able to put their differences behind them.  

July 21st (Raw Story) - China's largest reported oil spill more than doubled in size to 165 sq. miles (430 sq. kilometers) by Wednesday, forcing nearby beaches to close and prompting one official to warn of a "severe threat" to sea life and water quality.

July 21st (BBC News) - Experts are considering whether a possible tropical storm could disrupt work at the site of the BP oil spill.

July 19, 2010 (Al Jazeera) - The US government has ordered BP to submit a plan for reopening its recently capped blown-out oil well to allow oil to flow into the ocean again after engineers detected seepage on the ocean floor near the well.

July 16th (BBC News) - BP says it has temporarily stopped oil flowing into the Gulf of Mexico from its leaking well.

July 14th (BBC News) - BP has started a key test on its leaking Gulf of Mexico well to see if the flow of oil can be shut off.

Al Jazeera (July 13, 2010) - Energy giant BP has installed a new cap atop a ruptured deep-sea oil well in the Gulf of Mexico, which it is hoped will stop the flow of oil after almost three months.

July 6th (BBC News) - A giant tanker refitted to scoop up spilled oil is being tested at the site of the Gulf of Mexico oil leak.

July 2, 2010 (MPN) - an affiliate of US oil firm ExxonMobil confirmed another oil spill at its Qua Iboe oil fields in Akwa Ibom state fishermen and several communities affected by the spill have continued to express their disgust and anguish over what they term as cessation of their economic livelihood.

WASHINGTON, July 1st (Raw Story) - The US government on Wednesday announced a 5.2 million dollar fine against BP's US subsidiary for making "false, inaccurate or misleading" reports about its energy production on Native American land.