Extreme Heat Could Erase EU’s 2026 Growth, Warns Triodos Bank: Dutch bank estimates that the persistent heatwaves and drought could wipe out nearly €180 billion in EU GDP.
Trump Imposes 15% Tariff on Polysilicon Imports: To curb China’s dominance, the U.S. targets solar and semiconductor supply chains, starting December 4.
EU Relaxes Carbon Credit Rules Amid CORSIA Supply Crunch: Brussels drops stricter Phase 1 quality criteria for airlines as eligible carbon credit supply falls far short of demand.
Human Hair Used to Filter Oil Pollution From Brazil’s Oceans: NGO Fiotrar’s hair-based barriers trap oil and contaminants in Guanabara Bay, offering a low-cost tool to protect marine ecosystems.
Extreme heat could erase EU’s 2026 economic growth
As a dire consequence of Europe’s ongoing extreme heat, the Dutch Bank Triodos has warned that this could wipe out much of the European Union’s projected economic growth for 2026. According to its estimates, extreme heat-related disruptions could shave roughly 1% off the EU’s GDP, which amounts to €180 billion in economic losses.
The biggest contributor is lost labour productivity, along with a decline in agricultural output, leading to a fall between 3% and 7%. Triodos further noted that higher food and electricity prices, along with disruptions to road, rail, and inland waterways, aggravate the damage. France is expected to be hit hardest, with heatwaves potentially cutting GDP by 1.4% and risking an annual contraction of 0.6%. This is followed by Italy, Spain, and Belgium, which face substantial losses, whereas Poland remains affected considerably less.
The European Commission predicts EU growth of 1.1%, whereas the International Monetary Fund projects 0.9%.
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Trump imposes a 15% tariff on polysilicon imports
Caption: U.S. President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping at a summit. Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
In a move to halt China’s growing dominance over the global supply chain, U.S. President Donald Trump has announced tariffs on polysilicon and its derivatives.
An important element for solar panels and semiconductors, polysilicon remains essential for military hardware and everyday electronic gadgets. It becomes even more significant as solar panels become the world’s fastest-growing energy source. As a result, the order imposes a 15% tariff on imported polysilicon, along with minimum prices for polysilicon, ingots, wafers, solar cells, and solar modules. This also includes anti-stockpiling measures that authorise Customs and Border Protection to restrict imports if it suspects duty evasion.
However, the tariffs won’t be imposed until later this year, precisely until December 4, after the November midterms and a planned September summit between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the move would “bring the supply chain here”, with plans to expand the industry in the U.S. The order follows a Commerce Department investigation into national security risks tied to polysilicon, of which China holds a near-monopoly on production.
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EU Relaxes Carbon Credit Rules Amid Supply Crunch
Caption: The flag of the EU flutters against a gloomy sky. Photo Credit: Dušan Cvetanović
The European Commission is easing carbon credit requirements for airlines under Phase 1 of the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation. This move comes after the eligible supply fell short of projected airline demand. The requirements that will be dropped include the additional European quality criteria, which will instead apply from Phase 2, which runs from 2027 through 2035.
According to the International Air Transport Association, the Phase 1 demand is estimated at 170-236 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, against roughly 40 million tonnes of labeled or pending eligible supply. The reversal is expected to widen available credit supply, while easing pressure on airlines to chase costlier specialist credits.
From 2027, Europe’s stricter Phase 2 criteria could split CORSIA into a two-tier market while EEA airlines could face potentially narrower eligibility than international carriers.
Human Hair Used to Filter Pollution From Brazil’s Oceans
Caption: A close-up shot of a jellyfish surrounded by plastic. Photo Credit: Nadejda Bostanova
A new environmental project in Brazil is turning donated human hair into barriers that filter oil and plastic pollution from the ocean. This idea is credited to Mariana Robrahn, founder of the NGO Fiotrar, who first tested this in Enseada de Bom Jesus, on the shores of Guanabara Bay, an area long affected by various kinds of pollution from heavy maritime traffic.
This innovative technique attaches cylindrical “blankets” packed with hair to existing floating rubbish barriers thrown into the sea. These blankets act as a barrier that traps oil, biodiesel, and other contaminants for up to four months. The raw materials remain almost inexhaustible because a dozen local hair salons donate unused hair clippings.
One of the local fishermen, Sérgio Carvalho, describes the grave matter at hand, “The oil stays on the surface but affects everything down to about a metre and a half in depth. The fish disappear.”
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by the authors are their own, not those of impakter.com — Cover Photo Credit: Oscar Sánchez