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Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
How the West is 'fuelling' Putin's war in Ukraine by spending billions on Russian oil and gas
The West is helping fund Russia 's war in Ukraine by spending billions more on importing oil and gas than Kyiv has received in military aid, analysis suggests. Vladimir Putin 's regime is still raking in huge profits from its hydrocarbon exports to the EU – even as its brutal assault on Ukraine enters a fourth year. Despite sweeping sanctions, data shows European countries have handed Moscow three times as much cash for fossil fuels than they have given Kyiv in aid since 2022. Overall, the Kremlin has received receipts of nearly £700billion in the three years since Februry 2022, while aid to Ukraine has been around £230billion over the same period. Of the £192billion Russia has received from sanctioning countries, £176billion has come from the European Union. The shocking statistics, from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), reveal that Russia's energy profits have barely dipped since it invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Experts say the income is key to fuelling Russia's war machine. Mai Rosner, of pressure group Global Witness, said many Western politicians are more concerned about higher fuel prices than stopping Russian imports. 'There's no real desire in many governments to actually limit Russia's ability to produce and sell oil,' she told the BBC. 'There is way too much fear about what that would mean for global energy markets. There's a line drawn under where energy markets would be too undermined or too thrown off kilter.' Russia supplied 19 per cent of the EU's gas imports last year, including via the TurkStream pipeline supplying Hungary and Slovakia. Sanctions would be the easiest way for the EU to ban Russian gas altogether, but they require unanimous approval from all 27 EU nations. The EU's foreign affairs and security policy chief Kaja Kallas has said Russian oil and gas has escaped the worst sanctions after fears mounted in Europe of an escalation of the war and because exporting the fuel is 'cheaper in the short term'. In June, European chiefs plan to propose alternative measures for reducing the block's reliance on Russian fuel that can be approved by a majority of countries. All members except Hungary and Slovakia have previously welcomed the plan, according to EU diplomats – though some have raised concerns about the impact on energy prices. Surging volumes of gas continue to flow into Europe through Turkey. In the first two months of 2025 alone, gas deliveries via Turkey soared nearly 27 per cent compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, Russian oil ends up in the West after being processed in third countries. The CREA says it has identified three 'laundromat refineries' in Turkey and three in India processing Russian crude and selling the fuel to sanctioning countries. It says they have used more than £5billion worth of Russian oil to make products for sanctioning countries. Vaibhav Raghunandan, an analyst at CREA, said: '[These countries] know that sanctioning countries are willing to accept this. This is a loophole. It's entirely legal. Everyone's aware of it, but nobody is doing much to actually tackle it in a big way.' India's petroleum ministry dismissed the claim as a 'misleading and deceptive effort to tarnish India's image'. It said in statement: 'As a sovereign country, India is free to import or export goods and commodities within the terms of international law and calling its legitimate business a 'laundromat' implies an illegal activity to which India strongly objects. 'India meets its energy requirements through imports from multiple countries including Russia. India has never shied away from this fact nor is it apologetic about it.'
DW
24-05-2025
- General
- DW
The dirty secrets behind Myanmar's rare-earths boom – DW – 05/24/2025
Myanmar is caught in a scramble for minerals. Their exploitation is causing deaths and environmental harm in the country's Kachin State, activists tell DW. Can the region's independence movement make a difference? Lahtaw Kai draws an imaginary mountain into the air with her hands and uses her fingers to dot it with holes. "At the top of the mountains, they drill holes and then pour chemicals like ammonium nitrate into the ground to extract the rare earth minerals at the bottom," the Myanmar environment activist told DW. Lahtaw Kai — whose name we've changed for security reasons — was illustrating the so-called in-situ leaching technique, which has been applied for decades in mining rare earths in Myanmar's northern Kachin state. The process begins at the top of the mountains, where chemicals are injected into the earth through a network of pipes. As the solution tracks downslope, it gathers rare earth elements, which are then collected in large ponds. The rare-earth sludge is collected in ponds that also contain numerous toxic chemicals Image: Supplied by Global Witness At hundreds of mining sites in the region, in-situ leaching is proving to be a huge risk to both the environment and local villagers. "The rare earth sludge dries out in wood-fired kilns, and areas close to the mining sites constantly smell bad," said Lahtaw Kai, adding that she and her research team cannot stay there for more than 30 minutes because it's hard to breathe. "But people are working there without gloves and masks. Companies don't provide protection. So, the workers get sick and then [the company] fires them and brings in new workers," she added. Toxic leakage from the ponds is devastating the environment nearby Image: Supplied by a Global Witness partner Seng Li, a human rights activist currently based in Chiang Mai, Thailand, has researched mining sites in Myanmar's north and says the mountains used to be green before mining started. "Now those mountains are very ugly, the river turned red. Some of the chemicals they use in the mining pools, they just dump into the waters," he told DW. DW met both Lahtaw Kai and Seng Li on the sidelines of a recent tour of Europe, where they were campaigning for support of their cause. They want to make Europeans aware of what happens at the beginning of global supply chains that finally lead to products such as electric vehicles, wind turbines, medical equipment, and even weapons. Rare earth elements crucial industrial inputs? Julie Klinger, assistant professor at the University of Delaware in the United States, explains that the term rare-earth elements refers to 17 chemically similar elements in the so-called periodic table of elements. "The thing that distinguishes these elements is their fantastic, magnetic and conductive, and in some cases thermal properties," she told DW. Also called the "spice of industry," rare earths can be used in relatively small quantities to enhance industrial processes. Neodymium: The metal driving the energy transition To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Dysprosium, for example, is used as a catalyst in petrochemical refining, said Klinger, and can be found in Myanmar's north. The element with a metallic silver luster is essential for battery production, increasing their heat efficiency and longevity, making it a key component for the green energy transition. Dysprosium is also used in producing permanent magnets capable of maintaining a constant magnetic field needed for modern power generators in electric vehicles or wind turbines. Nonprofit organization Global Witness reported in 2024 that Chinese producers of permanent magnets are sourcing rare earths from Myanmar. Among the customers of China-made rare-earths products specifically named by the report are global auto giants Volkswagen, Toyota, Nissan, Ford and Hyundai, as well as wind power firms like Siemens Gamesa and Vestas. Another report compiled by Adams Intelligence — a consultancy for strategic metals and minerals based in Toronto, Canada — found Germany to be China's biggest customer for sourcing permanent magnets in 2024. A call for responsible mining China has reduced domestic mining for rare-earth elements, increasing the exploitation of deposits in neighboring Myanmar. Chinese imports of so-called heavy rare earth elements from Myanmar skyrocketed from their previous highs of 19,500 tons in 2021 to 41,700 tons in 2023, the Global Witness report says. "That's like a page out of the US playbook from the 20th century," said Julie Klinger, referring to the US approach of strategically not mining its domestic uranium deposits to safeguard them for later. Lahtaw Kai says people in Myanmar don't want the Chinese to continue mining, and adds: "If the international community wants to continue buying these minerals, they should be responsibly sourced." Myanmar's lucrative trade in rare earths — worth $1.4 billion (€1.2 billion) in 2023, according to Global Witness — risks financing conflict and destruction in a highly volatile region. In 2018, Myanmar's civilian-led government had banned exports and ordered Chinese miners to wind down operations, but since 2021, extraction has continued in the context of a ruthless dictatorship and widening civil conflict. In late 2024, the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) and its allied military forces wrested control of most of the mineral-rich region in the north from forces allied with the central government. KIO has been fighting for the region's independence since the 1960s. This power shift has led to new negotiations between KIO and Chinese producers on taxing rare earth extraction. While the KIO enjoys broad popular support in Kachin and greater legitimacy than government-allied militias, the 2024 Global Witness report says that on "both sides, this largely unregulated mining is environmentally devastating, and the threat it poses to ecosystems and to human health is becoming ever more urgent." Will KIO enforce more responsible mining? Lahtaw Kai and Seng Li demand more public oversight of safety at the operations. "So far, civil society groups and the people have been excluded from the process of policy-making on mining [...] international organizations and governments should directly engage with the KIO to strengthen their governance," said Seng Li. Myanmar's population doesn't get a fair share of the spoils from the rare-earth Image: Supplied by Global Witness And although Seng Li doesn't think rare-earth mining can be stopped, he said conditions must be improved to "benefit not only the armed actors and the Chinese investors." The local populations and the state should "share the benefits, through systematic and regulated processes." Edited by: Uwe Hessler
Glasgow Times
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
'Climate inaction will increase costs for Glasgow's households'
The smallest grassy patches can make a difference by providing food for bees and butterflies. Efforts to help improve local biodiversity and support the natural environment are more important than ever. To stop catastrophic climate change, we must take action to give nature the home it requires. We still need to support our nature reserves across the city. With high temperatures and the risk of water shortages, we have to protect wildlife habitats and extend nature networks in response to changing climate conditions. We are facing increasing threats from climate breakdown. The latest warnings on water scarcity show the urgent need to reduce our carbon emissions. We have to raise awareness about the current and future impacts of climate change on Scotland's water. It is important to acknowledge that climate change is a water crisis. We can feel the impact of changing weather through worsening floods, rising sea levels, wildfires and droughts. There is a need to reduce our water usage and support the adaptation of our water supply and wastewater services to help tackle the impacts of climate change. Climate inaction will increase costs for Glasgow's households and the economy unless big polluters are made to pay. Research by Global Witness has revealed that the costs of climate breakdown in the UK amount to an estimated £3,000 per household over the course of 2025. The cost of wildfires, flooding, crop losses, and droughts means higher bills for households, such as insurance and everyday essentials, warns Tax Justice UK. Unless polluters pay through a windfall tax, communities will be worse off and the super-rich will keep getting richer. The UK Climate Change Committee has published expert advice on what the Scottish Government must do to meet its ambitious 2045 net-zero targets. This committee is clear that the 2045 target is achievable, but only if the Scottish Government takes decisive and rapid action to reduce emissions from transport, home heating, and land use. Scottish Greens are also calling for the UK Government to listen to climate experts, take urgent action to fix the broken energy market, and end the artificial high price for clean green electricity, which is cheap to generate but expensive to consume. This comes following the publication of new monthly figures from the Office for National Statistics showing that inflation has jumped to 3.5 per cent in April, the highest level since February last year. Independent climate advisers have advised that the UK Government must act urgently to make electricity cheaper, through rebalancing prices to remove policy levies from electricity bills. We desperately need to fix the broken energy market that is plunging people into poverty all the while keeping our reliance on climate-wrecking fossil fuels. We're in a climate emergency. We need significant effort to be made to switch our homes to clean heat, and to protect our city from catastrophic damage. Delaying climate action actually costs a lot more in the long run.
Business Mayor
16-05-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
MP to launch bill to target superyachts, private jets and fossil fuel producers
Fossil fuel companies and their shareholders and owners of superyachts and private jets should have to pay into a fund for flood defences and home insulation, according to a private member's bill to be launched on Thursday. The bill is part of a broader movement by campaigners to 'make polluters pay', demanding that oil and gas companies, and those who benefit from fossil fuels, should take on more of the direct responsibility for tackling the climate crisis, rather than funding such measures from general taxation. As well as targeting oil and gas companies, the bill proposes ending subsidies for such businesses, taxing shareholders in receipt of dividends and capital gains on heavily polluting assets and companies whose operations have an impact on nature, and taxing the users and operators of luxury forms of travel including superyachts and private jets. Richard Burgon, the Labour MP who has tabled the bill in parliament, said: 'Fossil fuel giants have driven us to the cliff edge of climate catastrophe. They've made obscene profits while millions suffer the consequences. It's only right that those most responsible for the crisis fund the urgent climate action needed, both at home and abroad.' The move comes amid growing concerns over a net zero backlash, partly fuelled by Reform UK, which had record success in local elections and is riding high in political opinion polls. Reform has repeatedly taken aim at net zero policies, claiming that they are paid for by people on lower incomes. Reform's success has led to questions over how to pay for the shift to a low-carbon economy. Keir Starmer, speaking in parliament on Wednesday, accused Reform of being 'anti-jobs, anti-growth, anti-business and anti-investment'. The bill, formally known as the climate finance fund (fossil fuels and pollution) bill, has almost no chance of becoming law, but is aimed at kickstarting a campaign inside and outside parliament to gather support for measures to make polluters pay. Polling by More in Common, commissioned by the campaign group Global Witness, indicates that such a campaign could have resonance with voters, including those intending to vote for Reform. It found that two-thirds of UK adults were worried about increasing damages from extreme weather and other effects of the climate crisis, such as sea level rise and crop failure, and that a majority of people who said they would vote Reform if a general election were held tomorrow thought that oil and gas companies should be held responsible for repairing the damage caused by global heating. Seven in 10 Reform-leaning voters supported higher taxes on oil and gas companies and other high-emitting businesses. Flossie Boyd, a senior campaigner at Global Witness, said: 'Despite Reform leaders' vocal opposition to climate action, the poll reveals that most Reform-leaning voters are worried about climate change, and a huge proportion want to see the firms and individuals most responsible for it taxed more. skip past newsletter promotion The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news – the good, the bad and the essential Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion 'Politicians who want to protect communities and win over voters should take notice – we need investment to prepare for climate risks like flooding and storms, and we need the costs to be borne by big polluters raking in billions.' Louise Hutchins, the campaigns director at Stamp Out Poverty, said: 'There's huge public support for making big polluters pay up for the climate damage they've caused. The government has big decisions ahead about climate funding, at home and abroad. When five oil and gas corporations made over $100bn [£75bn] in profit in 2024, it's time ministers started looking to those responsible.'
Al Taghyeer
15-05-2025
- Business
- Al Taghyeer
Gold and the Financing of War in Sudan: From Chaos to Tools of Control
Gold and the Financing of War in Sudan: From Chaos to Tools of Control By: Omar Sidahmed Introduction: A Royal Legacy and a Forgotten Fortune For millennia, gold was the backbone of civilizations that flourished in what is now Sudan—particularly the kingdoms of Kush and Napata. The region was known to the ancient Egyptians and Greeks as 'Nubia' or 'Land of Gold,' a name reflecting the abundance of this precious metal and its link to sovereignty and trade. Inscriptions in Napata and Meroë, along with trade routes connecting Aswan, Halfa, Meroë, and Suakin, are lasting evidence of this (Ministry of Minerals, 2024). What was once a symbol of sovereignty has, in recent decades, become a driver of chaos and division. Gold is now exploited to fund conflicts and smuggled under the shadow of institutional weakness and the collapse of state structures (Global Witness, 2022; Chatham House, 2025). Gold: A Treasury of War Instead of a Resource for Development Despite Sudan's vast gold reserves—among the largest in Africa—this wealth has largely fueled war and illicit trade rather than supporting the national economy. Official figures estimate production between April and August 2023 at just 2 tons, while between 50% to 80% of actual output is smuggled, primarily through the United Arab Emirates (Sudan Tribune, 2023; Time Magazine, 2024). Both the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Army have financed their operations with gold revenues since the outbreak of war in April 2023 (Chatham House, 2025). Production and Export: Misleading Figures Sudan's gold sector boomed after 2010, peaking in 2016 at 93 tons. However, production dropped to 34.5 tons in 2022 before climbing again to 65 tons in 2024 (Ministry of Minerals, 2024). Yet, despite increased production, revenues declined—from $2.02 billion in 2022 to $1.6 billion in 2024—even as global gold prices rose by 30% (World Gold Council, 2024). This gap points to major flaws in marketing and oversight systems, further confirming widespread smuggling (Global Witness, 2022). The Parallel Economy, Manipulation, and Corruption Gold has become a pillar of Sudan's informal economy, traded outside the formal banking system. Many gold firms operate under the protection of powerful entities, beyond the reach of state oversight (Sudanese Transparency Initiative, 2020). Some registered companies are allegedly involved in smuggling, backed by security agencies, while mining concessions are often awarded based on political ties, not economic merit (Suleiman, 2021; Africa Intelligence, 2023). Smuggling: The Largest Leak An estimated 70% to 80% of Sudan's gold production is smuggled annually across borders with Egypt, Libya, Chad, and the Central African Republic via local and international networks (Sudan Tribune, 2023; Global Witness, 2022). Smuggling has become institutionalized, with intertwined interests between domestic actors and foreign entities (Chatham House, 2025; ICG, 2023). Environmental and Health Impacts Traditional mining relies heavily on unregulated use of mercury and cyanide, leading to water contamination, soil degradation, and outbreaks of respiratory and skin diseases—particularly in the Nile River State, South Kordofan, and Darfur (WHO, 2023; BBC Africa, 2021; Renewable Energy Center, 2023). War: Gold as Fuel for Conflict Since 2023, gold mines in Darfur and South Kordofan have come under the control of armed factions that use the proceeds to purchase weapons and fund military operations (Chatham House, 2025; Global Witness, 2022). These mines have effectively become 'sovereign zones' outside the reach of the state. A Decade of Losses: The Cost of Smuggled Gold Independent reports indicate that between 50% and 80% of Sudan's gold output is smuggled, depriving the state of massive revenues (Global Witness, 2022; Sudan Tribune, 2023). Based on the 2024 global average price of gold ($64,000/kg), Sudan's losses over the past decade are estimated between $23 billion and $36.8 billion: Item Quantity (tons) Value in USD Total Production (2014–2024) 719.7 $46.06 billion Smuggling at 50% 359.85 $23.03 billion Smuggling at 80% 575.76 $36.84 billion Sources: Ministry of Minerals, 2024; STPT, 2024; Chatham House, 2025) A Lesson from Burkina Faso Despite fragile security, Burkina Faso implemented successful reforms to reclaim control over its gold sector. Since 2022, reforms have included: Amending mining laws. Establishing a national company to manage major mines like Boungou and Wahgnion. Creating a national gold reserve. By 2025, annual production rose to 62 tons, and the government collected over 11 tons from artisanal mining in just one quarter (Chatham House, 2025). The sector has helped finance the national budget and reduced reliance on foreign aid. This success was not a miracle—but a practical model Sudan could follow with political will and a clear economic vision. Urgent Reforms Smart Oversight: Issue gold-backed bonds for delivered gold. Deploy mobile purchasing units to curb smuggling. Launch a national digital platform for real-time gold pricing (STPT, 2024). Institutional and Structural Reform: Publish concession contracts and production reports. Ban ownership or operation of mining companies by government officials. Strengthen regional cooperation to dismantle smuggling networks (Global Witness, 2022; Chatham House, 2025). Strategic Proposals: Sudanese sovereign gold bullion. Gold bonds to finance strategic projects. A national 'Gold City.' Production-sharing models. Joint-stock companies between the state and miners. Cooperatives for artisanal miners. Exclusive export and purchasing through the Central Bank. A national import matrix backed by gold. Link mining to renewable energy. A Sudanese exchange for gold and minerals. Gold as a Financial Asset A national exchange and gold-backed bonds would transform gold from a source of corruption and conflict into a strategic financial asset for reconstruction and long-term investment (World Bank, 2022; Al Jazeera, 2023). Conclusion: Reclaiming Gold from the Grip of Chaos — A Test of Sovereignty Sudan's gold sector is no longer just an economic file—it is a litmus test for state sovereignty and the authenticity of reform efforts. How this wealth is managed reflects the nature of power, governance, and institutional integrity. Gold can either be administered with the mindset of a modern state—anchored in law, accountability, transparency, and institutional strength—or remain a tool for militias, a commodity for patronage, and a fuel for endless conflict. Between these paths lies the shape of Sudan's future. Today, gold symbolizes both the depth of the national crisis and the seeds of its resolution. Just as it has funded war, it can fund recovery. Just as it has been squandered, it can become a national asset—if managed with transparency and real oversight. Global precedents prove this transformation is possible. Burkina Faso did it. Others have too—through sovereign visions, not just technical fixes. Sudan must now reclaim its role: regulator, protector, and steward of public wealth. What's needed isn't isolated actions but a holistic national vision—one that redefines the relationship between state and resources, society and wealth, politics and the economy. A transparent exchange, an independent refinery, a powerful regulatory body, and a mining sector free from shadow control—these are not luxuries. They are the building blocks of a new Sudan. Gold is no longer just a resource. It's the clearest test: either we reclaim it for the people, or leave it to warlords and arms dealers to dismantle the state. The moment of decision is here. The window is still open—but it won't stay that way for long. Final Cry: Whoever Controls the Gold… Controls the Future In a country where a mine's yield can buy an arsenal, gold is no longer a raw natural resource. It has become a decisive weapon in the struggle for power. The debate over gold in Sudan is no longer economic—it's a battle for the soul of the state. Sudan now faces a critical choice: either reclaim this sovereign asset from the grip of chaos, corruption, and smuggling—or watch the forces of war and secrecy keep using it to drive collapse. The choice is clear. Either gold becomes the foundation for rebuilding a new Sudan—or remains loot for the merchants of blood and arms. Arabic Sources Sudanese Ministry of Minerals. Annual Performance Report 2016–2024. Sudanese Ministry of Minerals. Gold Sector Development Plan, 2023. Future Studies Center. Traditional Mining Sector, 2020. Suleiman, Ahmed. The Shadow Economy of Gold in Sudan, Arab Center, 2021. Sudan Tribune. Various reports, 2022–2024. Sudan Transparency and Policy Tracker (STPT). Gold Sector Transparency Report, 2020. Al Jazeera Net. 'Sudan's Gold and the Parallel Economy,' 2023. Al Jazeera Net. 'Mercury Mining in Sudan,' 2022. Renewable Energy Studies Center. Impact of Traditional Mining on the Environment, 2023. International Sources Chatham House. Gold Production During the War in Sudan, 2025. Chatham House. Sudan and the Regional Conflict System, 2025. Time Magazine. Blood Gold and Sudan-UAE Relations, 2024. Wikipedia. Sudanese Civil War (2023–Present). Global Witness. Militarization of Gold in Sudan, 2022. Global Witness. Transparency and Accountability in the Gold Sector, 2022. Sudan Transparency and Policy Tracker (STPT). Tracking Illicit Gold Flows in Sudan, 2023–2024. International Crisis Group (ICG). Gold and War in Sudan, 2023. World Health Organization (WHO). Mercury Exposure in Sudanese Mining, 2023. BBC Africa. Toxic Gold Extraction in Sudan, 2021. World Bank. Sudan Economic Outlook, 2022. World Gold Council. Gold Demand Trends Q1 2024. Africa Intelligence. Mining Sector Reports on Sudan, 2020–2024.
