Latest news with #YaraInternational
Asharq Al-Awsat
28-05-2025
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Australia's Bid for Ancient Rock Art World Heritage Listing Stalls Over Pollution
Australia's bid to secure World Heritage status for a site with Indigenous rock art estimated to be 50,000 years old has been dealt a blow after a UN advisory body warned it was at risk from nearby industrial pollution. The International Council on Monuments and Sites advised UNESCO to refer the nomination back to the Australian government so it could 'prevent any further industrial development adjacent to, and within, the Murujuga Cultural Landscape'. Located on the Burrup Peninsula in Western Australia state, the Murujuga rock art, which is of cultural and spiritual significance to local Indigenous Australians, was nominated for heritage listing in 2023. The Burrup Peninsula is also a key industrial hub, home to two gas plants run by Woodside, and fertilizer and explosives plants run by Norway's Yara International. The government on Wednesday extended the lifetime of Woodside's largest gas plant in the region, the North West Shelf, until 2070. The extension will generate up to 4.3 billion metric tons of additional carbon emissions. Scrutiny over the impact of Australia's resources industry on Indigenous heritage sites has been magnified since Rio Tinto destroyed the 46,000-year-old Juukan Gorge rock shelters as part of a mine expansion in 2020. Australia has said the Murujuga petroglyphs were in 'good condition overall' and presented findings from a study of the site that said there were no suggestions 'acid rain or deposition is contributing to damage of the rock art'. Despite this, ICOMOS recommended preventing further industrial development near the site and called for a 'decommissioning and rehabilitation plan for existing industrial activities'. ICOMOS, citing media reports quoting rock art experts and information received about the proposed North West Shelf extension, concluded 'the conservation conditions of the petroglyphs are extremely vulnerable and threatened by industrial acidic emissions'. Luke James, a cultural heritage expert at Deakin University, said the ICOMOS draft decision was a 'setback' for the Australian government. 'ICOMOS has identified some concerns around protection and management,' he said. 'It is now up to the Australian government to demonstrate to the committee that these are surmountable, or it will need to wait at least a year - and do further work - for another chance at inscription.' Woodside said in a statement it continued to support the heritage listing of the rock art and would work with the Murujuga traditional owners and government to prepare its response to ICOMOS' recommendation. 'We believe the World Heritage nomination should proceed on the strength of the evidence and stand as proof that cultural heritage and industry can responsibly coexist when collaboration, transparency and rigorous scientific monitoring are in place,' it said. The UNESCO World Heritage Committee will meet in July.
Reuters
28-05-2025
- General
- Reuters
Australia's bid for ancient rock art World Heritage listing stalls over pollution
SYDNEY, May 28 (Reuters) - Australia's bid to secure World Heritage status for a site with Indigenous rock art estimated to be 50,000 years old has been dealt a blow after a U.N. advisory body warned it was at risk from nearby industrial pollution. The International Council on Monuments and Sites advised UNESCO to refer the nomination back to the Australian government so it could 'prevent any further industrial development adjacent to, and within, the Murujuga Cultural Landscape'. Located on the Burrup Peninsula in Western Australia state, the Murujuga rock art, which is of cultural and spiritual significance to local Indigenous Australians, was nominated for heritage listing in 2023. The Burrup Peninsula is also a key industrial hub, home to two gas plants run by Woodside ( opens new tab, and fertiliser and explosives plants run by Norway's Yara International. The government on Wednesday extended the lifetime of Woodside's largest gas plant in the region, the North West Shelf, until 2070. The extension will generate up to 4.3 billion metric tons of additional carbon emissions. Scrutiny over the impact of Australia's resources industry on Indigenous heritage sites has been magnified since Rio Tinto ( opens new tab destroyed the 46,000-year-old Juukan Gorge rock shelters as part of a mine expansion in 2020. Australia has said the Murujuga petroglyphs were in 'good condition overall' and presented findings from a study of the site that said there were no suggestions 'acid rain or deposition is contributing to damage of the rock art'. Despite this, ICOMOS recommended preventing further industrial development near the site and called for a 'decommissioning and rehabilitation plan for existing industrial activities'. ICOMOS, citing media reports quoting rock art experts and information received about the proposed North West Shelf extension, concluded 'the conservation conditions of the petroglyphs are extremely vulnerable and threatened by industrial acidic emissions'. Luke James, a cultural heritage expert at Deakin University, said the ICOMOS draft decision was a 'setback' for the Australian government. 'ICOMOS has identified some concerns around protection and management," he said. 'It is now up to the Australian government to demonstrate to the committee that these are surmountable, or it will need to wait at least a year - and do further work - for another chance at inscription." Woodside said in a statement it continued to support the heritage listing of the rock art and would work with the Murujuga traditional owners and government to prepare its response to ICOMOS' recommendation. "We believe the World Heritage nomination should proceed on the strength of the evidence and stand as proof that cultural heritage and industry can responsibly co-exist when collaboration, transparency and rigorous scientific monitoring are in place," it said. The UNESCO World Heritage Committee will meet in July.
Reuters
23-05-2025
- General
- Reuters
Study on ancient Australia rock art paves way for Woodside's North West Shelf extension
SYDNEY, May 23 (Reuters) - Ancient rock art in Western Australia is not being damaged by emissions from industrial sites, a study released on Friday found, just days out from a decision on whether to extend Woodside's ( opens new tab major gas project nearby. The latest findings from the Western Australian government's ongoing Murujuga Rock Art Monitoring Program could clear the way for Woodside's North West Shelf liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant extension, as well as the addition of the Murujuga Cultural Landscape to the UNESCO World Heritage list. The Murujuga rock art is estimated to be up to 50,000 years old and is of cultural and spiritual significance to Indigenous Australians. Australia nominated the landscape for heritage listing in 2023. The rock art is located on the Burrup Peninsula, a key industrial hub, also home to two LNG plants run by Woodside and fertiliser and explosives plants run by Norway's Yara International. The Australian federal government is currently considering a proposal to extend the life of Woodside's North West Shelf project until 2070. Environmental groups have long opposed the extension, citing the risk of acidic industrial emissions degrading the rock art's surface. Australia's decision on the North West Shelf is due by next week. The UNESCO World Heritage listing decision is due by July. "The program's data does not support earlier theories suggesting acid rain or deposition is contributing to damage of the rock art," a statement from the state government said. Belinda Churnside, vice chair of the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation, which partnered with the government on the study, said in a video that she was confident the rock art monitoring program would contribute to its conservation and "support the decisions made by the World Heritage Committee." However, the study did find some rock surfaces had been affected by industrial pollution when emissions were higher in the 1970s.
Zawya
20-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
New pact to boost Oman's green hydrogen push
MUSCAT: The signing of new agreements between India-headquartered ACME Group and Hydrom marks a major advancement in Oman's efforts to scale up its green hydrogen ambitions. The Project Development and Usufruct Agreements signed on Sunday, May 18, formally bring ACME's Phase 2 and 3 hydrogen and ammonia projects in Duqm under the national framework overseen by Hydrom. In an interview with the Observer, ACME's Country Manager in Oman, Gursharan Jassal, said the new pact reflects strong confidence in Oman's clean energy strategy and long-term vision for global leadership in green hydrogen. 'This agreement represents a major step toward a cleaner and more sustainable energy future for Oman,' he noted. The expanded projects will span 80 square kilometres within the Special Economic Zone at Duqm (SEZAD) and are expected to produce 71,000 tonnes of green hydrogen and 400,000 tonnes of green ammonia annually in each phase. This builds on ACME's Phase 1 facility currently under construction, which will produce 100,000 tonnes of green ammonia annually under an offtake agreement with Yara International. Jassal explained that Phase 1 is targeted to begin production by Q1 2027, while Phase 2 is scheduled for 2028–2030 and Phase 3 from 2030–2033. He revealed that the project's first phase has already achieved financial closure with backing from India's Power Finance Corporation. 'We have signed a term sheet for Phase 2 and will now proceed with finalising offtake and financial agreements,' he added. ACME is currently focused on exporting green ammonia from Duqm, with key markets in Europe and Far East Asia. Jassal also highlighted Oman's top ranking in ACME's global simulation for the lowest cost of producing hydrogen and ammonia, which factored heavily in the company's decision to invest. From Hydrom's side, Managing Director Eng Abdulaziz al Shidhani said the inclusion of ACME's legacy initiatives under the national hydrogen portfolio strengthens the regulatory alignment and sends a strong message to global investors. 'It's a positive message to the market that Oman is continuing to award new projects and build the green hydrogen ecosystem,' he told the Observer. With this latest addition, Hydrom's portfolio has grown to nine large-scale projects across Al Wusta and Dhofar, with combined investments exceeding $50 billion and a production target of 1.5 million tonnes of green hydrogen per year by 2030. The projects will be powered by approximately 35 GW of renewable energy. Al Shidhani also noted that the timing of the agreement supports Hydrom's third land auction round, currently underway, and will help attract further attention from prospective investors. 'Our role is to continue working closely with ACME and others to ensure successful execution while addressing any implementation challenges,' he affirmed. 2022 © All right reserved for Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising (OEPPA) Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Business Insider
27-04-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Kepler Capital Keeps Their Hold Rating on Yara International (0O7D)
In a report released on April 25, Christian Faitz from Kepler Capital maintained a Hold rating on Yara International (0O7D – Research Report), with a price target of NOK324.00. The company's shares closed last Friday at NOK339.36. Stay Ahead of the Market: Discover outperforming stocks and invest smarter with Top Smart Score Stocks. Filter, analyze, and streamline your search for investment opportunities using Tipranks' Stock Screener. According to TipRanks, Faitz is a 4-star analyst with an average return of 6.6% and a 47.22% success rate. In addition to Kepler Capital , Yara International also received a Hold from BMO Capital's Joel Jackson in a report issued on April 25. However, on April 16, Jefferies maintained a Sell rating on Yara International (LSE: 0O7D). Based on Yara International's latest earnings release for the quarter ending December 31, the company reported a quarterly revenue of NOK3.39 billion and a GAAP net loss of NOK290 million. In comparison, last year the company earned a revenue of NOK3.51 billion and had a net profit of NOK244 million
