Today’s ESG Updates
- EU Targets TikTok Over Child Protection Concerns: Regulators say design features expose minors to cyberbullying and online predators, breaching the Digital Services Act.
- Serbia’s Hydropower Output Plunges Amid Drought: The country’s biggest hydropower plant is producing just one-third of its average daily generation as Danube levels hit record lows.
- El Niño Could Intensify Global Food Inflation: JPMorgan warns that extreme weather, combined with energy crisis, could add 0.3 percentage points to inflation in 2027.
- HF Sinclair Sues EPA Over Biofuel Delays: The refiner has joined the industry push for faster EPA rulings on exemptions from biofuel blending mandates, warning of rising costs and higher fuel prices.
EU charges TikTok with breaching online safety rules over child protection risks
The European Commission has accused TikTok of breaching the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) over design features that could expose children to cyberbullying and online predators.
Regulators said minors’ accounts can be made public, allowing wider access to their content, while even private accounts may be discoverable through followers and following lists. The Commission said TikTok should make minors’ content visible only to approved users by default.
According to TikTok, teen accounts have “more than 50 preset privacy and safety features, informed by experts, from the moment they set up an account”. The company faces a potential fine of up to 6% of global annual turnover.
The charges are the fourth allegation against TikTok in two years.
***
Further reading: Commission preliminary finds TikTok in breach of Digital Services Act for failing to ensure safe accounts for minors
Klimado – Navigating climate complexity just got easier. Klimado offers a user-friendly platform for tracking local and global environmental shifts, making it an essential tool for climate-aware individuals and organizations.
Record low Danube levels slash Serbia’s hydropower output
Serbia’s largest hydropower plant, Djerdap 1, is operating at around one-third of its average daily output due to record-low Danube water levels, according to the CEO of state power utility EPS, Dusan Zivkovic.
The 1,140 MW plant is currently producing only 5,000 MWh per day, with May and June recording the lowest output since its opening in 1970. Low river levels have also disrupted fuel imports, with July shipments falling to 25% of their monthly target.
The drought has affected other facilities, including coal plants reliant on river water for cooling. Zivkovic warned conditions could worsen but said Serbia’s electricity supply remains stable.
***
Further reading: Output of Serbia’s biggest hydropower plant falls to a third due to low Danube levels
Related Articles
Here is a list of articles selected by our Editorial Board that have gained significant interest from the public:
Super El Niño and oil shock set to drive surge in global inflation
JPMorgan economists have warned that a potential “super” El Niño combined with higher energy prices could add 0.3 percentage points to global inflation in 2027.
The bank estimates an 81% chance that the current El Niño will develop into a very strong or super event by the end of the year, and a 97% chance that the conditions will persist into next year. A super El Niño alone could increase global food inflation by 0.7 percentage points. When combined with higher energy costs driven by the war in Iran, the impact could rise to 1.3-1.5 points.
Emerging markets are expected to bear the greatest impact, as food accounts for a larger share of household spending and agricultural production is more vulnerable to weather disruptions. JPMorgan identified India, Indonesia, Brazil and Colombia as particularly exposed to food price shocks.
***
Further reading: JPMorgan warns ‘super’ El Niño and oil shock could prop up global inflation
HF Sinclair sues EPA over delayed biofuel exemption decisions
HF Sinclair has sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over delays in deciding whether refiners can receive exemptions from federal biofuel blending mandates.
The mandates require refiners to blend billions of gallons of ethanol and other biofuels into fuel supplies or purchase renewable identification number (RIN) credits.
The lawsuit follows similar legal action by the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, who argue the rules could significantly increase compliance costs and fuel prices.
Earlier this month, the EPA said 42 small refinery exemption petitions remained pending. It must issue decisions by September 1st.
***
Further reading: HF Sinclair Sues EPA for Delays on Biofuel Blending Decision
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by the authors are their own, not those of impakter.com — Cover Photo Credit: Solen Feyissa.
