International

Green tech fights for limelight at CES gadget fest

Photo: Robyn Beck / AFP

January 7th | By AFP | Glenn Chapman |

At the CES tech megashow in Las Vegas, it is unusual to see an entrepreneur hold up a plant and present it as the latest breakthrough in consumer technology.

But for NeoPlants co-founder Patrick Torbey, the gathering held annually just after the new year should not be thought of as “only about machine technology and electronics.”

“It’s also about natural technology that we can leverage using these really cool engineering techniques,” Torbey told AFP.

NeoPlants, a Paris-based startup, was showing off a bioengineered plant capable of purifying indoor air of toxic pollutants “by doing the work of 30 regular houseplants,” according to its website.

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Technology geared towards helping the environment has steadily increased in number at CES since the Sin City expo began fifty years ago.

But observers often doubt the seriousness of the consumer tech industry’s commitment to protect the environment, with all the real excitement focused on smart TVs and robots instead of the more complicated and less profitable project of saving the planet.

“Until it really, really matters for consumers, it’s just going to kind of be this trend that’s over here on the side,” said Ben Arnold, research firm NPD’s consumer electronics analyst.

“As somebody who studies the market, I’m just not seeing yet where (environmental-minded tech) makes a difference in terms of units and dollars,” he added.

Ran Roth, the head of tech company Sensibo, agreed that successful devices were the ones that made financial sense and believed his products did just that.

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Roth’s devices use artificial intelligence and sensors to better manage air conditioning, an important concern in the often blistering heat of Israel, where his company is based.

Sensibo’s sensors measure humidity and temperature, and use software that learns a user’s habits, thereby saving energy and money.

Roth said new technology should have a “path to profitability” if it is going to thrive, a recurrent shortcoming of so called green tech that so often fails to be bankable.

“What is good about smart thermostats is that they are readily available and they offer the highest return on investment,” said Roth, who called air conditioning a “human right.”

‘What matters’

But as the climate emergency worsens, industry observers said major tech companies were under more pressure to commit to sustainability goals.

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“We have seen the public naming and shaming of organizations who indulged in greenwashing over the past year,” said Abhijit Sunil of Forrester Research.

“So a lot of organizations are kind of careful in what they mention as their sustainability initiatives and they are now as transparent as possible,” he said.

Sunil said that the real advances on the environment were to be seen in the industrial sector, agreeing that the consumer gadget business may be a step behind when it came to doubling down on going green.

Product design, manufacturing and packaging with an eye on a company’s waste and carbon footprint were the low hanging fruits when it came to environment technology, he said.

One such company, ACWA Robotics, won plaudits at CES for a robot dedicated to the detection and prevention of water leaks in underground pipes.

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In France, where the startup is located, 20 percent of drinking water is estimated to be lost due to leaky pipes.

Fighting for the environment “is the challenge of a century,” ACWA Robotics engineer Elise Lengrand told AFP.

“I mean sure it’s really cool to make big TVs and stuff, but this is really what matters,” she said.

International

Japan reopens Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Plant despite public concerns

La centrale nucléaire japonaise de Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, la plus grande au monde, a repris ses activités mercredi pour la première fois depuis la catastrophe de Fukushima en 2011, malgré les inquiétudes persistantes d’une partie de la population.

La remise en service a eu lieu à 19h02 heure locale (10h02 GMT), a indiqué à l’AFP Tatsuya Matoba, porte-parole de la compagnie Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco).

Le gouverneur de la préfecture de Niigata, où se situe la centrale, avait donné son feu vert à la reprise le mois dernier, en dépit d’une opinion publique divisée. Selon une enquête menée en septembre par la préfecture elle-même, 60 % des habitants se déclaraient opposés au redémarrage, contre 37 % favorables.

Mardi, plusieurs dizaines de manifestants ont bravé le froid et la neige pour protester près de l’entrée du site, sur les rives de la mer du Japon.

« L’électricité de Tokyo est produite à Kashiwazaki. Pourquoi seuls les habitants d’ici devraient-ils être exposés au danger ? Cela n’a aucun sens », a déclaré à l’AFP Yumiko Abe, une riveraine de 73 ans.

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La centrale de Kashiwazaki-Kariwa avait été mise à l’arrêt lorsque le Japon a fermé l’ensemble de ses réacteurs nucléaires à la suite du triple désastre de mars 2011 — un séisme, un tsunami et un accident nucléaire — survenu à Fukushima.

International

Markets rise as Trump halts Europe tariffs and floats Greenland agreement framework

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday lifted his threat to impose new tariffs on several European countries and said he had outlined the framework of a future agreement on Greenland during a meeting in Davos with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

“Based on this understanding, I will not impose the tariffs that were scheduled to take effect on February 1,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social, without providing details about the proposed “framework.”

The announcement boosted financial markets. Wall Street, which had been trading slightly higher, extended its gains following Trump’s message, while the U.S. dollar strengthened against the euro.

Trump has repeatedly insisted that Greenland, rich in mineral resources, is ‘vital’ to the security of the United States and NATO, particularly as Arctic ice melts and global powers compete for strategic advantage in the region amid rising tensions with China and Russia.

Last week, the U.S. president threatened to impose tariffs of up to 25% on eight European countries for supporting Denmark and sending a military exploratory mission to Greenland. All of the targeted countries are NATO members, including the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, Europe’s largest economies.

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Trump said on Wednesday that additional discussions are underway regarding the “Golden Dome” missile defense system, specifically in connection with Greenland.

He assigned Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and special envoy Steve Witkoff to lead the negotiations.

Hours before his post, Trump ruled out the use of force to seize Greenland for the first time, but demanded “immediate negotiations” for its acquisition, reiterating his view that only the United States can guarantee the security of the Arctic island.

International

Venezuela’s interim president predicts 37% increase in revenues for 2026

Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, said Wednesday that the country’s revenues are expected to increase by about 37% in 2026, in a statement made during a session of the Federal Government Council at the Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas.

Rodríguez said the projected rise in foreign currency income comes as agreements on Venezuelan oil sales with the United States are being implemented, including deals in which Washington will trade Venezuelan crude and manage the proceeds before transferring funds to Caracas.

“This year, revenues expressed in foreign currency will increase by 37%,” Rodríguez declared, according to EFE. She noted that the increase will also benefit regional governments and local authorities. “You will have more resources for your management, which I know you need,” she added.

Rodríguez said the distribution formula for revenues will remain the same as in 2025: 53% for communes, 29% for state governments, 15% for municipalities, and 3% for institutional strengthening. She also said the government would intervene to “correct imbalances” in how funds are allocated, particularly among some municipal and regional authorities.

The announcement follows reporting that Venezuela received at least $300 million from oil revenues tied to a U.S.–Venezuela deal that could involve up to 50 million barrels of crude. Washington officials have said the interim government met U.S. requirements under the agreement.