<p>Indonesia has announced its intentions to challenge a European Union directive, known as RED II, that aims to stop the use of crops that cause deforestation in transportation fuel by 2030. The country is concerned that the directive will unfairly target palm oil, of which it is the world's top producer. A government document outlining Indonesia's stance on the directive claims that the method use to measure the risk of unintended carbon emissions was not internationally recognized and not applicable in a tropical region.

<p>On January 30, United Nations human rights experts called for an impartial investigation into the collapse of a dam in Minas Gerais, Brazil, on January 25, and into toxicity of the waste from the iron ore mine. The dam is owned by Vale SA, the world's largest iron ore miner. One expert urged the government to prioritize safety evaluations of dams, and to refrain from authorizing new tailing dams until safety has been ensured.

<p>Canada's top court has ruled that energy companies must fulfill their environmental obligations before paying back creditors in cases of insolvency and bankruptcy, effectively requiring companies to clean up old oil and gas wells rather than leaving them for others to clean up.