Global Scans · Resources · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: The world is depleting its natural resources at an alarming rate due to population growth and over consumption. Increased competition for ever-diminishing food and water resources may amplify socio-economically motivated armed conflicts and causing quests for more efficient resources on and beyond Planet Earth.

• [New] Traditional oil & gas companies are using their natural gas resources and their expertise building infrastructure to capitalize on new business opportunities and build facilities to serve new markets in the Southeastern and Southwestern U.S. where data center development is underway. JD Supra
• [New] Europe's rising demand for green hydrogen opens opportunities for Egypt to position itself as a supplier, leveraging its abundant solar and wind resources to store excess power and export clean energy. Egypt Oil & Gas | Connecting The Pieces
• [New] Private gas firm Novatek funded and built the new Vostok Station, in what Buchanan says could be the first of a trend for energy firms to bankroll Antarctic development, and one of Russia's main activities is mapping Antarctica for resources such as oil, gas and critical minerals. The Sydney Morning Herald
• [New] Argentina-US critical minerals deal boosts ASX lithium plays; Lake Resources and Galan Lithium poised for US-backed growth in 2027-28. Small Caps
• [New] Maps of US wind and solar resources demonstrate the potential for abundant, affordable electricity and opportunities for rural communities, electric utilities, and tribes (not to mention railroads, industry, and the public) to benefit from use of existing rights of way. Solutionary Rail
• [New] Tesla recently announced it will discontinue its Model S and X to dedicate more resources to its Cybercab operations and other artificial intelligence projects. WLUK
• [New] As EV adoption accelerates, recycling will determine who controls resources, who leads innovation, and how sustainable the global transition truly becomes. EVTech.News
• [New] Ameren Missouri's 20-year Integrated Resource Plan accelerates generation investments with a balanced mix of energy resources, including significant clean energy expansion, to address 2 gigawatts of new energy demand by 2032. Business Facilities Magazine
• [New] Full export bans on critical resources, such as rare earth elements, would be at the far end of the spectrum of what China could do if fully confident in Western decline. oiip
• [New] The best large language models will likely continue to only be available through third-party providers such as OpenAI and Anthropic, who have access to huge training resources, specialist engineers, and massive datacenters to power it all. GenCodex Blog: A Helpful Guide to Low-Code and AI Innov
• [New] President Trump will no doubt be focused on the economic value of Greenland, given the supposedly vast natural mineral resources across the Arctic. Responsible Statecraft
• [New] Global nature loss poses a direct threat to national security and prosperity, citing cascading risks including conflict, migration, competition for resources, and potential impacts on food security through reliance on at-risk ecosystems. Greenhouse Communications
• [New] As water security issues proliferate in 2026 with the worsening effects of global warming on water resources, the year will find other areas where shared water reserves cause worry. Africa.com
• [New] With demand exploding thanks to AI and electrification, and traditional resources retiring faster than replacements can spin up, 2026 could mark the start of tougher times unless we act fast. Energy News Beat
• [New] The value of clean energy resources could exceed USD 15 million by 2050. Polaris
• [New] Increasingly scarce natural resources will drive greater competition between state and non-state actors, exacerbating existing conflicts, starting new ones and threatening global security and prosperity. The Ecologist
• [New] China is working to land its own astronauts on the lunar surface by 2030, and US officials want to beat the Chinese to the Moon for the motivation of national prestige and the material benefits of accessing lunar resources, among other reasons. Ars Technica
• Increasing scarcity of natural resources is expected to heighten competition between states and non-state actors, exacerbate existing conflicts and create new security challenges for the UK and its allies. Altiorem
• China supports the Tas Tepeler Project both financially and through human resources. Daily Sabah
• With a population of 130 million, a highly open commercial framework, and its strategic integration into North America, Mexico offers immense potential in natural resources, financial systems, and infrastructure development. Mexico Business
• Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources issued 138 new mining licenses in Nov (taking the total to 2719 as of Nov), reflecting its structural diversification strategy and building on a record increase in exploration activity during 2025. Nasser Saidi & Associates

Last updated: 11 February 2026