Commission

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe is calling on governments and energy providers to remove the hassle from sustainable choices by introducing greener defaults, so that environmentally friendly energy becomes the automatic option rather than one that requires extra effort. The appeal focuses on simplifying consumer decisions around heating, power and energy use across the UNECE region to speed up the transition to cleaner energy.

Four environmental organizations filed a petition Thursday asking the Federal Communications Commission to reverse its approval of a startup's plan to beam on-demand sunlight from space to Earth. The groups argue the agency ignored potential impacts on wildlife and astronomy when it cleared the project, escalating scrutiny of commercial ventures that would alter the night sky.

Thales, Bull and the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) are teaming up to develop quantum computing software intended for the French military. The partnership combines Thales's technology expertise, Bull's computing capabilities and the CEA's research resources, and is being discussed as a notable step in France's push to build sovereign quantum capabilities for defence applications.

The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission has directed staff to begin drafting a formal predator management policy, a step that would shape how the state handles species such as wolves, mountain lions and bears. The move was reported by the Flathead Beacon and is likely to draw input from hunters, ranchers and conservation groups as the policy takes shape.

Retail industry trade groups are pressing the US Federal Trade Commission to reconsider its guidance on personalized pricing, the practice of charging different customers different prices based on their data. The retailers argue the current approach creates legal uncertainty and could restrict common pricing practices. The push puts industry and regulators at odds over how consumer data should be used in setting prices.