Joe Lo
Joe Lo is a reporter for Climate Home News. He has previously specialised in container shipping, UK politics and investigative stories about Scotland. His work has appeared in the Guardian, Al Jazeera and Deutsche Welle.
Modi, Macron, Xi and Biden among many leaders yet to request COP29 speech
Just over 100 world leaders have said they will speak at the upcoming UN climate summit, about a fifth down on last year’s figure
Australian renewables pioneer Adelaide bids to host COP31 climate summit
South Australia has one of the world’s cleanest electricity grids, which it wants to showcase at the COP31 conference in 2026
Progress on structure for new global climate finance goal but trickier divides persist
Negotiators cite “convergence” on the shape of the post-2025 finance goal but gaps remain on contributors and amounts
New study blows hole in “transition fuel” claim of fossil gas backers
The study found that, for Europe and China, importing US-produced LNG is worse for the climate than using local coal
Civil servants warn fossil fuel exploration could harm New Zealand’s climate reputation
Advice to politicians says revoking a ban on oil and gas drilling could damage relations with Pacific neighbours and risk lawsuits
Greenpeace Africa in disarray as restructuring meets resistance
The environmental NGO’s campaigners and bosses have fought over job losses, a shift towards richer nations and LGBT+ policy
Senegalese banker Ibrahima Cheikh Diong picked to lead new loss and damage fund
Diong has experience in development banking, government and insurance against climate disasters in Africa
COP29 aims to boost battery storage and grids for renewables, as pledges proliferate
Governments are being asked to sign up to a goal to boost energy storage six-fold and renew or add 80 million km of electric grids, among other initiatives
UK calls for “ambition” on COP29 climate finance goal but won’t talk numbers
The UK’s new foreign minister, David Lammy, says Global North rhetoric on climate action must be matched by funding but stays silent on the size of a new global finance goal
Developing countries denounce rich nations’ disregard for just transition talks
One negotiator said it was “very unfortunate” that no developed-country officials travelled to Ghana for UN climate talks on “response measures”
British Airways plans to offset rising emissions by sprinkling crushed rocks
The airline will pay a UK company to carry out enhanced rock weathering, which speeds up natural carbon-absorbing processes
Bigger share of COP29 badges for Global South NGOs upsets rich-country groups
The UNFCCC has changed quota allocations for observers in a bid to address imbalance in regional representation
London airport expansion spotlights danger of “false hope” Jet Zero strategy
The UK government decided expansion is compatible with its plan to cut aviation emissions, raising questions about its reliance on unproven techno-fixes over reducing flights
US turns against plastic producers, boosting hopes for ambitious treaty
The shift sparked accusations of betrayal from the plastics industry and celebrations from environmental campaigners and a Pacific negotiator
Key UN report lends weight to Pacific plan for shipping emissions levy
The report was seized upon by the Marshall Islands but branded “unacceptable” and “nonsensical” by Argentina and Brazil
Renewable-energy carbon credits rejected by high-integrity scheme
The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market decided existing renewables methodologies don’t do enough to prove their emissions reductions are additional
As first airline drops goal, are aviation’s 2030 targets achievable without carbon offsets?
Air New Zealand has dropped its 2030 emissions reductions targets, validated by the Science-Based Targets Initiative
Climate diplomat Laurence Tubiana backed by some left-wing parties as next French PM
But she is opposed by hard-left coalition partner La France insoumise, which fears she is too close to centrist President Macron
UK court ruling provides ammo for anti-fossil fuel lawyers worldwide
Britain’s top court ruled that emissions from burning a fossil fuel – not just producing it – should be considered in decisions on new extraction projects
Where East African oil pipeline meets sea, displaced farmers bemoan “bad deal” on compensation
The oil export project has pushed up the price of land, so compensation is too low to maintain affected villagers’ standard of living