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.
Bonn bulletin: Fossil fuel transition left homeless
Countries clash over where to negotiate the shift away from dirty energy agreed at COP28, while talks on a new climate finance goal make little progress
Bonn bulletin: Crunch time for climate finance
Negotiators take on tricky topics in a slimmed-down finance text as UN climate chief calls for country transparency reports to shed light on NDC progress
Developing countries suggest rich nations tax arms, fashion and tech firms for climate
At Bonn talks, G77 group floats a 5% sales tax on tech, fashion and defence firms to fund green spending in the Global South
UN chief calls on governments to ban fossil fuel ads
António Guterres says many nations have already banned tobacco advertising and should do the same for fossil fuels, reining in “the Godfathers of climate chaos”
“Great enabler of climate action” – UN urges Bonn progress on new finance goal
UN Climate head Simon Stiell called on countries to start narrowing down options to strike a deal on post-2025 climate finance by COP29 in November
On beaches of Gaza and Tel Aviv, two tales of one heatwave
While Palestinians in Gaza fear death from heat in makeshift tents, Israelis in Tel Aviv stay cool in air-conditioned homes – highlighting the unequal effects of extreme weather
Despite exit, EU seeks to save green reforms to energy investment treaty
EU ministers have agreed they are free to support reforms to end protection for fossil fuels at a conference in November
US government backs the carbon credit industry’s push to fix itself
The Biden administration throws its weight behind the industry’s attempts to boost integrity in the beleaguered market
In Malawi, dubious cyclone aid highlights need for loss and damage fund
Malawi’s Red Cross built 45 homes funded by a suspected Nigerian fraudster, which residents of Mchenga village say are unsafe
Days after climate talks, US slaps tariffs on Chinese EVs and solar panels
The measures are designed to increase the cost of Chinese goods needed for the energy transition – and could therefore slow the US shift away from fossil fuels
World Bank tiptoes into fiery debate over meat emissions
The bank has advised wealthy nations to cut subsidies for high-emissions foods but stopped far short of promoting veganism
UN agrees carbon market safeguards to tackle green land grabs
Local communities will be able to officially challenge UN-registered carbon credit projects before and after they are up and running
Hopes fade for production curbs in new global pact on plastic pollution
With no further talks scheduled on limiting plastic production before final negotiations in November, the treaty may focus instead on recycling
Southern Africa drought flags dilemma for loss and damage fund
Scientists blame the current drought on El Niño – which could exclude those affected from receiving aid for climate-change damage
Peak COP? UN looks to shrink Baku and Belém climate summits
While 84,000 delegates attended COP28 in Dubai, just 40,000-50,000 are expected at COP29 in Baku and COP30 in Belém
Global billionaires tax to fight climate change, hunger rises up political agenda
Brazil and France want the G20 to get behind a global minimum tax on billionaires’ wealth, also backed by IMF chief
Canadian minister vows to fight attempts to weaken plastic pollution treaty
Environment minister Steven Guilbeault accuses “some countries” of slow-walking negotiations, ahead of talks in Ottawa
UN climate chief calls for “quantum leap in climate finance”
Simon Stiell says far more money is required for developing countries to submit bold new climate plans, which would benefit all economies
Forest carbon accounting allows Guyana to stay net zero while pumping oil
Experts say UN rules around forests and oil are open to abuse, so that countries like Guyana can claim to be carbon-negative without cutting emissions
Zambia’s fossil-fuel subsidy cuts help climate and kids – but taxi drivers suffer
Under pressure from the IMF, the government has redirected subsidies into education, welfare and debt reduction, leaving fuel-heavy sectors with higher costs