Climate science
Southern Madagascar at risk of famine amid worst drought in 40 years
UN agencies are urgently calling for international support as a million Madagascans go hungry, with some surviving on insects and wild roots
UK aid cuts hit developing cities’ plans to protect against floods and fires
The urban poor in Nairobi, Kathmandu, Quito and Istanbul will lose out from deep budget cuts to the UK-backed Tomorrow’s Cities programme
Pakistan explores debt-for-nature scheme to accelerate its 10 billion tree tsunami
Creditors could grant Pakistan debt relief in exchange for meeting nature restoration targets, under a proposed first-of-its-kind bond
Cyclone Seroja kills 160 people, exposes Indonesia’s climate vulnerability
Campaigners say a government rollback of environmental regulations increases Indonesia’s vulnerability to flash floods and landslides
UK pledges to make scaling up adaptation finance a priority at G7 summit
At a ministerial meeting of donor and developing countries, the UK said it would aim to secure additional financial support for vulnerable nations by June
How the shipping industry can halve climate-warming black carbon in the Arctic
Switching to cleaner shipping fuel would prevent Arctic warming and deliver an easy win for the climate
Scientists push to add “huge” fish trawling emissions to national inventories
Bottom-trawling for fish releases more carbon dioxide each year than Germany, a study has revealed, yet this is not included in national carbon accounts
China, US urged to step up as UN warns world ‘very far’ from meeting climate goals
Collectively, updated national targets will only reduce emissions 0.5% by 2030 from 2010, UN analysis finds — far from the 45% scientists say is needed to hold warming to 1.5C
‘Science-based’ corporate climate targets are no such thing, says former advisor
As the number of businesses setting ‘science-based’ targets surges, experts are calling for more transparency over how those numbers are calculated
Study suggests China’s crackdown on illegal CFC gases is working
Levels of the banned CFC-11 in the atmosphere have fallen over east Asia after the Chinese government cracked down on illegal producers in the foam industry
Fatal Himalayan glacial lake outburst highlights destabilising effect of warming
More than 200 people are dead or missing after floods gushed through mountain gorges in Uttarakhand, India, in a disaster linked to climate change
New Zealand urged to accelerate emissions cuts in line with 2050 net zero goal
Independent advisors said New Zealand should cut emissions “much more than 35%” from 2005 levels by 2030 to align ambition with a 1.5C global warming limit
Rich nations accused of inflating climate adaptation finance figures
Japan labelled loans for roads and bridges as “climate adaptation” finance, while the World Bank counted support for Nepal to rebuild from an earthquake
‘Star Wars without Darth Vader’ – why the UN climate science story names no villains
As the next blockbuster science report on cutting emissions goes to governments for review, critics say it downplays the obstructive role of fossil fuel lobbying
France and UK lead push for climate finance to restore nature
Campaigners welcomed commitments to ramp up funding for biodiversity but raised concerns it came at the expense of other climate and aid spending
In Kenya’s changing climate, women are claiming land rights to feed their families
Owning their own land allows Kenyan women to build resilience to drought and flooding, but many are unaware of laws intended to empower them
I am proud to have negotiated the Paris Agreement, at my first UN summit
Five years on from the landmark talks in Paris, multilateralism and dialogue continue to be the way forward for countries to meet their climate promises
10 myths about net zero targets and carbon offsetting, busted
Carbon neutrality targets are often not as ambitious as they sound, relying on problematic carbon offsets and unproven technologies
Poor nations call for more financial support to cope with climate impacts
At a summit of least developed countries, leaders said they needed aid to overcome climate disasters and put ambitious climate plans into action
WMO: Siberian heatwave put 2020 among three hottest years on record
Temperatures reached 38C in Siberia, leading to wildfires and increased melting of the sea ice and putting 2020 on course for 1.2C warming globally