Energy
Governments have ‘historic opportunity’ to accelerate clean energy transition, IEA says
IEA head Fatih Birol is calling on heads of state and international financial institutions to make coronavirus recovery plans sustainable
Coronavirus: China’s economic slowdown curbs deadly air pollution
Premature deaths from air pollution in China could fall by 50,000-100,000 if economic downturn lasts a year, study estimates
Coronavirus: IMO postpones key meeting on reducing shipping emissions
The international shipping body has postponed five meetings due to take place at its London headquarters
UK’s Nigel Topping seeks broad movement to drive global economy to net zero by 2050
The UK’s climate action champion said he hoped 60% of world economic output will be generated in areas which have a 2050 goal of net zero emissions by the end of the year
The Netherlands faces pressure as global ‘test case’ for deep emissions cuts in 2020
Dutch Supreme Court has ordered the government to cut emissions by 25% by 2020 but latest figures show only a 15% reduction from 1990 levels
World faces ‘decisive decade’ to fix global warming, former UN climate chief says
Christiana Figueres issues blueprint for a peaceful global revolution to tackle ‘dire emergency’ of climate change, guided by the Paris Agreement she helped craft
South Korea urged to exit coal by 2029 to stick to Paris climate agreement
Climate Analytics research group calls on Seoul to phase out existing coal-fired power plants, stop new construction and halt funds for coal projects in other Asian nations
EU Parliament urges ECB to put climate at heart of strategy review
European lawmakers have endorsed a parliamentary resolution calling on the ECB to assess how the bank can contribute to the continent’s climate policies
One million solar panels! If only we knew where they were…
Pinpointing solar panels and knowing exactly where the sun is shining can cut carbon emissions by reducing the need to keep fossil-fueled generators on standby
Shipping could raise ambition of 2030 climate target, study shows
Research also shows that a Japanese proposal to cut CO2 by installing engine power limitation devices on ships would not deliver meaningful emissions reduction
Campaigners urge African Union to stop fossil fuel proliferation on continent
In a communique, African civil society called on leaders meeting in Ethiopia to ‘rapidly initiate a transition to clean and safe renewable sources of energy’ for all
‘Miles off track’ – Climate Weekly
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Offshore wind deployment boom ‘too slow’ to meet EU climate target
Europe needs between 230 and 450 GW of offshore wind by 2050 to decarbonise its energy system, according to the EU Commission
IMO under pressure to regulate new ship fuels over Arctic warming
New marine fuels introduced at the start of January could lead to an increase of the shipping sector’s climate impacts
‘Trundling over to Africa’ – Climate Weekly
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Oslo court backs Arctic oil exploration in defeat for environmentalists
Greenpeace says it will appeal to the Supreme Court, arguing oil exploration violates Norway’s constitutional guarantees of a healthy environment
Trump criticises ‘prophets of doom’ in Davos and touts fossil fuels
Trump, Thunberg set out radically different visions for the economy and climate in the 21st century
UK to stop funding coal abroad but will help Africa with oil, gas
The UK largely stopped financing new coal mines overseas in the early 2000s but spent billions of public funds supporting oil and gas projects abroad since then
Germany agrees pay-out to states and companies in coal phase-out deal
The federal government has struck a deal with the country’s coal-producing regions to phase out hard coal by 2035
EU reveals climate fund details as critics worry cash won’t be enough
EU’s climate chief Frans Timmermans acknowledged the €100bn pot to fund the transition away from fossil fuels was ‘just a start’