Climate finance
First ever Paris Agreement offsets face integrity questions
As Switzerland buys the first ever bilateral offsets, civil society’s analysis suggests the claimed emissions reductions from Thai buses would have happened anyway
Ten climate questions for 2024
The US election and negotiations on a new global finance target are the most important things for the climate in 2024
Six takeaways from 2023’s climate change news
Fossil fuel fights, finance struggles, a resurgent relationship, and much more. We recap the most impactful international climate developments in 2023.
Countries go ahead with carbon deals despite Cop28 standoff
The US and EU couldn’t agree on common rules for bilateral carbon trades in Dubai, leaving a vacuum for voluntary certifiers
What is Alterra, the UAE’s $30 billion green investment fund?
A big part of the $83 billion “mobilised” at Cop28, Alterra is primarily a profit-seeking fund with some development goals
Dutch initiative must turn the tables on fossil fuel subsidy reform
We’ve had enough “transparency” and “dialogue” around fossil fuel subsidy reform. It’s time to change the defaults
Vietnam charts uncertain coal path as finance falls short
Vietnam’s just energy transition partnership plan has no timeline for retiring coal, as backers offer mainly commercial loans, not grants
Four questions for Cop28 to settle about a global carbon market
As carbon credits face intense scrutiny, negotiators will wrangle over how to ensure the integrity of a new global carbon market
Meet the Italian fugitive advising Emirati start-up Blue Carbon
Samuele Landi has been convicted for bankruptcy fraud in Italy. That was no problem for the UAE firm doing forest carbon credit deals across Africa.
Slow start for Indonesia’s much-hyped carbon market
Since President Widodo launched Indonesia’s exchange two months ago, there’s been barely any trading of carbon credits
OECD: Rich countries ‘likely’ to hit $100bn climate finance goal in 2022
Data shows countries provided $89.6bn in 2021, but funding for adaptation declined.
France, Kenya set to launch Cop28 coalition for global taxes to fund climate action
The taskforce, set to be launched at Cop28, will consider the feasibility of levies on shipping, aviation, financial transactions and fossil fuels.
UK aid cuts leave Malawi vulnerable to droughts and cyclones
After the UK cut short a £52m climate adaptation scheme in Malawi, vulnerable communities saw their livelihoods destroyed by Cyclone Freddy
World Bank to initially host loss and damage fund under draft deal
Developing countries made key concession to land a draft deal on funding for climate victims, subject to political signoff at Cop28
The OECD must take its chance to stop funding oil and gas
Export credit agencies are still backing oil and gas projects – this week’s OECD meeting is a chance to change that
Forests, methane, finance: Where are the Cop26 pledges now?
Climate Home analysed how highly-publicised commitments are faring two years on from their announcement
Avoid our mistake: Don’t let World Bank host loss and damage fund
At the Global Partnership for Education, we paid a high price to be hosted by the World Bank. A loss and damage fund should be independent
Rich nations offer loans not grants for Vietnam’s coal transition
The G7 has offered to mobilise $15.5 billion to get Vietnam from coal to clean energy but just 2% of this is grants
China objects to UN fund warnings on solar’s forced labour risks
China opposed six Green Climate Fund projects because the proposals flagged the risk of forced labour in the manufacturing of solar panels.
The EU is about to revive a failed climate solution
The EU once led the world in combatting flawed forest offset schemes. Now it’s looking to give them a new lease of life.