Climate politics
Rich countries sink billions into oil and gas despite Cop26 pledge
The US, Germany and Italy have been accused of backsliding on a Glasgow promise to end public subsidies to fossil fuel projects overseas
Mexico’s ruling party picks climate scientist for presidential run
Mexico is set for a green shift, as climate scientist Claudia Sheinbaum faces pro-renewables senator Xóchitl Gálvez in next June’s elections
Developing countries call for $100 billion loss and damage target
The 2030 target is one of several contentious proposals at negotiations in the Dominican Republic this week over a new loss and damage fund
Germany set to miss net zero by 2045 target as climate efforts falter
Germany, Europe’s largest economy, is failing to cut emissions in the transport and building sector, a report by government climate advisers shows.
A rocky path to Cop28 – Climate Weekly
Sign up to get our weekly newsletter straight to your inbox, plus breaking news, investigations and extra bulletins from key events
G20 climate talks fail to deliver emission cuts despite leadership pleas
Cop28 president, Sultan Al Jaber and UN climate change boss, Simon Stiell, had called on G20 countries to show leadership and deliver ambitious emissions cuts.
Germany plans to keep funding new gas projects overseas despite pledge
Draft guidelines for its export credit agency signal support for some gas projects until 2025 – three years after the deadline set by the Glasgow pledge
G20 divisions over key climate goals pile pressure on Cop28 hosts
The world’s largest economies failed to agree on targets to phase down fossil fuels and scale up renewables
Open letter from 14 countries to G20: Safeguard a liveable future
In an open letter to the G20, climate ministers from 14 countries outline key actions ahead of COP28, including a fossil fuel phase out.
Australia will update the ‘fantasy’ net zero plan it inherited
Australia’s new climate minister says the plan relied too heavily on future technologies – the new one will include sectoral plans
UAE’s Cop28 president plans “brutally honest” climate summit
“We must be brutally honest about the gaps that need to be filled, the root causes and how we got to this place here today” said Sultan Al-Jaber
EU to push for fossil fuel phaseout ‘well ahead of 2050’ at Cop28
At Cop28 the EU wants governments to agree on more renewables and a faster phase out of fossil fuels with a “residual” role for carbon capture technologies
The EU lacks ambition on Cop28 renewable targets
The EU’s interpretation of a global renewables target is less ambitious than the Cop28 presidency’s and incompatible with the Paris agreement
Shipping catches up – Climate Weekly
Sign up to get our weekly newsletter straight to your inbox, plus breaking news, investigations and extra bulletins from key events
UAE’s al Jaber says Cop28 will fast-track phase down of fossil fuels
The Cop28 chief has also urged the oil and gas industry to “step up its game” and scale up renewables investment
The UK’s retreat from climate leadership is not in its national interest
The UK won friends and influence as Cop president, its not in its interest to throw that all away by abandoning its climate ambition
Public banks agree to check investments against countries’ climate plans
Ten multilateral development banks have agreed on how to make sure their investments meet climate goals. But experts told Climate Home the rules do not go far enough.
What does “unabated” fossil fuels mean?
The word “unabated” qualifies commitments to phase out fossil fuels. But setting a clear definition is the subject of fierce debates.
UN’s climate work at risk, after EU limits budget increase
The UN didn’t get all the money it wanted for its climate programmes, leaving it reliant on the whims of wealthy donor nations
South Africa’s coal lobby is resisting a green transition
Coal lobbyists have defended industry interests, met with politicians and delayed climate legislation in South Africa.