UN climate talks
Malaysian bank to phase out coal finance, in a victory for campaigners
CIMB has been hailed as the first major bank in an emerging market to publish a coal exit strategy, after investing $2.6 billion in the sector last decade
UK announces stronger 2030 emissions target, setting the bar for ambition summit
The UK will cut emissions 68% from 1990 to 2030, Boris Johnson announced, urging other leaders to bring new commitments to the 5th anniversary of the Paris Agreement
Youth activists demand damages for climate victims at virtual ‘mock Cop26’
Making polluters pay for losses suffered by communities on the frontline of climate impacts is a priority for young activists, as they prepare to engage with UN negotiations
First named Cop26 sponsors are big investors in offshore wind – and a gas plant
SSE, Scottish Power and National Grid have been named as sponsors of next year’s UN climate summit in Glasgow, with SSE defending a “transition” investment in gas power
Biden promised to expose ‘climate outlaws’. Here’s who could make his list
The US president-elect promises to usher in a more confrontational era of climate diplomacy, putting a spotlight on major emitters slow-walking climate action
‘Count every vote’ demand US climate activists, after Trump false victory claim
Climate activists have reacted angrily to Donald Trump’s unfounded claim he won the US presidential election, mobilising to defend the democratic process
US has officially left the Paris Agreement, amid election to determine climate future
The race for the White House could take days or weeks to settle, with major implications for the prospects of tackling the climate crisis
Environmentalists urge UN to condemn Brazil’s spying at climate talks
Brazilian campaigners said tolerating the Bolsonaro administration’s spying at climate talks would set “a grisly precedent” and called on the UN to prevent future incidents
UK negotiator: Countries must resolve carbon market dispute to step up ambition
Diplomats will try to make progress on the last unresolved issues of the Paris Agreement in online events run by UN Climate Change next month
Brazilian spies intimidated government’s own delegates at climate talks
Bolsonaro sent four secret agents to the Cop25 climate summit in Madrid, where campaigners said Brazilian negotiators were afraid to talk to them
Where are US emissions after four years of President Trump?
Donald Trump has overseen a small decline in US emissions, but his claim to have the “lowest carbon” is false by most measures
Nigeria, Jamaica bring closure to the Kyoto Protocol era, in last-minute dash
With hours to the deadline, Nigeria became the 144th country to ratify the Doha Amendment, ensuring it would come into force before it expires this year
China host of major nature talks fails to step up at UN biodiversity summit
Campaigners had hoped President Xi would surprise the world again this week with tough measures to reverse biodiversity loss. They were left disappointed
UK, UN bill Paris Agreement anniversary as key moment for raising climate ambition
An online summit on 12 December offers a last chance for leaders to show off increased climate ambition by the end of 2020, the UN deadline
5 burning questions about China’s carbon neutrality pledge
It is the biggest climate policy milestone since the Paris Agreement in 2015, but the strength of China’s carbon neutrality pledge depends on these key details
‘China is willing to contribute more’: Beijing signals carbon neutrality intent
After a virtual summit with the EU, China trailed plans to go carbon neutral by mid century, in a move welcomed by climate advocates
Vietnam brings cement sector into new climate submission to the UN
The southeast Asian nation has made slight improvements to its 2030 climate plan but still expects emissions to increase rapidly over the next decade
There will be no ‘green recovery’ for poor countries without loss and damage finance
A loss and damage fund linked to rich countries’ mitigation efforts could levy new funds to address ‘perfect storm’ of flooding, Covid-19 and economic hardship
China among nations likely to miss 2020 deadline for climate plans – UN’s Espinosa
UN climate chief expects only 80 updated national climate plans this year, as preparations are delayed by coronavirus pandemic and US political uncertainty
Extra UN climate talks mooted for 2021 to help negotiators catch up
After losing a year to the coronavirus pandemic, UN Climate Change is considering an extra meeting in 2021 to resolve sticking points in the negotiations