World
EU floats 90% emissions target but drops green farming measures
The European Commission has proposed a 90% cut to net emissions by 2040 but has dropped specific targets for farming
While Europe’s green backlash grows, Poland tells different story
As the backlash against laws protecting nature intensifies across Europe, public pressure has helped push forests centre stage in Poland
John Podesta replaces Kerry as top US climate diplomat
Podesta will lead US international climate diplomacy alongside his current job overseeing the rollout of domestic clean energy subsidies
Saudi Arabia cancels plan to raise oil pumping cap
Analysts said Saudi Arabia’s government may be losing faith that the world wants to keep buying more of its oil
Italy launches ‘ambiguous’ Africa plan fuelling fears over fossil fuels role
Giorgia Meloni has unveiled a long-awaited plan for African development named after Enrico Mattei, founder of oil and gas giant Eni.
Biden misses chance to tackle “huge” US landfill emissions
Food and plants dumped into US landfills are rotting and warming the planet but “weak” regulations have not been improved
US government pauses new gas export terminals in ‘historic win’ for climate
The Biden administration is freezing approvals of new LNG export permits as climate considerations take centre stage.
After gas pipeline sabotage, German activists claim solidarity against US gas export terminals
A group celebrating the sabotage said they opposed the pipeline out of solidarity with marginalised people in the USA
Junk offset sellers push to enter new UN carbon market
Renewable energy schemes make up four-fifths of Kyoto-era projects hoping to keep selling offsets under Article 6, sparking concerns over the credibility of the new market.
Poland’s green tide arrives in Brussels
While the previous Polish government tried to water down the EU’s climate action, the new one is supporting ambition
Veteran US and Chinese climate envoys step down
Xie Zhenhua has stepped down and John Kerry has announced he will do the same in a few months time
Witness bribing minister’s family own Congolese carbon credit company
The minister Jean-Pierre Bemba bribed witnesses in his war crimes trial and holds power over the environment minister Eve Bazaiba
Germany and US warn Brazil against using Amazon Fund to pave rainforest road
The Brazilian government wants to tap forest protection funds to pave a major highway. Western donors say that goes against the fund’s rules.
South African ministry uses opaque modelling to argue for weakening climate ambition
Gwede Mantashe’s ministry argues for cutting ambition on renewables and investing more in gas. also plugging so-called “clean coal”
China announces plans to manage electric vehicles power demand
The government will consider incentives to charge electric vehicles at off-peak hours and to let vehicles sell their electricity to the grid
Brazil lawmakers approve using green fund to pave road through Amazon rainforest
Donations meant to preserve the Amazon rainforest may be spent paving the road, which critics say will worsen the forest’s destruction
Why didn’t China and India sign Cop28 tripling renewables pledge?
China and India are on track to triple renewable capacity this decade, but were put off by anti-coal language and cost concerns
US tees up Congress battle with $3bn Green Climate Fund pledge
Vice-president Kamala Harris pledged $3 billion to the Green Climate Fund at Cop28, which Congressional Republicans will likely try to block
Leaks reveal how McKinsey drives African climate agenda
Whistleblowers raise alarm over American consultancy’s growing influence in pushing carbon markets and developing energy transition plans
Fearing repression in Dubai, non-binary people stay away from Cop28
Non-binary and trans people have been detained and deported at Dubai airport and being gay is effectively criminalised in the UAE