World
French police tap counter-terrorism unit to quell climate activists
‘It’s beyond disproportion’, says group that has removed 27 portraits of Emmanuel Macron from town halls, as ‘green scare’ spreads in Europe
Saudi Aramco says climate lawsuits ‘could result in substantial costs’
The world’s largest oil producer made more money than Apple and Alphabet combined last year, but the company sees litigation and clean tech as threats
Australia stops payments to Green Climate Fund
Australian budget offers nothing to flagship UN scheme as its board seeks replenishment, while climate shapes as divisive election issue
Slovakian president-elect is a green campaigner who will fight coal subsidies
‘Slovakia’s Erin Brockovich’ Zuzana Čaputová will promote a green jobs agenda against the country’s traditional backing of heavy industry
‘Laggard’ Ireland takes step toward net-zero carbon goal
A cross-party parliamentary group wants carbon budgets, a higher tax and green agriculture support to reverse the country’s lax policies
Brazil: Official who fined Bolsonaro for illegal fishing in 2012 is fired
The $2,500 fine launched a seven year vendetta against José Olímpio Augusto Morelli and the agency that protects the Amazon, from the man who now runs the country
Extreme weather impacted 62 million people last year, says WMO
As the impacts of Cyclone Idai continue to grow in south-eastern Africa, the global agency says extreme weather is worsening hunger and conflict
UK MPs propose Green New Deal bill
A private members bill would compel the UK government to decarbonise the economy and “eradicate inequality”
China’s Xi backs climate-friendly finance on Europe tour
Xi made common cause with Emmanuel Macron on climate change, amid multi-billion dollar business deals on a 6-day visit to Europe
Indonesia says it will ‘mainstream’ low-carbon development
By 2045, Indonesians could be as wealthy as those of the Netherlands or Germany today if green policies are chosen, a government report found
Southeast Europeans ignore EU rules with €2.4bn coal subsidies
The EU’s Energy Community neighbours ‘systematically turn a blind eye’ to its state aid rules, a report by the secretariat finds
Russia floats first law to regulate CO2 emissions
Draft bill would give government powers to regulate CO2 and create carbon markets, but faces stiff opposition inside and outside Moscow administration
Life adapts to Louisiana’s disappearing coast
South Louisiana is experiencing the effects of coastal erosion faster than almost anywhere in the world, but life adapts through the buildings and architecture
EU leaders’ draft statement dismays climate campaigners
At a council meeting expected to be dominated by the UK’s attempts to leave the EU, leaders are expected to ignore recent pressure to raise the bloc’s climate targets
‘We were ecologists before the capitalists’: the gilets jaunes and climate justice
France’s worst civil unrest in decades was sparked by an anti-pollution tax, but are the gilets jaunes fighting against climate action?
UK and Italy bid for 2020 climate talks, amid political uncertainty for both
Both countries face potential general elections and economic problems before the crucial Cop26 meeting and the UK may still be in a Brexit imbroglio
The Green New Deal: Finally climate policy informed by science
The proposal from Democrats is the most comprehensive response yet to the scientists’ warnings, to implement it would be realism, not radicalism
‘We haven’t known a world without climate change’: school strikers demand safe future
In more than 100 countries, young people took to the streets in a challenge to their parents and politicians
Germany ready to join global coal phase-out alliance: environment minister
Now its coal commission has recommended a 2038 exit date, Germany can join a global alliance to end coal burning, Svenja Schulze tells Taz newspaper
Chile warns of 3-hour commutes, split venue at December climate talks
This year’s UN summit comes at a “highly congested” period in Santiago, the hosts say, but a plea to move it to January was overruled