Latest climate change news
Unequal vaccine rollout threatens inclusivity of Cop26, climate diplomats warn
Negotiators are worried that requiring a vaccine passport to attend November’s critical UN climate summit will exclude developing countries with limited supplies
Five ways the UK is failing to walk the talk on a green recovery ahead of Cop26
While vocal on raising climate ambition on the global stage, recent domestic policy announcements undermine the UK host’s leadership credentials
Hall of shame: 9 countries missing the chance of a green recovery
Just 18% of recovery spending globally is green, a UN report found. Despite pledges to ‘build back better’, governments have propped up fossil fuels, aviation and roads
EU lawmakers threaten to veto green finance rules – for opposing reasons
A draft EU sustainable finance taxonomy is under fire for being too strict and not strict enough, with gas and nuclear at the heart of the controversy
South Sudan plans to raise climate ambition amid ‘dire’ humanitarian crisis
The world’s newest country is seeking to expand renewable energy, tree planting and climate smart agriculture, but UK aid cuts threaten progress
Descendants of former slaves in the Brazilian Amazon are still waiting for their land rights
The process of providing land deeds to communities founded by former slaves was slow before Jair Bolsonaro, but the president’s budget cuts have completely stalled progress
China’s five-year plan underwhelms – Climate Weekly
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China makes no shift away from coal in five-year plan as it ‘crawls’ to carbon neutrality
Beijing set out incremental increases in climate targets to 2025, allowing for continued expansion of “clean” coal, to the disappointment of climate watchers
Methane emissions from Russian pipelines surged during the coronavirus pandemic
Falling gas prices and a lack of maintenance may have contributed to a 40% increase in the number of methane releases from Russian pipelines in 2020, analysts say
French climate bill set for rocky ride after citizens’ assembly slams weak ambition
After the citizens’ assembly complained they had not been fully listened to, lawmakers submitted over 4,000 amendments to Macron’s landmark climate bill
UN suspends climate work with Myanmar government following military coup
The military takeover in Myanmar raises fears of pollution, deforestation and revival of a controversial hydropower dam, as international agencies put climate projects on hold
Japan, US exposed as UN chief urges G7 to commit to 2030 coal exit
At a summit on “powering past coal”, António Guterres called on rich countries to lead, putting pressure on Japan and the US to produce exit plans
Australian contender for OECD top job backtracks on climate scepticism
Former finance minister Mathias Cormann opposed climate policies in the Australian government and now claims he would lead climate action at the OECD
China’s dirty Covid-19 recovery leaves heavy lifting on climate to its five-year plan
Official government figures show energy, steel and cement consumption rose in 2020, pushing emissions up as Beijing is expected to reveal 2025 targets
Further delay feared as ‘like-minded’ countries resist online climate negotiations
Major developing countries oppose calls to hold preparatory climate negotiations online in June, citing connectivity and time zone concerns
The stakes for Cop26 couldn’t be higher – Climate Weekly
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China, US urged to step up as UN warns world ‘very far’ from meeting climate goals
Collectively, updated national targets will only reduce emissions 0.5% by 2030 from 2010, UN analysis finds — far from the 45% scientists say is needed to hold warming to 1.5C
Bangladesh scraps nine coal power plants as overseas finance dries up
The rising costs of coal imports and Bangladesh’s role as chair of the Climate Vulnerable Forum contributed to the decision to axe power projects, analysts say
Fragile countries call for investment in rooftop solar to expand energy access
War-torn states struggle to attract funding for small-scale renewable projects, which leaders say are cheaper, cleaner and less vulnerable to conflict than fossil fuels
“Science-based” corporate climate targets are no such thing, says former advisor
As the number of businesses setting ‘science-based’ targets surges, experts are calling for more transparency over how those numbers are calculated