Climate News

Nine of our best climate change stories from 2024

This year we investigated governments, corporations and NGOs in the climate space, and brought you on-the-ground reporting from Africa, Asia and the Middle East

After Cyclone Chido, France accused of neglecting climate threat to “fragile” Mayotte

Locals and experts say France should have done more to protect residents of its poor island territory from extreme weather

How Shell greenwashed gas with sham Chinese carbon credits

Exclusive: Shell used rice-farming offsets for “carbon neutral” LNG campaign – but farmers and local authorities said no project activities took place

President Biden sets US emissions goal for 2035 in the shadow of Trump

The outgoing administration said the target to cut emissions by 61-66% by 2035 can be reached even if Trump rolls back climate action

After Baku setback, activists call for ‘just transition’ to be front and centre at COP30

Developing states and labour activists say a fair global shift away from fossil fuels requires a firm UN plan for international support

Here’s how we take back control of COP from the world’s biggest polluters

From scrutinising delegates at UN climate summits to tightening rules on which countries host them and the deals they do, COPs can be cleaned up

‘The state doesn’t want to know’: Doctors raise alarm on children’s health crisis in Chile’s copper heartland

Autism and cancer cases are soaring in Chile linked to pollution from copper mining critical for the energy transition, doctors say

As Earth dries out, countries fail to reach drought agreement

Countries including the US successfully resisted Africa’s push for a legally binding drought protocol at the “land COP” in Riyadh

ICJ climate justice proceedings must recognise links between climate and nature

Climate change is destroying nature and must be stopped – but we should also ensure climate action helps, not hinders, nature

Canada ignores official advice in setting much-criticised 2035 emissions target

While the Net Zero Advisory Body recommended a 50-55% cut in emissions, the government settled for a weaker 45-50% range

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Politics

New loss and damage fund boss urged to keep costs down

Spending on consultants, business-class plane tickets and a deputy executive director was questioned at the fund’s latest board meeting

Why rich countries are “reluctant” on additional JETP coal-to-clean deals

UK and German officials have said there will likely be no more Just Energy Transition Partnerships, as the focus shifts to “country platforms” instead

New plastics pact text reflects stark divide on production cuts

Diplomats from high-ambition countries urge petrostates to compromise as latest draft text for a global treaty to end plastic pollution leaves all to play for

COP29: Five most dramatic moments from the UN climate summit in Baku

The COP29 climate talks saw tearful speeches, hollow laughs, diplomatic spats and walk-outs before ending with a finance deal pushed through in controversial circumstances

Fossil fuel lobby secures “record” access to crunch talks on new plastics pact

Representatives of ExxonMobil, Dow, BASF and Sabic are among the oil and petrochemical firms with participants at the INC-5 negotiations in South Korea

Global plastics pact “hangs in balance” as petrostates block talks

Major fossil fuel-producing countries are blamed at negotiations in Busan for opposing curbs on plastic manufacturing, a key market for oil and gas

What was decided at the COP29 climate summit in Baku?

From a controversial $300bn-a-year climate finance deal to stranded emissions-cutting talks and a new global carbon market, here are the main outcomes

India fires warning shot with rejection of finance deal at COP29

India gave a fiery speech after UN talks approved a new climate finance goal, suggesting rich nations are failing in their duty to help the Global South

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Finance

Experts quit carbon market watchdog in row over quality label for forest credits

Two ICVCM expert advisors have resigned from their positions over what they called a “problematic precedent” set with the REDD+ decision

World Bank raises $100 billion for poor nations in boost for climate finance

Countries increased their contributions to the International Development Association in its largest replenishment yet, but experts warn rising inflation means a real-term cut

Fractious COP29 lands $300bn climate finance goal, dashing hopes of the poorest

After fiery talks, a new post-2025 goal was adopted but some developing nations dismissed it as too small to meet their needs amid growing climate stress

COP29 Bulletin Day 12: Carbon market rules adopted after walkout delays finance talks

COP29 approved a long-awaited rulebook for carbon markets as vulnerable countries pushed for a bigger slice of a new finance goal, disrupting talks

COP29 Bulletin Day 10: Draft finance text missing numbers, more effort sought on emissions-cutting

The draft text outlines two very different options on the post-2025 goal for finance for developing nations, leaving out amounts

India, donor countries give up on Just Energy Transition Partnership – German official

Germany officials confirmed India and donor countries dropped a deal to accelerate the phase-out of fossil fuels in the South Asian country

COP29 Bulletin Day 9: Developing nations deride “$200bn” finance rumour

Emerging economies reject an informal number being floated for government provision under the new goal and say they won’t join the donor pool

Can climate funders overcome fear to tread in conflict zones? 

At COP29, fragile climate-vulnerable countries launched a network aimed at securing the climate finance they say has been slow to come as their needs surge

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Justice

Nickel mining for electric vehicles is destroying lives in Indonesia

Indonesia’s abundant nickel reserves are crucial for a low carbon world. But extracting them is ruining local peoples’ lives and causing rampant deforestation

Big emitters accused of hiding behind climate treaties in international hearing 

The US, Saudi Arabia and others have pushed back against a global bid to clarify states’ legal obligations to tackle climate change

Call for climate reparations at the ICJ even more urgent after COP29 falls short   

People whose rights are harmed by climate impacts deserve remedy and reparation – and legal clarity from the International Court of Justice would be a first step

Weak gender focus at COP29 risks leaving women behind in greener future

In India, social barriers make it tough for women to work in the solar sector, as experts call for more attention to green skills in global climate politics

Gender equality cannot be last on the agenda at COP29 climate talks

Climate action initiatives will only achieve their potential if women get more decision-making power and access to finance

COP29 Bulletin Day 6: Climate march tamed and gender talks gridlocked

Campaigners hold a quiet, static protest – and observers say human rights language and finance are tripping up the COP29 gender negotiations

Biodiversity market takes off at COP16, in shadow of carbon credit chaos

Several new guidelines for biodiversity credits were launched at COP16 in Cali, Colombia, where activists warned on risks to nature conservation efforts

How Azerbaijan locked up climate and social justice advocate ahead of COP29 

Azeri economist Farid Mehralizada has argued that his country’s reliance on fossil fuels is unsustainable and dangerous – he is now in prison ahead of the climate summit in Baku

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Energy

Biden uses only Africa visit to promote “game changer” railway for copper and cobalt

The US is placing its critical minerals hopes in the Lobito Corridor project, which it says will also bring growth and jobs to Africa

Green reforms to energy investment treaty pass key hurdle

The reforms will allow governments to end protection for investments in fossil fuels within their borders while keeping them for renewables

Failure of Busan talks exposes fossil fuel barrier to UN plastics pact

Countries told they can’t afford to miss the opportunity to tackle plastic pollution next year – but can they resolve a row over cutting oil-heavy production?

Talks to produce global plastics pact end without agreement

Countries failed to break a stalemate over core issues for a new treaty, with a push to manufacture less plastic meeting resistance from oil-rich states

Production curbs needed for strong global pact on plastic pollution, campaigners say

Rather than just reusing and recycling ever-growing mountains of plastic waste, it’s essential to tackle the problem at the source

Rights group finds abusive conditions for migrants working on UAE renewables

Migrant workers in solar and wind project supply chains say they suffer exploitative recruitment fees, wage theft and illegally long hours in dangerous heat

“Moment of truth” for plastic pollution as treaty talks get underway

Delegates from 175 countries are set to finalise a new treaty aimed at tackling plastic pollution, with opposition from fossil fuel-producing countries

How Biden can score a $41-billion Trump-proof win for climate action

The US government must support a landmark OECD agreement to end international oil and gas export finance

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Land

Global North countries must step up on protecting their own forests

The impacts of logging in the Global North are being felt in countries like Nigeria – a more equitable, coordinated approach is needed to tackle deforestation

COP16 hands power to Indigenous people but fails to bridge nature finance gap

UN biodiversity summit produces mixed results, with gains for Indigenous people and disagreement on how to raise and manage funding for nature protection

Fossil fuel transition pledge left out of COP16 draft agreement

An earlier draft decision at the UN nature summit included a call to transition away from fossil fuels – but it has been cut from the latest version

At COP16, countries clash over future of global fund for nature protection

Some biodiverse developing nations want to replace it with a new fund that would give them a bigger say in how it’s run and easier access to its resources

COP16 confronts “huge” challenge of protecting 30% of world’s land and sea

Ahead of the UN biodiversity summit, countries are urged to come up with strong new plans and funding to meet global nature goals

Delay to EU deforestation law must not lead to dilution

The EU needs to stand firm against the countries and companies hellbent on weakening its pioneering regulation to stop commodities harming forests

Guyana’s carbon-credit deal to protect forests undermines its forest protectors 

Guyana’s Indigenous communities are under siege from all sides – including an opaque carbon-offsetting scheme agreed by the government on our lands

Biodiversity finance grew ahead of COP16 but came mostly as loans, says OECD

Funding for efforts to protect and restore nature increased to $15.4 billion in 2022 – mostly driven by concessional loans from multilateral banks

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Transport

British Airways plans to offset rising emissions by sprinkling crushed rocks

The airline will pay a UK company to carry out enhanced rock weathering, which speeds up natural carbon-absorbing processes

Belém’s electric bus controversy: a cautionary tale for COP30

A plan for new buses in the Brazilian city hosting the 2025 UN climate summit was held up by a political row that suggests the road to COP30 could get rocky

London airport expansion spotlights danger of “false hope” Jet Zero strategy

The UK government decided expansion is compatible with its plan to cut aviation emissions, raising questions about its reliance on unproven techno-fixes over reducing flights

Key UN report lends weight to Pacific plan for shipping emissions levy

The report was seized upon by the Marshall Islands but branded “unacceptable” and “nonsensical” by Argentina and Brazil

As first airline drops goal, are aviation’s 2030 targets achievable without carbon offsets?

Air New Zealand has dropped its 2030 emissions reductions targets, validated by the Science-Based Targets Initiative

Lessons from trade tensions targeting “overcapacity” in China’s cleantech industry

Clean technology is turning into the next global climate spat. The debate over China’s dominance is highly politicized, but there are ways forward

Shipping sector pushes to keep emissions-tax cash for itself

The industry and governments’ maritime ministries want a proposed levy on emissions spent on cleaning up shipping, not used for wider climate goals like loss and damage

The EU must take the driver’s seat in fossil fuel-free transport

Transport accounts for a growing share of global emissions. The EU should lead a push for clean travel at home and internationally

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Science

The world is getting smaller for pastoralists facing multiple threats

Africa’s herders are trying to maintain their way of life in the face of rising climate stress, conflict and competition for land

EU should push for global deal to curb solar geoengineering, advisors say

Europe’s first scientific advice on the technology urges Brussels to prevent its deployment, leaving room for limited outdoor research

COP29 climate finance talks must have a strong adaptation focus

The new finance goal needs clear and enforceable adaptation targets to help vulnerable countries cope with the impact of climate change

Adaptation Fund head laments “puzzling” lack of pledges at COP29

Even as leaders highlight the urgency of protecting people from more extreme weather and rising seas, they have been reluctant to pay up at COP29 for the measures needed

Aid agencies grapple with climate adaptation in fragile states  

Humanitarian groups have pushed ahead with innovative efforts to protect people in conflict zones from worsening climate impacts – but they are struggling to go it alone

Rich nations “on track” to double adaptation finance but huge gap persists

While adaptation funding jumped by about a quarter in 2022, a large share came as loans rather than grants, adding to developing-nations’ debt burdens

COP29: We need to adapt to climate chaos now

Adaptation policy has grown to be of central importance in our collective response to the climate crisis – but more funding is urgently needed

From cyclone to drought, Zimbabwe’s climate victims struggle to adapt

Five years after Cyclone Idai devastated eastern Zimbabwe, relocated communities face a new threat – water shortages – with authorities saying they lack money to build a dam

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