Climate News

Azerbaijan weaponises conservation law in conflict with Armenia

Azerbaijan weaponises conservation law in conflict with Armenia

Azerbaijan accuses Armenia of deforesting the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, but satellite data tells a different story

No pay, no say - Climate Weekly

No pay, no say – Climate Weekly

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Africa objects to US chairing UN climate fund, citing unpaid $2bn

Africa objects to US chairing UN climate fund, citing unpaid $2bn

The Green Climate Fund is making cutbacks to its project portfolio, while the US fails to deliver on a years-old funding pledge

Despite killer floods, Nigerian presidential frontrunners dismiss climate change

Despite killer floods, Nigerian presidential frontrunners dismiss climate change

Polling carried out before the floods showed that two-thirds of Nigerians had not heard of climate change

Portugal agrees to swap Cape Verde's debt for environmental investment

Portugal agrees to swap Cape Verde’s debt for environmental investment

Cape Verde owes around $150m to the Portugese state – but Portugal says it will write off the debt if the African island nation spends the money on environmental measures

WoodMac wins: The consultancy giving cover to fossil fuel projects

WoodMac wins: The consultancy giving cover to fossil fuel projects

Wood Mackenzie research was used to justify UK support for a gas megaproject in Mozambique and a new coal mine, in government and in court

When adaptation goes wrong - Climate Weekly

When adaptation goes wrong – Climate Weekly

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Brazil launches first raids against Amazon tree-cutters under Lula's new government

Brazil launches first raids against Amazon tree-cutters under Lula’s new government

Brazil’s new government is already having an impact on deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, an environmental enforcement agent claimed

Airlines plot fight-back against France's short-haul flights ban

Airlines plot fight-back against France’s short-haul flights ban

The aviation industry plans to argue that banning short-haul flights is ineffective and impinges on EU citizens’ right to travel between countries

Mexico plans to ban solar geoengineering after rogue experiment

Mexico plans to ban solar geoengineering after rogue experiment

A US startup carried out a geoengineering experiment in Mexico, which the country claims was done without prior notice and consent

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Politics

Construction in Pakistan's Karachi in ongoin efforts to prevent floods

World Bank adaptation funds slept through Pakistan’s record flooding

A $100 million project was meant to protect Karachi slumdwellers from flooding, but instead made many homeless before work stalled

A pragmatic request - Climate weekly

A pragmatic request – Climate weekly

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UAE puts oil company boss in charge of Cop28 climate talks

UAE puts oil company boss in charge of Cop28 climate talks

Campaigners called on Sultan Al Jaber to step down from the UAE’s state-owned oil company to avoid a conflict of interest

Brazil bids to bring Cop30 climate talks to Amazon's Belem

Brazil bids to bring Cop30 climate talks to Amazon’s Belem

The city is at the mouth of the Amazon river and is the second-biggest city in the Amazon region after Manaus

Deceptively mild - Climate weekly

Deceptively mild – Climate weekly

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Cop15 global nature deal passes despite DR Congo's objection

Cop15 global nature deal passes despite DR Congo’s objection

The Chinese presidency gavelled through a biodiversity pact in Montreal, overriding the funding concerns of some African delegates

Cop15 delegates in Montreal clash over finance negotiations

After developing country walkout, ministers arrive to rescue nature talks

Tensions are running high at the Cop15 biodiversity summit over a finance gap estimated at $700 billion per year

Vulnerable communities must call the shots on loss and damage fund

Vulnerable communities must call the shots on loss and damage fund

Poor and marginalised groups should be represented on the fund’s board, managing budgets and making decisions about their own lives

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Finance

A storm-damaged road in Mozambique

World Bank moots stronger strategic focus on climate action

A draft document suggests the bank will broaden its “twin goals” of boosting prosperity and ending extreme poverty to encompass climate action

At the UN biodiversity negotiations, countries agreed to protect 30% of the world's land and oceans.

‘Kunming-Montreal’ deal sets up new fund for biodiversity by 2023

Countries committed to mobilise $200 billion “from all sources” to protect 30% of the world’s land and water ecosystems by 2030

The sweet life goes sour - Climate Weekly

The sweet life goes sour – Climate Weekly

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Rich nations mobilise $15.5bn for Vietnam's coal-to-clean transition

Rich nations mobilise $15.5bn for Vietnam’s coal-to-clean transition

The deal will help Vietnam to peak its greenhouse gas emissions five years earlier than planned and scale up renewable energy generation

Which countries are 'particularly vulnerable' to climate change?

Which countries are ‘particularly vulnerable’ to climate change?

The European Union pushed to restrict loss and damage funds to “particularly vulnerable” nations, but the definition is still up for debate

'Don't fail us' - Climate Weekly

‘Don’t fail us’ – Climate Weekly

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Who should pay for loss and damage? Spoiler: not China

Who should pay for loss and damage? Spoiler: not China

While there is a case for South Korea, UAE and Israel to join the donor pool, whichever way you measure it the US should pay more

Scientists warn data gaps must not block loss and damage

Scientists warn data gaps must not block loss and damage

A shortage of weather stations across Africa shouldn’t stop climate victims accessing critical funds, scientists say

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Justice

Vanuatu cyclone Harold

Vanuatu publishes draft resolution seeking climate justice at UN court

The Pacific island nation says 100 countries back its call for the International Court of Justice to advise on states’ climate obligations

Colombia's environment minister, Susana Muhamad, at COP27 calling for unity in Latin America

Latin America closes ranks at Cop27 around climate finance

Debt and climate shocks, combined with political shifts, have united historically left- and rightwing countries behind common asks

Hali Hewa episode 7: Youth talk loss and damage

Hali Hewa episode 7: Youth talk loss and damage

Four young activists explain why loss and damage is a hot topic at Cop27 climate talks and how they are fighting for climate justice

Mona Seif

Egypt clamps down on activism and undocumented workers ahead of Cop27

Campaigners are hoping to use the global spotlight on Egypt to secure the release of political prisoners – but fear a backlash

See you in court: how climate lawsuits could sharpen Cop27 loss and damage talks

See you in court: how climate lawsuits could sharpen Cop27 loss and damage talks

If international solidarity with climate victims falls short, litigation offers a vital but imperfect avenue for compensation

Conservation groups IRDNC meeting

Climate finance isn’t reaching African communities – Cop27 must fix this injustice

Indigenous peoples and local communities receive less than 1% of all climate funding despite scoring wins for people and nature

climate migrants drought southern africa

Displaced by drought, climate migrants clash with Zimbabwe’s timber industry

After suffering from extreme drought, farmers have settled in timber plantations in eastern Zimbabwe, clashing with government and industry

chile constitution climate

‘Gigantic missed opportunity’: Chile rejects green constitution

The constitutional draft declared Chile an “ecological” state, recognised nature as a subject of rights and ordered the state to take actions against the climate crisis

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Energy

German CO2 cuts stall as coal, oil use cancel out renewable gains

German CO2 cuts stall as coal, oil use cancel out renewable gains

In a pivot away from Russian gas, Germany cut energy consumption to its lowest level since the Berlin Wall fell – but increased coal burning

Climate Home’s five must-read climate change stories from 2022

Climate Home’s five must-read climate change stories from 2022

The hype machine behind a $70,000 carbon credit, fossil fuel fights in Sharm el-Sheikh and other essential journalism

Industrial complex on the Meghna river, Bangladesh

AIIB finds gas plant in Bangladesh compatible with Paris goals

AIIB’s fast-tracking of a 600MW LNG plant could set a precedent for more development finance to fossil gas projects, campaigners warn

Germany considers €1 billion in support for 10 fossil fuel projects overseas

Germany considers €1 billion in support for 10 fossil fuel projects overseas

German support for any of the projects would breach a pledge made last year to stop funding coal, oil and gas projects overseas from 1 January

UK coal mine approval sparks global fury and hypocrisy claims

UK coal mine approval sparks global fury and hypocrisy claims

The decision to allow a new coking coal mine goes against official climate advice and the UK’s international rhetoric on fossil fuels

Cop28 will be held at the Dubai Expo site

UAE plans to have it both ways as Cop28 climate summit host

The Gulf oil and gas exporter is going big on renewable energy investment and food security, while expanding hydrocarbon production

Battle lines drawn in talks on new plastics treaty

Battle lines drawn in talks on new plastics treaty

US and Saudi Arabia want a bottom-up deal focused on recycling, while a “high ambition coalition” wants top-down curbs on plastic production

wind turbines and construction equipment on green hills

‘Unparalleled in the world’: Australian grid operator maps path to 100% renewables

From 2025, the entire country is expected to run on 100% clean electricity for hours then days at a time, raising new engineering challenges

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Land

During his inauguration, Lula da Silva mentioned climate action in his first speech as president

Lula revives $1 billion Amazon Fund and environmental protections

On his first day in office as Brazil’s president, Lula da Silva signed a package of seven executive orders to protect the environment

Cost of a KitKat: Big brands leave sugar farmers at the mercy of climate extremes

Cost of a KitKat: Big brands leave sugar farmers at the mercy of climate extremes

Nestlé, Coca Cola and Pepsi are among the buyers from Nanglamal Sugar Complex, which smallholders say gives no help with climate resilience

India's female cane cutters face child marriage and hysterectomy

India’s female cane cutters face child marriage and hysterectomy

Women and girls in India’s sugar fields are exposed to sexual harassment, backbreaking work and inadequate healthcare

Migrant labourers suffer exploitation in India's sugar fields

Migrant labourers suffer exploitation in India’s sugar fields

Millions of people migrate each year to work in India’s sugar fields under extreme heat, harsh conditions and debt bondage

India's sugarcane farmers struggle to cope with droughts and floods

India’s sugarcane farmers struggle to cope with droughts and floods

In India more intense droughts and floods are destroying sugarcane crops and plunging millions of farmers and their families into debt

Destruction of Brazil's Cerrado savanna soars for third year in a row

Destruction of Brazil’s Cerrado savanna soars for third year in a row

Brazil’s outgoing president Jair Bolsonaro has presided over four years of destruction of the Amazon rainforest and the Cerrado grasslands

UN nature pact nears its 'Copenhagen or Paris' moment

UN nature pact nears its ‘Copenhagen or Paris’ moment

Cop15 biodiversity negotiations in Montreal next month will determine how the world halts and reverses nature loss

Lula da Silva with a hand raised to greet onlookers

Lula charms UN climate summit, bringing hope for rainforests

Brazil’s president-elect got a hero’s welcome at Cop27, where he met with climate envoys from the US and China

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Transport

Momentum grows towards 2050 zero carbon shipping target

Momentum grows towards 2050 zero carbon shipping target

Nigeria, Chile and Vietnam are among countries now backing a stronger climate goal for international shipping, but cost concerns remain

International air travel set for 'aspirational' 2050 net zero goal

International air travel set for ‘aspirational’ 2050 net zero goal

The International Civil Aviation Organization has agreed a 2050 net zero emissions goal for aviation but its credibility is in doubt

UK government touts 'guilt-free flying' on country's hottest day on record

UK government touts ‘guilt-free flying’ on country’s hottest day on record

The “jet zero” strategy relies on future technology breakthroughs and rejects options to curb demand

Dutch government issues world-first cap on flights from European hub

Dutch government issues world-first cap on flights from European hub

Schiphol airport, the third busiest in Europe, will be required to limit traffic to below its pre-pandemic peak, to reduce pollution

UN body makes 'breakthrough' on carbon price proposal for shipping

UN body makes ‘breakthrough’ on carbon price proposal for shipping

After a decade of talks, there is consensus at the International Maritime Organization to put a price on shipping emissions – the next question is how high

Nigerian airlines win jet fuel subsidy after shutdown threat

Nigerian airlines win jet fuel subsidy after shutdown threat

After domestic airlines threatened to ground their planes, the government agreed to cover some of their rising fuel costs

Turkey opens laboratory to grow algae for jet fuel, in EU-backed clean aviation push

Turkey opens laboratory to grow algae for jet fuel, in EU-backed clean aviation push

Ministers hope Turkish Airlines will make its first biofuelled flight by the end of 2022, but experts are sceptical algae can make much of a dent in aviation emissions

A race for lithium is sparking fears of water shortages in northern Argentina

A race for lithium is sparking fears of water shortages in northern Argentina

The salt flats of Catamarca hold rich resources for a green revolution, but the impact of mining on water sources has nearby communities worried

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Science

Breakthrough for nature protection - Climate Weekly

Breakthrough for nature protection – Climate Weekly

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Delegates gathered in the plenary at the COP15 UN Biodiversity summit in Montreal.

Governments split on ditching nature-harming subsidies in Montreal

Negotiators at the Cop15 biodiversity summit in Montreal have until Friday to agree a “nature pact” that can get rid of harmful subsidies

In numbers: The state of the climate ahead of Cop27

In numbers: The state of the climate ahead of Cop27

Emissions are still rising, pledges to 2030 put the world on track for 2.5C of warming but fossil fuel demand is nearing its peak

Justin Trudeau meeting Xi Jinping

Odd couple bungle nature talks – Climate Weekly

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World leaders not invited to attend critical UN biodiversity summit

World leaders not invited to attend critical UN biodiversity summit

Tense relations between the Chinese presidency and host nation Canada put a “Paris Agreement for nature” further out of reach

Researchers push to make polluters put carbon back in the ground

Researchers push to make polluters put carbon back in the ground

A team from Oxford University is trying to persuade governments to impose carbon capture and storage requirements on fossil fuel producers

Five burning climate issues for the 2022 UN general assembly

Five burning climate issues for the 2022 UN general assembly

Pakistan’s catastrophic flooding and soaring energy bills are shaping the UN agenda – for those leaders who show up

African leaders blast European no-shows at climate adaptation summit

African leaders blast European no-shows at climate adaptation summit

Presidents of Senegal, DRC and Ghana travelled to Rotterdam to talk about adapting to climate change. Only one European leader was there to meet them

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