Climate politics

After Trump's pullback, Bloomberg promises to fill US funding gap to UN climate body

After Trump’s pullback, Bloomberg promises to fill US funding gap to UN climate body

The announcement comes after Trump said the US should “immediately cease or revoke” any financial commitment made under the UNFCCC

Brazil Cop30 president Correa do Lago

Brazil appoints veteran climate diplomat André Corrêa do Lago as COP30 president

Ambassador Corrêa do Lago’s appointment was widely welcomed by Brazilian climate campaigners, who praised his “deep knowledge” of climate talks

Trump orders US to quit Paris Agreement and pause all foreign climate finance

Around $11 billion a year of funding for climate projects in developing countries is under threat from Trump’s review

Green Climate Fund looks at capital-market borrowing to meet COP29 goal

A GCF official says the fund needs new sources of money but campaigners worry the move could undermine climate justice

How can we fix climate COPs? Let's start with the voting rules

To reform climate COPs, we should start with the voting rules

The UN COP climate conferences can’t be fixed with organisational reforms – we need to address the obstruction that results from blanket consensus decision-making

Record-hot 2024 shows world must adapt to extremes, says EU climate service

With global warming topping the key limit of 1.5C last year, adapting to worsening climate impacts has become a “necessity”, top scientist warns

Repression of climate and environmental protest is intensifying

Repression of climate and environmental protest is intensifying across the world

Climate protests surged in 2018-2019 and have continued, sparking a crackdown by authorities using the law to criminalise and constrain activism

President Biden sets 2035 US emissions goal in Trump's shadow

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

South Africa voters head to the polls still waiting a "just energy transition". Activists call for 'just transition' to be front and centre at COP30

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

Medics demonstrate against the health impacts of the climate crisis and call fro a phase out of fossil fuels at the COP29 climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, on November 15, 2024. (Photo by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis) How to take back control of COP from the world's biggest polluters

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

Latest climate politics

Brexit

UK government appoints Alok Sharma as Cop26 president

Prime Minister Boris Johnson appointed the former secretary of state for international development to lead the critical UN climate talks in November

Don’t shop till you drop: advice to UK citizens on net zero climate goals

UK holds ‘citizens’ assembly’ to seek ideas for cutting emissions to net-0 by 2050. But some participants doubt the government will listen

‘Miles off track’ – Climate Weekly

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UK walks diplomatic tightrope for 2020 climate summit after shaky start

Boris Johnson officially launched Cop26 on Tuesday but gave little indication as to how the government is going to leverage the world into taking bolder climate action

UK leaders debate climate, with Boris Johnson replaced by ice sculpture

Leaders of most major parties presented their ideas for meeting tough climate goals, but the Conservative prime minister declined

Brexit must not distract from UK’s biggest job in 2020: the Glasgow climate summit

Next year’s climate talks are absolutely vital and as hosts the UK could determine whether the talks fail or succeed. The government must start preparing now

London bids to host 2020 UN climate talks to show UK remains ‘open’

Mayor Sadiq Khan writes to UK prime minster urging every effort to win the presidency of Cop26 in the face of a competing bid from Italy

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

Brexit

UN Climate Talks

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

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

New loss and damage fund boss urged to keep costs down

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

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 Baku's climate summit

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

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

India fires warning shot with rejection of finance deal at COP29

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

“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

UN climate talks

Paris Agreement

UN climate chief warns of "steep mountain to climb" after Bonn

UN climate chief warns of “steep mountain to climb” for COP29 after Bonn blame-game

Countries expressed disappointment as key negotiations on climate finance and emissions-cutting measures made scant progress at mid-year talks

Cop28 boss' appeal to raise climate targets met with indifference

Cop28 boss’ appeal to raise climate targets met with total indifference

Sultan Al Jaber urged governments to update their national climate targets by September. Not one heeded the call

Public banks agree to check investments against countries’ climate plans

Ten multilateral development banks have agreed on how to make sure their investments meet climate goals. But experts told Climate Home the rules do not go far enough.

Paris agreement’s police force begins with rebuke to Vatican

The Pope’s home state has not yet issued a climate plan, which is against the rules of the Paris Agreement it ratified last year

What is the global stocktake of climate action and why does it matter?

The first Global Stocktake will tell us collective efforts need to be stepped up to reach the Paris Agreement goals. The question is how countries will respond to it.

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

Brazil accused of backsliding in updated climate pledge to UN

While the Bolsonaro administration has nominally increased its 2030 target, a baseline shift allows Brazil to emit more than under its first Paris pledge

To close 1.5C gap, countries face call for another round of climate pledges by 2023

The Cop26 presidency is considering a proposal to strengthen ambition beyond the Glasgow summit, but it faces resistance from emerging economies

Paris Agreement