UN budget cuts hindered response to Pakistan’s extreme floods
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs had only seven staff in Islamabad to assess the needs, down from 35 five years earlier
Europe proposes mass exit from energy treaty
After big European nations said they would leave the Energy Charter Treaty, the European Commission now says a joint EU exit is the best option
Denmark to put CO2 in seabed in step towards carbon negativity
Denmark wants to suck more carbon dioxide out of the air than it emits by 2050 and store it in old North Sea oil and gas fields
China warns of more floods and heatwaves in 2023
Last year was marked by a record-breaking heatwave and China’s weather agency has warned of more this year, as the climate crisis escalates
Colombia gets $70m from new global renewable integration fund
Colombia will get the first pay-out of a $300m Climate Investment Funds pot for transmission lines, batteries, EV chargers and green hydrogen
Coal communities fear South Africa’s clean energy transition
Almost 80% of the more than 80,000 residents working in Ermelo are employed by Eskom and Transnet, the state-owned energy and transport companies
India announces $4.3 billion investment in clean energy
India wants to become a leader in green hydrogen production and to develop huge solar projects in the Ladakh region of the Himalayas
France seeks EU loophole for French Guiana to power space sector with biofuels
Campaigners have warned the exemption risks setting an incentive for increased logging in Europe’s corner of the Amazon forest.
DR Congo delays rainforest oil auctions
After a series of multinational oil companies ruled themselves out of the controversial projects, the government pushed back bidding at the last minute
EU plans restrictions on climate-wrecking fishing method
The European Union plans to ban bottom-trawling in marine protected areas by 2030 but the fishing industry is resisting the measures
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
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
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
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
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
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
A US startup carried out a geoengineering experiment in Mexico, which the country claims was done without prior notice and consent
Italy’s climate envoy resigns, leaving diplomacy in doubt
Alessandro Modiano resigned three months into a new far-right government and it is unclear if he will be replaced as climate envoy or if the position will be scrapped
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
Thunberg joins protest against German coal mine expansion
The German government agreed that utility RWE could expand the Luetzerath coal mine in exchange for a faster national coal phase-out