After blackouts, China’s green goals take back seat to energy security
Blackouts and rising fossil fuel prices have made scaling up domestic energy production – clean or dirty – the priority for the Chinese government
UN targets early warning systems for all in five years
Building the capacity to alert everyone in time to prepare for droughts, storms and flooding can prevent damage and save lives, at an estimated cost of $1.5 billion
War in Ukraine is compounding a hunger crisis in East Africa, charities warn
Up to 28 million people are facing severe food insecurity as soaring wheat prices follow failed rains, Covid and desert locusts
Barbadian diplomat and small island ‘defender’ Hugh Sealy dies aged 59
Mia Mottley, prime minister of Barbados, hailed Sealy as a “true friend” and praised his commitment to the country
Australian government welcomes high fossil fuel prices, ships coal to Ukraine
Scott Morrison’s administration is celebrating rising coal exports and pledging to send a shipment of coal to Ukraine
Russia claims sanctions will stop it meeting climate targets
Experts say Russia’s climate plans were already highly inadequate and reliant on carbon accounting tricks
Science Based Targets initiative kicks out oil companies, delays validation criteria
The standard setter for corporate climate plans said accepting commitments from firms like Russian oil company Tatneft posed a “reputational risk”
Carney, Kyte oversee carbon offset rules to address greenwashing concerns
Two initiatives will release standards for the voluntary carbon market this year, while campaigners denounce offsetting as a “scam” that delays real climate action
Some EU members turn back to coal to cut reliance on Russian gas
Czechia, Bulgaria, Romania, Italy and Germany have indicated they might burn more coal in the short term in response to Vladimir Putin’s war
Plastics resolution tees up battle over oil industry’s plan B
As the world seeks to move beyond burning fossil fuels for energy, the oil sector saw plastic production as a lifeline – but now that’s in doubt too
As EU leaders split on Russian energy sanctions, Commission moots 5-year plan
At a meeting in Versailles, member states agreed to phase out the use of Russian fossil fuels “as soon as possible” but didn’t set a deadline
Will Nigeria’s climate change law put the brakes on gas flaring?
Nigeria has promised to end gas flaring by 2030 under its national climate plan but communities are sceptical, given previous unmet deadlines
‘Betrayal’: US approves just $1bn climate finance for developing countries in 2022
The Biden Administration committed to deliver $11.4 billion a year in climate finance by 2024, but Congress approved a mere fraction of that
UN climate change negotiating bloc ejects Russia, condemning its invasion of Ukraine
The Umbrella Group of countries including the US, Australia and Japan is no longer coordinating with Russia and Belarus
China plans huge wind and solar power rollout in Gobi desert
The goal is to install 450GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030, more than twice the US’ installed wind and solar generating fleet
Swap Russian gas for renewables, EU tells member states
Green spending could be funded by taxes on energy firms’ windfall profits, Brussels proposes, to cut the bloc’s Russian gas use by two thirds this year
Vanessa Nakate confronts rich world’s ministers over loss and damage
UK and European officials agreed with the Ugandan activist that victims of the climate crisis deserved their help, yet would not commit to providing finance
Scientists warn seawalls can make rising waters worse in the long run
Green buffers like mangroves are generally better for protecting coastal communities than concrete defences, although they are not always an option
Ukrainian official calls for Russian fossil fuel boycott at UN Environment Assembly
“They’re using this money to kill people,” Roman Shakhmatenko told the Nairobi-based meeting from a basement bomb shelter
IPCC report spotlights mental health impacts of climate change
Mental health risks are predicted to increase as temperatures continue to rise and people experience more extreme weather events, the report warns