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
Under attack: the Ukrainian climate scientist fighting for survival
Svitlana Krakovska had to withdraw from the approval session of the IPCC report as bombs hit Kyiv. She fears for the future of climate science in Ukraine
Revealed: How rich and at-risk nations fought over science of climate impacts
Adaptation finance, nature-based solutions and solar geoengineering were among the contentious topics that sent IPCC talks into overtime
Five takeaways from the UN’s 2022 climate impacts report
We can adapt to many changes brought by an overheating planet, but some things will be lost forever, scientists warn in blockbuster report
Invasion tears Ukraine’s climate community away from life’s work
Under bombing, Ukrainian scientists taking part in the approval session of the upcoming IPCC report have had to withdraw from the meeting
US seeks to remove ‘losses and damages’ from scientific report on climate impacts
The US has repeatedly blocked demands from developing countries to provide specific funding to recover from the losses caused by climate disasters
Activists raise inclusivity concerns for Cop27 as Egypt hikes hotel prices
The tourism ministry has imposed a floor price for rooms in Sharm el-Sheikh which is several times their usual costs, prompting fresh concerns over participation at Cop27
Prison, party mansions and a naval base among urban areas India claims as ‘forest’
The government has long used a broad definition of forests which is at odds with UN guidance and overstates India’s climate credentials
After Kathmandu riots, Nepal’s hydropower plan risks falling victim to geopolitics
Nepal may forgo a $500m grant from the Millenium Challenge Corporation to build power transmission lines, due to anti-US sentiment stoked by China
Indigenous peoples in Guatemala demand sovereignty over oil and mining resources
The case could set an international precedent for indigenous people to control resources on their land, which they say is critical to climate action