Southern Madagascar at risk of famine amid worst drought in 40 years
UN agencies are urgently calling for international support as a million Madagascans go hungry, with some surviving on insects and wild roots
Indonesian utility pledges to stop building coal plants beyond existing pipeline
State-owned electricity company PLN said it will finish building 20GW of planned coal capacity before turning to renewables
Youth activists prank Standard Chartered in critique of coal lending policy
Fridays for Future activists donned false moustaches in a stunt to put pressure on Standard Chartered to stop financing fossil fuels
Tar sands executive named as Canadian ‘climate champion’ ahead of Cop26
Suncor’s chief sustainability officer is one of 26 people praised for moving Canada towards net zero emissions, despite the oil company expanding production
Merkel ‘wasted opportunity’ to show international solidarity at climate summit
The German chancellor resisted calls to announce an increased climate finance pledge at the Petersberg Climate Dialogue, her last before leaving office in September
Asian Development Bank plans exit from coal finance
As Asian lenders are turning their back on coal, campaigners warn against treating methane gas as a “transition fuel”, calling for an end to all fossil finance
Meet the Indian climate experts desperately trying to save lives from Covid-19
Climate researchers and journalists are working to connect Covid sufferers with oxygen supplies and hospital beds as India’s health crisis deepens
Germany raises ambition to net zero by 2045 after landmark court ruling
A surprise plan to strengthen Germany’s emission targets reignites debate on quitting coal and pricing carbon ahead of September’s election
Top court rules German climate law falls short, in ‘historic’ victory for youth
In a surprise verdict, Germany’s highest court found that government climate targets violate the freedoms of youth plaintiffs by deferring emissions cuts
UK aid cuts hit developing cities’ plans to protect against floods and fires
The urban poor in Nairobi, Kathmandu, Quito and Istanbul will lose out from deep budget cuts to the UK-backed Tomorrow’s Cities programme
Putin sounds methane alarm, under satellite surveillance and EU pressure
The Russian president has raised concern about the warming impact of methane emissions, calling for research collaboration but making no policy promises
Saudi, US net zero oil producer initiative meets sceptical response
Five countries responsible for 40% of oil and gas production have launched an unprecedented climate alliance – but leaving fuel in the ground is not on the agenda
UK faces legal action over public finance for Mozambique gas project
Friends of the Earth is launching a judicial review over the UK government’s decision to back the multi-billion development, arguing it is inconsistent with the Paris Agreement
US, UK and Norway launch $1bn initiative to protect tropical forests
The Leaf Coalition aims to mobilise $1 billion of public and private finance this year to cut emissions from deforestation and forest degradation
US pledges to double international climate finance at Earth Day summit
Joe Biden made a start on restoring US climate credibility after four lost years, with finance and emissions pledges, but campaigners say more is needed
As it happened: US, Japan, Canada pledged deeper emissions cuts at Biden summit
President Joe Biden sought to restore US credibility on climate action and mobilise higher ambition from major emitters with a virtual event on Earth Day
EU reaches hard-fought deal on climate law ahead of US leaders’ summit
European lawmakers and member states clinched a deal after all-night talks on enshrining the union’s 2030 and 2050 goals into law
Poland seeks to nationalise coal plants so firms can finance green investments
Warsaw’s energy transition proposals will require state aid approval from the European Commission, which is expected to insist on a coal exit date
Pakistan explores debt-for-nature scheme to accelerate its 10 billion tree tsunami
Creditors could grant Pakistan debt relief in exchange for meeting nature restoration targets, under a proposed first-of-its-kind bond
Interim UN climate talks move online to address negotiation backlog
Climate diplomats agreed to hold an informal and extended virtual meeting in June, despite connectivity concerns, to make progress on sticky issues