EU’s border tax gives countries 5 years to clean up industries or face penalties
Unpopular among the bloc’s trading partners, countries are seeking exemptions to the carbon levy, as Brussels hints alternatives to pricing may be considered to dodge the tax
China’s biggest bank is ditching Zimbabwe coal plant, campaigners say
The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China told environmentalists in a meeting last month they would not go ahead with the 2.8GW Sengwa coal plant
Canadian minister Catherine McKenna to quit politics and focus on climate change
Catherine McKenna introduced climate legislation as Canada’s environment minister and will step down at the next election before October 2023
Months after criminal probes launched, Brazilian environment minister quits
Ricardo Salles is the subject of two police investigations into collusion with loggers illegally cutting down the Amazon rainforest
UK has done ‘surprisingly little’ to deliver on climate targets, say official advisers
The Climate Change Committee called on the UK government to up its game and show leadership before hosting Cop26 in November
Biden scales down climate spending in search of bipartisan deal
Clean energy and electric vehicle incentives are being cut from the US president’s flagship $2 trillion American jobs plan to win conservative support
Pacific islands make lonely case for carbon price on shipping
The Marshall Islands and Solomon Islands called for a price on shipping pollution at the UN body, but got only tepid support from European nations
Nato considers net zero by 2050 target in move to green military operations
Joe Biden has put the hefty – and underreported – carbon footprint of tanks and fighter jets on the transatlantic security agenda
Swiss public reject climate law over cost of living fears
In a referendum on Sunday, Swiss citizens narrowly voted against a package of measures including increased taxes on petrol and flights
Norway eyes expansion of oil and gas industry under policy proposal
The government wants to hand out more exploration licences – ignoring modelling that shows fossil fuel expansion must end now to meet global climate goals
UK to provide Covid-19 vaccines for Cop26 delegates
The host nation of UN climate negotiations in November says it will help participants to access Covid-19 vaccines, as part of a support package to developing countries
New Zealand climate plan criticised over ‘cow-shaped hole’
Aotearoa Climate Change Commission set out detailed advice to cut emissions to 2035 but stopped short of recommending fundamental change to the dairy industry
Elections dash Mexican President’s hopes for dirty energy reform
Amlo does not have the two thirds majority in Mexico’s parliament to pass proposed constitutional reforms in favour of state-owned coal and gas power generation
NASA launches mission to better predict climate impacts
Using advanced satellite technology, the programme aims to accelerate the pace of scientific discovery by better monitoring storms and ice sheet melts
Portugal draft proposal allows methane gas pipelines to receive EU funding until 2030
The draft text, seen by Climate Home News, waters down proposals made by the EU Commission last year – a move campaigners say would lock in fossil fuel infrastructure
Brazil’s environment minister investigated for illegal logging cover-up
The Supreme Court authorised the federal police to investigate Ricardo Salles over suspicions of a ‘serious scheme’ to facilitate the export of illegal timber out of Brazil
With Indonesia’s answer to Elon Musk in jail, electric vehicles are going nowhere
Electric vehicle pioneer Dasep Ahmadi was imprisoned over a failed experiment, with a chilling effect on innovation
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
California is the biggest producer in the world planning to go beyond oil
Governor Gavin Newsom has ordered a plan to phase out oil and gas production in California by 2045, but the industry won’t go down without a fight
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
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
In Amazon protection talks, US demands action from Bolsonaro
Joe Biden promised to mobilise $20 billion to protect the Amazon rainforest, but negotiations with Jair Bolsonaro’s government are fraught
Joe Biden’s $1.2bn budget for Green Climate Fund falls short of campaigner demands
The proposed US contribution to the UN’s flagship climate fund this year is not enough to catch up with other donors