First named Cop26 sponsors are big investors in offshore wind – and a gas plant
SSE, Scottish Power and National Grid have been named as sponsors of next year’s UN climate summit in Glasgow, with SSE defending a “transition” investment in gas power
Asian development banks resist coal phase-out pledge at French summit
Despite net zero pledges from the governments of China, Japan and South Korea, the ADB and AIIB are reluctant to commit to reducing finance to fossil fuels
UK looks to Cop26 climate summit to fix awkward relationship with Biden
US president-elect Biden sees Johnson as a “clone” of Trump and disagrees with him on Brexit, but both leaders want to make next year’s Glasgow climate talks a success
Climate watchers celebrate Biden victory over Trump in US election
Climate advocates from around the world welcomed Joe Biden’s victory, heralding a US return to international cooperation on the climate crisis
‘Count every vote’ demand US climate activists, after Trump false victory claim
Climate activists have reacted angrily to Donald Trump’s unfounded claim he won the US presidential election, mobilising to defend the democratic process
Environmentalists urge UN to condemn Brazil’s spying at climate talks
Brazilian campaigners said tolerating the Bolsonaro administration’s spying at climate talks would set “a grisly precedent” and called on the UN to prevent future incidents
EU tries to stop fossil fuel companies suing states over climate action
Brussels’ proposed green reforms to the Energy Charter Treaty face resistance from Japan, yet do not go far enough for environmental campaigners
Who will build the world’s last coal plant?
Banks, companies and governments are axing support for coal, driven by climate concerns and competition from renewables, but hundreds of plants are still in planning
Peru and Switzerland sign ‘world first’ carbon offset deal under Paris Agreement
In an agreement that took two years to negotiate, Peru will get finance for sustainable development projects while Switzerland takes credit for the emissions cuts
Poland’s largest utility announces pivot from coal to renewables
PGE has announced a strategy to go 100% renewable by 2050, but it depends on passing responsibility for coal mines to another Polish state-owned entity
Oxfam: Rich countries are not delivering on $100bn climate finance promise
Nearly 80% of climate finance is in the form of loans that must be repaid, adding to the debt burden of the poorest countries, anti-poverty campaigners found
New Zealanders vote for climate ambition of Jacinda Ardern and Greens
Jacinda Ardern won a second term as New Zealand leader with a landslide majority, in an endorsement of her government’s net zero emissions goal
Brazilian spies intimidated government’s own delegates at climate talks
Bolsonaro sent four secret agents to the Cop25 climate summit in Madrid, where campaigners said Brazilian negotiators were afraid to talk to them
IEA outlines how world can reach net zero emissions by 2050
To reach carbon neutrality in 2050, half of all cars globally should be electric by the end of this decade, according to modelling by the International Energy Agency
Where are US emissions after four years of President Trump?
Donald Trump has overseen a small decline in US emissions, but his claim to have the “lowest carbon” is false by most measures
South Korea pursues Vietnamese coal plant, drawing international criticism
A decision by state-owned utility Kepco to invest in Vung Ang 2 coal power station goes against the government’s “green new deal” rhetoric
Despite socialist scepticism, Cuba shows interest in carbon trading
In its national climate plan, Cuba indicated it would like to sell carbon credits on an international market, a concept previously opposed by socialist allies
Saudi-led G20 energy statement backs fossil fuel bailouts
Neglecting to mention climate change or commitments to end fossil fuel subsidies, G20 energy ministers focused on stabilising the oil market
African green reformer tipped to win UN trade leadership race
Women from Kenya and Nigeria are favourites to lead the World Trade Organization and have promised to push climate change up the agenda
Bolsonaro shifts blame for unprecedented Brazilian wetland fires
In a message to the UN, Brazil’s president denied responsibility for the worst fires on record in the Pantanal, despite having slashed environmental protections
South Africa aims to reach net zero emissions in 2050 – while still burning coal
In a low emissions strategy, South Africa flagged an aspiration to become a net zero economy by 2050, but its energy plan foresees a continued role for coal
Energy companies keep right to sue states in private courts, as treaty reforms blocked
Fossil fuel investors can continue to sue governments secretly when climate policies hurt their profits, as EU lacks support for Energy Charter Treaty overhaul
UK Climate Assembly calls for frequent flyer levy, private jet ban
A group of 108 citizens tasked with finding fair and socially acceptable ways to decarbonise the British economy by 2050 proposed curbs on jetsetting
Fracking company sues Slovenia over ‘unreasonable’ environmental protections
A British oil and gas company is using a controversial energy treaty to sue Slovenia, after being required to carry out an environmental impact assessment