Zambia’s fossil-fuel subsidy cuts help climate and kids – but taxi drivers suffer
Under pressure from the IMF, the government has redirected subsidies into education, welfare and debt reduction, leaving fuel-heavy sectors with higher costs
African dismay at decision to host loss and damage advice hub in Geneva
The UN agencies that will run the Santiago Network recommended it should be based in Nairobi but governments have instead chosen the world’s third-most expensive city
Shipping sector pushes to keep emissions-tax cash for itself
The industry and governments’ maritime ministries want a proposed levy on emissions spent on cleaning up shipping, not used for wider climate goals like loss and damage
Is water provision in drought-hit Zambia climate ‘loss and damage’ or adaptation?
Farmers need crop irrigation to help beat drought – but it’s unclear if that would qualify for new loss and damage funding
Fossil fuel firms seek UN carbon market cash for old gas plants
Fossil fuel companies that built gas power plants more than a decade ago are hoping for rewards from a new carbon credit market
Germany uses funding to pressure climate groups on Israel-Gaza war
Many Global South climate groups are funded by the German government, a political ally of Israel, and feel unable to criticise Israel’s military action in Gaza
Nations fail to agree ban or research on solar geoengineering
At talks in Nairobi, governments could not find consensus on new global governance for SRM, including proposals for “non-use” and a UN expert panel
Revealed: UK civil servants’ secret doubts over climate techno-fixes
The government is relying on special cow food and green plane fuel to cut emissions – but officials warn some solutions may fall short
Azerbaijan orders Baku hotels to freeze Cop29 room booking
The move has sparked fears of price hikes, which would exclude poorer activists and government delegates
EU floats 90% emissions target but drops green farming measures
The European Commission has proposed a 90% cut to net emissions by 2040 but has dropped specific targets for farming
Rich nations miss loss and damage fund deadline
Their failure to agree risks delaying help for victims of climate disasters in developing countries
John Podesta replaces Kerry as top US climate diplomat
Podesta will lead US international climate diplomacy alongside his current job overseeing the rollout of domestic clean energy subsidies
Saudi Arabia cancels plan to raise oil pumping cap
Analysts said Saudi Arabia’s government may be losing faith that the world wants to keep buying more of its oil
Biden misses chance to tackle “huge” US landfill emissions
Food and plants dumped into US landfills are rotting and warming the planet but “weak” regulations have not been improved
Amazon nations to tackle rainforest crime together in donor-funded new office
The $1.8 million Centre for International Police Cooperation will be built in the Brazilian Amazon city of Manaus and funded by the Norwegian-backed Amazon Fund
How fossil fuels went from sidelines to headlines in climate talks
For a quarter-century, fossil fuels were absent from Cop climate agreements – so how had they become so ubiquitous at Cop28?
Veteran US and Chinese climate envoys step down
Xie Zhenhua has stepped down and John Kerry has announced he will do the same in a few months time
Witness bribing minister’s family own Congolese carbon credit company
The minister Jean-Pierre Bemba bribed witnesses in his war crimes trial and holds power over the environment minister Eve Bazaiba
“A la carte menu”: Saudi minister claims Cop28 fossil fuel agreement is only optional
Abdulaziz bin Salman’s interpretation of the agreement was slammed as “incredibly misleading” as the text “calls on” all governments to transition from fossil fuels
Azerbaijan appoint state oil company veteran as Cop29 president
Mukhtar Babayev spent 26 years at Azerbaijan’s state-owned oil and gas company Socar, where he tried to limit the company’s environmental damage.
China announces plans to manage electric vehicles power demand
The government will consider incentives to charge electric vehicles at off-peak hours and to let vehicles sell their electricity to the grid
Ten climate questions for 2024
The US election and negotiations on a new global finance target are the most important things for the climate in 2024
Indonesia promises to fine palm oil companies operating in forests
An Indonesian official said it would levy $310 million in fines on growers of palm oil on land which should be forest
Brazil lawmakers approve using green fund to pave road through Amazon rainforest
Donations meant to preserve the Amazon rainforest may be spent paving the road, which critics say will worsen the forest’s destruction