Joe Lo
Joe Lo is a reporter for Climate Home News. He has previously specialised in container shipping, UK politics and investigative stories about Scotland. His work has appeared in the Guardian, Al Jazeera and Deutsche Welle.
Costa Rica’s ‘leave it in the ground’ policy in doubt after election
One of the countries that co-founded the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance may now explore for gas, incoming president Rodrigo Chaves Robles has said
South African bank held to net zero standard for GCF accreditation
Developing country board members objected that it was unfair to hold institutions in rich and poor countries to the same green standards
Canadian ex-minister Catherine McKenna named to head UN greenwash watchdog
The group will promote real emissions reductions among cities, regions and businesses, rather than over-reliance on carbon offsets or carbon removal technology
Canadian government ducks fight with oil and gas industry
The Trudeau Administration is delaying delivery of a promised cap on emissions from the fossil fuel sector, insisting there is no need to curb production
After US fails to pay its debt, UN’s flagship climate fund warns of austerity
Without more money coming in, the Green Climate Fund’s head warned that the pipeline of carbon-cutting projects in developing countries would have to be cut
Maldives greenlights destructive dredging to build housing and luxury resorts
The president is approving a $147 million land reclamation project on Addu atoll, despite warnings of “irreversible damage” to the environment
After blackouts, China’s green goals take back seat to energy security
Blackouts and rising fossil fuel prices have made scaling up domestic energy production – clean or dirty – the priority for the Chinese government
UN targets early warning systems for all in five years
Building the capacity to alert everyone in time to prepare for droughts, storms and flooding can prevent damage and save lives, at an estimated cost of $1.5 billion
Russia claims sanctions will stop it meeting climate targets
Experts say Russia’s climate plans were already highly inadequate and reliant on carbon accounting tricks
Science Based Targets initiative kicks out oil companies, delays validation criteria
The standard setter for corporate climate plans said accepting commitments from firms like Russian oil company Tatneft posed a “reputational risk”
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
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
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
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