COP16 host Colombia reports 35% surge in deforestation
Despite the uptick in deforestation, Colombian environment minister Susana Muhamad said 2024 still had the second-lowest deforestation figure in two decades
Indian official calls EU carbon border tax unfair and unacceptable
Ajay Seth said the EU’s proposals on its carbon border adjustment mechanism were “not practical” for a developing country like India
Global energy-related CO2 emissions hit record high in 2023 – IEA
Global emissions from energy rose by 410 million tonnes, or 1.1%, in 2023 to 37.4 billion tonnes, hitting a record hight
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
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
Brazil cracks down on illegal gold miners
“Things are going downhill with the new government”, said one gold miner when detained by Brazil’s federal police
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
EU law pushes foreign oil and gas producers to cut methane
The EU has introduced a methane import standard, pressuring any company which exports oil and gas to the EU to cut its emissions
US and China promise cooperation on renewables and methane
After talks in Sunnyland, California, the US and China agreed to revive a bilateral working group on climate change
Australia to accept migrants from climate-hit Tuvalu in security pact
Australia has offered visas and climate finance to Tuvalu in a security pact to counter China’s influence in the Pacific region
DRC hands gas rights to Canadian start-up that failed criteria
The technically complex contract was won by Alfajiri, which is based in a residential property in Canada and has only existed a few months
Rich nations offer loans not grants for Vietnam’s coal transition
The G7 has offered to mobilise $15.5 billion to get Vietnam from coal to clean energy but just 2% of this is grants
One million coal jobs face the axe globally by 2050
China and India will see the biggest coal job losses and need to plan support for affected communities, Global Energy Monitor warns
ADB set to launch first coal early retirement scheme in Indonesia
A finance tool to shut down Asian coal plants up to a decade early will swing into action “soon”, says Asian Development Bank climate envoy
UN says more needed ‘on all fronts’ to meet climate goals
The UN Global Stocktake report calls on governments to scale up renewable energy and phase out all “unabated” fossil fuels.
Nearly all world’s population hit by global heating last quarter – study
Peer-reviewed research by Climate Central found 98% of people worldwide experienced temperatures heightened by climate pollution June-August
US aims to limit loss and damage fund
The US, which long opposed a fund, wants it to focus on a narrow set of disasters in a small number of countries
Germany set to miss net zero by 2045 target as climate efforts falter
Germany, Europe’s largest economy, is failing to cut emissions in the transport and building sector, a report by government climate advisers shows.
China plans to recycle solar panels and wind turbines
China is the world’s biggest manufacturer of renewable energy equipment and is making plans for how to dispose of it once it stops working
Amazon nations fail to agree on deforestation goal at summit
Eight South American nations agreed on a list of joint actions to protect the Amazon rainforest, but failed to mention a long-awaited target to halt deforestation.
Amazon nations split on oil and deforestation, ahead of summit
Colombia wants to restrict oil production while the Brazilian government is divided on the issue
Court says renewable firms can seize Spain’s property after subsidy cuts
The Energy Charter Treaty, which Spain is trying to leave, protects investments in fossil fuels and in renewables
Amazon governments set sights on narco-deforestation
When governments gather for the Amazon summit next week, they will talk about how to tackle drug traffickers who destroy forests