Climate finance
UN fund pays Indonesia for forest protection as deforestation rises
Campaigners accuse the Green Climate Fund of letting governments game the UN’s Redd+ forest protection scheme, as Indonesia is awarded $103 million
Covid-hit hajj guts Saudi plans to reduce reliance on oil revenues
Only a few thousand Muslims are attending this year’s pilgrimage, not the millions Riyadh needs for its ‘Vision 2030’ economic diversification plan
Russia warns EU against carbon border tax plan, citing WTO rules
As Brussels gets serious about imposing levies on imports from polluting countries, Moscow argues such measures create unfair barriers to trade
For all its green talk, the IEA still gives comfort to oil and gas producers
Under Fatih Birol, the International Energy Agency leads talk of a green recovery, yet dodges hard questions about phasing out dirty energy
How ‘green’ the EU recovery is depends on member states
A 7-year EU budget and coronavirus recovery plan agreed this week calls for climate-friendly spending, but the details have been left to national capitals
Guterres confronts China over coal boom, urging a green recovery
China’s provinces have overseen a coal plant building spree in the first half of the year, in a bid to revive the Covid pandemic-hit economy
World Bank policy advice boosts oil and gas, undermining climate goals
In technical assistance to governments like Mozambique’s, the World Bank favours the interests of the fossil fuel industry over those of ordinary citizens
Vulnerable states urge EU to link recovery funds to tougher 2030 climate target
In a rare intervention in EU politics, poor and small island nations urged leaders to rebuild the economy in line with a 55% emissions cut by 2030
No time for loopholes: Japan must immediately end all overseas coal finance
Environment minister Shinjiro Koizumi promised to scrap funds for dirty power plants abroad, but the government is making too many exceptions
Small islands need a debt shakeup to survive climate and Covid shocks
The coronavirus pandemic has choked off tourism, worsening the debt burden of small island states already facing significant climate threats
Saudi Arabia censors fossil fuel subsidy discussion as G20 host
Riyadh is scrubbing the word “subsidy” from expert briefings, despite a commitment from G20 countries to phase out “inefficient” support to coal, oil and gas
Gas curse: Mozambique’s multi-billion dollar gamble on LNG
A vast gas discovery promises riches for the people of Mozambique, but it can only pay off in a dangerously overheated world
The EIB has further to go to become the “EU Climate Bank”
The European Investment Bank should stop supporting airport expansion and close the loopholes in its policy against lending to fossil fuels
UK makes assurances on climate finance amid concerns over aid restructuring
Experts warn shifting aid away from the world’s poorest would undermine critical alliance-building efforts ahead of the UK hosting Cop26 climate talks
UK aid and foreign ministry merger raises fears for politicisation of climate finance
The move puts Britain’s economic interests abroad above efforts to eliminate poverty and protect the most vulnerable, experts warn
‘Final blow’ to aviation climate plan as EU agrees to weaken rules
EU member states will back an industry proposal to reduce airlines’ climate obligations in response to the coronavirus pandemic, at the UN aviation forum
Delay to climate talks deepens uncertainty over future of carbon markets
Project developers in poor countries are struggling to attract finance, as deadlock on international carbon trading rules cannot be resolved before November 2021
We have a moral responsibility to build a better post-Covid future for our children
New Zealand’s climate minister explains why he is launching a podcast on what comes after the coronavirus pandemic
Coronavirus delays work to protect the world’s poor from climate shocks
Travel restrictions and patchy internet access are slowing down efforts to improve resilience to weather extremes like cyclones Amphan and Nisarga
Clean energy is vital to the Covid-19 response in the world’s poorest countries
Renewable mini-grids can power health facilities and irrigation systems, making communities more resilient to future pandemics and climate shocks