Fossil Fuels
Battle lines drawn in talks on new plastics treaty
US and Saudi Arabia want a bottom-up deal focused on recycling, while a “high ambition coalition” wants top-down curbs on plastic production
Rich nations, banks pledge $20bn for Indonesia’s coal-to-clean switch
The US and Japan led on mobilising finance to retire Indonesian coal plants and scale up renewables, in a deal announced in Bali
‘Complete contradiction’: Egypt burns dirtier fuel to sell more gas to Europe
The Cop27 host has increased its use of mazut, a heavy fuel oil, in power stations, despite its harmful impact on health and the environment
Gas is casting a long shadow over green development in Africa
At the Cop27 summit in Egypt, a dash for gas risks distracting from the support for climate resilience Africans really need
‘Oil and gas trade show’ promotes carbon capture at Cop27
Fossil fuel lobbyists outnumber every national delegation at Sharm el-Sheikh climate talks, keeping talks of a phaseout at bay
UN gives platform to convicted fraudster lobbying for African gas
Cameroonian lawyer NJ Ayuk is leading the UN-backed Team Energy Africa, despite a criminal record and alleged involvement in money laundering
‘Toxic cover-up’: UN blasts oil majors’ fake net zero pledges
To make net zero claims, firms must stop investing in new fossil fuel production, a UN-appointed taskforce recommends
South Africa pitches $84bn plan to shift from coal to clean energy
President Cyril Ramaphosa set out a 200-page investment plan ahead of Cop27 climate talks, urging partners to finance his vision
European nations delay fossil fuel finance ban, blaming energy crisis
The Netherlands is breaching a promise to end international finance for fossil fuels this year as Italy and Germany show signs of backsliding
Costa Rica backs away from leading oil and gas phaseout coalition
Costa Rica, a founding member of the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance, won’t prioritize it at Cop27 climate talks after a change of government
John Kerry: Carbon offsets can help wean developing countries off coal
The US special envoy wants the voluntary carbon market to finance energy transitions in emerging economies – but partner countries aren’t keen
Climate fund approves plan to speed up coal retirement in Indonesia
The Climate Investment Funds aims to mobilise $4 billion from public and private sources to start decarbonising Indonesia’s power sector
Cop27 host Egypt plans to push gas as ‘the perfect solution’
The presidency of upcoming climate talks is embracing fossil gas as a “transition” fuel, despite its polluting impact
European exodus from Energy Charter Treaty raises climate questions
France, Germany and Spain plan to leave the controversial investment pact, putting a whole system of dirty energy protections into play
Fear of farmer protests hampers methane-cutting ambition
While methane emissions from oil and gas infrastructure and landfills are seen as low-hanging fruit, governments are wary of tackling cows
South Africa approves $8.5bn energy transition investment plan
Insiders say less than 3% of the money rich countries promised is earmarked as grants, raising concerns about fairness and South Africa’s debt burden
Ugandan police ‘brutally arrest’ anti-pipeline protesters outside EU embassy
Nine activists are in detention after delivering a petition against Total Energies’ controversial East African Crude Oil Pipeline
Researchers push to make polluters put carbon back in the ground
A team from Oxford University is trying to persuade governments to impose carbon capture and storage requirements on fossil fuel producers
Exploding an energy security myth – Climate Weekly
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Nord Stream pipeline blowouts highlight vulnerability of fossil fuels
Oil and gas infrastructure has been repeatedly targeted in conflicts, making decentralised renewable energy such as solar panels more resilient