Climate politics
Ministerial shows fault lines on climate loss and damage fund
On the sidelines of the UN general assembly, rich and poor countries were divided on how to deliver funds to victims of the climate crisis
At UN climate summit big polluters’ absence speaks volumes
While “ambitious” countries made few new announcements, the US, China, India and the UK had not offered enough to even sit in the room
Five climate announcements from UNGA & Climate Week NYC
In a relatively low powered year for climate leadership, a handful of government, climate finance and corporate initiatives are worth noting
‘First movers’ only: US, China, UK left off UN climate guestlist
Only five of the G20 major economies made the cut for Antonio Guterres’ Climate Ambition Summit in New York, despite pressure from big powers
Lula scraps Bolsonaro’s cuts to Brazilian climate target ambition
Brazil will go back to the climate targets it drew up in 2015 while it works on new and improved ones
Small islands slam ‘endless’ climate talks at landmark maritime court hearing
Small island states have asked the world’s maritime tribunal to clarify state obligations on climate change, which could be influential for other courts.
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
Rich countries sink billions into oil and gas despite Cop26 pledge
The US, Germany and Italy have been accused of backsliding on a Glasgow promise to end public subsidies to fossil fuel projects overseas
Mexico’s ruling party picks climate scientist for presidential run
Mexico is set for a green shift, as climate scientist Claudia Sheinbaum faces pro-renewables senator Xóchitl Gálvez in next June’s elections
Developing countries call for $100 billion loss and damage target
The 2030 target is one of several contentious proposals at negotiations in the Dominican Republic this week over a new loss and damage fund
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.
A rocky path to Cop28 – Climate Weekly
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G20 climate talks fail to deliver emission cuts despite leadership pleas
Cop28 president, Sultan Al Jaber and UN climate change boss, Simon Stiell, had called on G20 countries to show leadership and deliver ambitious emissions cuts.
Germany plans to keep funding new gas projects overseas despite pledge
Draft guidelines for its export credit agency signal support for some gas projects until 2025 – three years after the deadline set by the Glasgow pledge
G20 divisions over key climate goals pile pressure on Cop28 hosts
The world’s largest economies failed to agree on targets to phase down fossil fuels and scale up renewables
Open letter from 14 countries to G20: Safeguard a liveable future
In an open letter to the G20, climate ministers from 14 countries outline key actions ahead of COP28, including a fossil fuel phase out.
Australia will update the ‘fantasy’ net zero plan it inherited
Australia’s new climate minister says the plan relied too heavily on future technologies – the new one will include sectoral plans
UAE’s Cop28 president plans “brutally honest” climate summit
“We must be brutally honest about the gaps that need to be filled, the root causes and how we got to this place here today” said Sultan Al-Jaber
EU to push for fossil fuel phaseout ‘well ahead of 2050’ at Cop28
At Cop28 the EU wants governments to agree on more renewables and a faster phase out of fossil fuels with a “residual” role for carbon capture technologies