World
EU €750 billion Covid recovery fund comes with green conditions
A quarter of spending has been earmarked for climate action and a ‘do no harm’ clause rules out environmentally damaging investments
Airlines could get free pass on climate for five years under industry proposal
The industry is lobbying to rewrite the rules of a UN aviation pact, in a move researchers say would remove pressure to invest in clean flying technology
China prioritises employment over GDP growth in coronavirus recovery
Climate watchers are cautiously hopeful Beijing will not turn to polluting infrastructure to rebuild the economy, but specific assurances are lacking
We must build back better after Cyclone Amphan
A large-scale evacuation saved lives, but the threat of coronavirus looms in crowded cyclone shelters and repairing the damage will cost billions of dollars
Rwanda submits tougher emission-cutting plan to the UN
The Kigali government is the first in Africa to strengthen its commitment to emissions cuts by 2030 and ramp up its adaptation plan
Coal generator uses investment treaty to fight Netherlands coal phaseout
Uniper is using a controversial investor dispute system to claim up to €1 billion compensation for being forced to close a coal power station early
Denmark proposes two huge ‘energy islands’ to meet 2030 climate target
With a total capacity of 4GW, offshore wind power hubs in the North and Baltic Seas are to help the country cut emissions by 70% in the next decade
EU plans to protect 30% of land and seas by 2030 for biodiversity
The European Commission set out a strategy to overhaul farming and strictly protect carbon-rich forests and wetlands, to benefit wildlife
Spain unveils climate law to cut emissions to net zero by 2050
The government hopes the draft law, which would ban all new coal, oil and gas projects with immediate effect, will shape the recovery effort to Covid-19
Watchdog: Germany must reach net zero emissions by 2038
An independent advisory body on environmental policy warned Germany risks exhausting its carbon budget by 2029 without robust climate action
Shorter supply chains needed to end hunger after pandemic: UN envoy
The coronavirus crisis has heightened inequities of food availability and nutrition. A 2021 Food System Summit aims to boost resilience and sustainability
Coronavirus lockdown speeds India’s shift from coal to solar power
Renewable energy sources are proving resilient in the Covid-19 crisis, while analysts say coal power capacity could peak this decade
How the coronavirus recovery effort can support a European Green Deal
Making old buildings more energy efficient is an obvious target for public investment to stimulate EU economies after Covid-19 and meet climate goals
After the oil crash, we need a managed wind-down of fossil fuel production
To meet climate goals and avoid further market chaos, governments need to plan the decline of coal, oil and gas production, with support for workers
Amazon faces ‘perfect storm’ of forest clearance, coronavirus and wildfire
President Jair Bolsonaro’s opening up of the Brazilian rainforest to logging and mining makes its people vulnerable to the Covid-19 pandemic, experts warn
No silver lining to coronavirus, but a golden opportunity
Rebuilding after the pandemic should be a moment to reset international governance, deepen global cooperation and restructure societies away from fossil fuels
Renewables most resilient to Covid-19 lockdown measures, says IEA
While demand for all sources of energy has been hit by the response to coronavirus, solar and wind generators are best placed to weather the crisis
Merkel: don’t neglect climate finance to the world’s poor
As rich countries spend billions bailing out industries hit by the Covid-19 slump, the German chancellor urged them not to forget their climate commitments
German environment minister defends airline bailout, promises green recovery
The immediate priority is to protect workers, argued Svenja Schulze, resisting calls to impose green conditions on a €10 billion support package for Lufthansa
France calls for minimum carbon price to counter oil crash
Oil prices of around $20 a barrel do not reflect the cost for the climate, the French government argued ahead of a meeting of EU energy ministers