World
Sri Lanka rules out new coal power, promotes rooftop solar
The government wants 70% of the island’s electricity to come from renewables by 2030 and is offering cheap loans to install rooftop solar
Green taxation can help us recover from the Covid-19 crisis. Here’s how
Scandinavian countries have raised taxes on pollution in response to economic crises, while reducing them on labour and capital, boosting productivity
Nigeria to end gas flaring by 2030, under national climate plan
The government is promising to crack down on wasteful emissions from oil and gas production, a major climate and health issue in Nigeria
Brazil plans to prop up coal sector, defying calls for a global phase out
The government has published a plan for the ‘sustainable’ use of coal that would allow the fossil fuel to be burnt until 2050
Ukraine aims to grow economy without increasing carbon emissions
The post-Soviet state has increased its climate ambition but campaigners say it could do more to insulate draughty housing and promote clean energy
Five takeaways from the IPCC’s 2021 climate science report
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has published its first update on the physical science of climate change since 2013. Here are the key messages
‘Hottest games ever’: At the Tokyo Olympics, elite sport met the climate crisis
Athletes fainted as wet bulb temperatures reached dangerous levels in Tokyo, raising questions about the future of major sporting events in an overheated world
A week of wildfires has left thousands homeless in southern Turkey
Experts say forest management and firefighting equipment is needed to prevent future disasters, as climate change brings hotter and drier conditions
Oil-producing Oman pledges 7% emissions reduction from business as usual by 2030
Struggling to balance its budget as the coronavirus pandemic hits oil revenues, Oman is looking to diversify the economy and cut electricity subsidies
Around the world, climate change committees are steering government action
Representatives of 22 official climate advisory bodies – from Chile to New Zealand – got together on Zoom to compare notes
Ethiopia to shift from beef to chicken production under updated climate plan
The government is promoting smaller livestock to limit the rise of methane emissions, in a plan that is 80% dependent on international finance
Drought and water mismanagement spark deadly protests in Iran
The driest conditions in 53 years have brought chronic mismanagement of water resources to crisis point, with at least eight people killed in protests against the regime
G20 climate and energy ministers split over coal exit
China, Russia and India are among countries resisting a timeline to phase out coal power generation, leaving it to leaders to resolve the impasse
Indonesia to burn coal well into the 2050s, under updated climate plan
The world’s second biggest coal producing country is depending on carbon capture to keep the industry alive in its “low carbon” scenario
Europe’s floods hit my childhood home, sweeping away my parents’ sense of safety
As a researcher, I want to bridge the gap between weather forecasts and warning systems so people can take protective action
Record-breaking rain fills Chinese subway, drowning twelve people
Flooding in the central province of Henan can be linked to human influence on the climate, but Chinese media is not making the connection
Fatal floods expose gaps in Germany’s disaster preparedness
While heavy rain was forecast, infrastructure was overwhelmed and many residents did not get the message about the dangers
After 20 years, talks on scrapping fishing subsidies enter final stretch
The World Trade Organization is nearing a deal to end harmful fishing subsidies, but exemptions for developing countries could give China a pass
EU’s border tax gives countries 5 years to clean up industries or face penalties
Unpopular among the bloc’s trading partners, countries are seeking exemptions to the carbon levy, as Brussels hints alternatives to pricing may be considered to dodge the tax
Ocean fire raises questions about US support for Mexico’s oil and gas industry
US export credit agency Exim bank has provided $16.14 billion in loans and guarantees to Pemex since 1998, with recent funds going to the site of the fire