World
After US fails to pay its debt, UN’s flagship climate fund warns of austerity
Without more money coming in, the Green Climate Fund’s head warned that the pipeline of carbon-cutting projects in developing countries would have to be cut
Australian carbon traders defend troubled offset market against whistleblower claims
Policy upheaval and stark criticism of the quality of carbon offsets from a former official have thrown Australia’s ability to deliver on carbon targets into doubt
After blackouts, China’s green goals take back seat to energy security
Blackouts and rising fossil fuel prices have made scaling up domestic energy production – clean or dirty – the priority for the Chinese government
UN targets early warning systems for all in five years
Building the capacity to alert everyone in time to prepare for droughts, storms and flooding can prevent damage and save lives, at an estimated cost of $1.5 billion
War in Ukraine is compounding a hunger crisis in East Africa, charities warn
Up to 28 million people are facing severe food insecurity as soaring wheat prices follow failed rains, Covid and desert locusts
Australian government welcomes high fossil fuel prices, ships coal to Ukraine
Scott Morrison’s administration is celebrating rising coal exports and pledging to send a shipment of coal to Ukraine
Russia claims sanctions will stop it meeting climate targets
Experts say Russia’s climate plans were already highly inadequate and reliant on carbon accounting tricks
Science Based Targets initiative kicks out oil companies, delays validation criteria
The standard setter for corporate climate plans said accepting commitments from firms like Russian oil company Tatneft posed a “reputational risk”
Some EU members turn back to coal to cut reliance on Russian gas
Czechia, Bulgaria, Romania, Italy and Germany have indicated they might burn more coal in the short term in response to Vladimir Putin’s war
Plastics resolution tees up battle over oil industry’s plan B
As the world seeks to move beyond burning fossil fuels for energy, the oil sector saw plastic production as a lifeline – but now that’s in doubt too
As EU leaders split on Russian energy sanctions, Commission moots 5-year plan
At a meeting in Versailles, member states agreed to phase out the use of Russian fossil fuels “as soon as possible” but didn’t set a deadline
‘Betrayal’: US approves just $1bn climate finance for developing countries in 2022
The Biden Administration committed to deliver $11.4 billion a year in climate finance by 2024, but Congress approved a mere fraction of that
China plans huge wind and solar power rollout in Gobi desert
The goal is to install 450GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030, more than twice the US’ installed wind and solar generating fleet
Swap Russian gas for renewables, EU tells member states
Green spending could be funded by taxes on energy firms’ windfall profits, Brussels proposes, to cut the bloc’s Russian gas use by two thirds this year
‘They put a gun to my head’: Colombian anti-fracking activist tells of ordeal
In an exclusive interview with Climate Home, 21-year-old Yuvelis Natalia Morales speaks out on the activism that nearly cost her her life
Ukrainian official calls for Russian fossil fuel boycott at UN Environment Assembly
“They’re using this money to kill people,” Roman Shakhmatenko told the Nairobi-based meeting from a basement bomb shelter
Under attack: the Ukrainian climate scientist fighting for survival
Svitlana Krakovska had to withdraw from the approval session of the IPCC report as bombs hit Kyiv. She fears for the future of climate science in Ukraine
Invasion tears Ukraine’s climate community away from life’s work
Under bombing, Ukrainian scientists taking part in the approval session of the upcoming IPCC report have had to withdraw from the meeting
US seeks to remove ‘losses and damages’ from scientific report on climate impacts
The US has repeatedly blocked demands from developing countries to provide specific funding to recover from the losses caused by climate disasters
An energy investment treaty has been holding Nord Stream 2 hostage
The German government has been worried about being sued by the fossil fuel companies behind the Russian gas pipeline under the Energy Charter Treaty