Latest climate change news
Energy companies keep right to sue states in private courts, as treaty reforms blocked
Fossil fuel investors can continue to sue governments secretly when climate policies hurt their profits, as EU lacks support for Energy Charter Treaty overhaul
Vietnam brings cement sector into new climate submission to the UN
The southeast Asian nation has made slight improvements to its 2030 climate plan but still expects emissions to increase rapidly over the next decade
Why we no longer use the phrase ‘brown finance’
We realised “brown finance” to describe investment in harmful fossil fuels is offensive to people with brown skin, so we switched to “dirty finance”
Encouraged by Bolsonaro, land grabbers advance on Amazon indigenous territory
Illegal settlements are springing up on indigenous territories in the Brazilian Amazon, driving deforestation
Fight for the ‘right to regulate’ – Climate Weekly
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Asian multilateral bank promises to end coal-related financing
AIIB president says he will not finance ‘any projects that are functionally related to coal’, but has yet to reflect that in the Beijing-based bank’s written policies
France seeks German collaboration on hydrogen in EU green recovery
The EU’s biggest economies are investing billions of euros in building clean hydrogen fuel capacity to decarbonise heavy industry and transport
UK Climate Assembly calls for frequent flyer levy, private jet ban
A group of 108 citizens tasked with finding fair and socially acceptable ways to decarbonise the British economy by 2050 proposed curbs on jetsetting
Fracking company sues Slovenia over ‘unreasonable’ environmental protections
A British oil and gas company is using a controversial energy treaty to sue Slovenia, after being required to carry out an environmental impact assessment
World misses 2020 biodiversity goals: leaked UN draft report
Global Biodiversity Outlook draft finds funding shortfalls and failure to account for the role of women held back progress on restoring ecosystems
Japan blocks green reform of major energy investment treaty
The European Union is seeking to amend the Energy Charter Treaty to align with climate goals, but Japan is resisting change as negotiations resume
African ministers call for investment in Great Green Wall to aid Covid-19 recovery
Plans for an 8,000km green belt across the Sahel region have stalled, with fresh funds needed to halt desertification and create sustainable livelihoods
Europe faces human rights test case – Climate Weekly
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There will be no ‘green recovery’ for poor countries without loss and damage finance
A loss and damage fund linked to rich countries’ mitigation efforts could levy new funds to address ‘perfect storm’ of flooding, Covid-19 and economic hardship
Countries promise green recovery at Japanese virtual summit, keep quiet on fossil bailouts
Ministers from China, EU and other major economies outlined plans to build back better after the coronavirus pandemic at a meeting convened by Japan
Six Portuguese youth file ‘unprecedented’ climate lawsuit against 33 countries
In the first climate case to be filed with the European Court of Human Rights, six Portuguese youth argue inadequate emissions cuts violate their human rights
Loopholes in Arctic heavy fuel oil ban defer action to the end of the decade
In concessions to Russia, the International Maritime Organisation has watered down draft rules to protect the Arctic from oil spills and black carbon pollution
China among nations likely to miss 2020 deadline for climate plans – UN’s Espinosa
UN climate chief expects only 80 updated national climate plans this year, as preparations are delayed by coronavirus pandemic and US political uncertainty
‘Solidarity economy’: Indigenous women run WhatsApp food swap in Costa Rica
The Cabécar community is combining traditional customs and modern technology to cope with pandemic and climate change pressures on food security
Mauritius oil spill compensation could be limited by maritime law technicality
Experts warn payouts for an oil spill that has devastated Mauritius’ fishing and tourism industries may not match the scale of the damage