Energy

Climate vulnerability should be factored into debt relief, says IMF head

Kristalina Georgieva said the IMF was considering proposals to ensure climate vulnerable middle-income nations receive support to build back better from Covid-19

South Africa sets out to tighten 2030 emissions target

South Africa’s economy is shifting from heavy industry to service sectors, allowing for deeper carbon cuts, but coal lingers in the energy mix

Saudi Arabia aims for 50% renewable energy by 2030, backs huge tree planting initiative

The target will require huge investments in solar technologies, experts warn, as less than 1% of the oil producing nation’s energy comes from renewables

UK rules out public subsidy for East African oil pipeline

UK Export Finance will no longer back oil and gas projects overseas, shutting off a potential source of support for a major pipeline across Uganda and Tanzania

Total’s play for Ugandan oil tests the climate commitment of international banks

A final investment decision on the East African Crude Oil Pipeline is expected at the end of March, as campaigners urge financial institutions to avoid fossil fuels

Indian lawmaker submits private bill to achieve net zero emissions by 2050

A lawmaker from India’s ruling party has proposed a bill to “start a discussion” on net zero emissions – while defending coal mining in his district

How the shipping industry can halve climate-warming black carbon in the Arctic

Switching to cleaner shipping fuel would prevent Arctic warming and deliver an easy win for the climate

China makes no shift away from coal in five-year plan as it ‘crawls’ to carbon neutrality

Beijing set out incremental increases in climate targets to 2025, allowing for continued expansion of “clean” coal, to the disappointment of climate watchers

Methane emissions from Russian pipelines surged during the coronavirus pandemic

Falling gas prices and a lack of maintenance may have contributed to a 40% increase in the number of methane releases from Russian pipelines in 2020, analysts say

French climate bill set for rocky ride after citizens’ assembly slams weak ambition

After the citizens’ assembly complained they had not been fully listened to, lawmakers submitted over 4,000 amendments to Macron’s landmark climate bill

Energy

Renewable Energy

Fragile countries call for investment in rooftop solar to expand energy access

War-torn states struggle to attract funding for small-scale renewable projects, which leaders say are cheaper, cleaner and less vulnerable to conflict than fossil fuels

It’s time to end subsidies for burning wood from forests

Trees are worth much more to humanity alive than dead, say 500 scientists in an open letter to leaders in the EU, US and East Asia

Why Grenada had to nationalise its electricity for $60m to pursue renewables

A one-sided privatisation deal and flawed World Bank advice landed Grenada with a hefty legal bill to reform its electricity sector and cut reliance on polluting diesel

South Korea 2050 net zero pledge spurs renewables investment

As the world’s fourth-largest importer of coal, South Korea needs to rapidly change its energy mix to achieve net zero emissions by 2050

Green growth champion: Focus on jobs helps poorer nations raise climate ambition

The Global Green Growth Institute is working with governments including Colombia, Peru and Indonesia on “green new deal” plans

Pakistan signals coal power exit, in potential model for China’s belt and road

Imran Khan announced his government would not approve any more coal power plants and pivot to renewables, contrary to the grid operator’s forecast of a coal boom

Philippines declares moratorium on new coal power plants

The move could scrap 8GW of planned coal projects which haven’t been fully approved, sending a strong signal to investors in the region coal is out of favour

Mayan communities are suing the Mexican government over a million solar panel megaproject

Indigenous communities say they did not give consent for a Total-backed solar megaproject on their land

Renewable energy

Fossil Fuels

Japan, US exposed as UN chief urges G7 to commit to 2030 coal exit

At a summit on “powering past coal”, António Guterres called on rich countries to lead, putting pressure on Japan and the US to produce exit plans

Bangladesh scraps nine coal power plants as overseas finance dries up

The rising costs of coal imports and Bangladesh’s role as chair of the Climate Vulnerable Forum contributed to the decision to axe power projects, analysts say

EU spent €440 million on failed gas projects since 2013, study finds

Seven EU-backed methane gas pipelines and import terminals have been shelved or cancelled in the past decade, a study by Global Witness found

EU member states divided over green reforms of energy investment treaty

France and Spain are calling for the EU to quit the Energy Charter Treaty unless it is overhauled to support climate goals; eastern member states want less radical reform

Angola’s oil dependency thwarts its exit from the group of poorest nations

Graduation from the UN group of least developed countries is usually seen as a win, but Angola deferred the move after oil exports plummeted during the pandemic

Cop26 dream team: The people setting the climate agenda on seven key issues

From Denmark’s Dan Jørgensen to Malawi’s Nancy Tembo, here are the leaders to watch ahead of UN climate talks in Glasgow, UK

Chinese inspectors slam energy authority over coal expansion spree

In a highly critical report, officials found the National Energy Administration was promoting coal power expansion without regard for Beijing’s environmental goals

US plans to end fossil fuel finance overseas, threatens billions in support for oil and gas

Joe Biden has pledged to work to end public funding of ‘carbon-intensive’ fossil fuel projects – a wording campaigners fear leaves the door open to methane gas

Fossil Fuels

Nuclear energy

UN development chief calls for green shift away from ‘irrational’ oil dependence

Governments, at a fork in the road because of the Covid-19 pandemic, should ‘insert the DNA’ of a low-carbon future into stimulus packages, says Achim Steiner

Japan’s woeful climate plan amounts to science denial

Japan reiterates past pledges for 2030 rather than mapping out a radical overhaul needed by the world’s fifth largest greenhouse gas emitter

Campaigners urge African Union to stop fossil fuel proliferation on continent

In a communique, African civil society called on leaders meeting in Ethiopia to ‘rapidly initiate a transition to clean and safe renewable sources of energy’ for all

In depth: The EU’s plan to become the first climate-neutral continent

CHN’s media partner EURACTIV takes a look at the ‘king of policies’ that will define Europe’s future, just as the EU finally looks ready to adopt it

As rich countries slow walk green finance, Putin offers Africa an alternative

Two summits in one week presented a choice for African leaders: stalled promises of climate finance in Paris or business deals in Sochi

Hungary wants end to coal power by 2030

‘Sky-rocketing’ EU carbon prices could mean Hungary is the first country in eastern Europe to set an exit date for the most polluting fossil fuel

Brexit: Avoiding the nuclear fallout

UK government report card on replacing the EU’s atomic energy community shows progress, but no deal on March 29 still threatens power and medical supply

UK offers green assurances for no-deal Brexit

London says it will carry over EU emissions rules for cars, coolants and industrial plants even if it crashes out in March with no negotiated deal

Nuclear Energy

Efficiency

Ships to get free pass on emissions until 2030, under compromise proposal