Transport

The EU must take the driver’s seat in fossil fuel-free transport

13 October 2023

Transport accounts for a growing share of global emissions. The EU should lead a push for clean travel at home and internationally

The cruise industry says LNG is a climate solution. It’s not

26 September 2023

Some of the world’s biggest cruise companies are claiming to be green, while continuing to use weakly regulated fossil fuels

Dozens of oil & industry lobbyists attended secretive shipping emissions talks

20 July 2023

Oil and gas companies like Shell, BP and Equinor were represented at shipping climate talks

The EU lacks ambition on Cop28 renewable targets

10 July 2023

The EU’s interpretation of a global renewables target is less ambitious than the Cop28 presidency’s and incompatible with the Paris agreement

Shipping catches up – Climate Weekly

7 July 2023

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Pacific “mixed feelings” after compromise on shipping’s climate goals

7 July 2023

Climate vulnerable Pacific islands struck a deal with emerging economies worried about the targets’ impact on economic development

Governments set to fail to plot shipping industry course for 1.5C

6 July 2023

Despite a strong push from Pacific islands, the latest draft does not improve on targets criticised as not ambitious enough

Shipping set to boost climate targets

4 July 2023

A draft agreement, which is subject to change, would target net zero near 2050 and set goals for 2030 and 2040

Latin America leads resistance to global shipping emission tax

29 June 2023

Brazil, Argentina and others have opposed a levy on global shipping emissions at behind-closed-door talks in London

US ‘still on the fence’ as nations debate global shipping emission tax

28 June 2023

The US’s treasury secretary would not commit to backing a shipping tax and the US was not on a list of 22 countries who support the measure.

Transport

Aviation

Airlines plot fight-back against France’s short-haul flights ban

The aviation industry plans to argue that banning short-haul flights is ineffective and impinges on EU citizens’ right to travel between countries

International air travel set for ‘aspirational’ 2050 net zero goal

The International Civil Aviation Organization has agreed a 2050 net zero emissions goal for aviation but its credibility is in doubt

Airlines are being hit by anti-“greenwashing” legal action

UK government touts ‘guilt-free flying’ on country’s hottest day on record

The “jet zero” strategy relies on future technology breakthroughs and rejects options to curb demand

Dutch government issues world-first cap on flights from European hub

Schiphol airport, the third busiest in Europe, will be required to limit traffic to below its pre-pandemic peak, to reduce pollution

Nigerian airlines win jet fuel subsidy after shutdown threat

After domestic airlines threatened to ground their planes, the government agreed to cover some of their rising fuel costs

Turkey opens laboratory to grow algae for jet fuel, in EU-backed clean aviation push

Ministers hope Turkish Airlines will make its first biofuelled flight by the end of 2022, but experts are sceptical algae can make much of a dent in aviation emissions

US spending on airport expansion flies under the radar for climate activists

Public funding of $25 billion to airports generated little controversy despite flying’s outsized climate impact, in contrast to the European discourse

UK Supreme Court lifts ban on Heathrow airport third runway

Heathrow still faces major obstacles to carry out its expansion plans, in light of the UK’s 2050 net zero target and uncertain future demand

Aviation

Shipping

Momentum grows towards 2050 zero carbon shipping target

Nigeria, Chile and Vietnam are among countries now backing a stronger climate goal for international shipping, but cost concerns remain

UN body makes ‘breakthrough’ on carbon price proposal for shipping

After a decade of talks, there is consensus at the International Maritime Organization to put a price on shipping emissions – the next question is how high

UN shipping body agrees voluntary measures to cut black carbon in the Arctic

At the International Maritime Organization (IMO) meeting, countries urged ship operators to switch to cleaner fuels in Arctic waters

UN shipping body considers zero emissions goal, defers decision to 2023

While the US, Japan and Panama backed setting a zero carbon shipping goal for 2050, emerging economies said rich countries needed to go first and provide finance

After Cop26, countries must turn climate promises into action on global shipping

A meeting of the IMO this week is the first test of translating promises made in Glasgow into bold action. The world must turn its gaze to shipping

Pacific islands call for zero carbon shipping by 2050, citing IPCC report

Three Pacific nations want to reopen talks on the long term climate target at the International Maritime Organization, urging higher ambition

Pacific islands make lonely case for carbon price on shipping

The Marshall Islands and Solomon Islands called for a price on shipping pollution at the UN body, but got only tepid support from European nations

It took the Suez Canal crisis to highlight the scale of the polluting shipping sector

The growing global shipping fleet is increasing the sector’s climate and environmental impacts. To rein it in, we need a global carbon price for shipping

Shipping

Road

As Cop26 car pledge underwhelms, delegates ask: where are the bikes?

At transport day in Glasgow EVs were given centre stage, in what campaigners said was a missed opportunity to promote public transport and active travel

With Indonesia’s answer to Elon Musk in jail, electric vehicles are going nowhere

Electric vehicle pioneer Dasep Ahmadi was imprisoned over a failed experiment, with a chilling effect on innovation

European battery gigafactories boom despite Covid slowdown

The region is on schedule to meet rising demand for electric vehicles, with five major battery factories in operation and at least 11 more expected by 2030

Norway sets electric car record as battery autos least dented by Covid-19 crisis

Electric car sales worldwide are suffering less from the Covid-19 crisis than petrol and diesel rivals, in sign of hope for a shift to cleaner transport

It will take more than a few cycle lanes to make green, pandemic-proof cities

The coronavirus lockdown gave a glimpse of what cleaner cities can look like, but as people turn to private cars for safety from infection, pollution could soar

Green bailouts? – Climate Weekly

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Electric cars help limit climate change despite blackspots in India, Poland

Study shows it makes sense to drive an electric car in most of the world including in China and the US rather than stick to petrol, diesel engines

Former German vice chancellor Gabriel tipped to head car industry lobby

Gabriel’s appointment would further strengthen the close ties between Germany’s political class and the automobile sector

Road

New Ideas