China, India miss UN’s extended deadline for climate pledges
110 countries have submitted updated 2030 climate targets to be counted by UN Climate Change before Cop26, but some major emitters’ are still missing
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
South Africa proposes global goal for adaptation at pre-Cop26 ministerial
Environment minister Barbara Creecy called for quantifiable improvements in resilience to climate impacts, to give the adaptation agenda the same weight as emissions cuts
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
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
Developing nations put numbers on the table for the next climate finance goal
Nearly 100 developing countries have come together to define what success means at Cop26, raising the stakes for donor countries to step up their finance pledges
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
DR Congo plans to lift logging moratorium amid forest protection talks
The government is ending a decade-old ban on new forestry concessions, to the horror of campaigners who say the move is incompatible with climate targets
UN draft accord sets out new biodiversity goals but delivery plan is lacking
Experts welcomed the proposed targets to protect and restore nature, but said without funding and national accountability they would achieve little
G20 backs carbon pricing, ‘raising stakes’ among emerging economies
The EU’s threatened carbon tariff on imports has spurred trading partners like Indonesia and Turkey to consider making polluters pay at home
Argentina pitches green debt swap, with the Pope’s blessing
Pope Francis is the unlikely champion of a pioneering green debt relief plan for Argentina, but it is a politically sensitive issue in his home country
North American heatwave broke records – and the climate models
Climate scientists were shocked by the recent lethal heatwaves in western Canada and northwestern US, which exceeded all global heating predictions
Ocean fire exposes weak regulation of Mexico’s oil and gas sector
After ‘eye of fire’ footage goes viral, Pemex denies its ruptured gas pipe caused environmental damage and campaigners demand an investigation
South Africa’s climate advisers urge faster shift away from fossil fuels
The climate commission has called on the government to step up its 2030 climate goal – which some advisers say will require ending new coal and gas projects
As Elsa heralds a busy hurricane season, Caribbean states count on resilience plans
After the devastating impacts of Hurricane Maria in 2017, Caribbean islands invested in measures to help communities bounce back from extreme weather