Under fire over aid cuts, UK hosts summit to help vulnerable nations fund climate action
Research to enhance climate action in developing countries is being threatened with aid cuts at a time when the UK is seeking ‘practical steps’ to boost climate investment
Rare IMF relief offers a hope of green recovery to debt-laden nations
As the IMF prepares a $650 billion injection of funds into the global economy, there are calls to target support to climate vulnerable nations
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
Ireland’s government agrees on climate bill to set 2050 net zero goal in law
The bill would commit Ireland to cut emissions 51% between 2018 and 2030, raising tough questions about the future of cattle farming
Stuck in the middle: Ukraine aims for net zero but struggles to access finance
Ukraine lacks the resources of the EU but is not eligible for support from the Green Climate Fund to decarbonise its economy
EU ministers demand response to Trump Admin critique of green farming reforms
The EU Commission has been ordered to assess the impact of its green “farm to fork” strategy after the Trump Administration claimed it would harm global food security
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
Scientists push to add “huge” fish trawling emissions to national inventories
Bottom-trawling for fish releases more carbon dioxide each year than Germany, a study has revealed, yet this is not included in national carbon accounts
Lebanon increases climate goal despite political and economic turmoil
While battling political upheaval, coronavirus and its worst economic crisis in 30 years, Lebanon has strengthened its 2030 emissions target
Coal-backing Japanese bank bids for Green Climate Fund partnership
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation is applying to channel money from the Green Climate Fund, against opposition from green campaigners over its coal lending
Green Climate Fund whistleblowers urge US to take its money elsewhere – until ‘toxic’ workplace is fixed
As John Kerry promises to “make good” on a $2 billion pledge to the GCF, the UN’s flagship fund faces critically low confidence in its senior management
Unequal vaccine rollout threatens inclusivity of Cop26, climate diplomats warn
Negotiators are worried that requiring a vaccine passport to attend November’s critical UN climate summit will exclude developing countries with limited supplies
Hall of shame: 9 countries missing the chance of a green recovery
Just 18% of recovery spending globally is green, a UN report found. Despite pledges to ‘build back better’, governments have propped up fossil fuels, aviation and roads
EU lawmakers threaten to veto green finance rules – for opposing reasons
A draft EU sustainable finance taxonomy is under fire for being too strict and not strict enough, with gas and nuclear at the heart of the controversy
South Sudan plans to raise climate ambition amid ‘dire’ humanitarian crisis
The world’s newest country is seeking to expand renewable energy, tree planting and climate smart agriculture, but UK aid cuts threaten progress
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
UN suspends climate work with Myanmar government following military coup
The military takeover in Myanmar raises fears of pollution, deforestation and revival of a controversial hydropower dam, as international agencies put climate projects on hold
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