International: All stories
‘Verge of the abyss’: Climate change to dominate UNGA talks
21 Sep 2021
Pressure is building on world leaders to rapidly ratchet up efforts to fight global climate change, a topic expected to top the agenda at the United Nations General Assembly
CO2 shortage: why a chemical problem could mean more empty shelves
21 Sep 2021
As far as the environment goes, carbon dioxide is probably public enemy number one. This makes it all the more ironic that the UK is currently suffering from a shortage of the gas, which experts warn will affect a variety of industries, most notably food and drink.
German activists starving themselves to make politicians face the climate crisis
21 Sep 2021
The Last Generation, a six-strong group, is camping out near the Reichstag determined to force a commitment to limit global heating.
New solar is cheaper to build than to run most existing coal plants
20 Sep 2021
Last week, BloombergNEF’s released estimates for its global benchmark that tracks the levelized cost of electricity, or LCOE, for utility-scale PV and onshore wind. The LCOE looks at the all-in cost to build, operate, and maintain power plants and then calculates the cost per megawatt-hour (MWh) of the energy produced based on all of those inputs.
Fossil fuel firms sue governments across the world for US$18 billion
20 Sep 2021
Fossil fuel companies are suing governments across the world for more than US$18bn after action against climate change has threatened their profits, according to research conducted by campaign group Global Justice Now.
Rich nations all but stall on key $100bn climate fund goal
20 Sep 2021
Developed countries made almost no progress toward their goal of providing $100 billion a year to help poor countries tackle climate change, figures from the OECD showed on Friday.
Climate dominates Germany’s most unpredictable election in decades
20 Sep 2021
Never before in German history has climate policy played a role as big as it does in 2021. Even after one and a half years of a turbulent pandemic, credible climate policies remain the yardstick many voters plan to base their decision on.
Companies backing kelp may be rushing ahead of the science
20 Sep 2021
Sinking seaweed could sequester a lot of carbon, but researchers are still grappling with basic questions about reliability, scalability and risks.
Climate change not slowed by the COVID pandemic: UN
17 Sep 2021
The pace of climate change has not been slowed by the global COVID-19 pandemic and the world remains behind in its battle to cut carbon emissions, according to the United Nations.
Climate experts fear Aukus will dash hopes of China emissions deal
17 Sep 2021
The timing of the new defence deal between the US, UK and Australia has dismayed climate experts, who fear it could have a negative effect on hopes of a deal with China on greenhouse gas emissions ahead of vital UN climate talks.
This year's giant Antarctic ozone hole probably due to climate change
17 Sep 2021
A giant ozone hole has opened up over Antarctica this year. Already larger than the entire ice-covered continent, the ozone hole has surpassed the size of 75% of ozone holes measured since 1979 and is still growing. Scientists believe climate change might be the cause.
World’s first carbon-neutral fuel plant breaks ground in Chile
17 Sep 2021
Work has started on a pioneering wind farm on the Magellan Straits in southern Chile that will produce green hydrogen and help Porsche produce e-fuels, with Chilean energy minister Juan Carlos attending the groundbreaking ceremony.
'Climate stars' among the world’s most ‘influential’ people
17 Sep 2021
Climate change was a big theme in Time Magazine’s 2021 list of “Most Influential People,” with a handful of climate scientists and environmental advocates making the list along with celebrities like Dolly Parton and Naomi Osaka.
Not a single G20 country is in line with the Paris Agreement on climate
16 Sep 2021
None of the world's major economies -- including the entire G20 -- have a climate plan that meets their obligations under the 2015 Paris Agreement, according to an analysis published Wednesday, despite scientists' warning that deep cuts to greenhouse gas emissions are needed now.
James Hansen warns rate of global warning set to double
16 Sep 2021
James Hansen, a climate scientist who shook Washington when he told Congress 33 years ago that human emissions of greenhouse gases were cooking the planet, is now warning that he expects the rate of global warming to double in the next 20 years.
Scientists call for 'fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty'
16 Sep 2021
"We, the undersigned, call on governments around the world to adopt and implement a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, as a matter of urgency, to protect the lives and livelihoods of present and future generations." So begins an open letter from 2,185 scientists from 81 countries presented to the UN this week.
Time for a 'Constitution of the Earth'?
16 Sep 2021
Guido Montani, a professor of international political economy at the University of Pavia, argues the time has come for a "Constitution of the Earth."
Australian bush fires belched out immense quantity of carbon
16 Sep 2021
The extreme bush fires that blazed across southeastern Australia in late 2019 and early 2020 released 715 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the air — more than double the emissions previously estimated from satellite data, according to an analysis1 published today in Nature.
Young Kiwis much more concerned about climate change than oldies
15 Sep 2021
Eighty per cent of New Zealanders between the age of 18 to 29 are concerned that climate change will harm them personally compared to just 49% of the 65 plus age group.
NZ likely to come under pressure to cut methane emissions faster
15 Sep 2021
New Zealand is on a list of high methane emitting countries identified by Europe and the US as needing to make greater efforts to cut back emissions of the greenhouse gas.
World now sees twice as many days over 50C
15 Sep 2021
The number of extremely hot days every year when the temperature reaches 50C has doubled since the 1980s, a global BBC analysis has found.
Climate change could trigger migration of 216 million people: World Bank
15 Sep 2021
Without immediate action to combat climate change, rising sea levels, water scarcity and declining crop productivity could force 216 million people to migrate within their own countries by 2050, the World Bank said in a new report.
UN calls for 'repurposing' farm subsidies harming environment
15 Sep 2021
Farming subsidies worth around $500 billion doled out by governments every year must be repurposed, three UN agencies warned on Tuesday, citing the environmental and health damage they cause.
Meet the world’s first carbon-neutral soccer club
15 Sep 2021
An all-vegan stadium. A field fertilized with seaweed. How the owner of the sport’s most sustainable team is cultivating “a new kind of soccer fan.”
River Tamar allowed to flood farmland to help wildlife and climate
15 Sep 2021
Project to reverse Victorian-era reclamation creates rich, marshy land that can lock in carbon.
At least 227 indigenous people died last year defending their lands
14 Sep 2021
At least 227 environmental defenders died last year as a direct result of their efforts to protect land, water, wildlife, and their own climate futures. That’s the highest number ever recorded, according to the annual report released Monday by the Global Witness organisation
Australia is shaping up to be the villain of COP26 climate talks
14 Sep 2021
If Australia's allies were worried that the country might cause them problems at upcoming climate talks in Glasgow, the events of the past week should leave little doubt in their minds. It will.
Climate change and price stability mandates at central banks
14 Sep 2021
Traditionally, financial market actors and monetary authorities have considered environmental matters as outside of the scope of monetary policymakers. This stance may change now that central banks are beginning to recognize that climate change could present real threats to price stability.
The carbon footprint of a full English breakfast
14 Sep 2021
Over four-fifths of the English population say they enjoy a full English breakfast. But when food production accounts for a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions, and 11% of UK emissions come from agriculture, it’s time to think critically about how we can reduce the impact of our breakfasts – without compromising on quality or taste.
Quantifying food-related global greenhouse gas emissions
14 Sep 2021
Global emissions from the production of animal-based food are about double the amount of emissions from plant-based food production, according to a model by international researchers.
OECD boss: Carbon pricing should come through us
13 Sep 2021
Efforts to price carbon should be elevated to the international level, the head of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development told EU finance ministers on Saturday.
No time left tor ‘incremental’ climate action, warns leaked IPCC report
13 Sep 2021
Our planet has no time left for “incremental change” to avert climate disaster, says a leaked draft of the upcoming IPCC report. The draft is the third part of the IPCC assessment due to be published next March.
Jobs at risk if UK fails to hit carbon emissions target
13 Sep 2021
Up to 660,000 jobs could be at risk if the UK fails to reach its net-zero target as quickly as other nations, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has warned.
Canada election: experts urge ‘bolder’ action amid climate crisis
13 Sep 2021
Nearly a fifth of Canadians say climate change is their top election issue. But experts question whether political parties are taking it seriously enough.
Almost certainly the world's coolest climate change research centre
13 Sep 2021
Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter has revealed the first photographs of the Ilulissat Icefjord Centre, a climate research and visitor centre on Greenland's rugged coastal landscape.
Australia could phase out coal in a decade
10 Sep 2021
With coal prices reaching all time highs, professor economics John Quiggan argues its time for the lucky country to commit to phasing out coal within the next decade.
Harmonizing green incentives
10 Sep 2021
Thomas Pogge is an academic philosopher with a practical bent. His idea of a health impact fund was a practical solution to incentivise the development of drugs that would benefit those in poor countries. Now he's proposing a scheme tackle the problems of banks investing in fossil fuels in the developing world.
Norway’s oil and money up for grabs in the coming election
10 Sep 2021
Norway’s electorate has an existential choice to face about its Oil Fund, associated with domestic prosperity but looming climate catastrophe.
Top 5 meat and dairy companies match Exxon in greenhouse gas emissions
10 Sep 2021
The world's five biggest meat and dairy companies emit the same volume of greenhouse gases as fossil fuel giant ExxonMobil.
The messy truth about carbon footprints
10 Sep 2021
How much attention should each of us be paying to our individual carbon footprint? That question is the subject of a contentious debate that’s been raging in climate circles for quite some time.
NZ working with UK and Australia to help Pacific Island delegates attend COP26
9 Sep 2021
The New Zealand, Australian and UK governments are working together to ensure Pacific Island delegations can attend the COP26 meetings in Glasgow in November.
Vulnerable nations call for emergency climate pact
9 Sep 2021
The countries most vulnerable to climate change are calling for an "emergency pact" to tackle rising temperatures.
Fossil fuels must remain in ground to avoid missing Paris target
9 Sep 2021
A new study in Nature reports that oil, gas and coal production must begin falling immediately to have even a 50 percent chance of keeping global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius.
UK criticised for ‘dropping Paris climate goals in trade deal with Australia
9 Sep 2021
Green campaigners have criticised the UK government for apparently removing references to the temperature goals of the Paris climate agreement from a prospective trade deal with Australia.
Nature based solutions to tackle climate change in rural Tonga
9 Sep 2021
A NZD$7.2 million Climate Resilient Islands Programme focusing on nature-based solutions to climate change in rural communities in Tonga was launched, in Nuku'alofa on September 7.
Green groups call for COP26 postponement
8 Sep 2021
Green groups say that the COP26 climate conference due to be held in Glasgow in November should be postponed.
Can land as carbon sink save us?
8 Sep 2021
Land-based climate mitigation and adaptation is fast becoming a central theme in the response to the climate crisis.
Carbon capture—dream or nightmare—could be coming. Or not.
8 Sep 2021
In early September, at an industrial facility located about 25 miles southeast of Reykjavik, Iceland, the Swiss company Climeworks will mark the opening of a new project named “Orca.”
What to expect from China at COP26
8 Sep 2021
China, the world’s largest carbon emitter, has made commitments to climate change and set ambitious targets to reach carbon neutrality by 2060. But, so far, details on how to get there have been scarce.
Not seeing the wood for the trees—the EU’s environmental blunder
8 Sep 2021
The European Union is leading the world in adopting limits on greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions, notably via hefty carbon taxes. New policies always experience teething problems but an EU environmental regulation adopted in 2009 has become an embarrassing own goal.
Oil refinery fire at key Victoria facility
16 Apr 2026
Explosions and towering flames were reported as a significant fire broke out at one of Australia’s major oil refineries.
Trump takes a ‘wrecking ball’ to independent scientific advisory board
Thu 30 Apr 2026
Without the impartial oversight of its board, the National Science Foundation is now “fully at the behest of the White House,” experts warn.
China’s leadership calls for ‘strict control’ of fossil fuels
Tue 28 Apr 2026
Chinese government leaders published a policy document on 22 April – Earth Day – calling for stricter controls on fossil-fuel consumption and greater oversight of heavy emitters.
EU faces ‘China shock’ as EV imports drive Beijing’s record surplus with bloc
Fri 1 May 2026
The EU is experiencing a prolonged “China shock” as a flood of Chinese EVs into Europe helped push Beijing to a record surplus with the bloc.
UK scientists to fire salt water into the sky in bid to tackle climate crisis
Fri 1 May 2026
Government supporting new geoengineering techniques as race against unregulated companies seeking to capitalise on need for climate cooling tech heats up.
Canada, Alberta close in on carbon price agreement, sources say
Wed 29 Apr 2026
Canada and Alberta are expected to strike a deal in the next two weeks that will increase the price on carbon for the province's industrial emitters, but a broader agreement to tackle oil sands greenhouse gases and green-light a new crude oil export pipeline remains elusive.
India submits new climate action pledges to UN body, flags condition to fulfil promise
Wed 29 Apr 2026
India has formally submitted its pledge to the UN climate body, underline importing conditions noting the developing countries' committments cannot be fulfilled without adequate support in terms of finance and technology transfer.
Tuvalu to host world leaders before COP31 summit
16 Apr 2026
Tuvalu, the Pacific nation at the forefront of the global climate crisis, will host a special meeting of world leaders before this year’s Cop31 summit, as the conference president expresses “complete faith” in Chris Bowen to lead tough negotiations.
Drowned chicks and food scarcity: Emperor penguin and Antarctic fur seal now endangered
13 Apr 2026
The primary drivers are shrinking sea ice and warming oceans driven by climate change.
Rationing power and diluting petrol – how African countries are coping with effects of Iran war
30 Mar 2026
Countries across Africa have taken measures such as diluting petrol and restricting electricity consumption to cope with the fuel crisis triggered by the US and Israel's war in Iran.
Beef production drives 40% of agriculture-linked forest destruction, Brazil leads
26 Mar 2026
Beef production is the leading driver of agriculture-linked deforestation, accounting for 40% of all forest clearing done to open space for food production, according to details of a study released on Tuesday.
Extreme heat threatens global food systems, UN agencies warn
23 Apr 2026
Extreme heat is pushing global agrifood systems to the brink, threatening the livelihoods and health of more than a billion people, according to a new report by the U.N.'s food and weather agencies.
