International: All stories
Protesters say no to waste-burning power plant
6 Oct 2014
Protests against a proposed waste incinerator power plant involving thousands of residents took place in southern China over two weekends in mid-September.
New York talked the talk, but we’ll have to wait and see who heard
29 Sep 2014
At the end of his summit meeting on the climate crisis, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon put out a list of accomplishments festooned with 46 bullet points, some of them marking concrete new pledges, others diaphanous phrases.
MIA ... but it doesn't mean China's not interested
29 Sep 2014
There were a few notable absentees among the more than 120 world leaders gathered in New York for last week's United Nations Climate Summit - and perhaps most notable of all was the head of the world’s highest-emitting nation, China’s President Xi Jinping.
Cities in the spotlight at Climate Week summit
29 Sep 2014
Even as nations gathered in New York to discuss global-level action on climate change, there was strong recognition that cities, not countries, have so far played the pivotal role in the world's fight against climate change—and will continue to do so.
WORLD WEB ... Obama’s drive for carbon pricing fails to win at home
29 Sep 2014
* Chile becomes the first South American country to tax carbon * UK to introduce fracking drilling law despite 99% opposition * US Homeland Security moves to tackle climate change risks * Hawaii's solar industry in precarious situation * The top 10 greenest cities in America * Avatar director James Cameron talks climate change
New market pact keeps Australians on the ball
29 Sep 2014
Australian businesses wanting to keep up to date with the international carbon market during their country’s retreat from carbon pricing have formed a new regional agreement.
... but critic says report fails to back up core message
22 Sep 2014
A new report called Better Growth, Better Climate draws the seductive conclusion that “we can create lasting economic growth while also tackling the immense risks of climate change”.
Let's do for climate change what we did for apartheid, says Tutu
22 Sep 2014
WORLD WEB: Largest-ever climate change march rolls through NYC * China cautious on fresh commitments ahead of climate change summit * Will the new EU Commission assure Europe’s leadership on sustainable development? * It's time to teach climate change in school * After An Inconvenient Truth: the evolution of the climate change film
Population explosion lowers chance of managing climate change
22 Sep 2014
By TIM RADFORD.- New projections say the population of the planet will not stabilise at 9 billion sometime this century. In fact, there is an 80 per cent likelihood that, by 2100, it will reach at least 9.6 billion − and maybe rise as high as 12.3 billion.
China goes up a gear but still has a lot of work to do
22 Sep 2014
In the lead-up to the UN leaders’ summit on climate change (http://www.un.org/climatechange/summit), China is shifting up a gear in its drive towardsnational emissions trading.
New York summit could be the turning point
16 Sep 2014
A United Nations chief dismayed at the lack of resolve toward the climate crisis; a daunting deadline for negotiating a new treaty; 125 or so heads of state; a sprawling agenda of fossil fuels, food, forestry and finance; a train of think tanks hauling gigabytes of green data; countless teach-ins, press conferences, art shows - plus tens or even hundreds of thousands of activists marching through midtown Manhattan, demanding action now.
Stage set for the biggest climate march of all
16 Sep 2014
Activists next week will try to seize an opportunity to put the climate movement alongside the Civil Rights and the Vietnam anti-war movements.
WORLD WEB ... Richard Branson fails to deliver on $3b climate change pledge, says author
16 Sep 2014
* More than 500 Korean firms face CO2 emissions cap * Carbon markets gaining momentum in the US * Fracking workers exposed to dangerous amounts of benzene, study says * France aims for ‘energy positive’ public buildings * Do we tax carbon emissions or trade them? Economists dig into the problem * Solar-powered ambulances awarded Government funding
Drought bites as Amazon’s ‘flying rivers’ dry up
16 Sep 2014
The unprecedented drought affecting São Paulo, South America’s giant metropolis, is believed to be caused by the absence of the “flying rivers” - the vapour clouds from the Amazon that normally bring rain to the centre and south of Brazil.
Healthy diet guidelines hard to swallow for greenies
16 Sep 2014
By TIM RADFORD.- The news is enough to make climate campaigners choke on their high-fibre breakfast cereal: if Americans adopted the dietary guidelines suggested by their own Department of Agriculture, greenhouse gas emissions would actually go up by 12 per cent.
Island states celebrate $2 billion conference
8 Sep 2014
With nearly $2 billion pledged in sustainable development partnerships, the United Nations last week wrapped up its small island developing states conference in Samoa and kicked off a drum roll of action on climate change.
Doors open at Ban Ki-moon's Last Chance Saloon
8 Sep 2014
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is attempting to prevent world leaders sleepwalking into disaster by asking them to make new pledges at his climate summit this month on cutting greenhouse gases.
WORLD WEB: China eyes ETS launch in 2016
8 Sep 2014
* Clinton: America can be clean-energy superpower * High-level shale gas study calls for moratorium on fracking * Chile set to pass Latin America’s second carbon tax * Judge rules BP was grossly negligent in oil spill * Aircraft emissions may be next for US climate rules * Hopes for independent Scottish voice at climate talks * They were the last word in glamour, but has the sun set on LA's swimming pools?
New book exposes Malaysian logging crimes
8 Sep 2014
An explosive new book about logging is about to rock Malaysia’s corridors of power.
Is the Mosul Dam start of the water wars?
8 Sep 2014
Exactly a year ago, the world was wrestling with the possibility of another US-led military assault on an Arab state, following the horrific gas attacks in Damascus, Syria.
Scientists give Australia the really bad news
8 Sep 2014
The Australian government has just received a vitally important report to guide its decisions on the future of Australia’s Renewable Energy Target.
Change the way you wee ... and help to save the world
8 Sep 2014
The energy-water nexus between water, sanitation, and our global consumption of energy – the “energy-water nexus" - are more obvious than ever before. But how many of us will take direction at the most basic level of all?
WORLD WEB ... news from the world of carbon
1 Sep 2014
* Big power out, solar in: UBS urges investors to join renewables revolution * Renewable energy investments create larger returns than pension funds * Researchers say this year's ecological footprint has already been exceeded * Shell prepares for 2015 Arctic drilling * Pacific makes substantial progress in reducing carbon footprint * How a church in West Virginia get solar panels for just $1
Business gleans ideas at small islands forum
1 Sep 2014
Small island states offer opportunities for genuine and sustainable business partnerships, according to executives and officials at United Nations private sector forum in Samoa.
Water levels rank with soccer scores in drying Brazil
1 Sep 2014
Outside the semi-arid area of the north-east, Brazilians have never had to worry about conserving water. Year in, year out, the summer has always brought rain.
WORLD WEB ... news from the world of carbon
25 Aug 2014
* World's largest tidal energy project gets £50m funding boost * 'Grand bargain' may secure enough support for Direct Action to pass Senate * Global climate inaction will mean economic turmoil for South Asia, warns bank * What would a fair UN climate change deal look like? * Environmentalists, business on collision course for putting cars on CO2 market
UN expects big things from Samoa conference
25 Aug 2014
The United Nations expects more than 300 initiatives to be announced next week at a major world conference in Samoa aimed at fostering partnerships with small island developing states.
Study holds out little hope for climate solutions
25 Aug 2014
An effective treaty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will probably remain elusive, according to a new research study, because the steps likely to win political agreement would be ineffective, while those that could produce results would be politically unfeasible.
Media clashes raise questions of news bias
25 Aug 2014
It’s tempting to view The Australian’s latest broadside at the ABC as just another salvo fired between the nation’s two biggest media organisations.
Green fatigue ... or just not so much recycling?
25 Aug 2014
It has been suggested that a recent fall in recycling rates in Britain is due to green fatigue, caused by the confusing number of recycling bins presented to householders for different materials.
Economy changes fuel Spain's fire dangers
25 Aug 2014
Climate change is gradually turning Spain into a fire zone – but it’s also the change in the economic climate that is inflaming the situation.
Judge throws out family's fracking pollution case
18 Aug 2014
A Texas judge has dismissed a million dollar lawsuit filed by a family who say their lives have been ruined by noxious emissions from oil and gas facilities near their home.
WORLD WEB ... news from the world of carbon
18 Aug 2014
* Corporate Australia in denial over climate change, says former coal executive * Korean businesses decry carbon trading plan * India deals blow to climate negotiations * Tuvalu PM says climate change like a weapon of mass destruction * Al Gore enlists youth for climate control * 11 ways young people have revolutionised the climate debate * Project Survival: How Pacific island youth are facing down climate change
City plans to harvest storm water
18 Aug 2014
Scenic cascades will carry water through Sydney Park’s wetlands to the city’s largest storm water harvesting system to create a haven for native frogs and birds and encourage bush regeneration.
Smog-plagued Beijing sets timer on use of coal
11 Aug 2014
Beijing will ban coal sales and use in its six main districts and other regions by the end of 2020 to cut air pollution.
New York posts climate crisis message … by law
11 Aug 2014
Adapting for climate change is no longer just a recommendation in New York State - it's about to become the law.
WORLD WEB ... news from the world of carbon
11 Aug 2014
* The corporatisation of US green energy: a double-edged sword worth billions * World's top PR companies rule out working with climate deniers * European electric car sales continue to accelerate * Women to watch ahead of the UN’s 2015 climate summit * Europe launches mobile app to help public monitor air pollution * Used-cigarette butts to power your computer * Contractor jailed for 28 months for dumping fracking waste
Anxious EU reviews scientific assessment rules
11 Aug 2014
The European Commission is reviewing its impact assessment guidelines amid accusations that science is becoming increasingly politicised and scientists manipulated by policymakers and powerful interest groups.
Why the Chinese leadership puts China first
11 Aug 2014
By KAROLINA WYSOCZANSKA.- During Chinese premier Li Keqiang’s last visit to Britain, China signed a series of deals on energy and low carbon technology, and a declaration of cooperation on climate change.
Climate crisis failure means chaos, says trade chief
4 Aug 2014
Failure to factor immediate action on climate change into American policies and business plans aimed at economic prosperity will lead to havoc, warns former United States Trade Secretary.
WORLD WEB ... news from the world of carbon
4 Aug 2014
* China regulator approves fresh supply for carbon market * Obama cranks up pressure on critics with latest climate play * Belarusians caught littering could have cars confiscate * US Navy includes biofuels in annual fuel request * Judge strikes down town's fracking ban * Oil companies forfeit Arctic drilling rights
Inaction will cost billions, warns White House
1 Aug 2014
The world could face economic consequences worth billions of dollars if it doesn't act now to curb global warming, the White House warns.
Latest scientific data shows how world is warming
25 Jul 2014
Most worldwide climate indicators last year continued to reflect trends of a warmer planet, according to the State of the Climate in 2013 report, released this week by the American Meteorological Society.
WORLD WEB ... news from the world of carbon
25 Jul 2014
* Giving up beef will reduce carbon footprint more than cars, says expert * Small Colorado town picks big-time fight over fracking * Fremantle bans plastic bags and imposes fines of up to $2500 * Sainsbury’s announces £200 million corporate green loan to invest in carbon reduction * World Council of Churches says it will not invest in fossil fuels * The strange relationship between global warming denial and speaking English
Tech advances will impact jobs, says report
25 Jul 2014
More than half of the jobs in the European Union’s 28 member states will be impacted significantly by advances in technology over the coming decades, according to calculations by the thinktank Bruegel.
Europe could pay huge climate price, says report
18 Jul 2014
A failure to act to reduce the impacts of climate change could cost Europe dear in lives lost and economic damage, according to a European Commission study.
ETS pay-off puts millions into climate projects
18 Jul 2014
The sale of carbon credits for the first time will finance projects that help to tackle climate change.
WORLD WEB ... news from the world of carbon
18 Jul 2014
* UK cities will exceed EU pollution limits until 2030 * Merkel returns to climate politics with call for EU leadership * Political meddling is damaging UK's low-carbon energy sector * It's time we gave our children permission to get outside and get dirty * Climate change: Could we engineer greener humans? * Fiji vulnerable to climate change: ambassador to UN
Ambition key to 2015 global climate accord
11 Jul 2014
The word is "ambition," and it's being voiced with extra urgency by those who worry that the world's leaders won't soon commit themselves to measures strong enough to combat climate change.
No room for the timid: setting Australia’s 2035 emissions target is a daring tightrope act
Tue 26 Aug 2025
Any week now, Australia will set its 2035 emissions target. It must signal the nation’s strong ambition on climate action, to drive policy and investment. And it must avoid being seen as either unrealistic or too costly.
California is backsliding on climate progress. It’s (mostly) Gavin Newsom’s fault
Tue 26 Aug 2025
The California Supreme Court just gave state officials a golden opportunity to revitalize the rooftop solar industry, helping millions of homes and businesses lower their electric bills and fight the climate crisis.
Is historically arid Beijing ready for a wetter future?
Mon 25 Aug 2025
Beijing's mountainous northern Huairou district and neighbouring Miyun district received a year's worth of rain in a single week, triggering flash floods that devastated entire villages and killed 44 people in the deadliest flood since 2012.
EU wildfires hit new record as flames scorch area larger than Cyprus
Mon 25 Aug 2025
The area burned this year has exceeded the 1 million hectare mark for the first time since records started in 2006.
What happens to net zero if the trees don’t survive?
20 Aug 2025
When climate change undermines the climate plan.
Challenges persist in bid to mine the deep sea, even after boost from Trump
29 Jul 2025
After years of delay, the deep-sea mining plans of Canadian firm The Metals Company (TMC) now appear to be progressing as it pursues a controversial new path to securing a license to mine in international waters under U.S. jurisdiction.
India needs $467 billion climate finance by 2030 to decarbonise 4 key sectors
Mon 25 Aug 2025
India will need to mobilise USD $467 billion in climate finance by 2030 to put four of its most carbon-intensive sectors – power, steel, cement and transport – on a low-carbon pathway.
Rise in dengue fever outbreaks across the Pacific driven by the climate crisis, experts say
13 Aug 2025
Samoa, Fiji and Tonga among the worst affected amid warning the disease and others will become ‘more common and more serious’ as the planet warms.
Iconic Antarctic species at risk amid 'regime shift', with 'rapid and self-perpetuating changes'
Fri 22 Aug 2025
Scientists say there is emerging evidence of abrupt and potentially unstoppable changes in the Antarctic environment.
Africa’s top climate change challenges: a fairer deal on phasing out fossil fuels and mobilising funds
Fri 22 Aug 2025
African countries have made binding commitments to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. To do this, they will need to shift to renewable energy and stop mining and using fossil fuels like oil and coal.
Bolivia will choose a new president but environmental activists see little hope of progress
Fri 22 Aug 2025
Many Indigenous and environmental leaders doubt the election will bring progress in stopping deforestation, wildfires or pollution in the Amazon.
Brazil issues last-ditch plea for countries to submit climate plans ahead of COP30
20 Aug 2025
Only 28 countries have submitted carbon-cutting proposals to the UN, with some of the biggest emitters yet to produce plans.
