International: All stories
Australia agrees to help China with ETS
12 Jul 2013
Australia will help China to set up an emissions trading scheme.
Solar plane shows world what's possible, says UN chief
12 Jul 2013
The journey of the first solar-powered plane to cross the United States has been hailed as an inspiration to tackle climate change and promote sustainable development.
New forum will boost sustainable development
12 Jul 2013
A new high-level political forum has been set up by the United Nations to boost efforts to tackle global economic, social and environmental challenges.
Kill Krill – how acid ocean will destroy key food source
12 Jul 2013
Acidification in the Southern Ocean is posing serious challenges to Antarctic krill - the primary food source for whales, seals and penguins.
Fruit growers eye big energy savings
12 Jul 2013
Australian fruit growers are set to make significant savings with the launch of an energy efficiency project for the country’s temperate fruit sector.
Parliament votes yes to backloading
5 Jul 2013
The European Parliament has voted to approve a “backloading” plan to reduce the glut of unsold carbon allowances in the EU’s Emissions Trading System.
Traders welcome European vote
5 Jul 2013
News of the backloading breakthrough is being welcomed by the world’s carbon traders.
Report paints grim picture of climate change in Asia
5 Jul 2013
Climate change in Southeast Asia could see the rice bowl of Vietnam cracking, diving spots in the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia lying idle with no tourists, and nearly half of Bangkok under water.
The game is changing, report tells insurers
5 Jul 2013
The insurance industry’s own watchdog has warmed that the industry faces potentially serious financial losses unless it gets active in urging governments to address climate change factors.
Sydney sets out to build a low-emissions city
5 Jul 2013
Sydney is working on a city-wide energy efficiency plan as part of its bid to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 70 per cent in just 16 years.
Network to support carbon capture and storage
5 Jul 2013
Australia is to set up a network of carbon capture and storage research facilities to help the country to transition to a low-carbon future.
CO2 aids desert greening, say scientists
5 Jul 2013
Increased levels of carbon dioxide have helped to boost green growth across the world’s arid regions over the past 30 years through a process called CO2 fertilisation, according Australian scientists.
Protocol parties vow to cut fridge gases
5 Jul 2013
Significant advances in commitments to cut emissions of “super greenhouse gases” from refrigeration and air conditioning are being welcomed by international policy experts.
President promises to slash emissions
28 Jun 2013
United States President Barack Obama has unveiled the country’s first national climate action plan, pledging to limit carbon emissions from power plants.
The five-way strategy to dodge Congress
28 Jun 2013
President Obama’s plan to fight climate change focuses on three main areas: Cutting carbon pollution, preparing the US for the effects of climate change, and coordinating the effort with other countries.
What the power industry players think
28 Jun 2013
United States power industry interest groups were quick to give their assessment this week on President Obama’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power generation.
UN climate chief applauds Obama
28 Jun 2013
President Barack Obama’s climate action plan can be a critical move forward on the path toward a new, global climate agreement, the United Nations climate chief believes.
EU reaches deal to cut car emissions
28 Jun 2013
The European Union has agreed a compromise deal to enforce stricter rules on carbon dioxide emissions for all new EU automobiles from 2020.
EU body votes for weaker rescue plan
21 Jun 2013
European Union lawmakers have approved a watered-down rescue plan for the world’s biggest carbon market, after a record surplus of emission permits pushed prices to an all-time low.
US ups social cost of carbon emissions
21 Jun 2013
The US Government has increased a key economic measure it uses to estimate the damage caused by carbon emissions and the benefit of carbon reduction.
Rivals in race to market long-haul jets
21 Jun 2013
Aviation superpowers Airbus and Boeing are battling to dominate the transcontinental jet market, each vowing to outdo the other in delivering quieter, more fuel-efficient aircraft.
China kicks off carbon trading
21 Jun 2013
The South China city of Shenzhen launched a carbon trading scheme this week, the country's first market for compulsory carbon trading.
People come first, say UN leaders
21 Jun 2013
Governments should that land and mineral wealth are managed wisely, transparently and yield benefits for the people, senior United Nations officials said this week
Logging puts island on endangered list
21 Jun 2013
Part of logging-ravaged Rennell island in the Solomons has been named an endangered site by the United Nations.
China set to roll out trading scheme
14 Jun 2013
China next week will launch an emissions trading scheme in the southern city of Shenzhen, marking its first attempt to cut emissions using market mechanisms.
'Carbon farming' makes waves in Bonn
14 Jun 2013
United Nations climate talks in Bonn this week have largely stalled with the suspension of one of three negotiating tracks.
Experts rule fracking too risky
14 Jun 2013
German environmental experts doubt that developing shale gas is economically profitable and worthwhile for the country's energy transition.
Farmers told to adapt or suffer
14 Jun 2013
Farmers must adapt or risk getting left behind as climate change becomes an increasingly influential part of the agricultural landscape, says the head of the United States Agriculture Department.
China and US leaders sign chemicals pact
14 Jun 2013
The decision by China and the United States to cooperate on phasing down production of a group of synthetic chemicals in order to combat climate change has been welcomed by the United Nations.
Power saver ... take heat out of dirty laundry
14 Jun 2013
Households across Europe have been told to cool it in the laundry.
Imaginative inventors set out to save the world
14 Jun 2013
A handful of maverick inventors have banded together under the banner of the Ocean Invention Network to help to invent the world’s way out of climate change.
Airlines act to prevent emissions talks collapse
7 Jun 2013
A proposal agreed to this week by major airlines could rescue United Nations efforts for a deal to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the aviation sector, observers say.
WWF seeks $40b to back renewable energy
7 Jun 2013
Governments and financial institutions worldwide have been urged to increase investment in renewable energy by at least $US40 billion over the next 12 months.
Car pollution claims misleading, report says
7 Jun 2013
The gap has widened between the fuel-efficiency that carmakers declare for their models and the reality for drivers, with luxury German vehicles showing the biggest divergence, a study has found.
Little eco powerhouse wins best engine award
7 Jun 2013
Ford Motor Company’s ultra-fuel efficient 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine has been named international engine of the year.
Lake the world forgot lies pristine for 7500 years
7 Jun 2013
A lake on a remote Queensland island sits as it did more than 7000 years ago - untouched by humans and climate change.
UN and big business bring light to Africa
7 Jun 2013
A United Nations agency and a leading manufacturer have joined forces to bring light to Africa.
It’s tough in the Outback … and getting tougher
7 Jun 2013
People living in remote Australia are likely to be more severely affected by climate change than other sectors of the national population.
Europe wants emissions plans set early
31 May 2013
All countries should outline their long-term plans for curbing greenhouse gases next year, earlier than favoured by Washington, to revive the stalled fight against climate change, the European Union has proposed.
Countries plug in to sustainable energy
31 May 2013
Sustainable energy for all should get a higher priority in global development goals, delegates to a United Nations-backed forum in Vienna said this week.
Trading groups make carbon market pact
31 May 2013
Global emissions trading organisation, the International Emissions Trading Association and Australia’s industry body for carbon market professionals, the Carbon Market Institute, have announced a strategic alliance.
EU set to turn climate agenda upside down
24 May 2013
Europe’s plan to decarbonise its economy by 2050 could be turned on its head at a high-level meeting today.
Inaction will mean world without water
24 May 2013
The world will run out of fresh water unless greater efforts are made to reverse current trends, the United Nations warns.
MPs fail to approve renewables target
24 May 2013
The European Parliament has approved a non-binding resolution calling for a mandatory EU-wide share for renewables for 2030, but failed to set the target in the 40-45 per cent range.
Scientists believe man to blame, says study
24 May 2013
New research shows that the vast majority of scientists believe in anthropogenic climate change.
Korea eyes ambitious carbon scheme
17 May 2013
South Korea is preparing to introduce the world's most ambitious emissions trading scheme, potentially paving the way for carbon costs as high as $90 a tonne for many of the country's key industries.
China holds key to cleaner skies
17 May 2013
It’s time for China to adopt tighter laws and more regional efforts to fight air pollution through market mechanisms such as the carbon trading system, says an American expert.
World must wake up, says UN
17 May 2013
A stepped-up coordinated response is needed to fend off the impacts of climate change after the world’s carbon-dioxide concentrations surpassed their highest level in four million years, says the United Nations.
Power sector warns of costly 'lost decade'
17 May 2013
Europe faces a ‘lost decade’ of climate and energy policy inaction between 2020-2030, says a new report.
Students protest at Shell science funding
17 May 2013
Students and alumni of Oxford University have protested at the opening of a new lab in its Earth sciences department that is funded with €7 million from the Shell oil company.
Battery subsidy scheme set for 'urgent' overhaul as costs run out of control
16 Dec 2025
Australian Energy Minister Chris Bowen has announced big changes to the government's battery subsidy scheme amid claims most of its $2.3 billion budget has been spent in just six months.
EPA erases references to human-caused climate change from websites
19 Dec 2025
EPA has scrubbed references to people’s contribution to rising temperatures from some of its climate change webpages.
Verra cancels four tree planting projects in China. And starts reviews of 45 more projects
16 Dec 2025
“Multiple carbon projects in China are facing serious allegations regarding the authenticity of government approval documents."
France updates its 2050 carbon neutrality roadmap
17 Dec 2025
To mark the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, France released a revamped climate plan promising to phase out oil and gas and sharply increase electricity use.
Net-zero scenario is ‘cheapest option’ for UK, says energy system operator
15 Dec 2025
A scenario that meets the “net-zero by 2050” goal would be the “cheapest” option for the UK, according to modelling by the National Energy System Operator (NESO).
The ecological havens flourishing beneath power lines
19 Dec 2025
Initiatives to foster native wildflowers, grasses and shrubs are turning utility corridors into wildlife corridors.
‘Not normal’: Climate crisis supercharged deadly monsoon floods in Asia
12 Dec 2025
Cyclones like those in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Malaysia that killed 1,750 are ‘alarming new reality’.
Pacific fisheries summit gives a boost to albacore and seabirds
19 Dec 2025
Much of the world’s albacore tuna catch, which usually ends up in a can, comes from the southwestern Pacific Ocean, where fishery managers just passed a new set of conservation rules.
Arctic endured year of record heat as climate scientists warn of ‘winter being redefined’
18 Dec 2025
Region known as ‘world’s refrigerator’ is heating up as much as four times as quickly as global average, Noaa experts say.
Are rainforests now a cause of, rather than the answer to, climate change?
15 Dec 2025
A new study finds that Africa’s forests, responsible for one-fifth of global carbon removal, are beginning to generate carbon as the result of human activity.
Thousands of climate disasters are not included in official reports from Amazonian countries
12 Dec 2025
More than 12,500 extreme weather events impacted the Amazon and its population in 10 years, but countries have not generated enough information about it, according to a new scientific study.
UN environment report 'hijacked' by US and others over fossil fuels, top scientist says
11 Dec 2025
A key UN report on the state of the global environment has been "hijacked" by the United States and other countries who were unwilling to go along with the scientific findings, the co-chair has told the BBC.
