International: All stories

Campaign aims to to cut emissions
2 Mar 2012
Australia has launched a national public engagement programme aimed at showing how the country can reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

Australia eases impact of carbon price
2 Mar 2012
Rules are in place for providing assistance for Australia’s most emissions-intensive, trade-exposed industries to prosper in a carbon constrained economy.

Australians act early to cut emissions
24 Feb 2012
Australian companies are moving to cut greenhouse gas emissions even before they face a price on carbon.

Countries group to fight airlines action
24 Feb 2012
Officials from 29 countries have met in Moscow to try to put pressure on the European Union to abandon a law which requires international airlines to pay for carbon emissions.

Farmers tackle climate change challenge
24 Feb 2012
Representatives of millions of smallholders, family farmers, pastoralists and fishers have agreed at a United Nations forum in Rome on the need to jointly address the global challenges of food insecurity and climate change.

Protesters’ pix show dam destruction
24 Feb 2012
Activists have released a series of pictures from a dam exclusion zone showing poverty and environmental destruction in the Malaysian state of Sarawak.

Agencies chase slice of farm carbon pie
17 Feb 2012
More than 500 applications have been received from Australian universities, land managers, industry and government agencies for government funding to test and develop new ways for farmers to reduce carbon emissions.

Business must do sustainability, says UN
17 Feb 2012
More businesses must embrace the principle of sustainability in their strategies, says United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon.

Australia sets up energy aid packages
17 Feb 2012
The Australian Government has announced a package of energy efficiency programmes designed to make it easier for everyone to access assistance and support in the transition to a low-carbon future.
How US backs renewable energy
17 Feb 2012
The continued support of the United States Government for its renewable energy sector is expected to continue to attract investment and cement its status as one of the largest producers of solar and wind power worldwide, a new study says.

South Korean officials want carbon cap
10 Feb 2012
A South Korean Government committee has approved a bill that will charge polluters for their greenhouse gas emissions from 2015.

China orders airlines not to pay
10 Feb 2012
China has banned domestic airlines from participating in the European Union's emissions trading scheme and from using the scheme to increase fares or add other fees.

Talks connect to connection technologies
10 Feb 2012
The upcoming United Nations summit on sustainable development is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to set the world on a durable track that guarantees a decent standard of living for everyone, a top UN official says.

Former PM lines up business awards
10 Feb 2012
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark later this year will be handing out awards to innovative businesses judged to have contributed to sustainable development.

Wind power creates jobs worldwide
3 Feb 2012
Wind power has become one of the most rapidly-growing markets in the global energy industry, creating a significant number of jobs in times when other industries are experiencing financial instability, a new report says.

Blueprint demands action on sustainability
3 Feb 2012
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for action on a new blueprint for creating a sustainable planet, a just society and a growing economy, stressing that the current path will not lead to a fair and resilient future.

Scientists find Tasman warming hot spot
3 Feb 2012
Oceanographers have identified a series of ocean hotspots, including one in the Tasman Sea, generated by strengthening wind systems that have driven oceanic currents polewards beyond their known boundaries.

30,000-year-old bison gives up secrets
3 Feb 2012
Thirty-thousand-year-old bison bones discovered in permafrost at a Canadian goldmine are helping scientists to unravel the mystery about how animals adapt to rapid environmental change.

Experts eye green economy in a blue world
27 Jan 2012
The economic productivity of the marine sector can be significantly boosted by shifting to a more sustainable approach that focuses on green activities such as renewable energy, eco-tourism and sustainable transport, according to a new United Nations report.

US climate teams move into Pacific
27 Jan 2012
A team of American experts has been in Fiji this week to identify how it may help Fiji and other Pacific nations to adapt to climate change.

Talks begin on agenda for Rio
27 Jan 2012
The first round of informal discussions on the proposed outcome document of the United Nations conference on sustainable development that will be held in Brazil in June got under way in New York with a senior UN official calling for an ambitious and yet practical conclusion.

China looks at benefits of carbon tax
20 Jan 2012
China is considering levying a carbon tax within the next three years to tighten its regulations on polluting industries and put the economy on a greener path.

Startling report warns of lives cut short
20 Jan 2012
A world-first study into the potential impact climate change will have on years of life lost has come up with startling results, says an Australian academic.

Energy efficiency vital, says UN report
20 Jan 2012
A new United Nations report urges investment in energy-efficient technologies to help to achieve sustainable growth and tackle a host of global challenges from climate change to poverty reduction.

Durban delegates hail breakthrough
16 Dec 2011
Countries at the Durban climate conference delivered what they believe is a breakthrough on the future of the international community’s response to climate change.

New phone app gives you carbon clues
16 Dec 2011
A new United Nations mobile telephone application lets users calculate their carbon footprint, visualise its equivalent in a particular ecosystem, and learn new ways in which they can reduce their emissions.

Scientists get excited about biochar
16 Dec 2011
Biochar could help to improve agricultural productivity and assist farmers and landholders to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, says a new Australian report.

The longer we wait, the worse it gets
9 Dec 2011
Delaying any decisions on future climate action until 2015 or 2020 will bring a rapidly increasing risk in costs and threatens the likelihood of the world being able to keep global warming to below 2 degrees C, the Climate Action Tracker warned this week.

Business must take over, says green leader
9 Dec 2011
Business must step into the breach on climate change because government negotiators at the Durban climate conference are procrastinating, says one of Africa’s leading environmentalists.

Experts hand out warning to Pacific Islands
9 Dec 2011
Islands across the Pacific can expect rising sea levels, more very hot and wet days, and more damage to coral reefs, says a new report.

Italian firm joins UN in helping poor
9 Dec 2011
An Italian company has joined forces with a United Nations agency in a scheme to combat hunger and malnutrition and to reduce carbon emissions.

Black carbon moves could save millions
2 Dec 2011
More than two million lives can be saved each year by implementing measures to reduce black carbon, methane and ozone emissions, says a new report.

Millions marked for look at biochar
2 Dec 2011
Australia is putting $2 million up for grabs for biochar research.

Health experts voice climate fears
2 Dec 2011
Australian health professionals say they have serious concerns about the impact of climate change on the nation’s health.

Farmers sign up to $99m green fund
2 Dec 2011
The first round of the $99 million Action on the Ground programme to help farmers to cash in on Australia’s clean energy future is under way.

Greenhouse gas levels reach worst-ever levels
25 Nov 2011
The presence of greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere last year reached its highest levels since pre-industrial times, says a new report.

Coal mining to come under scientific scrutiny
25 Nov 2011
The Australian Government has moved to ensure that all future decisions about coal seam gas projects and large coal mining developments are based on rigorous scientific evidence.

China to set up climate change think tank
25 Nov 2011
China will establish its first national-level think tank on climate change issues, to focus on strategic research and international cooperation, said a senior government official.

UN pleads for ‘global conversation’
25 Nov 2011
The United Nations has launched a campaign ahead of its major conference on sustainable development (Rio+20) in June next year, inviting governments, non-governmental organisations and people everywhere to engage in a global conversation about the communities they want to see in the future.

Scientists issue warnings over Durban
18 Nov 2011
Scientists are warning world leaders against getting bogged down in the “holy grail” of a successor to the Kyoto Protocol at climate change negotiations in Durban this month.

Business getting serious about green investment
18 Nov 2011
Businesses and governments are accelerating investment in the green sectors of the economy, a just-released United Nations report shows.

New rules cut ship emissions, says report
18 Nov 2011
The implementation of United Nations-mandated energy-efficiency measures will lead to a significant reduction in carbon emissions from ships, says a new report.

Australia joins drive to change food system
18 Nov 2011
A major transformation in the global food system is needed to address future threats to food security, according to experts from some of the world’s leading science organisations.

Minister sets date for new carbon rules
18 Nov 2011
Australia’s new administrative body for the carbon pricing mechanism, the Clean Energy Regulator, will begin operation from next April 2.

Gillard warns businesses to behave
11 Nov 2011
Australian businesses have been warned against trying to profiteer from the carbon tax passed into law on Tuesday.

UN expects firm decisions in Durban
11 Nov 2011
The Durban conference on climate change this month should produce agreement on limiting emissions of greenhouse gases, and launch the green climate fund for mitigation and adaptation in developing countries, says the head of the United Nations.

Coal plant rules flawed, says study
11 Nov 2011
A study identifies deep systematic flaws in the crediting rules of coal plants under the Clean Development Mechanism, the lobby group CDM Watch says.

No plain sailing for marine life
11 Nov 2011
Direct effects of climate warming on biodiversity pose a serious conservation challenge for marine life, according to new research published today in Science.

Pew Centre morphs into C2ES
11 Nov 2011
The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES), a new non-profit organisation promoting strong policy and action to address the twin challenges of energy and climate change, was launched this week in Washington with strong business backing.

Key carbon tax vote next week
4 Nov 2011
The Australian government's carbon tax is likely to pass the parliament early next week after an agreement between Labor and the Greens.