International: All stories
Millions back move to smarter energy use
2 Nov 2012
The Australian Government has announced new funding rounds for three energy efficiency grant programmes to drive smarter energy use in business, local government, households and communities.
Brussels wants to ban $500m in ERU credits
26 Oct 2012
The European Commission has proposed an Emissions Trading System ban on $US570 million of Kyoto-era carbon credits from non-EU countries such as Russia, which have not signed up to a second Kyoto commitment period.
Bioenergy process bad, says report
26 Oct 2012
Bioenergy production is often increasing greenhouse gas emissions in the short term even though the European Union counts it as a carbon neutral technology, according to an unreleased report obtained by agency EurActiv.
Europe on track to meet Kyoto targets
26 Oct 2012
Emissions of greenhouse gases in the European Union fell on average by 2.5 per cent from 2010 to 2011, although several countries increased emissions.
Korea becomes home of climate fund
26 Oct 2012
South Korea has beaten off five challenges to become host country for a United Nations fund meant to manage billions of dollars to help developing nations to combat climate change.
Traders fight over-supply in Europe
26 Oct 2012
International carbon traders are continuing to push for action on over-supply in Europe.
Traders call for intervention in Europe
19 Oct 2012
International carbon traders are calling for market intervention in Europe – including cancelling next year’s market auction of credits.
Europe’s biofuel makers threaten revolt
19 Oct 2012
Representatives of Europe’s biofuels industry have threatened to sue the European Commission if it proceeds with plans to limit crop-based biofuels because of their indirect effect on greenhouse gas emissions.
Scientists see big changes in Antarctic
19 Oct 2012
Rapid changes taking place across Antarctica will have significant impact on global climate, says a leading scientist.
World Cup cuts South Africa's carbon footprint
19 Oct 2012
South Africa’s carbon footprint for 2010, the year it hosted the football World Cup, was lower than previously expected, says a new United Nations report.
Why China is no longer the scapegoat
12 Oct 2012
China has long been perceived as a laggard on climate action, and used as scapegoat by other countries to delay action, says a new report.
Greens praise Aussie ETS changes
12 Oct 2012
The Australian Greens have been quick to praise the passage of a package of bills linking the country’s emissions trading scheme to the price in Europe.
Scientists urge Obama, Romney to act
12 Oct 2012
More than 100 scientists and government officials in Florida are calling on America’s presidential candidates to address the danger of sea level rise at the third and final presidential debate.
Pioneer sees Singapore as trading centre
12 Oct 2012
Singapore might not have a carbon tax regime yet but being a financial hub, it might be poised to be a centre for water and carbon trading.
Forget that new laptop …upgrade the old one
12 Oct 2012
Upgrading old laptops is more energy-efficient than purchasing newer, greener models, according to German scientists.
Brussels to monitor shipping emissions
5 Oct 2012
The European Commission will introduce an emissions monitoring system in early 2013, in a bid to curb the environmental footprint left by the shipping industry.
Plan B perhaps, but there’s no Planet B …
5 Oct 2012
A top United Nations official has emphasized the impact that climate change has on food security, peace and stability, and has called on countries to cooperate to address the phenomenon.
Farmers target of climate investment help
5 Oct 2012
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) has released the Filling the Research Gap: Research Strategy
Why Romney in the White House scares Europe
28 Sep 2012
European Union officials are privately alarmed at the chilling effect that a Mitt Romney win in the US presidential election could have on global climate talks, says the EurActiv agency.
UN chief urges Pacific leaders to act
28 Sep 2012
The United Nations is counting on the leadership and active engagement of Pacific nations in tackling some of today’s pressing challenges, including sustainable development, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said yesterday.
Minister takes seat in the powerhouse
21 Sep 2012
Climate Change Minister Tim Groser will discuss climate change with the world’s economic powerhouses next week.
Coal plans devastating, says protest group
21 Sep 2012
Australian industry leaders have been quick to question the accuracy of a claim that a coal basin near the Great Barrier Reef will rank among the world's worst producers of carbon pollution if fully mined.
Australia goes looking for geothermal energy
21 Sep 2012
A grant of more than $1 million will help Australia to get a better fix on its geothermal energy potential.
There's two sides to the green car story, say critics
21 Sep 2012
Critics of electric cars have pointed out that the vehicles are only as green as the electricity they use.
Spaniards to build Canberra solar farm
21 Sep 2012
Australia’s largest photovoltaic solar farm will be built in Canberra by Spanish renewable energy company Fotowatio Renewable Ventures.
Scientists urge new way of thinking
21 Sep 2012
A landmark study has found that climate change is likely to have a major impact on Australia’s plants, animals and ecosystems that will present significant challenges to the conservation of the country’s biodiversity.
Experts urge action to save carbon market
14 Sep 2012
A high-level panel established to take stock of the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism has released its recommendations by urging nations to intervene forcefully to address the crisis in the carbon market.
More firms see climate change as threat
14 Sep 2012
Major companies are increasingly concerned that they are at risk from climate change in the face of recent extreme weather events such as drought and floods, according to a report published this week.
Europe eyes limit on crop biofuels
14 Sep 2012
The European Union plans to impose a limit on the use of crop-based biofuels over fears they are less climate-friendly than initially thought and compete with food production, according to draft legislation.
Putin mulls over carbon trading
14 Sep 2012
Russian President Vladimir Putin could make an announcement on an internal carbon trading system by the end of the month, says the Moscow Times.
Australian units likely to sit at $15
14 Sep 2012
Australia’s carbon units are likely to trade at $A15, an international energy and environmental agency predicts.
Surplus threatens climate deal, says report
14 Sep 2012
Current Kyoto Protocol rules allow rich countries to continue to emit greenhouse gases on a business-as-usual trajectory while accumulating more than 17 billion tonnes of surplus emission reduction permits by 2020, a new study shows.
Weather wrecking food supply, says report
7 Sep 2012
New research shows that the full impact of climate change on future food prices is being underestimated, according to international agency Oxfam.
Europe throws switch on incandescent bulbs
7 Sep 2012
The European Union has banned the sale of 40W and 25W incandescent bulbs.
Pacific nations get climate change help
7 Sep 2012
Australia will fund a $58 million package to help Pacific countries to become more resilient to climate change.
We’re well on the road to Doha, says UN
7 Sep 2012
A week of climate talks in Bangkok has allowed countries to make concrete progress on key issues, providing a positive momentum for the upcoming United Nations conference in Doha, says a UN official.
Climate scientists ask fishers for help
7 Sep 2012
Fishers and scientists will be better informed about the impacts of a changing climate on Australian coastal fish species, thanks to a new partnership.
Check aid targets, urges Pacific report
31 Aug 2012
A new report is urging funding donors and Pacific governments to work together with civil society organisations to ensure the money reaches those most vulnerable to climate change.
Australia to link with EU carbon market
31 Aug 2012
Australia will scrap its planned floor price for carbon emissions and will link directly with the European Union's emissions trading system by 2018, says Climate Change Minister Greg Combet.
Cool idea could cut coal gas emissions
31 Aug 2012
Refrigerating coal-plant emissions could reduce levels of dangerous chemicals that pour into the air, American scientists believe.
Biofuel under fire as food crisis looms
24 Aug 2012
Drought-stricken crops and record-high grain prices have strengthened critics of the European Union biofuel industry, adding fears of a food crisis to their claims that it does not ultimately reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
UN calls for integrated climate policies
24 Aug 2012
More efforts are needed to combat the threat of climate change and counter its ripple effects on global food security, the United Nations says
Pacific needs climate aid, says report
24 Aug 2012
A major report on climate change finance will be launched at the Pacific Islands Forum next week in Rarotonga.
Beer drinkers say cheers to reducing methane
24 Aug 2012
Australian beer drinkers don’t know it but they are helping cattle farmers to reduce methane produced by cows.
Green rules at huge housing tract
24 Aug 2012
Australia is going green with a new 1000ha housing development
Study warns South Pacific of storm shocks
17 Aug 2012
South Pacific countries will experience more extreme floods and droughts, in response to increasing greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new study.
Singapore aims to be green growth hub
17 Aug 2012
Singapore sees itself becoming a “green growth hub” that delivers green solutions both at the national and global levels.
Spy in the sky shows Arctic ice loss worse than thought
17 Aug 2012
Sea ice in the Arctic is disappearing at a far greater rate than previously expected, according to data from the first satellite launched to study the thickness of the Earth's polar caps.
Europe limits dumping of e-waste
17 Aug 2012
At least 85 per cent of electrical and electronic waste generated in the European Union will have to be recycled by 2020 under new rules that took effect this week.
Europe slams US for backing off
10 Aug 2012
The European Union and small island states have criticised the United States for backing away from a United Nations goal of limiting global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius
Climate and rock art advocates take on ‘carbon bomb’ gas project in Aus federal court
Wed 22 Jul 2026
The Albanese government’s decision to approve one of the world’s largest gas projects in Western Australia is being challenged in the federal court, setting up a significant test of how Australia’s environment law deals with the climate crisis.
Trump blames Canada for wildfire smoke affecting US
Tue 21 Jul 2026
A series of Republican “leaders” have started producing angry denunciations of Canada for polluting America’s air with their "thoughtless" fires.
China solar exports to South, Southeast Asia and Africa rise despite post-rebate slump
Wed 22 Jul 2026
China's solar exports to Southeast and South Asia as well as Africa rose year-over-year in June, customs data showed on Monday, though overall solar exports slipped for a second month after China removed an export tax rebate.
Norway’s national oil company’s profits double to $11.5bn amid war on Iran
Fri 24 Jul 2026
Profits at Norway’s state oil company nearly doubled to $11.5bn (£8.6bn) in the three months to the end of June as the jump in oil and gas prices caused by the war against Iran boosted earnings.
Millions face long-term coastal flooding risk in UK without climate action, scientists warn
Thu 23 Jul 2026
Up to 13 million people in the UK face the long-term risk of coastal flooding due to the climate crisis, scientists have warned, with a “reasonable worst-case scenario” suggesting the need for the large-scale movement of populations away from a dramatically reshaped coast.
Ontario seeks federal support for evacuations as wildfires devastate remote Canadian towns
Mon 20 Jul 2026
Ontario requested federal assistance to evacuate people from remote northern Canadian communities ravaged by wildfires on Thursday, as smoke brought poor air quality to Toronto and much of the Northeastern U.S.
Extreme heat costing India’s poorest workers 2% of GDP, survey finds
Thu 23 Jul 2026
India’s informal workers are estimated to be losing $78 billion in wages per year because of productivity declines and illness caused by intensifying heat.
French Polynesia objects to an American seabed mining plan made without its input
Fri 24 Jul 2026
The government of French Polynesia plans to challenge an American startup’s proposal to explore the waters just beyond its maritime borders for seabed mining.
‘I can’t work in the farce of climate change cruise tourism anymore’: why Antarctic guides quit their dream jobs
Wed 22 Jul 2026
“You’d see massive glacier calvings, and you’d just want to cry. But all the guests would be cheering. And you’d be like … ‘can you not put two and two together?’”
West Africa signs off $25bn mega gas-pipeline plan
Wed 22 Jul 2026
One of Africa's most ambitious energy infrastructure projects has finally been signed off at the highest level, with West African leaders formally endorsing the long-awaited Nigeria-Morocco Atlantic Gas Pipeline.
Panama Canal braces for El Niño, announcing first transit restrictions
Fri 24 Jul 2026
The probability of a severe El Nino has risen from 25% to 81% and the Panama Canal is preparing to restrict transits.
COP31 president says electrification is ‘surest way to protect citizens’
14 Jul 2026
Last month, COP31 president-designate Murat Kurum launched a target for 35% of the world’s final energy to come from electricity by 2035. In an interview with Carbon Brief, Kurum says that the target was not a political choice, but instead reflects the latest evidence on “what is needed to keep 1.5C within reach”.
