International: All stories
Land use seen as vital to fixing climate toll
9 Jun 2009
The world cannot effectively address climate change without altering people’s relationship with soil, the world’s third largest carbon pool, says a new report.
Nature best at handling climate change, says UN
9 Jun 2009
Nature is best at controlling the gases responsible for climate change, the UN Environment Programme believes.
Get smart on climate change, urges UN chief
9 Jun 2009
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for multilateralism and “smart solutions” to confront economic and climate challenges that could result in insecurity and upheaval.
Australian lower house passes carbon trade scheme
5 Jun 2009
Australia's much-debated carbon emissions trading law has passed its first parliamentary hurdle.
$155 billion spent on clean energy, says UN
5 Jun 2009
More than half the $US250 billion invested in new power generating capacity worldwide in 2008 was spent on renewable energy sources, according to a new United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report launched yesterday.
Wood the new coal in a low-carbon world
5 Jun 2009
Power companies are burning more trees because the renewable fuel can be cheaper than coal and ignited without needing permits to release carbon dioxide.
High-earning green sector workers feel safe in jobs
5 Jun 2009
Most workers in the thriving climate change sector feel just as safe in their jobs, if not more so, than they did a year ago, a new Reuters survey shows.
Companies not disclosing climate risks, say studies
5 Jun 2009
Most global industrial companies that emit a lot of greenhouse gases are not adequately detailing their climate strategies in US financial filings, two studies by environmental and investment groups have shown.
Pacific islands win UN vote on climate threats
5 Jun 2009
Small Pacific islands vulnerable to rising sea levels won a symbolic victory at the United Nations this week with the passage of a resolution recognising climate change as a possible threat to security.
Diesel-pusher VW signs with China hybrid builder
5 Jun 2009
Volkswagen, which usually spins its diesels as alternatives to green cars, is looking to partner China's BYD, maker of the world's first mass-produced plug-in hybrid.
NSW to build Australia's largest wind farm
5 Jun 2009
Australia’s biggest wind farm, with almost 600 turbines, is to be built in far western New South Wales.
Latest round of climate talks ‘progressing well’
5 Jun 2009
The latest round of United Nations climate change talks in Germany are making headway, a spokesperson for the world body said yestetrday.
Climate change crisis 'catastrophic', says new report
2 Jun 2009
The first comprehensive report into the human cost of climate change warns the world is in the throes of a "silent crisis" that is killing 300,000 people a year.
Climate crisis like nuclear threat, say Nobel laureates
2 Jun 2009
Twenty Nobel prizewinners, including US energy secretary Steven Chu, have compared the threat of climate change to that posed to civilisation by nuclear weapons.
Traders: Leave carbon price and speculators alone
2 Jun 2009
Carbon prices and the speculators who trade the underlying emissions permits should remain unregulated, despite wild volatility in the nascent market, a panel of emissions traders says.
US says rich nations likely to miss carbon targets
2 Jun 2009
Rich nations as a group are unlikely to reach the deep 2020 cuts in greenhouse gas emissions urged by developing nations as part of a new UN climate treaty, the top US climate envoy has said.
Big banks gear up for US carbon trading
2 Jun 2009
While United States policymakers continue to squabble over a federal plan to cap greenhouse gas emissions and sell the rights to emit them, big banks are gearing up for what they see as a new profit centre.
Report accuses supermarkets over forest destruction
2 Jun 2009
British supermarkets are driving rapid destruction of the Amazon rainforest by using meat from farms responsible for illegal deforestation, according to a three-year investigation of the global trade in Brazilian cattle products.
Turnbull tips Australian carbon trading by January
2 Jun 2009
Australian Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull says the country could have an emissions trading scheme as early as January despite members of the Coalition still being opposed to the idea.
Australia points to $200b natural gas-powered recovery
2 Jun 2009
Australia has more than $200 billion worth of energy projects on the drawing board, enough to drive the nation's economic recovery with the right emissions trading scheme, the industry says.
African ministers reach climate change accord
2 Jun 2009
The United Nations Environment Programme has announced a landmark agreement reached by more than 30 African ministers to mainstream climate change adaptation measures into national and regional development plans.
We’re ready to work with US, says China
29 May 2009
China is ready to strengthen its cooperation with the United States to combat climate change, Premier Wen Jiabao has told US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Business leaders urge ambitious climate action
29 May 2009
Global business leaders in Denmark for a summit on climate change have jointly issued the expected "Copenhagen Call," urging ambitious, global actions on climate change.
Russia loses billions from carbon trading delays
29 May 2009
Russia has lost out on billions of dollars in investment and carbon trading payments due to government delays in considering environmental project applications, the head of an environmental investment group said.
Report card: How the tech-execs rate
29 May 2009
Being perceived as environmentally friendly is a big issue for tech leaders.
Motor vehicle batteries spark new gold rush
29 May 2009
The Obama administration has set off a gold rush to power new environmentally friendly cars.
EU stands alone as world ponders carbon schemes
29 May 2009
Only the 27-member European Union has a legislated and operating emissions trading scheme to achieve the carbon pollution reduction targets it will sign up to at the United Nations climate change negotiations in Copenhagen in December, the Australian points out.
UN chief challenges business to create cleaner, greener economy
26 May 2009
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has issued a challenge to business leaders to lead efforts to transform the global economy into one that is “cleaner, greener and more sustainable.”
Business leaders vow to set price on carbon
26 May 2009
World business leaders meeting in Copenhagen are vowing to help world governments set a price on carbon, establishing a market that governments can use to cut greenhouse gases.
Greens and Nationals aim to defeat Aussie emissions scheme
26 May 2009
The Australian Greens want the federal government's emission trading scheme legislation put to a vote as soon as possible - so they can defeat it once and for all.
US climate change bill clears key hurdle
26 May 2009
The United States’ first federal climate change legislation has cleared a key hurdle by making it out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee on a 33-25 vote.
Obama’s new green guru under fire for climate U-turn
26 May 2009
US Energy Secretary Steven Chu will fly to Europe this week to begin talks that will be crucial in the global battle against climate change.
Get from A2B on the world’s fastest e-bike
26 May 2009
The world's fastest electric bike, already hugely popular in China, is now turning heads in Britain.
US-China climate change deal near, says report
22 May 2009
A US-China deal on climate change could be reached in autumn this year after secret back-channel meetings in the closing months of the Bush administration, according to the Guardian.
UPDATE: US cap and trade bill clears House committee
22 May 2009
Historic environmental law including a cap and trade scheme has advanced in the US.
House panel set to clear US climate change bill
22 May 2009
The nearly week-long US House of Representatives debate on historic legislation to cap and reduce greenhouse gas emissions has moved into the final stages, with the panel expected to pass the measure today.
Applause greets Obama car emissions plan
22 May 2009
Environmental groups are applauding US President Barack Obama's new nationwide rules for car emissions and mileage standards, announced this week.
Dumped Wall Streeters race to join carbon trading
22 May 2009
Jobless American stock traders and other Wall Street refugees are looking to carbon trading shops for work.
Banks who kept the faith look for carbon payday
22 May 2009
For the handful of investments banks that resiliently kept their carbon-trading desks during the financial crisis, a potential payday may come a step closer this week as the US debates its emissions future.
European investors call for carbon trading revamp
22 May 2009
As fresh details emerge confirming that US legislators plan to water down proposed cap-and-trade legislation, a group of European investors have called on world leaders to move in the opposite direction and undertake urgent reforms designed to tighten up emerging carbon markets.
Analysts see carbon windfall profits for EU industry
22 May 2009
European Union moves to exempt industries such as steel, refining and cement from the cost of buying carbon permits risk handing them windfall profits and could blunt EU green investment, analysts say.
UN posts Copenhagen talks text online
22 May 2009
Progress towards achieving an ambitious new treaty on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is gathering pace, the top United Nations climate change official said yesterday.
US lawmakers formally unveil climate change bill
19 May 2009
Democrats in the US House of Representatives have formally unveiled sweeping legislation to fight climate change and said the 932-page bill enjoyed broad national support.
Big business lobbyists queue up on Capitol Hill
19 May 2009
President Barack Obama’s push for a climate-change law this year has set off a lobbying boom on Capitol Hill, where companies are registering to weigh in at a rate of about one every business day.
Turnbull puts biochar at centre of emissions deal
19 May 2009
Australian Opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed that incentives to encourage the use of biochar in the fight against climate change will be central to his negotiations with the Rudd Government over its emissions trading scheme.
Anxious car makers speed toward global pacts
19 May 2009
The breakdown of two of Detroit's Big Three is bringing a new urgency to the scramble among the world's car makers to forge alliances with former rivals, carve inroads into new markets and shop for well-known brands.
Scientists list dangers to US Pacific ocean
19 May 2009
Climate change, fishing and commercial shipping top the list of threats to the ocean off the West Coast of the United States.
UN chief urges action on risk of natural disasters
19 May 2009
United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has called for decisive action to reduce the growing impact of climate change as he launched a global assessment of ways to minimise the risks from natural disasters.
Millions of British homes to have smart meters
19 May 2009
All homes in Britain are to have "smart meters" installed by 2020 to record energy use, under plans announced by the government.
Thinktanks seek funds for green tech in poor countries
19 May 2009
New financial mechanisms to ensure the transfer of low-carbon technology to emerging economies will help to achieve a meaningful breakthrough at the Copenhagen climate change conference in December, according to a report by an alliance of some of the world's leading thinktanks.
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.
Europe’s May and June heatwave deaths – and how they were counted
Tue 21 Jul 2026
Recent weeks have seen a flurry of reports from public health authorities and scientists that estimate the deaths caused by Europe’s record-breaking summer heatwaves.
UK's Burnham to maintain ban on North Sea exploration licences
Tue 21 Jul 2026
Andy Burnham will stick to Labour’s contentious ban on new exploration licences in the North Sea, dashing oil and gas industry hopes for a radical change in government policy towards fossil fuels.
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.
India is adding biofuels to petrol – but many drivers are unhappy
16 Jul 2026
India's decision to increase the share of biofuels blended with petrol is facing ire from motorists who question its viability in a market where a majority of vehicles are not yet designed for it.
‘Those blocking climate science are not our friends': Pacific leaders warn at Bonn talks
23 Jun 2026
Pacific nations and civil society groups have united at UN climate talks, pushing back against efforts to weaken agreed language on global temperature limits as negotiations continue behind closed doors.
‘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.
Under Lula, Amazon deforestation falls to lowest level in a decade
14 Jul 2026
Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest has fallen to its lowest level in a decade during the first half of 2026, according to official government figures.
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”.
