International: All stories
State of the climate: 2024 now very likely to be warmest year on record
30 Jul 2024
As 2024 passes its midpoint, the global climate continues to push into uncharted territory.
Yellen says $3 trillion needed annually for climate financing, far more than current level
30 Jul 2024
US Treasury Secretary said that the global transition to a low-carbon economy requires $3 trillion in new capital each year through 2050, far above current annual financing.
UK’s Labour will honour pledge of £11.6bn in overseas climate aid
30 Jul 2024
Labour will honour a pledge of £11.6bn in overseas aid for the climate crisis, the energy secretary, Ed Miliband, told an unusual meeting of COP presidents past and present.
Wildfires push devastation and spread smoke across US West
30 Jul 2024
Firefighters made progress over the weekend in the battle against wildfires covering massive areas in the western United States, but further evacuations have been necessary.
Electric vehicles strain the automaker-big oil alliance
30 Jul 2024
In the clean car battle, the oil industry leans on friends—including Donald Trump—to keep gasoline transport alive, while carmakers steer toward an EV future.
Help us, methane mitigation. You’re our only hope.
30 Jul 2024
Rob Jackson, climate scientist and chair of the Global Carbon Project, argues that restoring methane to preindustrial levels is the best lever to limit global heating in the next few decades.
UN Secretary-General says the world must turbocharge the fossil fuel phaseout
29 Jul 2024
As a new report shows accelerating warming threatens 70 percent of the world’s workers, Antonio Guterres warns that wealthy countries expanding fossil fuel industries “are signing away our future.”
‘This used to be a beautiful place’: how the US became the world’s biggest fossil fuel state
29 Jul 2024
No country has ever in history produced as much oil and gas as the US does now and Louisiana is ground zero.
Arctic warming plays a devastating role in accelerating global heating
29 Jul 2024
Buried beneath the icy surface of the Arctic tundra lie secrets that hold the key to understanding global climate patterns and their changes over time.
The great climate change wealth transfer is here
29 Jul 2024
There has rarely been a better time to be a seller of fossil fuels — nor a worse time to be exposed to their effects.
Paris Olympics promote sustainability for good reason
29 Jul 2024
Europe is in the midst of a heat wave, and while Olympic athletes in Paris for the 2024 Summer Games might be spared the worst of it, the weather will still be hot.
It’s time for Azerbaijan to shift gears on diplomacy ahead of COP29
29 Jul 2024
COMMENT: Amid record-breaking climate impacts, the COP29 host nation needs to ramp up action for an ambitious outcome in Baku.
Scientists discover trees absorb methane – so forests are even more important in the climate fight than we thought
26 Jul 2024
Tree bark in the world’s forests absorbs the greenhouse gas methane – a discovery that could have big implications for tackling climate change.
A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked
26 Jul 2024
Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion.
Landmark lawsuit challenges Britain’s climate change adaptation plan
26 Jul 2024
In a landmark climate case, Friends of the Earth and two people whose lives have been severely affected by the changing climate are suing the government of the United Kingdom over its failure to safeguard people, property and infrastructure against foreseeable effects of the climate crisis.
Tasmanian 'Eco-Milk' tests shoppers' thirst for climate-friendly dairy
26 Jul 2024
A small dairy in Tasmania is stocking supermarket shelves with what it says is the world's first branded milk produced by cows fed with a seaweed that makes them emit lower levels of environmentally damaging methane gas.
'Heat is a killer': Experts explain why it matters that heat records were broken this week
26 Jul 2024
Heat records have never tumbled at such speed before and it could have dire consequences for people everywhere, especially Europe which is the fastest warming continent on Earth.
Beef is carbon-intensive - but by how much is surprisingly unclear
26 Jul 2024
The way beef is farmed, and how we measure its emissions, produces dramatically variable greenhouse gas footprints, according to new research.
World’s hottest day recorded on Sunday, climate monitor says
25 Jul 2024
Global average surface air temperature was 17.09 degrees Celsius on Sunday, the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service says.
20 ways policymakers can help businesses fight nature loss
25 Jul 2024
COMMENT: Nature underpins our collective wellbeing and our very survival. It provides the foundation of our economic system, supports human development and equality, and increases our resilience to climate change.
Why Asia's future hinges on a collective approach to sustainable finance
25 Jul 2024
Asia is experiencing significant health crises due to climate change, causing disruptions in productivity, increasing healthcare costs and undermining workforce stability.
South Africa passes its first sweeping climate change law
25 Jul 2024
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law a broad climate change act that will set caps for large emitters and require every town and city to publish an adaptation plan.
Just Stop Oil’s harsh sentences are the logical outcome of Britain’s authoritarian turn against protest
25 Jul 2024
Lengthy prison sentences have been imposed on five Just Stop Oil activists for coordinating direct action on the M25, the main ring road around London.
Birthing the Blob
25 Jul 2024
With ecosystems increasingly squeezed by anthropogenic warming, even cleaning up pollution can cause problems.
UN attacks companies’ reliance on carbon credits to hit climate targets
24 Jul 2024
The UN has outlined its opposition to companies using credits to cancel out their carbon dioxide footprint, putting it on a collision course with big oil and technology groups.
What’s on the table for food systems at COP29?
24 Jul 2024
Food systems advocates are eager to ensure that food and agriculture remain central topics, building on the momentum from COP28 in Dubai.
Maritime commerce and climate change: how effective would a carbon tax on shipping be?
24 Jul 2024
With 11 billion tonnes of goods traded internationally by sea every year, shipping accounts for around 3% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
When Kamala Harris sued Obama over fracking
24 Jul 2024
A 2016 lawsuit illustrates why some activists believe Harris will be more aggressive on climate than Biden.
A global wealth tax is needed to help fund a just green transition
24 Jul 2024
COMMENT: Brazil and France have proposed a tax on the super-rich to fight against poverty and climate change – G20 finance ministers should get behind it this week.
Rio Tinto class action over Bougainville mine damage set for October hearing
24 Jul 2024
The first hearing date has been set in a class action against miner Rio Tinto for historical environmental and social damage caused by the Bougainville copper mine in Papua New Guinea.
Projects under construction in China have twice the capacity of the rest of the world’s renewable energy projects combined
23 Jul 2024
Renewable energy projects are rapidly expanding in China, so much so that the country has double the amount of renewable capacity under construction compared to all other countries combined.
Von der Leyen threads the climate needle to keep her job
23 Jul 2024
The German politician has secured a second term as European Commission president with a political program carefully designed to woo both conservatives and environmentalists.
Niger floods toll increases - 53 dead, 18,000 affected
23 Jul 2024
Flooding caused by heavy rains lashing Niger since June has killed 53 people and impacted 18,000, as the west African country grapples with the effects of climate change.
Trump’s environmental impact endures, at home and around the world
23 Jul 2024
His break from the Paris accord inspires other populist leaders, while his reshaping of the federal courts and environmental rollbacks distrupt efforts to counter climate change.
Climate activists have received months-long sentences. Are tougher laws eroding Australians’ right to protest?
23 Jul 2024
NSW enacts highest number of new laws among states, with climate protesters disproportionately affected, report finds.
Methane leaking out of old mining site in Dharawal National Park near Sydney that closed decades ago
23 Jul 2024
In the heart of what appears to be a pristine national park, a greenhouse gas is leaking out of an underground coal mine more than 30 years after it was last used.
How Kamala Harris’ platform could differ from Joe Biden’s
22 Jul 2024
President Joe Biden’s decision to abandon his reelection bid and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris means that Harris could soon become the standard-bearer for the Democratic Party’s biggest priorities — including climate change.
Climate activists alarmed by Trump’s ‘dangerous’ pick for vice president
22 Jul 2024
‘JD Vance will empower Donald Trump to enact even worse damage on our planet,’ campaign group warns.
Caribbean seeks help in fighting climate change after Hurricane Beryl devastates small islands
22 Jul 2024
Caribbean officials demanded more access to funding and help in fighting climate change, weeks after Hurricane Beryl devastated the region.
South Africa’s new environment minister must focus on people, not profits from fossil fuels – climate ecologist
22 Jul 2024
There are huge profits to be made in exploiting South Africa’s natural resources, but these come at a cost to society and the environment.
UK first European country to approve lab-grown meat, starting with pet food
22 Jul 2024
Lab-grown pet food is to hit UK shelves as Britain becomes the first country in Europe to approve cultivated meat.
How simple tech can supercharge the race to net zero
22 Jul 2024
To even out the intermittent power supply from wind and solar, we need to build vast energy storage facilities.
Australian Super accused of greenwashing by investing funds from ethical option in coal, oil and gas industries
19 Jul 2024
Australia's largest super fund has invested money from its 'Socially Aware' option in the coal, oil and gas industries.
Greece shuts Acropolis, two firefighters killed in Italy as southern Europe swelters in a heat wave
19 Jul 2024
A heat wave across southern Europe forced authorities in Greece to close the Acropolis for several hours and two firefighters died while putting out a fire in the Basilicata region in southern Italy.
UK supermarkets to trial methane-reducing feed supplement for dairy cows
19 Jul 2024
UK supermarket chain Tesco has announced it will trial a methane-reducing feed supplement for dairy cows as part of an initiative to cut its carbon footprint.
‘Significant shift’ away from coal as most new steelmaking is now electric
19 Jul 2024
The steel and iron industry is responsible for 7% of greenhouse gas emissions and 11% of carbon dioxide emissions globally, according to the consultancy firm Global Efficiency Intelligence.
US court overturns Alaska oil lease sale in a win for environmentalists
19 Jul 2024
A federal court in Alaska overturned an oil and gas lease sale that had been mandated by the Biden administration's signature climate law as part of a political compromise.
From green energy to rivers, environment at heart of nine plans in King’s speech
19 Jul 2024
The UK's new Labour government recognises the ‘urgency of climate challenge’ but also presents measures as way to also cut the cost of living.
BP-owned company is selling carbon credits on trees that aren’t in danger, analysis finds
18 Jul 2024
Some forest carbon offsets sold by the biggest offsetting company in the United States offer little or no benefit to the climate, a satellite analysis has found.
Preparing London for climate impacts is ‘non-negotiable,’ landmark review warns
18 Jul 2024
The government has been warned that preparing London for climate change is “non-negotiable” as a landmark review of the capital’s climate resilience is published.
No room for the timid: setting Australia’s 2035 emissions target is a daring tightrope act
Today 11:00am
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
Today 11:00am
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?
Wed 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
Wed 20 Aug 2025
Only 28 countries have submitted carbon-cutting proposals to the UN, with some of the biggest emitters yet to produce plans.
