International: All stories
DR Congo delays rainforest oil auctions
2 Feb 2023
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has postponed its plans to allow oil companies to drill in its rainforests and peatlands.
Indonesia turns focus to floating solar with new 100MW tender
2 Feb 2023
Indonesian power company PLN Nusantara Power has launched a tender to develop a 100MW floating solar project in central East Java.
$11trn investor coalition bans carbon removals in latest net-zero framework
1 Feb 2023
The Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance (NZAOA), a coalition of investors representing more than $11trn, has unveiled the latest version of a decarbonisation methodology, with a renewed focus on delivering a just transition while avoiding the use of carbon removals.
Report proposes tax on the ultra-rich to finance a global climate fund
1 Feb 2023
Climate change is also a story of inequality. Inequality between the culprits and the victims of a crisis that not only causes global heating but also triggers extreme weather events that further impoverish those who are already living in poverty.
How culling Australia’s feral water buffalo could help tackle climate change
1 Feb 2023
The world’s largest wild population of water buffalo now roam Australia. As does the largest wild herd of camels. Australia has millions of feral goats and deer.
For more sustainable affordable housing, just add mushrooms
1 Feb 2023
David Benjamin’s recipe for construction materials sounds like witchcraft: Mix corn stalks with hemp and mushroom roots, pour the mixture into molds that resemble the shapes you need, and voilà, the building material will grow all by itself. In five days!
Dutch flood memories unleash new climate fears
31 Jan 2023
Seventy years after the worst natural disaster to strike the Netherlands, Chiem de Vos, seven at the time, still hears his neighbour's desperate cries of "My children are drowning!" ringing in his ears.
Architects design flood-resilient U-House near Japanese lake
31 Jan 2023
Japanese studio Ushijima Architects has completed a small wood-clad house in Shiga Prefecture, with living spaces raised on a concrete base to help mitigate the risk of flooding.
China fast-tracking renewable energy
31 Jan 2023
China’s solar and wind power generating capacities are the largest in the world, accounting for more than 35% of the global total. As demand continues to grow to meet its climate goals, the need for storage facilities has also become critical to ensure a ready and consistent supply.
EU plans restrictions on climate-wrecking fishing method
31 Jan 2023
EU countries will be required to reduce the harmful impacts of fishing on sensitive species and their habitats, under a draft EU biodiversity plan seen by Euractiv.
Fight climate change without slowing growth: UAE's COP28 chief
31 Jan 2023
The fight against global warming should not be at the expense of economic growth, the United Arab Emirates' oil chief who will lead this year's UN climate talks said on Monday.
“World first” solar methanol plant to feed off Port Augusta solar thermal project
31 Jan 2023
A “world-first” solar methanol production facility – providing green fuels for the shipping and aviation industry – to be built in Port Augusta, taking heat and electricity from what is hoped to be the country’ first large scale solar thermal project.
Architecture firm envisions Vancouver in 2100 with predicted sea level rise
30 Jan 2023
Dutch architecture studio MVRDV has released a study that aims to offer possible solutions to urban planning in the face of rising sea levels by reimagining the Vancouver waterfront.
US lawmakers press to remove oil boss from leading COP28 climate talks
30 Jan 2023
A group of U.S. lawmakers wants the Biden administration to ask the United Arab Emirates to remove the oil company chief the country chose to lead the next U.N. climate talks — or at a minimum "seek assurances" that the UAE will promote an ambitious COP28 summit.
Climate activists block main road into The Hague
30 Jan 2023
Hundreds of climate activists blocked one of the main roads into The Hague on Saturday, defying attempts to prevent their protest that have sparked concerns about restrictions on the right to demonstrate in the Netherlands.
How debt-for-nature swaps are resuscitating climate action investments in Africa
30 Jan 2023
Portugal recently struck a deal to swap Cape Verde's debts for environmental investments in a fund established by the West African country.
Clean energy sets $1.1 trillion record that’s bound to be broken
30 Jan 2023
Last year was a double milestone for decarbonizing the world’s energy system. It was the first year when investment in the energy transition equaled global investment in fossil fuels, according to the latest data release from clean energy research group BloombergNEF.
Africa objects to US chairing UN climate fund, citing unpaid $2bn
27 Jan 2023
African governments sought to block the US from co-chairing the Green Climate Fund (GCF) board, citing its failure to deliver cash.
Climate change could make parts of Lebanon ‘too hot’ for producing olive oil
27 Jan 2023
Olive trees in Lebanon – historically renowned for the high-quality olive oil they produce – are under threat from rising temperatures, new research finds.
How California’s ambitious new climate plan could help speed energy transformation around the world
27 Jan 2023
California is embarking on an audacious new climate plan that aims to eliminate the state’s greenhouse gas footprint by 2045, and in the process, slash emissions far beyond its borders.
Fairtrade launches new map to spot labour and climate exploitation
27 Jan 2023
Fairtrade has launched a new tool to help retailers and suppliers identify potential human rights violations and environmental harm across their global supply chains.
Calls for action as Brazil Yanomami indigenous people face crisis
27 Jan 2023
Brazilian officials have said that the Yanomami indigenous people are living in dire conditions, as illegal gold miners threaten them with violence and block the delivery of goods such as food and medicine to their embattled region.
Climate change may be increasing the use of pesticides
26 Jan 2023
A new report from the Pesticide Action Network finds pesticide use is expected to increase and become more hazardous as the climate warms.
From China to Japan, extreme cold is gripping East Asia. Experts say it’s the ‘new norm’
26 Jan 2023
Tens of millions of people across East Asia braved a severe cold snap Wednesday as subzero temperatures and heavy snow brought travel chaos during the Lunar New Year holiday, with climate experts warning that such extreme weather events had become the “new norm.”
Horn of Africa may see record sixth straight failed rainy season
26 Jan 2023
The eastern Horn of Africa just saw an unprecedented fifth straight failed rainy season on record, making it the longest and most severe drought in 70 years of precipitation data.
NATO hosts symposium on climate change and military capabilities
25 Jan 2023
NATO hosted its first Industry Symposium on Climate Change and Capabilities, which brought together over 150 representatives from NATO Allies and industry.
NGO sues German government for failing climate targets in transport and buildings sectors
25 Jan 2023
Environmental lobby group Friends of the Earth Germany is suing the German government for missing its emission reduction targets in the buildings and transport sectors.
The Federal Reserve is starting a climate experiment
25 Jan 2023
The US Federal Reserve is running its very first climate change experiment.
Australian councils told to cut emissions rather than spend millions on overseas carbon offsets
25 Jan 2023
Renewed questions are being asked about Australian councils’ use of international projects to offset local carbon emissions, off the back of a Guardian investigation that found 90% of rainforest credits issued by one leading company were likely worthless.
A few pieces of good news on climate change (and a reality check)
24 Jan 2023
Emissions of the greenhouse gases that cause climate change reached a new peak in 2022, according to early estimates. And climate disasters seem to be hitting at a breakneck pace. In 2022, the world experienced record heat waves in China and Europe, and devastating floods in Pakistan killed over 1,000 people and displaced millions.
German transport minister rejects autobahn speed
24 Jan 2023
German transport minister Volker Wissing has renewed his rejection of a general speed limit on the country’s autobahns after a report found that the measure could save almost three times more emissions than previously thought
Africa has a major new carbon market initiative - what you need to know
24 Jan 2023
The Conversation - Climate finance for the African continent got a boost at the 2022 United Nations Climate Conference (COP27), with the launch of the African Carbon Markets Initiative. This aims to make climate finance available for African countries, expand access to clean energy, and drive sustainable economic development.
‘World first’ carbon capture plant for smelters opens in Norway
24 Jan 2023
A carbon capture pilot for smelters – billed as a ‘world first’ – has been officially inaugurated in Rana, Norway.
Bill Gates invests in Aussie startup trying to stop cows burping methane
24 Jan 2023
Bill Gates joined a slew of billionaires investing in an Australian climate technology startup as Microsoft Corp's MSFT Breakthrough Energy Ventures LLC participated in a $12 million Phase 2 seed funding round for Rumin8 Pty.
Swiss Microlino reboots bubble car with electric model
23 Dec 2022
Two Swiss brothers are seeking to put their country back on the carmaking map by reviving a 1950s motoring classic with an electric twist.
Climate action, one recipe at a time
23 Dec 2022
Renowned chefs such as UN World Food Programme (WFP) Goodwill Ambassador Chef Manal Al Alem, and Chef José Andres, as well as indigenous home cooks and farmers from around the world, have contributed to a new cookbook that includes recipes that are delicious and climate friendly.
The simple story of civilisation
23 Dec 2022
An essay by Tom Murphy | The stories we fashion about ourselves are heavily influenced by our short life spans during an age of unprecedented complexity. We humans, it would seem, are unfathomably complicated creatures who defy simple “just-so” characterisations..
Why rebel farmers are pushing back on climate action
22 Dec 2022
It took an existential threat to turn a fifth-generation dairy farmer into an anti-government protester.
US again fails to deliver to climate aid for developing countries
22 Dec 2022
Congress just dealt a blow to President Joe Biden's pledge to quadruple climate financing for poorer nations to $11 billion a year.
Facing an energy crisis, Germans stock up on candles
22 Dec 2022
The candle boom began during the pandemic, after the government imposed lockdowns and Germans began spending a lot more time at home. The industry expected the boom to end once the nation opened back up, Thomann says. "But then the war (in Ukraine) started."
Climate change is transforming the Arctic
22 Dec 2022
A typhoon, smoke from wildfires and increasing rain are not what most imagine when thinking of the Arctic. Yet these are some of the climate-driven events included in a detailed annual update on the transformation of the once reliably frozen, snow-covered region which is heating up faster than any other part of the world.
Russia’s invasion & Pakistan’s floods defined 2022 in climate
22 Dec 2022
In 2021, governments and corporations got drunk on net zero hype. 2022 was the year when the hangover kicked in and they started to grapple with what their promises meant and whether they were actually prepared to follow through.
Pakistan’s climate migrants face tough odds
22 Dec 2022
When floodwaters submerged their farm in 2011, Kashif Abro and his family sought refuge in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, around 250 miles away.
UN chief promises ‘no-nonsense’ climate summit in 2023
21 Dec 2022
The UN will host a “no-nonsense” climate summit in 2023 to spur action on the climate crisis, as the goal of avoiding global warming of more than 1.5 degrees Celsius begins to slip out of reach.
New York adopts cap and trade as a pillar of climate action
21 Dec 2022
Sales of gasoline powered cars would be banned in 2035, natural gas hookups in new homes would be prohibited starting in 2025 and a statewide cap and trade program would be implemented by the end of the decade under the recommendations approved by a New York climate committee Monday.
Indonesia’s renewed climate targets still critically insufficient: research group
21 Dec 2022
Indonesia’s climate targets are “critically insufficient,” a global climate research consortium has said, despite the country’s renewed emission target.
Niger urges rich nations to make 'climate loss fund' operational
21 Dec 2022
The "loss and damage" fund agreed to last month at the COP27 climate conference aims for rich nations to help those that have borne the brunt of their global warming emissions. In Niger, climate change has fueled desertification and conflict as communities compete for dwindling resources.
Minnesota's solar boom 10 years later
21 Dec 2022
It sounded absurd, the idea of spending a large sum of money to install solar panels in a Minnesota farm field that is covered in snow for much of the year.
Aussie Sunswift 7 solar car claims EV world record
21 Dec 2022
The University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sunswift Racing Team is the new provisional Guinness World Record holder for ‘Fastest Electric Vehicle over 1000km on a single charge’.
South Australia’s incredible week: 104.1% wind and solar over seven days
20 Dec 2022
South Australia aims to reach 100% “net renewables” within a few years – over a full year – but in the past week it has already done better than that.
Datacentres should be forced to invest in wind and solar energy, all states agree – except Queensland
Wed 13 May 2026
Power hungry datacentres that are growing to meet the demands of artificial intelligence could be forced to invest in enough new solar and wind generation to completely cover their electricity needs.
Some inconvenient truths in bringing climate science to the judiciary
Thu 14 May 2026
OPINION: Climate science had been knocking on the courthouse doors for quite some time when the Supreme Court of the United States finally invited it into the realm of legal action in 2007.
China’s leadership calls for ‘strict control’ of fossil fuels
28 Apr 2026
Chinese government leaders published a policy document on 22 April – Earth Day – calling for stricter controls on fossil-fuel consumption and greater oversight of heavy emitters.
Inequality causing 100,000 extra deaths a year from heat and cold in Europe
Tue 12 May 2026
Economic inequality adds more than 100,000 deaths to the vast toll from heat and cold in Europe each year, research has found.
Risk of drought in UK grows after unusually dry start to spring
Thu 14 May 2026
The risk of drought is rising after an unusually dry start to spring has pushed river flow, groundwater and reservoir stores below normal levels across much of the country, especially in central and southern England.
Carbon capture ‘doesn’t work’: Former British Columbia premier
8 May 2026
Former British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell warned the costly, troubled technology has failed to deliver, undercutting a central justification for billions in public subsidies and new oil infrastructure.
While the world hesitates, India must continue leading on climate
Thu 14 May 2026
India’s updated climate targets must translate into systems that secure growth, resilience, and autonomy.
How climate change threatens the economic backbone of the Pacific
4 May 2026
The vast Pacific Ocean and the islands dotted within it produce more than half of the world's tuna.
‘Triple whammy of climate chaos’: Why Antarctica's sea ice collapse is no longer a mystery
Mon 11 May 2026
Scientists have finally identified the ‘triple whammy’ behind Antarctica’s dramatic collapse, shedding new light on the chain reaction that has pushed its sea ice to record lows.
With its first marine reserve, Ghana protects its ocean to secure its future
5 May 2026
Comment: Last month, Ghana made news when it declared its first marine reserve and sited it in one of the nation’s most ecologically and biologically significant marine environments.
The country where lethal hantavirus cases are on the rise. Experts blame climate change
Wed 13 May 2026
Experts believe environmental degradation caused by climate change and human activity is contributing to its spread by allowing the rodents that transmit the virus to thrive in new areas.
UN methane alert system expanded to coal and waste sectors after Indian landfill named among world’s top emitters
6 May 2026
The United Nations is expanding its methane monitoring system to cover coal mines and waste facilities, after satellite analysis identified a landfill in India among the world’s three largest methane-emitting sites.
