International: United Nations
UN Human Rights Council fails to call out fossil fuels after decision cuts mention
11 Jul 2025
A proposal by the Marshall Islands and Colombia calling for a transition away from fossil fuels at the UN Human Rights Council failed to make it into the council’s declaration on climate change and human rights issued on Tuesday.
UN development conference backs innovative ways to boost climate finance
7 Jul 2025
Leaders push for better financial systems at the Financing for Development summit to help poor nations cope with climate and economic shocks.
UN expert urges criminalising fossil fuel disinformation, banning lobbying
4 Jul 2025
Rapporteur calls for defossilisation of economies and urgent reparations to avert ‘catastrophic’ rights and climate harms.
Global climate science body roiled by controversies stoked by Saudis, US
3 Jul 2025
The proposed selection of a Saudi Aramco oil company staffer as one of the authors of a key science report has been denounced as “political capture.”
Bonn bulletin: Just transition talks find firmer footing
2 Jul 2025
After stalling at COP29, governments agree on how to frame a just transition that is fair to workers, protects nature and promotes clean energy access.
How UN climate negotiations can end fossil fuel-industry influence
1 Jul 2025
COMMENT: Climate COPs remain alarmingly exposed to lobbyists, unlike most global health and anti-corruption bodies that have safeguards to limit interference.
Nations wrap up Bonn talks with pledge to boost UN climate budget by 10%
30 Jun 2025
Countries have agreed to increase their funding to the United Nations climate body, but according to observers, progress on several other key issues at the Bonn intersessional talks was mixed and inconsistent.
UN talks delivered a drop in the ocean of finance and policy change needed to save the sea
27 Jun 2025
Never has the ocean been the focus of so much investor and political attention as it was in Nice earlier this month.
UN expects climate finance roadmap to offer “clear next steps”
25 Jun 2025
But governments, multilateral development banks and civil society are still far apart on how to raise $1.3 trillion a year by 2035.
World Bank and IMF climate snub worrying, says COP29 presidency
24 Jun 2025
The hosts of the most recent UN climate talks are worried international lenders are retreating from their commitments to help boost funding for developing countries' response to global warming.
UN University report warns against carbon credits from REDD, tree planting, and improved forest management
13 Jun 2025
But the report stops short of recommending banning the trade in carbon temporarily stored in trees.
Treaty to protect seas short on support ahead of UN ocean summit
9 Jun 2025
Once the High Seas Treaty enters into force, experts say it will boost the health of oceans and their role in tackling climate change.
From sovereignty to sustainability: United Nations Ocean Conference
5 Jun 2025
While ocean governance was once designed to protect the marine interests of states, nowadays it must also address the numerous climate and environmental challenges facing the oceans.
Nations agree on carbon-pricing system to steer shipping towards net-zero
14 Apr 2025
Nations have agreed to introduce a worldwide carbon-pricing system for international shipping to drive the sector towards net-zero emissions by 2050.
COP30 president vows to defend global climate fight
28 Mar 2025
Brazil's UN COP30 president on Tuesday said that this year's summit would aim to defend climate action by governments against "serious" geopolitical challenges, while also pushing the private sector to contribute more to the fight.
Glacier melt threatens water supplies for two billion people, UN warns
26 Mar 2025
Climate change and “unsustainable human activities” are driving “unprecedented changes” to mountains and glaciers, threatening access to fresh water for more than two billion people, a UN report warns.
COP29 chief exec filmed promoting fossil fuel deals
11 Nov 2024
A senior official at COP29 climate change conference in Azerbaijan appears to have used his role to arrange a meeting to discuss potential fossil fuel deals.
Azerbaijan is using COP29 to ‘peacewash’ its global image
3 Oct 2024
Azerbaijan is hosting the next UN climate summit, COP 29, in November. Their proposed agenda omits discussions on phasing out fossil fuels and excludes civil society participation.
COP28: Key outcomes for food, forests, land and nature at the UN climate talks in Dubai
19 Dec 2023
Agriculture and food were very much on the menu at COP28 in Dubai, with both voluntary pledges and negotiated texts beginning to reflect their central role in climate change.
COP28 president says his firm will keep investing in oil
18 Dec 2023
Sultan Al Jaber says Adnoc has to meet demand for fossil fuels, and hails ‘unprecedented’ Cop deal.
From ‘depressed’ to a milestone: How the climate deal came together
18 Dec 2023
“There were times in the last 48 hours where some of us thought this could fail,” US climate envoy John Kerry said later.
Examining COP28's potential impact on climate change
18 Dec 2023
Once the gavel came down in Dubai, the warm words flowed - but will it really have an impact on climate change?
How COP28 fell short
18 Dec 2023
Two weeks of talks aimed at securing an international consensus on a phase-out of fossil fuels have ended with a statement that critics say does little to advance the urgent work of averting a climate catastrophe.
COP28 “frustrating” but some significant breakthroughs - experts
15 Dec 2023
Small island states facing the existential threat of climate change were particularly effective negotiators at the latest UN climate summit, according to a Kiwi expert.
NZ government swimming against the tide of history: Oil Change International
15 Dec 2023
Oil Change International campaign manager David Tong says the COP28 call to move away from fossil fuels shows the New Zealand government is trying to swim against the tide of history.
Pacific Islands delegates leave COP28 climate summit disappointed and miss out on final say
15 Dec 2023
After COP28's central document was approved, Samoa's lead delegate delivered a critical assessment of the agreement's flaws — and pointed out the Pacific Islands delegates were not even in the room when the deal was done.
The COP28 climate agreement is a step backwards on fossil fuels
15 Dec 2023
The COP28 climate summit in Dubai has adjourned. The result is “The UAE consensus” on fossil fuels.
COP28, where is the dough?
15 Dec 2023
A transition away from fossil fuels seems as good as a commitment as you can expect from the 198 countries taking part in the United Nations climate conference.
Instagram influencers paid to boost UAE’s climate credentials over COP28
15 Dec 2023
The individuals who spoke to DeSmog said they were ‘deeply disappointed’ by the summit and had not fully understood the relationship between UAE and the organisers.
Nations strike deal at COP28 to transition away from fossil fuels
14 Dec 2023
Representatives from nearly 200 countries agreed at the COP28 climate summit to begin reducing global consumption of fossil fuels to avert the worst of climate change, signalling the eventual end of the oil age.
Key outcomes agreed at the UN climate talks in Dubai
14 Dec 2023
Nearly every country in the world has agreed to “transition away from fossil fuels” – the main driver of climate change – at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai.
COP28 climate summit signals the end of fossil fuels — but is it enough?
14 Dec 2023
Nations make historic pledge to 'transition' energy systems away from fossil fuels — some scientists are disappointed by the softened wording.
Carbon credits talks collapse at Cop28 over integrity concerns
14 Dec 2023
The EU and allies rejected proposed carbon trading rules that followed a “light-touch” approach favoured by the US.
COP28: Australia, US and UK say they won’t sign agreement that would be ‘death certificate’ for small islands
13 Dec 2023
Australian climate change minister, Chris Bowen, says umbrella group of countries is united in saying draft agreement is too weak.
Cop28 draft climate deal criticised as ‘grossly insufficient’ and ‘incoherent’
12 Dec 2023
Text now being considered by governments calls for ‘reducing both consumption and production of fossil fuels’.
Building wind power, canceling coal — it’s all drowning under borrowing costs
12 Dec 2023
Central banks’ efforts to tame inflation have made it harder for both wealthy and poor nations to shift away from fossil fuels.
UN climate chief slams opponents of fossil fuel phase-out at COP28
12 Dec 2023
Talks intensify over calls to phase out fossil fuels, as oil producers led by Saudi Arabia put up tough resistance.
Watts tells COP28 NZ is committed to "ambitious" NDC
11 Dec 2023
In his first major speech on climate change since becoming the minister, Simon Watts re-stated New Zealand’s commitment to meeting our “ambitious” Nationally Determined Contribution.
Kiwi nature-based solution at COP28
11 Dec 2023
A nature-based climate solution to strategically restore and enhance 2.1 million hectares of Indigenous forest across Aotearoa over the next decade took the stage at the UN’s global climate summit yesterday.
Observers see OPEC 'panicking' as COP28 climate talks focus on possible fossil fuel phase-out
11 Dec 2023
Veteran negotiators at the United Nations climate talks said that the push to wean the world from dirty fossil fuels had gained so much momentum that they had poked a powerful enemy: the oil industry.
COP28 chief pushes for fossil fuel deal as talks get bogged down
11 Dec 2023
The controversial oil executive presiding over global climate talks in Dubai is stepping up efforts to get a deal to curb all fossil fuels for the first time.
Green groups urge end to LNG expansion to stop 'climate chaos'
11 Dec 2023
Environmental groups urged countries gathered at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai to stop support for expansion of the global trade in liquefied natural gas (LNG), saying the industry was undermining efforts to contain global warming.
‘Magical’ tech innovations a distraction from real solutions, climate experts warn
11 Dec 2023
Overemphasis on innovation and carbon removal risks distracting from main goal of stopping use of fossil fuels, say scientists.
COP28 Update: Day 7
8 Dec 2023
COP28 has highlighted new policy areas such as health, agriculture and clean cooking, and according to media, there have been pledges totalling more than $83 billion.
Turning the tap off slowly – why Australia’s decision to end overseas fossil fuel finance matters
8 Dec 2023
At the COP28 climate negotiations, Australia announced it will sign the Glasgow Statement and will no longer finance international oil, gas and coal projects.
‘Low-carbon product’ promoted by COP28 president 3 times more damaging than ‘regular’ fuels
7 Dec 2023
COP28 president Sultan Al Jaber promotes blue ammonia as a decarbonisation solution. Various experts disagree.
It's Gender Day at COP28 - here's why women and girls must be at the heart of climate action
7 Dec 2023
COP28 is well underway, with world leaders gathering in Dubai to discuss their plans to deal with climate change.
2023 declared hottest year on record as UN slams climate inaction
7 Dec 2023
The temperature record was confirmed as a UN official condemned ‘posturing’ at COP28 climate summit.
Five climate change solutions under the spotlight at COP28
7 Dec 2023
The Earth's climate is changing rapidly and urgent action is needed to avoid the most damaging consequences for people and nature.
As fossil fuel phase-out gathers steam, resistance builds
7 Dec 2023
Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Turkey are among the most vocal opponents of a decision at Cop28 to phase out coal, oil and gas.
Australia has new laws to protect nature. Do they signal an end to native forest logging?
Thu 11 Dec 2025
Reforms to Australia’s nature laws have passed federal parliament. A longstanding exemption that meant federal environment laws did not apply to native logging has finally been removed from the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
Environmental groups demand a nationwide freeze on data center construction
Wed 10 Dec 2025
In a letter to Congress, the groups said data center development raises concerns about rising energy costs, water use and climate impacts. Many communities are fighting back.
China’s BEV trucks and the end of diesel’s dominance
4 Dec 2025
Cheap Chinese battery electric heavy trucks are no longer a rumor. They are real machines with real price tags that are so low that they force a reassessment of what the global freight industry is willing to pay for electrification.
EU closes deal to slash green rules in major win for von der Leyen’s deregulation drive
Wed 10 Dec 2025
Controversial “omnibus” bill saw center-right EU lawmakers side with the far right to water down environmental standards.
UK soars past wind power generation record for second time in two months
Wed 10 Dec 2025
Great Britain’s maximum wind generation record was broken on Friday, 5 December, the National Energy System Operator (NESO) has confirmed.
Top climate adviser resigns, says Canada doing worse 'than almost any other country'
Thu 11 Dec 2025
Catherine Abreu explains why she was one of two founding members to resign from Canada's Net-Zero Advisory Body last week, saying she 'could no longer, in conscience, sit on this government-appointed body' after policy rollbacks and oil subsidies in the Alberta energy MOU.
‘Not normal’: Climate crisis supercharged deadly monsoon floods in Asia
Fri 12 Dec 2025
Cyclones like those in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Malaysia that killed 1,750 are ‘alarming new reality’.
Storms in the Southern Ocean are producing more rain – and the consequences could be global
Mon 8 Dec 2025
Storms in the Southern Ocean influence weather patterns across Australia, New Zealand and the globe.
Scientists discovered something alarming seeping out from beneath the ocean around Antarctica
13 Oct 2025
Planet-heating methane is escaping from cracks in the Antarctic seabed as the region warms, with new seeps being discovered at an “astonishing rate".
European Investment Bank pledges over 2 billion euros for African renewables projects
26 Nov 2025
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is pledging more than 2 billion euros ($2.3 billion) of financing for renewable energy projects on the African continent over the next two years.
Thousands of climate disasters are not included in official reports from Amazonian countries
Fri 12 Dec 2025
More than 12,500 extreme weather events impacted the Amazon and its population in 10 years, but countries have not generated enough information about it, according to a new scientific study.
