International: Europe
Spain’s Sánchez attacks other EU leaders for exploiting energy prices to gut climate policies
Mon 23 Mar 2026
Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez said his country was on “the right side of history” when it comes to how it has handled the economic and social costs of previous energy crises.
Clean fuel producers reject airline concerns over SAF mandates
Mon 23 Mar 2026
The EU requires the gradual replacement of kerosene with 'sustainable aviation fuels' but operators fear scarcity and fines.
Fossil fuels? No thanks. Why Trump’s Iran war is pushing EU toward renewables.
20 Mar 2026
EU countries may argue about the short-term fixes for high energy prices, but agree that clean power is the best long-term bet.
Ten EU members press Brussels to keep giving industry free carbon permits
20 Mar 2026
Ten European Union member states have called on the bloc to keep handing out free carbon permits to industry to help curb costs as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran sends energy prices soaring.
European carbon prices slide as EU considers intervening in market
19 Mar 2026
Europe's carbon price fell by more than 5% on Tuesday after the European Commission President said the bloc would consider making more carbon emissions permits available to help curb high energy prices.
Germany misses climate targets as emissions barely fall in 2025
17 Mar 2026
Greenhouse gas emissions in Germany have again missed targets set by the Climate Protection Act and barely fell at all in 2025.
Eight countries warn EU not to weaken carbon market
16 Mar 2026
Spain, the Netherlands and six other governments have urged the European Union not to dismantle or suspend the bloc's emissions trading system, its main climate change policy, as Brussels hunts for ways to curb energy prices.
EU climate advisers say eat less meat and tax farm emissions
13 Mar 2026
Brussels must take urgent measures to reduce the carbon footprint of food and farming, a scientific advisory board report says.
The German city that defied McDonald’s and dumped ‘to-go’ waste
13 Mar 2026
Since January 2022, the city of Tübingen has been charging 50 cents for nearly every piece of disposable “to-go” packaging.
EU leaders to demand carbon market reform by July, draft shows
12 Mar 2026
European Union governments are set to ask the European Commission to propose reforms to the bloc's carbon market by July, draft conclusions for a summit of EU leaders next week showed.
Russia gets export boost from Iran war as price of oil to India surges
10 Mar 2026
The war in Iran has fuelled a significant bump in demand for Russian oil and gas, the Kremlin said on Friday, boosting exports which have been battered by sanctions linked to Russia's war in Ukraine.
Big EU lobby groups exaggerated industry support for attack on carbon price
10 Mar 2026
An industry petition criticising the European Union’s core climate policy implied its demands were supported by some 1,350 companies and associations. Now some firms deny they signed up.
EU countries give final approval to 2040 climate target for 90% emissions cut
9 Mar 2026
European Union countries gave the final approval on Thursday to a new climate target to slash greenhouse gas emissions 90% by 2040, pressing ahead with the bloc's ambitious climate agenda despite political resistance.
Spain defends EU’s flagship climate law against attacks from other capitals
3 Mar 2026
Spain has come to the defense of the European Union's bedrock climate law, with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warning fellow European leaders against dismantling the embattled Emissions Trading System.
Italy calls for suspension of EU carbon market
2 Mar 2026
The Italian Minister said the Emissions Trading System (ETS) has a "perverse effect" and is condemning European companies from being competitive with other countries, urging other member states to back the suspension.
This city turned its rooftops into a climate shield
27 Feb 2026
As cities struggle with heat, Zürich offers a masterclass in using vegetation to cool streets, manage stormwater and restore biodiversity.
EU countries give final approval to weaken company sustainability laws
26 Feb 2026
EU countries on Tuesday gave their final approval to scale back rules that require companies to address environmental and human rights risks in their supply chains, after months of pressure from businesses and governments including the U.S and Qatar.
Weaned off Putin's gas, Europe now addicted to US LNG
24 Feb 2026
The EU is set to cut off Russian gas supplies in 2027. However, its promise to diversify and transition to renewables is under threat as LNG shipped from the US floods the bloc.
EU countries back stronger price curbs on new carbon market
20 Feb 2026
European Union countries on Wednesday backed plans to strengthen price curbs in the bloc's upcoming carbon market, EU diplomats told Reuters, in response to concerns from some governments that the policy could raise fuel bills.
Sweden and others oppose calls to delay new EU carbon market
19 Feb 2026
Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Luxembourg have opposed calls by other European governments to delay the EU's upcoming carbon market, as political pressure mounts for the bloc to curb energy costs, a joint paper by the countries showed.
EU countries need to 'urgently coordinate' to adapt to climate change, advisory board warns
18 Feb 2026
More frequent climate-related events such as flooding, wildfires, repeated heatwaves, and droughts call for a precautionary approach, according to the latest report from the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change.
France bets on nuclear in new plan to cut fossil fuel imports
16 Feb 2026
The French government unveiled a 10-year energy strategy that leans heavily on nuclear power and offshore wind farms to curb fossil fuel dependence. Environmental groups criticised a 'stubborn insistence on believing in the nuclear myth'.
European Central Bank's green supervision grows teeth, but will banks avoid being bitten?
13 Feb 2026
After several years of issuing guidance and repeatedly calling on banks to take climate and environmental risk management seriously, the European Central Bank is moving from guidance and expectations to enforcement.
EU to ban destruction of unsold clothes and shoes
12 Feb 2026
The European Commission has adopted new measures that will require medium and large companies to stop discarding unsold clothing and footwear, in the bloc’s latest move to target textile waste.
European industry revolts over EU plan to weaken carbon border tax
11 Feb 2026
From fertilisers to cement, manufacturers warn against introducing a kill switch into the just-launched CBAM scheme.
Farmers report catastrophic damage to crops as Storm Marta hits Spain and Portugal
10 Feb 2026
Farmers in Spain warned on Saturday that torrential rains and high winds had left fields submerged and caused millions of euros worth of damage to crops, as Spain and Portugal braced for more extreme weather.
EU weighing options to support industry in carbon market overhaul
9 Feb 2026
The European Commission is looking at various ways to support industries in an upcoming overhaul of the EU carbon market to prevent them moving to areas with lower pollution standards, the head of the Commission’s climate department said late on Wednesday.
EU adopts first-ever standard for carbon removal projects
4 Feb 2026
The European Commission announced the adoption of its first set of voluntary certification methodologies for permanent carbon removals, aimed at providing clear standards for carbon removal technologies, to enable certification and investment in projects that permanently remove CO2 from the atmosphere.
EU carbon price forecasts edge up in volatile start to the year
3 Feb 2026
Analysts raised slightly their forecasts for prices in the European Union's carbon market for the next couple of years while predicting volatile trading in 2026 as the benchmark contract moves with Europe’s gas prices.
Norway’s $2tn wealth fund stress tests effects of climate shocks and AI correction
2 Feb 2026
Equity portfolio could lose a quarter in event of extreme weather and shed more than half from AI boom collapse.
Dutch government discriminated against Bonaire islanders over climate adaptation, court rules
29 Jan 2026
The Dutch government discriminated against people in one of its most vulnerable territories by not helping them adapt to climate change, a court has found.
EVs just outsold petrol cars in EU for first time ever
29 Jan 2026
Sales of electric vehicles overtook standard petrol cars in the EU for the first time in December 2025, according to new figures released by industry group the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association.
Europe set for record LNG imports in 2026, IEA says
27 Jan 2026
Europe is expected to import a record amount of liquefied natural gas this year with global supply also expected to soar, the International Energy Agency said on Friday.
Amsterdam defies last-minute lobbying to become first capital city to ban fossil fuel ads
27 Jan 2026
The world’s largest outdoor advertising company warned city councillors of “far-reaching consequences” hours before the landmark vote.
France updates its 2050 carbon neutrality roadmap
17 Dec 2025
To mark the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, France released a revamped climate plan promising to phase out oil and gas and sharply increase electricity use.
EU waters down plans to end new petrol and diesel car sales by 2035
17 Dec 2025
The European Commission has watered down its plans to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2035.
EU closes deal to slash green rules in major win for von der Leyen’s deregulation drive
10 Dec 2025
Controversial “omnibus” bill saw center-right EU lawmakers side with the far right to water down environmental standards.
Seven EU countries pressure European Commission to rethink 2035 diesel and petrol car ban
9 Dec 2025
Pressure from EU countries, lawmakers and the automotive industry is likely pushing the European Commission to delay the revision of the bloc's ban on diesel and petrol cars by 2035.
Spain announces $1.5 billion package to boost electric vehicle market
5 Dec 2025
Spain's plan includes 400 million euros in direct subsidies in 2026 for consumers to buy EVs.
Norway to examine scenarios for post-oil economy
5 Dec 2025
Norway said Wednesday it will set up a commission to study potential scenarios for the country's post-oil economy, a commitment the Greens Party secured in exchange for backing the government's 2026 budget bill.
EU agrees to end Russian gas imports by late 2027; Hungary, Slovakia oppose
4 Dec 2025
The European Union agreed on Wednesday to phase out Russian gas imports by late 2027 as part of an effort to end the bloc’s decades-long dependency on Russian energy.
EU carbon border tax goes easy on dirty Chinese imports, industry warns
3 Dec 2025
Businesses say Brussels got its math wrong on the carbon footprint of imports from China, Brazil and the U.S.
Europe must defend its deforestation law – for forests, business and its reputation
2 Dec 2025
Constant weakening and delays to the landmark EU regulation pose a threat to rainforests and erode Europe’s credibility as a stable, predictable market.
Swiss reject compulsory civic duty, climate tax for super-rich
2 Dec 2025
Swiss voters on Sunday resoundingly rejected a proposal to replace the current men-only military conscription with a compulsory civic duty for all and another on taxing the super-rich to fund the climate fight.
Europe’s water reserves drying up due to climate breakdown
2 Dec 2025
Vast swathes of Europe’s water reserves are drying up, a new analysis using two decades of satellite data reveals, with freshwater storage shrinking across southern and central Europe, from Spain and Italy to Poland and parts of the UK.
The carbon capture plan turning cattle farms into power plants
28 Nov 2025
The Frontier coalition is backing new technology that produces green electricity from biogas, while capturing waste carbon.
Europe plans service to gauge climate change role in extreme weather
24 Nov 2025
The EU is launching a service to measure the role climate change is playing in extreme weather events like heatwaves and extreme rain, and experts say this could help governments set climate policy, improve financial risk assessments and provide evidence for use in lawsuits.
Turkey set to host COP31 after reaching compromise with Australia
21 Nov 2025
The COP31 climate meeting is now expected to be held in Turkey after Australia dropped its bid to host the annual event.
A crucial system of ocean currents may be on course to collapse. This country just declared it a national security threat
17 Nov 2025
As evidence mounts these currents could be on course for collapse, Iceland’s government has made the unusual move of designating the risk a national security threat.
EU countries seek another year-long deforestation law delay
13 Nov 2025
European Union member states are seeking to postpone the implementation of the bloc's anti-deforestation law by another year, an EU negotiating draft dated November 10 shows.
Security group warns Australia’s democracy is being threatened by ‘anti-climate-action propaganda’
Wed 25 Mar 2026
Australia’s democracy and sovereignty is being threatened by a propaganda machine aiding climate change deniers, a security group has warned.
California sues Trump energy department over revival of controversial oil pipeline
Wed 25 Mar 2026
California’s attorney general, Rob Bonta, said he has sued the US energy department to stop it from using a cold-war-era law to restart the long-disputed Sable Offshore pipeline system linking the Santa Ynez offshore platform to California refineries.
China tells oil refiners to suspend exports
20 Mar 2026
China has told its largest oil refiners to suspend exports of diesel and gasoline, Bloomberg News reported Thursday, citing unidentified sources, as the war in the Middle East risks an energy supply crunch.
Heat pumps for all new homes and plug-in solar in England green tech drive
Wed 25 Mar 2026
Developers will be required to install solar panels and heat pumps in all new homes in England as part of updated planning requirements published by the government.
Mark Carney just picked his lane on climate change
17 Feb 2026
COMMENT: Mark Carney's time as prime minister has been defined in part by his decision to roll back Trudeau-era climate policies.
Signs of jet fuel hoarding emerge in Asia on Iran oil shock
Thu 26 Mar 2026
Signs are growing that Asian countries are hoarding jet fuel after the Iran war sent oil prices surging, reflecting growing strain on the aviation industry.
Pacific Nations fear fuel shortages as Middle East war sends oil prices soaring
20 Mar 2026
Leaders of Samoa and Tonga appealed for help this week as the import-reliant Pacific nations raised fears over possible fuel shortages and escalating costs caused by war in the Middle East.
Limiting warming to 2C is ‘crucial’ to protect pristine Antarctic Peninsula
24 Feb 2026
Keeping global warming to less than 2C above pre-industrial temperatures is “crucial” for limiting damage to the Antarctic Peninsula’s unique ecosystems, according to a new study.
'Blackwater' lakes and rivers in the Congo Basin are now emitting ancient carbon into the atmosphere
16 Mar 2026
Carbon that has been buried in the Congo Basin's peatlands for millennia is seeping into lakes and rivers. Why this is happening remains unclear, but researchers warn that tropical peatlands could be nearing a tipping point.
Beef production drives 40% of agriculture-linked forest destruction, Brazil leads
Thu 26 Mar 2026
Beef production is the leading driver of agriculture-linked deforestation, accounting for 40% of all forest clearing done to open space for food production, according to details of a study released on Tuesday.
Iran war should trigger faster exit from fossil fuel dependence, UN climate chief says
18 Mar 2026
The disruption to energy markets caused by the Iran war is a lesson on the risks of relying on fossil fuels which should drive governments to wean their economies off oil and gas faster, the U.N. climate secretary told Reuters on Monday.
