International: Europe
EU-New Zealand agreement raises the bar on climate action in trade deals: analysis
16 Aug 2022
The EU-New Zealand free trade agreement (FTA) – announced in early July – is the first of its kind to include legally enforceable commitments on climate measures, as well as gender equality and environment and labour standards
Norway's climate choice: old oil, gas fields switch to green power or close early
16 Aug 2022
Norway will have to phase out some of its old oil and gas fields prematurely to achieve its 2030 climate goals, unless it can use carbon-free power on more offshore platforms to cut their emissions, the country's Climate Minister Espen Barth Eide said.
‘Ventilation corridors’ funnel cool mountain air into steamy Stuttgart
15 Aug 2022
To travel through Stuttgart is to visit past sins and glimpse a promising future. This German manufacturing hub is where the gas-powered automobile was invented in 1886. Porsche and Mercedes still manufacture their luxury cars here, and these companies’ local museums celebrate a time when the chrome curves of sports cars symbolized speed instead of a climate crisis.
French climate activists fill golf course holes with cement, protesting against water ban exemption amid drought
15 Aug 2022
Climate activists in the south of France have damaged lawns and filled golf course holes with cement, protesting against golf courses' exemption from water bans as the country faces its most severe drought in history.
Climate risks dwarf Europe's energy crisis, space chief warns
12 Aug 2022
The head of the European Space Agency (ESA) has warned economic damage from heatwaves and drought could dwarf Europe's energy crisis as he called for urgent action to tackle climate change.
Over 200 major glaciers disappear in Italy due to climate change: Research
12 Aug 2022
More than 200 major Alpine glaciers have disappeared in Italy since record-keeping began in 1895, the country's environmental lobby group Legambiente said in a report.
Europe’s new trams are reviving a golden age of transit
11 Aug 2022
At the heart of Strasbourg, France stands a 466-foot tall, 588-year-old Rayonnant Gothic cathedral that draws tourists from over the world to gaze at its intricate carvings, ornate stained glass and massive astrological clock.
‘Heatflation’ warning as 2022 EU crop harvests affected by climate change
10 Aug 2022
As much of Europe bakes in the latest heatwave, fears are growing about what’s being dubbed ‘heatflation’ – climate change-driven staple crop losses that could see already inflated food prices reach new highs this autumn, deepening the cost-of-living crisis.
Greece is scorching in a heat wave and wildfires, yet it's returning to planet-baking coal
1 Aug 2022
Dimitris Mitsaris opens his garage door and the smell of fermenting grapes emerges, as the first morning light bounces off dozens of steel tanks. Mitsaris and his family live here, in Agios Panteleimonas, a mountainous village of just 800 residents in northern Greece, and have made their home into a small winery. "I don't even have electricity here yet," Mitsaris says with a laugh.
Germany’s €177bn climate budget to focus on renovations
29 Jul 2022
The German government plans to spend €177.5 billion of the federal budget on climate action and the transformation of the country’s economy between 2023 and 2026, with a focus on increasing the energy efficiency of buildings.
Time to fix Europe’s dumbest climate policy
27 Jul 2022
Deforestation, billions of euros wasted, and soaring food and fuel prices; the charge sheet against biofuels is damning. Introduced to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, the burning of food crops for fuel has been an unmitigated disaster.
Experimental car captures more carbon out of the air than it emits
26 Jul 2022
When it comes to carbon emissions, cars are king. In fact, the EPA found that transportation is the biggest driver of greenhouse gas emissions due to burning fossil fuels. And while electric cars offer a promising alternative, it still doesn’t address the carbon that’s already in the air.
FactFind: Are Irish farmers the 'most carbon-efficient food producers in the world'?
25 Jul 2022
It is often argued by politicians and agriculture industry members that Irish beef and dairy producers are more climate-friendly compared to other countries.
Corporate carbon offset company accidentally starts devastating wildfire
25 Jul 2022
Last Monday, Dutch reforestation company Land Life started what has become a 35,000 acre forest fire in Spain.
The amount of Greenland ice that melted last weekend could cover West Virginia in a foot of water
22 Jul 2022
The water off the coast of northwest Greenland is a glass-like calm, but the puddles accumulating on the region's icebergs are a sign that a transformation is underway higher on the ice sheet.
The legacy of Europe’s heat waves will be more air conditioning. That’s a problem.
21 Jul 2022
Europe is sweltering in record-breaking temperatures this week, and across the continent, people are largely trying to cope without air conditioning.
Germany rejects delaying climate action
20 Jul 2022
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has rejected the notion of cutting back on climate change targets despite the energy and food security crisis, speaking at the end of the Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Berlin on Tuesday.
Wildfires in Spain, Morocco produce record-breaking carbon emissions
20 Jul 2022
Wildfires in Spain and Morocco have produced more carbon emissions in June and July this year than in the same period of any year since 2003, the European Union's Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service said.
Irish agriculture 'cannot opt out' of emissions targets: environment minister
20 Jul 2022
The final Irish Cabinet meeting before the summer break is expected to agree sectoral targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
Climate change costing Germany billions of euros a year
19 Jul 2022
A new study shows weather catastrophes triggered by climate change have cost Germany at least €145 billion over the last two decades. Leaders at the Petersberg Climate Dialogue are looking at ways to tackle the impact.
Finnish "sand battery" offers solution for renewable energy storage
18 Jul 2022
Finnish companies Polar Night Energy and Vatajankoski have built the world's first operational "sand battery", which provides a low-cost and low-emissions way to store renewable energy.
EU green chief calls for day of memorial for climate victims
15 Jul 2022
Europe should create a day of memorial for the victims of climate change, the EU's Green Deal chief Frans Timmermans said Thursday, marking the anniversary of floods that killed more than 220 people mostly in Germany and Belgium.
Austria's climate minister is taking the EU to court
14 Jul 2022
TO most climate scientists and environmentalists, conversations about trying to address climate change with natural gas are a nonstarter.
Tour de France stage 10 halted by climate action protestors
13 Jul 2022
The Tour de France stage to Megève came to a stop with 35km to go as the route was blocked by a group of protestors demanding action against climate change.
Denmark to roll out new state-run climate label for food
11 Jul 2022
Denmark will establish a state-controlled climate label in order to help residents purchase more environmentally-friendly foods.
Greenwashing lawsuit against Dutch airline is the first of its kind
11 Jul 2022
As concerns over climate change rise, so too does greenwashing as a marketing tactic. And it’s often the most environmentally-destructive companies that trumpet the most outrageous claims—just take a look at some of the advertisements fossil fuel companies have put out in recent years.
Anger simmers for Dutch farmers who oppose pollution cuts
11 Jul 2022
Bales of hay lie burning along Dutch highways. Supermarket shelves stand empty because distribution centers are blocked by farmers. Then, at dusk, a police officer pulls his pistol and shoots at a tractor.
Dutch government issues world-first cap on flights from European hub
8 Jul 2022
Schiphol airport in the Netherlands is set to permanently cut the number of flights in a bid to reduce noise and air pollution. Campaigners described the decision as a “historic breakthrough” that could help curb emissions from the aviation industry.
EU decision on natural gas could threaten climate progress
8 Jul 2022
The European Union's plan to include natural gas in a list of activities considered sustainable could derail its progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions at a time when climate scientists are calling for dramatic reductions to planet-warming releases.
Europe's landmark test of banks' resilience to climate risk is softer than expected
7 Jul 2022
Europe’s landmark test of banks’ resilience to global warming was far softer than many lenders had expected, according to people familiar with the matter.
Gang illegally trafficking greenhouse gases across Spain is busted by the police
6 Jul 2022
Spanish authorities say they have broken up an organised crime group involved in millions of carbon tax fraud.
DMK’s climate targets: ‘This is about the credibility of an entire industry’
6 Jul 2022
DMK Group has committed to new climate targets under the Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi). The dairy cooperative’s CEO explains that action is needed to drive down dairy emissions in order to safeguard the reputation of the ‘entire’ dairy industry.
Youth climate case moves to top tribunal in European Court
5 Jul 2022
The European Court of Human Rights said Thursday that a complaint against 33 countries filed by six young Portuguese climate activists will be examined by the tribunal’s top panel of judges, a move reflecting the case’s legal significance.
Deadly glacier collapse in Italy "linked directly to climate change"
5 Jul 2022
Italian prime minister Mario Draghi joined scientists in pointing to the climate emergency as the cause of a deadly glacier collapse in the Italian Alps on Sunday afternoon, saying policymakers must act to ensure avalanches don't become a more regular occurrence.
EU carbon border tax could hurt developing countries
1 Jul 2022
By assisting the developing world’s green transition, Europe could mitigate the protectionist threat in its climate agenda.
The Swedish city that asked its banks for an ultimatum
30 Jun 2022
If Gothenburg doesn’t meet its climate and social goals, its lending banks will charge it a fine — at the city’s request.
EU ministers reach agreement on climate bills, zero emission cars by 2035
30 Jun 2022
EU member states have approved the end of fossil fuelled passenger cars in 2035 and found compromises on emissions trading and a “Social Climate Fund”.
Bonn climate talks end with ‘almost empty pages’
28 Jun 2022
“Kicking the can”, “pointing fingers”, and “divorced from climate impacts” were descriptions used by observers to describe progress at the latest round of global climate talks in Germany.
London could feel as hot as Barcelona by 2050
28 Jun 2022
A major climate change study has found that London's weather could feel more like Barcelona's by 2050. Even though this might sound like a dream at first to Londoners, the change could turn into a nightmare as it would be accompanied by stretches of severe drought as well as heavier downpours in the wet months, potentially challenging many aspects of life in the city.
Why Germany is pushing for a 'climate club'
27 Jun 2022
Germany is hosting this year’s meeting of leaders from the Group of Seven leading economies in the Bavarian resort of Elmau. Before the invasion of Ukraine by Russia triggered a cascade of crises over food, energy and international security, the main focus of the meeting was meant to be on climate change.
Clothes made from 'carbon emissions': Why Zara's new line is just more greenwashing
27 Jun 2022
Rather than addressing this crisis of overconsumption, by limiting how much they produce and encouraging shoppers to buy fewer items, Zara is simply using the guise of sustainability to shift more products and protect the guilty conscience of their consumers.
EU lawmakers back stricter emission caps in climate change fight
23 Jun 2022
European Union lawmakers stepped up the fight against global warming Wednesday by requiring deeper emission cuts from power plants, factories and planes in the EU and by endorsing an unprecedented import tax.
Valencia introduces an option for climate-neutral burial
23 Jun 2022
Starting from July, the City of Valencia will offer compostable burial urns as an alternative to traditional ones made from metal or ceramic. The vessels will come with a young tree sapling, which can be planted together with the urn to serve as an organic and sentimental reminder of the deceased person.
How Ukraine’s environmentalists are helping the war effort
22 Jun 2022
Volunteers are monitoring air quality, tracking environmental war crimes, sheltering people, and protecting wildlife.
Climate change leading to earlier and earlier heatwaves, scientists say
20 Jun 2022
As France grapples with a particularly intense heatwave this weekend, with temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius in many parts of the country, meteorologists say the increasingly early arrival of heatwaves is directly linked to global warming due to human activities.
Countries mull delaying new EU carbon market in search of climate deal
15 Jun 2022
European Union countries are considering a one-year delay to the launch of a new European carbon market for buildings and transport, pushing back the start to 2027, as they seek a compromise on more ambitious climate policies, draft documents show.
Three companies seek permits for carbon storage off Norway
14 Jun 2022
The Norwegian Government has received applications from three companies seeking to secure permits for future carbon storage sites off Norway.
Plugging methane leaks is a powerful climate fix, so why aren't we doing it?
14 Jun 2022
The oil and gas industry is choking the atmosphere with a heat-trapping gas stronger than CO2 — despite cheap, fast and easy fixes.
In Turkey, study recommends investments in olive farms instead of coal mines
13 Jun 2022
In the wake of the recent regulation in Turkey opening olive groves to coal mining activities, a new report focused on the country’s Milas district found that the expansion of the olive oil sector represents a better alternative to mining for the local economy.
On the road to COP27: Climate negotiations in Bonn
10 Jun 2022
COP27 will take place in Egypt this November. Some 4000 delegates are currently meeting in Bonn to prepare the conference. What are the intersessional negotiations? What is on the agenda? What role does the UN city Bonn play?
Making polluters pay could fix Australia’s climate problem – and its budget
Wed 4 Feb 2026
A new report shows how making polluters pay will not only diminish the threat from climate change, but it can also help restore the budget and the economy.
U.S. could issue general license for oil companies to produce in Venezuela this week
Thu 5 Feb 2026
The Trump administration could issue a general license as soon as this week for companies to produce oil and gas in Venezuela, a person familiar with the plan told CNBC on Tuesday.
‘Rush’ for new coal in China hits record high in 2025 as climate deadline looms
Wed 4 Feb 2026
Proposals to build coal-fired plants in China reached a record high in 2025, finds a new study.
A UK climate security report backed by the intelligence services was quietly buried – a pattern we’ve seen many times before
Thu 5 Feb 2026
Last autumn, a UK government report warned that climate-driven ecosystem collapse could lead to food shortages, mass migration, political extremism and even nuclear conflict. The report was never officially launched.
The climate and energy implication hidden in Mark Carney’s Davos speech
26 Jan 2026
In a speech bound for the history books, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described a “rupture” in the world order and called for middle powers like Canada to stand up to bullies.
Declared a terrorist for bringing renewable power to Philippine communities
Mon 2 Feb 2026
Accusing activists of having links to terrorism has led to non-profit funds being frozen and local climate projects being delayed or scrapped.
Pacific fisheries summit gives a boost to albacore and seabirds
19 Dec 2025
Much of the world’s albacore tuna catch, which usually ends up in a can, comes from the southwestern Pacific Ocean, where fishery managers just passed a new set of conservation rules.
Arctic endured year of record heat as climate scientists warn of ‘winter being redefined’
18 Dec 2025
Region known as ‘world’s refrigerator’ is heating up as much as four times as quickly as global average, Noaa experts say.
Climate change could lead to 500,000 ‘additional’ malaria deaths in Africa by 2050
30 Jan 2026
Climate change could lead to half a million more deaths from malaria in Africa over the next 25 years, according to new research.
Argentina fires ravage pristine Patagonia forests, fueling criticism of Milei’s austerity
Wed 4 Feb 2026
The wildfires, among the worst to hit the drought-stricken Patagonia region in decades, have devastated more than 45,000 hectares (174 square miles) of Argentina’s forests in the last month and a half, forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents and tourists.
UN risks 'imminent financial collapse', secretary general warns
Tue 3 Feb 2026
The United Nations is at risk of "imminent financial collapse" due to member states not paying their fees, the body's head has warned.
