Climate

In Madrid’s Poorest Areas, Residents Ask for Trees to Survive Heatwaves

As Madrid sweltered at the peak of one of Spain's longest-ever heatwaves, the temperature on a street in one of its poorest neighbourhoods - Puente de Vallecas - measured 41.4…

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Europe and Canada Gripped by Unseasonal Heatwave

Southern and central Europe are facing record-breaking heat this week, with temperatures in parts of Portugal and Spain nearing 40 degrees Celsius, raising concerns about crop damage and water shortages…

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EU scientists sound alarm over escalating spring drought

The spring drought plaguing Europe since March is worsening and spreading to more countries, the European Commission's scientific service warned. A lack of rainfall and warmer than usual weather have…

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Spring Drought Poses Growing Threat to European Agriculture and Waterways

From the front lines in Ukraine to ordinarily damp Belgium, a shortage of rainfall has left much of Europe parched halfway through spring. The early drought spells trouble for supply…

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Europe just had warmest March on record

Europe experienced its warmest March since records began, as climate change continues to push temperatures to unprecedented levels, European Union scientists said on Tuesday. Globally, last month was the planet's…

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WMO confirms 2024 was hottest year on record

The year 2024 was the hottest on record, a spokesperson for the World Meteorological Organisation said ahead of the release later on Friday of a comprehensive report incorporating the findings…

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2024 will be world’s hottest on record, EU scientists say

This year is "virtually certain" to eclipse 2023 as the world's warmest since records began, the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said on Thursday. The data was released…

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World registers hottest day ever recorded on July 21

Sunday, July 21 was the hottest day ever recorded globally, according to preliminary data from the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service. The global average surface air temperature on Sunday…

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EU backs 650-billion-euro plan to help cities reach net zero by 2030

A group of 112 cities aiming to eliminate their net greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 will need a combined 650 billion euros ($695.83 billion) in investments to deliver the pledge,…

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Millions sweltering under extreme heat worldwide as summer arrives

Dangerous heatwaves are scorching cities on four continents as the Northern Hemisphere marks the first day of summer, a sign that climate change may again bring about record-breaking heat that…

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Fossil fuel use, emissions hit records in 2023

Global fossil fuel consumption and energy emissions hit all-time highs in 2023, even as fossil fuels' share of the global energy mix decreased slightly on the year, the industry's Statistical…

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How three European human rights cases could shape climate litigation

Does government inaction on climate change violate human rights? That is the question the European Court of Human Rights will for the first time seek to answer in Strasbourg, France,…

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Swiss women win landmark climate victory at human rights court

By Gloria Dickie and Kate Abnett The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled on Tuesday in favour of a group of elderly Swiss women who had argued that their…

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COP28 president urges countries to set plans for fossil fuel transition

The United Arab Emirates, host of last year's COP28 climate summit, called on Tuesday for governments to take action in transitioning away from fossil fuels. Intense negotiations last December saw…

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EU to step up efforts for more carbon markets worldwide

The European Union will increase diplomatic efforts to help countries outside the bloc to launch carbon markets in the hope of fostering international trade of CO2 emissions, the bloc's climate…

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Private sector should foot climate bill, French finance minister says

Funding to combat climate change needs to come from the private sector as there is no more public financing available from France or other European Union countries, French Finance Minister…

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Including energy leaders made COP28 climate summit more meaningful, says Jaber

COP28 President Sultan al-Jaber said on Monday that bringing the energy sector to the table at the U.N. climate summit that was hosted by Dubai in December made the action…

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300 major financial institutions plan major disclosures on environmental impact

More than 300 companies and financial institutions plan to report on the impacts they have on the natural world as part of efforts to stem the global collapse of biodiversity,…

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Germany’s 2023 CO2 emissions fall to lowest in 70 years but drop not yet sustainable- study

By Riham Alkousaa BERLIN, (Reuters) - Germany's carbon dioxide emissions in 2023 fell to their lowest since the 1950s due to less coal-fired power and reduced output by energy-intensive industries,…

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Climate change: 2024 might offer room for optimism

We don’t want to give you the wrong idea: things are bad. Antarctic ice sheets are melting, the fossil fuel lobby was everywhere at the COP talks, and even solutions…

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ESG funds suffer weaker demand despite help from tech-sector performance

Sustainable funds faced a sharp slowdown in demand globally in 2023 amid political controversy and concerns about "greenwashing," even as many outperformed the broader market when the recovery of technology-related…

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Climate finance takes centre stage at COP28 climate talks

Money pledges grabbed the spotlight again at COP28 in Dubai on Monday as delegates turned their focus to the yawning gap in the need for climate finance and what's on…

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MEPs want all countries to strengthen their climate commitments

The Environment Committee of the European Parliament has adopted its demands for the UN Climate Change Conference COP28, which will take stock of the progress on implementing the Paris Agreement.…

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EU seeks to ease US tariff, green subsidy threats

The European Union will seek this week to ward off the return of Trump-era metals tariffs and to lessen the negative impact on the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and…

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EU will do ‘as much as possible’ to drive out fossil fuels, climate chief says

The European Union will do all it can to halt fossil fuel use as part of its "ambitious" position at the upcoming COP28 climate summit, the EU's new climate chief…

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6 reasons why global temperatures are spiking right now

The world is very warm right now. We’re not only seeing record temperatures, but the records are being broken by record-wide margins. Take the preliminary September global-average temperature anomaly of…

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China climate envoy says phasing out fossil fuels ‘unrealistic’

By David Stanway SINGAPORE, (Reuters) - The complete phasing-out of fossil fuels is not realistic, China's top climate official said, adding that these climate-warming fuels must continue to play a…

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Global climate protests demand world leaders phase out fossil fuels

Protests planned in 54 countries this weekend Organisers seek post-COVID return to mass actions Demand rapid phaseout of fossil fuels Countries to consider phaseout at COP28 summit By Kate Abnett…

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EU’s disaster response fund at limit as climate crises mount

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission warned on Tuesday that the EU urgently needs more funding to respond to climate change-fuelled crises after its emergency aid reserve was exhausted in…

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Europe space chief warns over political wavering on climate

Europe's top space official has urged wavering politicians not to abandon European leadership in combating climate change, saying record heatwaves and vegetation fires provide "really alarming" evidence of the pace…

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Europe cracks down after rise in ‘direct action’ climate protests

Simon Lachner had plans to glue himself to a German city thoroughfare in June to call public attention to climate change. Instead, he ended up in police custody before he'd…

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EU braces for possible loss of two climate change leaders

The European Union could stand to lose two of its most effective climate change negotiators ahead of this year's COP28 UN summit, with the possible departures of the EU's own…

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Climate change role in July heatwaves ‘overwhelming’, scientists say

Human-induced climate change has played an "absolutely overwhelming" role in the extreme heatwaves that have swept across North America, Europe and China this month, according to an assessment by scientists…

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US envoy Kerry says climate cooperation could redefine US-China ties

China and the United States could use climate cooperation to redefine their troubled relationship and lead the way in tackling global warming, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry told senior Chinese…

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Hotter temperatures driving tourists away from Mediterranean – report

Soaring summer temperatures across southern Europe could prompt a lasting shift in tourist habits, with more travellers choosing cooler destinations or taking their holidays in spring or autumn to dodge…

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June was hottest June on record globally, Copernicus says

This past June was the hottest June globally on record in terms of sea and air temperatures, according to a statement by the EU-backed Copernicus Climate Change Service. "The month…

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Climate nears point of no return as land, sea temperatures break records

Temperature records topple around the world Sea temperatures also hit record high Climate talks failing to respond to extreme weather emergencies U.S. climate envoy Kerry expected in Beijing in July…

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Germany’s Baerbock calls for global target for renewable energy expansion

German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock on Tuesday called for a global target for the expansion of renewable energies. Speaking at the start of the Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Berlin, Baerbock…

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EU regulators set out ideas to plug climate ‘insurance gap’

Issuing "catastrophe bonds" and setting up public-private partnerships could help plug the "insurance gap" to better cover damage from climate change, a discussion paper from the European Central Bank and European Union…

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Airlines in line for green fuel funding boost under EU climate law

Airlines could be in line for 2 billion euros in European Union funding to help them switch to sustainable fuels, under reforms to strengthen Europe's climate change policies. The European Parliament on Tuesday approved…

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Casa’s Social Climate Fund becomes law after final European Parliament approval

The European Parliament today approved the most ambitious climate package yet, with a multibillion social mechanism delivered through Casa’s Social Climate Fund. “The Social Climate Fund is the most significant…

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EU preparing 2040 emissions cut target to combat climate change

By Kate Abnett BRUSSELS, April 3 (Reuters) - The European Union is moving ahead with plans to set an emissions-cutting target for 2040, a milestone to steer the world's third-biggest…

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Germany sees progress in EU talks for ban on fossil fuel cars

Talks between Germany's Transport Ministry and the European Commission about the planned end of new combustion engines from 2035 are moving forward, the ministry said on Monday, but added it…

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Shell emissions dip about 10% to 1.23 bln tonnes of CO2 equivalent

LONDON, March 9 (Reuters) - Shell's emissions dipped by about 10% in 2022 to a total of 1.232 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent, from 1.367 billion tonnes the previous year,…

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COP28 president-designate says world needs climate ‘course correction’

The United Arab Emirates climate envoy and designated president of the COP28 climate summit said on Tuesday the world needed a "course correction" to limit global warming, adding that he…

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U.N. chief to convene ‘no-nonsense’ climate summit in 2023

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will convene a "no-nonsense" climate ambition summit in September next year and warned on Monday that there will be "no room for back-sliders, greenwashers, blame-shifters"…

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EU strikes deal to boost carbon market, Europe’s biggest climate policy

BRUSSELS, Dec 18 (Reuters) - European Union negotiators reached a political deal on Sunday to overhaul the bloc's carbon market, cutting planet-heating emissions faster and imposing new CO2 costs on fuels used…

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World’s banks told to apply capital rules to climate risks where possible

LONDON, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Global regulators set out their first guidance on Thursday to show banks how to apply existing capital rules to cover climate change risks that could…

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Berlin airport reopens runways after climate protest

BERLIN, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Berlin Brandenburg Airport said on Thursday flights were resuming with some delays after it was earlier forced to close its runways as climate protesters broke into the…

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Europe’s heatwave may have caused more than 20,000 ‘excess’ deaths

Nov 24 (Reuters) - Summer heatwaves in France, Germany, Spain and Britain led to more than 20,000 "excess" deaths, a report compiling official figures said on Thursday. Temperatures hit nearly 40 degrees…

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COP27 delivers climate fund breakthrough at cost of progress on emissions

By Valerie Volcovici, Dominic Evans and William James SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Countries closed this year's U.N. climate summit on Sunday with a hard-fought deal to create a fund…

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FACTBOX-COP27: Counting the rising cost of climate disasters

(Reuters) - Climate change has raised the cost of natural disasters, as rising sea levels and drought increase the frequency and severity of flooding and wildfires, insurers and risk modelling…

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Climate justice gets harder as world population passes 8 billion

Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda on Tuesday highlighted the importance of sustainable finance to address climate change and achieve decarbonisation. "Sustainable finance has a crucial role to play in…

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EU to tell U.N. summit it plans to raise climate target in 2023

The European Union is expected to announce plans at the COP27 summit on Tuesday to update its emissions-cutting target under the Paris climate change accord before next year's U.N. summit, a…

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Mediterranean marine heatwaves threaten coastal livelihoods

KERKENNAH ISLANDS, Tunisia, Nov 13 (Reuters) - A decade ago, Tunisian fisherman Ahmed Chelli's nets bulged with fish and octopus that he sold at the local market in the Kerkennah…

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COP 27: UK’s Rishi Sunak says climate and energy security go hand in hand

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Monday climate and energy security went "hand in hand" and world leaders must act quickly to address the impacts of climate change. "Climate security goes hand in…

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Brazil’s Lula hopes to unite rainforest nations, tap funding at COP27

A new alliance of rainforest nations - sought by Brazil's President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva - could be key to unlocking conservation funding and bolstering a flagging global forest…

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