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☆ At Africa’s First Climate Summit, a Clear Call to the World: Invest in Us
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Max Bearak | More About Max Bearak | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Heads of state from across Africa concluded an inaugural climate summit on Wednesday in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, by issuing a declaration that called for an urgent restructuring of the way wealthier nations engage with the continent. The declaration stressed numerous times that rather than being a hapless victim, Africa was primed for leadership on clean energy and environmental stewardship. This lack of financing is one of the biggest issues dividing rich and poor nations as the world struggles to slash carbon dioxide emissions. It will be one of the main points of contention at the United Nations global climate summit starting Nov. 30 in Dubai. The historic gathering in Nairobi was partly an effort by poorer nations to amplify their argument.

Organizations: United Nations Locations: Africa, Nairobi, Kenya’s, Dubai

“With us, you know what you get, which is rare nowadays!” Alexandre Edelmann, head of Presence Switzerland, a government agency that promotes the country abroad, says in an email. “People love our country without always knowing why,” says Jacques Pitteloud, Switzerland’s ambassador to the U.S. and a veteran diplomat. We are constantly leading the pack in terms of innovation.”This is evident in the prominent role Switzerland plays in some key areas of the global economy. Acknowledging "the elephant in the room," Pitteloud says Switzerland and the EU have "a complex relationship." And as a relatively small, landlocked country in which many areas are difficult to inhabit due to terrain, Switzerland is facing challenges related to population and resources.

Persons: Roger Federer, Philippe, –, Alexandre Edelmann, ”, Jacques Pitteloud, Pitteloud, ” Delphine Donné, Ruag, yearslong, ” Georg Klingler, Donné Organizations: Wimbledon, U.S . News, European Union, Bank, Presence Switzerland, Nestle, Roche, Novartis, Atlas, Logitech, ETH Zurich, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, EU, Greenpeace, Associated Press Locations: Switzerland, Europe, U.S, Swiss, France, China, Canada, Lausanne, Ukraine, Greenpeace Switzerland

☆ UK could lose global climate leadership, says former energy minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Chris Skidmore is seen outside Downing Street, as uncertainty over Brexit continues, in London, Britain May 21, 2019. "We are in this global net zero race, we have been climate leaders in the past, we're about to lose that leadership," he said. There is no free rider opportunities in net zero. Asked if Sunak should attend the COP28 climate summit in person to help Britain hold onto its net zero leadership, Skidmore said it was policy outcomes which were the most important thing. "Yes, it's nice if we can have a prime minister turn up, but I don't think it's essential," he said.

Persons: Chris Skidmore, Brexit, Hannah Mckay, decarbonisation, Jobs, Rishi Sunak's, Sunak, Skidmore, William James, Sachin Ravikumar, Muvija, Sarah Young Organizations: REUTERS, Rights Companies Edf Energy Nuclear Generation, Reuters IMPACT, Thomson Locations: Downing, London, Britain

☆ How China became the king of new nuclear power, and how the U.S. is trying to stage a comeback
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

That is two and a half times more nuclear reactors under construction than any other country. China was just getting started as the United States nuclear industry began to take a back seat. Power follows demand, so the new nuclear reactors tend to be built where fast-developing economies need power to fuel their growth. For the United States to win the export business, it must prove it can put steel in the ground in the United States. "We and our close nuclear energy allies are at what I think is just the start of a fierce competition for supremacy in global nuclear energy export markets," Kotek said.

Persons: Jacopo Buongiorno, Kenneth Luongo, Luongo, John F, Kotek, they've, Buongiorno, Westinghouse, Trump, Biden Organizations: Plant, China National Nuclear Corporation, China Huaneng, Changjiang, China News Service, Getty, International Atomic Energy Agency, United, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, CNBC, Partnership for Global Security, World Nuclear Association, Chicago Tribune, Tribune, Service, IAEA, Organization for Economic Cooperation, Development, OECD, U.S . Energy Information Administration, Nuclear Energy Institute, International Energy Agency, France, Visual China, Georgia Power, Westinghouse Locations: China, Changjiang Li Autonomous County, Hainan Province, India, Turkey, United States, Georgia, Byron , Illinois, France, Russia, HUIZHOU, CHINA, Huizhou, Guangdong Province of China, Europe, Eastern Europe, U.S

☆ Vision 2030 is Saudi Arabia's grand plan to future-proof its oil-based economy. Experts say it's a huge risk.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-27 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Vision 2030 is Saudi Arabia's grand plan to transform its economy and reduce its reliance on oil. The centerpiece of Vision 2030 is Neom, which includes a $1 trillion megacity known as The Line. But time is ticking: Seven years after announcing Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia has reached the midway point of its timeline, with just seven years left to the finish line. That said, much of this is being financed by the Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia's powerful sovereign wealth fund, which manages assets worth about $700 billion. NeomA key factor that could determine this project's success involves Saudi Arabia's changing appeal to the West.

Persons: Saud, who's, Simon Mabon, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, McKinsey —, —, Gerald Feierstein, Barack Obama, Feierstein, Richard Callis, Prince Mohammed, Yasir Othman al, Mabon, Prince Mohammed's, there's, Muslimi, they're Organizations: Foreign Policy Center, Saudi Royal Court, REUTERS, Saudi Crown, McKinsey, Middle East Institute, Public Investment Fund, Saudi, SoftBank's Vision, Newcastle United soccer, Newcastle United FC, Saudi Aramco, International Monetary Fund, Chatham House, Neom, United, Bloomberg, Amnesty International Locations: Saudi, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, London, NEOM, Bandar, Yemen, Ukraine, Riyadh, Jeddah, they're, United Arab Emirates, Neom

☆ India rolls out its first rover on the lunar surface after historic landing
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft landed on the lunar surface near the moon's south pole on Wednesday. The historic occasion marked the country as a global space power and only the fourth nation to achieve a lunar landing. Chandrayaan-3 has already returned several images and rolled out its Pragyan rover on the lunar surface. Meanwhile, Russia’s Luna 25 lander crashed into the moon, causing experts to question the country’s future lunar ambitions. ConsequencesEmperor penguins rely on sea ice to hatch and raise their chicks, but global warming is diminishing their habitat.

Persons: CNN —, Ray, Russia’s, Bonnie Prince Charlie, “, ”, Barbora Veselá, Apptronik, Sergio Pitamitz, Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt Organizations: CNN, NASA, SpaceX, International, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Ray Imaging, ISRO India, University of Dundee, Solar Orbiter, —, CNN Space, Science Locations: United States, Russia, Japan, Denmark, United Kingdom, Austin , Texas, Tennessee, Monterey , California

☆ A mysterious 40,000-year-old hip bone suggests human ancestors and Neanderthals shared a cave — and perhaps a culture
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The bone could mean modern humans shared the cave with Neanderthals. The early human bone was found in a cave at the center of a debate about Neanderthal culture. Maureille is an author of the study about the hip bone, and an archaeologist from the University of Bordeaux. This raises a controversial hypothesis: that modern humans and Neanderthals shared the mysterious Châtelperronien culture, which has long baffled scientists. Research there suggests modern humans shared a cave with Neanderthals and Denisovans about 45,000 years ago.

Persons: Bruno Maureille, Will Oliver, Maureille Organizations: Service, University of Bordeaux, Sci Locations: Wall, Silicon, Arcy, France, London, Europe, Spain, Renne, Siberia

☆ Climate change: Parts of tropical rainforests could get too hot for photosynthesis, study suggests
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Some leaves in tropical forests from South America to South East Asia are getting so hot they may no longer be able to photosynthesize, with big potential consequences for the world’s forests, according to a new study. They found that average forest canopy temperatures peaked at 34 degrees Celsius (93 Fahrenheit) but some exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). This level of warming is not expected under current climate policies, which are estimated to bring 2.7 degrees Celsius of warming above pre-industrial levels. While these figures may seem small, the risk is significant given how critical tropical trees are for life, the climate system and the planet. But, he added, there are more immediate concerns for tropical forests, including deforestation, wildfires and droughts.

Persons: photosynthesize, Christopher Doughty, ” Doughty, Martin Zwick, ”, Kevin Collins, Christopher Still, there’s, it’s, “, Chloe Brimicombe, ” Joshua Fisher Organizations: CNN, Northern Arizona University, Getty, Open University, Science Media, Oregon State University, University of Graz, Chapman University Locations: South America, South East Asia, Nature, Australia, Brazil, ecoinformatics, Mobuku, Uganda, ”, Austria

☆ Ancient viruses could re-emerge as permafrost melts, posing 'unpredictable threats' to our communities, new study says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Scientists are studying a new threat emerging from melting permafrost: ancient viruses. The authors of the study — published in PLOS Computational Biology, a peer-reviewed scientific journal — used computer simulations to model how ancient viruses could survive, evolve, and persist in our modern-day communities. This research marks the first "extensive exploration of the ecological risk" these viruses pose, according to the authors. In many of the simulations conducted in the study of the ancient viruses, researchers found that they could thrive in modern communities without making a catastrophic impact, but still caused "non-negligible ecological change." This means the viruses most likely to re-emerge successfully could also be the most likely to pose an ecological risk.

Organizations: Service Locations: French

☆ Return to Office, Ending Work From Home May Make Climate Crisis Worse
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

Whether mandatory return-to-office policies will make the climate crisis worse is an important question, especially as scientists predict that 2023 will be the hottest year on record. But determining whether working from an office is worse for the planet isn't that simple. Failing to find a balance between boosting productivity at the office and protecting the planet risks making the crisis worse. Even though the study only covered the early part of the pandemic, it illustrated how a shift away from office work can have some positive effects for the planet. "There was no clear answer to whether work from home was better or worse for the environment in general terms."

Persons: Rachel, it's, JPMorgan Chase, James Elfer, Elfer, It's, Ty Colman, Colman, Ralf Martin, Martin, teleworking, Megan Litke, We've, Litke, Efler, Operta's Colman, JPMorgan Chase —, Apple, Tony Johnson, Schneider, Johnson, That's, she's, Catherine Boudreau Organizations: Amazon, Google, JPMorgan, Fortune, Employees, Greenhouse, International Energy Agency, IEA, Imperial College Business School, American University, Energy, Target, Dell, Apple, Schneider Locations: , Maryland, Greater London, London, Washington , DC, Williams, Sonoma, North America

☆ Judge sides with young activists in first-of-its-kind climate change trial in Montana
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Youth plaintiffs in the climate change lawsuit, Held vs. Montana, arrive at the Lewis and Clark County Courthouse, on June 20, 2023, in Helena, Mont., for the final day of the trial. A Montana judge on Monday sided with young environmental activists who said state agencies were violating their constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment by permitting fossil fuel development without considering its effect on the climate. That leaves slim chances for immediate change in a fossil fuel-friendly state where Republicans dominate the statehouse. Julia Olson, an attorney representing the youth, released a statement calling the ruling a "huge win for Montana, for youth, for democracy, and for our climate." "Montanans can't be blamed for changing the climate — even the plaintiffs' expert witnesses agreed that our state has no impact on the global climate.

Persons: Lewis, Kathy Seeley, Judge Seeley, Julia Olson, Olson, Emily Flower, Austin Knudsen Organizations: Republicans, Montana, Trust, Montana Attorney Locations: . Montana, Clark, Helena, Mont, Montana, U.S, West, Oregon

That includes a $35 million government procurement program for carbon removal credits, and funding for 14 feasibility studies and 5 engineering and design studies for earlier-stage hub projects. Worsening climate change and inadequate efforts to cut emissions have thrust carbon removal into the spotlight. Although most environmental activists acknowledge that carbon removal will be needed for global climate targets to be met, they are concerned companies could use carbon removal development to give fossil fuel companies cover to maintain production, especially in minority and low-income areas. Erin Burns, director of carbon removal advisory firm Carbon180, said the United States is positioning itself as a leader in this technology. "This is the first major federal investment from any country on carbon removal at this level," Burns said.

Persons: Worley, Jennifer Granholm, Vicki Hollub, Erin Burns, Carbon180, Burns, Valerie Volcovici, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Reuters, REUTERS, Occidental Petroleum Corp, WASHINGTON, U.S . Department of Energy, Department of Energy, DOE, Battelle, Climeworks Corporation, Carbon, Inc, South, South Texas DAC, Occidental 1PointFive, Carbon Engineering Ltd, DAC, Energy Department, United Arab, Occidental, Thomson Locations: Handout, Texas, Louisiana, Cypress, South Texas, Kleberg County , Texas, United Arab Emirates, United States

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has been advocating for a common regional policy to end deforestation by 2030, promising his country will reach zero deforestation. However, the failure to agree on a common policy to end deforestation in the Amazon is concerning, as the fate of the rainforest is critical to the health of the planet. It is home to a unique array of animal and plant life, and is crucial to maintaining a global climate balance because it stores a huge amount of carbon and strongly influences global weather patterns. According to CNN affiliate CNN Brasil, Guyana, Suriname and Bolivia left the meeting refusing to agree on a goal. On Monday, Colombia backed an indigenous-led global pact to protect 80% of the Amazon by 2025.

Persons: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Lula da Silva’s, Jair Bolsonaro, haven’t, ” Lula da Silva, Evaristo Sa, Susana Muhamad Organizations: CNN, Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization, Brazilian Amazon, Peoples of, Getty, Amazon Alliance, CNN Brasil, Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research, Colombian Locations: Brazil, Brazilian, Belém, Para State, AFP, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, Amazonia

This undated handout image shows the carbon sequesterization unit at American Electric Power Company's Mountaineer Plant near New Haven, West Virginia. REUTERS/Tom Dubanowich/Handout /File PhotoAug 8 (Reuters) - U.S. power plant owners warned the Biden administration on Tuesday that its sweeping plan to slash carbon emissions from the electricity sector is unworkable, relying too heavily on costly technologies that are not yet proven at scale. Proposed in May, the EPA plan would for the first time limit how much carbon dioxide power plants can emit, after previous efforts were struck down in court. Industry is particularly concerned about proposed standards for existing natural gas power plants, saying those facilities would be hard to retrofit with CCS, or hydrogen, due to space constraints and other limitations. The EPA's proposal had been crafted to reflect constraints the Supreme Court imposed on the agency after it ruled an Obama-era power plant proposal went too far by imposing a system-wide shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

Persons: Tom Dubanowich, Biden, EEI, Joe Biden, Jim Matheson, Nichola Groom, Valerie Volcovici, Sharon Singleton, Marguerita Choy Organizations: American Electric Power, Edison Electric Institute, U.S . Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, Task Force, Natural Resources Defense, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Labor, United Mine Workers of America, International Brotherhood of Electricity Workers, Thomson Locations: New Haven, West Virginia, U.S, Baltimore, Los Angeles, Washington

[1/5] Brazil's indigenous chief Raoni Metuktire poses for a photo during an interview before a summit of Amazon rainforest nations at the Igarape Park, in Belem, Para state, Brazil August 5, 2023. "I will ask the presidents to commit to guaranteeing the preservation of the forest," he told Reuters. Raoni, an unmistakable figure with his large lip plate and yellow feather headdress, is a chief of the Kayapo people, an Indigenous group that lives along the Xingu River where savannah plains meet the Amazon rainforest. "The deforestation of the Amazon's forests is not good for us Indigenous peoples, and white man needs to rethink and preserve what remains of the Amazon," he warned. Reporting by Leonardo Benassatto and Ueslei Marcelino; Writing by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Raoni Metuktire, Ueslei Marcelino, Raoni, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Sting, Leonardo Benassatto, Anthony Boadle, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, Ueslei, Reuters, Brazilian Congress, Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization, Thomson Locations: Belem , Para, Brazil, Ueslei Marcelino BELEM, Belem, U.S, France

☆ What This Year’s ‘Astonishing’ Ocean Heat Means for the Planet
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Elena Shao | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +7 min

Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly on July 31, 2023 –6°F 0° +6° +9° Atlantic Ocean Pacific Ocean Pacific Ocean Indian Ocean Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly on July 31, 2023 –6°F 0° +6° +9°What This Year’s ‘Astonishing’ Ocean Heat Means for the PlanetBrutal heat waves have baked the world this summer and they haven’t been contained to land. Note: Average sea surface temperatures for ocean areas between 60 degrees north and 60 degrees south latitude are shown. The planet’s average sea surface temperature spiked to a record high in April and the ocean has remained exceptionally warm ever since. Some have suggested that international rules aimed at reducing air pollution from maritime shipping could have inadvertently increased ocean warming. Warmer ocean temperatures also provide more fodder for tropical cyclones and atmospheric river storms.

Persons: Jan, ”, Gregory Johnson, El, Michelle L’Heureux, Zeke Hausfather, Hausfather, El Niño, von Schuckmann, Dr, Johnson Organizations: Mar, University of Maine, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Locations: Atlantic, Florida, Berkeley, Tonga

☆ Colombia hopes Amazon summit will be deforestation 'turning point'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BOGOTA, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Colombia's government is hopeful that an upcoming regional summit in Brazil will represent a turning point in the deterioration of the Amazon, Colombian Environment Minister Susana Muhamad said on Thursday. The eight countries of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO), which include Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela and Peru, will meet Aug. 7-8 in the Brazilian city of Belem at the mouth of the Amazon River. The summit - which follows a meeting in Colombia's Amazon city of Leticia a month ago - is aimed at finding ways to prevent further degradation of the Amazon rainforest, the preservation of which scientists say is vital for curbing the effects of climate change. Talks will also include the complicated issue of hydrocarbon exploration, Muhamad said. While Colombia's President Gustavo Petro has voiced concern over oil and gas exploration in the Amazon, Muhamad said the situation was "much more complex" than other topics.

Persons: Susana Muhamad, Muhamad, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Gustavo Petro, Oliver Griffin, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Amazon, Colombian, Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization, Thomson Locations: BOGOTA, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Brazilian, Belem, Amazon, Leticia, Bogota

☆ The UK once vowed to be a global climate leader. Now Rishi Sunak is stoking a culture war on green policies
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Since becoming prime minister, critics say he has diminished the UK's standing as a leader on the climate. A Just Stop Oil protester disrupts a match at July's Wimbledon Championships. Foreign Office minister Zac Goldsmith resigned in June, lambasting Sunak’s climate policies. A North Sea oil rig off the coast of Scotland. Sunak's decision to expand drilling in the North Sea was criticized by climate experts.

Persons: Boris Johnson, Queen Elizabeth II, Rishi Sunak’s, Sunak, DANIEL LEAL, ” Luke Murphy, they’ve, Murphy, ”, “, We’ve, ” Murphy, Steve Tuckwell, Tuckwell, Hannah Mckay, Grant Shapps, Keir Starmer, ” Tim Bale, “ Uxbridge, ” Bale, Sadiq Khan, Khan nodded, Rishi Sunak, Zac Goldsmith, Chris Skidmore, ” Skidmore, – Organizations: London CNN, Telegraph, Getty, CNN, Conservative Party, Conservatives, Labour Party, July's Wimbledon, Reuters, Energy, Queen Mary University in, “, Office, National Statistics, London’s, Foreign, Conservative, Uxbridge Locations: Britain, Glasgow, North, Sunak, Uxbridge, London, Queen Mary University in London, Europe, lambasting, Scotland

REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File PhotoJuly 27 (Reuters) - The number of court cases related to climate change has more than doubled in five years as impacts ranging from shrinking water resources to dangerous heatwaves hit home for millions, a report said on Thursday. Some 2,180 climate-related lawsuits have been filed across 65 jurisdictions over the past five years, according to the report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and New York's Columbia University, which tracks ongoing climate cases in a global database. While the United States still dominates with more than 1,500 cases, other countries are seeing increases. About 17 percent of cases have been filed in developing countries, according to the report, with rainforest-rich Brazil and Indonesia among the countries seeing the most. Youth climate activists have already played a central role, with 34 cases brought forward on behalf of children, teens, and young adults.

Persons: Remo Casilli, Maria Antonia Tigre, Andrew Raine ,, Shell, Tigre, Gloria Dickie, Conor Humphries Organizations: della, REUTERS, UN, Programme, New York's Columbia University, Columbia's, European, of Human, Thomson Locations: Italy, Rome, New, United States, Brazil, Indonesia, Toronto

REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File PhotoJuly 27 (Reuters) - The number of court cases related to climate change has more than doubled in five years as impacts ranging from shrinking water resources to dangerous heatwaves hit home for millions, a report said on Thursday. Some 2,180 climate-related lawsuits have been filed across 65 jurisdictions over the past five years, according to the report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and New York's Columbia University, which tracks ongoing climate cases in a global database. Many cases involve claims based on accusations of corporate greenwashing or advocating for greater climate disclosures. Youth climate activists have already played a central role, with 34 cases brought forward on behalf of children, teens, and young adults. Litigation targeting the disruptive actions of climate activists is also on the rise, Tigre said.

☆ July 2023 is planet's hottest month on record, Copernicus reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

We have just lived through the hottest three-week-period on record – and almost certainly in more than a hundred thousand years. “These are the hottest temperatures in human history,” said Samantha Burgess, deputy director at Copernicus. Remo Casilli/ReutersThe news that July will be the hottest month comes amid a slew of alarming records that have already been broken – and then broken again – this summer. Last month was the hottest June on record by a “substantial margin,” according to Copernicus. On July 6, the global average temperature rose to 17.08 degrees Celsius (62.74 Fahrenheit), according to Copernicus data, beating the previous temperature record of 16.8 degrees Celsius (62.24 Fahrenheit) set in August 2016.

Persons: Copernicus, ”, Samantha Burgess, Ronda Churchill, Carlo Buontempo, it’s, Burgess, El, Remo Casilli, we’ve, Fethi Belaid, Kim Cobb, ” Petteri Taalas Organizations: CNN, World Meteorological Organization, Visitor, Popolo, Getty, Brown University, WMO Locations: , California, AFP, Asia, US, China, Europe, Rome, Melloula, Tunisia

☆ Stock Exchange Regulators Back Global Climate-Reporting Rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Rochelle Toplensky | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

Regulators of the world’s top stock exchanges gave their backing to the international climate-reporting standards framework Tuesday, adding momentum to efforts to establish the rules as the global baseline. The International Organization of Securities Commissions, known as Iosco, endorsed the International Sustainability Standards Board’s recently published climate reporting standard. While some businesses may be waiting to see the completed SEC climate reporting rules, it hopes the advantages of using a single standard worldwide outweigh any disadvantages of being more demanding than the SEC’s coming climate reporting rules. PREVIEWIt is now up to individual countries and jurisdictions to decide if and when they adopt the ISSB standards. “This is a hugely significant step towards a global baseline of sustainability reporting.

Persons: —, Jean, Paul Servais, Benoit Doppagne, “ Iosco, ”, Larry Bradley, Iosco, PwC, KPMG’s Bradley, “, Rochelle Toplensky Organizations: International Organization of Securities Commissions, International, U.S . Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Securities, Exchange, Zuma, SEC, U.S, EU, KPMG, Sustainable Business, Rochelle Locations: Japan, China, Britain, U.S, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Singapore, Glasgow

REUTERS/Stringer/File PhotoSummary Countries at odds over which should pay climate financeEU wants China to contribute to climate fundsChina among countries not currently obliged to payBRUSSELS/BEIJING, July 21 (Reuters) - Record-breaking heat in China. The EU, today the biggest contributor of climate finance, has lobbied to expand the pool of donor countries that provide it. Climate finance refers to money that wealthy countries pay toward helping poorer nations reduce CO2 emissions and adapt to a hotter, harsher world. Advocates for the change argue that an expansion needs to happen before a new - and, likely, far bigger - U.N. target for climate finance kicks in after 2025. "It would earn China diplomatic clout, and pressure Western donors to raise their stakes on climate finance," he said.

Persons: Stringer, John Kerry, Janet Yellen, Kerry, Li Qiang, Pa'olelei Luteru, Luteru, Byford Tsang, Kate Abnett, Valerie Volcovici, Katy Daigle, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, BRUSSELS, U.S, Union, Reuters, EU, United Arab Emirates, of Small, WHO, United, Climate Cooperation, Initiative, Bridgetown Initiative, Thomson Locations: Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China, EU, BEIJING, COP28, Dubai, Beijing, U.S, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Singapore, States, United States, South Korea, U.N, Barbados, Bridgetown, Brussels

He also urged China to partner with the United States to cut methane emissions and reduce the climate impact of coal-fired power, with the two sides aiming to rebuild trust following a suspension in talks last year. Kerry praised the "incredible job" China has been doing in building up renewable energy capacity but said it had been undercut by the construction of new coal power plants. China has pledged to start reducing coal consumption, but not until 2026, and new coal power project approvals have accelerated since last year. Kerry's third visit to China as U.S. climate envoy marks the formal resumption in top-level climate diplomacy between the two countries. Kerry and Xie met on Sunday night for a one-on-one dinner.

Persons: John Kerry, Xie Zhenhua, Xie, Kerry, Nancy Pelosi, Valerie Volcovici, Andrew Hayley, David Stanway, Sonali Paul, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: State, U.S, . House, Beijing, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, United States, Dubai, U.S, Beijing, Taiwan

☆ U.S. and China envoys seek to revive climate diplomacy
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

US climate envoy John Kerry gestures as he speaks next to China's special climate envoy Xie Zhenhua during a session at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos on May 24, 2022. Fabrice Coffrini | Afp | Getty ImagesU.S. climate envoy John Kerry said it was "imperative that China and the United States make real progress" in the four months before the COP28 global climate talks in Dubai, as he met his counterpart Xie Zhenhua in the Chinese capital on Monday. He also urged China to partner with the United States to cut methane emissions and reduce the climate impact of coal-fired power, with the two sides aiming to rebuild trust following a suspension in talks last year. Kerry praised the "incredible job" China has been doing in building up renewable energy capacity but said it had been undercut by the construction of new coal power plants. China has pledged to start reducing coal consumption, but not until 2026, and new coal power project approvals have accelerated since last year.

Persons: John Kerry, Xie Zhenhua, Fabrice Coffrini, Xie, Kerry Organizations: Afp, Getty Locations: Davos, China, United States, Dubai

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