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On Monday, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, energy minister and the key climate negotiator, for the kingdom, was a no-show at the Saudi Green Initiative. "The climate finance that they have pledged at this COP28 is simply not enough," said Pakistani activist Zaigham Abbas, whose country was devastated last year by widespread flooding. Elsewhere, France and Japan said they would support a move by the African Development Bank to leverage IMF Special Drawing Rights for climate and development. This year also features the biggest-ever representation of business at the annual U.N. summit, amid hopes for more private investment toward climate causes. "The scale of the climate crisis demands urgent and game-changing solutions from every industry," COP28 President Ahmed Al-Jaber said.

Persons: COP28, Johanna Geron, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, Nicholas Stern, Mia Mottley, Antonio Guterres, Zaigham Abbas, Abu Dhabi, Ahmed Al, Jaber, Simon Jessop, Maha El, Al Sayegh, Alexander Cornwell, Elizabeth Piper, David Stanway, Katy Daigle Organizations: of, European Union, REUTERS, Companies, Saudi, United, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Green Initiative, Crown, Grantham Research, Asian Peoples ' Movement, Development, African Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, BlackRock, HSBC, Finance, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Dubai, Brussels, Belgium, Companies UAE, DUBAI, COP28, United Arab, Saudi Arabia, Sharm el, Sheikh, Egypt, Paris, China, Grantham, Barbados, France, Japan, Copenhagen, Abu

China has decommissioned 70.45 gigawatts (GW) of coal-fired plants in the last decade, and is building far more renewable energy capacity than any other country. Coal power makes up about 70% of emissions in China, which has committed to being carbon neutral by 2060. After 2025, it is unclear whether China will approve new coal plants. But like many cities in China's coal country, coal revenues and jobs are an incentive to keep building. Several workers in Yulin expressed little doubt about whether new coal plants make economic and environmental sense.

Persons: Li, Gao Yuhe, Xu Mingjun, China's, Xie Zhenhua, Yuheng, Duan, Colleen Howe, Ella Cao, David Stanway, Tony Munroe, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Reuters, Greenpeace, Shenhua Energy, Global Energy Monitor, Development and Research Center, Shaanxi Yulin Energy, Shaanxi Daily, Thomson Locations: YULIN, China, Yulin, Yangquan, Shanxi, Dubai, Ukraine, Canada, Shaanxi, China's, Beijing, Singapore

REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 29 (Reuters) - Ahead of this year's COP28 climate summit in Dubai, U.N. agencies have released several reports offering updates on global progress in limiting climate change. Emissions Gap Report. The report, released on Nov. 20, looks at how countries' planned climate action compares with what is needed to meet global climate goals. The report analyzes the difference between planned fossil fuel production and the amount deemed consistent with meeting global climate goals. In 2009, developed countries pledged to provide $100 billion per year in climate finance to developing nations.

Persons: Eduardo Munoz, wean, NDCs, Rich, Gloria Dickie, David Stanway, Susanna Twidale, Katy Daigle, Jan Harvey Organizations: U.S, REUTERS, Programme, UNEP, Thomson Locations: New York, New York City , New York, U.S, Dubai, U.N, Paris, China, Norway, Qatar, UAE, London, Singapore

Firms like PetroChina (601857.SS) and CNOOC Gas and Power have signed long-term contracts with Shell (SHEL.L) to buy "carbon neutral" liquefied natural gas (LNG), which uses "forest offsets" to balance out carbon emissions. Greenpeace, which has long opposed fossil fuel producers counting carbon offsets toward their emissions reduction goals, said the "carbon neutral" branding was misleading the public. "For oil and gas companies in particular, carbon offsets are a smokescreen to obscure their continued, redoubled carbon emissions," said Li Jiatong, project leader with Greenpeace in Beijing. Rising sales of "carbon neutral" LNG are being driven by a surge in gas demand, particularly in Asia. While it is still a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, gas is cleaner than coal and has been described as a "bridge fuel" in the global energy transition, but anti-fossil fuel groups oppose any new gas projects.

Persons: Stringer, Li Jiatong, PetroChina, COP28, Polly Hemming, Hemming, David Stanway, Andrew Hayley, Emily Chow, Sonali Paul Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Greenpeace, CNOOC, Power, Shell, International Energy Agency, Energy, Australia Institute, Thomson Locations: Nantong, Jiangsu province, China, Rights SINGAPORE, Beijing, Asia

Eventually, China wants the schemes to be integrated into national emissions trading and generate credits that can offset emissions by industrial polluters, government plans show. PERSONAL CARBON TRADINGChina's carbon inclusion ambitions have been in gestation since 2015, when the southeastern province of Guangdong published rules on how to convert low-carbon activity into credits. Guangdong also allows enterprises to meet 10% of carbon reduction obligations through carbon inclusion credits. And there are worries the carbon inclusion schemes could let industrial polluters off the hook by shifting the burden of emission cuts to households. China climate official Su Wei told local media the green transformation of China would "inevitably involve profound changes in people's daily habits and consumption patterns", but he said carbon inclusion schemes would remain voluntary.

Persons: David Kirton, China's, Xie Zhenhua, Banks, Benjamin Sovacool, Li, Zhang Xin, people's, Yaqiu Wang, Su Wei, David Stanway, Sonali Paul Organizations: REUTERS, China, Communist, China Academy of Sciences, People's Bank of, Boston University, Environmental Studies, New, Thomson Locations: Pingshan district, Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China, SHENZHEN, Dubai, Guangdong, People's Bank of China, Quzhou, Finland, British, Singapore, New York, Shanghai, Beijing

SummaryCompanies European Investment Bank poll of 30,000 people globally60% of EU citizens back paying compensationU.S. support at 63%, China at 74%, Japan at 72%SINGAPORE, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Citizens in Europe, the United States, China and Japan believe their countries should compensate poorer nations to help address the impact of climate change, a European Investment Bank poll of more than 30,000 people shared with Reuters showed. The fifth annual climate survey conducted by the bank revealed a broad global consensus to fund the fight against climate change, even if it means higher taxes and the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies. "The latest EIB Climate Survey underlines people's profound awareness of climate change and their commitment to tackle it head on," said EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle. [1/2]Children are seen during climate march prior to the opening session of the COP23 UN Climate Change Conference 2017 in Bonn, Germany, November 6, 2017. Respondents from around the world ranked climate change as one of the world's three biggest challenges, along with the rising cost of living and income equality.

Persons: Ambroise Fayolle, Fayolle, Wolfgang Rattay, Simon Jessop, Franklin Paul Organizations: European Investment Bank, Reuters, REUTERS, European Union, United, Franklin Paul Our, Thomson Locations: China, Japan, SINGAPORE, Europe, United States, Bonn, Germany, Dubai, COP28, India

☆ Analysis-China Turns to Households in Fight to Slash Carbon Emissions
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +7 min

Eventually, China wants the schemes to be integrated into national emissions trading and generate credits that can offset emissions by industrial polluters, government plans show. PERSONAL CARBON TRADINGChina's carbon inclusion ambitions have been in gestation since 2015, when the southeastern province of Guangdong published rules on how to convert low-carbon activity into credits. Other countries have toyed with the idea of personal carbon trading, with pilot schemes set up in Finland and Australia's Norfolk Island. Guangdong also allows enterprises to meet 10% of carbon reduction obligations through carbon inclusion credits. And there are worries the carbon inclusion schemes could let industrial polluters off the hook by shifting the burden of emission cuts to households.

Persons: David Stanway, David Kirton, China's, Xie Zhenhua, Banks, Benjamin Sovacool, Li, Zhang Xin, people's, Yaqiu Wang, Su Wei, Sonali Paul Organizations: Communist, China Academy of Sciences, People's Bank of, Boston University, Environmental Studies, New Locations: China, Shenzhen, Dubai, Guangdong, People's Bank of China, Quzhou, Finland, British, Singapore, New York, Shanghai, Beijing

☆ Explainer: Global fossil fuel subsidies on the rise despite calls for phase-out
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Sarah Mcfarlane | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

For example, it subsidises its refiners when global oil prices rise above $130 a barrel so they can keep fuel prices affordable. UNITED STATESU.S. fossil fuel subsidies stretch across the U.S. tax code, which makes detailing their costs complex. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, has proposed axing fossil fuel subsidies in his annual budget, largely a political document used in negotiations with Congress. MIDDLE EASTOil and gas producers in the Middle East including Qatar and Saudi Arabia had some of the highest fossil fuel subsidies per person, IMF data showed. CANADAEarlier this year Canada unveiled plans for eliminating inefficient fossil fuel subsidies.

Persons: Navesh, Joe Biden, Sarah McFarlane, Timothy Gardner, David Stanway, Jan Harvey Organizations: REUTERS, International Monetary Fund, EU, IMF, Nanjing Audit University, UNITED STATES, One U.S, Taxation, Democrat, Representatives, International Institute for Sustainable Development, EAST, Thomson Locations: Lalitpur, Nepal, Glasgow, Dubai, EU, Ukraine, CHINA, China, U.S, One, RUSSIA, India, Russia, East, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Canada

From there, the carbon can either be moved directly to permanent underground storage or it can be used in another industrial purpose first, variations that are respectively called carbon capture and storage (CCS) and carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS). Another form of carbon capture is direct air capture (DAC), in which carbon emissions are captured from the air. REUTERS/David Stanway/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOne stumbling block to rapid deployment of carbon capture technology is cost. Countries including the U.S. have rolled out public subsidies for carbon capture projects. The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in 2022, offers a $50 tax credit per metric ton of carbon captured for CCUS and $85 per metric ton captured for CCS, and $180 per metric ton captured through DAC.

Persons: David Stanway, Benjamin Longstreth, Petra Nova, Simone Stewart, Stewart, Leah Douglas, Marguerita Choy Organizations: 28th United, United, United Arab Emirates, CCS, Global CCS Institute, Drillers, International Energy Agency, REUTERS, U.S, CCUS, DAC, Task Force, U.S . Department of Energy, Navigator, U.S ., National Wildlife Federation, Thomson Locations: 28th United Nations, United Arab, U.S, Norway, Iceland, China, Canada, Qatar, Australia, Texas, Louisiana, Wuhu, Anhui province, North America, East Africa, U.S . Midwest

☆ China's carbon emissions set to peak before 2030 - expert poll
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SINGAPORE, Nov 21 (Reuters) - China is on track to meet a goal to bring its climate-warming carbon dioxide emissions to a peak before 2030, according to a poll of 89 experts from industry and academia published on Tuesday, though questions remain over how high the top will be. More than 70% of respondents said China, the world's biggest carbon dioxide emitter, will be able to meet the target, with two saying its emissions had already peaked, in a poll compiled by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), a Helsinki-based think tank. Still, "experts remain concerned about how high the peak emissions would reach compared to previous levels," CREA said, with a majority of respondents expecting the total to be at least 15% higher than the 2020 level. Half of the experts surveyed by CREA said they believed China would reach peak primary energy consumption before the end of this decade, though nearly a quarter still forecast it would continue to rise even after 2035. CREA's lead analyst Lauri Myllyvirta said last week it was likely China's emissions would go into a "structural decline" from next year, with renewable sources capable of meeting new energy demand.

Persons: CREA, CREA's, Lauri Myllyvirta, David Stanway, Sonali Paul Organizations: Centre for Research, Energy, Clean, Dubai, U.S, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, China, Helsinki, Beijing

U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua before a meeting in Beijing, China July 17, 2023. The countries' top climate envoys, John Kerry and Xie Zhenhua, met in Sunnylands, California on Nov. 4-7 to find common ground ahead of crucial COP28 talks in Dubai starting at the end of the month. It will focus on key areas of cooperation, including abating methane and boosting efficiency and the "circular economy", and exchange information on policies and technologies to reduce emissions. They also committed to advancing "at least five" large-scale cooperation projects in carbon capture, utilisation and storage by the end of the decade. The United States and China agreed that the stocktake should show that "significantly more ambition and implementation" was required to meet the Paris goals and include calls for developed countries to meet their climate financing commitments.

Persons: John Kerry, Xie Zhenhua, Valerie Volcovici, Nancy Pelosi, COP28, David Stanway, Muralikumar Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Dubai, Paris, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights SINGAPORE, United States, Sunnylands , California, Taiwan, Paris

☆ China emissions could go into 'structural decline' next year - research
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SINGAPORE, Nov 14 (Reuters) - China's greenhouse emissions could start going into "structural decline" as early as next year as power generation from fossil fuels starts to fall, analysis from the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) showed. However, CREA's lead analyst, Lauri Myllyvirta, said emissions could start to go into "structural decline" as early as 2024, despite an estimated rebound of 4.7% year on year in the third quarter of 2023. Factors such as record levels of new renewable installations, a rebound in hydropower generation and a moderate economic recovery that has not relied on infrastructural investment "all but guarantee" a decline in China's CO2 emissions next year, he said. "This would push fossil fuel use - and emissions - into an extended period of structural decline." Editing by Gerry DoyleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Xie Zhenhua, Lauri Myllyvirta, David Stanway, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Research, Energy, Clean, Carbon, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Helsinki, Dubai

John Kerry, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate speaks during an earlier interview with Reuters, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on October 31, 2023. REUTERS/Abdel Hadi Ramahi/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSINGAPORE, Nov 10 (Reuters) - The United States and China have reached "understandings and agreements" on climate issues that will help ensure progress is made at the COP28 talks starting late this month in Dubai, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry said on Friday. China envoy Xie told diplomats in September that phasing out fossil fuels was "unrealistic" while key technologies like energy storage remained immature. China now has 360 gigawatts of coal-fired power capacity in its project construction pipeline, he said, but "they're trying very hard to move away." Right now, "it is irresponsible to be funding a coal-fired power plant anywhere in the world," he said.

Persons: John Kerry, Abdel Hadi Ramahi, Kerry, Xie Zhenhua, Xie, David Stanway, Tom Hogue Organizations: Reuters, United, REUTERS, Rights, Bloomberg, Economy, Thomson Locations: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Rights SINGAPORE, United States, China, Dubai , U.S, Sunnylands , California, Singapore, COP28

☆ China's e-commerce platforms not doing enough on climate -Greenpeace
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The logo of e-commerce app Pinduoduo is displayed next to mobile phones displaying the app, in this illustration picture taken October 25, 2023. REUTERS/Florence Lo/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSINGAPORE, Nov 9 (Reuters) - China's top e-commerce platforms have made insufficient effort to steer consumers onto a more sustainable path that would help protect the environment and combat climate change, environment group Greenpeace said on Thursday. "But overall, China's e-commerce giants still don't do enough to leverage their platforms towards sustainability." In a report ranking the environmental record of six of China's e-commerce giants, Greenpeace said the discount online shopping platform Pinduoduo (PDD.O) performed the worst, making "no progress whatsoever" on climate and environmental protection. Pinduoduo was given a negative score on Greenpeace's list after failing to draw up strategies on issues like climate change, waste, dangerous chemicals and biodiversity.

Persons: Florence Lo, Tang Damin, Pinduoduo, Douyin, Bytedance, Alibaba, David Stanway, Sophie Yu, Josh Ye, Casey Hall, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Greenpeace, HK, Thomson Locations: Rights SINGAPORE, Beijing

Debates about its efficacy abound, with the United States, Europe and several environmental groups speaking out about the opportunities and risks. Research has been conducted into other potentially less dangerous SRM technologies, including marine cloud brightening, which involves the spraying of seawater from ships to make clouds more reflective. One group of 60 scientists launched a global initiative last year aimed at persuading governments to ban outdoor solar geoengineering experiments. "Once you've committed to it, you've got to keep doing it," said Laura Wilcox, a climate expert at Britain's University of Exeter. "If you stop, then you're going to see all of that warming that you've missed, essentially on climate timescales overnight.

Persons: Luke Iseman, SO2, Benjamin Sovacool, Andrea Hinwood, you've, Laura Wilcox, David Stanway, Jake Spring, Pravin Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . National Academy of Sciences, Company, Reuters, Harvard University, Swedish Space Corporation, Research, Boston University, SRM, United Nations Environment Program, Britain's University of Exeter, Pravin Char, Thomson Locations: Baja California, Mexico, Handout, United States, Europe, China, England, Africa, Asia

Nov 2 (Reuters) - Air pollution, a global scourge that kills millions of people a year, is shielding us from the full force of the sun. "It's this Catch-22," said Patricia Quinn, an atmospheric chemist at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), speaking about cleaning up sulphur pollution globally. "If you implement technologies to reduce air pollution, this will accelerate – very significantly – global warming in the short term." The Chinese and Indian environment ministries didn't immediately respond to requests for comment on the effects of pollution unmasking. As the implications of the pollution unmasking become more apparent, experts are casting around for methods to counter the associated warming.

Persons: poring, Patricia Quinn, Paulo Artaxo, Xi Jinping, Xi, El, Yangyang Xu, Xu, unmasking, Laura Wilcox, COVID, Sergey Osipov, Michael Diamond, Jake Spring, David Stanway, Sakshi Dayal, Katy Daigle Organizations: U.S . National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, Reuters, World Health Organization, U.S . Clean, National People's, China Meteorological Administration, El Nino, M University, Britain's University of Reading, India Meteorological Department, India, Clean, Programme, King Abdullah University of Science, Technology, Florida State University, Thomson Locations: India, China, Beijing, 10.34C, Texas, Chongqing, Wuhan, SO2, heatwaves, Xinjiang, INDIA, Europe, Northern China, U.S, Saudi Arabia, Sao Paulo, Singapore, New Delhi

☆ California governor Newsom to visit China next week to discuss climate action
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Gavin Newsom, governor of the State of California, speaks at the 2023 Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., May 2, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 19 (Reuters) - California governor Gavin Newsom will visit China next week to discuss climate cooperation, promote bilateral economic development and tourism and encourage cultural exchanges, his office said in a statement on Thursday. "California and China hold the keys to solving the climate crisis," Newsom said. California has played a major role in maintaining climate ties between China and the United States, the world's two biggest greenhouse gas emitters. China and the United States relaunched top-level bilateral climate talks earlier this year after a hiatus triggered by the visit of former House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, the democratically governed island that China claims.

Persons: Gavin Newsom, Mike Blake, Newsom, Donald Trump, Xie Zhenhua, Jerry Brown, Nancy Pelosi, Xie, John Kerry, David Stanway, Christopher Cushing Organizations: of, Milken, Global Conference, REUTERS, China Climate Institute, Beijing's Tsinghua University, United States, U.S, Dubai, Thomson Locations: of California, Beverly Hills , California, U.S, California, China, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Guangdong, . California, United States, Paris, Taiwan, Singapore

☆ Coal industry faces 1 million job losses from global energy transition - research
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dorothy Mei, project manager for GEM's Global Coal Mine Tracker, said governments needed to make plans to ensure workers do not suffer from the energy transition. GEM looked at 4,300 active and proposed coal mine projects around the world covering a total workforce of nearly 2.7 million. China's coal industry, the world's biggest, currently employs more than 1.5 million people, GEM estimated. Of the 1 million job global job losses expected by 2050, more than 240,000 will be in the province of Shanxi alone. "The coal industry, on the whole, has a notoriously bad reputation for its treatment of workers," said Ryan Driskell Tate, GEM's program director for coal.

Persons: Dorothy Mei, Ryan Driskell Tate, GEM's, David Stanway, Sonali Paul Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Global Energy Monitor, GEM's, GEM, Thomson Locations: Hebei province, China, Rights SINGAPORE, India, U.S, Shanxi

The planned tariff has caused disquiet among trading partners and at a forum last month, China's top climate envoy Xie Zhenhua urged countries not to resort to unilateral measures such as the EU levy. The bloc will not begin collecting any CO2 emission charges at the border until 2026. Importers will from 2026 need to purchase certificates to cover these CO2 emissions to put foreign producers on a level footing with EU industries that must buy permits from the EU carbon market when they pollute. Companies in the European Union, Britain and Ukraine have told Reuters they expect little initial impact during the trial phase. Among Europe's significant trade partners, China's foreign ministry, Turkey's trade ministry and a U.S. official declined to comment on the launch.

Persons: Xie Zhenhua, Paolo Gentiloni, Gentiloni, Philip Blenkinsop, Kate Abnett, Valerie Volcovici, Nevzat, David Stanway, Barbara Lewis Organizations: European Union, Companies, Reuters, European Commission, World Trade Organization, U.S, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Britain, Ukraine, Europe, Washington, Ankara, Beijing

☆ China Risks Property Debt
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Source: China Real Estate Information Corp. (CRIC)The physical size of Country Garden’s real estate portfolio is enormous. The Weight of Debt The ballooning debt crisis could delay the prospect of a recovery of both the property market and the broader Chinese economy, in which real estate is a core pillar. China property sector slump China’s property sales, investment and funds raised by property developers slid in January - August 2023 after a sharp fall in 2022. China's property sector accounts for more than half of global new home sales and home building, according to Nomura. Any contraction in the property sector will affect China’s growth, thus sending ripple effects around the globe as the world’s factory slows.

Persons: Evergrande, homebuyers, Nomura, David Stanway, Jason Lee, –, Moody's, Yawen Chen, Amr Alfiky Organizations: Country, Garden, Estate Information Corp, CIFI Holdings, Sunac, National Bureau of Statistics, China, Investment, REUTERS, International Monetary Fund, Nomura, JPMorgan, Dubai, National Bureau of Economic Research Locations: China, Burj, Burj Khalifa, Sunac China, Kunming, Yunnan province, Beijing, Xuchang, Henan province, United Arab Emirates

☆ China climate envoy says phasing out fossil fuels 'unrealistic'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( David Stanway | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SINGAPORE, Sept 22 (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 vital role in maintaining global energy security. China is the world's biggest consumer of fossil fuels including coal and oil, and its special climate envoy Xie Zhenhua was responding to comments by ambassadors at a forum in Beijing on Thursday ahead of the COP28 climate meeting in Dubai in November. The stocktake will be at the centre of discussions at the COP28 climate meeting, with campaigners hoping it will create the political will to set clear targets to end coal and oil use. "It is unrealistic to completely phase out fossil fuel energy," said Xie, who will represent China at COP28 this year. At climate talks in Glasgow in 2021, China led efforts to change the language of the final agreement from "phasing out" to "phasing down" fossil fuels.

Persons: Xie Zhenhua, Xie, John Kerry, Nancy Pelosi's, David Stanway, Miral Organizations: Reuters, U.S, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, China, Beijing, Dubai, COP28, Glasgow, United States, Taiwan

☆ Dozens of nations to sign U.N. ocean treaty but implementation still awaits
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Daina Beth Solomon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The global pact to conserve biodiversity on the high seas was finally agreed in March and formally adopted by the United Nations in June. It is seen as a crucial tool to meet a target agreed last year to protect 30% of the earth's land and sea by 2030, known as "30 by 30". At least 60 countries are expected to sign the agreement at the annual United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday. Mads Christensen, interim executive director of Greenpeace International, described the signings as a "powerful signal" and help maintain momentum to meet the "30 by 30" target. "Now politicians must bring the treaty home and ensure it is ratified in record time."

Persons: Borja Suarez, Mads Christensen, Jessica Battle, David Stanway, Stephen Coates Organizations: El, Recovery, Gran Canaria, REUTERS, United Nations, United Nations General Assembly, Greenpeace International, International Union for, Worldwide Fund, Nature, Thomson Locations: El Burrero Beach, Gran, Spain, Singapore

CO2 storage tanks are seen at a cement plant and carbon capture facility in Wuhu, Anhui province, China September 11, 2019. China's cement sector discharged 853 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2021, according to the Global Carbon Atlas, nearly six times more than the next largest cement producer, India. The cement sector accounts for roughly 12% of China's total carbon emissions, according to Fidelity International, and along with steel is one of the largest greenhouse gas emitters. China’s cement output hits multi-year seasonal lowsSome cement producers will likely look to boost exports in an effort to offset lower domestic sales, and in July China's total cement exports hit their highest since late 2019. And if that's the case, the sector's emissions will come down too, yielding a rare climate benefit to the ongoing property market disruption.

Persons: David Stanway, Gavin Maguire, Miral Organizations: REUTERS, World Cement Association, Global Carbon Atlas, Fidelity International, China Evergrande Group, Shanghai, China National Bureau, Vietnam National Cement Association, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Wuhu, Anhui province, China, LITTLETON , Colorado, China's, India, Beijing, Vietnam, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Indonesia

☆ No time to lose on ocean treaty as threats to high seas rise - Greenpeace
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Greenpeace Limited FollowSINGAPORE, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Governments have no time to lose when it comes to implementing a new global ocean treaty to protect the high seas as threats from human activities intensify, a report by environmental group Greenpeace said on Thursday. In March, more than 100 countries completed a groundbreaking treaty to protect the high seas after years of negotiations. The high seas, or international waters, constitute more than 60% of the world's oceans but have not been under any protection. Greenpeace said fishing hours on the high seas increased by 8.5% from 2018 to 2022, and were up 22.5% in areas that need special protection. Greenpeace said that needs to happen before 2025 if there is any hope of achieving the "30 by 30" target.

Persons: Chris Thorne, Greenpeace's, David Stanway, Jamie Freed Organizations: Kyodo, Rights Companies Greenpeace, Greenpeace, United Nations, General, Thomson Locations: Kushiro, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan, SINGAPORE

REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan/File Photo/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies PT Suralaya Indotenaga FollowSINGAPORE/JAKARTA, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Environmental groups have submitted a formal complaint to the World Bank for providing financial support for two coal-fired power plants in Indonesia, violating a pledge to stop backing fossil fuels. Plans to build two more would emit 250 million tons of climate-warming carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, the groups said a letter to World Bank compliance ombudsman Janine Ferretti. The IFC, the World Bank and Hana Bank Indonesia did not immediately respond to requests to comment. According to the Global Energy Monitor think tank, Indonesia was one of 11 countries to commission new coal plants last year. The JETP compels Indonesia to impose a moratorium on new coal-fired power plants, though there are exemptions for "captive" plants that serve other industrial facilities.

Persons: Willy Kurniawan, Janine Ferretti, CREA, David Stanway, Miral Organizations: Indonesia Power, Plant, REUTERS, World Bank, International Financial Corporation, IFC, Hana, Hana Bank Indonesia, Bank, Inclusive Development, Hana Bank, Research, Energy, Clean, PT, Raya, Global Energy Monitor, Thomson Locations: Suralaya, Banten province, Indonesia, SINGAPORE, JAKARTA, Hana Bank, Asia, U.S, Hana Bank Indonesia, Helsinki, Jakarta, China, India

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