Climate Change

Climate Investment Funds, a multilateral lender, announced on Monday that its board had approved a plan for helping restore Fiji's ecosystems and strengthening the island's capacity to withstand global warming. The Climate Investment Funds announced the agreement on Monday, ahead of the November round of U.N. talks. Fiji and the other Small Island Developing States are pushing for the world to do even more to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. CIF announced that it would provide $27 millions in financing, and hopes to attract an additional $20 million from World Bank and Progreen. This multi-donor initiative is designed to support the...

Nicola Willis, New Zealand's Finance Minister, said that regional and bilateral trade relationships would continue to grow in the face of the U.S.-China Trade War. Small countries such as hers will have to adjust to a different reality and maintain their priorities. Willis stated in an interview with The New Zealand Herald on Thursday that New Zealand is acutely aware of geopolitical risks and economic challenges. However, her discussions this week at the World Bank and International Monetary Fund annual meetings showed the strength of international institutions as well as trade agreements among other countries. She said that New Zealand...

A federal Montana judge on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit filed by youth activists to stop President Donald Trump’s fossil fuel energy policies. The court ruled that the suit asked it to oversee hundreds of possible government rules and regulations. In May, a group of youths represented by Our Children's Trust filed a lawsuit alleging that Trump's executive order aimed at "unleashing American energy" was unconstitutional. Their lawyers announced that they would appeal the ruling on Wednesday. U.S. district judge Dana L. Christensen stated in an order that the activists, while they had demonstrated that Trump's policies would harm them, asked...

A group of 35 Finance Ministers presented suggestions on Wednesday to increase climate finance from $1.3 trillion a yearly to $1.3 trillion a yearly. This is a major demand of developing nations in advance of the COP30 talks this year in Brazil. The first report of its kind, led by Brazil, proposes financial changes in areas like credit ratings, insurance premiums, and lending priorities of the development banks. The 111-page guide is intended to help governments and financial institutions increase the amount of money available to combat climate change. In a joint statement, the ministers stated that "every year we...

Glass Lewis, a major proxy adviser, will stop offering its "benchmark voting" recommendations in 2027. Instead they will provide a new set of options to clients. Glass Lewis sent a paper stating that there is a growing divide between the U.S. investors and Europeans in regards to issues such as fiduciary duties and sustainability. A spokesperson for the company said that the change in policy was also indirectly the result of criticisms the firm received from Republican politicians in the United States. The spokesperson stated that "the whole geopolitical climate is connected to this." Glass Lewis, and its rival Institutional...

Brazil Climate Talks to Focus on Local Implementation American mayors participate in climate talks despite a waning domestic climate Local leaders offer assurance and seek help from global partners By Carey L. Biron Watson and other U.S. Mayors are looking forward to the November U.N. global COP30 climate talk in Belem Brazil. They want to use this summit to reaffirm and expand their climate work, and to find new ideas and support. "We are proving, in a time when the government is under pressure to take action on climate change, that cities can grow and prosper while reducing emissions at...

The government announced on Sunday that at least 44 people died in Mexico as a result of flooding and heavy rains. Tropical storms Priscilla, and Raymond brought torrential rains that triggered landslides in five states. A government statement stated that 18 people were killed in Veracruz, 16 in Hidalgo and nine in Puebla, with one person in Queretaro. The government of President Claudia Sheinbaum managed a response plan for 139 affected communities. The Mexican military posted photos of people being evacuated using liferafts. Homes were covered in mud, and rescue workers had to wade through waist-high water through the streets....

The United States threatened on Friday to use sanctions and visa restrictions to retaliate to nations who vote in favor of the plan proposed by an agency of the United Nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that are responsible for global warming from ocean shipping. Next week, U.N. member countries will vote on the International Maritime Organization’s Net-Zero Framework to reduce global CO2 gas emissions. The international shipping industry handles about 80% of the world's trade and is responsible for about 3% of greenhouse gases. Under pressure from investors, large container carriers agree that a global regulation framework is essential...

The World Bank's executive directors, 19 of them, issued a statement last week expressing their support for its continued efforts to combat climate change. They did so in defiance of the United States, the largest shareholder and other countries. Sources familiar with the situation said that the executive directors of the U.S. and Russia as well as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Japan, who are both negotiating deals with the U.S. on trade, abstained from signing the document. After a meeting with World Bank management the directors, who represent over 120 countries, released a statement highlighting their expectations that the bank...

The King of Britain and his heir, Prince William, made a rare appearance together on Thursday in support of the upcoming COP30 Climate Summit. This was at a moment when a U.S. led retrenchment had raised doubts about the summit's potential. In four weeks, political leaders, climate activists and businessmen will meet in Brazil for the United Nations meetings. The talks aim to achieve more ambitious actions - and financial support - in order to combat the rising temperatures around the globe. These events will be held amid an increased pushback from some world leaders, which threatens to fracture the...

Nestle, a food group, announced on Wednesday that it has withdrawn from the global alliance to reduce methane emissions. The alliance aims at reducing the impact of milk farming on global warming. In December 2023 the Dairy Methane Action Alliance will be launched. Members, including Danone, Kraft Heinz, and Starbucks, have committed to measure and report methane emissions in their dairy supply chain and to publish plans for reducing those emissions over time. Nestle didn't say why it pulled out of the Alliance, but it said that it would continue to work towards reducing greenhouse gases, including methane throughout its...

According to lawmakers and officials, the majority of the European Parliament's member groups reached an agreement late Wednesday night to further cut the EU's Corporate Sustainability Law. Last year, the European Union adopted the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), which requires companies to address human rights and environment issues in their supply chains or face fines up to 5% of their global turnover. After a backlash from Germany, France, the United States, Qatar and Exxon Mobil, Brussels is now working to simplify the rules. Jorgen Warborn is the EPP member leading the negotiations. He said that a key change...

Brazil's indigenous land is being invaded by farms Fire and drought hazards increase in the territory Native residents change farming practices By Andre Cabette Fabio This scene has been repeated for generations by the Kalapalo tribe's Tanguro Village in Brazil's Xingu Indigenous Park. Instead of the traditional thatched roofing, the communal home is covered in a white plastic sheet, which has been decorated with the brand logo and "for agricultural use only." The roof is just one of the many signs of increased cattle- and soybean-farming on the Amazon's heavily deforested Southeast edges, where the rainforest is warming the fastest....

A senior climatologist at Australia's Weather Bureau isn't convinced that La Nina is forming, which could affect crop production and change rainfall patterns in parts of Asia, the Americas and Oceania. La Nina and El Nino are both caused by a cooling or warming in ocean surface temperatures. El Nino is the opposite. The former brings more rain to Australia's east, Southeast Asia, and India, with dryer weather in North America. Both can lead to flooding and hurricanes. The models that forecast the weather patterns usually converge around this time of the year, but there are currently many variations. She...

According to documents seen on Tuesday, Brazil's Ibama environmental agency has requested more information from the state-run Petrobras in order to complete the licensing process of drilling in the Foz do Amazonas Basin. A new technical report highlighted "pending issues and uncertainty" in Petrobras emergency and wildlife protection plan. Ibama approved the emergency response test performed by Petrobras back in August but requested adjustments before making a decision on the license. Petrobras issued a statement in which it said that it would "respond to all inquiries from the agency, as it had done since the start of the process, and...

Magda Chabriard, the CEO of Brazil's Petrobras, said that the company wants the government to require the use coprocessed diesel with vegetable oil. The firm is capable of producing fuels with up to 10% renewable contents. The coprocessed diesel is not included in the recently passed alw which created incentives to decarbonize fuels, including a mandate for a so-called separate green diesel. Chambriard, at an event held in Rio de Janeiro, said that "our coprocessed Diesel still does not have a mandate." Petrobras has taken steps to reduce emissions by using coprocessed diesel. The CEO stressed the importance of collaboration...

Scientists in Chile's Atacama desert, the world's driest, are studying a resilient, small flower. It could provide genetic clues that will help farmers adapt to the worsening droughts caused by climate change. Cistanthe longiscapa blooms in the Atacama Desert during rare rain events, creating a colorful mosaic known as the "flowering desert phenomenon". A team from Chile's Andres Bello University has been conducting genetic sequencing tests to discover the traits that enable the fuchsia colored flower to survive extreme temperatures and water scarcity in one of Earth's harshest environments. They want to transfer the drought-tolerant traits to other crops. Ariel...

In a month, the first heads of state are expected to arrive in the Amazonian city of Belem for the United Nations Climate Summit. However, the infrastructure that will receive them is still not finished. Another three-story structure is still far from being completed. It sits alongside what has been called the "leaders' village," which is a collection of low-slung structures that will be home to many visiting presidents. The helipad on its gleaming glass and white facade overlooks the complex that will host the 197 nation climate talks, also known as COP30. The building's raw shell is visible at...

In the northwestern part of Venezuela, a local foundation has turned piles of broken furniture and discarded plastic into desks. El Zulia Recicla in the capital of Zulia, Maracaibo has so far refurbished 160 desks using plastic waste collected from students. The foundation does not build new furniture but instead repairs metal frames that are damaged and replaces the missing parts with molded panels manufactured in its workshop. The research director of the foundation, Nicolino Bácho, said: "We show that desks with damaged wood and falling apart can be restored." Already, 20 desks were delivered to Ramon Reinoso Nunez school,...

In November, Brazil will host the COP30 climate summit, and the Amazon city of Belem, which is the most biodiverse city in the world, will be the center of attention. Visitors to Sao Paulo in Brazil's business capital may be shocked by the city's treeless landscapes, and its polluted river. Cardim is a botanist and landscaper on a mission. He wants to use native plants of the Atlantic Forest, Brazil's most endangered ecosystem. The Atlantic Forest once covered the entire city but now only occupies a fraction of its original area along the coast. Cardim has created "pocket trees," a...

At a United Nations conference in New York, Brazil's president Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva announced a $1 billion investment into the Tropical Forests Forever Facility. This multilateral funding mechanism has been proposed to support the conservation of endangered forest. Brazil is the first country in the world to make a commitment to the Forest Fund. The announcement confirmed an earlier report citing sources. Lula stated that Brazil will be the first to set an example by investing $1 billion in the forest fund. He added that he expected other countries to announce similar contributions. Sources said the move was...

Two people familiar with the plans said that Brazil would announce a $1billion investment in the Tropical Forests Forever Facility. This multilateral funding mechanism is intended to help conserve endangered forests. Sources say that the investment will be announced later Tuesday by Brazilian President Luiz inacio Lula da So at an event hosted by the United Nations in New York. Brazil is the first country to make a commitment to the Forest Fund. Sources say the move is intended to encourage contributions from wealthy economies and developing countries, who have had disagreements over funding global climate policies. According to those...

Climate Week will kick off in New York City on Sunday, marking the biggest year ever for the event. Organizers report a record number companies participating and more than ever events to attend. This response was almost unanticipated in an event-hosting country that is the wealthiest nation on the planet. The host has a climate-denying program of increasing fossil fuels and rolling back pollution regulations, and defunding U.S. climate science and action. Climate Week organizers even wondered if people would show up, said Climate Group Chief executive Officer Helen Clarkson. Clarkson stated that there was a lot of enthusiasm. Climate...

Three people familiar with the plans said that Brazil would be the first to announce an investment into the Tropical Forests Forever Facility. This multilateral funding mechanism was proposed by Brazil to support the conservation of endangered forest globally. The President Luiz inacio Lula da So will announce the investment at the U.N. on Tuesday in New York. This is a move to unlock more contributions both from wealthy and developing countries, who have been at odds over funding global climate policies. The Brazilian government believes that the TFFF could be the main deliverable for the U.N. Climate Summit known...