Roadmap Launched to Restart Deadlocked UN Plastics Treaty Talks
Chile’s ambassador Julio Cordano unveiled a roadmap to revive the stalled UN plastics treaty process. The plan calls for informal talks in Nairobi from June 30 to July 3, followed by virtual consultations every four to six weeks and a possible second in‑person meeting in October. Formal negotiations are targeted for a ten‑day session at the end of 2026 or early 2027, with Brazil, Azerbaijan or Kenya under consideration as host. The roadmap seeks to bridge the split between nations pushing for production caps and those favoring waste‑only measures.
New Summit in Colombia Seeks to Revive Stalled UN Talks on Fossil Fuel Transition
Colombia and the Netherlands will host the First Conference on the Transition Away from Fossil Fuels in Santa Marta this April, aiming to jump‑start a stalled UN process for a global fossil‑fuel roadmap ahead of COP31. The gathering expects 40‑80...
The US’s Critical Minerals Club Threatens an Equitable Clean Energy Transition
The United States is forming a critical‑minerals trading bloc aimed at breaking China’s dominance in supply chains for digital and defense technologies. The initiative downplays clean‑energy needs, even though analysis shows only a handful of the 33 minerals the UK...
China Eases Climate Target but Clean Energy Could Still Cut Emissions, Experts Say
China’s new five‑year plan lowers its carbon‑intensity goal to a 17% cut between 2026 and 2030, a step back from the 18% target for 2021‑2025 that it already missed. Analysts warn the weaker pledge could let national emissions rise 3‑6%...
Gulf Oil and Gas Crisis Sparks Calls for Renewables Investment
The war between the United States, Israel and Iran has disrupted oil and LNG flows through the Strait of Hormuz, halting Qatari LNG production and sharply raising global energy prices. About one‑fifth of world oil and LNG passes the strait,...
US Set to Exit UN Climate Convention in February 2027
The United States will formally exit the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change on February 27, 2027, a year after the required notification period. The withdrawal follows the 2026 departure from the Paris Agreement, making the U.S. the first nation...
Middle East Crisis Increases Southeast Asia’s Coal Risk
Escalating Middle East conflict has spiked LNG prices, prompting Southeast Asian nations to reconsider energy security. A 50% jump in gas costs followed a drone strike on Qatar’s premier LNG hub, exposing the fragility of regional supply chains. Governments risk...
EU Carbon Credits Could Supercharge World’s Clean Cooking Push, France Says
The European Union will be permitted to count up to 5% of its 2040 emissions‑reduction target against high‑quality international carbon credits starting in 2036. France’s climate envoy Benoît Faraco argues that directing a share of these credits to clean‑cooking projects could...
Pacific Nations Want Higher Emissions Charges if Shipping Talks Reopen
Seven vulnerable Pacific island nations have warned they will push for a universal levy on all shipping emissions and higher charges if the International Maritime Organization reopens negotiations on its stalled Net‑Zero Framework. The coalition, led by Fiji, Kiribati, Vanuatu,...
Curbing Methane Is the Fastest Way to Slow Warming – but We’re Off the Pace
The 2025 Global Methane Status Report finds human‑caused methane emissions have risen since 2020, though the increase is smaller than earlier forecasts. The Global Methane Pledge’s ambition has spurred national plans that could deliver an 8% cut by 2030, yet...
World Leaders Invited to See Pacific Climate Destruction Before COP31
World leaders and climate ministers will be invited to a series of pre‑COP31 events across the Pacific, with Fiji hosting the official pre‑COP meeting in early October and a special leaders’ component in Tuvalu. Australia will supply operational and logistical...
UN’s New Carbon Market Delivers First Credits Through Myanmar Cookstove Project
The UN’s Article 6.4 carbon market has issued its first credits, approving 60,000 carbon units from a clean‑cooking project in Myanmar. The programme, originally launched under the CDM, distributes efficient cookstoves that reduce firewood use and associated deforestation. South Korean firms...