News

The COP30 climate summit has brought these minerals, and China’s central role, to the fore of just transition debates.

New reactor designs promise safer, smaller systems, but questions remain as Taiwan weighs its next steps.

Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) is gaining renewed attention as a reliable, 24/7 clean-energy option for tropical islands, with a pilot project in the Canary Islands showcasing its potential and building on small-scale tests in Japan and Hawai‘i.

A decision to drill at the mouth of the Amazon drew criticism at the UN summit. But Brazil’s oil production still soars, as it hopes to consolidate its role as an exporter.

Ocean-based goals in submitted Nationally Determined Contributions overlook tougher targets including fossil fuel phase-out.

The EU has voted to postpone implementing a key anti-deforestation law for the second year in a row, citing technical concerns. Critics of the move warn that a delay and other proposed changes will further weaken the law.

Ensuring funds reach countries most in need, quickly and equitably, is climate finance’s biggest challenge, writes academic Wang Bowen.

Germany’s government should cooperate more closely with industry to increase raw material supply independence by promoting domestic extraction, a joint alliance of industrial players said in a position paper.

When it comes to AI and climate change, there are a variety of opinions, from the optimistic to the pessimistic and the skeptical. Given the overarching concerns about environmental harms of AI, it is surprising to some that AI is front and centre at COP.

China has taken a more prominent role in business and diplomacy at COP30 amid the absence of the US. Beijing’s diplomats have been active in behind-the-scenes roles previously typically filled by Washington.