NEW - Carbon Brief's mega-analysis of China's new five-year plan just dropped!
We dig into what the plan means for carbon emissions, renewable energy, cleantech competition, critical minerals & more
To find out everything you need to know about the new policy, click the link in the comments ⬇️
NEW – Pace of global warming has nearly doubled since 2015, study says
✍️ @ayeshatandon.carbonbrief.org
Read here ⬇️
This past winter was the 8th wettest on record for England, according to provisional stats from the @metoffice.gov.uk
It was the wettest winter on record for three counties: West Midlands, Cornwall and Leicestershire
www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/new...
Well worth watching this interview from January of UEA's Ben Santer by @rtmcswee.carbonbrief.org for @carbonbrief.org. Heartfelt and moving, while also informative about Ben's views on climate action and climate science in the current geopolitical circumstances.
www.carbonbrief.org/prof-ben-san...
HUGE moment for the EU car market as battery EVs overtake petrol cars for the first time ever
But there's no "natural" demand for EVs amirite?
Article by @mollylempriere.carbonbrief.org
www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-evs...
Important and timely wide-ranging interview with one of the world's most influential climate scientists.
Some of what he tells @rtmcswee.carbonbrief.org is, frankly, breathtaking.
A call to action for all scientists, not just those focused on climate change.
For such a softly spoken guy, Ben doesn't hold back on the Trump administration:
"Insane. That’s the only word for it. Removing our ability to measure and monitor how the world around us is changing, makes no sense whatsoever."
Here's our annual look at the most talked-about climate research of the previous year:
Outrageous bare-faced lies - it’s extraordinary what the right wing press can get away with.
Thank you @drsimevans.carbonbrief.org for such a thorough debunking
President Donald Trump walks off the stage after speaking at a campaign event on 18 June 2024. Credit: Jeffrey Phelps / Alamy Stock Photo
NEW – Q&A: What Trump’s US exit from UNFCCC and IPCC could mean for climate action | @daisydunne.carbonbrief.org @mollylempriere.carbonbrief.org @orladwyer.carbonbrief.org @joshgabbatiss.bsky.social @rtmcswee.carbonbrief.org
Read here: buff.ly/Mkjsh61
A fantastic effort from the @carbonbrief.org team pulling this together.
A great resource summarising major outcomes and process at COP30. A must read 👇👇👇
And just a day after the gavel came down. Impressive. I bet next year, they'll beat the COP closing plenary :)
Here's our annual analysis of who is going to COP:
Top story: no US delegation for the first time in COP history
Also: ~56,000 people registered, so no big drop-off despite accommodation issues in Belém
(Caveat: these are provisional figures)
Also also: most "virtual" delegates ever
#COP30
NEW – Ongoing failure to agree AR7 timeline is ‘unprecedented’ in IPCC history | @ayeshatandon.carbonbrief.org @ceciliakeating.carbonbrief.org @rtmcswee.carbonbrief.org
Read here: buff.ly/rSMdzNf
Hi! Yes, we’ll be updating it annually (it’s quite a big job!) Aiming for January.
NEW – Experts: The key ‘unknowns’ of overshooting the 1.5C global-warming limit | @ceciliakeating.carbonbrief.org and @rtmcswee.carbonbrief.org
Read here: buff.ly/yPWMH59
Last week, @ceciliakeating.carbonbrief.org and I attended the first-ever conference on climate "overshoot" in Vienna.
Here's our summary of the wide-ranging discussions. (Bearing in mind we were two journalists covering 8 conference themes...!)
FACTCHECK: Claire Coutinho claims UK gas power only costs £55/MWh…
…but she is ignoring a few small details:
🤫 Gas prices always rise in winter
🤫 Gas plants cost money to build
🤫 CO2 causes economic damages
THREAD with receipts
1/8
Yet more embarrassment for the Times, which has printed a ludicrous – and almost certainly false – line about windfarms being “dismantled” near Trump’s Scottish golf course
But why pick up the phone, as I did, when you can print nudge-nudge rumours instead?
1/
Hi, just to confirm: there was no “deal”. We were just informed by Springer (back in 2016!) that we – along with about 200 other outlets – had been added to their “SharedIt” whitelist.
More info here: www.springernature.com/gp/researche...
Really interesting guest post from @markengland.bsky.social unpacking why Arctic sea ice loss has slowed and how "climate models clearly show that such periods are expected parts of climate variability" ⬇️
Factcheck: Trump’s climate report includes more than 100 false or misleading claims
NEW – Factcheck: Trump’s climate report includes more than 100 false or misleading claims | @ayeshatandon.carbonbrief.org @leohickman.carbonbrief.org @ceciliakeating.carbonbrief.org @rtmcswee.carbonbrief.org @tomoprater.carbonbrief.org
Read here: buff.ly/AvcB7Aw
NEW – Media reaction: The 2025 Texas floods and the role of climate change
✍️ @joshgabbatiss.bsky.social @ceciliakeating.carbonbrief.org @rtmcswee.carbonbrief.org @ayeshatandon.carbonbrief.org
Read here ⬇️
www.carbonbrief.org/media-reacti...
MEDIA STUDIES: How the Times bungled its coverage of the OBR report on climate change & UK govt debt
Yesterday's newspaper reported a major shift: "The OBR now thinks…net-zero will have a far more damaging impact on borrowing…"
In fact, the OBR had said the opposite!
1/6
Aerial view of illegal Amazon deforestation. Credit: Paralaxis / Alamy Stock Photo
NEW – Experts: Which climate tipping point is the most concerning? | @ceciliakeating.carbonbrief.org @rtmcswee.carbonbrief.org @ayeshatandon.carbonbrief.org
Read here: buff.ly/LkitgK7
Thanks. It did come up frequently throughout the conference, but there weren’t sessions dedicated to it (as far as I recall). We do touch on it a bit in the final section, but there was a lot to cover!
NEW: Getting to net-zero will be much cheaper than thought for the UK – and unchecked global warming far more costly, says OBR
Quick piece / thread with 4 key charts showing, yet again, why climate action is far less costly than inaction
🧵
www.carbonbrief.org/...
1/6
Carbon Brief was in Exeter last week for the Global Tipping Points conference.
There was a lot packed in to the 4-day event and we've summarised some of the talks and talking points here ⬇️
What’s happened this week in climate change?
DeBriefed | Trump ‘megabill’ guts clean energy; Europe’s record heat; Scientists discuss ‘most worrying’ tipping points
✍️ @rtmcswee.carbonbrief.org @ayeshatandon.carbonbrief.org @ceciliakeating.carbonbrief.org
➡️ buff.ly/4G49jHj
Source: REPEAT Project, US nationally determined contribution.
NEW – Chart: Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ blows US emissions goal by 7bn tonnes | @joshgabbatiss.bsky.social Ho Woo Nam
Read here: buff.ly/l700teP
NEW
Nigel Topping chosen as new chair of @thecccuk.bsky.social, pending formalities
Will bring experience from business world & UN climate talks to the role
Follows years-long delay after former Tory minister Lord Deben quit as chair and @piersforster.bsky.social steered ship in interim capacity
