Joe Lo
Joe Lo is a reporter for Climate Home News. He has previously specialised in container shipping, UK politics and investigative stories about Scotland. His work has appeared in the Guardian, Al Jazeera and Deutsche Welle.
UN chief calls on governments to ban fossil fuel ads
António Guterres says many nations have already banned tobacco advertising and should do the same for fossil fuels, reining in “the Godfathers of climate chaos”
“Great enabler of climate action” – UN urges Bonn progress on new finance goal
UN Climate head Simon Stiell called on countries to start narrowing down options to strike a deal on post-2025 climate finance by COP29 in November
On beaches of Gaza and Tel Aviv, two tales of one heatwave
While Palestinians in Gaza fear death from heat in makeshift tents, Israelis in Tel Aviv stay cool in air-conditioned homes – highlighting the unequal effects of extreme weather
Despite exit, EU seeks to save green reforms to energy investment treaty
EU ministers have agreed they are free to support reforms to end protection for fossil fuels at a conference in November
US government backs the carbon credit industry’s push to fix itself
The Biden administration throws its weight behind the industry’s attempts to boost integrity in the beleaguered market
In Malawi, dubious cyclone aid highlights need for loss and damage fund
Malawi’s Red Cross built 45 homes funded by a suspected Nigerian fraudster, which residents of Mchenga village say are unsafe
Days after climate talks, US slaps tariffs on Chinese EVs and solar panels
The measures are designed to increase the cost of Chinese goods needed for the energy transition – and could therefore slow the US shift away from fossil fuels
World Bank tiptoes into fiery debate over meat emissions
The bank has advised wealthy nations to cut subsidies for high-emissions foods but stopped far short of promoting veganism
UN agrees carbon market safeguards to tackle green land grabs
Local communities will be able to officially challenge UN-registered carbon credit projects before and after they are up and running
Hopes fade for production curbs in new global pact on plastic pollution
With no further talks scheduled on limiting plastic production before final negotiations in November, the treaty may focus instead on recycling
Southern Africa drought flags dilemma for loss and damage fund
Scientists blame the current drought on El Niño – which could exclude those affected from receiving aid for climate-change damage
Peak COP? UN looks to shrink Baku and Belém climate summits
While 84,000 delegates attended COP28 in Dubai, just 40,000-50,000 are expected at COP29 in Baku and COP30 in Belém
Global billionaires tax to fight climate change, hunger rises up political agenda
Brazil and France want the G20 to get behind a global minimum tax on billionaires’ wealth, also backed by IMF chief
Canadian minister vows to fight attempts to weaken plastic pollution treaty
Environment minister Steven Guilbeault accuses “some countries” of slow-walking negotiations, ahead of talks in Ottawa
UN climate chief calls for “quantum leap in climate finance”
Simon Stiell says far more money is required for developing countries to submit bold new climate plans, which would benefit all economies
Forest carbon accounting allows Guyana to stay net zero while pumping oil
Experts say UN rules around forests and oil are open to abuse, so that countries like Guyana can claim to be carbon-negative without cutting emissions
Zambia’s fossil-fuel subsidy cuts help climate and kids – but taxi drivers suffer
Under pressure from the IMF, the government has redirected subsidies into education, welfare and debt reduction, leaving fuel-heavy sectors with higher costs
African dismay at decision to host loss and damage advice hub in Geneva
The UN agencies that will run the Santiago Network recommended it should be based in Nairobi but governments have instead chosen the world’s third-most expensive city
Shipping sector pushes to keep emissions-tax cash for itself
The industry and governments’ maritime ministries want a proposed levy on emissions spent on cleaning up shipping, not used for wider climate goals like loss and damage
Is water provision in drought-hit Zambia climate ‘loss and damage’ or adaptation?
Farmers need crop irrigation to help beat drought – but it’s unclear if that would qualify for new loss and damage funding