Finance

Climate disasters challenge right to safe and adequate housing

Climate disasters challenge right to safe and adequate housing

Climate-proofing homes is now an essential response to regular extreme weather events and can help prevent displacement

In a world first, Grenada activates debt pause after Hurricane Beryl

In a world first, Grenada activates debt pause after Hurricane Beryl destruction

More creditors are agreeing to suspend debt payments in the wake of weather disasters, but experts say greater financial relief will be needed

Swiss propose expanding climate finance donors, academics urge new thinking

Switzerland and Canada propose ways to expand climate finance donors

Detailed criteria would include China and Gulf States in the donor base. But experts recommend incentives not coercion

Renewable-energy carbon credits rejected by high-integrity scheme

The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market decided existing renewables methodologies don’t do enough to prove their emissions reductions are additional

UAE’s ALTÉRRA invests in fund backing fossil gas despite “climate solutions” pledge

Four months after partnering with the new “landmark” climate vehicle at COP28, a BlackRock fund put money into a US gas pipeline

A global wealth tax is needed to help fund a just green transition

Brazil and France have proposed a tax on the super-rich to fight against poverty and climate change – G20 finance ministers should get behind it this week

We need a new global deal on climate and development finance

The world needs a new global deal on climate and development finance

A more effective framework led by the UN could involve a binding financial target, a role for emerging economies and consolidation of funds

Hurricane Beryl shows why the new UK government must ramp up climate finance 

In the wake of yet another Caribbean climate disaster, Labour should raise its ambition in offering international support

The Loss and Damage Fund must not leave fragile states behind 

The Loss and Damage Fund must not leave fragile states behind 

Unless the unique needs of conflict zones are prioritized, climate-vulnerable communities risk losing out on finance again

India coal mining coal india

EU “green” funds invest millions in expanding coal giants in China, India

Climate Home found leading asset managers hold shares in coal firms within funds touting sustainable credentials

Finance

Green Climate Fund

Mafalda Duarte sets out vision green climate fund

In Somalia, Green Climate Fund tests new approach for left-out communities

GCF head Mafalda Duarte promises a more proactive plan to bring cash to the most vulnerable countries struggling with climate impacts

green climate fund nicaragua human rights

UN climate fund axes Nicaragua forest project over human rights concerns

In its first such move, the Green Climate Fund has pulled out of a project after developers failed to address environmental and social compliance issues

Green Climate Fund pledges put its ambition at risk

Green Climate Fund ambition at risk after ‘disappointing’ pledges

The UN’s flagship climate finance initiative can barely sustain its existing portfolio after a lackluster fundraising conference on Thursday

An agriculture worker in Nicaragua's Caribbean region, where a GCF project is under a complaint. Funding Stagnation Puts Green Climate Fund Ambition at Risk

Green Climate Fund may have to curb ambition as funding stagnates

The UN’s flagship global climate fund looks likely to have to rein in its ambition, after France announced just a 4% boost in its contribution.

Trees and the Bosawas Reserve in Nicaragua. UN climate fund suspends project in the country over human rights concerns

UN climate fund suspends project in Nicaragua over human rights concerns

The Green Climate Fund suspended a $117 million forest conservation project in Nicaragua over escalating violence against indigenous people.

After “sleepless nights”, governments strike deal on Green Climate Fund strategy

Developed countries pushed for more focus on private money while developing governments wanted more public money from rich nations

Woman in field Green Climate Fund

Germany promises €2bn to global Green Climate Fund

The pledge sets the bar for other wealthy countries and puts the fund on track for what it calls a “mid” level of ambition

Green Climate Fund pledges put its ambition at risk

UN’s Green Climate Fund too scared of risk, finds official review

The UN’s flagship climate fund is struggling to clearly manage risks in its projects, an independent review has found, making it wary of taking on high-impact projects in developing countries

Green Climate Fund

Carbon markets

US government backs the carbon credit industry's push to fix itself

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

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

SBTi needs tighter rules on companies' indirect emissions

SBTi needs tighter rules on companies’ indirect emissions

Businesses are not required to cut all their value chain emissions in line with a 1.5C warming limit – and allowing offsetting could weaken efforts further

Paraguay’s carbon deal with Singapore beset by lobbying, lax rules

UN rules governing bilateral carbon offsetting between governments have yet to be agreed but deals are being done, raising concerns about integrity

Fossil fuel firms seek UN carbon market cash for old gas plants

Fossil fuel firms seek UN carbon market cash for old gas plants

Fossil fuel companies that built gas power plants more than a decade ago are hoping for rewards from a new carbon credit market

Shell carbon credits

“Shameful”: Shell uses carbon credits under investigation to meet climate targets

The oil and gas giant offset part of its emissions with over a million credits from Chinese projects suspended because of integrity concerns

Junk offset sellers push to enter new UN carbon market

Junk offset sellers push to enter new UN carbon market

Renewable energy schemes make up four-fifths of Kyoto-era projects hoping to keep selling offsets under Article 6, sparking concerns over the credibility of the new market.

Witness bribing minister's family own Congolese carbon credit company

Witness bribing minister’s family own Congolese carbon credit company

The minister Jean-Pierre Bemba bribed witnesses in his war crimes trial and holds power over the environment minister Eve Bazaiba

Carbon markets

Carbon bubble

Oil tanker investments at risk from climate action, report says

Strong action on climate change would shrink demand for vessels by a third, impacting investment decisions being made now, analysts say

Asset managers worth $15 trillion make climate risk promise to Macron

The French president gathered the world’s biggest investors this week to push them to back climate-friendly projects

Gas companies face Californian wipe-out, say S&P, Moody’s

Ratings agencies say the state’s bid to go 100% renewable poses a ‘significant threat’ to gas generators’ credit stability

Australian bank sued over failure to disclose climate risks

Shareholders are taking the Commonwealth Bank to court, alleging that it is misleading investors about its financial position

Planned gas investments will blow 1.5C climate target, say analysts

Report by Climate Action Tracker warns that overly bullish gas demand forecasts will lead to stranded assets or an unsafe future climate

Exxon shareholders win ‘historic’ climate vote against board’s advice

Shareholders in world’s largest private oil company won a victory that signals deep unease about climate change amongst major investors

Exxon shareholder rebellion gains momentum ahead of climate vote

Major investors BlackRock and Vanguard could tip the balance and force oil firm to publicly divulge risk clean technology and regulations pose to its business

UK is in no position to lecture Saudis on oil dependence

PM Theresa May has offered to help wean Saudi Arabia off oil, but her government’s subsidies to North Sea producers are a poor model for the Middle East petrostate

Carbon bubble

Climate finance

Bonn talks on climate finance goal end in stalemate on numbers

Negotiations failed to progress as rich countries refused to discuss a dollar amount for the new goal due to be agreed at COP29

Bonn bulletin: Crunch time for climate finance

Bonn bulletin: Crunch time for climate finance

Negotiators take on tricky topics in a slimmed-down finance text as UN climate chief calls for country transparency reports to shed light on NDC progress

Why North Africa's nomad community needs climate finance

North Africa’s disappearing nomads: Why my community needs climate finance

My people are experiencing loss and damage, and deserve international support under a new climate finance goal – negotiators in Bonn and beyond must take heed 

Quality - not just quantity - matters in the new climate finance goal

Quality – not just quantity – matters in the new climate finance goal

Negotiators in Bonn should work to ensure funding provided under a new goal set to be agreed later this year at COP29 is affordable and accessible

UN pushes for Bonn progress on new finance goal

“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

Fossil fuel debts are illegitimate and must be cancelled 

The Spring Meetings of the World Bank and IMF are a chance to transform outstanding debts for fossil fuel projects into grants for renewable energy systems

Expectations mount as loss and damage fund staggers to its feet

Demand for finance to pay for the aftermath of climate impacts is rocketing – but progress on getting a new UN loss and damage fund up and running is slow

Oil extraction at sunset in an oil field in Midland, Texas. REUTERS/Nick Oxford. Climate leaders, oil bosses pitch alternate energy-transition realities

Climate leaders, oil bosses pitch alternate energy-transition realities

As climate officials prepare the next steps in a globally agreed shift away from fossil fuels, oil and gas executives return fire

Climate finance

Divestment

G7 coal charade: Funding the fire they claim to fight 

Rich countries should take concrete steps to stem the global flow of funds from their commercial banks which are fuelling expansion of the coal industry

World Bank’s private sector arm to stop supporting new coal  

The International Finance Corporation is closing a loophole that allowed its financial clients to continue funding new coal projects 

Climate fund considers India, South Africa to pilot $2bn coal transition scheme

Climate Investment Funds CEO Mafalda Duarte has been tasked with mobilising private capital to help wean developing countries off coal and create cleaner jobs

Malaysian bank to phase out coal finance, in a victory for campaigners

CIMB has been hailed as the first major bank in an emerging market to publish a coal exit strategy, after investing $2.6 billion in the sector last decade

Coronavirus: investors and policymakers must shift to increase resilience

Incentives for long-term sustainability, an end to fossil fuel subsidies, more telework are all needed to make the global economy resilient to shocks like Covid-19

South Korea urged to exit coal by 2029 to stick to Paris climate agreement

Climate Analytics research group calls on Seoul to phase out existing coal-fired power plants, stop new construction and halt funds for coal projects in other Asian nations

‘Trundling over to Africa’ – Climate Weekly

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Trump criticises ‘prophets of doom’ in Davos and touts fossil fuels

Trump, Thunberg set out radically different visions for the economy and climate in the 21st century

Divestment

Green bonds

Exclusive: Japan uses ‘environmental’ fund to finance Vietnamese coal plant

The Japan Bank for International Cooperation approved a loan to the controversial Vung Ang 2 coal project from a facility intended for “environmental preservation”

European Central Bank should ‘gradually eliminate’ carbon assets: Lagarde

Nominee to lead the bank told MEPs it could adopt new measures to prefer green investments if she is confirmed

Ex-UN climate chief calls for green bonds to hit $1 trillion by 2020

Christiana Figueres is urging public authorities and corporates to scale up climate-friendly infrastructure investment by 2020, under the “green bond pledge”

India raises $400m green bond to fund renewables drive

Money raised by the Power Finance Corporation will support solar and wind projects, contributing to national renewables target of 175GW capacity by 2022

Fiji announces $50m ‘climate bond’ ahead of COP23 presidency

Prime minister Frank Bainimarama says money raised with help from the World Bank sets an example for innovative green finance to protect the vulnerable

China is taking the green bond market by storm

Beijing’s sustainable finance push is bearing fruit, with a world-leading $36.9bn worth of green bonds issued last year

Risky business: G20 panel to order climate stress tests

Donald Trump’s US election win may damage the Paris climate deal, but climate risk reporting rules for businesses could radically change the investment landscape

Poland green bond issue will not fund coal, says official

Investors are sceptical about Warsaw bid to finance renewables, given its coal-heavy energy policy

Green bonds