Environment & Climate
The European Green Deal, energy transition, oceans and the climate policy behind the headlines.
Renewables boom alone won't cut emissions, UN and ETC warn
Record investment in renewables is meeting only 40% of new electricity demand, as AI data centres and cooling strain grids. UNEP says oversh
Four decades of Mediterranean data reveal accelerating climate shifts
Scientists have assembled four decades of Mediterranean oceanographic data, revealing long-term warming, acidification, and deoxygenation. T
EU circular fashion push clashes with rising global apparel emissions
Global apparel emissions rose 6.3% in 2024, driven by higher polyester use. The EU's circular fashion rules target waste but miss most suppl
France to impose near-€20 levy on ultra-fast fashion items
France will impose a levy on ultra-fast fashion items from platforms like Shein and Temu, starting at €0.50 and rising to €19.50 by 2030. Th
UK's 2026 summer is hottest on record, Met Office confirms
The UK's 2026 summer was the hottest on record, with an average temperature of 16.5°C. Met Office scientists say human-induced climate chang
China's solar capacity overtakes coal for the first time: What it means for Europe
China's installed solar capacity has overtaken coal for the first time, reaching 1.286 billion kilowatts. The milestone highlights China's r
Nuclear power's hidden costs: heatwaves expose climate vulnerabilities
Nuclear power is low-carbon at the point of generation, but its full lifecycle—from uranium mining to decommissioning—carries significant em
Von der Leyen urges EU to brace for simultaneous climate crises
Ursula von der Leyen warns that Europe must prepare for more frequent, simultaneous emergencies. The EU's civil protection mechanism has bee
EU climate chief: Cutting China reliance will cost more now, but pays off later
EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra says Europe must accept higher short-term costs to reduce reliance on Chinese clean-energy technology
Meteosat's new eye: Europe's fastest weather scans begin
Europe's MTG-I2 satellite, launched from French Guiana, will scan weather over the continent every 2.5 minutes—a world first. Meteorologists
Hoekstra: Climate resilience and EU security are two sides of the same coin
EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra argues that climate resilience, energy security, and geopolitical independence are inseparable. He wa
Portugal's bottle deposit scheme turns plastic waste into kids' travel funds
Portugal launched the first bottle deposit return scheme in southern Europe, cutting plastic waste significantly. The initiative also lets c