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Developing countries argue they don’t lack ambition when it comes to phasing out fossil fuels – it’s all about the means

Why do some developing countries appear to be resisting a fossil fuel phase-out? The answer is fundamentally about implementation – how countries struggling to eradicate poverty and provide basic services (including energy) for their people fund the transition away from fossil fuels.

The “means of implementation” has become a sticking point at the talks, with developing countries united in demanding that developed countries honour their legally binding obligations under the Paris agreement. Developing countries that have contributed so little to the climate crisis but are suffering the worst impacts argue that a phase-out must be centred around equity, which means it must be “fast, fair, funded and forever”.

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Exclusive: analysis by Oxfam raises concerns about influence wielded by ultra-rich mega-emitters at summit

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At least a quarter of the billionaires registered as delegates at Cop28 made their fortunes from highly polluting industries such as petrochemicals, mining and beef production, a new analysis has shown.

The findings, revealed to the Guardian in an exclusive analysis of the 34 billionaires who are signed up to the UN summit, raise concerns about the influence wielded by ultra-rich, mega-emitters on the world’s efforts to tackle the climate crisis. Together the 34 are worth about $495.5bn.

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Airlines and airports face increased scrutiny – and possibly legal action – over the contradictions between their sustainability claims and the reality of their high-emissions businesses. James Higham, Professor of Tourism, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A new wave of jurisdictional REDD+ (J-REDD+) projects, many announced at COP28, hope to bring together the private sector and governments, by commanding higher prices for 'high-integrity' carbon credits in a pivot away from a project-based approach.

Market mechanisms under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement are not a solution to fight climate change, said an official from Sri Lanka's environment ministry, adding that developed countries must phase out their fossil fuel usage in order to resolve the crisis.

The EU formally adopted its Critical Raw Materials Act on Tuesday after a vote by MEPs, as the bloc attempts to shore up domestic production of the materials that will be needed for the transition to clean energy.

The first study to quantify what our felines eat on a global scale finds they have a significant impact on wildlife

Cats may be adored human companions, but they are also highly effective killers, according to a study that shows they eat more than 2,000 species globally – including hundreds that are of conservation concern.

Since domestication 9,000 years ago, house cats have spread to all continents except Antarctica. In the paper, published in Nature Communications, researchers describe them as “amongst the most problematic invasive species in the world”.

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Singapore’s environment minister has emphasised the importance of standards in drawing up Article 6 implementation agreements with host countries, as voluntary standards and market stakeholders try to figure out how these agreements will work on the ground, particularly in developing nations with weak governance and capacity issues.

Many accused of being too mired in fossil fuel hypocrisy, as wrangling over possible deal continues

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Rich countries have failed to show the leadership necessary to solve the climate crisis, and many are too mired in their own hypocrisy over fossil fuels to break the impasse at Cop28, climate justice advocates have told the Guardian.

Talks at the UN climate summit were deadlocked on Tuesday night, as countries fought over the wording of a potential deal on the future of fossil fuels.

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Singapore-based Abaxx Commodity Futures Exchange and Clearinghouse plans to launch two physically-settled carbon futures in January after being granted licenses by the Singaporean authorities, company representatives have revealed to Carbon Pulse.

Unilever, one of the world’s largest consumer good companies, is being investigated for greenwashing by the UK’s competition watchdog amid a crackdown on corporates making bogus climate friendly claims.

Australian Renewable Energy Agency to invest $1.64 million in EnergyLab to help the climate and cleantech accelerator support the next generation of renewable startups.

The post EnergyLab lands more funds to support next generation of renewable startups appeared first on RenewEconomy.

An Article 6.2 deal between Switzerland and Thailand that had achieved the world’s first issuance of ‘internationally transferred mitigation outcomes’ (ITMOs) may not involve additional emissions reductions, according to an NGO report this week.

Biodiversity Council says offsets should be a last resort and only used for ‘nature that we can replace’

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The Australian government should significantly constrain the use of biodiversity offsets under its environmental law reform agenda and stop them being used for critically endangered wildlife, according to a report by a partnership of 11 universities.

The Biodiversity Council also called on the Albanese government to define the term “nature positive” in law and set targets for what it will mean in practice, warning that without a clear mandate in legislation the term “will simply become another political slogan”.

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European carbon was little changed at midday on Tuesday, after early gains inspired by firmer natural gas prices gave way later on, while participants kept a wary eye out for a return to strong selling activity as the December options contract entered its last 24 hours.

Colombia has officially announced its interest in hosting the COP16 UN biodiversity conference next year, with onlookers welcoming the move.

Brazil will open the largest oil and gas block auction in its history on Tuesday, a move campaigners find highly hypocritical as the COP28 summit negotiations struggle to agree on phasing out fossil fuels globally even as the South American nation touts its climate leadership.

Charges would add to fund for at-risk nations but Andrew Mitchell believes colleagues would not back them

The UK’s international development minister, Andrew Mitchell, has played down the prospects of imposing a levy on frequent flyers to help fund the rescue and rehabilitation of poor countries stricken by climate disaster.

A small charge on airline tickets is one of several ideas floated by developing countries to provide cash for the loss and damage fund.

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Graham Stuart’s surprise exit leaves civil servants in Dubai to finish negotiations in his absence

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The UK minister in charge of Cop28 climate talks has returned to London, the Guardian has learned, leaving civil servants to finish the fraught negotiations in his absence.

Graham Stuart, the minister of state for climate change, left Dubai on Tuesday morning to return to his duties as an MP, the government confirmed, even as the climate talks reached crisis point.

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Pioneering efforts to store carbon from an industrial emitter base in South Africa, including from the world’s largest single-source CO2 emitter, are set to progress to pilot construction stage following completion of the geological assessment of the local area.