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Ewa Krukowska, John Ainger and Michael Nienaber, Bloomberg
Germany has “sided with France to elevate discussions on the European Union’s 2040 climate goal to heads of government, delaying a vote on the proposal amid increasing concerns about its impact on industries and households”, reports Bloomberg. Reuters also covers the delay, saying that “European Union countries have shelved plans to approve a new climate change target [this] week, after pushback from governments including France and Germany over plans to quickly land a deal”. Euractiv says that the “bid for a quick deal” by Denmark, which currently holds the EU presidency, broke down, with Euronews reporting that “the issue will be pushed back to be discussed and agreed by EU heads of state during an October summit”.
Politico says the delay is “casting doubt on whether the bloc can present its related climate plan for 2035 to the United Nations by the end of September”. It adds: “In total, 11 of 27 countries asked for a delay during a preparatory meeting on Friday, three diplomats said, listing the Czech Republic, Malta, Austria, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary and Latvia besides Italy, France, Germany and Poland…Three diplomats said that Denmark told countries they would call a meeting [tomorrow] to determine what to do about the 2035 target, telling governments they had three options.”
Lana Lam, BBC News
BBC News covers a “landmark climate report” which concludes that “one and a half million Australians living in coastal areas are at risk from rising sea levels by 2050”. The outlet adds: “Australia's first National Climate Risk Assessment predicted more frequent and severe climate hazards like floods, cyclones, heatwaves, droughts and bushfires…The report looked at three global warming scenarios – above 1.5C, above 2C and above 3C…The 72-page report – released days before the government announces its emissions reduction targets for 2035 – found that no Australian community will be immune from climate risks that will be ‘cascading, compounding and concurrent’.” The Guardian says that climate change minister Chris Bowen used the report to call for a “strong 2035 emissions reduction target…[he] said the ‘cost of inaction will always outweigh the cost of action’ in a message to political and industry voices warning about the economic price of rapid decarbonisation.”
Bloomberg covers a separate report issued by the Australian government – the National Adaptation Plan – which shows how it will “spend A$9bn ($6bn) on climate adaptation through 2030”. News.com.au opens its article: “Property values could dive by up to A$500bn by 2050 as homes become uninsurable and floods, cyclones and bushfires lay siege to Australia, according to a grim new climate risk assessment.” The Guardian carries an interview with Bowen under the headline: “Chris Bowen’s defining climate moment is nigh. And he knows what it means ‘if we get it wrong’.” The Sydney Morning Herald has an analysis piece under the headline: “Horrifying report paints grim picture of Australia’s future”. By contrast, the climate-sceptic Australian newspaper claims the “doom-and-gloom climate report is pure speculation”.
MORE ON AUSTRALIA
The Guardian: “Labor will announce its 2035 emissions target this week. Here’s how it could shape Australia’s next decade.” ABC News has a feature headlined: “The year Australia is due to blow its carbon budget.” The Guardian says that the Australian government is “privately downplaying expectations of winning the bid to host next year’s UN climate conference [COP31] as rival Turkey refuses to withdraw two months out from the decision date”.
US: EPA to stop collecting emissions data from polluters
Maxine Joselow, The New York Times
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a proposal to “stop requiring thousands of polluting facilities to report the amount of heat-trapping greenhouse gases that they release into the air”, reports the New York Times. The newspaper adds that the proposal creates uncertainty for tax credits for carbon capture, which can only be claimed by firms that report their emissions data to the EPA. CNN says that “environmental advocates blasted the proposal” and quotes David Doniger, a senior strategist at the Natural Resources Defense Council, saying: “Big polluters may want to keep their climate pollution secret, but more than 15 years ago Congress ordered the EPA to collect and publish this data each year. This proposal gives polluters the secrecy they want in violation of the law.” The Associated Press adds: “The EPA will accept public comments on the proposal for more than six weeks after the plan is published in the Federal Register, expected in coming days.”
Victoria Seabrook, Sky News
UK prime minister Keir Starmer has “hailed a new ‘golden age’ of nuclear power as British and US companies announce five new commercial deals, ahead of the US president's state visit this week”, reports Sky News. The broadcaster adds: “The plans include a new nuclear power plant in Hartlepool using latent, potentially cheaper technology and data centres powered by mini reactors in Nottinghamshire…Both governments are betting big on nuclear to meet rising electricity demand and AI's voracious appetite for energy.” The Financial Times adds: “Downing Street said the US-UK nuclear energy agreement would make it easier for companies to build new power stations in both countries, speeding up the time it takes for a project to get a technology licence from roughly three or four years to about two.” The Times says “ministers will set out plans to fast-track a new generation of small nuclear power stations in a drive to make the UK a world leader in deploying the technology”. A separate FT article says “Centrica is increasing its commitment to nuclear power as part of a £10bn plan to build the UK’s first advanced modular reactors in north-east England in partnership with US group X-energy”. The Scotsman covers the views of the Nuclear Industry Association which claims that Scotland is “missing out on opportunities for economic growth due to the SNP’s aversion to nuclear energy”.
MORE ON UK
The Sunday Times reports that “Downing Street is drawing up plans to reduce household energy costs and is considering scrapping VAT on fuel bills”, which would “save consumers about £86 a year and cost the Treasury an estimated £1.75bn a year, based on the current energy price cap”. The FT covers new analysis by Cornwall Insight, which claims that the “cost of building the Sizewell C nuclear power plant is set to add more than £200,000 a year to major businesses’ energy bills, already among the highest in Europe”. The Times reports that “National Grid has invested in an AI start-up that can intelligently manage data centres’ electricity usage as it tries to accommodate a wave of new projects seeking to connect to its power network”. The climate-sceptic Daily Telegraph continues its endless wave of stories casting any negative light it can find, or concoct, on net-zero policies, including how “Labour is plotting to make UK crematoria greener”, “how Ed Miliband cost Britain one billion barrels of North Sea oil” and how a blade fell off a “controversial wind turbine” in Scotland.
Kate Wolffe and Lia Russell, The Sacramento Bee
Democratic lawmakers in California have “approved a sweeping slate of climate and environmental bills” reports the Sacramento Bee – a “package that would double-down on climate commitments like cap-and-trade and high speed rail, while also permitting additional oil drilling in the state”. The newspaper notes that cap-and-trade permit sales “fund…EV rebates, affordable housing and transit projects like the beleaguered high speed rail”. Politico reports: “[Governor Gavin Newsom] has already endorsed the package and has until 13 October to sign the bills into law. The measures, some of which Newsom had backed as early as April as president Donald Trump issued threats against the state’s climate policies, came together only in the last days of California’s legislative session.” The Associated Press says that Newsom has “championed [the cap-and-trade programme] as a crucial tool to respond to the Trump administration’s environmental rollbacks”.
Colleen Howe, Reuters
China is aiming to nearly double its new energy storage capacity to 180 gigawatts (GW) by 2027, from the current capacity of 95GW as of June this year, Reuters reports, citing a new government plan. The target will stimulate 250bn yuan ($35bn) in investment in the sector, the newswire says, adding that the new energy storage capacity in China is “made up mostly of lithium-ion battery storage”. State news agency Xinhua also covers the story, saying that the plan comes “amid efforts to support green energy transition and ensure the stability of new-type power systems”. Business news outlet Jiemian says the new plan “sets the tone and development goals” for the industry’s development over the next two years. The outlet also quotes Yao Yi, senior climate and energy program director at Greenpeace, saying that the plan indicates that China’s new energy storage sector has shifted from the “planning stage” to “large-scale development”.
MORE ON CHINA
Bloomberg: “China’s coal and steel output drop after production controls.” The Times interviews Hannah Ritichie, researcher at the University of Oxford and Our World in Data: “China’s emissions are now falling. I don’t want to be the one who calls ‘this is the peak’, but I think there is the chance China’s peak emissions are coming very, very soon.” China has introduced a two-year plan to promote the “green and intelligent transformation” of the country’s “power equipment industry”, reports Xinhua. Bloomberg publishes a newsletter “next China” under the headline: “China's wind, solar ambitions bring energy holy grail closer.” In a comment for China Daily, Chen Tian, a professor at Tianjin University, says that “climate disruption” has become a “routine” and there is a “need” to adapt to it. Bloomberg reports that China is “expected to keep stockpiling crude [oil] at an accelerated rate this year and throughout 2026…according to Goldman Sachs”. The Financial Times: “China running out of rubbish to burn as waste power goes into overdrive.” The FT also runs an article under the headline: “Can China stop its EV price wars?”
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