In August 2021, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its long-awaited report on the "physical science basis" of climate change. The report concluded that climate change is "unequivocally" human-caused and is already affecting all regions of our planet. These findings were reported worldwide, attracting international attention. The mammoth 2,500-page document compiles a vast body of peer-reviewed literature and provides the most up-to-date summary of climate science ever published. Every statement in the report is supported by authoritative sources.

In total, the report boasts an incredible 13,500 citations.

Our analysis examines which citations were included in the report and reveals a surprisingly wide and diverse range of topics. However, it also shows that the report is significantly dominated by citations from the countries of the Global North and are commonly found behind the payment gateway. We found that 99.95 % of cited references were written in English, and three-quarters of all literature cited in the report had at least one author based in the US or UK.

When and where? The IPCC's report on climate science – known as the Working Group I (WG1) report – is the first part of a three-part Sixth Assessment Report (AR6). Hundreds of scientists spent years reviewing the existing literature on climate change to produce this report, which will form the cornerstone of climate science for years to come. This report was followed by two more parts on impacts, adaptation and vulnerability due to climate change and climate change mitigation, which were issued in February and in March 2022. AR6 will be concluded with a summary report to be published next week. The AR6 WG1 report is an update of the Fifth Assessment Cycle (AR5) WG1 report that was published in 2013. The authors of the new report were asked to focus on providing an update since the last cycle, explaining progress in climate science, how the credibility of the findings has changed or strengthened and what new themes have emerged since AR5.

We found that 98.5 % citations in the AR6 WG1 report were published since 2000, and 85 % of those were published after AR5 was released in 2013. The following chart shows how many citations were published each year from 2000-21.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

dr. Sarah Connors and Felix Chavelli, Carbon Brief

The failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) "is not likely to have a 'substantial' impact on the availability of capital for climate-related technologies, Mark Carney, the United Nations' special envoy for climate action and finance, said on Wednesday," Reuters reports. Elsewhere, Semafor reports on the collapse under the headline: "How the collapse of SVB harms the energy transition". The article states: “It was the sixth largest funder of renewable energy projects in the US in 2022, with $1.2 billion, and plans to offer $5 billion in funding to all kinds of climate-related businesses by 2027.” Financial Times reporter "moral money" "addresses the question of whether the sustainability movement is to blame for the collapse of SVB". It reads: “Tariq Fancy, former chief investment officer for sustainable investing at BlackRock, told Moral Money that he sees Republican claims linking SVB's failure to sustainability as simply feeding into the broader politicization of ESG.” Quartz asks: “Silicon Valley Bank Helped Fund China's Innovation Economy. What's next?'

The failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) "is not likely to have a 'substantial' impact on the availability of capital for climate-related technologies, Mark Carney, the United Nations' special envoy for climate action and finance, said on Wednesday," Reuters reports. Elsewhere, Semafor reports on the collapse under the headline: "How the collapse of SVB harms the energy transition". The article states: “It was the sixth largest funder of renewable energy projects in the US in 2022, with $1.2 billion, and plans to offer $5 billion in funding to all kinds of climate-related businesses by 2027.” Financial Times reporter "moral money" "addresses the question of whether the sustainability movement is to blame for the collapse of SVB". It reads: “Tariq Fancy, former chief investment officer for sustainable investing at BlackRock, told Moral Money that he sees Republican claims linking SVB's failure to sustainability as simply feeding into the broader politicization of ESG.” Quartz asks: “Silicon Valley Bank Helped Fund China's Innovation Economy. What's next?'

Carbon Brief, Tommy Reggiori Wilkes and Virginia Furness, Reuters

According to the Federal Environment Agency (UBA), greenhouse gas emissions in Germany fell by 1.9 % in 2022, Reuters reports. According to the agency, which adds that the reduction to 40 % below 1990 levels was due to higher renewable energy production and lower energy demand, emissions will need to fall by 6 % per year to meet the country's 2030 target. Deutsche Welle it reports this data under the headline: "Germany meets 2022 greenhouse gas emissions target". However, it says the energy and transport sectors "still do not contribute sufficiently to reductions". He adds that Germany aims to reduce emissions by 65 % by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. Bloomberg leads its coverage with the sentence that German transport emissions rose in 2022 "as the post-pandemic recovery was offset by higher fuel prices, subsidies to railways and a record number of new electric vehicles". It reports that Germany recently "blocked the European Union's plan to phase out internal combustion engines by 2035."
Another Reuters article said greenhouse gas emissions in the Netherlands fell 9 % to 32 % below 1990 levels "as the energy crisis reduced the use of natural gas in industry and buildings, the Dutch National Statistics Office said on Wednesday."

Markus Wacket and Vera Eckert, Reuters, "Carbon Brief"

Later today, the European Commission "will present the main points of its strategy to ensure that its industry can compete with the US and China in the production of clean technology products and the acquisition of raw materials needed for the green transition", according to Reuters. It said the Commission would publish proposals for the Net Zero Industry Act and the Critical Materials Act as part of its "Green Deal Industrial Plan". The news portal explains: “The EU is setting a target of producing at least 40 % of the clean technology products it needs by 2030, in part by streamlining green project permitting and investment support. The Commission will propose simpler state aid schemes that will allow subsidies to support green technologies with the possibility of providing tax breaks and using existing EU funds." Today's proposals are also brought closer by the Financial Times: "Brussels will introduce restrictions on the import of Chinese green technologies, reduce the number of applicants for public contracts and will make it harder for buyers to access subsidies." He adds: "According to people familiar with the situation, the Commission's trade directorate is concerned that proposed changes to the public procurement rulebook could violate international rules." Bloomberg reports that the EU is "ready to assert its claims in the cleantech race, while trying to resist the US'. The article states: “The proposals, put forward in response to concerns that key industries for the transition to new technologies may flee Europe to the US after a landmark subsidy package, have raised fears of a cleantech arms race. Brussels think tank Bruegel called the bloc's planned response "blatantly protectionist" in a recent report. It added: "The plans still need to be approved by parliament and member states and could be amended before they can be implemented." The output explains that the plans will include eight "strategic net zero" technologies, from solar and wind power to batteries, heat pumps, electrolyzers and carbon capture and storage, but not nuclear power. Politico reports on the fears of some "Brussels bigwigs" that the EU is about to "abandon its free market beliefs to compete with China and the US in the clean energy arms race." Another Politico article reports on today's critical mineral proposals: "Conservationists are spooked by Brussels' plans to increase extraction of critical minerals, but advocates say it's necessary to meet the bloc's environmental goals."
Meanwhile, Reuters reports on ongoing reactions to the Commission's electricity market reform proposals, published on Tuesday: "The European Commission's plans to reorganize the bloc's electricity market have brought relief to some, while disappointing countries that have campaigned for more sweeping reforms , which they say is necessary to protect against volatile fossil fuel prices. The countries' mixed response sets the stage for complex discussions among the 27 EU countries, which must negotiate and approve final reforms with the [European] Parliament." In other EU news, Politico reports that Germany "tried to defuse a growing conflict with the EU by saying in a letter sent to the European Commission on Wednesday proposed changes to legislation relating to green transport, according to an official who saw the letter". It explains: "The intention is to create a loophole for the continued sale of combustion engine cars after 2035 despite EU plans to ban them from this year." The proposed loophole would apply to combustion engines "powered only by e-fuels – synthetic alternatives to fossil fuels made from hydrogen and CO2", the material states. Another Politico article is headlined: "Lobbying Efforts to Save EU Fossil Boilers."

Philip Blenkinsop, Reuters "Carbon Brief"

An editorial in the National newspaper in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) addresses the role of climate change in fueling terrorist activities. "One of the most worrying aspects of climate change is its ubiquity. There is nothing that is not affected by global warming, from the economy and agriculture to migration and disease. The report, published this week, includes another issue where environmental damage exerts its harmful influence – terrorism,” it said. He reflects on Africa's Sahel region, where deaths related to extremist violence accounted for 43 % of the world's total deaths last year and where a new report calls global warming a "threat multiplier". The report continues: “Climate change is exacerbating economic and social problems. Heat waves and water shortages can threaten agriculture, which provides food and employment for millions of people. When this collapses, the salaries that terrorist groups in the Sahel offer their fighters may become an attractive proposition." The article concludes that now that climate change is "at the top of the global agenda" there is an opportunity to examine "how the damage , which it causes, can lead desperate people to the sirens of extremism".

Editorial, The National, 

The European Commission has proposed a "thorough reform" of the electricity market in the EU, which is supposed to help protect citizens from a sharp increase in prices, accelerate the introduction of renewable energy sources and increase the bloc's independence from energy imports from abroad, the Associated Press reports. The plans will now be reviewed by the EU parliament and member states before they become law, a process that will take several months, the agency continued. Bloomberg reports that the proposed changes to the EU's common electricity market are part of a broader EU plan to "strengthen competitiveness while transitioning to a greener economy." According to Reuters, the changes proposed by the commission stopped short of the revision that some countries had hoped for at the height of last year's price spikes. It adds that they are leaving in place the existing system of setting energy prices on European wholesale markets, which the commission says helped prevent energy shortages during last year's energy crisis. However, the news portal added that the plan contained measures to protect customers from short-term price spikes, including preventing suppliers from disconnecting vulnerable consumers who cannot pay their electricity bills. According to the Financial Times, EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson has warned Germany against capping electricity costs for industry, which she says would damage the European single market. Instead, she "advocated for alternative proposals from the European Commission to stabilize the market through the use of long-term contracts".
The Financial Times reports that EU commissioners are sparring over plans to include nuclear power in new funding rules aimed at boosting the bloc's low-carbon industries due to be published this week. Nuclear energy was included in an early draft of the bill as a "strategic sector with zero net consumption," meaning that new power plants could receive an expedited permit, the newspaper continued. He adds that according to officials, commission chief Ursula von der Leyen is "pushing for a compromise that would include small modular reactors but not larger nuclear plants."
Other EU news: The European Parliament has finally approved tougher national targets to reduce emissions in some sectors and expand natural ecosystems, such as forests, that absorb carbon dioxide (CO2), Reuters reports. It is part of a major EU climate package that aims to cut emissions by 55 % by 2030 and will be voted on by member states before it becomes law. However, EU countries and lawmakers agreed on the details last year, so these final votes usually pass the laws without changes, the article said. The European Parliament also approved a law aimed at reducing household energy bills and faster disconnection of EU countries from Russian gas, adds another Reuters article.

Associated Press, "Carbon Brief"

Since its establishment in 1988, the IPCC has published six sets of "Assessment Reports". These documents summarize the latest scientific evidence on human-induced climate change and are considered the most authoritative reports on the subject. The IPCC has also produced a series of "special reports" focusing on specific areas of climate change. Carbon Brief analyzed the authors of all six sets of assessment reports, as well as the last five special reports. The data show that women and experts from the Global South have gained greater representation in IPCC reports over time, but are still underrepresented compared to their male and Global North counterparts.

The first IPCC assessment report, published in 1990, had approximately 100 authors. The analysis shows that less than 10 % of these authors were women and less than 20 % came from institutions in the Global South. Not a single woman contributed to the first assessment report of Working Group I on climate science. In contrast, the latest evaluation cycle, whose summary report will be published next week, has a total of more than 700 authors, of which more than 30 %s are women and more than 40 %s are from countries in the Global South. Carbon Brief spoke to a wide range of IPCC authors and experts about their experiences at the organization. Many experts emphasize the time-consuming nature of their work at the IPCC, describing the work as "intense", "stressful" and "unsustainable".

Experts also highlight obstacles they have encountered or seen during their time at the IPCC – including language, gender discrimination, funding issues and cultural barriers. "Strong, dominant, often male voices tend to prevail," the IPCC co-chair tells Carbon Brief. "Unconscious biases are there even when you pick the brightest scientists," another co-chair tells Carbon Brief. But they also tell Carbon Brief about the improvement in diversity and awareness over the past three decades.

The head of the IPCC's Gender Action Team talks to Carbon Brief about progress on gender equality, while members of the IPCC Bureau explain how they take diversity into account when selecting the authors of their reports. In what follows, Carbon Brief summarizes its findings through a series of graphs and maps. It also examines how the IPCC's approach to diversity has evolved since the organization's inception in 1988.

Politico continues to report on the disagreements between France and Germany over proposed new EU green transport legislation. According to the portal, French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said France is "ready to 'fight' Germany to save EU green transport legislation, which effectively bans the sale of passenger cars and vans with internal combustion engines from 2035". According to the portal, Germany has allies including Italy, Poland, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic. Separately, he states that "the future of the internal combustion engine is turning into a Franco-German war" as France has Spain on its side. The Reuters agency also reports on disagreements.
Elsewhere, Reuters reports that the EU will today propose a review of European electricity market rules "which aims to expand the use of fixed electricity price contracts to protect consumers from significant price jumps like last year". The measures will protect vulnerable consumers from being cut off by electricity suppliers if they are unable to pay their bills, Reuters writes. The proposal "doesn't represent the revolution that some countries like France and Spain have pushed for, but no more than market conservatives like Germany and the Netherlands have wanted," according to Politico. Bloomberg adds that the plans will include "virtual regional power centers." Elsewhere, Bloomberg reports that the EU "does not plan to stockpile metal batteries and other key commodities as part of new measures to secure supplies - a step back from what was previously proposed - after some major manufacturers opposed the move." .

Joshua Posaner, Giorgio Leali and Hans von der Burchard, Politico, 'Carbon Brief'

Greenhouse gases from rotting and otherwise discarded food account for about half of all emissions from the global food system, according to a new study. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), approximately one third (pdf) of all food produced is lost or wasted each year. One of the UN Sustainable Development Goals is to halve global food waste by 2030 and reduce food losses in production and supply. The study assesses the emissions of food loss and waste at every link in the supply chain – from the moment food is harvested to the moment it ends up in landfill or compost. It found that in 2017 global food waste caused 9.3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions (GtCO2e), which is about as much as the combined US and EU emissions in the same year. Along with carbon emissions, this comes at a time when more than 800 million people will be affected by hunger in 2021, according to the UN. A new study published in the journal Nature Food also explores several ways to reduce emissions from food waste, such as cutting meat consumption in half and composting instead of landfilling.

Where does food waste come from?

The global food system produces about a third of total annual greenhouse gas emissions. A new study reports that food waste causes about half of these emissions. Location, socio-economic differences and other factors play a role in the level of food waste emissions around the world. For example, developed countries generally have more advanced and environmentally friendly technologies – which can lead to lower emissions from waste management, the study said.

 

"Carbon Brief"

The round table organized today by the President of the Slovak Republic Zuzana Čaputová on the current social and economic situation in Slovakia is a good step towards solving energy poverty. This is the opinion of the Slovak Climate Initiative, which appeals for the speedy adoption of the missing definition of energy poverty with the active help of experts from the SAS Prognostic Institute.

"The meeting on energy poverty with the President is a signal for society that it is an important topic. At the same time, as everywhere else, cooperation is key. The first step is good coordination and preparation of an interdepartmental working group composed of experts to transfer the concept into practice. A team of scientists from the Prognostic Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences has been dedicated to the topic and research of energy poverty for a long time. The information they have should be part of the solutions in order to speed up the process of preparing the definition and solutions to energy poverty," said Kateřina Chajdiaková from the Slovak Climate Initiative.

Energy poverty is a very serious problem that has not been actively solved in Slovakia for a long time, despite the fact that it has been known and talked about for a long time. Energy poverty can be characterized as the unavailability of supplies of electricity, heat, hot water and drinking water in a basic standard at reasonable prices and of adequate quality. It is a social problem and several ministries, led by the Minister of Labour, Social Affairs and Family, should participate in its solution.

For energy-poor households, a price increase without effective help from the state is liquidating. Therefore, the state must focus not only on creating a definition of energy poverty, but also on looking for an addressable solution for households that already feel the increase in prices as a huge problem. These are the measures that the state will manage to prepare even during this year without an approved definition of energy poverty.

"Dušana Dokupilová from SAV is a co-author studies, in which there are proposals for solutions to energy poverty. These should focus on finding synergies between social measures and investments in housing. In addition to social policies, it is crucial to improve the access of people at risk of energy poverty to grants, financial instruments and loans. In this way, households will reduce their energy expenses in the long term and at the same time the quality of living will improve. The government can prepare such measures even for the next winter," pointed out Kateřina Chajdiaková from the Slovak Climate Initiative.

Bill Gates in this one In an insistent and persuasive book, he presents a broad, practical—and affordable—plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to zero so that the world avoids climate catastrophe.

Bill Gates has spent the past decade researching the causes and effects of climate change. With experts in physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, political science and finance, he focused on what needs to be done to reverse the environmental disaster the planet is heading towards. In this book, he not only explains why we must strive for zero greenhouse gas emissions, but also describes what needs to be done to achieve this important goal.

He presents us with a sober description of the challenges we face. He draws on his knowledge of innovation and the promotion of new ideas on the market and soberly describes the challenges we face. It explains in which areas technologies are already helping to reduce emissions, where they can be used more efficiently, where a technological breakthrough is necessary and who is working on these fundamental innovations. Finally, it presents a comprehensive solution to how to reduce emissions to zero – offering not only suggestions for government action, but also for actions that individuals can take to hold our governments, our employers and ourselves accountable for achieving the goal. Bill Gates does not hide that this is a difficult task, but if we stick to the set plan, there is no doubt that we can achieve this goal.

Researchers have found that to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, it may be necessary to remove 10 gigatons of carbon dioxide annually from the Earth's atmosphere and oceans. The key to success will be a diverse set of carbon dioxide removal methods. Diversification reduces risk. That's one of the key conclusions of a new study led by scientists at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. An effective path to limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of this century is likely to require a combination of technologies that can remove carbon dioxide from the Earth's atmosphere and oceans.

According to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who spoke at the opening ceremony on Wednesday (8 March), the opening is an important moment for the green transformation and competitiveness of EU industry. The Greensand project is the first venture to engage in cross-border carbon capture and storage (CCS), by transporting CO2 from Belgium and injecting it into a depleted oil field under the Danish North Sea.

The project, whose first injection will take place on Wednesday, aims to safely and sustainably store up to eight million tonnes of CO2 per year by 2030, equivalent to 40 % of Denmark's emissions reduction target and more than 10 % of the country's annual emissions.

"This is what Europe's competitive sustainability is all about," von der Leyen said in a video address at the launch event in Denmark.

"You are showing that it can be done - that we can grow our industry through innovation and competition, while removing carbon emissions from the atmosphere through ingenuity and collaboration," she added.

The project represents a breakthrough in carbon capture, where CO2 is taken from one country and injected into another, said Brian Gilvary of INEOS energy, one of 23 organizations running the Greensand project along with other businesses, academia, governments and start-ups.

According to Gilvary, the energy transition will require carbon capture and storage "as a cornerstone" to achieving the world's climate goals. “It is impossible for the industry or the planet to get [to net zero by 2050] without carbon capture. So it's absolutely integral to what we're going to do going forward," he said.

The event is significant for Europe's decarbonisation goals, said the NGO Clean Air Task Force, which spoke to EURACTIV at the inaugural event in Denmark.

"This grand opening confirms the rapid progress Denmark has made in advancing carbon capture and storage projects and will play a critical role in showcasing the benefits of a coordinated effort to address industrial decarbonisation in Europe," said Alessia Virone, Director of EU Affairs at the Clean Air Task Force.

Growing interest in CCS
Europe is increasingly focusing on carbon capture and storage technologies as a way to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. This means that any emissions released into the atmosphere will have to be offset by an equivalent removal.

"The scientific knowledge is clear. Industrial carbon removal is an essential part of our climate toolkit," said von der Leyen, who called the Greensand project "an important step towards European carbon neutrality".

According to the European Commission's estimates, the EU will need to store at least 300 million tons of CO2 annually by 2050 in order to reach its zero net climate goal.

"My friends, without CO2 storage we have no chance of meeting the global climate goals," said Lars Aagaard, Denmark's Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, who spoke at the conference.

At the EU level, funding for CCS projects has resumed after a gap of several years following the first series of failed projects. EUR 2.8 billion has already been allocated to 24 industrial decarbonisation projects under the EU Innovation Fund.

Carbon capture projects are likely to receive more support as part of the upcoming European Commission law on net zero industry, which is to be adopted on March 14. In a leaked draft bill seen by EURACTIV, CCS projects are listed as "strategic technologies" that can apply for special status to get faster authorization and easier access to finance.

"We have embarked on a mission to secure Europe's industrial edge, create good and meaningful jobs and fix our planet. Carbon removal is part of that mission," von der Leyen said on Wednesday.

The European Commission plans to publish a carbon capture, use and storage strategy this year.

Scientists have outlined a new method of extracting carbon dioxide from the air and storing it in the sea. The authors claim that this new approach captures CO2 from the atmosphere up to three times more efficiently than current methods. The warming gas can be converted into baking soda and stored safely and cheaply in seawater. According to experts, the new method could accelerate the deployment of carbon removal technology. At a plant in Iceland, the captured CO2 is injected deep underground, where it is permanently turned into stone. The company recently began selling a certified carbon removal service to large corporate clients including Microsoft, Spotify and Stripe. However, one of the big problems with most current approaches to direct air capture is cost. CO2, although a powerful warming agent, is relatively diluted in the atmosphere, its concentration in the air being about 400 parts per million (ppm). Thus, both absorption and emission of CO2 require large devices that require a large amount of energy. This new approach, using off-the-shelf resins and other chemicals, promises much higher efficiency and lower costs, say the scientists involved. Borrowing an approach used for applications in water, the research team "modified" existing materials to remove CO2 from the air. In tests, the new hybrid absorbent material was able to absorb three times more CO2 than existing substances.

The dangerous plan to build a waste incinerator in Šala may become a reality. The Ministry of the Environment despite our professional objections issued a favorable opinion as part of the environmental impact assessment. I have been helping local citizens defending their right to a healthy environment for several years - since the beginning of the process. We worked out professional arguments and documents with the team. However, the ministry swept our objections off the table.

The nineties are back
The practices I observe during the process remind me of the infamous nineties. Judge for yourself. I am contacted by unhappy citizens to whom the investor sends letters and threatens fines of up to 20 million euros. Despite the fact that TV Močenok published the extraordinary meeting of the municipal council, the investor threatens local residents with a fine for publishing the meeting on the social network. Similar practices are experienced by local residents who have dared to express a critical opinion on the construction of an oversized waste incinerator in Šala for years.

The ministry ignores the experts
The Ministry of the Environment under the leadership of Minister Budaj systematically ignored all data, scientific studies and practical experience that did not suit them to issue a favorable opinion. The proposed waste incinerator has not solved the problems of toxic substances, would produce a large amount of greenhouse gas emissions and would discourage the development of reuse, separate collection and recycling. This is exactly what I am fighting for on the floor of the European Parliament.

Why is an incinerator a bad solution?
If the waste is burned, it will not disappear. And the need for landfills will not disappear either. After burning, cinders and toxic ash remain, which must be landfilled anyway. Fly ash contains persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals also pose serious risks to the health of all of us.

I will continue to support local residents against this senseless plan. Every person who values nature, the environment and health should oppose this construction. I believe that Minister Ján Budaj will comply with our appeal and change the final opinion to disagree or return the matter for a new discussion.
Of course, it does not end with the support of the community around the planned incinerator. The absolute basis is reducing the amount of waste or recycling it. In these months, I am working in the European Parliament on draft laws to achieve just this. Less unnecessary, especially plastic waste. More reuse and recycling. More recycled materials in products. Of course, we will also offer such measures in our election program.
If you are interested in helping us in the fight against the senseless incinerator in Šala, let your friends and acquaintances know about it.

A Financial Times editorial reflects on Germany's last-minute opposition to a planned ban on internal combustion engines in the EU in 2035. The article reads: "What should have been a simple confirmation this week of measures agreed last year member states and recently approved by the European Parliament, was instead postponed indefinitely. Not only does Germany set a terrible example for other countries tempted to hold the legislation hostage to national interests, it also threatens Berlin's credibility in the green transition and the EU." He continues: "The proposed ban is a key part of the bloc's goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. This the road has now reached a dead end.” The editorial said the transition away from fossil fuels would involve “painful trade-offs, including job losses in polluting industries”. It concludes: “The transition to carbon neutrality by 2050 will be fiendishly difficult. But given that member states have agreed to the targets, it is now their duty to do everything possible to meet them."
In related news, Politico reports: "Germany's push to save internal combustion engine gains allies." Another Politico article reads: "Top Scholz ally criticizes German government for blocking EU car engine law." Reuters reports that the Czech Republic "invited transport ministers of the 11 countries of the European Union to meet in Brussels on Monday to discuss policies to reduce emissions amid a row over the bloc's landmark policy to switch to electric vehicles". Meanwhile, the Sun reports that the UK is "losing race to build electric car revolution with Germany, says Labour". The Times reports that BMW will bring production of electric Minis "back to Oxford" after receiving a £75m grant from the government. City AM reports UK "at risk of energy tech drain without more funding, battery chief warns". Another Times article is entitled: "Electric cars with fully charged batteries lose up to a third of their range in the cold".

Editorial, Financial Times, "Carbon Brief"

The European Commission has set out plans to renew its "Stability and Growth Pact" and urged member states to begin phasing out energy subsidies in response, the Financial Times reports. The document explains that the pact governing budget deficits and debt ratios has been suspended in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and member states have used that flexibility to "provide support to people and businesses struggling to pay their bills" in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the global energy crisis. "However, the Commission said the measures should now be lifted as there is a need to reduce the cost of energy decline and deficits," the document said.

Reuters agency meanwhile, reports: "Germany plans to give its industry a double-digit billion-euro boost to convert conventional industrial plants into climate-friendly operations, the economy ministry said Thursday." Next article of the Reuters agency says: "France looks at tax incentives for investment in green industry - Minister."

Comment for Financial Times by Sergey Vakulenko, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, begins: “Russia's war against Ukraine has many fronts, not the least of which is energy. And as with the Kremlin's plans for a quick victory in Ukraine, both sides of the energy conflict have seen their dreams of a quick triumph collapse amid crushing and trench warfare.”

Andy Bounds, Financial Times, "Carbon Brief"

On International Women's Day, Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, president of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and UN high-level champion on climate change, writes for Politico about the importance of women's involvement in climate change decision-making. Such engagement is crucial, she says, especially as "climate change and nature loss affect rural and indigenous women more severely than other demographics." Al Mubarak, who is from the United Arab Emirates, writes that she hopes to inspire other women "in West Asia, North Africa and the world". He also explains some of his country's priorities for hosting the COP 28 conference, such as progress on Sharm el-Sheikh's adaptation programme.

Separately, "big reading" in Financial Times addresses the challenge of "rebuilding Pakistan" after the floods that hit last year. He explains that the nation can be seen as a funding test “loss and damage", which developed countries agreed in principle to provide at the last COP climate summit in Egypt. "However, channeling climate finance to Pakistan – and ensuring that it is used properly – is complicated, not least because of the country's ongoing political instability and economic mismanagement," the article states. The article also discusses calls for reform of multilateral development banks, such as the World Bank, to encourage more spending on climate support for developing countries.

Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, "Carbon Brief"