Carbon Brief

Heatwaves impact power generation sources like nuclear, gas, wind, and solar, with France's nuclear reactors shutting down during a 2026 heatwave. Extreme heat reduces nuclear efficiency due to cooling challenges, lowers gas plant efficiency, and decreases wind speeds, while increased electricity demand strains networks.

The article discusses carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a technology central to many nations' net-zero strategies, with the UK investing £21.7bn in its development. Critics argue CCS is costly, tied to fossil fuels, and unproven at scale, while organizations like the IPCC emphasize its importance for decarbonizing high-emission industries.

Climate sceptics and rightwing commentators have shared misleading charts suggesting Europe is experiencing its 'quietest' year for wildfires in 2026, but the data includes Russia and Siberia, skewing the results. A factcheck by Carbon Brief reveals the European Union's 2026 wildfire area burned is second only to 2022, with France setting a modern record and Spain facing one of its worst seasons, displacing over 350,000 people.

A draft UN report reveals countries are failing to meet 22 of 23 2030 nature targets under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The report, prepared by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, highlights urgent need for accelerated action to halt biodiversity loss ahead of the COP17 summit in Armenia.

Climate change is shifting childhood malaria risk in sub-Saharan Africa, creating new risk areas in the east and south while reducing it in western regions. A study in Nature attributes these changes to rising temperatures and highlights that public health measures, not climate, are the primary driver of malaria risk shifts.

In 2025, wind and solar power generated 44% of Germany's electricity, surpassing fossil fuels for the first time. Renewables grew under the Energiewende strategy, despite opposition from the AfD and government plans for gas plants. The EU as a whole also saw wind and solar overtake fossil fuels in 2025.

84% of nations missed a 2025 deadline to identify subsidies harmful to biodiversity, with 32 countries spending an estimated $270bn annually on such subsidies. Only 21 countries met the target, and 66 others began the process, while 68 provided no data and 62 have not submitted reports to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

A study claims declining air pollution contributes to Europe's heatwaves, but scientists clarify that greenhouse-gas-induced warming is the primary driver. Media outlets like the Daily Telegraph and GB News misreported the research, linking it to net-zero policies, which experts refute.

A rapidly intensifying El Niño event in the tropical Pacific has increased the chance of 2026 setting a global temperature record to 35%, up from 19% in April. The first half of 2026 was the third-warmest on record, with May and June 2026 being the second-warmest months amid strong El Niño conditions. Projections suggest 2027 could surpass 2026 as the warmest year, reaching around 1.7°C above pre-industrial levels.

The European Commission proposed extending free carbon allowances for companies under the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) until 2031, aiming to balance climate goals with business interests. Critics argue this could weaken the system, while the proposal includes a new target for electricity to account for 46% of energy consumption by 2040, potentially reducing fossil fuel imports by €260bn annually.

Wildfires and heatwaves, termed a 'firewave', impacted Europe and North America, with the UK experiencing 25 days of 30C+ temperatures. The Met Office noted climate events becoming the 'new normal', while the EU aims to increase electricity's energy share to 46% by 2040. New UK PM Andy Burnham plans North Sea drilling, and Trump-era policies delayed $83bn in clean energy projects.

Recent studies estimate thousands of heat-related deaths in Europe during May and June 2023, with France, Germany, and the Netherlands reporting significant excess deaths. Research links 42% of UK heatwave deaths to human-caused climate change, while methods like 'excess deaths' and 'statistical modeling' are used to quantify the impact.

Uganda faces a severe drought causing at least 16 deaths and crop losses, with El Niño potentially intensifying regional weather extremes. The Trump administration revised endangered species protections to allow habitat development, and the UK reduced rainforest conservation funding.

The article presents 28 quotes from Andy Burnham, the UK's incoming prime minister, highlighting his past support for phasing out fossil fuels and advancing net-zero goals. Despite recent ambiguity on reversing Labour's drilling policy, historical statements emphasize climate action and green job creation.

COP31 president-designate Murat Kurum announced a target for 35% of global final energy to be electricity by 2035, citing IEA and IRENA analyses to align with the 1.5C climate goal. He emphasized the urgency of electrification due to the Hormuz crisis and highlighted support from the EU, UK, Canada, and the presidencies of COP30 and COP32.

Western Europe experienced its hottest June on record, causing over 2,700 excess deaths in France and wildfires in France and Spain. The European Commission plans to unveil a 2040 electrification target to reduce oil and gas use, while China released an emission peaking plan for 2030. The Trump administration appointed a climate critic to lead the US national climate assessment, and Ugandan farmers sued the East African oil pipeline in London.

The article discusses the debate over air conditioning (AC) in Europe amid rising heatwaves, highlighting lower AC adoption compared to the US and the political tensions around climate action. It notes that historical climate conditions and older infrastructure in Europe reduced the need for AC, but recent extreme heat has increased its relevance. The text clarifies that climate change has intensified heat events, challenging claims of 'European hostility' to AC.

Severe floods in Guangxi province caused by Typhoon Maysak killed 39 and left nine missing, with aging infrastructure exacerbating the crisis. China's 15th five-year 'Beautiful China' plan outlines climate targets, including reducing carbon emissions and controlling coal use. Extreme weather events, including tornadoes and 50°C heatwaves, highlight increasing climate risks as China warms faster than the global average.

A record-breaking June 2026 heatwave in France caused over 2,700 heat-related deaths, with temperatures exceeding climate model projections. The extreme temperatures, averaging 36.9°C, surpassed previous records and aligned more with 2070s projections, highlighting challenges in predicting future heatwave impacts.

The US faced record-breaking heat disrupting Independence Day plans, with temperatures exceeding 100F in New York and Boston. Extreme heat caused over 2,000 excess deaths in Spain and France, while global ocean temperatures reached record levels, raising climate crisis concerns. The World Bank abandoned a climate-related lending goal, and China announced a 20tn yuan energy investment plan.