Zero: How Developing Countries Keep Acting on Climate

In the time since she became Prime Minister of Barbados in 2018, Mia Mottley has become known as a moral force for action on climate change. The Bridgetown Initiative, which she launched at COP26 in 2021, transformed the conversation around climate finance – pushing rich nations to do more to support developing countries struggling with the impact of climate change. But as the US retreats from climate action, her bold vision faces new challenges. At the Sustainable Energy for All Global Forum in Barbados, she tells Akshat Rathi why she remains optimistic, and she spoke about the role of pragmatism in tackling the climate challenge.

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Zero: Have China's Emissions Finally Peaked?

When exactly China's emissions peak will make a big difference to the fate of the planet. That moment has come, according to Lauri Myllyvirta, co-founder of the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. A combination of factors – including a huge deployment of renewables and the electrification of transport – has put China's emissions into a structural decline. This week on Zero, Akshat Rathi asks Myllyvirta how confident he is that this really is a peak? What's behind the decline in emissions? And how will the trade war with the US affect China's climate and energy policies in the years to come?

Yahoo

09-06-2025

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Oxford University to host global climate and human rights summit launch event

A panel of speakers from global climate leadership has been announced for a launch event in Oxford ahead of a climate summit. The University of Oxford will host the launch of the Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Summit 2025 at the Sheldonian Theatre on Wednesday, June 4. Featuring keynote speeches, panel discussions, and performances, the event will bring together leading voices from policy, activism, business, and academia to explore the relationship between climate change and human rights. The launch event will take place ahead of a 24-hour global online plenary extending into World Environment Day on June 5. The evening will begin with introductory remarks from Professor Irene Tracey, vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford, and Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Professor Irene Tracey, vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford (Image: Contributed) The event will be hosted by Justin Rowlatt, climate editor at the BBC, and will include a rotation of speakers discussing how climate change impacts human rights and how these rights can inform responses to the climate crisis. The panel of speakers will include Lord Alok Sharma, a former COP26 president known for leading international negotiations resulting in the Glasgow Climate Pact. Vanessa Nakate, a climate justice activist and founder of the Rise Up Movement, who advocates for equitable climate solutions focusing on African communities, will also speak. Kate Raworth, an economist and co-founder of the Doughnut Economics Action Lab, whose work explores sustainable development within planetary boundaries, and Paul Polman, a business leader and former CEO of Unilever, known for championing responsible corporate climate action, will speak too. The audience will also hear from Professor Lavanya Rajamani, professor of international environmental law at Oxford, whose research and legal work supports climate-vulnerable nations in international negotiations, Emma Pinchbeck, chief executive of the Climate Change Committee, who leads the UK's independent advisory body on reaching net zero, and Dr Omnia El Omrani, a medical doctor and climate-health policy advocate, who has represented youth voices at recent UN climate summits and focuses on the health impacts of climate change. The event will be livestreamed and will conclude with a handover to partners at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji to begin the global programme at 10pm. The 24-hour plenary will include contributions from university hubs around the world, partners at UN Human Rights, and the International Universities Climate Alliance. The Oxford Mail and Oxford City Council are looking to find Oxford's climate heroes with this year's Oxford Climate Awards. Rose Hill and Iffley Low Carbon at the Oxford Climate Awards 2024 (Image: Joe Baker) They are looking for individuals or groups who champion environmental sustainability across categories including innovation in climate action, sustainable business, and green transport.

Yahoo

05-06-2025

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Hands-on Macron rekindles bromance with Lula

Emmanuel Macron and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva held hands and strolled around the grounds of the Elysée on Wednesday. In his latest tactile display, the touchy-feely Mr Macron embraced the 79-year-old Brazilian president on the first state visit from the country's head of government to France since Dilma Rousseff's trip in 2012. Their hand-holding walkabout comes a year after the pair were filmed ambling through the Amazon and posing beneath the soaring canopy in white button-down shirts during Mr Macron's state visit. They were later seen clasping hands on a boat as Mr Macron looked adoringly at Mr Lula, both leaders' faces lit by a gentle sun. The French president later posted on X: 'Some have compared the images of my visit to Brazil to those of a wedding, I tell them: it was one!,' He accompanied the post with a photo of himself and Lula photoshopped onto the movie poster from 'La La Land' in place of Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, adding: 'France loves Brazil and Brazil loves France!' Mr Lula replied with the flags of their two nations and an emoji of swirling hearts. The Brazilian head-of-state is by no means the only world leader to receive Mr Macron's full Gallic charm offensive. In March, the French president engaged in a brotherly hug, a 13-second handshake and warm pats on the back with Sir Keir Starmer during a Lancaster House summit about securing the future of Ukraine and advocating for a 'coalition of the willing' of countries who would join them. Diplomats said the 'bromance' suggested Britain and France are the closest they have been in more than a decade. Mr Macron also got tactile – again – with Donald Trump in February at the Oval Office where there were hugs, back slaps and touching knees as the leaders jostled to use body language as a power play. In a particularly tense moment, Mr Macron interrupted his 78-year-old counterpart as Mr Trump falsely claimed that Europe was 'loaning' money to Ukraine and would get 'their money back'. Mr Macron put his hand on Mr Trump's arm and carefully corrected him: 'No, in fact, to be frank, we paid 60 per cent of the total effort.' In 2018, during one of their meetings in the Vatican, the French president greeted the late Pope Francis by kissing his cheek. Both men were on first-name terms despite a string of disagreements from abortion rights to assisted dying. Mr Macron's hands-on approach led him to break royal protocol on numerous occasions during King Charles and Queen Camilla's trip to France in September 2023. As the monarch greeted crowds in Paris, the French president was seen reaching out to touch Charles on the arm and back. While it is considered only a minor infringement, the move still falls foul of protocol. The pair are known to have a friendly bond, as they were seen chatting at COP26 in Glasgow back in 2021. He also flirted with royal protocol by kissing Queen Camilla's hand. The rekindling bromance between Mr Macron and Mr Lula comes just after the French president received a shove in the face with both hands from his wife Brigitte during a trip to Vietnam as the pair prepared to descend from the presidential plane in Hanoi. The French president later strenuously denied any 'domestic dispute' and complained that this was the latest attempt by 'crazy people', 'fools', and opponents out to smear him at all costs. He told reporters in Hanoi: 'We are horsing around and, really, joking with my wife, and I am surprised by this.' He also lamented the fact that the footage had been turned into 'a kind of global catastrophe where some people are even coming up with theories'. Despite their warm encounter, Mr Macron and Mr Lula don't agree on all diplomatic matters. France has staunchly opposed ratifying the so-called Mercosur agreement, a trade deal between the European Union and four South American nations, including Brazil, over fears a flow of lower-cost agricultural goods would outcompete Europe's farmers. In a further nod to their proximity, Mr Lula said on Thursday: 'Open your heart a little to this opportunity to finalise this agreement with our dear Mercosur.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.