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White House unveils new climate goals weeks before Trump's return

President Joe Biden's administration on Thursday unveiled a new climate target under the landmark Paris accord, just weeks before Donald Trump's return to the White House threatens to upend US efforts to combat global warming.

UN experts urge three 'transformations' for nature

Human societies need a radical overhaul to stop the destruction of the planet, according to the UN biodiversity expert panel's "transformative change" report released Wednesday.

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Super Typhoon Kong-rey makes landfall in Taiwan

Super Typhoon Kong-rey made landfall in Taiwan on Thursday as one of the most powerful storms to hit the island in years, whipping up 10-metre waves and forcing thousands of people to flee their homes.

Are bioplastics really the wonder alternative to petro plastics?

Alternatives to petrochemical-based plastics are emerging, made from everything from banana leaves to tomato skins, especially for food packaging.

Bodies found as torrential rains slam Spain

Several bodies have been recovered by emergency service workers in Spain's eastern region of Valencia after torrential rains triggered flash floods, the head of the regional government said Wednesday.

Seven missing as torrential rains slam Spain

Seven people were missing after torrential rains triggered flash floods in southern and eastern Spain on Tuesday, disrupting rail and air travel, officials said.

Biden unveils $3 bn US ports boost, takes aim at Trump

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday unveiled a $3 billion investment towards port infrastructure in Maryland -- and took a swipe at Republican White House candidate Donald Trump a week before Election Day.

Four missing as torrential rains slam Spain

At least four people were missing after torrential rains caused flash floods in southern and eastern Spain on Tuesday, shutting roads and high-speed train connections, officials said.

Taiwan warns Typhoon Kong-rey 'rapidly' intensifying

Authorities in southeastern Taiwan suspended some ferries and advised fishers to return to shore Tuesday as the island's weather forecaster warned approaching Typhoon Kong-rey was "rapidly" intensifying.

Carbon cuts 'miles short' of 2030 goal: UN

Greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere reached new record highs in 2023, the UN warned on Monday, with countries falling "miles short" of what is needed to curb devastating global warming.

Still no snow on Japan's Mount Fuji, breaking record

Japan's Mount Fuji remained snow-less as of Monday -- the latest date that its majestic slopes have been bare since records began 130 years ago, the weather agency said.

Climate change-worsened floods wreak havoc in Africa

Every rainy season for the past 12 years, floods have swept through 67-year-old Idris Egbunu's house in central Nigeria.

Trump vs Harris: Competing visions for a warming world

"Drill, baby, drill" versus championing green energy: Donald Trump and Kamala Harris offer starkly opposing visions on climate, with the outcome of the US presidential race poised to shape the planet's warming trajectory.

Google urged to step up efforts to demonetize climate falsehoods

Civil society groups implored Google on Thursday to rigorously enforce its policy to demonetize environmental disinformation, saying ads placed alongside climate denial content persistently popped up despite the tech titan's pledge to crack down.

Climate change worsened deadly Africa floods, scientists say

Human-caused climate change worsened floods that have killed hundreds of people and displaced millions in Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Nigeria and Sudan this year, according to a study published on Wednesday.

Cuban leader warns against unrest over nationwide blackout

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel warned Sunday that his government would not tolerate public disturbances during the nationwide power outage which the authorities are struggling to resolve.

UN biodiversity conference: what's at stake?

The world's pledges to halt humankind's destruction of nature will be put to the test when the 16th UN conference on biodiversity opens Monday in Colombia.

Japan shifting back to nuclear to ditch coal, power AI

Glinting in the sun by the world's biggest nuclear plant, the Sea of Japan is calm now. But as the huge facility gears up to restart, Kashiwazaki-Kariwa has a new tsunami wall, just in case.

UK activist jailed for dyeing fountain outside Buckingham Palace red

A UK animal rights activist who caused thousands of pounds' worth of damage to a fountain in front of Buckingham Palace was on Friday handed an 18-month jail sentence and warned he faced "severe" punishment if he reoffended.

Drought forces Big Tech to rethink thirsty LatAm data centers

A prolonged drought in much of South America has forced tech giants like Google and Amazon to rework their plans for water-guzzling data centers.

World Bank chief says lender's climate goals likely safe under Trump

The World Bank's climate policies are an example of "development done smart," and are unlikely to be scaled back regardless of who wins November's US presidential election, the head of the development lender told AFP.

UK's National Gallery bans liquids after activist art attacks

The National Gallery in London said Thursday that it was banning liquids in a move to bolster security of its artworks after a spate of high-profile attacks by activists.

Climate change worsened deadly Nepal floods, scientists say

Climate change, along with rapid urbanisation and deforestation, turbocharged floods in Nepal that killed more than 240 people last month, scientists said on Thursday.

World heading into 'the Age of Electricity': IEA

More than half of the world's electricity will be produced by low-emission sources before 2030 but the deployment of clean energy is "far from uniform" across the globe, the International Energy Agency said Wednesday.

Climate change solutions not always good for biodiversity

Some approaches to tackling global warming can have unintended knock-on consequences for nature and the protection of biodiversity, say scientists urging a more coordinated effort on these challenges.

Reoxygenating oceans: startups lead the way in Baltic Sea

European scientists have teamed up with two startups in a pioneering experiment to tackle one of the major problems facing sea life -- the depletion of oxygen in the ocean, causing the disappearance of fish and marine biodiversity.

Little progress at key meet ahead of COP29 climate summit

A key meeting ahead of the UN COP29 climate summit ended Friday in frustration with countries making little progress over how to fund a new finance deal for poorer nations.

'Party atmosphere': Skygazers treated to another aurora show

Scientist Jim Wild has travelled to the Arctic Circle numerous times to study the northern lights, but on Thursday night he only needed to look out of his bedroom window in the English city of Lancaster.

Kyrgyzstan opens rare probe into glacier destruction

Kyrgyzstan has opened a criminal probe into the destruction of glacial ice by a private company, a rare move pointing to concerns over water shortages in the Central Asian country.

Thunberg leads pro-Palestinian, climate protest in Milan

Swedish activist Greta Thunberg attended a climate change and pro-Palestinian rally in Milan on Friday, days after her criticism of Israel sparked a row over protests in Germany.

At least 11 dead in Florida but Hurricane Milton not as bad as feared

At least 11 people died as Hurricane Milton sent tornadoes spinning across Florida, officials said Thursday as the state grappled with flooding, power outages and other woes from a milder than expected storm that many had feared would be catastrophic.

On US coast, wind power foes embrace 'Save the Whales' argument

Whether from real concern for marine animals or doubts about renewable energy, the anti-wind power movement has been growing along the US East Coast, with some trying to blame a surge in whale strandings on the growth of offshore energy projects.

At least 10 dead in Florida after Hurricane Milton spawns tornadoes

At least 10 people died after Hurricane Milton sent tornadoes spinning as it ripped across Florida, with flooding swamping swaths of the Tampa Bay area, authorities said Thursday.

Florida battered by hurricane, floods but spared 'worst-case scenario'

Hurricane Milton tore a coast-to-coast path of destruction across the US state of Florida, whipping up a spate of deadly tornadoes that left at least four people dead, but avoiding the catastrophic devastation officials had feared.

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