UK & EU Climate News

• UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves has expressed support for the construction of a third runway at Heathrow Airport, stating that it is essential for driving economic growth, increasing investment, and expanding exports. Reeves aims to secure planning permission by 2029, according to the Financial Times. However, the expansion faces opposition from environmentalists and concerns over its environmental impact. Ecotricity founder Dale Vince argued against the runway, calling for investment in the green economy instead. Ryanair's CEO Michael O’Leary also predicted significant delays due to planning and legal hurdles. Environmental concerns remain, with analysts highlighting the runway’s potential to increase CO2 emissions by 4.4 million tonnes annually, according to an analysis piece in the Guardian. Efforts to offset emissions and develop greener aviation technologies, such as electric and hydrogen-powered aircraft, are still in their early stages. Meanwhile, net-zero goals may complicate the runway’s future, with scepticism in Westminster over its alignment with climate targets.

• The Net Zero sector is growing three times faster than the overall UK economy, providing high-wage jobs across the country according to analysis by the Confederation of British Industry. The Net Zero economy grew by 10% in 2024 and generated £83bn in gross value added (GVA). Furthermore, the analysis found that 22,000 Net Zero businesses, from renewable energy to green finance employ almost a million people in full-time jobs, with the average annual wage in the businesses at £43,000, £5,600 higher than the national average. The net zero businesses accounted for 1.1% of the UK’s total GVA, making it bigger than the farming and advertising and market research sectors. 

• Scotland is set to become a key supplier of “green” hydrogen to Germany, with the potential to meet around a third of Germany’s demand by 2030, according to Scottish energy minister Gillian Martin, reports Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ). It quotes Martin saying: “We will generate more electricity than we can consume and use the surplus to produce green hydrogen for Germany.” While hydrogen will initially be shipped, plans are in place for a future pipeline linking Scotland to Emden, Lower Saxony, at an estimated cost of €3.1 billion, according to a study by the Net Zero Technology Centre in Aberdeen. Meanwhile, Reuters reports that German chancellor Olaf Scholz welcomed US president Donald Trump's push for increased oil and gas exports, saying it would benefit Europe during the transition to climate neutrality. Despite this, Scholz expressed regret over Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.

• UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to push forward with building small modular reactors (SMRs) across England and Wales, declaring "build, baby, build" in an effort to boost nuclear energy, the Guardian reports. While the government promises new jobs and cleaner energy, critics like Greenpeace UK argue the plan is unrealistic. Starmer also hinted at lower energy bills for those near new reactors, but local opposition and long project timelines remain challenges.

• HSBC has delayed its net-zero targets by 20 years, moving its original 2030 deadline for emissions reductions in its operations and supply chain to 2050, The Times reports. The delay brings HSBC, which had “positioned itself as one of the more ambitious banks on emission reductions”, in line with others like Goldman Sachs, notes Reuters. The bank’s financial reports blamed the change in target on a “slower pace of the transition across the real economy” than it had anticipated, as well as a lack of ambitious decarbonisation policies from government, reports BusinessGreen. HSBC has been criticised for delaying its targets, alongside announcing a new long-term bonus plan for its Chief Executive, Georges Elhedery, potentially worth up to 600% of his salary, reports the Guardian. 

• The conservative Christian Democrats (CDU), led by Friedrich Merz, won Germany's recent election, signaling a likely reduction in the focus on climate policies in the new government, reports Clean Energy Wire. However, the extent of this shift will depend on whether Merz can form a coalition with the Social Democrats alone or if the Greens will also be needed in a three-party alliance. A coalition with the Greens would likely result in more ambitious climate policies. Carbon Pulse says the election outcome means there is likely to be a “more pragmatic, market-led approach to climate action”, with Politico noting that Merz has prioritised economic growth over climate concerns and expressed reservations about EU green regulations. However, some green advocates believe that once in office, Merz's strong rhetoric may soften.

Global Climate News

• Indonesia’s climate envoy, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, has declared that the Paris Agreement is no longer relevant for the country following the US withdrawal, reports Antara News. He questioned why Indonesia should comply if the US does not. Despite this, energy minister Bahlil Lahadalia reiterated the nation’s commitment to renewable energy, while acknowledging the high costs involved. The Financial Times highlights President Prabowo Subianto's pledge to phase out coal by 2040, though analysts consider this an ambitious target for a country that has struggled to meet its climate goals. Djojohadikusumo also suggested that the "just energy transition partnership" with the US and other nations could be scrapped under Donald Trump’s administration. In related news, Bloomberg reports that New Zealand politician David Seymour has called for reconsidering the country’s participation in the Paris Agreement.

• Meanwhile, Japan’s government has approved a long-term plan to cut emissions, revise energy policy and boost industrial capacity through 2040. Japan will submit its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement this month, targeting a 60% emissions cut by 2035 and 73% by 2040. This builds on its 2030 goal of a 46% reduction. Japan also plans for renewables to supply up to 50% of its electricity by 2040, with nuclear contributing 20%.

• Last month was the hottest January on record, surprising scientists who expected La Niña conditions to cool global temperatures, reports the Financial Times. January saw surface air temperatures 1.75C above pre-industrial averages, making it the third-hottest month globally on record. While emissions from human activities, primarily fossil fuel burning, are the main cause of global warming, BBC News notes that scientists are unsure why January was particularly hot. La Niña, which usually lowers global temperatures, made the record highs even more unexpected, according to the New York Times. Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate for Copernicus, told Associated Press that despite cooling conditions in the Pacific, record ocean warmth worldwide contributed to the high temperatures.

• China has issued guidelines to enhance scientific and technological innovation in the ecology and environment sector, aiming to build a “green, beautiful China,” state news agency Xinhua reports. The focus is on reforming environmental governance and improving the sector’s scientific and technological systems. Xinhua also reports that over 50% of China’s exports in electric vehicles (EVs), solar batteries, and lithium-ion batteries come from private companies. Bloomberg reports on China’s EV price war, and Jiemian adds that BYD will sell carbon credits in Europe due to rising demand for trading.

• Heavy rains in Peru have caused widespread devastation, resulting in at least 46 deaths and affecting over 8,000 people, reports El Comercio. The extreme weather has also destroyed 635 homes, particularly impacting the northern coast and highlands, according to Peru’s national service of meteorology and hydrology. Authorities have advised residents in affected areas to reinforce their homes and set up early-warning systems in coordination with local officials.

Record-breaking growth in renewable energy in US threatened by Trump
 

In 2024, the US has seen record growth in renewable energy, adding 48.2 gigawatts (GW) of solar, wind, and battery storage capacity, enough to power 3.6 million homes, according to a report from research organisation Cleanview. This 47% increase from the previous year highlights the country’s push towards cleaner energy. However, the sector faces uncertainty due to political challenges, particularly from Donald Trump's administration. Trump’s policies and appointments, such as nominating oil and gas advocate Kathleen Sgamma to lead the Bureau of Land Management, signal a shift back towards fossil fuels.

Despite this, companies like Brookfield, a major renewable energy investor, remain optimistic, believing the market panic over Trump’s anti-green agenda may be exaggerated, reports the Financial Times. Meanwhile, the growing demand for power, especially from data centres, is putting additional pressure on the grid. Data-centre power demand has almost doubled in Virginia, reports Bloomberg. Total data-centre power capacity increased to 40.2GW in December from 21.4GW in July in the hotspot Data Center Alley, it adds. Critics argue that new measures to address this demand could prioritise gas plants over clean energy projects.

Trump’s administration is also tied to right-wing think tanks like the CEI, which has long opposed climate action, raising concerns over the future of US climate policy. Additionally, the Guardian reports that the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has placed “onerous new restrictions” on scientists that could hamper the quality and availability of the world’s weather forecasts and other services. 

Glaciers melting faster than ever recorded

Glaciers around the world are melting faster than ever due to climate change, with over 6,500 billion tonnes of ice lost since 2000—roughly 5% of their total volume. This rapid melting is accelerating, with glacier loss in the last decade more than a third higher compared to the period from 2000 to 2011.

Mountain glaciers, which provide crucial freshwater to millions of people, are also a major contributor to rising sea levels. If all the glacier ice melted, it could raise global sea levels by 32cm. On average, glaciers outside Greenland and Antarctica have been losing 270 billion tonnes of ice annually between 2000 and 2023, which is equivalent to the global water consumption over 30 years.

Some regions have been hit particularly hard - Central Europe has lost 39% of its glacier ice in just over 20 years. As glaciers continue to shrink, this will have significant consequences, including reduced water supplies for millions of people who rely on seasonal meltwater. Furthermore, global sea levels have already risen by more than 20cm since 1900, with about half of that rise occurring since the early 1990s. This increase is projected to accelerate, leading to more frequent coastal flooding. Each centimetre of sea-level rise puts another 2 million people at risk of annual flooding.

Storm Éowyn in Ireland: Strongest wind gusts since records began

Storm Éowyn was an extremely powerful and record-breaking extratropical cyclone which hit Ireland and the UK on 24 January 2025. The storm was fuelled by an exceptionally strong jet stream and energy from a winter storm which brought significant snow to the Gulf Coast of the United States. Storm Éowyn broke Irish records for the highest wind gust in the Republic of Ireland with 183 km/h (114 mph) recorded at Mace Head, Co. Galway. Two weather stations also reached hurricane force 12 on the Beaufort wind scale. The scale starts with 0 and goes to a force 12.

According to Journal.ie, the extent of forestry damage was 230% as large as the total amount of timber harvested from Ireland’s forests in 2023. By lunchtime on 24 January, nearly one million people were without power, with the worst affected communities left without power until 12 February. Claims arising from Storm Éowyn could reach €300 million, with around 24,000 insurance claims as of 21 February 2025, amounting to the most expensive weather event in the Republic of Ireland in the past 25 years.

The storm has brought into focus the rising cost of physical climate risks on insurance companies, as the wider global insurance industry struggles to price climate risk into their premiums. Whilst no single extreme weather event can be solely attributed to climate change, is likely that insurance premiums will rise in the future as the cumulative severity of climate change impacts grow.

UK approves two major solar farms in drive to grow capacity

UK energy minister Ed Miliband has approved a pair of “major” solar farms, reports Bloomberg, as the government “seeks to drive investment and cut CO2 emissions from the power system”. According to documents published by the government on Friday, the West Burton solar project and the Heckington Fen solar park were both greenlighted, the outlet says. These projects, with a combined capacity of 900 megawatts, will provide enough electricity for over 200,000 homes. However, Miliband has faced criticism for focusing on carbon capture and storage programs, with some arguing that the £22bn allocated could be better spent on renewables.

UK: Spending on flood defences set to rise to record levels

The UK government has announced a record £250 million boost to flood defences, aiming to protect homes and businesses from flooding, BBC News reports. This investment will fund projects such as tidal barriers, flood walls, and nature-based solutions to slow water flow. In its latest detailed assessment, the Environment Agency calculated 6.3m homes across England were currently at risk from flooding from rivers, seas and surface water. With climate change set to bring more intense storms and heavier rainfall, that could rise to 8m by 2050 – one out of every four properties.” This additional funding, repurposed from underspent environment department budgets, brings the total investment for flood defences to £2.65 billion by 2026, safeguarding 66,500 properties, the Financial Times reports.

New Research

• New research indicates the rate of ocean surface warming has quadrupled over the past four decades. The paper finds that ocean temperatures are currently increasing at 0.27C per decade, up from about 0.06C per decade in the 1980s. Accelerated ocean warming is linked to an “upward trend” in the Earth’s energy imbalance, according to the study, which analyses satellite observations since 1985 and uses a statistical model to account for interannual variability. The researchers predict that the ocean temperature increase seen over the past 40 years will likely be exceeded within two decades.

• New research indicates that demand-side strategies could reduce emissions from buildings by 51-85% and transport by 37-91% by 2050, relative to a “current policies scenario”. The authors use global integrated assessment models to assess CO2 reductions from three intervention strategies – “reducing or changing activity”, “improving technological efficiency” and “electrifying energy end use”. The study finds that electrification has the “largest potential” for “direct emissions reductions” in both buildings and transport.

• A new study finds that heatwaves in coastal regions will grow and intensify more than inland heatwaves under future climate change. From maximum daily temperature data, researchers detect summertime heatwaves between 1959 and 2023, distinguishing between coastal and land-based heatwaves by their evolution over time. They find that globally, summer heatwaves will increase in frequency and area, but slightly decrease in both duration and maximum intensity. However, they note that within these broader patterns are two competing trends: a decreasing maximum intensity of heatwaves with a heat stress index categorised as “safe” and an increasing maximum intensity of heatwaves with higher heat stress.

• A recent paper finds that, over the period 2001-2021, fires on peatlands in the UK released 800,000 tonnes of carbon, contributing around 90% of the country’s total annual fire-driven carbon emissions. The authors used a “fire emission model” to quantify carbon emissions from wildfires, using “high-resolution land-surface data and fire-weather indices”. By integrating future climate projections, the authors find that a global warming level of 2C above pre-industrial temperatures would drive up the UK’s fire-driven carbon emissions from peatlands by 60%, due to increased burn depths. They conclude that “protecting peatlands from fires in the UK would be a cost-effective way to slow climate change by avoiding future emission”.

• A study reveals that planted forests in China are less able to cope with drought than natural forests. The study, which uses satellite observations over 2001-2020 to understand forest drought risk, finds that planted forests exhibit lower drought resilience and resistance than natural forests, particularly subtropical broad-leaved evergreen and warm temperate deciduous broad-leaved forests. Lower forest canopy height and poorer soil nutrients are among the factors responsible for planted forests’ higher drought risk, according to the researchers. They emphasise the need for “enhanced [forest] management strategies” as droughts become more frequent and severe.