Climate News August 2025

UK & EU Climate News

• Provisional figures from the Met Office indicate that the UK has ‘almost certainly’ had its hottest summer on record. This has been attributed to regular areas of high pressure, dry ground resulting in less cooling due to soil moisture evaporation and a marine heatwave with sea temperatures up to 3C above normal around the UK. Scientists are clear that climate change is making UK summers hotter and drier. Nine of the last 10 summers (2016-2025) have brought temperatures above the long-term norm. The number of very hot days with temperatures above 30C (86F) has more than trebled in the most recent decade compared with the 1961-1990 average. Meanwhile, the UK is on course for one of its worst harvests on record after dry conditions and drought hit staple crops such as wheat, oats and barley.

• Europe is facing its worst wildfire season on record this August, with vast areas of land destroyed and thousands of lives disrupted. According to the Guardian, more than one million hectares of land have already burned across the EU this year, the highest figure since records began in 2006, with Spain and Portugal suffering the most extensive damage. The newspaper says the fires “have engulfed four times as much land this year as the average for the same period over the past two decades”. The blazes have released an estimated 38 million tonnes of CO, threatening Europe’s forest carbon sinks and worsening the climate crisis. Meanwhile, Reuters reports that in Portugal, wildfires have claimed lives and forced mass evacuations, including the deaths of firefighters battling extreme conditions. Crews described fleeing “walls of fire” as heatwaves and drought intensified the spread of flames. Spain has also seen fatalities, with at least six deaths linked to the fires and over 31,000 people evacuated from threatened towns. The relentless heat and arid conditions have left emergency services stretched thin, as flames continue to flare across southern Europe.

• Italy has authorised plans for the Vatican to convert a 430-hectare (1,000-acre) field north of Rome "into a vast solar farm that the Holy See hopes will generate enough electricity to meet its needs and turn Vatican City into the world's first carbon-neutral state", according to the Associated Press. The solar farm will cost less than €100 million to create and once it has received final approval from the Italian government, companies will be able to compete on contracts to complete the work. "Details weren't released, but the Vatican will be exempt from paying Italian taxes to import the solar panels, but won't benefit from the financial incentives that Italians enjoy when they go solar", the article adds.

Global Climate News

• The Associated Press reports that a "group of countries that are part of the OPEC+ alliance of oil-exporting countries has agreed to boost oil production, a move some believe could lower oil and petrol prices, citing a steady global economic outlook and low oil inventories". The organisation met virtually on Sunday and announced that eight of its member countries will increase oil production by 547,000 barrels per day in September. Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria, and Oman had all participated in voluntary production cuts that began in November 2023 and were set to end in September 2026. The announcement indicates that the voluntary production cuts would cease ahead of schedule.

• A first-of-its-kind US class-action lawsuit has been filed against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) after the Trump administration abruptly terminated the $3bn Environmental and Climate Justice (ECJ) block grant program, which Congress created under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. The program, designed to help disadvantaged communities tackle climate shocks, pollution, and environmental hazards, had awarded nearly 350 grants before being dismantled earlier this year. A coalition of non-profits, tribes, and local governments argues the termination is unconstitutional, violates Congress’s mandate, and was “arbitrary and capricious.” If successful, the case would force the EPA and its administrator Lee Zeldin to reinstate the entire program, rather than requiring communities to sue individually.

• At the 2025 Green Low-Carbon Innovation Conference in Huzhou, Zhejiang, Chinese and foreign experts underlined China's crucial role in developing a low-carbon future, reports China Daily. Liu Zhenmin, China's special envoy for climate change, emphasised the country's rapid transformation, with carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP falling 53.2% between 2005 and 2024, as well as its leadership in renewable energy - producing 70% of global photovoltaic components and 60% of wind power equipment. China's wind and solar exports alone contributed to an 810 million metric tonnes reduction in world carbon emissions in 2023. The "Two Mountains Theory" reframes ecological health as an economic asset, guiding China's commitment to reduce CO emissions by 2030 and attain carbon neutrality by 2060. Former UN Under-Secretary-General Erik Solheim commended China's leadership, saying its green transition demonstrates that economic growth and environmental conservation can go hand in hand. The conference, attended by 300 global representatives, suggested the importance of cross-border collaboration in science, technology and policy, with experts emphasising the importance of international partnerships in accelerating innovation, providing evidence-based guidance and scaling solutions to the world's climate challenges.

• Brazil is moving forward with plans to establish a $125 billion Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) to fund worldwide forest protection, with formal backing from Amazonian countries such as Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela. The fund aims to offer long-term finance for tropical forest protection in up to 74 developing countries by making high-yield, fixed-income investments to supplement traditional grants and carbon credit schemes. The updated plans include a 20% allocation for Indigenous and local communities, tougher governance restrictions, and a prohibition on investing in fossil fuels. While the World Bank has been named as a prospective trustee, its complete participation is dependent on internal examination and political circumstances, particularly tensions between Brazil and the United States. Brazil is seeking $25 billion in low-cost loans and guarantees from developed nations, but no pledges have been made. The fund, while not a complete solution, could significantly boost financing for global forests like the Amazon and Congo Basin. These forests store massive amounts of CO and are increasingly threatened by deforestation, wildfires and climate change.

UK lags EU on environmental legislation

According to an article recently published by the Guardian and the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP), the UK is "falling behind the EU" in numerous areas of environmental regulation following Brexit. According to the press: "Since Brexit, the analysis has found the EU has brought forward 28 new, revised or upgraded pieces of environmental legislation that the UK has not adopted, and the UK has actively chosen to regress by changing four different pieces of legislation including on protected habitats, pesticides and fisheries." It goes on to say that the "UK is falling behind the EU in terms of protecting rare creatures such as red squirrels, cleaning up the air and water, removing dangerous chemicals from products, and making consumer products more recyclable and energy efficient". The UK’s new planning and infrastructure bill overrides the EU’s Habitats Directive and allows developers to pay into a general nature fund instead of preserving or creating habitat near development sites.

On water policy, the EU is advancing stronger legislation to clean rivers of harmful chemicals and microplastics, while making polluters pay for cleanup. In contrast, the UK has removed EU air pollution laws from its statute book, even as the EU pushes forward with new measures to improve air quality. The EU is also enforcing strict circular economy rules, requiring designer goods to meet high standards for recyclability and energy efficiency. This could leave the UK vulnerable to becoming a dumping ground for substandard products. Environmental groups warn that these policy gaps risk undermining the UK’s climate and nature goals and call for urgent action to match or exceed EU standards.

Banking Net Zero club to change structure after mass exodus

The international climate-focused coalition of banks is preparing to vote on a potential overhaul of its organizational model, following a significant wave of member withdrawals.

The Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA) is considering a shift from its current membership-based format to a newly proposed “framework initiative.” This development follows a widespread retreat from environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments within the financial sector. The departure of major U.S. banks accelerated after Donald Trump won the presidency in November 2024, campaigning under the anti-ESG slogan “drill baby drill.”

Goldman Sachs was the first to leave shortly after the election, and by January, JP Morgan’s exit completed Wall Street’s full withdrawal, joining Citi, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, and Wells Fargo in abandoning the alliance.

Canadian institutions including the Royal Bank of Canada, Bank of Montreal, and Toronto-Dominion Bank also exited by the end of January, effectively removing North American representation from the NZBA.

In the UK, leading banks mirrored this trend. HSBC left in July, followed by Barclays in August, which stated that the alliance no longer had sufficient membership to support its transition goals.

A decision on the NZBA’s future structure is expected by the end of September.

Plastic pollution treaty fails as countries remain divided

Global efforts to secure a landmark UN treaty to end plastic pollution collapsed again towards the end of August, as countries remained deeply divided over whether to curb plastic production or focus on recycling. The sixth round of talks, held in Nairobi, dragged on beyond schedule but ended without resolution, pushing negotiations further behind their original 2023 deadline.

A coalition of around 100 nations, including the UK and EU, called for measures that would limit plastic production and standardise design to make recycling easier. This view was supported by companies such as Nestlé and Unilever, who favour consistent global rules and levies on plastic products to fund recycling. However, since plastics are linked to economies that rely on fossil fuels, large oil-producing countries like Saudi Arabia and Russia opposed production limitations and instead emphasised recycling and better waste management.

Given that recycling rates are currently around 10% worldwide, scientists and environmental organisations argue that recycling alone is insufficient. Plastics are useful in almost every sector, but scientists have particular concerns about the potentially harmful chemicals they contain, which can leach out as plastics and break down into smaller pieces. Palau, a country in the northern Pacific, spoke on behalf of the island states: "We are repeatedly returning home with insufficient progress to show our people. It is unjust for us to face the brunt of yet another global environmental crisis we contribute minimally to," it stated.

Deadly monsoon floods in Pakistan

Northern Pakistan has faced a devastating monsoon crisis, with at least 340 people killed, according to Le Monde. The majority of fatalities occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where flash floods and collapsing houses have destroyed entire villages. Rescue teams are struggling to recover bodies and reach isolated communities, with 2,000 personnel working in nine affected districts, including Buner, Bajaur, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, and Battagram. Severe rainfall, landslides, and washed-out roads are hampering relief efforts, forcing rescuers to travel on foot in remote regions.

The humanitarian impact is made worse by further fatalities in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, as well as five deaths, including two pilots, when a government helicopter crashed during a relief mission. Authorities have declared the most affected districts as disaster-hit zones and continue to coordinate emergency aid, while meteorologists warn of continued heavy rain in northwestern Pakistan. Communities face widespread displacement, loss of homes, and disruption of essential services, with families grieving loved ones amidst flooding and debris.

Experts attribute the severity of this year’s monsoon to climate change, with rising global temperatures intensifying rainfall and extreme weather events in South Asia. Pakistan, already one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, has seen increasingly destructive monsoons in recent years, including floods in 2022 that submerged a third of the country and killed around 1,700 people.

Worst coral bleaching on record for Western Australian reefs

World-famous coral reefs off the coast of Western Australia have experienced the biggest bleaching on record as a result of the state's "longest, largest, and most intense" marine heatwave, BBC news reports. From August 2024 to May 2025, abnormally warm water temperatures created widespread heat stress, pushing coral to expel the algae that give them life and colour- a process known as bleaching, which can be fatal. The damage covers 1,500 km of coastline, including formerly resilient regions like the Rowley Shoals in north Kimberley and the Ningaloo Reef, a World Heritage site. Early evaluations show that several reefs had 15 to 30 weeks of high heat stress, which is unprecedented in WA, and scientists warn that the entire impact of the damage will take months to determine. James Gilmour of the Australian Institute of Marine Science identified the 2024-25 season as the most severe bleaching ever recorded for both northwestern and central reefs.

These events highlight the increasing threat of climate change, which is making bleaching more common, intense, and widespread. Coral reefs, which take 10 to 15 years to restore, are being given little time to rebound. Murray Watt, the federal environment minister, emphasised that the damage underlines the urgent need for action, including achieving net zero emissions. Dr. Gilmour stated that carbon emissions remain the largest threat to coral worldwide, and UN forecasts indicate that even if global temperatures rise no more than 1.5C, 70 to 90% of tropical coral reefs might be lost. With the Great Barrier Reef seeing record reductions in recent years, Australia's reefs illustrate the global crisis threatening marine ecosystems.

Research

• A new study comprising a large-scale survey of 14,710 people across 55 small-island states finds near-universal concern about climate change and its consequences, such as sea-level rise, extreme weather and water pollution. It discovered that people in more vulnerable regions see climate dangers as immediate and personal. The study finds broad acceptance of human-caused climate change and a strong sense of shared responsibility for addressing it. Providing information about countries’ emissions did not significantly shift views on who should contribute to climate funding. Instead, respondents preferred an “all hands on deck” approach. These findings challenge assumptions about climate risk perception and responsibility attribution, which suggests the need for inclusive climate policy that reflects the views of those most affected.

• A new study finds that global ecosystem restoration has significantly less potential to counteract climate change than previously believed. Using a detailed modelling approach, researchers estimate that restoring forests, grasslands, shrublands, and wetlands could sequester up to 96.9 gigatonnes of carbon by 2100, accounting for only 17.6% of historical emissions and as little as 3.7% of projected future emissions under high-emission scenarios. The study challenges earlier, more optimistic projections by taking into consideration realistic restoration timetables, ecosystem-specific carbon rates, and climate-driven vegetation changes. It also emphasises that focussing on open ecosystems such as grasslands and wetlands, rather than just tree planting, could result in more equitable and ecologically beneficial results.

• New findings reveal that lake littoral zones (shallow areas near shorelines) play a much larger role in the global carbon cycle than previously recognised. These zones, which are rich in aquatic vegetation, rival tropical rainforests in productivity and act as significant carbon sinks through sediment burial and atmospheric uptake. The research shows that including littoral carbon fluxes in lake budgets could shift lakes from being net carbon sources to net sinks. Up to 60% of carbon emissions from lakes may originate from these zones, not from terrestrial inputs as previously assumed. The study also finds that methane emissions from littoral zones are substantial but still outweighed by carbon burial. This suggest that current continental carbon budgets may be underestimated and highlight the need to better integrate littoral processes into climate models.

• A research letter warns that deforestation and reduced rainfall could push the Amazon rainforest toward a tipping point within this century. Using a coupled land-atmosphere model, researchers found that a 65% loss of forest cover or a 10% drop in moisture influx could trigger a shift from rainforest to savanna-like vegetation. The system responds non-linearly, meaning small changes in forest cover or precipitation could cause abrupt transitions. If current trends continue, the Amazon could lose its ability to sustain high rainfall and biodiversity, with cascading effects on global climate.

• A new systematic review reveals that urban green spaces (UGS) have cooling potential as natural solutions to urban heat. The analysis examines 84 studies from 2014 to 2024 and concludes that UGS can reduce urban temperatures by 1-7C through shade, evapotranspiration, and spatial planning. The effectiveness varies with vegetation type, canopy size, spatial layout, and urban morphology. However, obstacles remain, particularly in hot and arid locations where water scarcity and restricted space prevent implementation. The work focusses on optimising existing green areas, choosing drought-tolerant species, and combining UGS with reflective surfaces and smart watering systems. It calls for additional study into equitable access, long-term sustainability, and multi-scale planning to ensure that UGS initiatives are effective, inclusive and climate resilient.

• A new study warns that mineral shortages could hinder global attempts to fulfil climate commitments. After analysing 557 IPCC mitigation strategies, researchers discovered that up to 12 key minerals, including indium, cadmium, tin, and tellurium, could face global shortages by 2100, particularly under 1.5C scenarios. These minerals are critical for solar, wind, and nuclear energy. Developing countries such as Africa and South Asia are especially vulnerable, with potential shortages of up to 24 minerals. The report suggests a dual approach to expand energy technology beyond solar and wind, and increase recycling, material substitution, and international trade cooperation. Mineral restrictions have the potential to delay low-carbon transitions and exacerbate global inequality unless urgent innovation and collaboration takes place.

• A new research article reveals that dry seasons are becoming longer in many of the world's watersheds, posing growing threats to ecosystems and water security. Researchers analysed data from 845 watersheds between 1980 and 2020 and discovered that nearly one in every five had a considerable increase in dry season length, averaging more than 11 days every decade. These shifts were caused by earlier dry season starts, later ends, or both. The most affected areas are southwestern North America, the Amazon, West and Central Africa, Mongolia, and the Yellow River Basin. The study defines dryness based on water availability, taking into consideration both rainfall and evapotranspiration, and urges attention to these vulnerable areas as climate change intensifies water stress.

• A new study reveals that climate warming is shifting the main constraint on vegetation growth in northern ecosystems from temperature to water availability. Using satellite-based solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence data, researchers found that water-limited regions have expanded over the past two decades and are projected to grow further under future climate scenarios. This shift could reduce the ability of these ecosystems to absorb carbon dioxide, weakening their role as carbon sinks. The study introduces a simple temperature-precipitation relationship to predict these changes and calls for better models that can more accurately reflect the growing impact of water stress as the climate warms.

• A new study finds that ozone will become the second-largest contributor to climate warming by 2050 under a high-emissions scenario. According to a multi-model analysis that uses seven atmospheric-chemistry-enabled climate models, scientists predict that between 2015 and 2050, the warming effect caused by increases in tropospheric ozone precursors and decreases in ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) will be approximately equal, making ozone the second-largest contributor to warming in that period. The study also found that conventional metrics underestimate the full climate impact of stratospheric ozone recovery; the more comprehensive Effective Radiative Forcing (ERF) measure indicates a stronger effect than the Standard Adjusted Radiative Forcing (SARF).