01/08/2025
If climate news were a Netflix series, the past two weeks would’ve been a blockbuster, leaving us gripping the edges of our seats . . . and sometimes, burying our faces in our hands. What have we seen?
We saw unsettling scenes: businesses withdrawing from the crucial UN climate summit in Belém . . . deterred by politics + excessive hotel prices + difficult travel = symbolizing exactly the type of short-term thinking that landed us here in the first place. ExxonMobil’s CEO urged Donald Trump to weaponize trade talks against the EU’s “bone-crushing” climate regulations = Business-as-Usual power dynamics prioritizing profits over planetary decency. Meanwhile, Trump continues dismantling climate progress: gutting US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) greenhouse gas oversight + slashing ocean areas designated for wind farms + encouraging scientists who dismantle climate consensus. Heatwaves shattered records from London to Tokyo + disrupted subways in NYC + sent energy demands soaring. Extreme weather events drove food prices sharply upwards worldwide. The oceans themselves are crying out . . . experiencing “unprecedented” heat waves that we are approaching dangerous tipping points sooner than we imagined.
Yet amid the climate horror movies playing out before us, real heroes step forward. Small island nations’ students successfully took major polluters to court, proving that the seemingly powerless can challenge and defeat giants. Scotland boldly approved the world’s largest offshore wind farm, while Australia doubled down on solar strategies to tackle drought and evaporation. A green steel startup declared it could now out-price traditional steel, challenging assumptions that sustainability must come at a premium.
There’s also strategic courage: Eni, Italy’s oil titan, commits to making energy-transition profits match its traditional oil and gas by 2035. Japan’s pension funds embrace ESG and find robust returns. Even Formula 1’s pivot to renewable energy has achieved a remarkable 26% reduction in its carbon footprint.
Still, it’s clear we’re far from safe shores. Germany faces declining investments in residential solar, and Europe’s far-right wants to derail critical 2040 climate targets. Meanwhile, China . . . despite its global renewable leadership . . . continues controversial mega-projects like the $167 billion Tibetan dam = risking environmental upheaval while ramping up coal capacity thus undermining global emission goals.
Luxembourg, too, has been drawn into controversy, investigating potential wrongdoing in CO₂ credit schemes linked to China. Such cases remind us that transparency and accountability are as vital in climate finance as in activism.
The complexity can feel overwhelming, but we must remain clear-eyed: our choices today define tomorrow. As United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warns: fossil fuels are “running out of road,” and renewable energy has already become our primary lifeline. Technology can help . . . AI accelerates climate research, and clean tech innovations surge forward . . . but only alongside human determination + bold governance + shared global vision.
The climate crisis is not just scientific or economic: it’s profoundly moral and human. It demands relentless courage. We cannot afford to retreat, ignore, or despair.
Together, we must stay hopeful, vigilant, and committed, keeping the climate story firmly in our hands. The Youth4Planet community thrives not just on facing difficult truths, but on turning difficult truths into powerful, courageous action. So, as central bankers serve existential warnings and politicians stall, the world desperately needs you . . . us . . . to turn the tides. We have the tools, stories, and bravery to write a new script. Let’s make sure it’s one worth telling.
Here are the the Financial Times Climate Capital news articles and Bloomberg Green articles for the 2 weeks ending today, Friday 1st August 2025:
• A host of businesses and consultants are backing away from the UN climate summit at the city of Belém, known as the gateway to the Amazon, deterred by a difficult political backdrop, up to $2,000-a-night for hotel rooms and lengthy travel https://on.ft.com/4l6zykG
• Exxon chief urges Donald Trump to use trade talks to fight ‘bone-crushing’ EU regulation . . . Darren Woods says bloc’s climate and human rights directive will hurt competition https://on.ft.com/4ogPBiF
• Eni bets on energy transition profits to match oil and gas by 2035 . . . Italian oil major sticks with ‘satellite’ strategy for low-carbon units as others pull back https://on.ft.com/40G7Tjr
• Central bankers are more like David Cronenberg than Steven Soderbergh — they don’t hop around between genres trying to create a quirky feel-good experience, they just stick to what they know and hit you with repeated waves of existential horror. The latest summer blockbuster from the ECB Blog is a perfect example — if you take a minute to think about what it’s saying, it will chill your spine https://on.ft.com/44RBQyg
• Fossil fuels were “running out of road” as the cost of renewable energy dropped sharply, the UN secretary-general said, after clean energy made up the bulk of all new electricity capacity additions globally in 2024 https://on.ft.com/4lJ4Mjb
• A senior central banker has defended supervisors’ work on climate change after attacks from the US, and warned officials had previously “completely underestimated” the risks rising temperatures pose to the financial system https://on.ft.com/4lWTiJ7
• Extreme weather drives food price surges across the globe. Unusual climatic events are directly linked to short-term spikes in cost of basic foodstuffs, study shows https://on.ft.com/4lDrSYl
• ‘Unprecedented’ Ocean Heat Waves in 2023 Suggest Climate Tipping Point https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-24/-unprecedented-ocean-heat-waves-in-2023-suggest-climate-tipping-point?srnd=phx-green
• China’s Coal Pipeline Risks Creating Glut, Blowing Climate Goals https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-29/china-s-coal-pipeline-risks-creating-glut-blowing-climate-goals?srnd=phx-green
• Climate Change: Why Governments, Companies Are Being Sued Over Lack of Action https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-23/climate-change-why-governments-companies-are-being-sued-over-lack-of-action?srnd=phx-green
• Big Tech Must Make AI Sustainable by 2030, UN Chief Says https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-22/big-tech-must-make-ai-sustainable-by-2030-un-chief-says?srnd=phx-green
• Google Sees Asia as a ‘Challenging’ Region to Decarbonize https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-30/google-sees-asia-as-a-challenging-region-to-decarbonize?srnd=phx-green
• Beijing Urges Residents Indoors as Heavy Rainfalls Hit China https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-28/beijing-urges-residents-indoors-as-foot-of-rain-looms-overnight?srnd=phx-green
• Why China’s $167 Billion Mega-Dam Project In Tibet Is So Controversial https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-21/why-china-s-167-billion-mega-dam-project-in-tibet-is-so-controversial?srnd=phx-green
• Toxic Water Leaks From Top US Oil Field Ensnare Devon (DVN) in Texas Court Fight https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-21/toxic-water-leaks-from-top-us-oil-field-ensnare-devon-dvn-in-texas-court-fight?srnd=phx-green
• EPA to Abolish US Government Authority to Regulate Greenhouse Gases https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-28/epa-set-to-unravel-us-authority-to-regulate-greenhouse-gases?srnd=phx-green
• London’s Financial District Workers Face Dangerously Hot Commute https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-07-25/london-s-financial-district-workers-face-dangerously-hot-commute?srnd=phx-green
• Europe’s Far-Right Says 2040 Climate Target Should Be Rejected https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-25/europe-s-far-right-says-2040-climate-target-should-be-rejected?srnd=phx-green
• Germany Sees Dramatic Slump in Private Solar Power Projects https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-23/german-solar-contracts-slump-as-electricity-prices-decline?srnd=phx-green
• Window Heat Pumps Are Becoming More Popular in Germany https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-26/window-heat-pumps-are-becoming-more-popular-in-germany?srnd=phx-green
• US Heat Wave: Scorching Heat to Raise Power Demand in Central, Eastern US https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-25/scorching-heat-to-raise-power-demand-in-central-eastern-us?srnd=phx-green
• Building Owners Are Trying to Save Energy Star From Trump Cuts https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-23/building-owners-are-trying-to-save-energy-star-from-trump-cuts?srnd=phx-green
• Greenhushing Can Keep Costs Higher, Climate Impact X CEO Says https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-29/greenhushing-can-keep-costs-higher-climate-impact-x-ceo-says?srnd=phx-green
• The World Is Far Off From a Landmark Goal to Triple Renewables https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-30/the-world-is-far-off-from-a-landmark-goal-to-triple-renewables?srnd=phx-green
• Climate Change Lawsuits Could Push Countries to Accelerate Adaption Efforts https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-30/legal-risks-seen-accelerating-nations-climate-adaptation-plans?srnd=phx-green
• Japan’s Pension Fund Sees ESG Expansion Delivering Returns https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-25/japan-s-pension-fund-sees-esg-expansion-delivering-returns?srnd=phx-green
• How Trump-Vetted Scientists Are Trying to Shred the Climate Consensus https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-31/how-trump-vetted-scientists-are-trying-to-shred-the-climate-consensus?srnd=phx-green
• Australia Boosts Clean Energy Plan to Meet Lofty Renewables Goal https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-29/australia-boosts-clean-energy-plan-to-meet-lofty-renewables-goal?srnd=phx-green
• Utilities in Australia Using Solar Panels to Cut Water Evaporation https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-24/utilities-in-australia-using-solar-panels-to-cut-water-evaporation?srnd=phx-green
• Trump Yanks Millions of Acres of Ocean Designated for Wind https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-30/trump-yanks-millions-of-acres-of-ocean-designated-for-wind-power?srnd=phx-green
• US Green Project Cancellations Hit $22 Billion in First Half https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-24/us-green-project-cancellations-hit-22-billion-in-first-half?srnd=phx-green
• From Stuttgart to Hong Kong, ‘Wind Corridors’ Bring Relief From Heat https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-07-31/from-stuttgart-to-hong-kong-wind-corridors-bring-relief-from-heat?srnd=phx-green
• HSBC Sees 19% Jump in Sustainable Finance to $54 Billion https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-30/hsbc-did-54-billion-in-sustainable-finance-deals-in-first-half?srnd=phx-green
• Japan Records Highest Temperature Ever as Heat Wave Lingers https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-30/japan-records-highest-temperature-ever-as-heat-wave-lingers?srnd=phx-green
• Scotland Gives Go-Ahead for World’s Largest Offshore Wind Farm https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-31/scotland-gives-go-ahead-for-world-s-largest-offshore-wind-farm?srnd=phx-green
• US and India Launch Joint Satellite to Track Natrual Disasters, Climate Change https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-30/us-and-indian-space-agencies-launch-earth-observation-satellite?srnd=phx-green
• Europe’s Energy Security Threatened by Cloudy and Windless Days https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-31/europe-s-energy-security-threatened-by-cloudy-and-windless-days?srnd=phx-green
• NYC Subway Havoc Returns as Heat Wave, Heavy Rains Beset City https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-31/nyc-subway-havoc-returns-as-heat-wave-heavy-rains-beset-city?srnd=phx-green
• New Zealand Wants to Double Use of Geothermal Energy by 2040 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-30/new-zealand-wants-to-double-use-of-geothermal-energy-by-2040?srnd=phx-green
• Samuel L. Jackson Joins Vattenfall’s Wind Campaign After Trump Criticism https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-30/samuel-l-jackson-joins-wind-campaign-after-trump-criticism?srnd=phx-green
• Luxembourg Probes Possible Wrongdoing Tied to China CO2 Credits https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-31/luxembourg-probes-possible-wrongdoing-in-china-co2-credits?srnd=phx-green
• Weather Warning as Heavy Rain Shuts Hong Kong Down for Second Time in a Week https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-29/hong-kong-shuts-down-for-second-time-in-a-week-due-to-heavy-rain?srnd=phx-green
• How a Bunch of Students Took on Big Polluters and Won https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-31/how-pacific-island-nations-took-on-big-polluters-and-won?srnd=phx-green
• Greece to Merge Hundreds of Water Firms as Drought Worsens https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-23/greece-plans-to-merge-hundreds-of-water-firms-as-drought-worsens?srnd=phx-green
• Lithium Miners Sound Alarm as EV Struggles Pile on Pressure https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-30/lithium-miners-sound-alarm-as-ev-struggles-pile-on-pressure?srnd=phx-green
• StanChart CEO Says ‘Shame on’ Big Banks Quitting Net Zero Group https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-31/stanchart-ceo-says-shame-on-them-of-banks-quitting-net-zero?srnd=phx-green
• AI Fast-Tracks Climate Research, From Weather Forecasts to Sardines https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-08-01/ai-fast-tracks-climate-research-from-weather-forecasts-to-sardines?srnd=phx-green
• UK’s Greens Face Battle Over Populism in Leadership Race https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-27/uk-s-greens-face-battle-over-populism-in-leadership-race?srnd=phx-green
• Startup Raises Funds to Use Oil Drilling Tech for Nuclear Waste https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-24/startup-closes-in-on-using-fracking-technology-to-store-nuclear-waste?srnd=phx-green
• Formula 1 Renewable Energy Shift Drives 26% Drop in Carbon Footprint https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-22/formula-1-renewable-energy-shift-drives-26-drop-in-carbon-footprint?srnd=phx-green
• A Green Steel Startup Says It Can Outprice Conventional Steel https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-22/a-green-steel-startup-says-it-can-outprice-conventional-steel?srnd=phx-green
