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Climate change diplomacy

Climate change diplomacy
Latest news and analysis about how different governments engage with each other over environmental policies, including competition, collaboration and negotiations.
last updated:
9 September, 2024
A photograph released by Chinese state media of China’s first coastguard patrol in the Arctic during a joint exercise with Russia in September. Photo: Weibo
US-China relations

Sino-Russian Arctic cooperation need not trouble US yet, Pentagon official says

Even so, US Defence Department expert on the Arctic adds, ‘it’s important for us to be consistently monitoring how their intentions progress’.

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Climate change

Opinion | Southeast Asia’s energy transition is lacking both finance and policy

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Climate change

Opinion | Did Cop29 make any meaningful progress on climate change?

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Climate change

Is Asia’s climate funding hope fading over ‘unclear’ Cop29 pledges?

Experts say the summit outcome lacks details, making it challenging to secure financing for Southeast Asia and South Asia.

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Damaged buildings and debris on a street after Super Typhoon Yagi hit Ha Long, in Vietnam’s Quang Ninh province, on September 8. Photo: AFP
Climate change

Opinion | Will China seize the chance to become a world leader on climate?

Despite growing scrutiny of its international climate finance contributions, Beijing’s domestic policies could help set standards in the Global South.

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ESG investing

Jane Goodall: all Hongkongers need to work together to promote biodiversity

‘We have five years to get together and try and slow down these horrific harms that we’ve done to the planet,’ primatologist says.

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Climate change

Developing nations blast Cop29 climate deal as insufficient

Some hailed it as a good step forward, but delegates from poorer countries said it wasn’t enough to help them meet their goals.

Climate activists at a protest at the UN Climate Change Conference Cop29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Photo: EPA-EFE
Climate change

Cop29 ends with US$300 billion deal, saving talks from brink of collapse

But the agreed funding still falls far short of the trillions poor and vulnerable nations say they need to climate-proof their economies.

Climate change

Cop29: developing nations seek trillions, get billions in cash deal

Several countries were disappointed at the deal which pledges US$250 billion annually by 2035 – far short of the recommended $1 trillion.

Climate change

Macroscope | Are governments finally getting serious about climate finance?

The world still lacks an institution with the authority to enforce financial commitments, but policymakers are at least starting to realise the size of the problem.

Motorists drive by the logo for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (Cop29), painted on a road in Baku, Azerbaijan, on September 16. Photo: AP
Climate change

Cop29 talks drag as poor nations reject US$250 billion offer from rich ones

A group of 134 developing states, including China, had demanded at least US$500 billion to help build resilience against climate change.

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Climate activists attend a protest at the United Nations Climate Change Conference Cop29 in Azerbaijan on Friday. Photo: EPA-EFE
Environment

Open Questions | Why eco-warrior Ma Jun sees hope for China’s role in Cop29 amid US uncertainty

NGO founder explains how mapping initiative helps hold authorities and companies accountable for carbon emissions and cover-ups.

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SCMP Highlights

Recap | Lula pushes action at G20, Asia’s rice revolution: 6 climate stories

From super typhoons to dengue outbreaks, climate change is having an impact across the globe. Here are six of our latest stories.

G20

G20 ends with call for urgent action on climate, global health, women’s rights

‘We only scratched the surface of the deep challenges the world has to face,’ Brazilian host says as gathering of world leaders concludes.

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In closing remarks, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva touted his country’s record on addressing climate change and urged others to follow suit. Photo: AFP
Climate change

Opinion | US must be consistent to reclaim climate leadership role from China

As China emerges as a climate leader, the US can still be a reliable partner by staying in global agreements and making progress at home.

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The sun sets on a windmill farm in McCook, Texas, on July 20, 2022. Photo: AP
US-China relations

My Take | Is China ready to lead the way on fighting climate change after Trump’s return?

Beijing is under pressure to fill the leadership vacuum, but the world’s largest carbon emitter is resisting calls to provide more funding.

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Climate change

Opinion | On climate finance, China is only guilty of being too modest

While China must do better in making clear its climate leadership, the rest of the world should stop looking for scapegoats and start paying up.

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Climate change

UN chief urges G20 ‘leadership’ on stalled climate talks

Antonio Guterres said the spotlight was on G20 countries, which account for 80 per cent of global emissions.

UN General Secretary Antonio Guterres at a press conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, ahead of the G20 Summit. Photo: AFP
Joe Biden

Biden becomes first sitting US president to visit Amazon rainforest

US president flew over the jungle in a helicopter and met with Indigenous leaders, before heading to the G20 summit in Rio.

Climate change

World watches Rio for G20 climate talks breakthrough

Negotiators at UN talks in Azerbaijan hit an impasse on climate finance that they hope leaders of the world’s 20 major economies can break.

US-China relations

Apec statement calls for enhanced free trade, climate action

Leaders statement on comes despite deep scepticism on trade from incoming US president-elect Trump.

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Top row (L-R): Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk, Papua New Guinea’s Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Taiwan’s APEC representative Lin Hsin-i, Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, US President Joe Biden, Vietnam’s President Luong Cuong. Bottom row (L-R): Chile’s President Gabriel Boric, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Peru’s President Dina Boluarte, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto, South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-yeol and Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim pose for a family photo at the Apec summit in Lima, Peru, on Friday. Photo: Reuters
Climate change

Opinion | As China-Japan climate action grows, Tokyo must rethink LNG push in Asia

Japan’s progress in shrinking its domestic carbon footprint is being offset by its aggressive LNG development drive in South and Southeast Asia.

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An LNG tanker at the Negishi LNG Terminal, which is jointly operated by Tokyo Gas and JERA, in Yokohama, in 2019. Japan is persuading nations in the region to consider developing more LNG infrastructure when much of the world is sounding the alarm about such projects. Photo: Reuters
Cop29

Letters | Conflict of interest should have ruled out Azerbaijan as Cop29 host

Readers discuss protecting the legitimacy of the COP climate talks, how a hit film is tapping Hong Kong’s rich traditions and the sales of phone subscriptions to foreign domestic workers.

Shanghai

Shanghai is world’s most polluting city, says new data revealed at Cop29

While the Chinese city was found to be worse than all of Colombia or Norway, a site in Texas ‘is the worst polluting site in the entire world’.

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United States

Outside In | ‘Trump-proofing’ is distracting the world from far graver challenges

From G20 and Apec to the WTO and Nato, global cooperation on climate, security and open trade and investment must be quickly restored.

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Donald Trump arrives at an election night event at the Palm Beach Convention Centre in Florida on November 6. Photo: TNS
Cop29

UN urged to ban Cop climate talks in pro-fossil fuel countries

Prominent figures make appeal to the United Nations as Azerbaijan, a major oil and gas producer, hosts Cop29.

World leaders and other top officials pose for a group photo at the Cop29 UN Climate Summit. Photo: AP
Climate change

Cop29 host tries to calm waters after diplomatic turmoil

The UN climate talks are in disarray after a French minister cancelled her trip and Argentina withdrew its delegation.

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Climate change

Cop29 host Azerbaijan hits out at West in defence of oil and gas

He singled out the US, the world’s largest historic carbon emitter, and the EU for particular criticism, accusing them of double standards.

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