Climate Policy
Regulation, diplomacy, subsidies, and climate-governance decisions.
Former BHP economist urges tougher government policies to push miners to decarbonise
Former BHP chief economist Huw McKay says miners will only decarbonise quickly if governments apply stronger policy pressure, including carbon pricing. His comments follow leaked BHP documents reported by the Guardian showing delayed renewable projects and slower fleet electrification.
French High Council on Climate says France must accelerate climate policy
France’s High Council on Climate says current policies are not enough to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 and warns that adaptation limits are already being reached. Its annual report calls for 82 measures, much higher low-carbon investment and faster implementation.
Brussels plans tighter EU carbon fees for ships using non-EU stopovers
The European Commission is preparing to tighten maritime carbon pricing rules in the EU emissions trading system to curb ships from reducing fees by stopping at non-EU ports before entering the bloc. The reported revision would expand the ports counted in liability calculations, with North African, Middle Eastern and potentially UK ports mentioned in reporting.
Paris expands Seine swimming sites as heatwave adaptations spread
Paris will open its 2026 Seine swimming season on July 4 with expanded capacity at three official sites and an early Canal Saint-Martin stretch, turning river access into a climate adaptation measure after Olympic-era cleanup work.
EU green chief says Europe heatwave is warning against climate denial
European Commission vice-president Teresa Ribera said a late-June heatwave across Europe is a warning to reject climate denial and accelerate adaptation, clean-energy investment and resilience measures.
French government faces criticism over its heatwave response
France’s public health agency estimated about 1,000 excess deaths during the late-June heatwave, fueling criticism of the government’s preparedness and response.
New UK campaign urges public to cut water use as heatwave strain continues
The UK has launched its largest water-saving campaign, Let's Save Water, with a target to cut average daily use by 28 litres amid heatwave pressure, leak concerns and hosepipe bans in Kent.
France’s public health agency reports about 1,000 excess deaths as the heatwave peaks
France’s public health agency said the late-June heatwave was linked to about 1,000 additional deaths at its peak, with most deaths among people over 65. Officials said the count is provisional and likely to rise as delayed deaths are added.
Extreme heat elevates national security risk at London climate week
London Climate Action Week was disrupted by a heatwave as UK climate minister Katie White announced a new climate-preparedness task force and Mayor Sadiq Khan unveiled a heat-resilience plan. The episode highlighted growing concern over heat, infrastructure strain and national security.
Adapting to the heat: four ideas from European cities
A Guardian feature published June 26 highlights four heat-adaptation tactics European cities are using or expanding during the current heatwave: welfare check-ins, climate shelters, building design changes and urban greening.
UK June heat record broken again as schools close and hospitals strain
Britain’s June temperature record fell again on June 26, with a provisional 37.3C reading in Suffolk as the heatwave forced school closures and strained NHS services.
Europe swelters under record June heat
Western Europe is in the grip of a record June heatwave, with new temperature highs in the UK and France, major health and transport disruptions, and scientists linking the event to climate change.
European heatwave ruled virtually impossible without human-caused climate change, scientists say
World Weather Attribution scientists say a June 2026 heatwave across western Europe would have been virtually impossible without human-caused climate change, with record heat stress, school closures and transport disruption reported across the region.
Europe’s extreme heat would be impossible without climate change, scientists say
World Weather Attribution says the June 2026 European heatwave would have been virtually impossible without human-caused climate change. The rapid study comes as France, the UK, Italy, Spain and other countries report record heat, health alerts and pressure on services.
Paris Mayor Grégoire urges heat-adaptation changes as France faces record heat
Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire is calling for immediate changes to work hours, public services and school buildings as France endures a severe June heatwave. He says adaptation must move faster than long-term climate promises.
France’s drought deepens as heatwave strains water supplies and power output
France’s early-summer heatwave and rainfall deficit are intensifying water stress, with restrictions or conservation appeals in 78 prefectures, falling groundwater, and EDF curbing output at Golfech to meet river-temperature limits.
Paris court orders TotalEnergies to account for customer emissions in its climate plan
A Paris court ordered TotalEnergies to include customer-use, or Scope 3, emissions in its climate due-diligence plan within six months, in a ruling that could broaden how France’s duty of vigilance law is applied to fossil-fuel companies.
Paris court orders TotalEnergies to add customer emissions to due-diligence plan
A Paris court has ordered TotalEnergies to include emissions from customers using its oil and gas products in its due-diligence plan, giving the company six months to comply. The ruling is being treated as the first French climate application of the duty-of-vigilance law.
Paris court orders TotalEnergies to account for customer emissions in climate plan
A Paris court ruled that TotalEnergies must account for emissions from customers using its oil and gas products in its climate due-diligence plan. The company has six months to update the plan, and the court will review the revised version in January 2027.
French court orders TotalEnergies to add customer-use emissions to due-diligence plan
A Paris judicial court has ordered TotalEnergies to include customer-use, or Scope 3, emissions in its duty-of-vigilance plan, giving the company six months to revise the document and setting a follow-up hearing for January 2027.
'It's like a furnace': French struggle with heat-trap homes as climate inequality grows
France's record June heatwave is exposing how badly insulated homes can become dangerous heat traps, with low-income renters, schools and public services under strain.
France records its hottest day on record as relief nears
France recorded its hottest day on record on June 24, with Météo-France reporting a 30.0°C national temperature indicator and widespread heat alerts. Hospitals, emergency services and major landmarks came under pressure, while forecasters said relief should begin on the Atlantic coast and spread more broadly by early next week.
Heatwave in France forces Golfech reactor shutdown and output cuts at other nuclear plants
France’s heatwave has forced EDF to shut reactor 2 at Golfech and reduce output at other nuclear plants after river temperatures rose too high for normal cooling. RTE says the grid remains secure.
Weakening UK net zero policy would damage economy, chief climate adviser says
The Climate Change Committee warned that weakening UK net zero policy would damage growth, deter investment and raise costs, as its latest report said renewables and electric vehicles are advancing but heat pump adoption remains uneven.