With only hours left at COP29 in Baku, negotiators scramble to finalize a climate finance deal amid accusations of poor leadership and insufficient ambition.
A revised climate finance text proposes $250 billion annually by 2035 but falls far short of the over $1 trillion requested by developing nations to address the climate crisis.
Representatives of developing countries express outrage while civil society groups criticize the draft as inadequate, with organizations like 350.org and Oxfam condemning wealthy nations for failing to meet their obligations on climate justice.
Negotiators also remain divided on the commitment to “transitioning away from fossil fuels,” with convoluted language diluting the phrase’s urgency in the latest texts.
Key quote:
“No deal is better than a bad deal… Poor countries don’t need to be held hostage in Baku.”
— Mohamed Adow, director of Power Shift Africa
Why this matters:
The outcome of COP29 will shape global climate finance for years, determining whether developing countries can fund mitigation and adaptation efforts. The stakes couldn’t be higher. As climate-driven disasters escalate, the gap between promises and action reflect a widening chasm between those who make the rules and those who live—and die—by them.
Federal prosecutors have charged oil giant Phillips 66 with violating the Clean Water Act by discharging nearly 800,000 gallons of contaminated wastewater into Los Angeles County sewers, threatening critical treatment infrastructure.
Phillips 66 allegedly discharged oil-laden wastewater twice in 2020 and 2021 from its Carson refinery, failing to report the incidents despite earlier promises to retrain staff.
The spills jeopardized the county's wastewater treatment system, which narrowly avoided releasing the pollutants into the Pacific Ocean.
If convicted, Phillips 66 could face $2.4 million in fines and up to five years of probation, including potential restitution to Los Angeles County.
Key quote:
“Corporations and individuals need to take their duties to protect the environment seriously. We also want to send the message that nobody is above the law.”
— Martin Estrada, U.S. Attorney
Why this matters:
Criminal indictments against major corporations for environmental violations are rare, noted Estrada. If LA’s treatment systems hadn’t caught the waste in time, toxic pollutants could’ve reached beaches and marine ecosystems, exposing residents to contamination and devastating local wildlife. The indictment is meant to “send a message,” according to prosecutors, though the louder question remains: When will these spills stop?
The European Union and 11 nations, excluding the U.S., pledged to establish stringent greenhouse gas reduction goals by 2035, with Canada and Mexico leading the coalition.
A coalition of countries, including those within the European Union, the U.K., Canada and Mexico, committed to ambitious 2035 climate targets to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The U.S. withdrew from the initiative following Donald Trump’s election, signaling a shift in its climate policy stance.
Participating nations aim to cover all greenhouse gases and sectors, with some developing countries advocating for global transformational changes.
Key quote:
“[The new targets] will be the final barricade for every nation in its fight-to-the-death against climate impacts getting more brutal each year.”
— Simon Stiell, U.N. climate chief.
Why this matters:
Global cooperation is critical to combating escalating climate impacts. The U.S.'s absence from the coalition raises concerns about its role in international climate leadership. The initiative emphasizes the urgency of collective action to meet Paris Agreement commitments and mitigate severe environmental and social consequences.
By 2050, eight times more children will face extreme heatwaves, three times more will experience floods and millions will face other environmental crises compared to today unless urgent action is taken to address climate change, according to Unicef.
Unicef's report also predicts nearly twice as many children will face wildfires compared to the 2000s.
south Asia, the Pacific, the Middle East, and north, west and central Africa are set to see the largest child populations and the most severe climate impacts.
Extreme weather and pollution already threaten children's health, education and mental well-being, compounding risks to future generations.
Key quote:
“The decisions world leaders make today – or fail to make – define the world children will inherit … Decades of progress, particularly for girls, are under threat.”
— Catherine Russell, Unicef executive director.
Why this matters:
Children are disproportionately vulnerable to the climate crisis, facing higher risks of disease, malnutrition and mental health issues, and nearly half of them (aorund 1 billion) live in countries at a high risk of environmental disasters. Without swift action to curb emissions and protect vulnerable populations, the next generation will inherit a worsening climate and growing inequities.
A Virginia judge ruled Gov. Glenn Youngkin lacked authority to remove the state from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a key program to cut emissions and fund climate resilience.
A Virginia circuit court ruled Gov. Glenn Youngkin unlawfully withdrew the state from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) without legislative approval.
RGGI funds have supported energy efficiency programs and climate resilience projects, raising $827.7 million in Virginia from 2020 to 2023.
Youngkin plans to appeal, calling RGGI a "hidden tax," while environmental groups argue the program has significantly cut emissions and aided low-income communities.
Key quote:
“This ruling puts Virginia back on track to address and adapt to climate change at a critical moment.”
— Nate Benforado, senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center.
Why this matters:
The ruling reinforces legislative control over climate policies, ensuring programs like RGGI can provide critical funding for emission reductions and climate adaptation. Virginia’s participation impacts regional efforts to combat climate change and protect vulnerable communities.
The Guardian, in partnership with the Climate Disaster Project and the International Red Cross, has compiled testimonies from survivors of extreme weather events to create a “people’s history of climate change.”
The Climate Disaster Project employs trauma-informed journalism to ensure survivors’ dignity is respected while amplifying their voices.
The project brings to the forefront the immediate and devastating impacts of the climate crisis, urging action to prevent further harm to vulnerable communities.
Key quote:
“The climate crisis is already here, taking lives, destroying homes, wiping out livelihoods. That human suffering must be recognized now to get as much help to climate victims as possible.”
— Damian Carrington, environment editor at The Guardian
Why this matters:
No longer tomorrow's problem, the climate crisis is a full-blown, present-day emergency that’s reshaping lives, wrecking ecosystems and exposing the widening gap between those who can adapt and those left to fend for themselves.
The Biden administration is rushing to finalize $25 billion in clean energy loans through the Department of Energy before President-elect Donald Trump, who opposes many green initiatives, assumes office in January.
Biden’s Department of Energy Loan Programs Office is pushing to finalize major loans for projects like EV battery factories and charging infrastructure, hydrogen plants and lithium mining before Trump takes office.
There are 16 loans and loan guarantees that have yet to be completed.
The loans support Biden's goals of reducing emissions and dependence on China, but Trump’s administration could halt or rescind deals.
With most projects located in Republican districts, proponents hope bipartisan benefits might save them from cuts.
Key quote:
“There’s nothing like seeing your own coffin to get you moving faster.”
— Andy Marsh, CEO of the hydrogen company Plug Power.
Why this matters:
The future of clean energy development and U.S. climate goals could hinge on whether these loans are secured. A Trump administration shift could stall or redirect funding, affecting both environmental progress and regional economies.
A massive push for hydrogen energy is one of the first test cases of new federal environmental justice initiatives. Communities and advocates so far give the feds a failing grade.
