Q&A: What do China’s provincial five-year plans say about climate and energy?
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China’s provincial-level governments have now all published their 15th five-year plans – economic and social development blueprints for 2026-2030. These provincial plans reaffirm the overall trajectory of China’s energy transition, but reveal regional differences, based on economic and geographic considerations. Provincial plans are a critical mechanism for showing how high-level targets from the central government […]
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In game theory, generalists sometimes win out over specialists
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Whether you’re playing poker against a single opponent or find yourself in a bidding war over a home purchase with another prospective buyer, you are operating under conditions of imperfect information. You know what cards you’re holding in the poker game, and you also know how much above the home’s asking price you can afford, […]
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Circular economy strategies overlooking cotton, timber and other bio-based materials, says Ellen MacArthur Foundation
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The report calls for stronger integration of bio-based materials such as cotton into circular economy frameworks. Circular economy policies around the world are overlooking some of the most important renewable materials used by industry, according to a new report from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF), which argues that cotton, timber, rubber, leather and other bio-based […]
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UK plastics recyclers face export setback under new European rules
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The European Union has effectively cut off access for recycled plastic exports from Britain under new rules that require material to be sorted and recycled within the bloc in order to count towards EU recycled content targets, according to industry representatives. The changes, introduced this year, are the latest in a series of measures aimed […]
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North Sea hydrogen storage could power UK for 7 years, says new research
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The UK could store enough green hydrogen in depleted North Sea oil and gas fields to meet the country’s future electricity demands for 7 years, according to new research from the University of Durham. Geologists and engineers from Durham Energy Institute have, in an apparent first, mapped different hydrogen storage scenarios against half-hourly data on […]
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Paris wastewater plant to test removal of tyre wear particles
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A pilot project at one of Europe’s largest wastewater treatment plants will investigate whether wastewater treatment processes can effectively remove tyre and road wear particles (TRWP) from water before it is released into the environment. The Tire Industry Project (TIP) has launched the study in partnership with the Greater Paris Sanitation Authority (SIAAP) and sustainability […]
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Cropped 17 June 2026: Coral reef ‘hope’ | Ocean talks | Plant flowering times ‘shift’
We handpick and explain the most important stories at the intersection of climate, land, food and nature over the past fortnight. This is an online version of Carbon Brief’s fortnightly Cropped email newsletter. Subscribe for free here. Key developments Ocean talks MAKING WAVES: African and Commonwealth countries issued a “call to action” to implement the High […]
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The Role of Attribution Science in Climate Litigation
The Sabin Center maintains an open access database that attempts to post all of the climate change cases around the world. It has more than 3600 cases in 62 different jurisdictions and 28 international courts and regional tribunals. Of these, about 60% are in the United States. The largest numbers of these cases concern the […]
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Could AI tell you where you left your keys?
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An auto factory worker can remember the storage bin where she left a partly assembled component the night before, and quickly return to that spot to pick it up. But robots that may work side-by-side with her would struggle to develop and access this same type of “spatiotemporal” memory. Now, MIT researchers have developed a […]
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MIT’s Initiative for New Manufacturing builds momentum
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In May, the Initiative for New Manufacturing (INM) marked its first anniversary with MIT Manufacturing Week, four days of events that attracted more than 800 registrants including students, faculty, industry leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, and government officials to explore topics ranging from how companies are using AI on factory floors to the role of startups in […]
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Analysis: Energy-efficient air conditioning could save Indian homes 69bn rupees a year
More energy-efficient air-conditioning units could, together, save Indian households ₹69bn ($724m) a year, according to new analysis by Carbon Brief. Climate change-induced extreme heat is driving up the use of air conditioning across the country, as people try to cope with record-breaking temperatures. This demand, however, is straining the country’s power grid and raising emissions. […]
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Python Concepts Every AI Engineer Must Master
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Transitioning from writing local experimental scripts to building scalable, production-grade AI systems requires a shift in how we write Python.
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AI Agent Tool Design: What Works and What Doesn’t
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Industry warns against weakening of UK ZEV mandate ahead of government review
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Attempts to dilute the UK government’s Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) mandate will undermine confidence in the UK’s transition to EVs, warned stakeholders in the sector after reports emerged on 14 June that a review of the policy could result in a weakening of the mandate. Keir Starmer was reported to have intervened on the current […]
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Analysis: UK’s EV drivers are now saving £1,100 each a year – and £3bn in total
Amid reports that the government could weaken the UK’s electric vehicle (EV) targets, Carbon Brief analysis reveals the nation’s EV drivers are saving more than £1,100 a year in fuel costs, compared with running a petrol car. Battery EVs (BEVs) are roughly four times more efficient than combustion-engine cars, making them far cheaper to run – particularly […]
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In Most Of The World, Industrial Climate Pollution Is Hard To Abate. Not In India.
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The post In Most Of The World, Industrial Climate Pollution Is Hard To Abate. Not In India. appeared first on Energy Innovation.
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Analysis: Solar overtakes gas power in Asia for first time ever
Solar has overtaken gas power in Asia to become the continent’s third-largest source of electricity, according to new analysis by Carbon Brief. The rapid expansion of solar power in nations such as China, India and Pakistan has seen its annual output increase nearly fourfold since 2020. Asia accounts for around 60% of the world’s solar-power […]
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DeBriefed 12 June 2026: El Niño begins | COP31 hosts eye electrification | Atlantic current monitoring at risk
Welcome to Carbon Brief’s DeBriefed. An essential guide to the week’s key developments relating to climate change. This week El Niño begins ‘DOMINO WEATHER’: The natural weather phenomenon El Niño, which can raise global heat and “bring domino weather effects across the planet”, is now underway, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) declared on […]