Q&A: What Magyar’s defeat of Orbán in Hungary means for climate and energy
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The right-wing populist Hungarian government led by Viktor Orbán has suffered a landslide electoral defeat to the centre-right Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar. This brings to an end 16 years of rule by Orbán and his Fidesz party, a move welcomed by many around the world who were concerned about Hungary’s “slide toward authoritarianism”. […]
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DeBriefed 17 April 2026: Fossil-fuel power slumps | ‘Super’ El Niño warning | Afghanistan’s climate struggle
Welcome to Carbon Brief’s DeBriefed. An essential guide to the week’s key developments relating to climate change. This week Oil prices rebound OIL UP AGAIN: Oil prices surged by more than 7% and back above $100 a barrel on Monday after US-Iran peace talks faltered and US president Donald Trump ordered the blockading of Iranian ports, […]
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Jacob Andreas and Brett McGuire named Edgerton Award winners
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MIT Associate Professor Jacob Andreas of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science [EECS] and MIT Associate Professor Brett McGuire of the Department of Chemistry have been selected as the winners of the 2026 Harold E. Edgerton Faculty Achievement Award. Established in 1982 as a permanent tribute to Institute Professor Emeritus Harold E. Edgerton’s great and enduring […]
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BNG reforms welcomed but uncertainty and nature concerns remain
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Construction of a large multi-storey building on a hill in Lynmouth, Devon in April 2022. On 16 April the UK government published its response to a consultation on improving the implementation of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) across minor, medium and brownfield development, outlining a package of reforms intended to streamline delivery while maintaining environmental outcomes. […]
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Bringing AI-driven protein-design tools to biologists everywhere
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Artificial intelligence is already proving it can accelerate drug development and improve our understanding of disease. But to turn AI into novel treatments we need to get the latest, most powerful models into the hands of scientists. The problem is that most scientists aren’t machine-learning experts. Now the company OpenProtein.AI is helping scientists stay on […]
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China Briefing 16 April 2026: Billions for grid | Petrochemical plan | China’s high-seas bid
Welcome to Carbon Brief’s China Briefing. China Briefing handpicks and explains the most important climate and energy stories from China over the past fortnight. Subscribe for free here. Key developments Surge in grid investment TRILLION-YUAN ERA: China’s two largest power grid operators invested a total of 167.5bn yuan ($24.5bn) in the first quarter of 2026, reported […]
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New recycling laws: opportunity or risk for micro businesses?
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Aaron Daly of The Old Bakery: “Early planning, clear systems and the right food waste partner make compliance achievable, practical and cost-effective.” As England’s Simpler Recycling reforms approach, recycling expert Keenan Recycling explores how micro businesses can turn upcoming compliance requirements into an opportunity. The group says that, working alongside partners like Biffa, it is […]
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Solar surge raises grid balancing concerns as experts call for broader energy rethink
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Fresh warnings from the National Energy System Operator (NESO) have prompted renewed debate over the resilience of Britain’s electricity system, after officials cautioned that rapid growth in solar generation could strain the grid during periods of low demand. In its summer outlook published on 14 April, NESO said it expects to rely on “more tools, […]
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Scientists edge closer to solving one of water’s deepest mysteries
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Water behaves in ways that defy simple explanation. Unlike most liquids, it reaches its maximum density not at its freezing point, but at 4 °C — a property that plays a crucial role in stabilising aquatic ecosystems and Earth’s climate. For decades, scientists have suspected that such anomalies arise because water can exist in two […]
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Seabirds reveal global mercury distribution in oceans
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Mercury released into the oceans affects marine environments worldwide. Traditionally, its distribution and quantity have been estimated using marine biogeochemical simulation models. A recent international study led by Japanese researchers analyzed blood mercury concentrations in more than 11,215 seabirds from 108 species, of which 659 were newly collected samples and over 10,556 were from previous […]
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AI cameras in Sussex will target dangerous driving behaviours
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The use of automated monitoring technologies on UK roads is continuing to grow (pictured, surveillance camera monitoring motorway traffic on the M25 in Hertfordshire). New AI cameras are being used in Sussex to help police target dangerous driving behaviours and improve road safety, as part of a wider push to reduce serious and fatal collisions. […]
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What Can We Hope for from the African Advisory Opinion on Climate Change? Reimagining Climate Justice Beyond 1.5°C
On May 2, 2025, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (AfCHPR) received a formal petition requesting an advisory opinion on the human rights obligations of African States in relation to the climate change crisis. The petition before the AfCHPR details a continent already experiencing widespread and severe impacts at approximately 1.3°C of global […]
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Q&A: MIT SHASS and the future of education in the age of AI
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The MIT School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (SHASS) was founded in 1950 in response to “a new era emerging from social upheaval and the disasters of war,” as outlined in the 1949 Lewis Committee Report. The report’s findings emphasized MIT’s role and responsibility in the new nuclear age, which called for doubling down on […]
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Human-machine teaming dives underwater
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The electricity to an island goes out. To find the break in the underwater power cable, a ship pulls up the entire line or deploys remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to traverse the line. But what if an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) could map the line and pinpoint the location of the fault for a diver […]
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RECOUP announces a solutions‑driven event for the plastics industry
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A flyer for the event. On 1 October 2026, plastic recycling charity RECOUP will hold The RECOUP Plastics Assembly in Peterborough. “Created to accelerate practical progress, this one day event is designed for professionals who want to drive real change, connect with peers, and gain fresh insight into the solutions shaping tomorrow’s circular plastics system,” […]
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Industrial Carbon Capture Explained: Long-Term and Short-Term Uses
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Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) can help reduce emissions across the world’s most difficult-to-decarbonize industrial sectors — but its application should be limited to niche uses[1] that cannot be readily electrified like carbon-intensive feedstocks and some high-temperature heat needs. A range of cheaper and more efficient existing options can reduce emissions for many industrial […]
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Why Consolidated Freight Is Better for the Environment
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Consolidated freight combines shipments from different businesses into one shared truck or container instead of moving each load on its own. In road transport, that usually means groupage or less-than-truckload, LTL. In sea freight, it usually means less-than-container-load, LCL. The environmental case is straightforward. When trucks and containers carry fuller loads, fewer trips are needed […]
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Refractometers enable development of advanced ‘green hydrogen’ electrolyzers
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The electrolyzer setup (with refractometers highlighted) Instrumentation firm Vaisala explains how its refractometers have supported the development of electrolysers for the generation of hydrogen, highlighting their role in enabling accurate, real-time monitoring of electrolyte concentration in demanding alkaline electrolysis environments The generation of green hydrogen by water electrolysis represents an exciting decarbonisation opportunity. However, the […]