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More than two years after the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted Resolution 77/276, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued its highly anticipated Advisory Opinion on the Obligations of States in Respect of Climate Change on 23 July 2025. The ICJ was unanimous in its findings that states have obligations under international law to […]
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China Briefing 21 August 2025: China’s CO2 decline; ‘Two mountains’; China’s cement challenge
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 Emissions fell in first half POWERING THE TRANSITION: China’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions fell 1% year-on-year in the first half of 2025, new analysis for Carbon […]
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Analysis: Record solar growth keeps China’s CO2 falling in first half of 2025
Clean-energy growth helped China’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions fall by 1% year-on-year in the first half of 2025, extending a declining trend that started in March 2024. The CO2 output of the nation’s power sector – its dominant source of emissions – fell by 3% in the first half of the year, as growth in solar power […]
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Is Montevideo Sinking? “Disappearing” States and De-territorialized Statehood Following the ICJ’s Advisory Opinion on Climate Change
The International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) recent advisory opinion on climate change is a landmark in the development of international law. In this post, we focus on a short section of the opinion that may signal a fundamental shift in how international law conceives of statehood. We aim to decipher the ICJ’s “Delphic pronouncement” (Judge […]
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Textile waste in Europe: a billion-dollar business is brewing, says Finnish group
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Knitted fabrics made using yarn from mechanically-opened cotton fibres from post-consumer denim (image credit: Susanna Raiskio, VTT) Textile recycling is a massive opportunity for the whole of Europe, says the group behind an ongoing research project in Finland. Recycling technology is advancing rapidly, but a lack of regulation and challenges relating to the composition of […]
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Industry must prepare for tighter restrictions on water use, says industrial process water specialist
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This article contains paid for content produced in collaboration with Evides UK. The UK’s new National Framework for Water Resources 2025 lays the groundwork for a sustainable water future. The implications for industry are much closer scrutiny of water use and the need to upgrade and improve water systems or face the consequences of restricted […]
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UK plans for geological disposal of nuclear waste declared “unachievable” by Treasury
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The UK government’s GDF programme is intended to take all of the UK’s higher-activity radioactive waste including spent fuel from commercial sites such as Sizewell B in Suffolk (pictured). Plans to dispose of the UK’s high-level nuclear waste in an underground repository – a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) – have been described as “unachievable” by […]
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Guest post: Why the recent slowdown in Arctic sea ice loss is only temporary
The retreat of sea ice in the Arctic has long been a prominent symbol of climate change. Observations reveal that Arctic sea ice extent at the end of summer has halved, since satellite records began in the late 1970s. Yet, since the late 2000s, the pace of Arctic sea ice loss has slowed markedly, with […]
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£695k boost for greener public buildings in Greater Manchester
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Public buildings across Greater Manchester will be upgraded with solar panels, battery storage, and EV chargers with the help of new funding from Great British Energy. The £695,000 funding boost will enable a wide range of clean energy upgrades at key public and community sites across Greater Manchester, from libraries and leisure centres to emergency […]
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A new model predicts how molecules will dissolve in different solvents
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Using machine learning, MIT chemical engineers have created a computational model that can predict how well any given molecule will dissolve in an organic solvent — a key step in the synthesis of nearly any pharmaceutical. This type of prediction could make it much easier to develop new ways to produce drugs and other useful […]
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Plastics pollution talks conclude in deadlock again, but progress is still possible
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The latest round of UN negotiations on a global treaty to end plastic pollution came to a gruelling close on 15 August, without reaching an agreement. Yet the process is far from finished, as many observers have been keen to point out. The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution met for the sixth time (since […]
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To Build a Beautiful World, You First Have to Imagine It
I’ve been thinking a lot about futurism these past few weeks. And wondering what it is that makes dreaming without bounds so dang difficult. I participated in a strategic planning session for an org that I love recently. We were invited to imagine the organization 20 years in the future and folks struggled to actually […]
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Researchers glimpse the inner workings of protein language models
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Within the past few years, models that can predict the structure or function of proteins have been widely used for a variety of biological applications, such as identifying drug targets and designing new therapeutic antibodies. These models, which are based on large language models (LLMs), can make very accurate predictions of a protein’s suitability for […]
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Spending Review 2025: A catalyst for sustainable, integrated infrastructure?
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Construction site near Brighton, East Sussex: Transport infrastructure can be delivered with robust environmental safeguards, and that ambition needs to be embedded in every major project funded under this review. Ann Gordon, UK & Ireland Transport Lead, Ramboll reflects on the significance of the government’s Spending Review in June, and why she believes it to […]
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Study outlines digital roadmap for net zero steel
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A recent study has developed a strategic digital roadmap that purports to offer a means to fast-track the UK steel sector’s transition to net zero. Developed by a team of academics from the University of Warwick, the research identifies the most pressing barriers to adopting Industrial Digital Technologies (IDTs) and provides actionable guidance on how […]
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When Custom Binds All States: Reflections on Customary International Law in the ICJ Climate Advisory Opinion
In the triptych of inspiring advisory opinions by international courts and tribunals (see here, here, and here), the third iteration by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) did not disappoint. Its unanimous advisory opinion on climate change constitutes a landmark decision that will be with us for many years. This blog reflects on the ICJ’s […]
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DeBriefed 15 August 2025: Raging wildfires; Xi’s priorities; Factchecking the Trump climate report
Welcome to Carbon Brief’s DeBriefed. An essential guide to the week’s key developments relating to climate change. This week Blazing heat hits Europe FANNING THE FLAMES: Wildfires “fanned by a heatwave and strong winds” caused havoc across southern Europe, Reuters reported. It added: “Fire has affected nearly 440,000 hectares (1,700 square miles) in the eurozone so […]
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Glasgow air pollution drops by a third following LEZ enforcement, reports city council
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Air pollution in Glasgow city centre has dropped by a third since enforcement of the Low Emission Zone, according to an announcement from the city council on 12 August. New data for 2024 appears to show a 34% reduction in levels of nitrogen dioxide within the LEZ area compared to 2022 – the last full […]
Carbon Neutral Regulation in AI Training