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COP28 president 'cautiously optimistic' on success of key climate conference
The UAE's Sultan Al Jaber, the president of the forthcoming UN climate conference in Dubai, is "cautiously optimistic" that the pivotal talks will be successful, he told AFP in an interview on Saturday.
Wilders' win sets 'textbook' example for European populist right: analysts
Anti-EU, anti-immigration firebrand Geert Wilders' surprise victory in the Dutch general election this week shows right-wing populism's success in gobbling up support from traditional conservative parties and taking its pet themes mainstream, experts said.
India tunnel collapse 'wake-up call' for Modi's infrastructure drive
India's aggressive infrastructure push into the ecologically fragile Himalayan mountains has been given a "wake-up call" by the collapse of a road tunnel that trapped 41 men, environmental experts say.
Venice to launch tourist tickets in 2024
Venice announced on Thursday that it would introduce a fee for day tourists to enter the city's overcrowded historic centre on 29 days next year as it seeks to come to grips with overtourism.
UAE: fossil fuel power and COP28 host
A gas-guzzling fossil fuel exporter trying to spearhead more ambitious climate action, the United Arab Emirates remains heavily dependent on hydrocarbons for its prosperity.
Brazil emissions progress erased under Bolsonaro: report
Brazil's emissions surged under far-right ex-president Jair Bolsonaro, erasing recent progress to return to the levels of more than 15 years ago, a report said Thursday, urging the country to increase its carbon-cutting targets.
'Like battle': Indian rescuers strive to free 41 trapped workers
Ambulances were on standby Thursday as Indian rescuers dug through the final metres of debris separating them from 41 workers trapped in a collapsed road tunnel for nearly two weeks.
Iguana invasion: Thailand rounds up rogue reptiles
Thailand has captured more than 150 rogue iguanas that were rampaging through the countryside, raiding farms and damaging the local environment, officials said.
Iraqis displaced by climate change fall into poverty
For the past decade, Nasser Jabbar and his children have lived in a rundown house built of grey concrete blocks at a shantytown in southern Iraq.
'Extremely venomous' green mamba loose in Netherlands
An "extremely venomous" two-metre-long green mamba snake is on the loose in the Netherlands, police said Tuesday, warning residents to stay indoors and under no circumstances attempt to ensnare the serpent.
Indonesia unveils investment plan for $20 bn energy transition pact
Indonesia on Tuesday launched an investment plan to attract $20 billion pledged by Western nations in a renewable energy transition pact agreed last year for the archipelago to slash emissions and wean itself off coal.
Chinese company gives leftover hotpot oil second life as jet fuel
At an upmarket restaurant in the hotpot-loving Chinese city of Chengdu, diners plunge sliced meat and vegetables into cauldrons of spicy, oily broth, largely unaware that their leftovers are set to take on a second life as jet fuel.
COP28 turns attention to potent methane emissions
Climate talks often revolve around reducing the most dangerous greenhouse gas CO2.
India considering new shaft to free trapped tunnel workers
Indian rescuers are considering opening a vertical shaft to free 41 men trapped in a collapsed tunnel after drilling at the site was paused over fears of further cave-ins and as efforts stretched into a second week.
US transition to electric vehicles faces delays
The US transition to electric cars has hit a speed bump, with concerns about vehicle range and limited charging capacity adding to core affordability issues.
First French ski resorts open, but only at high altitude
A few French high-altitude ski resorts opened ahead of schedule Saturday, just days after storms in the northern Alps wiped out some early snows.
Good neighbors: Bonobo study offers clues into early human alliances
Human society is founded on our ability to cooperate with others beyond our immediate family and social groups.
Pandas could return to US after Xi-Biden summit
Chinese President Xi Jinping appears ready to deploy his country's soft power after his summit with US President Joe Biden -- in the form of cuddly pandas.
Over half of seabirds in UK and Ireland 'in decline': survey
Almost half of the breeding seabird species in the UK and Ireland have declined in the past 20 years, with climate change one of the possible causes, according to a new survey released on Thursday.
Rich nations 'likely' met $100 bn climate finance goal: OECD
Wealthy nations likely met their goal of providing $100 billion in annual climate finance to poorer nations last year -- two years later than promised and only a fraction of the "extensive needs", the OECD said Thursday.
Renault tries to lure investment for new electric car unit
French automaker Renault on Wednesday held an investors day for its new electric vehicle subsidiary Ampere, hoping to win over investment with slashed costs and an electric car costing less than 20,000 euros ($21,600).
'Weird puking bird' tops New Zealand's avian beauty contest
A "weird puking bird" with a bizarre mating dance has won New Zealand's annual avian beauty contest, triumphing after British comedian John Oliver launched an unlikely global campaign.
China, US to launch working group on climate action
China and the United States will launch a working group on climate cooperation, both countries said Wednesday, as the two sides work to deepen communication and mend fractured ties with a leaders' meeting in San Francisco just hours away.
Benin struggles in battle to halt coastal erosion
Along its Atlantic coast, Benin's government has spent millions of dollars to protect coastal communities from sea erosion. But Doris Alapini can only watch as waves tirelessly eat away at her land and the large seaside restaurant she built.
Heat projected to kill nearly five times more people by 2050
Nearly five times more people will likely die due to extreme heat in the coming decades, an international team of experts warned on Wednesday, adding that without action on climate change the "health of humanity is at grave risk".
Netherlands shelves plan to cut Schiphol flights
The Dutch government said Tuesday it was temporarily shelving plans to cut flights at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, one of Europe's busiest hubs, admitting it was a "bitter pill for the environment."
ECB threatens bank climate change laggards with financial penalties
The European Central Bank on Tuesday threatened to impose financial penalties on banks who are slow to minimise climate change-related risks stemming from their activities.
Myanmar's famed Inle Lake chokes on floating farms
From a gently rocking boat, Nyunt Win tends a floating tomato crop in the cool water of Myanmar's famed Inle Lake, nestled in the Shan Hills and once the country's most popular tourist spot.
China emissions could fall in 2024 on renewables jump
China's carbon emissions are likely to fall in 2024 because record growth in renewable energy capacity is now sufficient to cover growing demand, a new analysis finds.
APEC finance chiefs agree to grow economies with eye on sustainability
Leaders of Asia-Pacific economies want to boost output with an eye on issues like reducing inequality and protecting the environment, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Monday.
Dominica to create world's first sperm whale reserve
Dominica is set to create the world's first sperm whale reserve, designating a swath of ocean where large ships and commercial fishing are restricted and visitors can swim alongside the gentle marine giants.
Forests could absorb much more carbon, but does it matter?
Protecting forests globally could vastly increase the amount of carbon they sequester, a new study finds, but given our current emissions track, does it really matter?