The Net-Zero Banking Alliance, set up in 2021 to encourage financial institutions to limit the environmental footprint of their operations and push toward achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, lost nearly 20 of its largest members so far this year.

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HSBC, one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organizations, is withdrawing from the industry’s largest climate alliance, following an exodus by some of its largest members earlier this year.

London-headquartered HSBC announced the exit in a statement on Friday.

“The Net Zero Banking Alliance played a role in developing guiding frameworks to help banks establish their initial target-setting approach. With this foundation in place, and as we work towards updating and implementing our Net Zero Transition Plan later in 2025, we, like many of our global peers, have decided to withdraw from the NZBA,” the statement read.

The UN-sponsored initiative was set up in 2021 by former Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney to encourage financial institutions to limit the environmental footprint of their operations and push toward achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

HSBC’s exit comes on the heels of a trend where several major Wall Street banks are stepping back from climate initiatives. The alliance currently counts 127 banks across 44 countries, down from 144 banks in October 2024, according to its website.

The six biggest banks in the world’s largest economy – Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, Citi Bank, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, and JPMorgan – quit the alliance earlier this year, and Canada’s six biggest banks followed suit shortly after.

All banks have insisted their decision would not impact their decarbonization pledges, with HSBC saying it will “remain resolute in this long-term ambition and in supporting our customers to finance their transition objectives.”

However, analysts say the moves send a clear signal to the market that climate change has become even less of a priority for financial institutions.

Jeanne Martin, Co-Director of Corporate Engagement at ShareAction, told Bloomberg that the company’s exit marks “yet another troubling signal around the bank’s commitment to addressing the climate crisis.” The London-based non-profit brought together a group of HSBC investors earlier this year to ask the bank to reaffirm its support for cutting CO2 emissions amid concerns that it was backing away from its climate pledges.

Meanwhile, the Net-Zero Banking Alliance reaffirmed its commitment to continue supporting its members in their journey to net zero

“Following a powerful mandate renewal and endorsement of its future direction from member banks in April this year, NZBA is helping facilitate the enabling conditions needed for banks’ clients to invest in the net-zero transition. In the last two months alone, this has included work on policy engagement, transition finance, and convening leaders from different sectors to increase understanding and accelerate progress,” a spokesperson for the alliance said.

“As the world urgently seeks to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, NZBA is on the strongest possible footing to support members’ continued progress on independent business strategies that are enabling the shift towards a net-zero economy,” the spokesperson added.

Featured image: Yusuf Miah/Pexels.

You might also like: BlackRock Quits Major Net Zero Alliance As Number of Wall Street Lenders Shying Away From Sustainability Efforts Grows

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Two major heatwaves affected much of western and southern Europe, one between June 17 and 22 and the second one between June 29 to July 2.

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Two extreme heatwaves swept through much of western Europe last month, contributing to the warmest June the region has ever recorded. 

The average temperature stood at 20.49C, 2.81C higher than the 1991-2020 average, according to the European Union-funded Copernicus Climate Change Service.The previous record of 20.43 was recorded in 2003. 

On June 30, the daily surface air temperature averaged over the western European region reached 24.9C, setting a new record for June. The same temperature was recorded on July 1. This is one of the highest daily temperatures ever observed in western Europe during summer, exceeded only between mid-July and mid-August, Copernicus said.

Two major heatwaves affected much of western and southern Europe, one between June 17 and 22 and the second one between June 29 to July 2. Feels-like temperatures exceeded 38C in much of the region, and soared to 46C in parts of Portugal and Spain. 

In most of Spain, Portugal, France, and the UK, the average temperature recorded between June 17 to July 2 was the highest for that time of year since at least 1979.

The heatwaves were caused by a high pressure system over western Europe known as a heat dome, a weather phenomenon where a large area of high atmospheric pressure acts as a lid that traps hot air underneath continuously, causing temperatures to rise over an extended period of time.

Europe has continually become drier, following the lowest precipitation and soil moisture levels since at least 1979 in north-western Europe last month. Relative humidity averages over the European landmass reached a new low in June, at 2.7% below average and slightly below the previous record of -2.3% set in June 2022. 

The average global surface temperature was 16.46C, 0.20C cooler than the record June of 2024, and 0.06C cooler than June 2023, currently the second warmest on record.

More on the topic: What Do Heatwaves Tell Us About Climate Change?

Record Ocean Heat

Meanwhile, an exceptional marine heatwave developed in the western Mediterranean with the daily sea surface temperature reaching a record-high of 27C for June. 

These exceptionally warm waters reduce nighttime air cooling along the coast, increasing humidity and worsening heat stress on the human body. According to Copernicus’ report, marine industries, such as fisheries and aquaculture, are also affected by reduced water oxygen levels, which can severely impact marine life and disrupt ecosystems.

The reduction of oxygen in the ocean can compromise the habitats of marine organisms, reducing growth rates, disrupting reproduction and limiting where aquatic organisms can breed. Oxygen depletion also contributes to ocean warming and acidification.

Deadly Heat

A study looking at  12 major European cities found that 2,305 heat-related excess deaths were recorded, with 1,500 of these – or about 65% – linked to human-induced climate change. Over 80% of these deaths occurred in people over 65, the World Weather Attribution study found.

Approximately 163 million Europeans are expected to face unprecedented summer temperatures under a 2C global warming scenario, the report also said. 

Severe wildfires broke out across the Mediterranean region as the heatwave increased fire-prone conditions, with the smoke from these fires further aggravating the health impact of extreme heat. 

“June 2025 saw an exceptional heatwave impact large parts of western Europe. In a warming world, heatwaves are likely to become more frequent, more intense and impact more people across Europe,” said Samantha Burgess, Strategic Lead for Climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.

The post Extreme Heatwaves Contribute to Western Europe’s Warmest June on Record appeared first on Earth.Org.

1,500 more people died across 12 European cities during the recent heatwave than would have without the influence of climate change, according to researchers at World Weather Attribution.

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A recent record-breaking heatwave in Europe caused 1,500 more deaths than would have occurred without the influence of climate change, a new study has concluded.

World Weather Attribution, an academic collaboration studying extreme event attribution, found that human-driven climate change tripled the number of heat-related deaths, as it increased heatwave temperatures up to 4C across a dozen cities.

Researchers from Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine focused on data from June 23 to July 2 and 12 European cities in Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, the UK, Greece, Croatia, and Hungary.

2,300 heat-related deaths were recorded during the 10-day period. Of these, 1,500 – or 65% – would not have happened if climate change had not intensified the heatwave, they concluded.

‘Silent Killer’

Heat is extremely dangerous for humans as it compromises physiological processes meant to keep the body cool.

Stress on human bodies caused by heat prevents normal daily activities and our ability to cool down properly. Areas that generally have more humidity can also put lives at risk. Sweat helps our bodies cool off, but humidity changes the way sweat evaporates from the body. Not being able to cool down puts people’s health at risk, and can lead to increased cardiovascular and respiratory complications, dehydration, heatstroke, higher blood pressure, and sleep deprivation. Some of these conditions can be deadly if not treated promptly.

While no one is truly immune to extreme heat, factors such as age and health condition, as well as exposure variables including occupation and socio-economic circumstances, can increase an individual’s vulnerability. Studies show that women – particularly pregnant women, children, and the elderly are especially at risk of developing severe heat-related symptoms.

Last month’s heatwave disproportionately affected these vulnerable categories, the World Weather Attribution study showed, with people aged 65 and over making up some 88% of the excess deaths.

Heatwaves kill nearly half a million people each year globally, making them the deadliest extreme weather event. Heat is often referred to as a “silent killer“, as accurately monitoring heat-related fatalities is challenging and many countries still lack adequate record-keeping systems. As a result, the documented number of heat-related deaths is often significantly lower than the actual toll.

“While a handful of deaths have been reported in Spain, France and Italy, thousands more people are expected to have died as a result of the blistering temperatures and their deaths won’t be recorded as heat-related,” said Malcolm Mistry, Assistant Professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and one of the study’s authors.

“Most people who die in heatwaves pass away at home or in hospitals as their bodies become overwhelmed and give in to pre-existing health conditions,” he added.

Record-Breaking Temperatures

The heatwave began in late June and extended through July, bringing temperatures above 40C in several countries and shattering temperature records in Spain and Portugal, with highs of 46C. The scorching weather prompted limitations on outdoor work schedules in Italy, the shutdown of over 1,300 schools and some nuclear reactors in France, and the eruption of wildfires across the Mediterranean.

The increase in extreme heat is a direct result of our warming planet, which is driven by greenhouse gasses that trap heat in the atmosphere. This raises Earth’s surface temperature, leading to longer and hotter heatwaves.

Last month was Europe’s fifth-warmest June in the record, although most of western and central Europe experienced warmer-than-average air temperatures. Western Europe as a whole saw its warmest June on record, with an average temperature of 20.49C, 2.81C above the 1991–2020 average, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.

Exceptional warmth also developed in the Mediterranean Sea, which reached a record-breaking temperature of 27C for June, 3.7C above the long-term average.

Featured image: Alisdare Hickson/Flickr.

Check out our 3-part series ‘Silent Killer’ on extreme heat

The post Death Toll of European Heatwave 3 Times Higher Because of Climate Change, Study Shows appeared first on Earth.Org.

Heatwaves like the one set to affect the United Kingdom this weekend are now ten times more likely to occur compared to the cooler pre-industrial climate.

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June days where temperatures exceed 32C in southeast England are significantly more likely to occur because of human-induced climate change, a new study has warned ahead of an early-season heatwave in the UK.

The World Weather Attribution (WWA) group found that there is a 100-times higher likelihood of having June days with temperatures above 32C in today’s climate, which is 1.3C warmer than pre-industrial times. It comes as temperatures are supposed to sore past 32C in parts of the UK this Saturday.

A heatwave is expected to affect much of the UK throughout the weekend, after heat built up through the week, the Met Office said on Thursday. Temperatures on Saturday are forecast to exceed 30C in much of the country, with highs of 34C in eastern England, the UK’s weather service added. For heatwave conditions to be met, temperatures need to reach 25C across the north and west of the country, and 28C in parts of southeast England for at least three consecutive days.

The likelihood of crossing southeast England’s heatwave threshold in June has increased from about once every 50 years in cooler pre-industrial climate to about once every five years in today’s climate, the study also found. In other words, every June there is now a 20% chance that the region will experience a heatwave.

Heatwaves kill nearly half a million people each year globally, making them the deadliest extreme weather event. Like other extreme weather events such as floods and droughts, heatwaves have been made more frequent and intense by climate change, which is primarily a consequence of fossil fuel burning.

Heat is extremely dangerous for humans as it compromises physiological processes meant to keep the body cool, heightening the risk of heatstroke and other heat-related illnesses. It can be life-threatening if not promptly treated.

Early-season heatwaves like this one tend to be deadlier as people are not yet acclimatized to summer temperatures, the study warned. People over 65 and those with pre-existing conditions such as respiratory and cardiovascular disease are more vulnerable and face a heightened risk of death.

‘Lagging Behind’

Heatwaves are expected to increase in frequency and intensity in the UK, according to a new Met Office study underscoring the “need to prepare and plan for the impacts of rising temperatures now.”

Yet the country is still “lagging behind” on adaptation and heatwaves remain an “overlooked threat”, WWA researchers warned. An update to building regulations in England now requires construction companies to take extreme heat into consideration – yet most existing homes remain highly vulnerable to overheating in the summer months, they said.

“It is totally insane we have political leaders in the UK trying to drag us back to the past with calls for more fossil fuels,” said Friederike Otto, WWA’s Co-Founder and Associate Professor in Climate Science at the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College London.

The burning of coal, natural gas, and oil for electricity and heat is the single-largest source of global greenhouse gas emissions. These are the primary drivers of global warming as they trap heat in the atmosphere and raising Earth’s surface temperature.

“The climate will continue to drive increasingly dangerous heatwaves, fires and floods in the UK until emissions are reduced to net zero globally,” Otto added.

The UK High Court of Justice last year ruled that the country’s net-zero strategy – The Carbon Budget Delivery Plan – was in breach of the law, after handing down a similar verdict in 2022.

The court found the original plan inadequate because it lacked sufficient information on how the government would meet its emissions reduction targets and relied on potentially unproven technologies.

It initially instructed the government to draw up a revised plan within 12 months, though it eventually granted an extension, with the new deadline set for October 2025.

Featured image: Alisdare Hickson/Flickr.

Check out our 3-part series on extreme heat

The post UK ‘Lagging Behind’ on Climate Adaptation, Study Warns Ahead of Early Summer Heatwave appeared first on Earth.Org.

Bats feed on the rice borer moth, a pest that poses a significant threat to rice crops worldwide. In Spain, Madagascar, and Mexico, they have proven vital for the protection of rice crops.

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According to statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization, global rice production increased steadily from 200 million tonnes (mt) in the early 1960s to 700mt in half a century, driven largely by population growth. This rise in production heightened the need for more effective and economical methods of insect pest control – such as using bats – instead of relying solely on insecticides. Insectivorous bats can consume some 80-100% of their body weight in insects each night, making them valuable allies in agriculture.

In 1990, in the Ebro Delta Natural Park on Buda Island, northeast of the Iberian Peninsula, pesticides were generally spread from aircrafts. Farmers, aware of the need for an alternative solution, installed bat boxes across rice plantations in a bid to fight the rice borer moth, a serious pest of rice. They were soon occupied by thousands of bats across several hectares of rice fields and, in a short time, pest levels declined significantly. 

Building on this natural pest control approach, a study published in 2015 provided scientific validation and evidence supporting the role of bats as effective, eco-friendly pest controllers. In the years to come, more studies followed. In 2024, researchers studied how the presence and absence of bats affected rice pests. They concluded that on plantations where barriers were set up to prevent bats from accessing them, pest presence was twice as high.

Nowadays, however, pheromones are mostly used to control these pests, and if they are not enough, pesticides are also applied. Pheromones are substances that disrupt mating by confusing male insects, masking the scent trails of females, or creating false trails into the field. 

The Importance of Preserving Bats

“The presence of bats in agricultural lands significantly contributes to the protection of the yield of rice fields, minimizing the harvest losses due to insect pests,” explained Adrià López-Baucells, a researcher from the BiBio Research Group at the Natural Sciences Museum of Granollers in Spain. “The economic value of this natural pest control is estimated at savings of €56 [US$65] per hectare in rice fields,” the researcher explained, making bats a sustainable, economical, and environmentally safe method to fight insect pests in agriculture.

In the 2015 study mentioned above, researchers and park technicians also evaluated the types of boxes most suitable for bat survival. In the past, during episodes of extreme heat, some bats died from the excessive temperatures inside conventional boxes. An innovative model of box was therefore developed by Xavier Porres, a technician and project collaborator from the Natural Park in Ebro Delta, made from a mix of rice husk, plant fibres, and other organic materials from rice production. These lightweight, waterproof, and light-colored boxes were designed to prevent overheating and were installed throughout the park. By using agricultural waste from the rice farms to create shelters for bats – which then helps control pests in the fields – this approach completes a sustainable cycle of reuse and natural pest management, ultimately boosting crop productivity. 

Bat Projects Around the World

Following these findings, the Catalan public administration in Spain began funding collaborative projects and initiatives between the BiBio Research Group and the BETA Technological Centre. These projects use bats to improve biodiversity, and agricultural productivity. For example, in Catalonia, vineyards make up about half of the land used for organic farming, where synthetic chemicals aren’t allowed – so farmers rely only on prevention and natural methods to manage pests. 

As part of these initiatives, researchers aim to study the bats’ diet, threats, migration, and behaviour. Smart and autonomous bat boxes have also been recently designed and equipped with infrared cameras, environmental sensors, and solar panels. These boxes take one photo per day and send it to a mobile phone, allowing for the constant monitoring of bat presence, detection of breeding, and continuous tracking.

The knowledge gained from the 2015 study was then applied to different contexts. In 2025, researchers from the same group identified a similar pattern with bats controlling multiple insect pests in Madagascar. 

Madagascar is renowned for its rich biodiversity and high levels of endemism, but it currently faces significant threats from land conversion for agriculture due to the exponential population growth in the last half century. To plant crops such as rice, people are forced to clear land by deforesting large areas, resulting in significant forest and habitat loss. They use a practice known as “slash and burn”, which involves burning, clearing the remains, and planting the new crop. The forced transformation of landscapes on this African island has disrupted ecosystems, causing bats to relocate and increasingly coexist with humans. 

Urgent conservation efforts, including community-led cave protection and sustainable land-use planning, are needed. Raising awareness among farmers about the value of bats can promote sustainable practices and strengthen food security. 

Soon after, another study in Mexico drew a similar conclusion. In Morelos, researchers studied how well insect-eating bats help protect rice crops from pests. They found that bats reduced crop damage by 58%. Although the total rice harvest didn’t increase much, the reduced damage was worth about €3-7 (US$3.6-8) per hectare each year. This is the first time the economic value of bats for rice farming has been measured in the Americas, highlighting the importance of protecting bats as part of sustainable agriculture.

Bats as Bioindicators

Bats are very small mammals. Their wings make them appear larger, but sometimes weigh less than 5 grams. Despite their small size, they have remarkable longevity: many species live between 10 and 20 years in the wild, and some can reach 30 to 40 years. They also have a low reproductive rate: most species produce only one offspring per year. This combination of longevity and low birth rate means that damaged colonies can take decades to recover. 

Bats are disappearing due to habitat loss transformed for intensive agriculture, pesticides, climate change, disease, and human disturbance. These factors reduce their food, shelter, and survival rates. As bioindicators, their decline signals worsening ecosystem health.

In Catalonia, for example, 30 species have been identified, with one already classified as extinct. Some are associated with riparian forests, and their presence indicates good environmental health. Others, which are forest dwellers, only breed in well-preserved woods, making them clear indicators of environmental quality.

Bats support sustainable agriculture by naturally reducing pests, which lessens pesticide use and helps protect food security and the environment. Preserving their habitats boosts rural productivity and biodiversity. Studies in the Ebro Delta, Madagascar and Mexico confirm their valuable role in farming systems, especially amid global challenges like climate change and ecosystem stress.

Featured image: Oriol Massana and Adrià López Baucells.

The post Around the World, Bats Are Protecting Rice Crops Against Pests appeared first on Earth.Org.

The average surface air temperature globally in May stood at 15.79C, 0.53C above the 1991-2020 average for the month, the European Union’s Copernicus said on Thursday.

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Last month, the second-warmest May ever recorded globally, brought exceptionally dry conditions to north-western Europe.

May’s global average surface air temperature of 15.79C was the second-highest ever recorded for the month, 0.12C cooler than the record May of 2024, and 0.06C warmer than the third warmest of 2020, according to data by the Earth observation component of the European Union’s Space programme Copernicus.

The month was also 1.40C above the pre-industrial level – which the EU programme defines using the 1850-1900 average. It marked the first time since August 2024 that the global-average temperature exceeded 1.5C – a key target set by the international community to limit global warming.

Beyond 1.5C of global warming, experts warn that critical tipping points will be breached, leading to devastating and potentially irreversible consequences for several vital Earth systems that sustain a hospitable planet, such as rising sea levels, more intense heatwaves, stronger storms, and disruptions to ecosystems and biodiversity.

But Carlo Buontempo, director of Copernicus Climate Change (C3S), cautioned against celebrating what he called a “brief respite for the planet,” warning that the 1.5C threshold will likely be exceeded again in the near future.

The planet has already warmed 1.3C since the Industrial Revolution, with the United Nations warning that the world is already on track for 3.1C of warming.

Last month’s global temperatures lowered the chances that 2025 will be the hottest year in history to 8%, though there is still a 50% chance that it will end up as the second-warmest year on record, according to research independent climatology research organization Berkley Earth.

Exceptionally Dry

Much of northern and central Europe were drier-than-average in May, with north-western parts of the continent seeing the lowest precipitation and soil moisture levels since at least 1979, according to the monthly bulletin. Persistent dry conditions have led to the lowest spring river flow across the continent since record-keeping began in 1992.

The past three months were drier than average also over western North America and extra-tropical South America, the Horn of Africa, parts of central Asia, China, and south of Australia, Copernicus added.  

A recent study commissioned by non-profit WaterAid that looked at the world’s top 100 most-populated cities and 12 other cities concluded that 44% of urban centers worldwide are getting drier. The Spanish cities of Madrid and Barcelona, France’s capital Paris and Germany’s capital Berlin were among the top-20 cities facing increasing dry extremes.

Featured image: Alisdare Hickson/Flickr.

The post Northwestern Europe Was Exceptionally Dry During Second-Warmest May on Record, EU Scientists Say appeared first on Earth.Org.

Collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and civil society is needed to reverse biodiversity loss in Europe and create a nature-positive future for the continent. The European Union-funded project BIOTraCes employs an innovative approach to the problem, focussing on tackling the root causes of biodiversity loss, emphasizing equity and justice for both people and the planet.

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Biodiversity in Europe is facing a significant and ongoing decline. Data from the European Environment Agency indicates that nearly 40% of the 463 bird species in the European Union (EU) are classified as having poor or bad conservation status. Approximately 5% of habitats require improvement, and 50% of dunes, bogs, mires, and fens are in a state of poor conservation. 

The main pressure on biodiversity in our continent comes from the agriculture sector, which accounts for 21% of the impact on habitats and species, followed by urbanization at 13% and forestry at 11%.

“Growing economies coincide with increased exploitation and extraction of resources, which leads to climate change, land use, and alteration,” said Esther Turnhout, a partner in the EU-funded project Biodiversity and Transformative Change for plural and nature positive societies (BIOTraCes) at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. “This, in turn, results in biodiversity loss.”

The Benefits of Transformative Change

To address biodiversity loss in Europe, we must first and foremost tackle its root causes, Turnhout argues. Speaking with Earth.Org, she said current biodiversity conservation policies focus on nature management measures to reduce pollution, relocate people, or enhance protection, rather than what is causing large-scale biodiversity loss. 

“Rather than solely relying on these protective measures, we should consider the actual root causes of biodiversity destruction. We must delve deeper to address not just the symptoms of these problems but also their underlying causes,” she said.

This approach is part of the theory of ​transformative change, which refers to a profound and fundamental shift in how societies function and govern themselves. It aims to address interconnected challenges such as biodiversity loss, climate change, and social inequality. Unlike incremental changes that involve building up on what we are already doing, transformative change involves a comprehensive reorganisation of societal structures, values, and behaviors. 

This process can start with grassroots innovations or through top-down reforms of political and economic systems. It aims to create a more sustainable and equitable society through four key principles: recognising diversity, focusing on marginalised groups, addressing political barriers, and empowering local communities.

“What BIOTraCes is trying to do with transformative change is to shift some of the views of what people think about nature and biodiversity, and in a way, through doing so, they’re attempting to help people integrate nature into their lifestyle or business practices,” said Jeanne Nel, a partner in BIOTraCes who leads the Biodiverse Environment Programme at Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands. 

“The project also aims to address barriers to people who want to live more sustainable and just lifestyles,” she added.

The Power of Local Communities

Eleven partners from Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and the Netherlands are collaborating to ensure the success of BIOTraCes. The researchers are studying sectors that significantly improve biodiversity in nine case studies across Europe. 

One of them is in Amsterdam’s Voedselpark, where a coalition of citizens and social movements work hand in hand to integrate nature with food production, aiming to prevent industrialization in their communities. They are co-designing a regulatory framework for a community land trust, ensuring a unified approach that includes decision-making rights for local residents.

“We are working with communities that want to implement these practices and biodiversity-friendly methods in the ways they live, such as their housing or how they grow the food they eat. We are working with them to explore how we can create policy spaces that make this easier for them,” Nel told Earth.Org.

“Many policy departments operate in silos, and yes, everyone tends to prefer straightforward and technical problems with simple solutions, even if those solutions are ultimately not true solutions in the long run,” said Turnhout, adding that it is challenging for people to view economic and industrial policy as tools for biodiversity conservation, and likewise to consider social inequality and social justice as factors in biodiversity. “This is extremely difficult, but it must happen,” she said.

What’s Next?

BIOTraCes, set to conclude in November 2026, will develop a handbook for transformative change, highlighting the perspectives of local initiatives conducted during the project and the grassroots organizations behind them. It will also include results from the analysis of indirect drivers of biodiversity loss, such as structural factors that create obstacles to sustainable decision-making and behavioral changes. 

According to Nel, who guides politicians in implementing participatory processes that are equitable to tackle biodiversity loss, we also need to “connect local actors to higher-level processes that are more influential, where there can be a shift in mindsets and deeper concern for local communities.”

Collaboration and interaction also need to occur among local initiatives with similar objectives so that the results, knowledge, and solutions discovered in the projects can be amplified and utilized by others. BIOTraCes is collaborating with several projects addressing similar issues as part of a cluster focused on transformative change for biodiversity, offering scientific knowledge, solutions, and case studies on the subject.

“All these projects take different viewpoints, but all of them are somehow connected to local case studies,” said Nel. “I think that’s really interesting as you see what are similar barriers and issues. I believe that then, through this, you can gain a much clearer idea of exactly where it is at a higher level that you need to push. We now know that there isn’t just one silver bullet that will solve it; it’s about multiple perspectives.”

Featured image: European Science Communication Institute gGmbH.

The post This Project Is Tackling Biodiversity Loss While Promoting Justice in Europe appeared first on Earth.Org.

In a move that redefines the European Union’s approach to climate policy, the European Commission planned major rollbacks of the European Green Deal rules with legislative proposals aimed at simplifying some key sustainability directives. The Omnibus Simplification Package significantly narrows the scope of sustainability reporting and due diligence obligations, watering down the bloc’s corporate accountability legislation. 

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The European Union (EU) has long positioned itself as the forefront of global climate action. Their flagship initiative, the European Green Deal, aimed at achieving climate neutrality by 2050, fostering a sustainable and circular economy, and ensuring a just transition to all sectors of society.

To operationalize these ambitious climate neutrality targets, the Commission introduced three key regulations: the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which requires companies to disclose detailed information about their environmental, social and governance (ESG) impacts, aiming at improving transparency and guiding sustainable investment decisions; the EU Taxonomy Regulation, a classification system that defines which economic activities are environmentally sustainable, designed to channel investments toward genuine green projects, and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), aiming to foster sustainable and responsible corporate behaviour in companies’ operations and global value chains.

These regulations are a major component of the successful implementation of the Green Deal’s goals, as they provide the main regulatory framework under which companies and EU member states are supposed to operate. They also serve to improve transparency on sustainability reporting and help guide sustainable investment, promoting sustainable economic practices and holding businesses accountable.

Cutting the Red Tape

In February, the European Commission presented the Omnibus Simplification Package, signaling a significant shift in the bloc’s approach to climate change. It is part of a strategy to make Europe more competitive in a precarious geopolitical environment, particularly according to the fear that Europe’s economy is stagnating and lagging behind that of the US and China.

The main argument supporting the advancement of the Omnibus was that reporting and due diligence reduce competitiveness because of the associated compliant expenses. Lowering these expenses through simplification, European lawmakers argued, would increase competitiveness and promote better business across Europe.

However, the rhetoric of simplification hides a de facto retreat from sustainability commitments. At the heart of the Omnibus package are several changes that target the key sustainability regulations that underpin the European Green Deal.

Reducing Corporate Accountability and Transparency 

The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, which compels companies to ensure that human rights and environmental standards are upheld not only within their own operations but throughout their global supply chains, is the legislation that suffers the most under the simplification proposal.

Under the narrowing of obligations stipulated in the Omnibus, companies are required to conduct due diligence only on their direct business partners (e.g. immediate suppliers or contractors). This does not include small suppliers, as companies with fewer than 500 employees are exempt from due diligence requests, unless explicitly linked to known violations. In other words, companies would no longer be required to investigate environmental or human rights malpractices of indirect supplies (e.g. raw material producers) or smallholder supplies. 

The most severe violations, such as deforestation, forced labour, or environmental degradation, however, typically take place in these lower tiers of the supply chain, for example at mining sites or plantations, and this change could severely undermine the EU’s ability to prevent and stop abuses.

The CSDDD also required companies to terminate business relationships as a last resort if severe abuses cannot be mitigated. The Omnibus eliminates this obligation, allowing firms to continue partnerships as long as they claim to be ‘’addressing the issue.’’

You might also like: The Environmental Impact of Illegal Mining in Latin America 

Reducing Scope and Reporting

The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive is also on the chopping block. While originally requiring over 50,000 European companies to report detailed information about their environmental, social and governance (ESG) impacts, under the Omnibus simplification, only companies with more than 1,000 employees and a net turnover above €50 million (US$55.9 million) are subject to mandatory reporting. 

The move effectively excludes some 80% of European companies from sustainability reporting, which will now be unaccountable for their sustainability practices. It also reduces the transparency necessary for green investments and informed consumer behavior.

Delayed Implementation

On top of reducing the breadth of reporting and due diligence requirements, the Omnibus also proposes delays in the implementation of the CSRD and CSDDD regulations by two years to 2028. 

These delays effectively grant companies more time to sidestep their sustainability obligations, potentially contributing to the perpetuation of harmful practices. Human rights abuses, forced labor, or environmental destruction, for instance, could go unchecked for years without the necessary oversight and transparency.

Backlash

As sweeping as the European Commission’s Omnibus simplifications were in scaling back sustainability regulations, so, too, has been the backlash they provoked. A broad and diverse coalition of stakeholders, including political parties, trade unions, environmental and human rights NGOs, and advocates for corporate transparency, have vocally opposed the proposal.

Over 360 environmental and human rights organizations have called on the European Union and EU national governments to suspend the Omnibus deregulation proposal.

Among the most vocal critics has been a coalition of climate and human rights NGOs, including ClientEarth, Friends of the Earth Europe, the European Environmental Bureau, and Corporate Europe Observatory. These organizations presented a formal complaint to the European Ombudsman, accusing the Commission of undermining sustainability progress with the Omnibus simplifications – particularly through failure to properly gather evidence and conduct impact assessments, closed-door consultations, lack of transparency, and heavy, unrestrained industry lobbying.

Some troubling details of procedural violations have emerged. Only about 15% of companies invited to consultations were small and medium enterprises (SMEs), even though they make up 99% of EU businesses and were supposed to be a major focus on the simplification agenda. Most of the companies consulted came from just five European countries – Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands – plus the UK and US, raising concerns about geographic bias. 

Perhaps most strikingly, the Commission proposed and adopted these significant sustainability law revisions in less than four months, an unusual speed for a legislation of this scope. Furthermore, the interservice consultation period, typically a 10-working-day window given to the relevant Commission departments to comment on the proposal – was held over just 24 hours over the weekend, violating the Commission’s own procedural rules.

Political Divide in Parliament

The debate over the adoption of the Omnibus in the European Parliament has also been marked by sharp political divisions, reflecting broader ideological differences on deregulation, sustainability, and the pace of legislative change. 

The center-right European People’s Party (EPP), currently holding the parliamentary majority, is pushing for urgent adoption and significant administrative simplification, aiming to reduce burdens on businesses, especially SMEs. The party pushed to fast-track the package, and although they emphasize that simplification should not entail total deregulation, they are considering alliances with more right-leaning groups to secure a quick passage.

The alliance could constitute a severe threat to European sustainability goals. The far-right in the European Parliament, the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and other fringe groups – who in the past have called to put an end to the European Green Deal altogether – have argued that the package does not go far enough in deregulation. They have called for even more dismantling of existing sustainability and social directives, viewing current regulations as a major barrier for competitiveness. 

The EPP collaboration with far-right groups in order to pass legislation risks breaking the centrist coalition that gave Commission President Ursula von der Leyen her mandate. The Omnibus serves as a major test on whether the EPP will keep working with its centrist allies or pursue its agenda with right-wing support, potentially destabilising the EU’s political balance.

Center-left and left parties have largely been skeptical of the Omnibus package. While open to some simplification, the center-left Socialists & Democrats (S&D), the second-largest group in the European Parliament are wary of using the package as a pretext for deregulation or to weaken social and environmental standards. They oppose any collaboration with the far right and insist that simplification must not come at the expense of protections for people and the environment.

Other left wing groups were even harsher in their opposition to the Omnibus package. The European Greens have strongly opposed the package in its current form, viewing it as “deregulation under the guise of reducing bureaucracy’’ that threatens the EU’s ecological transition and penalizes companies already committed to sustainability. The Omnibus risks rolling back climate and social objectives and ruining decades of corporate accountability.

The Left group has also criticized the proposal, accusing the Commission of putting private interests and short-term business growth over climate and human rights obligations. They have called the Omnibus package ‘’a race to the bottom.’’

What’s Next?

The Omnibus Package risks setting a dangerous precedent beyond the immediate impact on sustainability regulation. This decision appears to be business driven, prioritizing private interests and short-term economic concerns over long-term social benefits. This sudden wave of deregulation seems to undermine the values of the European Union itself, creating uncertainty and contradicting EU’s commitments to social and environmental goals. 

With core sustainability regulations on the line, the outcome of this legislative battle will not only shape the immediate future of EU climate policy, but may also define the Union’s credibility as a global leader on environmental and human rights issues.

This shift has not happened in a vacuum. The deregulatory drive behind the Omnibus proposal has been significantly influenced by intense corporate lobbying, particularly from industry groups seeking to limit reporting obligations and reduce compliance costs. Corporate lobbying has been a long standing issue in the European institution; still, reports from Friends of the Earth Europe and Corporate Europe Observatory have detailed how business lobbyists, especially representing large multinationals, have successfully pushed to weaken and delay sustainability directives with exceptional speed and efficacy, gaining privileged access to the Commission’s scrutiny process and limited consultation with SMEs and civil society.

Surely, geopolitical instabilities – most notably the war in Ukraine and the tense relations with Donald Trump’s America – have fueled a narrative of urgency around competitiveness. Energy insecurity, inflation, and supply chain disruptions have amplified calls from certain political factions to strip back regulatory frameworks in the name of economic resilience. While legitimate concerns about overburdening businesses exist, there is a growing fear that these pressures are being used to justify a broader retreat from environmental and social responsibility.

As debates and negotiations in Brussels continue to unfold, the stakes are high. The decisions made now could either cement a deregulatory precedent that weakens the EU’s climate and human rights architecture – or mark a turning point where legislators recommit to the principles of the European Green Deal. It is essential that centrist and progressive forces in Parliament resist pressure from far-right and ultra-liberal factions pushing for deeper rollbacks, and instead work together to defend the integrity of the EU’s sustainability agenda.

There is still time for the EU to change course and reaffirm its climate leadership. A future-proof Europe must not sacrifice environmental and social protections for perceived short-term gains. As global challenges mount, the EU’s strength lies not in abandoning its values, but in upholding them with consistency and courage. The Omnibus is a test of the bloc’s political will to stay true to its commitments to people, planet, and future generations.

The post Explainer: Is the EU Backtracking on Its Climate Pledges? The Implications of the European Omnibus Simplification Package appeared first on Earth.Org.

The UK’s Labour Party has made bold promises on climate change but one year after its landslide victory, arguably not much has been achieved. In stark contrast, the new Trump administration has dismantled much of the US’s climate progress and rewritten the country’s role in international climate affairs.  

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Mitigating climate change remains, for the most part, a top-down affair. Despite the swelling voices of civil society and businesses alike, only effective climate policy can affect the kind of change our planet desperately needs. Climate action is political – who leads a country often determines how seriously climate change is tackled. 

Yet, when election season arrives, environmental issues tend to be eclipsed by more immediate concerns such as healthcare, housing, cost of living, and job security. This is where the climate conundrum lies: future generations will pay the price if we fail to act today.

2024 was a year where many incumbent leaders were overturned by voters rattled by skyrocketing inflation and an increasingly unstable geopolitical situation. In countries like the UK, Germany and the US, climate change policies remain a polarizing political issue. Meanwhile, nations like Singapore, Denmark and New Zealand broadly agree on the goal of achieving net zero across the political spectrum.

In this article, Earth.Org looks at how some of today’s political parties are responding to the call for greater action on climate change.

United Kingdom

The Labour Party, which secured the largest majority government in 25 years at last year’s election, positioned itself as the climate-forward alternative, promising to make Britain a clean energy superpower. 

Their “Clean Power by 2030” pledge, which includes doubling onshore wind, tripling solar, and quadrupling offshore wind capacity within five years, is no doubt ambitious. Additionally, the party plans to scale up public and private investments in emerging technologies like hydrogen, tidal and wave energy and long-term energy storage while extending nuclear capabilities. Most crucially, the government is not framing climate action as a sacrifice or a cost. Through its Green Prosperity Plan, the party is linking decarbonization with economic revitalization and job creation, showing that climate action can –  and must – serve everyday livelihoods.

In practice, this means upgrading millions of homes with better insulation and low-carbon heating to lower energy bills; investing in local energy production to retain economic value within communities; and creating tens of thousands of jobs in clean energy infrastructure, home retrofitting, and supply chain industries. 

The party also advanced a bill to institute the Great British Energy, a publicly-owned clean energy company headquartered in Scotland. The proposal is intended not only to accelerate investment in renewable energy but also to ensure that the economic benefits of the clean energy transition are shared with the public, rather than captured solely by private corporations.

The ambition of the Green Prosperity Plan and the creation of Great British Energy may signal intent, but delivering on these commitments will be the real test. Turning these ambitious commitments into measurable outcomes – such as upgraded homes, new jobs, and expanded clean energy capacity – will determine whether Labour’s climate forward mandate is credible. 

Canada

Last month, Canada overwhelmingly rejected conservative ideologies in favour of a more Liberal approach, electing  former central banker and UN climate envoy Mark Carney.

The election has brought renewed attention to the country’s dual-track climate strategy. As the new leader of the Liberal Party, Carney has pledged to position Canada as an “energy superpower” – not only in clean energy, but also in conventional fossil fuels. 

“We are going to aggressively develop projects that are in the national interest in order to protect Canada’s energy security, diversify our trade, and enhance our long-term competitiveness – all while reducing emissions,” said Carney.

Rather than pursuing an abrupt phase-out of fossil fuels, Carney’s government is focusing on technological solutions to decarbonize existing systems. This includes heavy investment in carbon removal and storage, expanded electric vehicle infrastructure, and large-scale electricity transmission networks to better connect renewable power sources across Canada’s vast geography. These initiatives aim to lower emissions while maintaining economic competitiveness and energy reliability.

At the same time, Carney has moved to reform climate policy instruments, including replacing the consumer-facing carbon tax with green incentives – seeking to make climate action more politically palatable and economically inclusive. However, the industrial carbon price remains intact, reinforcing Canada’s emissions accountability at the enterprise level.

“We are pleased to see that our new prime minister has promised to strengthen it and call on him to maintain and strengthen other key climate and biodiversity protection policies,” Greenpeace Canada’s senior energy strategist Keith Stewart said in a statement.

This direction stands in sharp contrast to the opposition Conservative Party, which has pledged to scrap climate regulations, roll back clean energy investments, and expand oil and gas production and exports. 

Despite domestic political uncertainty and the complexities of trade relations – particularly with the US –Carney’s government is pressing ahead with its 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, which targets a 60% cut from 2005 levels. Whether this plan succeeds will depend not only on federal leadership, but also on cooperation with provinces, especially energy-intensive regions like Alberta, and the country’s ability to attract investment into emerging green sectors.

United States

Merely 100 days since his inauguration, US President Donald Trump has overturned years of climate progress and altered the US’ role in the global fight against climate change.. From walking away from the Paris Agreement to cutting funds for climate transition in developing countries, the current administration’s  posture leans heavily toward fossil fuel interests and deregulation. 

This regression underscores a key vulnerability in the US system: the partisan pendulum of climate policy. Every change in administration brings with it the potential for major reversals – not only in climate policy but also in social, immigration, and foreign affairs. Democratic-led ambitious climate strategies, such as the Inflation Reduction Act and climate-linked industrial policy, have been dismantled or delayed by Republican-led administrations, which view climate regulation as an economic constraint rather than an opportunity.

As a result, the US, despite being one of the world’s largest carbon emitters and innovation powerhouses, remains an unreliable partner on the global stage when it comes to long-term climate commitments. This inconsistency has a ripple effect: it undermines multilateral climate negotiations, weakens investor confidence in green sectors, and complicates other nations’ efforts to align trade or carbon border measures with US policy.

The US case demonstrates a sobering truth: if politics can enable climate action, it can just as easily disable it. In a democracy as polarized as this, the climate agenda becomes vulnerable to election cycles, party ideologies, and the influence of entrenched fossil fuel lobbies. The path forward may require more than just policy, it may demand deeper institutional reforms, bipartisan consensus-building, or even climate-resilient governance mechanisms that can withstand electoral swings.

You might also like: 100 Days of Trump: How the US Overturned Years of Climate Progress

Singapore

Singapore’s political landscape presents a rare example of bipartisan consensus on the importance of climate action – where both the ruling party and opposition agree that the green transition and net-zero goals are non-negotiable national priorities. This reflects a pragmatic political culture shaped by Singapore’s vulnerability to climate risks, its dense urban environment, and the country’s dependence on global trade and energy imports. 

The People’s Action Party, which has governed unchallenged since independence was achieved in 1965 and won another mandate earlier this month, takes a cautiously ambitious, whole-of-government approach, balancing decarbonization with economic resilience. The government has articulated a comprehensive long-term strategy through its Singapore Green Plan 2030. The roadmap focuses on nature, energy, circular economy, decarbonization, green economy and climate change adaptation. Opposition parties like the Workers Party, while aligned on fundamentals, have called for the acceleration of renewable energy adoption, increased support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the green transition, and the introduction of stronger environmental safeguards. 

The cross-party alignment suggests that climate policy in Singapore is less likely to be derailed by political turnover, unlike in many other countries. However, the real challenge lies not in setting targets, but in implementation, especially given constraints like limited land, low renewable energy potential and economic dependencies on sectors such as petrochemicals, aviation, and maritime trade. Yet these constraints have made Singapore a testbed for climate innovation, particularly in urban sustainability, carbon markets and green finance as well as regional energy cooperation among ASEAN countries. 

More on the topic: How Sustainable Cities Like Singapore Succeed in Green Urban Development

Final Thoughts 

The contrast between countries with consistent climate policies and those with volatile, partisan approaches reveals a hard truth: politics can either accelerate or obstruct the transition to a sustainable future. When political leadership aligns climate action with job security, energy resilience, and cost-of-living improvements, it transforms climate policy from an abstract ideal into a tangible public good – one that voters are more likely to support.

Ultimately, the climate crisis is the defining test of political will and institutional resilience, challenging leaders and institutions to maintain long-term climate commitments across electoral cycles, economic shocks and geopolitical disruptions.

Featured image: Paddy O’Sullivan/Unsplash.

The post How Are New Governments in the UK, US, and Canada Responding to Climate Change?  appeared first on Earth.Org.

2024 was also Europe’s hottest year on record, with almost half of the continent experiencing record-high annual temperatures.

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Europe experienced “serious impacts” from extreme weather and climate change in 2024, according to a new report published Tuesday.

The continent was afflicted by “often severe” storms that triggered the most widespread flooding since 2013, data compiled by the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization revealed. Western Europe was hit hardest, with 2024 ranking among the top ten wettest years since 1950.

An estimated 413,000 people were affected, and at least 335 lost their lives.

Notable events included deadly floods in Valencia, a province in eastern Spain. 500 millimeters (20 inches) of rain – a year’s worth for some locations – fell in just eight hours in late October, trapping people in their homes and cars.

The unprecedented storm was fuelled by warmer-than-usual sea waters that were made at least 50 to 300 times more likely by human-caused climate change, researchers later found. According to the Tuesday report, sea surface temperature across Europe were 0.7C above average and the Mediterranean Sea at 1.2C above average last year.

The floodwaters killed at least 232 people across the region, making it the year’s deadliest weather-related event.

A month earlier, similarly intense downpours triggered devastating flooding in eight countries in central and eastern Europe. Climate change was once again found to have increased the likelihood and intensity of the unprecedented storm, which claimed at least 19 lives.

As a result of these and other flooding events, 30% of the European river network exceeded the “high” flood threshold during the year, while 12% exceeded the “severe” flood threshold, Tuesday’s report revealed.

Climate change is intensifying the water cycle, bringing more intense rainfall and associated flooding.

As ocean surfaces warm, so does the air above it, causing water to be carried up to high altitudes to form clouds, while leaving a low pressure zone beneath causing more air to rush in. The warmer the air, the more water it can hold: for every extra degree Celsius of warming, air can hold 7% more moisture.

Hottest Year

2024 was Europe’s hottest year on record, with nearly half of the continent experiencing record-high annual temperatures last year, the report said.

The numbers of days with “strong”, “very strong” and “extreme heat stress” were all the second highest on record, while 60% of Europe saw more days than average with at least “strong heat stress”.

Heat is extremely dangerous for humans as it compromises physiological processes meant to keep the body cool, heightening the risk of heatstroke and other heat-related illnesses. It can be life-threatening if not promptly treated.

The number of tropical nights is also on the rise in Europe, according to the report.

High nighttime temperatures are detrimental to human health, as they prevent the body from recovering from daytime heat. This not only disrupts sleep, which can negatively affect physical and mental health, cognitive function, and life expectancy, but it also increases the risk of illness and mortality.

People without access to air conditioning – a huge proportion of the world’s population – are particularly at risk. While about 90% of households in the US and 60% in China have some sort of air conditioning system, the number is worryingly lower in rapidly warming places like Europe, where only 10% of the population uses it.

Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent. Here, heat-related mortality has already increased by around 30% in the past two decades, coinciding with a rise in the average temperature. A recent study attributed nearly 48,000 deaths in the country in 2023 to extreme heat.

Featured image: Wikimedia Commons.

The post Nearly Half a Million Europeans Affected By Most Widespread Flooding in More Than a Decade in 2024: Report appeared first on Earth.Org.