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The European Union’s strategy to turn Europe into the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 is doomed to failure. Yet, that can be prevented if it rejects the greenwashing of carbon offsetting programmes and shifts policy and finance flows towards genuine climate solutions focused on reducing emissions in line with the science. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), charged with advancing scientific knowledge about anthropogenic climate change, is due to release its sixth synthesis report on 20 March, which is expected to indicate there is no further room for offsets. It shows that by continuing to channel policy focus and financial flows towards mitigation efforts such as carbon offsets and other false solutions — and away from adaptation and the real solutions — we are delaying the immediate emission reduction target by 2030, and we will offshoot 1.5.

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What climate information will be added to weather forecasts? In addition to the classic presentation of the weather, "there will be figures, data, we can come back, for example, on temperature anomalies, on the issue of water tables, or even explain the winter drought," Kara continued. Initially, this additional information will mainly be provided in the evening weather bulletins on France 2 and France 3. The forecasts will be extended by one and a half and two minutes respectively. Eventually, the system will be extended to daytime bulletins, according to Mr Kara, who was appointed last October.

If we act now, we can still secure a liveable, sustainable future for all,” Chair Hoesung Lee said at the launch of the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. Written by the world’s leading climate experts, it lays out a clear path to drastically cut emissions and repair the damage that’s already been done. But it requires governments to get onboard and fund it - without delay. This Synthesis Report brings together all the most up-to-date science on our warming planet. It shows that, despite the unprecedented scale of the challenge, there are many solutions available to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Most importantly, they are available to us right now. In 2018, the IPCC made the world aware of the unprecedented challenge of keeping global warming to 1.5°C. Five years later, it says that the challenge has become even bigger as GHG emissions have continued to rise.

The World Air Qiality Index https://waqi.info/ Thailand AQI https://aqicn.org/map/thailand/

Eco-anxiety, climate doom, environmental existential dread - as green journalists, we see these terms used a lot - and often feel them ourselves. While there's a lot to be worried about when it comes to the climate and nature crises, we must not lose hope - because hopelessness breeds apathy. The media has an important role to play in combatting climate doom. It's our job to be truthful and accurate in our reporting, not trying to downplay or greenwash the situation. But it's also our job to show that there is hope. In 2022, as part of our ongoing effort to tackle eco-anxiety (both that of our readers and our own), we kept track of all the positive environmental news throughout the year - racking up over 100 stories of eco-innovation, green breakthroughs and climate wins.

Spanish environmentalists on Monday called on the European Union to investigate the approval of 26.4 million euros of “green” economic recovery funds to join two ski resorts in the rapidly warming Pyrenees mountain range. Five activist groups sent a delegation to Brussels for meetings this week with EU officials. They want greater scrutiny of a project they claim will cause irreversible damage to the glacial valley of Canal Roya in the Aragon region.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has just released its latest report from the world’s leading climate experts. They say that the reality of the crisis is bad and it is rapidly getting worse. But the IPCC’s scientists have underlined that there is an enormous opportunity to change the course of the future - it is “now or never”. The Paris Agreement warming limit of 1.5C is still within reach. We have the solutions we need in this critical decade to cut emissions and exit from fossil fuels. So how have politicians, conservationists and environmental groups reacted to the IPCC’s “final warning” on the climate crisis? 'Make no mistake, inaction and delays are not options': Latest IPCC report has been approved IPCC report: Here’s how we can defuse the ‘ticking time bomb’ of climate change

Solar panels could be installed in the spaces between railway tracks in world first. Swiss start-up Sun-Ways is installing panels near Buttes train station in the west of the country in May, pending sign-off from the Federal Office of Transport. As the climate crisis demands that we speed up Europe’s energy transition, developers have been seeing new potential in unusual surfaces. Roadsides, reservoirs and farms are all finding space for solar systems. And Germany’s Deutsche Bahn is also experimenting with adding solar cells to railway sleepers. https://www.euronews.com/green/2023/03/17/solar-panels-could-be-installed-in-the-spaces-between-railway-tracks-in-world-first

Twenty years after the US-led invasion of Iraq, the country remains mired in corruption, political instability and violence. According to OPEC, the Organisation of Oil Exporting Countries, Iraq has the world’s fourth largest reserves after Venezuela, Saudi Arabia and Iran. But the country's citizens see little benefit, with power cuts commonplace in many parts of the country. Billions of dollars worth of revenue is either syphoned off through corruption or fail to reach the national coffers. Militias continue to dominate parts of the country and the creation of lasting and stable governments is proving elusive. High youth unemployment leaves millions of people with little prospect for the future.

Iranian authorities have committed violations since protests erupted last year that may amount to crimes against humanity, a UN expert has warned. Special rapporteur Javaid Rehman told the UN Human Rights Council that he was alarmed by the scale and gravity of the reported cases of murder, imprisonment, enforced disappearance, torture, rape and persecution. He called for an international fact-finding mission to investigate them. Iran said the allegations were made up. Protests swept across the Islamic Republic in September following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who was detained by morality police in Tehran for allegedly wearing her hijab "improperly". Iran's state coroner attributed her death to pre-existing medical conditions, but Mr Rehman said the evidence established that she died "as a result

Two banks connected with the late Jeffrey Epstein will face lawsuits over claims they enabled his sex trafficking, a US court has ruled. Two women who say the financier sexually abused them brought the case against JP Morgan Chase and Deutsche Bank. Judge Jed Rakoff also gave the go-ahead to a case against JP Morgan from the US Virgin Islands. The banks deny being aware of Epstein's abuses. In a four-page order Judge Rakoff wrote that the women and Virgin Islands government could try to make the case the banks had "knowingly benefited from participating in a sex trafficking venture". He also allowed the women to pursue claims the banks were negligent and obstructed enforcement of a federal anti-trafficking law.

Robert Costello, a former legal adviser for one-time Donald Trump attorney Michael Cohen, has been called to testify before a New York grand jury. Mr Costello is expected to testify on Monday afternoon in a case against the former president over hush money paid to ex-porn actress Stormy Daniels. The case may see criminal charges brought against Mr Trump. Mr Costello has been called by Mr Trump's legal team to discredit previous testimony by Mr Cohen. Mr Cohen - who is understood to have appeared before the grand jury this month - arranged a hush-money payment to Ms Daniels, who claimed to have had an affair with Mr Trump.

Sri Lanka has secured a $2.9bn (£2.3bn) bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as it faces its worst economic crisis since independence. The deal has been nearly a year in the making and a lifeline for the country that has billions of dollars in loans. Foreign minister Ali Sabry told the BBC the government will raise funds by restructuring state-owned enterprises and privatising the national airline. However, analysts warned Sri Lanka still faces a tough road ahead. The country's economy has been hit hard by the pandemic, rising energy prices, populist tax cuts and inflation of more than 50%. Why is Sri Lanka in crisis? The daily heartbreak of life in a country gone bankrupt

Alvin Bragg made history in 2021 as the first black man elected New York County district attorney. His spotlight is about to grow a lot brighter. Mr Bragg, 49, could become the first prosecutor - at the federal, state or local level - to bring criminal charges against a former American president. His office has been investigating an alleged hush money settlement between Donald Trump and an adult film star. With the probe nearing its end, an indictment of Mr Trump may be imminent. The case stems from a $130,000 (£106,000) payment made by his then-personal attorney Michael Cohen to pornographic actress Stormy Daniels at the height of the 2016 presidential election, allegedly in exchange for her silence over an affair with Mr Trump. The Republican ex-president denies wrongdoing. He predicted without evidence that he will be arrested on Tuesday and has called for his supporters to protest and "TAKE OUR NATION BACK!"

Putin says he's looked at China's proposals to settle war in Ukraine We're hearing the beginnings of these talks between the Chinese and Russian presidents. Vladimir Putin has told Xi Jinping that he looked at China's proposals for a resolution of the Ukraine conflict (we reported on that earlier, here) and viewed them with respect. He also said they'd have "an opportunity to discuss this issue" during Xi's state visit. Russian state TV is showing footage of the pair meeting at the Kremlin, with Putin being filmed telling his Chinese counterpart: "Dear friend, welcome to Russia."

Online retail giant Amazon plans to cut another 9,000 jobs as it seeks to save costs. The firm, which employs 1.5 million people worldwide, said the cuts would fall mainly in areas including cloud computing and advertising. It did not say which countries would be affected but said the positions would be closed in the next few weeks. Boss Andy Jassy said it was a "difficult decision" but it would be best for the company in the long term. The firm already axed 18,000 jobs in January. Mr Jassy said that in recent years, most areas of Amazon's business had been adding roles. "However, given the uncertain economy in which we reside, and the uncertainty that exists in the near future, we have chosen to be more streamlined in our costs and headcount," he continued. Amazon to axe 18,000 jobs as it cuts costs UK Amazon workers take second day of strike action Amazon calls staff back to office three days a week