Welcome to Carbon Brief’s DeBriefed.
An essential guide to the week’s key developments relating to climate change.
This week
Record temperatures
RECORD LEVELS: The Copernicus Climate Change Service has warned that extreme weather across the globe is set to continue, following April marking the 11th month in a row where global average temperatures were at record highs, reported the Financial Times. April was 0.67C above the 1991-2020 average for the month and 1.58C above pre-industrial levels, it added.
SURGING SEA TEMPERATURES: Analysis of the Copernicus data by BBC News found that the world’s oceans have broken temperature records every single day over the past year and, on some days, this has been by a “huge margin”. In February and March 2024, sea surface temperatures reached a new global average daily high of 21.09C, according to the analysis.
Climate scientists speak out
PAST 1.5C: A survey by the Guardian has found that the majority of the world’s leading climate scientists expect global temperature to rise to at least 2.5C above pre-industrial levels by 2100, given the current level of action by countries. The survey of 380 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) scientists found that almost half anticipate 3C of warming, while only 6% thought the internationally agreed 1.5C limit will be met.
EXHAUSTED EXPERTS: In an accompanying piece in the Guardian, the experts shared their views. One scientist from Mexico told the newspaper she felt “hopeless and broken” by the pace of rising climate impacts, while another expert said thinking of the future was “infuriating, distressing, overwhelming”. A separate piece spoke to the female scientists surveyed, a fifth of whom have decided not to have children or to have fewer.
AVOIDING DESPAIR: The Guardian published an editorial alongside the above articles, urging readers not to despair. Although the “future can feel overwhelming and unfixable”, it notes, we need to “build collective awareness, a sense that change is possible and momentum for wider systemic progress”. Additionally, an opinion article by former UN climate chief Christiana Figueres similarly argues that “stubborn optimism may be our only hope”.
Around the world
- BRAZIL FLOODS: Record-breaking floods in southern Brazil have killed more than 105 people and affected more than 1.7 million, with more rain expected, reported O Globo.
- EU AND CHINA TALK TRADE: EU commissioner Ursula von der Leyen has restated readiness to launch a trade war with China over imports of clean energy technologies during a meeting with president Xi Jinping, reported the Guardian. Elsewhere, the South China Morning Post reported that the new climate envoys from China and the US have met for the first time.
- SOUTH ASIA HEATWAVES: Governments across south and south-east Asia have issued health warnings as schools shut and crops fail, as extreme heat continues to grip the region, the Guardian reported. In the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, five people have been killed by forest fires, reported the Hindustan Times.
- AUSTRALIAN GAS: Australia’s government has announced plans to ramp up the extraction and use of gas to “2050 and beyond”, BBC News reported. The prime minister is now facing an internal revolt from his party, the Guardian added.
- KENYA DAY OF MOURNING: Kenya’s president William Ruto has declared a public day of mourning following the deaths of 238 people due to ongoing flooding, which will be marked by tree-planting, reported the Associated Press.
- LONDON MAYOR: Labour’s Sadiq Khan has pledged further “world-leading green action” after winning a historic third term as London Mayor, reported Bloomberg. Khan’s victory came despite speculation his ambitious air pollution and climate measures could turn off voters.
30%
The proportion of global electricity that came from renewables last year – a new record, according to analysis covered by Carbon Brief.
Latest climate research
- Fewer cooler days due to climate change could make existing varieties of lychee “unsuitable for cultivation in production areas in southern Taiwan”, a new study in Climate Services said.
- Tornado-producing tropical storms may increase “substantially” in the US by 2050 as climate change worsens, new research in Weather and Climate Extremes found.
- New research published in Nature Climate Change found that the transport of ocean heat through the Bering Strait has a more substantial influence on Arctic warming than previously recognised.
(For more, see Carbon Brief’s in-depth daily summaries of the top climate news stories on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.)
Captured
“Residual emissions” are those that remain once a nation has gone as far as it thinks is possible to cut its emissions. These emissions tend to come from sectors that are considered hard to decarbonise, such as livestock farming and heavy industry. The concept is closely tied with net-zero targets. That is, a country must remove CO2 from the atmosphere that is equivalent in volume to its residual emissions, in order to say it has reached net-zero. A new study covered by Carbon Brief explored national strategies for managing residual emissions. Of the 71 countries examined, just 26 have long-term plans to tackle these emissions. These nations could have residual emissions of up to 2.9bn tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2050, equal to around 5% of total global emissions. Countries include major emitters such as the US, Canada and Australia (as shown in the above chart). The chart shows residual emissions (red) as a share of each nation’s peak emissions (blue) – or its most recent annual emissions, if its emissions have not yet peaked.
Spotlight
The Thames Barrier at 40
Carbon Brief visits London’s Thames Barrier, the second-largest flood defence barrier in the world, as it turns 40-years-old.
With sea levels rising and flood risks increasing, the UK’s Environment Agency (EA) is working to develop the next era of protections for London and the wider Thames Estuary.
On 25 April, Carbon Brief visited the Thames Barrier to discuss its origins and look forward to its next 40 years.
History
In 1953, London and the east coast of England were devastated by the North Sea Flood, which killed more than 300 people and caused an estimated £50m in damage (approximately £5bn in today’s money) in the region.
While, previously, the UK government had broadly taken a reactive approach to floods, progressively raising the walls and banks of the Thames river, this flood made it clear that such an approach was not sustainable.
In response, one of the first ever “rising sector gates” was built across a 520m-long stretch of the River Thames near Woolwich.
The Thames Barrier was designed by Charles Draper of the London-based Rendel, Palmer and Tritton architectural company, who took inspiration from a gas tap on his cooker. He built a working model in 1969, ahead of construction five years later. The barrier started being used in 1982.
On 8 May 1984, the Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the £535m (£2.4bn in today’s money) Thames Barrier, which remains the second-largest flood defence barrier in the world.
Operation
Now, 40 years on, the Thames Barrier continues to protect 1.4 million people and £321bn of property from tidal flooding.
The Thames Barrier includes 10 steel gates positioned across the width of the river that can be rotated to rise out of the water. Once raised, each 3,300-tonne main gate stands as high as a five-story building and is as wide as the opening of London’s iconic Tower Bridge.
Over the past four decades, it has been closed 221 times for flood defence purposes, including a particular spike in 2013-2014 when it was closed 50 times in 13 weeks.
Andy Batchelor, Thames tidal defences operations manager, who started work at the barrier the day the Queen opened it, said in a statement:
“Having witnessed and worked on the Thames Barrier’s opening, I am immensely proud of the protection it has provided London for the past 40 years and will continue to provide for years to come.
“Its reliability and effectiveness demonstrate the sophistication of its design by a very talented group of engineers and the continued maintenance and operation carried out by the barrier team.”
The next 40 years
The Thames Barrier was only designed to last until 2030. However, the EA, which operates and maintains the site, is confident it will continue to run until 2070.
However, sea levels are predicted to rise 1.5m by the end of the century, increasing the potential for a significant tidal flood. Additionally, with England becoming increasingly wet, the barrier is expected to be called on increasingly – about half of the closures to date have been for river flood protection.
If closing the barrier 50 times in a year becomes the norm, it could fail, the EA has warned, as this does not provide the necessary time for workers to maintain it.
As such, the agency is working on preparing for the next era of flood protection.
The agency is planning to work with partners to continuously review the best available options, including building a new barrier or developing more flood storage, and decide on an end-of-century option by 2040.
Meanwhile, from 2021-27, the government is set to invest £5.6bn in creating new flood and coastal defences to protect hundreds of thousands of properties.
Watch, read, listen
THE $9TN QUESTION: A “big read” in the Financial Times explored how governments worldwide are looking to foot the “immense” bill for the green transition.
BIG BRANDS GREEN CLAIMS: BBC Panorama looked at the “green claims” made by the world’s biggest brands, exposing serious flaws and side-effects of their reliance on carbon offsetting.
ASIAN HEATWAVES: On Himal South Asian’s podcast, environmental social scientist and Carbon Brief contributing editor Dr Chandni Singh discussed why the extreme heat facing the subcontinent this summer is unlike the “heat of the past”.
Coming up
- 13 May: Fourth phase of India’s election
- 14 May: International Energy Agency (IEA) conference on clean cooking in Africa, Paris, France
- 15-17 May: UN Environment Programme: Accelerating urban nature-based solutions: A Latin American-European collaboration, Barcelona, Spain
- 15 May-1 June: IEA-COP29 high-level dialogues, Paris, France
Pick of the jobs
- Carbon Brief, journalist internship | Salary: £13.50 per hour and £100 travel expenses. Location: London
- Conservation International, director of African natural climate solutions roadmap | Salary: Unknown. Location: Nairobi, Kenya
- UK Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, environmental manager | Salary: £69,485-£76,525. Location: Aberdeen, Birmingham, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh or Salford
DeBriefed is edited by Daisy Dunne. Please send any tips or feedback to debriefed@carbonbrief.org.
This is an online version of Carbon Brief’s weekly DeBriefed email newsletter. Subscribe for free here.
The post DeBriefed 10 May 2024: 11 months of record heat; Climate scientists ‘hopeless and broken’; 40 years of the Thames Barrier appeared first on Carbon Brief.
Climate Change
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 far in 2025, double the average for the same period of the year since 2006.” Extreme heat is “breaking temperature records across Europe”, the Guardian said, with several countries reporting readings of around 40C.
HUMAN TOLL: At least three people have died in the wildfires erupting across Spain, Turkey and Albania, France24 said, adding that the fires have “displaced thousands in Greece and Albania”. Le Monde reported that a child in Italy “died of heatstroke”, while thousands were evacuated from Spain and firefighters “battled three large wildfires” in Portugal.
UK WILDFIRE RISK: The UK saw temperatures as high as 33.4C this week as England “entered its fourth heatwave”, BBC News said. The high heat is causing “nationally significant” water shortfalls, it added, “hitting farms, damaging wildlife and increasing wildfires”. The Daily Mirror noted that these conditions “could last until mid-autumn”. Scientists warn the UK faces possible “firewaves” due to climate change, BBC News also reported.
Around the world
- GRID PRESSURES: Iraq suffered a “near nationwide blackout” as elevated power demand – due to extreme temperatures of around 50C – triggered a transmission line failure, Bloomberg reported.
- ‘DIRE’ DOWN UNDER: The Australian government is keeping a climate risk assessment that contains “dire” implications for the continent “under wraps”, the Australian Financial Review said.
- EXTREME RAINFALL: Mexico City is “seeing one of its heaviest rainy seasons in years”, the Washington Post said. Downpours in the Japanese island of Kyushu “caused flooding and mudslides”, according to Politico. In Kashmir, flash floods killed 56 and left “scores missing”, the Associated Press said.
- SOUTH-SOUTH COOPERATION: China and Brazil agreed to “ensure the success” of COP30 in a recent phone call, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported.
- PLASTIC ‘DEADLOCK’: Talks on a plastic pollution treaty have failed again at a summit in Geneva, according to the Guardian, with countries “deadlocked” on whether it should include “curbs on production and toxic chemicals”.
15
The number of times by which the most ethnically-diverse areas in England are more likely to experience extreme heat than its “least diverse” areas, according to new analysis by Carbon Brief.
Latest climate research
- As many as 13 minerals critical for low-carbon energy may face shortages under 2C pathways | Nature Climate Change
- A “scoping review” examined the impact of climate change on poor sexual and reproductive health and rights in sub-Saharan Africa | PLOS One
- A UK university cut the carbon footprint of its weekly canteen menu by 31% “without students noticing” | Nature Food
(For more, see Carbon Brief’s in-depth daily summaries of the top climate news stories on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.)
Captured
Factchecking Trump’s climate report
A report commissioned by the US government to justify rolling back climate regulations contains “at least 100 false or misleading statements”, according to a Carbon Brief factcheck involving dozens of leading climate scientists. The report, compiled in two months by five hand-picked researchers, inaccurately claims that “CO2-induced warming might be less damaging economically than commonly believed” and misleadingly states that “excessively aggressive [emissions] mitigation policies could prove more detrimental than beneficial”80
Spotlight
Does Xi Jinping care about climate change?
This week, Carbon Brief unpacks new research on Chinese president Xi Jinping’s policy priorities.
On this day in 2005, Xi Jinping, a local official in eastern China, made an unplanned speech when touring a small village – a rare occurrence in China’s highly-choreographed political culture.
In it, he observed that “lucid waters and lush mountains are mountains of silver and gold” – that is, the environment cannot be sacrificed for the sake of growth.
(The full text of the speech is not available, although Xi discussed the concept in a brief newspaper column – see below – a few days later.)
In a time where most government officials were laser-focused on delivering economic growth, this message was highly unusual.
Forward-thinking on environment
As a local official in the early 2000s, Xi endorsed the concept of “green GDP”, which integrates the value of natural resources and the environment into GDP calculations.
He also penned a regular newspaper column, 22 of which discussed environmental protection – although “climate change” was never mentioned.
This focus carried over to China’s national agenda when Xi became president.
New research from the Asia Society Policy Institute tracked policies in which Xi is reported by state media to have “personally” taken action.
It found that environmental protection is one of six topics in which he is often said to have directly steered policymaking.
Such policies include guidelines to build a “Beautiful China”, the creation of an environmental protection inspection team and the “three-north shelterbelt” afforestation programme.
“It’s important to know what Xi’s priorities are because the top leader wields outsized influence in the Chinese political system,” Neil Thomas, Asia Society Policy Institute fellow and report co-author, told Carbon Brief.
Local policymakers are “more likely” to invest resources in addressing policies they know have Xi’s attention, to increase their chances for promotion, he added.
What about climate and energy?
However, the research noted, climate and energy policies have not been publicised as bearing Xi’s personal touch.
“I think Xi prioritises environmental protection more than climate change because reducing pollution is an issue of social stability,” Thomas said, noting that “smoggy skies and polluted rivers” were more visible and more likely to trigger civil society pushback than gradual temperature increases.
The paper also said topics might not be linked to Xi personally when they are “too technical” or “politically sensitive”.
For example, Xi’s landmark decision for China to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 is widely reported as having only been made after climate modelling – facilitated by former climate envoy Xie Zhenhua – showed that this goal was achievable.
Prior to this, Xi had never spoken publicly about carbon neutrality.
Prof Alex Wang, a University of California, Los Angeles professor of law not involved in the research, noted that emphasising Xi’s personal attention may signal “top” political priorities, but not necessarily Xi’s “personal interests”.
By not emphasising climate, he said, Xi may be trying to avoid “pushing the system to overprioritise climate to the exclusion of the other priorities”.
There are other ways to know where climate ranks on the policy agenda, Thomas noted:
“Climate watchers should look at what Xi says, what Xi does and what policies Xi authorises in the name of the ‘central committee’. Is Xi talking more about climate? Is Xi establishing institutions and convening meetings that focus on climate? Is climate becoming a more prominent theme in top-level documents?”
Watch, read, listen
TRUMP EFFECT: The Columbia Energy Exchange podcast examined how pressure from US tariffs could affect India’s clean energy transition.
NAMIBIAN ‘DESTRUCTION’: The National Observer investigated the failure to address “human rights abuses and environmental destruction” claims against a Canadian oil company in Namibia.
‘RED AI’: The Network for the Digital Economy and the Environment studied the state of current research on “Red AI”, or the “negative environmental implications of AI”.
Coming up
- 17 August: Bolivian general elections
- 18-29 August: Preparatory talks on the entry into force of the “High Seas Treaty”, New York
- 18-22 August: Y20 Summit, Johannesburg
- 21 August: Advancing the “Africa clean air programme” through Africa-Asia collaboration, Yokohama
Pick of the jobs
- Lancaster Environment Centre, senior research associate: JUST Centre | Salary: £39,355-£45,413. Location: Lancaster, UK
- Environmental Justice Foundation, communications and media officer, Francophone Africa | Salary: XOF600,000-XOF800,000. Location: Dakar, Senegal
- Politico, energy & climate editor | Salary: Unknown. Location: Brussels, Belgium
- EnviroCatalysts, meteorologist | Salary: Unknown. Location: New Delhi, India
DeBriefed is edited by Daisy Dunne. Please send any tips or feedback to debriefed@carbonbrief.org.
This is an online version of Carbon Brief’s weekly DeBriefed email newsletter. Subscribe for free here.
The post DeBriefed 15 August 2025: Raging wildfires; Xi’s priorities; Factchecking the Trump climate report appeared first on Carbon Brief.
DeBriefed 15 August 2025: Raging wildfires; Xi’s priorities; Factchecking the Trump climate report
Climate Change
New York Already Denied Permits to These Gas Pipelines. Under Trump, They Could Get Greenlit
The specter of a “gas-for-wind” compromise between the governor and the White House is drawing the ire of residents as a deadline looms.
Hundreds of New Yorkers rallied against new natural gas pipelines in their state as a deadline loomed for the public to comment on a revived proposal to expand the gas pipeline that supplies downstate New York.
New York Already Denied Permits to These Gas Pipelines. Under Trump, They Could Get Greenlit
A “critical assessment” report commissioned by the Trump administration to justify a rollback of US climate regulations contains at least 100 false or misleading statements, according to a Carbon Brief factcheck involving dozens of leading climate scientists.
The report – “A critical review of impacts of greenhouse gas emissions on the US climate” – was published by the US Department of Energy (DoE) on 23 July, just days before the government laid out plans to revoke a scientific finding used as the legal basis for emissions regulation.
The executive summary of the controversial report inaccurately claims that “CO2-induced warming might be less damaging economically than commonly believed”.
It also states misleadingly that “excessively aggressive [emissions] mitigation policies could prove more detrimental than beneficial”.
Compiled in just two months by five “independent” researchers hand-selected by the climate-sceptic US secretary of energy Chris Wright, the document has sparked fierce criticism from climate scientists, who have pointed to factual errors, misrepresentation of research, messy citations and the cherry-picking of data.
Experts have also noted the authors’ track record of promoting views at odds with the mainstream understanding of climate science.
Wright’s department claims the report – which is currently open to public comment as part of a 30-day review – underwent an “internal peer-review period amongst [the] DoE’s scientific research community”.
The report is designed to provide a scientific underpinning to one flank of the Trump administration’s plans to rescind a finding that serves as the legal prerequisite for federal emissions regulation. (The second flank is about legal authority to regulate emissions.)
The “endangerment finding” – enacted by the Obama administration in 2009 – states that six greenhouse gases are contributing to the net-negative impacts of climate change and, thus, put the public in danger.
In a press release on 29 July, the US Environmental Protection Agency said “updated studies and information” set out in the new report would “challenge the assumptions” of the 2009 finding.
Carbon Brief asked a wide range of climate scientists, including those cited in the “critical review” itself, to factcheck the report’s various claims and statements.
The post Factcheck: Trump’s climate report includes more than 100 false or misleading claims appeared first on Carbon Brief.
https://www.carbonbrief.org/factcheck-trumps-climate-report-includes-more-than-100-false-or-misleading-claims/
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