The United Nations, Germany and Brazil joined diplomatic forces this week to convince the world of the national and economic security benefits of pursuing ambitious climate action in challenging geopolitical times on a fast-warming planet.
In a speech to the Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Berlin, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on countries to ensure they deliver new national climate plans by September that are strong enough to limit global warming to 1.5C and to provide finance to developing countries in line with promises.
He added that climate goals would only be met “with stronger collaboration – between governments, and across society and sectors”.
“The rewards are there for the taking, for all those ready and willing to lead the world through these troubled times,” he told delegates from 40 countries by video link on Wednesday. “I urge you to seize this moment; and seize the prize.”
Electricity demand surges, expanding renewables and fossil fuels in 2024
Both Guterres and UN climate chief Simon Stiell highlighted new data from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) showing record growth of 15.1% in renewable electricity capacity – mainly solar and wind – in 2024, accounting for 92.5% of total power expansion.
“Renewables are renewing economies. They are powering growth, creating jobs, lowering energy bills, and cleaning our air. And every day, they become an even smarter investment,” said Guterres.
Nonetheless IRENA said progress is still falling short of the amount of clean electricity needed to reach a global goal to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030, which requires annual expansion of 16.6%.
Clean growth opportunities
Stiell, speaking at the “Europe 2025” conference also in Berlin, noted that renewables grew in Asia last year at double the rate in Europe – with China accounting for 64% of new global capacity – adding that “there is still so much opportunity for Europe to step up the pace”.
“In a global clean energy boom that hit $2 trillion last year, the dividends on offer are monumental,” the UN’s top climate official said. “The clean energy transition can be Europe’s economic engine-room, now – when new sources of growth are vital to buttress living standards – and for decades to come.”
On the other hand, failure to pursue a green transition and tackle the climate crisis could carve up to 2.3% off Europe’s gross domestic product (GDP) by mid-century, he warned, calling that “a recipe for permanent recession”.
Australian economist Steve Keen told Climate Home that the figure cited by Stiell – based on European Commission data – is likely an under-estimate and out of step with what climate scientists view as a global warming trajectory that could lead “to the collapse of civilisation”.
Germany’s foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, told journalists in Berlin that “climate protection and economic growth are not contradictions”, adding Europe wants to “tap into the potential” of clean technologies.
“If others like the US decide that they want to stay outside, then it is their decision,” she said, referring to President Donald Trump’s efforts to reverse green policies and withdraw from global climate diplomacy.
“But we make it clear that we see opportunities for companies here in Europe, but also cooperation with companies and countries in Latin America and Africa and other regions of the world,” she added.
Benefits for all?
The strong messaging around the economic benefits of acting to reduce planet-heating emissions was reinforced by new analysis, commissioned by the German government and released at the Petersberg dialogue, showing that higher climate ambition makes economic sense – even in the near term.
The research, done jointly by the United Nations Development Programme and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, estimates that if countries delivered new climate plans (NDCs) that can meet the Paris Agreement goals, the world’s GDP in 2040 would be 0.2% higher than with today’s policies – equal to the current GDP of Sweden.
By 2050, it adds, strong NDCs would reduce the risk of climate-induced events, prevent significant economic losses and increase global GDP by up to 3% – and up to 13% by 2100.
UNDP head Achim Steiner told the Petersberg conference on Tuesday that while the growth percentages may look small, they translate into “billions” of dollars – and 175 million more people would be lifted out of extreme poverty with the right investments in energy transition, food security and other basic services.
The policy discussions in Germany this week represent a push at the highest international level to counter the arguments of opponents of a low-carbon transition who say the social and economic changes required will be chaotic and unaffordable, with the financial burden falling on ordinary consumers.
Brazil’s COP30 president: Climate summits must move from words to real action
Brazil’s COP30 president André Aranha Corrêa do Lago, who will chair this year’s UN climate summit in the Amazon city of Belem, said not enough effort has been made to explain the benefits of climate action to the public – and get all levels of society involved in implementing their countries’ plans.
“That’s why we want to increase as much as possible the participation of sub-national governments [at COP30] because they, at the end of the day, are the ones that are applying many of the orientations and solutions that are given in these [UN] negotiations – and the private sector, because we have to be realistic: the creation of new jobs, the adoption of new technologies, all this depends so much on the private sector,” he added.
European Commissioner for Climate Action Wopke Hoekstra praised the contribution of the Paris Agreement and the UN climate process to reining in runaway climate change, but said progress was not yet sufficient and it was important to keep going.
“I’m convinced that if we manage to succeed, and if we see more rather than less multilateralism, at COP30, we will send a very strong signal to the real economy that the transition to a net zero world is not just possible, but actually it is fully underway,” he told the same press conference.
“National security crisis”
In addition to the economic benefits, Germany’s foreign minister emphasised that tackling climate change is also “tough security policy” because “the climate crisis inflames and fuels conflicts about scarce land resources, drinking water and other resources”, threatening lives.
“The opposite is true as well,” said Baerbock. “Every centigrade of global warming that is less makes our world more secure.”
Separately, UN climate chief Stiell warned that a global failure to rein in climate change would fuel disasters making a growing number of regions unlivable and harming food production, forcing millions more people to migrate.
“Unquestionably, the climate crisis is an urgent national security crisis that should be at the top of every cabinet agenda. Surrender is not an option. And half measures are a recipe for failure,” he emphasised.
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UN, Germany say tackling climate crisis is path to economic and national security
COP31 has finally kicked off in the sunny seaside resort of Antalya – at least for those lucky enough to have made it through the long queues snaking around the sprawling expo centre where the UN climate conference is taking place.
The joint COP presidents, Türkiye’s Murat Kurum and Australia’s Chris Bowen, have presented their priorities to fellow diplomats – including a new goal on electrification, the establishment of a just transition mechanism and better access to climate finance – before the negotiations begin in earnest.
Kurum announced that issues around the summit’s agenda had been resolved over the weekend. African countries had pushed for additional items on adaptation finance and trade, while Nepal wanted formal discussions on mountain issues in the wake of the devastating flooding disaster that struck the country.
Agreement was reached to drop the African request after late-night talks, with a view to continuing discussions on finance elsewhere such as in a dedicated work programme. Mountains and climate change will become a regular agenda item in the UN climate process with fresh dialogues planned on the topic.
COP31 Briefing: What to expect from the Antalya climate summit?
In his speech to the opening plenary, Australia’s environment minister Chris Bowen, who will preside over the negotiations in Antalya, outlined the COP co-presidents’ expectations for the cover decision that will offer a summary of the talks’ main achievements.
“There will be no surprises. This is not about duplicating negotiations. It will not be a lengthy political declaration, but a focused, practical, concrete response to the challenges and opportunities before us,” Bowen said.
It will be “a decision that reflects the urgency of the climate challenge and the enormous opportunities created by the global transition. One that gives confidence to governments, investors, businesses, communities that the world is moving faster and working together,” he added.
UN: El Niño unleashing heat from hottest oceans ever measured
As diplomats gather in Antalya, a new sobering update on the state of the Earth’s climate from the UN’s weather agency should focus minds.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) says the world’s oceans now hold more heat than ever measured. A rapidly strengthening El Niño is releasing some of that heat into the atmosphere, pushing temperatures higher on a planet already baked by human-caused climate change.
“El Niño and indeed the state of the global climate in 2026 gives new meaning to the phrase off the charts,” said the WMO’s Secretary General Celeste Saulo. “El Niño doesn’t add new heat to the planet. It releases heat from the ocean, which is the warmest ever measured. There is simply more heat available to release.”
The UN agency says 2026 is on track to be one of the four warmest years on record globally. That would make 2023 to 2026 the four hottest years in 177 years of observations. The global average temperature from January to September was 1.47°C above pre-industrial levels, just below 2024’s record of 1.55°C. The agency expects the final figure for the year to be higher as one of the strongest El Niños on record takes hold.
The current El Niño – a naturally occurring climate pattern – is expected to peak in December and continue until at least February 2027. As a result, the WMO expects global average temperatures to remain “exceptionally” high through late 2026 and into early 2027.
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Bill Hare, CEO of the global science and policy institute Climate Analytics, said that while El Niño will command the headlines, “no one should be in any doubt that the bigger villain is man-made climate change”.
According to the WMO, El Niño typically adds around 0.1–0.2°C to annual global average temperatures. That is a fraction of the warming of more than 1.4°C recorded last year, which is primarily caused by greenhouse gas emissions mainly from burning fossil fuels.
UN boss António Guterres said a “supersized El Niño is colliding with a planet already superheated by manmade climate change”.
“Leaders must get serious by cutting emissions faster, accelerating a just transition from fossil fuels and delivering the finance and protection vulnerable countries need, “ he added.
At the COP31 opening ceremony, a Turkish promotional video struck a suitably apocalyptic note, implying that while nature and life on the planet will continue, humanity may not be a part of it unless countries choose to step up action to curb global warming.
IPCC chief urges governments to decide on report timeline
The chair of the world’s top climate science body has urged governments to take a long-delayed decision on when its next reports should be published so that they can steer climate action.
“Climate action without climate science is rather like a ship without a rudder,” said Jim Skea, the chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
He told the opening session of COP31 that the IPCC “faces operational challenges and reputational risks from the current impasse on the timeline for our three working group reports”.
Since 2024, governments have been unable to agree on whether the AR7 set of reports should be published before or after the next Global Stocktake (GST) of national climate plans in late 2028.
If the flagship reports are published before, they can feed into the agreed response to the second GST. At COP28, the first GST outcome included the landmark commitment to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems.
Europe, small islands and the least developed countries, plus many Latin American and developed nations, want the IPCC to meet the deadline to inform the second GST.
But around a dozen developing countries plus Russia – led by India and Saudi Arabia – have argued that the reports should come later in order to allow for greater research input from the Global South.
After talks failed and were suspended last month, governments and IPCC scientists will try again to resolve the issue in virtual talks beginning on December 1.
Despite this disagreement among governments, Skea said the IPCC’s “scientific engine room is humming with activity” as scientists continue their work. But, as they are unpaid for their IPCC work, they are finding it increasingly difficult to find time for it alongside their “busy professional and personal lives”.
“In my early days in IPCC, we could plan our meetings literally years ahead. Now our authors don’t know what is expected of them in the early months of 2027,” he lamented.
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COP31 Bulletin Day 1: Australia says cover decision won’t bring “surprises”
Climate Change
FLIP OFF WOODSIDE TO SAVE SCOTT REEF: Greenpeace, Michael Caton, Thinkerbell mobilise Australia to challenge gas project at Scott Reef
6 November 2026
Greenpeace Australia Pacific has joined forces with Thinkerbell and iconic Australian actor Michael Caton on a major public movement and behaviour change initiative to save Scott Reef, calling on Australians to “flip off” gas corporation Woodside. The company plans to drill for gas at Australia’s largest oceanic reef, home to vulnerable green sea turtles, endangered pygmy blue whales, and thousands of marine species, off the coast of Western Australia.
WATCH THE FULL VIDEO HERE
At the heart of the collaboration is somebody who knows a thing or two about fighting off corporations to protect a home: Michael Caton. Set in a courtroom, Caton gives his voice to a voiceless inhabitant, a green sea turtle, and together they invite the public to show their support to save Scott Reef.
Designed to shift public behaviour and drive national debate, the movement asks the public to tag their MPs – applying direct political pressure on Environment Minister Murray Watt and Prime Minister Albanese Albanese to “flip off” Woodside’s dirty gas project, which would see up to 57 toxic wells drilled around Scott Reef off the coast of Western Australia.
Voiced by Michael Caton and set to a soundtrack provided by Radiohead, the narrative centres on our hero turtle defending her home from corporate overreach in a courtroom showdown. As the turtle defiantly flips her flippers at Woodside, Michael Caton calls on everyday Australians to take a stand and help save her home.
Michael Caton said: “I’m proud to lend my voice to Greenpeace to help save Scott Reef. The marine life out there can’t speak up, so we need to. Some things are too precious to risk.”
Glenn Walker, Head of Nature at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, added: “Woodside’s dirty gas project at Scott Reef, Australia’s largest oceanic reef, is an environmental disaster waiting to happen, threatening thousands of species, including the extremely vulnerable green sea turtles that nest there. By literally flipping off Woodside and Big Gas, Aussies are cutting through corporate spin and sending an unignorable message to Environment Minister Murray Watt and the Albanese government: save Scott Reef.”
Adam Ferrier, co-founder of Thinkerbell, said: “You can fight a corporation in the courtroom forever, but the real power to deliver lasting protection rests in parliament. Right now, our MPs hold an extraordinary opportunity to safeguard Scott Reef for generations to come. I’m proudly from WA, and I know how much the natural environment means to the people and economy of Western Australia. I’m also sure Woodside wants to do the right thing, and with enough public support and government action we’ll together save Scott Reef.
Paul Swann, Chief Creative Tinker at Thinkerbell notes: “When the stakes are this high, polite ads don’t work. You need an unignorable provocation that galvanises people and puts the pressure squarely where it belongs, on our leaders in Canberra. This isn’t just about protecting a reef; it’s about holding power to account.”
Greenpeace has been campaigning to stop Woodside’s dirty gas plans for years, increasing pressure on the Australian government to save Scott Reef from becoming an industrialised gas zone. From actions aboard Woodside’s gas platform to cinemas across Australia, Greenpeace isn’t backing off in their advocacy to save Scott Reef.
Rolling out across OOH, digital, social and cinema with an interactive landing page, this project will be amplified by high-profile figures urging Australians to take action, tag their MPs, and defend Scott Reef. The movement combines cinematic storytelling with organic social mobilsation and earned media, planned via Thinkerbell’s Alchemy model to drive real behaviour change and impact.
Marking their first Australian tour in 15 years, English rock band Radiohead will play 16 arena shows across Perth, Melbourne and Sydney in May and June 2027. A $2 donation is included in every ticket price with proceeds going to Greenpeace Australia Pacific and the Australian Marine Conservation Society. Radiohead will match the final amount raised.
ENDS
WATCH NOW:
FOR ASSETS OR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Adam Ferrier | 0413 633 344 | adamferrier@thinkerbell.com
Kimberley Bernard | 0407 581 404 | kbernard@greenpeace.org
ABOUT THINKERBELL
Thinkerbell is a 9-year-old independent creative company. We practise Measured Magic – the coming together of marketing science and hardcore creativity – to help our clients build their brands and change behaviour.
ABOUT GREENPEACE
Greenpeace Australia Pacific is a global independent campaigning organisation that uses peaceful protest and creative confrontation to expose environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.
Climate Change
Jimmy Barnes, King Gizz lead Aussie music supergroup on new release to save Scott Reef
SYDNEY, Monday 9 November 2026 — Australian music icons Jimmy Barnes AO, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Fred Leone, Gordi & Montaigne are among the more than 20 Australian artists who have joined forces to release a new song with an urgent message: save Scott Reef.
Released today, “If Not Now” is a reimagining of King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard’s Environmental Music Prize-winning song “If Not Now, Then When?”, and is a collaboration between Greenpeace Australia Pacific, Green Music Australia, and p(doom) Records.
Scott Reef is a 15-million-year-old ancient coral reef located 270 kilometres off the Kimberley coast of Western Australia. It is Australia’s largest oceanic reef and is home to thousands of marine animals and endangered species, but fossil fuel corporation Woodside plans to drill up to 57 toxic wells under and around the reef, threatening to turn it into an industrial gas zone.
“If Not Now” is the reef’s first and only release, out on all digital platforms and on limited edition 7” vinyl. The song is accompanied by cover art and visualiser from acclaimed Australian artist and ARIA-winning music video director Jonathan Zawada (Flume, The Avalanches).
