COP31 in Bonn? Nein danke, says Germany www.politico.eu/article/germ...

For decades, the European Union has relied on the United States to act as shock absorber and chief powerbroker at global climate talks. No longer. www.politico.eu/article/dona...

For six years, the European Union’s efforts to fight climate change have been on an upward swing. That came to an end this morning in messy, exhausted scenes.

Free to read, just before ministers return to formally vote: Details of draft deal on 2040 climate target. www.politico.eu/article/draf...

Voting for a weaker climate target means weakening the EU's economy, the European Commission's second-in-command warned ministers ahead of a key summit.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has pledged to adjust key green laws to secure support for a new climate target.

What's in the EU's new "global vision" for energy & climate to be unveiled tomorrow? Lots on turbocharging made-in-Europe clean-tech exports, per a leaked draft we've seen. More here: pro.politico.eu/news/206534 (€)

EU to push for formal negotiated decision on response to insufficient climate plans at COP30, draft negotiating position shows: pro.politico.eu/news/206490 (€)

“Many in China now characterize the EU as a middle power." How Europe sabotaged it's place at the head of the climate pack. With @ziaweise.bsky.social and @saraschonhardt.bsky.social www.politico.eu/article/euro...

Generally interesting (and not in a positive way) how few interviews von der Leyen gives.

you can't make this stuff up

NEW: How Emmanuel Macron ended up manoeuvring France into the camp of the EU's climate blockers — putting at risk the EU's compliance with the Paris Agreement on the eve of the accord's 10th anniversary. Our story: www.politico.eu/article/emma...

NEW: How Emmanuel Macron ended up manoeuvring France into the camp of the EU's climate blockers — putting at risk the EU's compliance with the Paris Agreement on the eve of the accord's 10th anniversary. Our story: www.politico.eu/article/emma...

Sorry, guys. We’ll get back to you. That’s the message the European Union is expected to deliver at a pivotal climate summit of world leaders next week after the bloc’s countries were unable to agree on a plan to reduce planet-warming emissions by 2035.

NEW: Vote on 2040 climate target canceled after big EU governments — including France + Germany — blocked the decision to ensure leaders get a say. On Tuesday, countries will decide the fate of the 2035 Paris Agreement plan/NDC. Full story w/ @l-guillot.bsky.social www.politico.eu/article/vote...

🚨🚨 Denmark has cancelled the vote on the EU's 2040 climate target after major countries, including Germany and France, blocked progress. 🚨🚨🚨 pro.politico.eu/news/204627 (€)

As EU countries discuss whether to delay next week's 2040 climate target vote, the German environment ministry confirmed to me that Berlin's position is to have national leaders discuss it first — postponing the vote on Sept. 18. pro.politico.eu/news/204624

This is unexpected - 63% of polled Germans support EU sanctions on Israel over Gaza, with majorities of supporters of all parties in favour (incl CDU/CSU and SPD). Only exception are AfD voters, who are split.

In a nutshell: The Danish presidency is opening the door to a more widespread use of carbon credits than proposed by the Commission. Ministers to discuss amount + timeline. More deets behind paywall.

NEW: Latest 2040 target draft deal this way: pro.politico.eu/news/204359 (€)

New late-stage capitalism experience unlocked: My local shop doesn’t let you use the self check tills out anymore unless you have their points card. Even if literally no one else is using them.

Colleagues at Der Standard dug deeper into the Austrian position and confirmed that the Austrian chancellor wants to move the 2040 climate target to EUCO: www.derstandard.at/story/300000...

"The genocide in Gaza exposes Europe’s failure to act and speak with one voice," says the EU Commission's VP @teresaribera.ec.europa.eu — the strongest condemnation of Israel's actions to come out of Brussels to date www.politico.eu/article/eu-c...

NEW: At least seven countries are asking Denmark to postpone a Sept. 18 vote on the EU's next climate target and leave the decision to leaders. Free to read: www.politico.eu/article/denm...

🚨🚨🚨 The German government backs France on delaying the 2040 vote and having the European Council, not environment ministers, cast the deciding vote. Details behind paywall pro.politico.eu/news/204001 (€)

ICYMI: France wants leaders to vote on the EU's 2040 climate target — not ministers on Sept. 18. That would mean a vote in late October requiring unanimity (ministers can pass it with qual. majority), so... getting Orbán et al on board. w/ @l-guillot.bsky.social www.politico.eu/article/fran...

Free to read: pfseb726.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2F...

🚨 France wants leaders to cast the deciding vote on the European Union’s next climate milestone, a demand that threatens to derail efforts to reach a speedy deal on the 2040 climate target. More: pro.politico.eu/news/203941 (€)

🚨 Scoop (now free to read): The carbon credits clause in the EU's 2040 climate target could see the bloc offshore emissions cuts exceeding the annual emissions of France & Belgium. Leaked doc shows scale of offsetting plan for 1st time. w/ @l-guillot.bsky.social www.politico.eu/article/euro...

MEPs & press have asked the Commission how many carbon credits the EU would buy under the controversial clause in its 2040 climate target. They didn't get a response. Turns out, the figures exist: 140-430 million. Top scoop from @l-guillot.bsky.social pro.politico.eu/news/203809 (€)

Anas Fteiha, a Palestinian photojournalist, was accused by a German tabloid of staging ‘Hamas propaganda’ – a claim amplified by Israeli officials. However, OSINT confirms he was documenting a real Gaza field kitchen. Fteiha says he now fears for his life. www.spiegel.de/internationa...

Update! Estonia joins Finland and Poland in exploring defensive bog restoration, the environment and defense ministries just told me. Talks still at an early stage, as in the other two countries. More here: www.politico.eu/article/esto...

The European Union’s climate chief has warned that the Gulf Stream could collapse in a few decades after Dutch scientists found key ocean currents are weakening faster than thought. www.politico.eu/article/gulf...

Immigration officials conducted an operation at the site of the largest wildfire in Washington State. The incident appeared to be a rare case of federal officials enforcing immigration laws at the site of an emergency.

A tank-trapping, carbon-capturing bog barrier to keep out Putin? Governments in Finland and Poland say they're looking into making this a reality. My big summer read, w/ @nikamelkozerova.bsky.social and @wojciechkosc.bsky.social, on defensive bog restoration: www.politico.eu/article/russ...

i spent the past month researching bogs and may have driven everyone around me insane with peat facts and terrible bog puns, please read this story

Before-and-after satellite imagery shows multiple large burn scars from the recent major wildfires in Portugal and Spain.

🔥 Emissions from Spain and Portugal #wildfires so far this year account for three quarters of 2025 total fire emissions for the European Union + United Kingdom based on #CopernicusAtmosphere data. As of 25 August, EU+UK emissions are the highest annual total in the GFAS dataset going back to 2003.

Turns out the children do, actually, yearn for the mines www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

A tank-trapping, carbon-capturing bog barrier to keep out Putin? Governments in Finland and Poland say they're looking into making this a reality. My big summer read, w/ @nikamelkozerova.bsky.social and @wojciechkosc.bsky.social, on defensive bog restoration: www.politico.eu/article/russ...

Four journalists were killed by an Israeli strike on a Gaza hospital today, including Mariam Dagga, a freelancer with the @apnews.com. She has a 12-year-old son, who was evacuated from Gaza earlier in the war. She was a true hero, like all of our Palestinian colleagues in Gaza. tinyurl.com/3cn5c9vb

My team in Brussels needs a new climate editor! Apply here: jobs.mpleo.net/en/politico/...

Hot take: The catastrophic wildfires in Spain and Portugal are less a symbol of climate change and more a sign that governments are failing to invest in prevention. www.politico.eu/article/wild...

I've been looking into #climateresilience lately (story coming out soon), so this article by Politico feels incredibly timely Yes, climate risks will increase, but the response to this is what will ultimately make a difference in preventing deaths and damage www.politico.eu/article/wild...

EU fire data was updated this morning. Here's the total area burnt across the bloc this year so far. A record for this time of year. forest-fire.emergency.copernicus.eu/apps/effis.s...

Why are Brussels-based media so obsessed with leaks? A massive issue (democratically speaking) that many Europeans aren't aware of is that EU governments negotiate EU laws in secret. Access requests for documents laying out country positions are inevitably met with this kind of excuse:

EU joint procurement of... carbon credits? It's an idea being explored, per a Commission note sent to MEPs. More for subscribers: pro.politico.eu/news/203082 (€)

An entire news crew working for Al Jazeera was killed by Israel as they sought to bring the world firsthand reporting from #Gaza. Among them was prominent journalist Anas Al-Sharif, who had been previously smeared and threatened by the IDF. #NotATarget Full statement: cpj.org/2025/08/isra...

Breaking: German government halts delivery of military equipment for Israel's Gaza war (translation below) www.bundesregierung.de/breg-de/aktu...