There is continuing coverage of the extreme heat affecting many areas of China. The Guardian reports that the country’s National Climate Centre has confirmed that temperatures across China reached or exceeded their records for the month of May. The newspaper adds: “Weather stations at 446 sites registered temperatures that were the same as, or greater than, the highest ever recorded for the month of May, deputy director of the National Climate Centre Gao Rong said at a press briefing on Friday…Over the next three days, most of southern China is expected to be hit by temperatures of more than 35C, with temperatures in some areas exceeding 40C, according to national forecasters on Friday. Power grids are preparing to be put under strain as demand for air conditioning soars in mega-cities such as Shanghai. Demand for electricity in southern manufacturing hubs, including Guangdong, has surged in recent days, with China Southern Power Grid, one of the country’s two grid operators, seeing peak power load exceeding 200m kilowatts – weeks earlier than normal and close to historical highs.” Reuters also carries the story, saying: “Like many parts of Asia, China has been besieged by extreme hot weather in recent weeks ahead of summer proper in the northern hemisphere. On Monday, Shanghai endured its hottest day in May in more than 100 years.” The newswire quotes Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick, a climate scientist at the University of New South Wales: “I’m not surprised that [extreme temperatures across Asia] are occurring, and not surprised that they are worse. But how they are occurring – it’s just been week on week on week of these records being shattered. It’s just relentless.”

Meanwhile, in other China news, the state newspaper China Daily reports that the state-owned China General Nuclear Power has completed a 0.18GW wind farm in Brazil. The Tanque Novo project could reduce CO2 emissions by 650,000 metric tonnes annually, according to the outlet. Lin Boqiang from Xiamen University, is quoted saying: “China…is increasing its overseas investments in renewable energy, particularly solar and wind.” Separately, a Chinese news site Tanguangjia writes that, according to China Energy News, China has cancelled the construction of more than 10GW planned wind and solar projects. The speed of “clearing existing unfinished new energy power projects” in the country has “noticeably accelerated”, the article adds. It highlights that energy regulatory authorities in many regions have issued documents expressing their intention to strengthen project supervision.

Separately, other publications focus on China’s carbon market. Li Gao, director general of the department of climate change in the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, said on Wednesday that efforts have been made for “the national unified voluntary greenhouse gas emission trading system”, with the aim of “restarting” the China Certified Emissions Reduction (CCER) program in 2023, reports online news website Jiemian. To date, more than 20m tonnes of CCER credits have been used to offset carbon emissions by businesses in various pilot carbon markets across the country, the Shanghai-based outlet adds. Financial news outlet Caixin reports that the province of Shandong and Jiangsu have reduced emissions by about 11% and 6%, respectively, from 2019 to 2020 by using the scheme. 

Elsewhere, another Caixin article says that, amid China’s push towards electrification, auto experts and industry executives are urging regulators to consider a “market-based approach” to regulating the “manufacturing qualifications” of electric vehicle (EV) makers. This has been prompted by the increasing number of “inexperienced and ultimately unsuccessful companies” entering the sector, the outlet adds. People’s Daily, a newspaper affiliated with the Chinese communist party, writes that Fujian province has “pioneered” environmental regulations and released a document on Thursday to require governments at county level, or above, to provide technical support and service for China’s “dual carbon” goals. China Dialogue has published an analysis focusing on the “opportunities and challenges” for the construction and building sector as it seeks to align with the nation’s “dual carbon” targets. And Xinhua reports that China’s “first offshore million-tonne” carbon storage project entered into operation on Thursday in the South China Sea.

The Times carries a news feature focused on why Robert Habeck, the German economy and climate minister from the Green party, is rapidly losing his supporters, which, it claims, is reminiscent of “the rise and fall of Tony Blair”. The article says that 50% of the electorate wants Habeck to resign. This compares to a year ago when he had widespread support due to his handling of the country’s energy security when Russia invaded Ukraine. The Times reports that the Green party in Germany, which is in the coalition government, is “running into heavy resistance with its climate policies”, falling behind the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party with polling at 14-16%. One controversial policy, initiated by Habeck, is an attempt to ban the installation of new oil and gas boilers in households from 2024, says the newspaper. However, the opposition has described the plan as a “shameless” and unrealistic imposition. Deutsche Welle carries an article under the headline: “Germany’s far-right AfD profits from climate change spat.” Der Spiegel reports that Habeck had to answer 77 questions prepared by Free Democrats (FDP) about the proposed law. A decision about the law is due by 13 June. Table.Media reports that the head of the German Federal Environment Agency, Dirk Messner, wants to see “a sign of unity” from the parties in the fight against climate change, arguing that “we need a ‘whatever it takes’ moment when those responsible for politics – similar to the financial crisis – come together across camps”.

In addition, Der Spiegel notes that the Greens are now “having doubts” about the liquified “natural” gas (LNG) expansion on the island of Rügen. The outlet continues that the Greens’ Lisa Badum has called for a “correction” of Germany’s gas importing strategy. Environmentalists and local politicians, as well as the island’s tourism sector, are opposing the expansion plans due to potential ecosystem impacts and increased shipping traffic. However, both Habeck and German chancellor Olaf Scholz have defended the plans, saying that a “safety buffer” in energy supplies is needed, adds the newspaper. Meanwhile, Business Insider reports that the largest German electricity and gas provider, Eon, will lower its prices for electricity and gas on 1 September, with prices falling by an average of 18%. 

Elsewhere in German media, Die Zeit reports that, in May, a record 66% of Germany’s electricity was generated from renewables, according to data from the Federal Network Agency. Meanwhile, Handelsblatt reports that Germany and Denmark are jointly expanding the infrastructure for offshore wind power, which was bound by a new cooperation agreement between Robert Habeck and Danish energy minister Lars Aagaard on Thursday, making it the first agreement of this kind in the EU. The outlet explains that close cooperation between the North Sea and Baltic Sea countries is “one of the basic requirements for achieving the EU’s ambitious goals” relating to the expansion of offshore wind power. With the potential for 300GW of installed offshore wind capacity in the North Sea, around a third of the current electricity consumption in the EU could be covered, notes the article. However, Die Zeit reports that Habeck “is not aiming for a quick decision” on a possible change to the coal phase-out deadline from 2038 to 2030 in eastern Germany, quoting him as saying: “I’m patient, we can make that dependent on the conditions…The debate about phasing out coal should be based on the possibility.”

Finally, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) reports that Germany has avoided an EU penalty of at least €‎11m and a fine of up to around €‎800,000 for not doing enough against nitrate-contamination of groundwater. It explains that nitrates, which mostly come from agricultural fertilisers, are harmful to the environment and pose health risks to people. FAZ says that new fertiliser rules were introduced in Berlin on Wednesday. In addition, Clean Energy Wire reports that Germany, Denmark, the UK and the EU will provide €100m for climate change mitigation projects in developing countries, economy minister Robert Habeck said at the Global NDC Conference in Berlin. And the Associated Press reports that “Germany’s disease control agency warned Thursday that rising temperatures due to global warming will increase the likelihood of heat stroke, vector-borne illnesses and other health risks in the country”.

The Financial Times reports that Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is “facing calls from some senior allies to rebrand the Labour party’s proposed flagship ‘green prosperity plan’ to put more focus on its impact on the UK economy in terms of job creation opportunities and less on climate change”. The article continues: “The policy, which would provide a £140bn stimulus over five years, is by far the main opposition party’s biggest single spending commitment. It would see a Labour government borrow £28bn each year to spend on accelerating the shift towards the UK’s 2050 net-zero target by backing projects, including renewable energy schemes and home insulation initiatives But some senior Labour MPs are concerned that a Labour government is prepared to commit such a large amount of public money to the low-carbon transition and not to other political priorities. One shadow cabinet member said they wanted the policy renamed to reflect the wider priorities of voters, including job creation and the cost of living crisis, rather than branding it purely as an environmental initiative…Party officials said there was no plan to rename the green fund. A spokesperson said: ‘The Labour party is committed to investing in the industries of the future to bring good jobs and productivity growth to all parts of the country.’”

In other UK news, the Press Association covers new research conducted by Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and institutions from South Africa and Germany, to show that “climate effects are exacerbating long-term wealth inequality with poorer UK households more vulnerable to temperature shocks and air pollution and flooding”. The researchers used wealth inequality data from the Office of National Statistics and monthly temperature data from the Met Office.

Reuters has published a “special report” examining how international climate finance from developed countries is being spent around the world. It begins: “Developed nations reported more than 40,000 direct contributions toward the finance target, totaling more than $182bn, from 2015 to 2020, the last year for which data is available. In an effort to understand how that money is being spent, reporters from Reuters and Big Local News, a journalism program at Stanford University, examined thousands of records that countries submitted to the UN to document contributions. The system’s lack of transparency made it impossible to tell how much money is going to efforts that truly help reduce global warming and its impact. Countries are not required to report project details. The descriptions they disclose are often vague or non-existent – so much so that in thousands of cases, they don’t even identify the country where the money went. Even receiving countries listed in the reports sometimes couldn’t say how the money was spent.” It continues: “Aiming to follow the money, Reuters and Big Local News asked 27 nations for details on funding they reported to the UN, examined public documents and spoke to NGOs and others involved in reported projects. Reporters also cross-checked UN reports against information recorded by other agencies, such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a group representing mostly wealthy nations. The review covered about 10% of the total reports to the UN. It turned up at least $3bn spent not on solar panels or wind farms but on coal-fired power, airports, crime-fighting or other programs that do little or nothing to ease the effects of climate change. Five climate specialists – including university professors, researchers and government officials focused on climate finance – agreed that the projects Reuters identified have little or no direct connection to climate change.” Reuters has also published its findings in a searchable database.

Ben Marlow, the Daily Telegraph’s chief City commentator, looks at the latest International Energy Agency report (see yesterday’s Twitter summary by Carbon Brief’s Dr Simon Evans) and says: “Stretching to 87 pages, it lays out the astonishing speed with which countries across the globe have embraced the challenge and are ploughing ahead with renewable energy projects in the race to slash emissions…To anyone with an interest in facts, rather than the deranged scaremongering of the eco-mob, the IEA report is immensely reassuring. Yet it also manages to be alarming at the same time, at least for our own government – assuming of course that ministers don’t want to see China obliterate our lead in renewables…Self-harm and paralysis threatens to scupper our green energy ambitions, while handing the advantage to China on a plate. Indeed it is somewhat fitting that as China prepares to embark on a ferocious renewables building programme, the National Grid has warned that Britain faces the prospect of energy rationing again this winter.” The article includes a chart based on Carbon Brief data which shows installed solar and wind capacity across various nations.

Meanwhile, in other UK comment, the Guardian carries George Monbiot’s latest column under the headline: “As the toxic legacy of opencast mining in Wales shows, operators get the profits, and the public get the costs.” The Times gives its Thunderer column to David Whitehouse, chief executive of Offshore Energies UK. He argues that “Labour’s oil drilling ban would be too much, far too soon”. He concludes the article by saying: “I would ask Sir Keir Starmer, Ed Miliband and other policymakers to reflect – and to talk to us. Parliament may thrive on opposition and argument, but big engineering projects only succeed through collaboration. The transition to net-zero will be the biggest engineering project this country has ever seen. It will fail if politicians undermine the industries, workforces and communities whose skills will be vital for building our energy future.” Writing in her “Northern Powerhouse” Daily Express column, climate-sceptic Tory MP Esther McVey says: “Having our own energy sources of oil, gas helps to protect us from the vagaries of geopolitical instability, yet Labour wants us to throw all that away – haven’t they learnt anything from the devastating effects of the Russia/Ukraine war and the importance of energy security? Clearly not. It seems they would sooner destroy our gas and oil sector in the name of being green, while transporting it to us from other countries around the world, with all the carbon footprint that entails. Into the bargain it would destroy many jobs and throw away billions of pounds of tax revenue. It is totally bonkers.” (Greenpeace’s chief scientist Doug Parr has written a Twitter thread seeking to rebut some of the claims by Tory MPs about Labour’s pledge to ban new drilling licences in the North Sea.)

Separately, the Times has published on its letters page the views of Colin Walker, the transport lead at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, who responds to an editorial in the newspaper yesterday about electric vehicle charging. He argues: “If the UK were to follow your call for a delay to the 2030 phase-out of petrol and diesel cars British drivers would be burdened with more expensive motoring. Slowing the transition would reduce the size of the second-hand car market for electric vehicles, leaving drivers on lower incomes having to pay more – upwards of £9bn by 2043 – to continue running petrol vehicles. The phase-out date is helping to drive the investment in the charging infrastructure you say is needed, with the industry committed to spending £6bn. To ditch the target would mean private investors taking their foot off the pedal. With 72% of UK drivers having access to off-street parking, most EV owners are not reliant on public chargers and with hybrids, containing a petrol engine, on sale until 2035, this call looks a little premature.” Finally, the Daily Telegraph has a comment piece by climate-sceptic farmer Jamie Blackett who says: “Ireland’s mooted cow massacre is a warning to net-zero Britain.”

With the US Congress having now approved a deal to lift the country’s borrowing limit, some outlets are focusing on what the political compromises agreed to get it over the line might mean for energy and climate policies. Robinson Meyer writing for Heatmap News says: “If there’s one climate policy you’re likely to hear about in the debt ceiling deal, it’s the Mountain Valley Pipeline. The 304-mile pipeline, which will link West Virginia’s booming gas fields to the East Coast and Texas, essentially received automatic approval under the bipartisan deal. The bill compels federal agencies to approve the pipeline and then shields those permits from judicial review, all but guaranteeing the project’s eventual completion. If nothing else, the deal brings the saga over the Mountain Valley Pipeline to a close almost a year after it began: The White House initially agreed to support the project last year in exchange for Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia’s support for Biden’s climate law. But neither Manchin nor Biden could get a bill containing the pipeline through Congress last year as part of a larger package of permitting reforms. Manchin persevered, and the pipeline wriggled into the deal over the weekend thanks to House Republicans and oil-and-gas lobbyists. Manchin, it seems, finally has his pipeline. The project isn’t the most important climate item in the deal. That distinction has to go to the deal’s preservation of the Inflation Reduction Act, which will ensure hundreds of billions of dollars go to clean energy and infrastructure over the next decade. Nor is it the deal’s worst blow to the climate: As I wrote yesterday, Democrats’ failure to secure any power-grid reform takes that title.” The Hill has published an article headlined: “Here’s how the debt ceiling bill would change the US energy permitting process.” While the New York Times has a comment piece by the author Jonathan Mingle whio specialises in the legal fights over gas pipelines. He writes: “The bill’s text asserts – in a brazen stroke of climate gaslighting – that the pipeline will ‘reduce carbon emissions and facilitate the energy transition’…Though the assertions that the pipeline is necessary and good for the climate defy logic, the political calculus is clear enough. Congressional Democrats and President Biden want to reward Mr Manchin, who is weighing whether to run in what is sure to be a tough re-election fight in 2024.”

Separately, the New York Times also carries the latest article by David Wallace-Wells in which he walks through the latest data and research to conclude that “there are a lot of unsettling signals coming from the world’s oceans right now”.

New research uses carbon sequestration potential and quantification of other ecosystem services, such as coastal risk reduction, to identify priority areas for mangrove restoration and protection in Belize. Researchers combine ecosystem-service models and maps of priority conservation areas to determine the benefits of added mangrove protection to the country. The work informed Belize’s updated climate pledge, which added a target of an additional 12,000 hectares of mangrove habitat protection. The researchers write that the work “serves as an example for…other countries that have the opportunity to enhance greenhouse gas sequestration and climate adaptation by incorporating blue carbon strategies” into their climate pledges. 

A new study shows that warm periods in central Asia are correlated with increased “dust activity”. Researchers use a 2,800-year paleoclimate dataset from peat sampled from the  Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in southern central Asia to determine dust activity based on particle size and composition. They find that “intense dust activity is related to the warm and arid climate” in the region, and suggest that this activity is related to changes in wind and moisture driven by changes in climate. As a result, they “predict that this region may experience more frequent dust activity in the future”.