Some 50.9% of China’s installed capacity of electricity is now from non-fossil sources, according to the country’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), reports Xinhua. The state news agency reports Yan Yinkai, the deputy director of NDRC, saying that the country’s “top economic planner” will focus on four areas in the near future: to accelerate the advancement of the “energy revolution”; to accelerate the low-carbon transformation in “key areas”; to promote “green” and low-carbon technological innovation; and to strengthen the improvement of “green” and low-carbon policies. The state-run industry newspaper says that China has completed “energy conservation, carbon reduction, flexibility improvement, and heating transformation of a total of 480 gigawatt coal-fired power units”. Reuters notes that China had targeted at least 50% non-fossil capacity by 2025, meaning the goal has been met two years early. China Energy News also covers the same story.

Meanwhile, Chinese financial news outlet Caixin runs a “cover story”, titled: “China changes pricing model for world’s largest power grid.” It says a notice released on 15 May by the NDRC introduced the “cost plus reasonable profit” principle for “calculating power transmission and distribution fees”. These changes are to achieve “fairer and more transparent” pricing, as well as enhance “the efficiency of distributing electricity” across the country, the outlet highlights. 

In other news, online news site Ecns.cn reports that an “ultra-high voltage direct current transmission line” that links Ningxia, northwest China, with Hunan, central China, began construction on Sunday night. The country’s “first power channel for transmitting new energy from the desert” is estimated to be able to deliver more than 36 terawatt hours of electricity annually from 2025, the Chinese website adds. CCTV covers the same story, highlighting that the project aims to transmit “green and clean” electricity generated in the Gobi desert and other “barren areas” to achieve China’s “dual carbon” targets. Radio France Internationale cites a report by Swiss-based German newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung that the world’s “largest” solar power plant in the desert is currently under construction in northern China. 

Elsewhere, Nasdaq, citing a report by Reuters, writes that the state-owned Zhejiang Energy Group is preparing to start trial operations at its “inaugural liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal” in east China by the end of June. The facility has the capacity to handle 3m tonnes of LNG per year, the article adds. Additionally, China Electric Power News reports that the National Energy Administration, the country’s top energy regulator, has approved 310 energy industry standards. 

Finally, China Electric Power News carries a comment piece by three authors from two state-owned energy companies, China Southern Power Grid and Guangxi Power Grid. They write that, as the summer electricity peak comes earlier, China should enhance the “inter-provincial” power exchange capacity, while exploring the potential for “cross-provincial” electricity transmission. 

The surge in “catastrophic wildfires” in California is “almost entirely due to climate change”, USA Today reports, citing a new study. The newspaper explains: “The amount of land burned by wildfires has exploded in California in recent decades. In fact, the average summer burn area in forests in northern and central portions of California has increased by five times between 1996 and 2021 than between 1971 and 1995, the study said.” It continues: “Beginning in 2001, the team found the drivers of increasing summer burn area are all due to climate change, with no natural factors involved. The authors estimated that upcoming decades – between 2031 and 2050 – may experience an increase in the average summer burned area in California of up to 52% over the current average burned area. This takes into account the fact that repeated fires consume fuel and limit the activity of subsequent fires in the same area.” Bloomberg runs the story under the headline: “California wildfires are five times bigger than they used to be.” The outlet adds: “Days after wildfire smoke from Canada turned skies orange along the US Eastern Seaboard, the study is further confirmation of past research showing that higher temperatures and drier conditions in many parts of the world make wildfires more likely.” The Atlantic says the research is a “clear indication that climate change is burning up California”. The Hill also has the story.

In related comment for the Washington Post, columnist Leana Wen writes: “With wildfires happening more frequently and in unexpected areas because of climate change, Americans will increasingly need to think about the consequences of air pollutants on their health.” A New York Times feature runs under the headline: “California is living between ever-widening climate extremes.” An article for the climate-sceptic comment pages of the Wall Street Journal by Clifford Mass is titled: “Canadian wildfires came from rotten luck, not climate change.”

The Polish government will appeal against EU rules banning the sale of fossil fuel cars from 2035, Reuters reports, citing comments from the country’s climate minister. The newswire explains: “A package of EU regulations approved earlier this year aims at launching a new carbon market to rein in emissions from buildings and transport, cutting carbon emissions from passenger cars and vans to zero from 2035. Poland has been the only country consistently opposing the proposal and voted against the rules, arguing they lacked a proper analysis of market and social consequences of the ban.” Politico reports: “Poland was part of a coalition of countries led by Germany that sought to block the 2035 clean car sales mandate from entering into law earlier this year. But while Berlin was focused on securing a commitment from the Commission to draft a legal workaround for e-fuels, a synthetic alternative to petrol and diesel, Warsaw wanted to avoid an outright ban on sales of polluting vehicles.  In the end, the Commission agreed to Germany’s demands and the law passed, with only Poland voting against.” Separately, Reuters reports: “The head of a trade group representing nearly all major automakers urged the US Environmental Protection Agency to ‘ease up’ on its aggressive proposal to sharply cut vehicle emissions through 2032, saying it could benefit China.” The South China Morning Post reports that Chinese car firms are set to “capture 15% of European market by 2025”, citing a KPMG economist. Meanwhile, Reuters reports on Toyota’s plans to mass produce electric vehicle batteries with a range of 1,000km.

A unit at Ratcliffe coal-fired power station in Nottinghamshire, one of the UK’s few remaining such plants, was switched on yesterday for the first time in 46 days, the Press Association reports: “Britain has started burning coal for electricity for the first time in a month and a half as gas power plants were shut down for maintenance, demand for air conditioning spiked and the country deals with lower wind speeds.” The newswire continues: “At the time of writing, coal was producing around 0.2% of the electricity being used in the UK. It brought to an end a 46-day coal-free period for Britain’s grid, shy of the nearly 68-day record it set in the summer of 2020.” Reuters says an electricity cable linking the UK to Norway was also operating at half its usual capacity yesterday, but was expected to return to full service today. Bloomberg notes that two other coal plants entered decommissioning at the end of March this year. It adds: “Many UK power plant units are usually off for maintenance during the summer when demand is lower. The heat can also cause plants to trip, limiting expected output. Scottish nuclear reactor Torness-2 was hit by an unplanned outage on Monday morning and is now set to be offline until 21 June, according to a notice.” The Guardian says the coal unit was switched on “in order to meet extra demand for air conditioning as the country swelters in hot weather”. The Daily Telegraph says the coal unit was turned on “after the heatwave made solar panels too hot to work efficiently”. [Solar generated around a fifth of UK electricity through the middle of yesterday.]

Meanwhile, several outlets cover news that the UK government is investing £4.3m in space-based solar power. The Guardian reports: “The technology, which collects energy from the sun using satellite-mounted panels and beams it to Earth, had huge potential to boost the UK’s energy security, the UK’s energy security secretary, Grant Shapps, said.” The Daily Telegraph reports: “A quarter of Britain’s electricity could be beamed from space with a ‘Bond-style’ floating solar power station, the energy secretary [Shapps] has said.” BusinessGreen also has the story.

The UK’s latest net-zero strategy, launched at the end of March, has “barely moved the dial on emissions cuts”, the Times reports, citing new analysis from thinktank Green Alliance. It continues: “Prior to the announcement of the plans, which included everything from mandates on electric car sales to details of carbon capture projects, policies were in place or in development to deliver 87% of the carbon emissions cuts needed between 2028 and 2032. Having scrutinised the small print, Green Alliance, a think tank, has found that figure has fallen to 85%. The group said hitting net-zero by 2050 was still within reach, but only if there was more ambitious short-term policy.” Politico covers comments made by UK energy secretary Grant Shapps in which he said that the UK does not need to emulate the US’s huge subsidies for climate-friendly technologies because it is already “a decade ahead of the rest of the world” in the promotion of renewables.

In other UK news, the country is “in danger of missing out on the burgeoning heat pump market as other countries outpace the UK in attracting investment”, the Daily Express reports, citing Dr Jan Rosenow, director of European programmes at the Regulatory Assistance Project thinktank. It quotes Rosenow saying: “Especially after Brexit it’s important the UK develops its own domestic market on heat pumps and gets that inward investment. Other countries are really racing ahead and the UK is in danger of missing out on substantial investments in the UK market.” Separately, City AM reports: “The UK could be overtaken by international rivals in the green energy arms race if it doesn’t ramp up connections of new offshore wind developments, energy experts have warned.”

Meanwhile, the Financial Times reports: “The head of one of Britain’s few surviving homegrown battery manufacturers has threatened to build its planned new factory overseas unless the UK closes the gap with subsidies offered by the EU and US.” Another Financial Times article reports: “European carmakers have warned that they stand to lose €4.3bn and cut production by almost 500,000 electric vehicles unless Brussels agrees to delay the imposition of tariffs between the EU and the UK.” Writing for the Times Red Box, Sue Fern, Matthew Biggs and Gay Henson – senior figures at two UK unions – write: “If the late 20th century was dominated by the space race and the arms race, then one of the defining features of global competition in the early 21st century will be the race to electrify…Both of our unions recognise the critical need for large-scale expansion of nuclear power alongside renewables.”

Policing protests by climate activists from Just Stop Oil has cost more than £4.5m, the Guardian reports, citing the Metropolitan Police. The paper continues: “MPs are to debate a statutory instrument to amend the meaning of ‘serious disruption’ in the UK’s public order regime, lowering its threshold from ‘significant’ or ‘prolonged’ disruption to ‘more than minor’.” An editorial in the Guardian reflects on the life of “Benjamin Lay… a revolutionary who battled for an unpopular cause that is today regarded as unquestionably just.” It says: “Today’s activists campaigning on everything from climate change to humane migration policies have much to learn from his life…Lay’s example is a sharp reminder that yesterday’s impossible causes can become today’s inevitable principles – but that the journey is often made through shocking confrontation and personal sacrifice.” A frontpage story in the Daily Mail, meanwhile, reports: “Labour was accused last night of abandoning the ‘law-abiding majority’ by opposing curbs on eco-zealots and Channel migrants. Just Stop Oil caused yet more traffic havoc with a go-slow protest in central London on Monday. However Sir Keir Starmer’s MPs voted against moves to bolster police powers to break up the disruptive demos.” An accompanying editorial in the Daily Mail says: “With all eyes on Boris Johnson and the writhing convulsions within the Tory party, the huge cracks opening up in Labour’s policy platform are going almost unnoticed.” The lead Daily Mail comment slot, written by columnist Stephen Pollard, says: “Should you ever have been caught up in one of the hellish traffic jams caused by Just Stop Oil’s roadblocks, you will doubtless be four-square behind Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s proposed new laws giving the police greater powers to tackle them.” In the Daily Telegraph, columnist Andy Meyer writes under the headline: “Eco-zealots display a total disregard for democracy.”

There is continuing coverage of what the New York Times calls a “landmark climate change trial” that opened in the US state of Montana yesterday. The paper explains: “[A] group of young people are contending that the state’s embrace of fossil fuels is destroying pristine environments, upending cultural traditions and robbing young residents of a healthy future. The case, more than a decade in the making, is the first of a series of similar challenges pending in various states as part of an effort to increase pressure on policymakers to take more urgent action on emissions.” It adds: “The case revolves around the contention from 16 young residents – who range in age from 5 to 22 – that the state government has failed to live up to its constitutional mandate to ‘maintain and improve a clean and healthful environment in Montana for present and future generations.’…Only a handful of [US] states establish clear environmental rights in their constitutions.” Vox says: “A lawsuit in the state of Montana could set a legal precedent on climate action.” Fox News says the Montana case could set a precedent for states “including Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New York”. A Guardian article reports on opening statements from some of the plaintiffs. The Guardian, the Independent, Inside Climate News, Agence-France Presse, the Associated Press and Reuters have further coverage. For the Washington Post, author Scott Stern writes a “perspective” in which he says: “A new lawsuit builds on 50 years of history in environmental activism.”

Swiss mining giant Glencore has made a further attempt to buy steelmaking coal assets from Canadian firm Teck Resources, Reuters reports. It explains: “Teck’s steelmaking coal mines are among few left in the world, making them attractive to Glencore, as global efforts to phase out coal-fired power generation gather momentum.” The newswire quotes a note from analysts at Deutsche Bank saying: “It would provide Teck with a cleaner exit from coal and allow Glencore to split its own business into CoalCo and MetalsCo.” Bloomberg calls the move “the last twist in a fight that has transfixed the mining world for months”. It adds: “Glencore has offered to buy the [Teck steelmaking coal] unit for cash, combine it with its own [thermal] coal assets and then create a separate company within a year or two after paying down debt.” The outlet continues: “For Glencore, the deal would present a way to exit the hugely profitable but polluting thermal coal business by combining it in a new company with Teck’s steelmaking coal operations.” It adds: “Glencore has come under increasing pressure for its continued ownership of coal mines from its investors, with almost 30% of shareholders backing a resolution urging the company to explain how its thermal coal business aligns with efforts to limit the increase in global temperatures to 1.5C.” The Financial Times Lex column says buying Teck’s coal business “would expand Glencore’s coal ebitda by about half. It would be the second purchase of coal assets by the group in two years.” It continues: “This news cannot sit well with all shareholders. Witness investor restlessness with [chief executive Gary] Nagle over Glencore’s climate change goals.” The column continues: “That may explain why Nagle is promising to spin off all Glencore’s coal assets within two years, much earlier than expected. Coal still generates about half of Glencore’s ebitda [profits]. Adding Teck’s coal increases that dominance. The group’s paraphrase of St Augustine is: ‘Make me good, Lord, but not until 2025.’” City AM says the Glencore offer “exposes industry desperation to go green”. The Times, the Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal also have the story.

In a comment for EurActiv, Mahmoud Mohieldin and Razan Al Mubarak, UN high-level champions for the COP27 and COP28 presidencies, respectively, note that it is likely the upcoming “global stocktake” (GST) will show that the countries of the world are falling short of what would be needed to meet global climate goals. They write: “This year the world’s first stocktake of efforts to curtail the climate crisis can provide a critical lever to engage all stakeholders in a just transition to a 1.5C, resilient and inclusive world. But the GST will likely show that we are not on the right path. To course-correct, we need transformative collaboration between all the actors within our economies, including women, young people, Indigenous Peoples, businesses, investors, national and subnational governments, civil society and academia.” The pair conclude: “At the Bonn UN Climate Summit this week, we invite non-state actors, from corporates to civil society, to investors and cities, to support the GST process, to share their progress, help to identify key gaps and challenges and co-create actionable solutions. Through its far-reaching, holistic scope, the GST can help to turn the challenges of the transition from a paralysing ultimatum into a galvanising force for change.”

In Canada’s National Observer, columnist Ross Belot begins his latest article: “Canada, we need to have a serious talk about the future of our oil industry. We’re all aware that Alberta and, it seems, Ottawa believe the industry will just go on…At the same time, as a nation, we’ve signed on to an international obligation with most of the rest of the world to be net-zero by 2050.” He continues: “The Trudeau government has a Schrödinger’s cat experiment going with net zero, the oilsands is both alive and dead so long as they don’t open the box and look. But an international organisation recently opened the net-zero box and showed the oilsands is almost certainly on its deathbed. By 2050, there will simply not be enough worldwide demand left for our poor-quality crude oil.” Belot criticises the Canadian government for subsidising carbon capture and storage projects and concludes: “Canada is spending billions on a sunset industry. Is that the best use of our limited dollars to fund the green transition? Nope. If a company wants to invest in carbon sequestering because they take a contrarian view of the future, that’s up to them. But when a government commits to shift the country to net-zero by 2050 and then ignores what that means and borrows billions to prop up an industry they have essentially committed to eliminating, that is a problem.” In related news, Reuters reports: “Canadian biofuels producers are threatening to build their next projects in the United States to cash in on rich subsidies for clean fuel and stay competitive, a move that could cost Canada C$10bn ($7.5bn) of investment and undermine prime minister Justin Trudeau’s efforts to build a greener economy.”

Sea level rise along the US east coast and Gulf of Mexico rapidly accelerated from 2010-22, coinciding with a record-breaking North Atlantic hurricane season, new research finds. The research combines century-long tide gauge data and more recent satellite data to uncover how sea level rise has accelerated over the past decade. The researchers say: “The acceleration is most notable on the southeast and gulf coasts, as quantified by the decadal rise rate, extreme annual sea level departure from the long-term trend, as well as the sea level record-breaking frequency and magnitude.” It adds that the acceleration is likely to be related to the climate-change-related slowdown of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, a large system of ocean currents that carry warm water from the tropics northwards into the North Atlantic.