Wildfires have killed 34 people in Algeria and spread to neighbouring Tunisia, the Financial Times reports, amid a “blistering” heatwave across the Mediterranean. The newspaper says that near-record temperatures in the region “have been attributed to climate change by scientists, who have warned that the region should be braced for more intense and longer-lasting heatwaves”. It says that temperatures in Tunisia “reached as high as 49C” and reports: “TAP, the official Tunisian news agency, said on Monday that devastating fires had encircled the village of Melloula in Jendouba province.” The paper adds: “Scorching temperatures are also being experienced in Egypt, where the authorities have been forced to introduce rotating power blackouts for the first time in several years amid soaring demand for electricity to power air conditioners.” The New York Times also covers the wildfire deaths in Algeria, reporting: “In some parts of Algeria, temperatures have reached as high as 135F, or 57C; in Tunisia, they have hit 120F, or 49C. Power and water cuts have plagued Algerians for two weeks as the heat set in, with the taps running dry in many cities.” The outlet adds: “The Algerian Army said in a statement that the record temperatures and difficult weather conditions were hampering relief efforts.” Le Monde reports from Algiers: “With an intense heatwave affecting the country since the beginning of July, calls for greater awareness of global warming are on the rise.” The Energy Mix reports: “A heatwave in the Gaza Strip with temperatures reaching 38C has worsened power outages and sparked calls for protests from residents who lack electricity for cooling.”

In Greece, meanwhile, Reuters reports that three people have died in wildfires, including two pilots of a firefighting plane. It says: “Hundreds of firefighters, helped by forces from Turkey and Slovakia, have been battling blazes that have raged on the islands of Rhodes, Corfu and Evia since Wednesday and resurged in hot, windy conditions, while emergency planes have been flying out tourists…The high temperatures in Greece are set to rise through Wednesday to exceed 44C (111F) in some areas. An assessment by scientists published on Tuesday said human-induced climate change had played an ‘absolutely overwhelming’ role in extreme heatwaves that have swept across North America, southern Europe and China this month.” The Guardian reports: “Storms and wildfires kill seven in Italy as extreme weather continues.” Reuters says the government of Italy “was preparing emergency measures to help regions hit by the extreme weather”. Politico says that Palermo airport on the Italian island of Sicily was forced to temporarily close due to nearby wildfire. Reuters reports: “Large areas of the Mediterranean sweltered under an intense summer heatwave on Tuesday and firefighters battled to put out blazes across the region.” Separate Reuters reports cover wildfires in Croatia, Portugal, Spain’s Gran Canaria, France and Turkey. The Guardian says the Mediterranean is being “gripped by wildfires”. Politico carries a story titled: “Forget the climate emergency and enjoy your holiday, say Europe’s tourism chiefs.” The Guardian reports: “Rhodes wildfires are climate wake-up call, says UK minister.”

Seas are also recording extreme warmth, with Le Monde reporting: “Mediterranean Sea reaches highest temperature ever.” Reuters reports: “Ocean temperatures around South Florida hit hot-tub levels.” The Guardian also has the story. Separately, Reuters reports: “Strong winds and rain lashed the northern Philippines as Typhoon Doksuri made landfall on Wednesday, causing rivers to overflow and leaving thousands without power.” The New York Times reports: “Long considered a life-giving panacea, India’s rainy season has become more violent and unpredictable. It is upsetting many rhythms of life, among them, leisure travel.” Le Monde reports: “Two children found dead in eastern Canada flooding.” The Hill says: “Canadian wildfire smoke again blanketing Midwest.” Reuters reports that the US Forest Service has concluded that it started a major wildfire in New Mexico last year “when strong winds stoked a pile of burning logs and branches left from a controlled burn meant to lower wildfire risk”.

In the UK, the Daily Telegraph reports: “Experts have said extreme heat and temperatures of more than 40C are becoming increasingly likely in the UK owing to climate change.” The Independent reports the same news and adds that “the country is still woefully unprepared, experts warn”. The Daily Mail also has the story. Finally, the i newspaper has an explainer titled: “The Antarctic ice sheet decline is as bad as those viral graphs make out.”

A number of media outlets cover new research looking at the possibility that an Atlantic current with a role in regulating the climate could “collapse” in the coming decades. The research discusses how climate change could be disrupting the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a large system of ocean currents that carries warm water from the tropics northwards into the North Atlantic. The New York Times reports on the study’s finding that, as humans warm the atmosphere, “the melting of the Greenland ice sheet is adding large amounts of fresh water to the North Atlantic, which could be disrupting the balance of heat and salinity that keeps the overturning moving”. The article notes the potential impacts of a slowdown in the AMOC, adding: “Were the circulation to tip into a much weaker state, the effects on the climate would be far-reaching, though scientists are still examining their potential magnitude.” The Hill quotes the lead author, Peter Ditlevsen of the Niels Bohr Institute, who explains: “Shutting down the AMOC can have very serious consequences for Earth’s climate, for example, by changing how heat and precipitation are distributed globally.” A number of other outlets confuse the AMOC with the Gulf Stream, an entirely different wind-driven current whose circulation is not affected by human activity and which is not at risk of collapse. A Guardian headline incorrectly claims “Gulf Stream could collapse as early as 2025, study suggests”, while MailOnline interprets the new research as “the real-life Day After Tomorrow”, a reference to a 2004 film that led to a multitude of scientific clarifications. The study is also covered in Axios, the Financial Times and New Scientist.

The fallout continues from last Thursday’s byelections in the UK, where the ruling Conservatives suffered major defeats in two seats but narrowly held on in a third, in a result attributed to their opposition to plans for expanded controls on polluting cars in London. The Times reports that UK prime minister Rishi Sunak “is sticking with a 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel car sales for fear of an industry backlash that would threaten green investment in Britain”. The paper continues: “Instead ministers are considering relaxing interim targets for electric vehicle sales and allowing ‘more flexibility’ on hybrid cars beyond 2030 as they look for ways to ease the burden of net-zero policies.” It adds: “With the Conservative right pushing for a delay to the policy, speculation mounted that it could be pushed back after Sunak failed to commit himself publicly to the target on Monday. Lord Frost, the former Brexit negotiator, argued yesterday that Britain would benefit from global warming, as he urged ministers to ditch ‘high-cost’ policies on fighting climate change. ‘Seven times as many people die from cold as from heat in Britain. Rising temperatures are likely to be beneficial,’ he said in the Lords, criticising present policies for involving ‘massive investments in unproductive renewables, huge changes in lifestyles as well as crushing economic growth’. However, Michael Gove, the levelling-up secretary, told Times Radio that the 2030 date to end sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles was ‘immovable’.” The Daily Express also reports the government’s commitment to the 2030 ban. The Sun reports: “A BAN on petrol and diesel car sales from 2030 WILL go ahead, Michael Gove insisted today [Tuesday]. The levelling up secretary sparked a second day of mass confusion over which of the government’s expensive green policies will be kept or dumped.” The Daily Telegraph reports: “Tory flip-flopping on 2030 petrol engine ban angers carmakers.”

Meanwhile, the Daily Mail devotes a fullpage story to Frost’s comments under the headline: “Climate change ‘could be good’ for Britain: Lord Frost urges Rishi Sunak to ditch ‘high cost’ green policies as Cabinet rift over net-zero grows.” [The newspaper does not inform its readers that Frost is a trustee of an infamous climate-sceptic lobby group.]  The newspaper ends its story by quoting Lord Deben, Conservative former chair of the Climate Change Committee, pushing back on Frost’s comments. It adds: “Meanwhile, ex-business secretary Sir Alok Sharma, who was president of the UN’s COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, warned the government against backsliding on its commitments. He said dropping some green targets would mean introducing more in other areas in order to meet the UK’s legally binding net-zero targets.”

Separately, several papers cover comments by Gove on other climate policies, with the Daily Mail reporting: “Plans to ban gas boilers will ‘impose costs’ on families, Michael Gove admitted yesterday, as he hinted at a rethink. The housing secretary said he would provide ‘breathing space’ for landlords, who face having to upgrade the energy performance of their properties by 2025 under current rules. And he suggested there could be a wider rethink of plans to phase out gas boilers in favour of costly heat pumps.” The Daily Telegraph reports: “Landlords are set to get more time to improve their rental properties’ energy efficiency after Michael Gove said he wanted to ‘ease up’ on hitting certain net-zero rules. A delay is now expected to plans that would have forced all homes for rent to have the environmental rating EPC C. Some 2.4m rental homes in England have a lower rating…The levelling up secretary also suggested the demand that new homes be built with heat pumps rather than gas boilers in 2025 be reviewed.” The Guardian and the i newspaper also cover Gove’s comments.

The Times reports: “The majority of Tory voters who plan to switch to Labour in the next election think that Rishi Sunak has not done enough on climate change, according to polling that comes as the Conservatives consider rowing back on green policies.” The paper quotes Sharma saying: “This polling is a ‘wake up and smell the coffee’ moment for the siren voices arguing that watering down the government’s green growth agenda will be a vote winner – it clearly won’t.” The Guardian reports: “Labour should counter ‘absolutely unacceptable’ and ‘ignorant’ Conservative attacks on its climate policies by offering a cross-party consensus on climate action, to bring forward measures this parliament to meet net-zero, the outgoing chair of the Climate Change Committee [Lord Deben] has urged.” City AM has a story titled: “Tory MPs pile pressure on Sunak to retain green policies.” The Financial Times “Inside Politics” newsletter says: “Drawing battle lines with Labour over green policies is [a] risky strategy.” It adds: “The biggest reason not to water down the UK’s green policies is the need to decarbonise. But another reason, if you’re Rishi Sunak, is it might just hand [opposition Labour leader] Keir Starmer a weapon he badly needs.” The New York Times says “a fierce political debate over how to curb climate change has suddenly erupted, fueled by economic hardship and a recent election surprise”. (See Comment below for more reaction to these stories.)

In other UK news, Reuters reports: “Britain’s decision to authorise new licences for oil and gas exploration in the North Sea came under scrutiny at London’s High Court on Tuesday, as Greenpeace argued the government failed to assess emissions produced by burning extracted fuel.” City AM reports: “Sizewell C has been given a fresh cash boost by the government, which has poured a further £170m into the proposed nuclear power plant [in Suffolk].” And BusinessGreen says: “Drax has been granted planning permission to build a giant underground ‘water battery’ in Western Scotland, but the energy firm claims it still requires energy market reforms to make the £500m Cruachan pumped hydro storage project financially viable.”

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) yesterday “called for better coordinated efforts to address the causes of climate change, warning extreme weather is posing material risks to countries globally, especially developing economies already saddled with high debts”, Reuters reports. It continues: “IMF chief economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas said the case of Argentina, which has seen a prolonged financial crisis worsened by a ferocious drought that reduced agricultural exports by an estimated $20bn this year, showed how profoundly weather events could exacerbate existing strains.” The newswire says: “Gourinchas said extreme weather events, including heat waves facing Europe and other regions, and this year’s El Niño weather pattern, which could lead to heavy rainfall or temperatures, would affect crop yields and the ability of people to work.” It quotes Gourinchas in an interview with the newswire saying: “Clearly this increasing frequency of extreme weather events…is making it especially urgent that we tackle the root cause of climate change…More needs to be done.”

Reuters previews this week’s vote for the next head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), with four candidates vying for the top job. It briefly profiles the candidates, Belgium’s Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, Thelma Krug of Brazil, South African Debra Roberts and the UK’s Jim Skea. The newswire explains: “The chair’s election is closed-door and via secret ballot. A simple majority is needed and if none is obtained in round one the top two candidates compete in a further round. All 195 member states have a vote and the results are expected on Wednesday or Thursday.” It adds: Dozens of other bureau members will also be appointed.” [Positions include IPCC vice-chair, co-chair and working group co-chairs.]

Mao Ning, the spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, says that the EU-China high-level environment and climate dialogue held in Beijing earlier this month is a “concrete measure” to implement the “important consensus” reached by the leaders of both sides, Beijing Daily reports. The newspaper quotes Mao saying the dialogue sends a “positive signal” of “joining efforts to address global challenges, such as climate change and biodiversity”, adding that China is willing to become the “most distinctive feature” of China-EU cooperation. A Chinese energy website bjx.com carries an article, which says that, besides CBAM [carbon border adjustment mechanism], the EU’s other measures, such as the “circular economy action plan”, will pose “new trade barriers” to Chinese export companies. The state-run newspaper China Daily has an editorial, saying that the EU-China high-level environment and climate dialogue – where both sides “vowed to strengthen their cooperation to accelerate the global green transition…signals that no matter how they position their diplomatic relations, the two parties…are obliged to work together to mitigate the common existential threats of climate change and biodiversity loss that confront humankind”. Separately, Bloomberg reports on calls from Sinagpore’s minister for sustainability and the environment Grace Fu for the US and China to come together to give global climate talks a “big push”. It quotes her saying of recent meetings between the two countries: “It is a good sign. They are talking and they were not talking before…Is it going to be easy? Not at all. But we are hopeful.”

Meanwhile, China could import 400m tonnes of coal this year, reports Xindehaishi, a Chinese shipping news site. A Chinese outlet Jiemian writes that, according to a report by the China Electricity Council, an industry association, it is predicted that the total electricity consumption for China in 2023 will reach “around 9,150 terawatts-hours, with a year-on-year increase of approximately 6%”. The newly added installed capacity of non-fossil energy power is expected to reach “180 gigawatts”, the report says. Jiemian has another story which focuses on the increase price of the electric vehicles (EVs) charing stations driven by “adjustments in electricity pricing policies” and the summer electricity consumption peak. 

Separately, Chinese website Sohu News cites the German newspaper Junge Welt, which reports that China’s renewable energy development is in “the fast lane”. bjx.com writes that China’s energy storage industry has entered a new stage of “large-scale development, with the construction of hundred-megawatt-scale energy storage projects becoming a norm”. A shipping news site Trade Winds reports that Singapore-based shipowner Eastern Pacific has “team[ed] up” with China’s energy firm to develop “renewable fuel solutions” for “maritime and power generation industries”. 

Elsewhere, the South China Morning Post carries a comment piece by its journalist Shi Jiangtao, titled: “John Kerry’s China trip has again exposed the limits of climate diplomacy.” Finally, online news site E-International Relations has published a comment piece by Noman Ur Rashid from the Climate Resourcing Coordination Center, who writes that “as the climate challenge continues to grow year-on-year, the spotlight remains overly fixed on how these two superpowers navigate the intricate path of climate cooperation while safeguarding their respective national interests”.

There is a continuing wide range of commentary in the UK media focused on the fallout from last week’s narrow byelection win for the Conservatives with pundits blaming voters’ opposition to the ULEZ air quality scheme aimed at drivers of polluting vehicles. An editorial in the Independent says “the public, generally speaking, wants more done on climate change – and faster” and criticises the Labour leadership for “distancing themselves from the policy and questioning whether its implementation might be done in a different way”. An editorial in the Times – which has been running a clean-air campaign for several years – says: “Ambitious targets are essential to meeting the challenge posed by climate change and dirty air. But it is not good enough to will the end while failing to invest in the means. The government needs to put its foot down to accelerate infrastructure but, sadly, must also be prepared to press the brake on the 2030 deadline [for banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars] to allow industry to catch up.” The Times also carries a column by Paul Goodman, editor of the ConservativeHome blog, who argues that “Tory net-zero sceptics sense wind of change”. He continues: “With the next election approaching, we will soon find out whether the Conservative commitment to net-zero is as deep as it has been wide. On the side of Sunak are the Climate Change Committee (CCC), Skidmore, much of the parliamentary party, eco-enthusiast younger voters and older ones who, polling suggests, aren’t hostile to net-zero in principle. On the other are Ulez-resistant voters, much of the Tory-supporting media, senior Conservatives such as David Frost (the former cabinet minister), a significant slice of the party membership and, on the basis of the last Tory leadership contest, such possible future contenders as Suella Braverman and perhaps Kemi Badenoch. The prime minister may believe he can carve out a middle way: portraying himself as the reasonable man who, on the one hand, is committed to net-zero (unlike those sceptics) but who also, on the other, can deliver it without Ulez-type charges and taxes (unlike Starmer). Can he survive this slippery tightrope? We’re about to find out.” The Times also provides space for its chief art critic Laura Freeman to say that “my journey through the farcical maze of the energy performance certificate system proves it’s just another stealth tax”. 

Separately, the Guardian has an analysis piece by its political editor Pippa Crerar headlined: “Ditching green policies may not be the vote winner Sunak expects.” She says: “Politicians have an obligation to explain why green measures are worth it in the long run, financially and environmentally, as well as considering subsidies and other mitigations for the worst off.” An Evening Standard editorial titled “Be clear on net-zero” criticises the government for briefing the media about potential changes to climate policy. It says: “The target to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 is not just an all-government endeavour – it will require buy-in from the whole country. That includes consumers, manufacturers, investors, local and national government. What is needed more than anything else is a firm direction of travel, not briefing and counter-briefing while Rhodes burns.”

Elsewhere, the Daily Telegraph’s assistant editor Jeremy Warner says that “coercion is never going to work when it comes to net-zero: forcing unpopular green policies on the public will only cause a political backlash”. He concludes: “One thing is certain; if policy makers keep applying the sort of coercive measures the CCC and government policy as it presently stands deem necessary, the political backlash will be such that no progress is made at all.” The Independent’s John Rentoul has a comment piece headlined: “Zealot, crank or loser? Sunak and Starmer are locked in an election eco-war.” An editorial in the Daily Express hits out at the bill for policing Just Stop Oil protestors: “Eco extremists are draining police funds. Around £15m has been spent by the Met policing Just Stop Oil – the equivalent of 23,500 officer shifts. Any sane person should be concerned about the consequences of climate change. But the group’s disruptive chaos is doing nothing to build support for constructive action. Instead, it is making it harder for our police forces to fight crime…The zealots should abandon their childish and destructive tactics.”

Finally, as ever, the right-leaning newspapers give space to their climate-sceptic commentators. The Daily Telegraph carries a piece by Matthew Lynn under the headline: “The 2030 petrol car ban is extremism masquerading as pragmatism.” The Daily Telegraph also has a comment piece by former UKIP spokesperson Patrick O’Flynn about how “Greta Thunberg has finally crashed down to reality” following her fine for a climate protest. And the Daily Express columnist Anne Widdecombe believes that “voters are finally waking up to net-zero’s miserable impact”.

For the Guardian, former BBC correspondent Roger Harrabin has a comment arguing: “After recent weeks of extreme heat and devastating floods it’s clear that, although climate models have provided good information about overall rising temperatures, they can’t be sure what level of destruction each notch on the thermometer will bring”. He continues: “The influential Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says cranking up global temperature by half a degree will bring ‘much more extreme weather, and it can be more often, more intense, or extended in duration’ – but exactly how much more, it can’t precisely say.” Harrabin concludes: “As the barrage of bad news continues, all we can be certain of is that there are many climate surprises lying ahead of us. Governments, companies and individuals need to urgently squeeze down emissions to insulate ourselves as far as possible from what we may face.”

An editorial in the Daily Mirror says: “Two Greek firefighters dying is a grim reminder that when most flee infernos there are others who rush towards danger to save lives, property and land. And as climate change smashes historic records by creating hotter, drier and longer periods across Britain, Europe and the world, we either stop heating up our planet or there’ll be more blazes and, inevitably, more deaths.”

For the Independent, author and scientist Mike Berners-Lee writes under the headline: “Playing with fire: we are not just breaking heat records, we are smashing them.” He writes: “We are routinely deceived on climate policy by government ministers. To give just two examples, Grant Shapps must know it is untrue to say that failure to exploit new oil and gas in the North Sea will lead to surging energy prices and when Michael Gove said he had looked at the evidence for the Cumbria Coal mine, to me it seemed clear that he had favoured evidence funded by the coal mining company over much more rigorous, robust and independent counter-evidence provided by top level experts in their fields.” His piece concludes: “More than ever, we need honesty and integrity from our politicians. We need to cut the routine bulls**t in order to stand a chance of cutting carbon emissions. All of us need to be more careful than ever before to vote only for those who are careful with truth. The symptoms of climate breakdown will be worse from now on, whatever we do. But if we act fast and if luck is on our side, we can avoid global catastrophe. It is that serious.”

In the Daily Express, meanwhile, climate-sceptic columnist Tim Newark writes under the headline: “Wildfires are devastating but they’re nothing new.” He adds: “Climate change has always happened and if we are in a sustained warming period, it is far better to devote our energy and money towards adapting our lives to live with it – as we have done since the Ice Age.”

A Financial Times news feature looks at how the “political deadlock” in Spain after its recent, inconclusive general election, “spells trouble for parts of the EU’s agenda”, due to Spain holding the six-month rotating presidency of the bloc. The newpaper explains: “Madrid’s role as president of the EU Council is more important than usual because European parliament elections in 2024 mean most legislative work will grind to a halt early next year ahead of the June vote.” It adds: “The Sánchez government [of Spain] has been a vocal advocate of both the transition to greener energy and reforming the EU’s electricity market. The electricity reforms are designed to create a stable market that can cope with the volatility of supply shocks such as the Ukraine war and the growth of renewable power. But progress has been held up by sparring between France and Germany over the shape of the reforms and whether state subsidies should be permitted for facilities such as French nuclear power stations.” The paper also notes that the poor election result for far-right Spanish party Vox “does remove the possibility of the party bringing its denial of human-driven climate change on to the European stage”. It quotes Mujtaba Rahman, managing director for Europe at Eurasia Group, saying the result for Vox would “arrest momentum behind the idea that it is inevitable that the far-right will overwhelm the EU in elections next year”.

A new study explores the likelihood and timing of a “critical transition” of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation – a major ocean current system. Using early warning signals, the authors estimate the point at which the system will tip into “an undesired state”- which they define as a “collapse” – could be around mid-century under the current scenario of future emissions. Previously, climate models have found a weakening of the system but suggested that a full collapse is unlikely within the 21st century. The findings are “a major concern” as a future collapse would have “severe impacts on the climate in the North Atlantic region”, the paper notes. The authors add that they cannot not rule out that other mechanisms are at play that would increase uncertainty around a full collapse taking place. (See news coverage above.)