The number of people displaced within their own countries reached a record 71 million last year due to conflicts and “climate calamities”, Reuters reports, citing new figures from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. The newswire says: “The bulk of displaced people last year – 32.6 million – was due to disasters including floods, droughts and landslides.”

Meanwhile, the Guardian reports that at least 21 people have died in wildfires in Russia’s Ural mountains, citing state media. The paper says: “In recent years, Russia has experienced especially widespread forest fires, which experts have blamed on unusually dry summers and high temperatures. The link between the climate crisis and wildfires is complex, but a Carbon Brief analysis quotes Dr Cristina Santin, a wildfires researcher from Swansea University, as saying increased temperatures ‘can increase the risk of severe fires by causing vegetation to dry out’.” In the UK, BBC News reports that a major incident has been declared after floods in parts of southern England, with some areas getting more than two weeks worth of rain in a few hours. It notes that while many factors have contributed to the flooding, “a warming atmosphere caused by climate change makes extreme rainfall more likely”. The story is also picked up by the Press Association, which quotes climate scientist Prof Bill McGuire saying the UK could expect a lot more of such conditions as hotter summers “drive ever more powerful convective storms that spawn extreme flash floods”. The Daily Telegraph reports on the flooding, but does not mention climate change. Separately, the Press Association reports on UK water resources: “Climate change is bringing hotter, drier summers and less predictable rain patterns – putting greater pressure on freshwater resources.”

Elsewhere, Reuters reports: “Spain will ban some outdoor working during extreme heat conditions, labour minister Yolanda Diaz said on Wednesday, as the country faces high temperatures more frequently as a result of climate change.” A feature for Bloomberg is titled: “Europe’s drought-riven future is here, decades earlier than expected.” Indian broadcaster NDTV reports: “There is some evidence to suggest that the high-intensity cyclones in the Arabian Sea are a result of climate change, a top official at the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has told NDTV.” The Times of India covers a report from UN agencies on preterm births, saying it highlights that “‘four Cs’ – conflict, climate change, Covid-19 and the cost-of-living-crisis – heighten threats for the most vulnerable women and babies in all countries”. NBC News says a “deadly combo of extreme heat and air pollution grips parts of Southeast Asia”. The Guardian reports: “Smoke from Australia’s 2019-20 black summer fires may have resulted in the rare ‘triple dip’ La Niña that lasted from 2020 to 2022, research suggests.”

China will continue to expand policy support to promote the construction of “large-scale renewable energy projects”, aiming to strengthen its clean energy resources and achieve its ambitious environmental goals, writes Bloomberg. According to a statement by the National Energy Administration (NEA), the country’s top energy regulator, the government “warned about the slow construction of grid connection and energy storage infrastructure, which are part of plans for a massive renewable power buildout mainly in inland deserts,” adds the outlet.

Meanwhile, Xinhua writes that, as part of China’s efforts to decrease carbon emissions, Gansu province in northwest China is currently experiencing a surge in new energy development. As of 30 April, Gansu’s installed power generation capacity had reached 70.7GW, of which the installed capacity of new energy power accounted for 54%, the state news agency adds, citing the State Grid Gansu Electric Power Company. Asia’s scorching heat is expected to impact China this summer, potentially leading to a new round of local power supply shortages, reports Zaobao, a newspaper owned by Singapore Press Holdings. 

Elsewhere, Tang Fang, a researcher from an energy thinktank which is managed directly by the State Grid Corporation of China, publishes an analysis on China Energy Media Group’s social media account. She says the development of “integrated energy services” during the 14th five-year plan (2021 to 2025) will be under “triple pressures” of “shrinking demand, shocking supply, and weakening expectations” as well as the “unexpected influence” of international geopolitics and extreme weather. However, China’s “dual carbon goal” also brings “new opportunities” in improving energy usage efficiency, utilising “distributed renewable energy”, such as small PVs for individual households, developing “hydrogen energy substitution” and “new coal business”, she adds. Tang concludes that the “route” to a “high-quality” energy development is through a detailed and innovative market plan with the help of technology and digital products.

Finally, according to the United Arab Emirates’ main energy company Adnoc, demand in China has “rebounded quickly” this year with the “economy’s reopening”, particularly when it comes to jet fuel, says Bloomberg. Online magazine Noema has an article, titled “The linked ecological futures of America and China”. 

Windfarms were the biggest source of electricity in Britain for the first time in the first three months of 2023, the Times reports, citing figures from Drax Electric Insights. Wind generated more electricity than gas for the first time, Reuters reports. The newswire says 32.4% of electricity was from wind, more than the 31.7% from gas, with renewables overall contributing 42% and fossil fuels 33%. The Daily Mail says wind was the largest source of electricity during the period, citing the same report. The paper adds that wind output was 3% higher than in the same period last year, while gas was down 5%. BusinessGreen quotes Imperial College’s Iain Staffell, who prepared the figures, saying they represent a “genuine milestone”. City AM also has the story.

Meanwhile, BBC News reports: “Billions of pounds’ worth of green energy projects are on hold because they cannot plug into the UK’s electricity system, BBC research shows.” It says some wind and solar sites are waiting up to 10 or 15 years in the queue to secure a connection to the electricity network. Elsewhere, there is widespread coverage of the “demand flexibility service” run by National Grid Electricity System Operator last winter, which the Guardian says “cut enough peak-time energy use to power 10m homes”. Reuters says 1.6m homes participated in the scheme, designed to “help prevent power shortages”. BusinessGreen says the scheme delivered “major emissions and cost savings”. The Times says the scheme cost £11m.

Separately, the Daily Mail reports: “British Gas is now promising customers a refund if a heat pump it installs doesn’t warm the house as effectively as a traditional gas boiler.”  For the Daily Telegraph, in a story trailed on the paper’s frontpage, this is reported under the headline: “British Gas admits heat pumps can leave your home colder than a gas boiler.” Another Daily Mail article reports: “One of Britain’s biggest car dealers has warned the demand for electric vehicles is ‘cooling’ as the lack of charging points stalls growth.” (The latest industry figures show electric vehicle sales are up 26% in 2023 to date and 59% year-on-year in April.) An accompanying Daily Mail editorial is titled: “Electric dream stalls.” BusinessGreen reports: “UK tax rule penalising cars converted to electric, campaign group warns.”

Finally, the Times has an interview with veteran environmentalist Jonathon Porritt saying that UK prime minister Rishi Sunak’s record on climate change is “shocking”. The Daily Telegraph reports his comment to the Times that he “admire[s]” and “understand[s]” the position taken by Just Stop Oil protestors.

The White House has endorsed proposals from Democrat senator Joe Manchin that would speed the approval of some fossil fuel projects, but also “hasten the construction of new transmission lines critical for meeting President Biden’s climate goals”, the New York Times reports. The paper says: “The White House’s announcement drew swift opposition from many environmental groups, which are still seething over the administration’s support of the Willow oil project in Alaska.” It continues: “The olive branch came amid tense negotiations between Biden and the House speaker, Kevin McCarthy, over raising the debt ceiling before a 1 June deadline, after which the US government could default. As conditions for lifting the borrowing cap, House Republicans have sought clean energy spending cuts and a permitting overhaul that prioritises fossil fuel development. Biden has insisted that lawmakers must raise the cap with no conditions attached.” Politico reports White House adviser John Podesta saying energy permitting should be delinked from talks over the US government “debt ceiling”. The Hill and Inside Climate News also report on the Manchin permitting reform plans.

Meanwhile, Politico reports that the Biden administration is expected to release its proposed greenhouse gas emissions rules for power plants today. It says the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)  proposals will “requir[e] utilities to either reduce or capture their planet-warming pollution”. The Hill reports that Manchin has said he will oppose all of Biden’s nominees to head the EPA because he disagrees with the expected power plant regulations. Separately, the Hill reports: “A group of Republican-led states have filed a motion with a federal regulator to block BlackRock, the largest asset manager in the world, from imposing sustainable investing practices on utility companies.” The outlet adds: “It also continues a crusade against ESG investing by Republicans, who have argued that the practices will raise prices for consumers in pursuit of a ‘woke’ agenda.” Another article from the Hill says a “leading Democrat” has “blasted the GOP attacks on ‘woke’ ideology during a House Oversight Committee hearing Wednesday, arguing the term has a proud history and that it should guide companies in their business decisions”. Bloomberg reports comments from a Democratic senator over corporate influence on the Supreme Court: “Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat from Rhode Island and a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, argued that corporate money – particularly oil money – had reshaped the high court”.

Software company Microsoft has agreed to buy electricity from nuclear fusion startup Helion in “about five years”, Reuters reports, adding that a plant is expected to be online in 2028 and generating 50 megawatts a year later. The newswire says: “The companies did not disclose financial or timing details of the power purchase agreement, or which Microsoft facilities would get fusion-generated electricity…Helion still needs design and construction approvals from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), as well as local permits.” It adds: “Andrew Holland, head of the Fusion Industry Association, said nothing about fusion has been easy and that the power purchase contract likely had clauses regarding the timing of the delivery of electricity. But he said the deal shows trust is building.” The Washington Post says the five-year timeline is “vastly faster…than most experts thinks is plausible”. The paper adds: “Under the agreement, Helion says if it can’t provide the zero-emissions energy promised, it gets penalised. The fusion company declined to specify what those penalties would be or share a copy of the agreement.” CNBC, the Hill, the Wall Street Journal, the Verge, TechCrunch and Axios have the story.

An editorial in Nature Climate Change says climate action is “urgently needed”. It says the message of the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report is that “time is running out”. Reflecting on recent deals including the the High Seas Treaty and the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, it concludes: “Hopefully, these new agreements, and increased international cooperation, will be just the starting point. To ensure a healthy planet for all, these agreements including the Paris Agreement should be seen as something to overachieve on; getting them implemented ahead of schedule is a worthy ambition.”

In his latest Bloomberg column, David Fickling says that Australia has, historically, made a success of “riding the next great commodity boom to untold wealth”. He explains: “From gold and sheep in the 19th century, to iron ore and coal since the 1970s, the country has been astute at spotting the next wave of materials demand and setting itself up as a key supplier. With the global energy transition accelerating, it’s looking to do the same with the materials of the future – lithium and nickel for electric batteries, hydrogen for green industry, copper to electrify the whole process.” However, he says the Australian government’s plans “kickstart” a hydrogen industry are “not nearly adequate to meet the scale of the challenge”. He also notes that Australia might be “better” to use hydrogen “to upgrade raw commodities that are easier to transport” rather than exporting the gas as it is. And he concludes: “In truth, though, neither hydrogen nor battery materials will provide a line of business as lucrative as the dirty fossil fuel trade that Australia will soon have to farewell.” (The Guardian reports: “Labor’s hydrogen pledge a ‘great start’ but more needed to become global player, experts say.”)

In other comment, the Daily Telegraph carries the views of Bryan Leyland, a retired engineer who previously lost a challenge against the New Zealand Herald over his climate-sceptic views. Under the headline: “The wind and solar power myth has finally been exposed,” Leyland argues that the shift to net-zero electricity systems has a “fatal flaw: they are reliant on the pipe-dream that there is some affordable way to store surplus electricity at scale”. (As Carbon Brief reported at the time, the UK’s advisory Climate Change Committee recently found that the country could reliably and cost-effectively decarbonise its electricity system by 2035 using batteries, hydrogen power and gas with carbon capture and storage to fill gaps in output from wind and solar.)

New research finds that warm ocean water universally favours slower-growing bacteria. The authors analyse the distribution of fast-growing and slow-growing bacteria using ocean datasets spanning different seasons, latitudes and depths. The study finds that changes in temperature drive changes in bacterial communities that are independent of changes in nutrient levels. The authors conclude that their results “help explain why slow growers dominate at the ocean surface, during summer, and near the tropics and provide a framework to understand how bacterial communities will change in a warmer world”.