The United States has played an outsized role in Earth observations (Stefani REYNOLDS). (Stefani REYNOLDS/AFP/AFP) By AFP - Agence France Presse Without US Satellites, 'We Go Dark', Climate Monitor Tells AFP By Kelly MACNAMARA US budget cuts risk creating blind spots in Earth monitoring systems that would imperil weather forecasting and climate research for years to come, the deputy chair of a key UN-backed climate monitoring body warned in an AFP interview. Peter Thorne is t

Un bateau transporte un homme contraint par la montée des eaux d'évacuer avec ses biens son quartier des bords du lac Naivasha, dans le centre du Kenya, le 17 novembre 2025 (Tony KARUMBA). (Tony KARUMBA/AFP/AFP) By AFP - Agence France Presse Thousands of Kenyans are displaced by Lake Naivasha flooding. The tourist boats that normally ply Kenya's famed Lake Naivasha have had a different task in recent weeks: evacuating hundreds of flooded homes. Although the lake's level has b

In a global survey, Tesla led a list of electric carmakers that drivers would avoid (SERGEI GAPON) By AFP - Agence France Presse Study Finds 41% Of EV Drivers Would Avoid Tesla Over Politics More than 40 percent of electric car drivers worldwide would avoid owning a Tesla, the brand run by controversial billionaire Elon Musk, for political reasons, according to a recent survey. More than half of electric vehicle (EV) drivers -- 53 percent -- said they would avoid certain bran

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (R) and Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz hold a bilateral meeting at COP30 (Ricardo STUCKERT). (Ricardo STUCKERT/Brazilian Presidency/AFP) By AFP - Agence France Presse Lula says Germany's Merz should have 'gone dancing', after Belem criticism. Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Tuesday that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz should have gone out dancing and enjoyed Belem more, in response to his criticism of the CO

Philippine prosecutors filed on Tuesday the first criminal charges in a sweeping corruption scandal over bogus flood control projects. (AFP) By AFP - Agence France Presse First Charges In Philippine Flood Control Scandal Target Ex-lawmaker, Officials Philippine prosecutors filed on Tuesday the first criminal charges in a sweeping corruption scandal over bogus flood control projects, promising "many" more indictments in the case that has prompted public ire and protests. Rage

The demarcation ordinances represent institutional recognition of the right to Indigenous lands and the definition of territorial boundaries. The current administration has already demarcated 21 Indigenous Territories. Photo: Robson Alves / MJSP SiteCOP30.br By AFP - Agence France Presse Brazil Defines Boundaries For 10 New Indigenous Territories Brazil's government announced Monday that boundaries have been drawn for 10 new Indigenous territories, a move that follows protest

Photograph of Pope Leo XIV released by the Vatican. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Decries Lack Of Political Will On Climate Change By AFP - Agence France Presse Pope Leo XIV on Monday urged "concrete actions" on climate change and complained that some leaders lacked the will to act, as he addressed religious dignitaries on the sidelines of the COP30 summit. The Vatican released the American pope's address to churches of the southern hemisphere assembled on the sidelines of the

Newly launched BYD Dolphin is displayed during the launch of the Chinese-made BYD brand in Jakarta, on January 18, 2024 (BAY ISMOYO) By AFP - Agence France Presse COP-and-trade? Tariffs, carbon tax weigh on climate talks Issam AHMED In Belem, the Brazilian city hosting COP30, it's hard to miss the BYD Dolphin Mini -- the Chinese hatchback that's dominating the local electric vehicle market, even as the company races to catch up in Europe and is absent in North America. Trade-

Brazil's Vice President and Minister of Industry and Trade, Geraldo Alckmin (L), and Brazil's Environment Minister Marina Silva addressed the press in Belem on Monday (Pablo PORCIUNCULA).(Pablo PORCIUNCULA/AFP/AFP) By AFP - Agence France Presse First draft of climate pact lands at COP30 in Brazil COP30 hosts Brazil on Tuesday produced a first draft of an agreement between nations at the UN climate talks after negotiations on the sticking points stretched late into the night.

COP30 officially ends on Friday, but UN climate talks traditionally spill into overtime (MAURO PIMENTEL). (MAURO PIMENTEL/AFP/AFP) By AFP - Agence France Presse EU defends carbon tax as ministers take over COP30 negotiations Benjamin Legendre, with Laurent Thomet in Paris Ministers took over UN climate negotiations in Brazil Monday as COP30 entered its final stretch, with nations split on key issues and the EU defending a carbon tax criticized by China and others. Ministers a

CCS equipment captures CO2 at its source -- such as power plants or industrial facilities -- before it is stored in deep underground rock formations (Jonathan KLEIN). (Jonathan KLEIN/AFP/AFP) By AFP - Agence France Presse Carbon Capture Promoters Turn Up In Numbers At COP30: NGO By Benjamin Legendre in Belem and Laurent Thomet in Paris Companies and groups backing carbon-capture technology, which critics slam as an excuse to keep burning fossil fuels, have deployed more than

Photo: Bruno Peres Agência Brasil By AFP - Agence France Presse COP30 by the numbers Belém, Brazil, Nov 17 (AFP) Nov 17, 2025 Here are key numbers from the UN's 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30), the annual climate talks, taking place this year in the Brazilian Amazon city of Belem: - How many countries? - A total of 189 countries, plus the EU have delegations at the conference, the UN Climate Change agency told AFP on Monday. But for the first time in COP history, the U

Turkey wants to host next year's UN climate change talks (Stefan Rousseau). (Stefan Rousseau/POOL/AFP) By AFP - Agence France Presse Turkey seeks to host the next COP as co-presidency plans falter Fulya OZERKAN Turkey wants to host next year's UN climate change talks and is prepared to do so independently if consensus on co-presidency cannot be reached, a Turkish diplomatic source told AFP Sunday. Australia and Turkey are locked in a stalemate over who should host the 31st Un

Photo: © BRUNO PERES/AGÊNCIA BRASIL People's Tribunal condemns States and companies for ecogenocide The sentence at COP30 denounces violations and demands urgent reparations. RAFAEL CARDOSO - SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT Published on 11/15/2025 - 09:33 Belém The Autonomous and Permanent People's Tribunal against Ecogenocide, a symbolic body established during COP30 by social movements, released a sentence condemning states and large companies for systematic violations against indige

International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez says the strong-arm negotiation tactics at the October 2025 meeting were not 'typical' of the shipping regulator (ADRIAN DENNIS) By AFP - Agence France Presse UN Regulator Says Shipping Still Wants To Decarbonize - Despite US Threats By Nick Perry Threats, intimidation, harassment -- the tactics deployed by US negotiators to stall a global deal on shipping pollution last month sent chills through cl

Under a baking sun, Indigenous people mixed with activists demonstrated in a festive atmosphere in Belem, Brazil (Mauro PIMENTEL). (Mauro PIMENTEL/AFP/AFP) By AFP - Agence France Presse Massive march in Brazil marks first big UN climate protest in years Facundo Fernández Barrio and Issam Ahmed Tens of thousands of people thronged the streets of the Amazonian city hosting COP30 talks on Saturday, dancing to thumping speakers in the first large-scale protest at a UN climate sum

The Archeologia Arborea foundation saves fruit varieties to restore biodiversity and build resilience against climate change (Tiziana FABI). (Tiziana FABI/AFP/AFP) By AFP - Agence France Presse Italian fruit detective racing to save forgotten varieties Ella IDE Isabella Dalla Ragione hunts in abandoned gardens and orchards for forgotten fruits, preserving Italy's agricultural heritage and saving varieties which could help farmers withstand the vagaries of a changing climate.

The amount of compensation to be awarded to claimants will be decided at a later trial, scheduled for October 2026. PHOTO: CHRISTOPHE SIMON By AFP - Agence France Presse BHP Liable For 2015 Brazil Mine Disaster: UK Court By Olivier DEVOS, Alexandra BACON A British court ruled Friday that Australian mining giant BHP is liable for one of Brazil's worst environmental disasters, potentially paving the way for billions of pounds in compensation. A dam collapsed in 2015 at an iron-

Alessandra Koran, a member of the Munduruku Ipereg Ayu movement, spoke as Indigenous people held a protest blocking the main entrance to the UN COP30 climate summit in Belem, Brazil (Pablo PORCIUNCULA). (Pablo PORCIUNCULA/AFP/AFP) By AFP - Agence France Presse Brazil Rebuts UN Complaint About COP30 Security, But Boosts Presence Brazil has pushed back against a complaint by the UN's climate chief over a security breach at the COP30 summit in Belem, saying responsibility for sa