Global Climate News

The Nature Returns programme, led by Natural England in partnership with the Environment Agency, Forestry Commission and Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, has published results demonstrating nature-based solutions' carbon and flood benefits. - **Programme achievements and interventions:** Over four years the six Local Partnership Projects across England delivered **800 hectares of habitat created**, **95,000 trees and shrubs planted**, **16 km of hedgerow restored**, **2.5 km of watercourses improved**, and engaged **over 7,000 people** with **400 volunteer days**. Projects trialled **3D laser scanning** to measure hedgerow carbon (finding hedgerows can rival woodlands) and identified **soil fungi** as an indicator for soil carbon; practical interventions included **leaky dams** that reduced peak flows by **12%** in Plymouth’s Seaton Valley. - **Funding, partnerships and monitoring:** The programme was funded by **HM Treasury’s Shared Outcomes Fund** and **Defra’s Net Zero R&D budget**, and worked with partners to develop **blended public-private finance models**. Sites will be monitored for **10 years** to track long-term carbon storage and biodiversity, with lessons feeding into England’s forthcoming **Land Use Framework**.

The Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced over $1.44 million in funding for 10 projects under Natural Resources Canada’s Global Forest Leadership Program, delivered through the International Model Forest Network. - **Funding and projects:** Canada announced **over $1.44 million CAD** to support **10 projects** under the Global Forest Leadership Program, delivered via the **International Model Forest Network (IMFN)**; funds will be used to **restore damaged ecosystems, support agroforestry and sustainable local businesses, and empower Indigenous and local communities (including women and youth)**. - **Background and program details:** The Global Forest Leadership Program **expands Canada’s international engagement** and shares Canadian expertise; the Model Forest approach originated in the **early 1990s at 10 sites in Canada** and the IMFN now includes **more than 60 Model Forests in more than 30 countries**, with activities focused on sustainable management and landscape-level conservation.

National Taiwan University Department of Agricultural Chemistry invites applications for one faculty position in "Soil Science and Soil Carbon Sink" starting 1 August 2026. - **Main announcement/action:** The Department is recruiting **one** faculty member (rank: Assistant/Associate/Professor) in **Soil Science and Soil Carbon Sink**, **start date 2026-08-01**, requiring teaching of undergraduate courses **"Soil Science"** and **"Soil Science Lab"** and graduate electives related to **soil science and net zero**; candidates must hold a **Ph.D.** in a related field and research experience in **climate change and carbon credit** is preferred. Application materials (items 1–8) must be combined into a **single PDF** and submitted by **2025-12-12** via **htchen@ntu.edu.tw**, with two recommendation letters sent directly by referees to the same email. - **Background and application details:** Required materials include a cover letter (indicating desired rank), CV with photo, Ph.D. diploma copy and transcripts (or institution/advisor statement if no coursework), publication list, one representative SCI(S) research paper published after **2021-08-01** (first or corresponding author) or Ph.D. thesis for recent graduates, reprints/acceptances since **2019-08-01**, research/teaching plan, and other supporting documents; inquiries may be directed to **Prof. Chwan-Yang Hong** (Tel: **+886-2-33663839**, Fax: **(02)23633123**, E-mail: **cyhong@ntu.edu.tw**).

The Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Bernice Swarts, launched the One Million Trees Campaign on 7 July 2025 at SANBI and activated the One Million Trees Programme for mass planting on 24 September 2025 (Heritage Day), with an initial activation event in Oudtshoorn, Western Cape. - **Main action:** **Ms Bernice Swarts** launched the **One Million Trees Campaign** on **7 July 2025** at the **South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI)**; the campaign aims to **plant one million trees on a single day (24 September 2025)** as part of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s directive to reach **10 million trees by 2026**. The activation event is taking place in **Oudtshoorn Local Municipality** where **3 500 trees** are allocated to be planted across **Bridgeton Stadium** and the **ceremonial centre at Dysselsdorp Secondary School**; dignitaries will plant **ten (10) large trees** during the ceremony. - **Background and implementation details:** Trees have been selected by **agro-ecological zone** and **climatic suitability** with input from researchers; a **database of approved nurseries and sponsors** is maintained and the public can **donate via an online pledge system** on the department website. The speech requests that visiting **heads of state and ambassadors** attending the **G20 summit** participate in tree planting at **Freedom Park**, and describes the **Forest of Freedom** project features including a **paved walkway**, a **symbolic tree**, and **three segmented planting areas** (heads of state, embassies, and dignitaries). - Event activation (Oudtshoorn): - date: 24 September 2025 - time: not specified - location: Bridgeton Stadium and Dysselsdorp Secondary School, Oudtshoorn, Western Cape - agenda/subject: symbolic tree planting by the Deputy President and dignitaries to initiate nationwide mass tree planting

The Executive Yuan held a ceremony to award official certificates for the "Ministry of Environment Net-Zero Green-Collar Talent Training Course," presenting certificates to 22 qualifying learners, with the youngest recipient aged 17. - **Main announcement and course details**: The ceremony awarded **22** official certificates; the course started in **April** via a **32-school alliance**, uses standard teaching materials from the **National Environmental Research Institute**, and is a **48-hour** program with a **tuition fee of NT$12,000**. The first centralized exam was held on **2024-08-30** (reported as Aug 30) with **~1,400** trainees taking the test and an **86.7% pass rate**; nearly **2,000** people had registered since April and about **1,400** completed training and sat the exam. - **Background, partnerships and implementation details**: The Ministry provided **partial/full tuition subsidies** (half-price for currently enrolled tertiary students except in-service programs; full subsidy for eligible disabled and low-income registrants). Planned cross-ministry courses include **Near-Zero Carbon Building** (Ministry of Interior), **Energy Saving Training** (Ministry of Economic Affairs), **Green Healthcare Talent Training** (Ministry of Health and Welfare), **Indigenous Green-Collar** (Council of Indigenous Peoples), **CCUS** training with National Cheng Kung University, and **Resource Recycling** with the EPA Resource Circulation Agency. The first NTNU class (40 seats) filled in **16 minutes**.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced Brazil will invest US$1 billion in the Tropical Forests Forever Fund (TFFF) and urged global seriousness on climate ahead of COP30 in Belém (November). - **Main announcement:** President Lula announced **Brazil will contribute US$1 billion** to the Tropical Forests Forever Fund (TFFF) and **invited/expects all heads of state to attend COP30 in Belém in November**. - **Location & timing:** COP30 to be held in **Belém (Pará), in November 2025**. - **Fund design:** TFFF described as an **investment fund (not a donation)** intended to mobilize private/public investment to keep tropical forests standing. - **Background & details:** Environment Minister **Marina Silva** said the US$1 billion Brazilian contribution aims to catalyze roughly **US$125 billion** in mobilized capital and deliver about **US$4 billion per year** in returns earmarked for payments per hectare of protected forest; Lula also noted countries are presenting **"vigorous and reasonable" NDCs**. - **Related actions/events:** Lula opened the 80th UN General Assembly debate (23 Sep), attended the UN Climate Summit and met bilaterally with leaders including **Volodymyr Zelensky** and **Dina Boluarte**, and gave an interview to PBS NewsHour (22–24 Sep).

The UK government announced that two carbon capture projects — Padeswood (Heidelberg Materials UK) and Protos (Encyclis) — have signed final contracts with the Low Carbon Contracts Company and are ready to begin construction. - **Main announcement and actions:** The projects have **signed final contracts with the Low Carbon Contracts Company** and are expected to **move into the construction phase shortly**, together securing **500 skilled jobs** (part of **2,800 jobs** across the wider HyNet network). Padeswood (cement) will capture **~800,000 tonnes CO2/year** and Protos (waste-to-energy) will capture **~400,000 tonnes CO2/year**, totaling **1.2 million tonnes CO2/year**. Both projects will connect to **Eni’s Liverpool Bay Transportation & Storage** as anchor projects of the **HyNet** cluster. - **Background, financing and timelines:** The announcement follows the Prime Minister’s April green-light for HyNet and the government’s **£9.4 billion** commitment to Carbon Capture made in the Spending Review (funding stated **over this Parliament**). The projects are positioned as **shovel-ready**, with contracts now in place to provide certainty to proceed; Padeswood will deploy capture at the existing cement works to produce **evoZero net zero cement**, and Protos is described as a first full-scale carbon capture-enabled waste-to-energy facility.