Global Climate News

The Government of Canada announced a federal investment of over **$8 million** through the Sustainable Jobs Training Fund to support the **Sustainable North: Our Workforce** project led by the Mine Training Society. - **Main action:** The Government of Canada is providing **over $8 million** via the Sustainable Jobs Training Fund to the Sustainable North: Our Workforce project to deliver **in-person skills training** to **nearly 1,850** mid-career and new workers, including **Indigenous people in remote communities** across the Northwest Territories; the project will **establish an advisory committee** of employers, industry stakeholders and community service agencies and is being delivered in partnership with **DeBeers Canada** and **Burgundy Diamond Mines**. - **Background and details:** This project is **one of eight initiatives** funded through the Sustainable Jobs Training Fund, which will support **more than 10,000 Canadian workers**; the call for proposals for the 2024 application period ran **March 8, 2024 to May 15, 2024** via the **Grants and Contributions Online Services (GCOS)** portal; the announcement references Canada's interim **Sustainable Jobs Plan 2023 to 2025**, and includes statistics such as **~1.3 million expected retirements** across sectors over the next three years and an RBC estimate of **~400,000 new jobs** demanded by the net-zero transition between 2021-2030.

The federal government is investing in retrofits and energy upgrades for the Canora Community League building in Edmonton through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) program. - **Main announcement/action:** The Government of Canada is investing **$679,513** (GICB) to support retrofit works at the Canora Community League hall in Edmonton, including **improved insulation**, **solar features**, **geo-thermal heating**, widened entryway, upgraded bathrooms, new flooring, improved signage, and other **climate resilience enhancements**; the Canora Community League is contributing **$169,533**. - **Background and additional details:** These enhancements are expected to **reduce energy consumption by an estimated 100%** and cut **greenhouse gas emissions by 50.6 tonnes annually**; the GICB program launched in 2021 with an initial **$1.5 billion** over five years and Budget 2024 added **$500 million** to support projects through 2029; at least **10% of GICB funding** is allocated to projects serving First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities.

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 Government of Canada, together with the Government of New Brunswick and the Town of Grand-Bouctouche, has announced funding to renew Bouctouche Rotary Park's natural environment and protect its shoreline (news release dated September 26, 2025). - **Main announcement/action:** The three levels of government are providing a **combined investment of $1.2 million** to restore the park's riparian zone and shoreline, including planting **more than 700 trees, shrubs, and plants**, and creating **accessible green spaces** with walkways, trails, signage, lighting, and benches; federal contribution is **$835,000 via the Natural Infrastructure Fund**, New Brunswick is contributing **$104,375**, and the Town is contributing **$260,625**. - **Background and implementation details:** Funding is provided through the **Natural Infrastructure Fund** which supports natural/hybrid approaches to climate resilience and biodiversity; federal funding is **conditional on Indigenous consultation and environmental assessment requirements**, and the announcement links the project to the federal **Atlantic Growth Strategy**.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports that distributed solar generating capacity is the fastest-growing power source in Brazil, reaching **40 GW** installed through **June 30, 2025**, and accounting for **43% of all electricity capacity additions since 2019**. - **Main finding & figures:** Distributed solar grew from <1 GW in 2018 to **40 GW** by June 30, 2025; utility-scale solar was **17.9 GW** at the same date; total solar represented **23%** of Brazil’s total electric generating capacity. The EIA cites ANEEL data showing **>3.7 million** renewable distributed generation systems installed as of June 30, 2025 and **99%** of distributed capacity is solar. - **Policy and project context:** Brazil’s **net metering** framework (ANEEL rules from **2012**, updated **2015**, and a **2022–2023** law/regulation) shaped eligibility and capacity limits (initially up to **1 MW**, raised to **5 MW** for solar in 2015; limits for systems with storage set at **3 MW** in 2022/2023). ANEEL lists **122 GW** of planned utility-scale solar projects in its data as of June 30, 2025, with **6 GW** currently under construction; the largest state distributed capacities are **São Paulo (5.8 GW)**, **Minas Gerais (4.9 GW)**, **Paraná (3.7 GW)**, **Rio Grande do Sul (3.4 GW)**, and **Mato Grosso (2.6 GW)**.

The Honourable Tim Hodgson, Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced an investment of over $1.44 million on September 26, 2025, to fund 10 projects under Natural Resources Canada’s Global Forest Leadership Program, delivered through the International Model Forest Network. - **Main announcement:** On **September 26, 2025**, Canada (Natural Resources Canada) committed **over $1.44 million** to **10 projects** under the **Global Forest Leadership Program**, delivered via the **International Model Forest Network**; notable grants include **$350,000** to Kasetsart University (Bangkok, Thailand) and **$150,000** to Association Forêt Modèle Ifrane (Ifrane, Morocco), with the remaining project grants ranging from **$100,000 to $125,000** (see project list for exact amounts). - **Background and project details:** The funded projects target **rehabilitation and restoration**, **agroforestry and tree planting**, **forest and mangrove restoration**, **graduate curriculum development for forest leaders**, **nursery development**, **invasive species control**, and **landslide-affected land restoration** across **Morocco, Cameroon, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Switzerland (project supporting India), and India**; recipients include local model forest associations, universities, municipal bodies and IUCN, each receiving specific grant amounts as listed in the announcement.

The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) published Working Paper No.1292 on 26 September 2025 analysing the macroeconomic effects of weather disasters across up to 151 countries for 2000–24. - **Main analysis and findings:** The paper uses **panel local projections** to estimate cumulative effects on GDP over **16 quarters** and on prices over **12 months**, studying seven disaster types (cold waves, droughts, floods, heat waves, landslides, storms, wildfires). It reports **average-sized droughts, landslides and wildfires** reduce GDP by **−2%**, **−1%** and **−0.4%** respectively over four years; and finds **larger, more persistent increases in food prices** versus other CPI components. - **Scope, data and policy-relevant details:** Sample sizes vary by analysis: **89 countries** for quarterly real GDP growth (2000–24), **54–131 countries** for sectoral annual output, and **151 countries** for monthly inflation components. The paper highlights affected sectors (agriculture-forestry-fishing; mining-construction-water-energy) and notes that **fiscal space and insurance** can mitigate disaster impacts.

China announced an absolute emissions reduction target and related clean-tech pledges. - **Main announcement:** China (announced by **Xi Jinping**) will **adopt an absolute emissions reduction target** for the first time: **cut greenhouse gases by 7–10% by 2035** (from an unspecified peak/year); **expand wind and solar capacity more than sixfold from 2020 levels**; and make **new energy vehicles the mainstream of new car sales**. - **Background and related developments:** The **EU missed the UN deadline** to submit updated targets and has issued a **statement of intent** proposing **66.25–72.5%** emissions reductions by **2035** while member states are divided over a **90% 2040** target; the article calls for Europe to agree a credible **2040** target and to back climate partnerships via the next **multiannual financial framework**, **technology-transfer instruments**, and **local content rules** (mentions partner countries **Brazil** and **India** and contrasts China’s export-and-investment model).

The African Energy Week (AEW) announced that Invictus Energy will lead the Invest in Zimbabwe Energies Closed Door Summit, hosted by the Government of Zimbabwe, at AEW: Invest in African Energies in Cape Town (Sept 29–Oct 3, 2025). - **Main announcement/action:** Invictus Energy will lead the **Invest in Zimbabwe Energies Closed Door Summit** (hosted by the Government of Zimbabwe) during **AEW: Invest in African Energies (Sept 29–Oct 3, 2025, Cape Town)** to showcase opportunities across **gas, mining and energy**; Invictus has **green light in 2025 to begin pilot production**, including supplying gas to the **Eureka Gold Mine**, and is preparing to drill **Musuma-1 in H2 2025** (Musuma-1 targets **up to 1.2 trillion cubic feet** of gas). - Event sub-details: **Date:** Sept 29–Oct 3, 2025; **Location:** Cape Town, South Africa; **Agenda/subject:** Invest in Zimbabwe Energies Closed Door Summit — gas exploration & production, mining investment, cross-sector gas utilization. - **Background and additional details:** The Government of Zimbabwe holds a **Petroleum Production Sharing Agreement** with Invictus and has granted **National Project Status** to the **Cabora Bassa Project**; in **August 2025** Invictus signed a deal with **Al Mansour Holdings (AMH)** for AMH to acquire **19.9%** of Invictus and **mobilize up to $500 million** in conditional future financing to support exploration; Zimbabwe expects **coal production to rise 10.5% to 6.3 million tons in 2025** and has multiple hydropower projects (Lake Mutirikwi, Batoka Gorge, Osborne Dam Mini-Hydro).