Global Climate News

The United States hosted a technical program on Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) from March 3-5, 2025, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, TX. The event featured presentations and discussions on various themes including subsurface storage, site selection, injectivity challenges, and global CCUS implementation. Companies like Net Power, ExxonMobil, and Chevron participated, highlighting advancements in CO2 storage and utilization technologies. The program also included discussions on policy innovations for CCUS in India and a model for developing oil and gas regions globally, such as the Niger Delta.

The Norwegian company Farmforce has developed a software solution to trace agricultural goods, helping its 70 customers meet sustainability targets by tracing crops of 1.1 million small farmers across Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Farmforce, with financial support from Nordea, focuses on documenting the absence of child labor and deforestation in production. The company aims to improve farmers' living standards and empower them in the international market. The EU's deforestation-free regulation further emphasizes the importance of Farmforce’s work.

South Africa's tourism sector, driven by natural resources, shows potential for inclusive growth. In 2023, 8.5 million international tourists spent over R95 billion. Strategies to boost tourism include visa improvements, streamlined licensing, infrastructure investment, and safety enhancements. Sustainable tourism and eco-friendly practices are also growing. The country aims to leverage the G20 summit to promote itself as a leading tourism destination.

The article discusses various types of inverter batteries and factors affecting their price in Nigeria, focusing on their role in providing backup power during outages. It highlights the importance of considering battery capacity, type, brand, warranty, and compatibility with inverters when making a purchase. The article also emphasizes the benefits of inverter batteries, including uninterrupted power supply, energy efficiency, and environmental friendliness.

The IRENA and CAPP partnership has produced a report on renewable electricity generation in African power pools. The study shows that renewable sources, particularly hydropower, can meet most projected demand to 2040 and highlights large untapped potential for cross-border electricity trade.

Mozambique's Ministry of Health aims to decentralize services, improve maternal and child health, and expand vaccination programs. However, limited energy access and frequent climate events hinder these goals. Decentralized renewable energy (DRE) solutions are proposed to provide reliable power for healthcare facilities, ensuring continuous operation of essential medical equipment and services.

The Global Coalition for Energy Planning (GCEP), spearheaded by Brazil during its 2024 G20 presidency, aims to enhance national energy planning globally. It focuses on fostering international collaboration, building institutional capacity, and facilitating knowledge exchange, particularly to support the Global South. IRENA is hosting the GCEP secretariat. The initiative leverages insights from the Global Network of Long-term Energy Scenarios (LTES) network, which includes partnerships with key organizations such as the International Energy Agency and the World Bank. USD 2 trillion in transition-related investments were made in 2023, but these were disproportionately concentrated in advanced economies.

In Uganda, Makerere University honored EfD Uganda leaders and researchers for their contributions to environmental sustainability. Edward Bbaale received the Research and Leadership Excellence Award, and EfD Uganda has secured over USD 1.5 million in research funding in the past five years for projects such as "Improving Bill Payments for Water and Sanitation in Uganda", "Policy Options for Clean Cooking", and "Clean Energy for Development: A Call for Action (CEDCA)". Johnny Mugisha received the Exemplary Leadership Award. Three researchers—Nicholas Kilimani, Florence Lwiza, and Aisha Nanyiti—were awarded Research Excellence Awards for their work on solar-powered irrigation, clean energy usage, and LPG/electric cooking technologies.

Global mining projects face disruptions, delays, and cost increases. Mali's new mining code caused disputes, leading Leo Lithium to sell its Goulamina lithium project stake to Ganfeng Lithium Group. Barrick faced similar issues in Mali. Syrah Resources' Balama graphite project in Mozambique was impacted by civil unrest. The International Energy Agency (IEA) reports that announced mining projects only meet a portion of future demands for key minerals, with China dominating supply chains. China's significant investment in overseas mining further complicates diversification efforts.

The UK launched the Global Clean Power Alliance, bringing twelve countries together to accelerate clean energy deployment and green job creation. The UK also committed to increasing its defence spending to 2.5% of GDP and pledged continued military aid to Ukraine (\"3 billion a year\"). Further, the UK is developing legislation for a new sanctions regime targeting irregular migration, and is reforming the FCDO to better connect its work to domestic priorities.

Africa and the Middle East are emerging as key players in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) development. In Africa, South Africa has the potential to produce 3.2-4.5 billion liters of SAF annually, exceeding its domestic demand. The Middle East, particularly the UAE, is investing heavily in SAF production, aiming for 700 million liters annually by 2031. Saudi Arabia plans a major e-SAF plant producing 350 million liters annually by 2029. Challenges include feedstock availability and high upfront costs.

South Africa launched the Citizen Science for Water Photo Story Competition to raise awareness on the relationship between water and culture, education, and natural sciences, and to promote sustainable water management. The competition, a collaboration between the Department of Water and Sanitation and the UNESCO Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme, targets citizens, organizations, and artists, encouraging submissions aligned with five themes related to water. The deadline for submissions is March 26, 2025.

South Africa's eThekwini Municipality banned fishing activities in the Umngeni Estuary due to severe sewage discharge near the mouth of the Umngeni River. The decision followed a Coastal Compliance Notice issued by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), citing pollution and E. coli levels. The municipality is investigating the sewage discharge and will repair damaged infrastructure.

South Africa's Department of Water and Sanitation reported a slight decrease in Free State Province's water storage levels, urging residents to conserve water. The Bloemfontein Water Supply System dropped from 70.1% to 69.9%, while other dams showed varied levels, highlighting the need for sustainable water management.

South Africa's Department of Trade, Industry and Competition is working with ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) to address issues affecting AMSA’s longs steel business. The steel industry is critical for South Africa's economy, and the focus is on addressing productivity, supply chain efficiencies, investments in low-carbon technologies, and market share. A technical working group, including government departments and AMSA, has been working to find a resolution.

Zambia's Ministry of Green Economy and Environment, supported by the World Bank, is implementing the Eastern Province Jurisdictional Sustainable Landscape Programme (EP-JSLP) to generate payments for emission reductions and distribute them according to a Benefit Sharing Plan. A key component involves strengthening community forestry management, aiming to enhance the management capacity of existing CFMGs and establish new ones.

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), along with the International Energy Agency, United Nations Statistics Division, World Bank, and World Health Organization, highlighted that 685 million people lack access to electricity, and 2.1 billion rely on polluting fuels. To address this, IRENA, UN-Energy, and the SDG7 TAG will collaborate on strategic partnerships, innovative financing (targeting a USD 3-4.5 trillion investment gap), localized solutions, capacity building, and fostering accountability to achieve SDG7 and broader climate goals by 2030.

Ghana-based EfD Ghana organized a workshop on a 30-month project exploring voluntary carbon markets in developing countries. The project aims to improve carbon market initiatives, strengthen government assessment capacity, and facilitate future research calls. The initiative is also being implemented in Rwanda, Kenya, Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, and Morocco. Stakeholders from Ghana’s environment and climate sectors shared insights and expertise.

South Africa's Department of Water and Sanitation is finalizing regulations for unconventional gas extraction, including fracking, coal bed methane, and underground coal gasification. The regulations aim to manage water resource impacts from these activities. A public comment period has been extended to January 15, 2025.

The French Geological Survey (BRGM) published its January 2025 newsletter, featuring articles on groundwater levels, geothermal energy, soil fertility, and coastal storm management.