FIFA World Cup in Qatar scores own goal with misleading carbon neutrality claim, new report

The FIFA World Cup in Qatar advertises itself as the first carbon-neutral tournament of its kind. Our latest research casts serious doubt on this claim, suggesting that this goal will be achieved through creative accounting rather than actually reaching a carbon footprint of (net) zero.

Greenwashing exposes climate of corporate inaction

Instead of cleaning up their businesses and business models to tackle climate change, top corporations are engaging in cosmetic change and greenwashing to improve their image. Why is this? Climate action is in the air. Like governments around the world, major corporations are falling over themselves to issue climate pledges and, in keeping with being …

November editorial: A bad deal or no deal at COP26?

Dear friends, ‘No deal is better than a bad deal’ is the message which underpinned our advocacy for integrity in international carbon markets during the six years since the Paris Agreement brought fresh hope for change.  The sheer weight of self-repetition over such a long time could lead one to chalk up the compromise deal …

October editorial: COP26 and the rise of the climate inactivists

We fight the climate wars no longer only against denialists but also against what climate scientist Michael Mann calls “inactivists”, writes Sabine Frank.  I don’t know at which UN climate conference this trend began, but at COP15 in Copenhagen, the shift was certainly not yet apparent. The recent BBC ‘conspiracy thriller’ The Trick is a  …

Net-zero illusions: The rise of ‘carbon-neutral’ fossil fuels

Like dry water and hot snow, carbon-neutral fossil fuels are pipe dreams and marketing gimmicks that do nothing to protect the climate, a new Carbon Market Watch investigation reveals. Jonathan Crook investigates. In case you haven’t heard, there’s a new greenwashing trend spreading like wildfire. It consists of oil and gas giants, like Shell, Total, …

How to get ‘Fit for 55’ in shape for the climate emergency

Some EU governments believe the ‘Fit for 55’ package is too ambitious but, in reality, it is not ambitious enough. More action is needed today because tomorrow will be too late to avoid catastrophic global warming, write Agnese Ruggiero and Andrew Marshall. This week, European environment ministers met in Luxembourg to discuss the draft ‘Fit …

Watch This! – Civil Society Newsletter – Q2

Scroll down for French and Spanish COVID recovery needs environmental strings attached Dear members, colleagues and friends, Recent months have been testing times for so many, as the global pandemic continues to pull on the very fabric of our societies.  While many countries around the world continue to battle the health crisis, others are already looking at how their economies can start to recover from the …

Member’s insight: A case of Coal Phase-In for India

Scroll down for French and Spanish This is a guest contribution by Chandrachur Ghosh, an expert on the coal sector. Under the Paris Agreement coal phase out commitments are a necessity if we are to meet the goal of staying below 1.5C warming. In recent years the world has witnessed increased divestment from coal and …

Climate action: learning from the corona response

Scroll down for French and Spanish Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. — George Santayana   In recent weeks the City of New York reported a 50% increase in the number of cyclists traveling in and around the city to avoid using modes of transportation with higher risk of virus spread. …