Environment

Environment news today: climate policy, clean energy, extreme weather and conservation, with AI summaries that cite their sources.

Environment At-a-Glance

Global climate and US election news

Delegates opened climate talks in Turkey as the US sits out. Democrats won control of Congress in U.S. midterm elections. Fossil fuel emissions dipped as a war spurred renewables.

Updated . AI-generated from the topic's top stories.

Top Stories

Climate talks open in Turkey as the US sits out

Updated

Delegates from nearly 200 countries opened the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Turkey, on Monday, and the United States has no official presence there.

What happened

Delegates from nearly 200 countries opened the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Turkey, on Monday, and the United States has no official presence there. At the opening, Australia's climate change minister, Chris Bowen, who is president of the negotiations, said the world can still limit global heating to 1.5C if countries act urgently and cooperate.

Why it matters

Negotiators are being pushed toward concrete decisions on climate finance and clean energy rather than broad declarations. The summit's host has said it must deliver progress that people can see is real.

Timeline

  1. Nov 9, 10:34 AM ET: The 31st UN Climate Change Conference, known as COP31, opened in Antalya, Türkiye, with leaders calling for faster action on climate change.
  2. Nov 9, 12:47 PM ET: UN climate negotiator Simon Stiell warned in his opening address that high fossil fuel prices are spreading inflation like a cancer.
  3. Nov 9, 9:23 PM ET: Chris Bowen acknowledged the world would overshoot the Paris Agreement's 1.5C limit but said it can still return to that target.

Coverage

Democrats win control of Congress in midterm elections

Updated

Democrats took back power in the U.S. midterm elections, a vote that also tests President Donald Trump's standing ahead of the next two years.

What happened

Democrats won the U.S. midterm elections, gaining control of Congress in January. The result was described as a rebuke of President Donald Trump and the Republican party, with Democrats swept into power and winning in several states. Democrats now plan to push clean energy and healthcare measures, while Trump is expected to continue his immigration crackdown.

Why it matters

Congress will be constrained by Trump's veto power.

Timeline

  1. Nov 7, 1:00 AM ET: Republicans suffered a heavy defeat in the U.S. midterm elections.
  2. Nov 8, 7:00 AM ET: Democrats set out plans for healthcare and tariffs over the next two years, with investigations and lawmaking expected.
  3. Nov 8, 12:58 PM ET: Trump claimed the U.S. took a giant step back in the elections and was expected to refuse concessions to the new Democratic majority.
  4. Nov 9, 11:00 AM ET: Reports said new climate opportunities were opening in the states, even as Congress faces Trump's veto power.

Coverage

Fossil fuel emissions dip as Iran war spurs renewables

Updated

A comprehensive climate assessment, due at the Cop31 talks, warns that a global turnaround may be premature.

What happened

Carbon emissions from fossil fuels fell slightly as the Iran war accelerated a global shift to renewable energy. The authors of a comprehensive assessment, to be presented at Cop31, warned that talk of a global turnaround is premature.

Why it matters

The shift to renewables bears on efforts to head off climate change, which one report describes as ruinous. The assessment's authors caution against declaring that a global turnaround has arrived.

Coverage

Cempaka strengthens into severe storm east of Luzon

Updated

PAGASA, the Philippine weather bureau, is tracking the system, which may enter the country's responsibility zone by Monday.

What happened

Tropical storm Cempaka, formerly LPA 11a, developed outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility east of northern Luzon, according to PAGASA. Cambodia's Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology issued a warning that it would affect weather there from Saturday to Sunday.

Why it matters

PAGASA said the storm may enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Sunday evening or early Monday. Cambodia has been warned about its effects on weather there.

Timeline

  1. Saturday morning: A tropical depression outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility developed into tropical storm Cempaka.
  2. Saturday evening: Cempaka intensified into a severe tropical storm.
  3. Nov 7, 6:20 PM ET: PAGASA said Cempaka may enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Sunday evening or early Monday, November 9.

Coverage

Tropical Storm Pena forms south of Hawaii, passing well away

Updated

Tropical Storm Pena formed south of the Hawaiian Islands and was forecast to pass well south of the state.

What happened

Tropical Storm Pena formed south of the Hawaiian Islands and was forecast to pass well south of the state. Forecasters at the National Weather Service in Honolulu said it would not directly affect the islands, but would enhance trade winds and bring possible wind advisory conditions. By November 9, the storm had weakened and could dissipate.

Why it matters

The storm is expected to bring breezy, gusty trade winds and passing showers to windward areas and mountains through midweek. Forecasters warned of potential wind advisory conditions in typically windy areas.

Timeline

  1. Nov 6, 11:29 PM ET: Tropical Storm Pena developed south of the Hawaiian Islands and was forecast to stay south of the state.
  2. Nov 7, 1:10 AM ET: Forecasters said the storm would not directly impact the islands but would enhance trade winds and possibly bring wind advisory conditions.
  3. Nov 8, 1:02 PM ET: The storm was moving west at 7 knots, with maximum winds of 40 knots, and little intensification was expected.
  4. Nov 9, 12:00 PM ET: Tropical Storm Pena weakened and could dissipate as soon as that day as it moved west far south of Hawaii.

Coverage

Earth heat build-up accelerates as climate summit opens

Updated

The UN climate summit COP31 began as a UN agency warned that rising heat is driving more extreme weather.

What happened

A UN agency warned that Earth is accumulating heat at an accelerating rate, which will supercharge extreme weather events. The warning came as the COP31 climate summit opened. Scientists predict that El Niño could push the world toward its hottest year on record.

Why it matters

Scientists predict this could be the hottest year on record.

Coverage

Labour reportedly set to weaken UK electric car sales mandate

Updated

The Guardian reports Labour is expected to cut electric vehicle targets for the UK car industry despite protests from MPs. Environmental groups warn that weakening the Zero Emissions Vehicle mandate would slow the shift away from polluting transport.

What happened

The Guardian reported that Labour is expected to cut electric vehicle targets for the UK car industry despite protests from MPs, with Louise Haigh likely to weaken the sales mandate. Environmental groups warned that scaling back the Zero Emissions Vehicle mandate would slow the shift away from polluting transport and conflicts with electric car sales figures.

Why it matters

The sales mandate forms a key part of the government's emission reduction plan, so weakening it could slow the transition away from polluting transport, according to environmental groups.

Timeline

  1. Nov 8, 12:51 PM ET: The Guardian reported that Labour is expected to cut electric vehicle targets despite MPs' protests.
  2. Nov 9, 7:03 AM ET: Environmental groups warned that the reported scaling back of the ZEV mandate goes against electric car sales data.

Coverage

Atlantic hurricane season 2026 nears end with few storms so far

Updated

The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season has been quiet, with the lone Hurricane Isaias the only hurricane so far.

What happened

The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season has been quiet, with the lone Hurricane Isaias the only hurricane so far. The National Hurricane Center has tracked a non-tropical low over the western Atlantic, south-southeast of Bermuda, and given it a low chance of development.

Why it matters

The season is just under a month from finishing.

Timeline

  1. Nov 7, 8:44 AM ET: The National Hurricane Center gave a non-tropical low over the western Atlantic, several hundred miles south-southeast of Bermuda, a low chance of development.
  2. Nov 7, 9:53 AM ET: The hurricane center said Invest 94L poses no threat to the U.S. on Saturday, Nov 7.
  3. Nov 9, 2:18 PM ET: The 2026 season was reported to have 10 named storms and its only October hurricane, breaking a 121-year-old record for the latest first hurricane, with El Niño suppressing late-season risk.

Coverage

Latest Articles

  1. Bowen tells summit climate change ‘the lived reality for billions’ Rebecca Comini
  2. Australia's Chris Bowen tells Cop31 the world can still limit global heating to 1.5C theguardian.com
  3. Brazil to present plan for moving economies toward renewable energies at UN climate talks SUZAN FRASER
  4. Leaders gather in Turkey for UN climate summit after a disastrous year of extreme weather SUZAN FRASER — Associated Press
  5. Cop31: what is at stake at the UN climate summit and what can it achieve? Fiona Harvey
  6. UN chief calls this 'moment of truth' in fight to curb climate change Associated Press
  7. What a historic ‘blue wave’ midterm means for climate action Grist Staff
  8. Global warming near levels forecast for 2040: UVic study Hannah Link
  9. UN climate summit kicks off in Turkey SUZAN FRASER and SIBI ARASU
  10. U.S. midterms bring new focus to weather and science in Washington Lauren Rosenthal

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