Multiple governments and international bodies adopted or released climate and environmental measures on Thursday:
In the UK, a 1,000-page government plan to revamp the country’s net-zero strategy was blasted by critics as insufficient — the plan itself admits its policies will not meet the country’s commitment of cutting climate pollution by 68% of 1990 levels by 2030. “Half-baked, half-hearted and dangerously lacking ambition,” Mike Childs, Friends of the Earth’s head of policy, said of the plan. “These announcements will do little to boost energy security, lower bills or put us on track to meet climate goals.” (The Guardian, The Guardian, The Guardian, Reuters, Bloomberg $, The Guardian, Fiona Harvey analysis)
In Brussels, negotiators reached a deal to increase the 2030 share of EU energy from renewable sources from 32% to 42.5%. The agreement, which comes amid the continent’s efforts to reduce its reliance on Russian gas also included a compromise on the accounting of hydrogen produced with nuclear power, a key sticking point for France. (AP, CNBC, Reuters, CNN, Nuclear compromise FT $)
In France, President Emmanuel Macron announced ranging reforms to improve water conservation as climate change threatens to reduce the country’s available water by as much as 40% in the next three decades. Macron’s announcement comes amid widespread protests over his move to raise the retirement age without a full vote in parliament. (AP, New York Times $, Bloomberg $, Reuters)
In Australia, parliament passed a law — its biggest climate law in more than a decade — requiring major polluters to either slash their climate pollution or pay for carbon credits. Proponents of the legislation say it is critical for Australia meeting its target of cutting climate pollution by 43% below 2005 levels in seven years. The law requires the country’s 215 biggest polluters to cut their emissions 5% annually or be forced to buy carbon offsets, which themselves are controversial. Australia is the world’s third-biggest exporter of fossil fuels. (AP, The Guardian, S&P Global, Energy Monitor)