Wednesday briefing: What’s behind the global backlash against datacentres?
In today’s newsletter: Communities from Scotland to India are pushing back against datacentres they feel have been forced upon them, warning they threaten energy supplies and the climateGood morning. This summer, datacentres have become targets of resistance across the world. Ever since the arrival of ChatGPT, big tech has been lobbying for the creation of enormous new facilities. Many governments claim they’re essential in any country that wants to cash in on AI.Campaigners argue datacentres drain resources and exacerbate the climate crisis. The Scottish National Party has backed a moratorium on new developments; so has the Greens. The boom has been immense, and so has the backlash. Today’s newsletter explains why.UK politics | Andy Burnham has blamed Brexit and Margaret Thatcher for a decade of low growth in the UK, arguing that Britain needs to be brutally honest about having taken “a series of wrong turns” in the last 40 years.Nepal-Tibet | A week on from the flash flooding disaster, authorities are urging relatives of the thousands of missing and dead to provide blood samples.Middle East | The US has launched new airstrikes on Iranian targets, prompting counter strikes by Tehran targeting American interests in Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Iraq, fuelling concerns about a wider renewal of hostilities.Ukraine | Russia has opened a deadly new phase in its war against Ukraine by deliberately targeting the country’s railway network, with six employees killed on Tuesday in the latest strikes on Kyiv.US news | Mark Carney has rebuked Donald Trump’s administration and urged officials in Washington to “start being serious” amid escalation trade tensions between the US and Canada. Continue reading...
UN sets out narrow path back to 1.5C warming after inevitable overshoot
Share: X (Twitter) Facebook LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Print Governments must slash emissions further and faster, and keep every climate promise they have made for the planet to be able to return to 1.5C of warming , a group of prominent climate scientists has said. In a flagship new report sketching out a way not to lose the most ambitious Paris Agreement goal, the scientists said that global temperatures need to peak at no higher than 1.8C above pre-industrial levels to give the world “a fighting chance” to reverse course. They added that plans to suck carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere can only play a limited role in this effort and cannot substitute for emissions cuts. A return to the 1.5C warming limit will only be reached in an optimistic scenario that sees governments turn their full national climate plans - known as NDCs - into reality and meet their additional, more ambitious targets to reach net zero emissions, said the report published (UNEP). Already have an account? Log in here → Upgrade to keep reading For 15 years we’ve rigorously reported on the decisions shaping our climate. Upgrading to a paid subscription is how readers like you help keep this work going. £40/quarter → Or £130/year — best value. Governments must slash emissions further and faster, and keep every climate promise they have made for the planet to be able to return to 1.5C of warming , a group of prominent climate scientists has said. In a flagship new report sketching out a way not to lose the most ambitious Paris Agreement goal, the scientists said that global temperatures need to peak at no higher than 1.8C above pre-industrial levels to give the world “a fighting chance” to reverse course. They added that plans to suck carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere can only play a limited role in this effort and cannot substitute for emissions cuts. A return to the 1.5C warming limit will only be reached in an optimistic scenario that sees governments turn their full national climate plans - known as NDCs - into reality and meet their additional, more ambitious targets to reach net zero emissions, said the report published (UNEP). Actual government policy is far off that track. Current measures to cut emissions that are funded and in force put the world on course for around 2.8C of warming by 2100, UNEP has previously found. Joeri Rogelj, professor of climate science and policy at Imperial College London and one of the report’s authors, said it is necessary to keep the temperature peak as low as possible as there are limits to how fast the world can reverse global warming.
Climate ‘Overshoot’ Is Coming—Are We Ready?
Fossil fuel emissions are pushing Earth’s climate toward a dangerous new phase of climate “overshoot,” scientists warned Wednesday in a new report from the United Nations Environmental Programme. The report, Limiting Overshoot, projects that global temperatures will exceed the 1.5-degree Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) warming threshold identified in the Paris Agreement within a few years, […]
Global heating will hit at least 1.8C, UN warns, and there are ‘no good outcomes’
A flooded street in Vasai, India, in July. A UN report has warned global heating will reach at least 1.8C, and every fraction of temperature rise intensifies destructive extreme weather. Photograph: Punit Paranjpe/AFP/ View image in fullscreen A flooded street in Vasai, India, in July. A UN report has warned global heating will reach at least 1.8C, and every fraction of temperature rise intensifies destructive extreme weather. It said: “There are no good outcomes above 1.5C”. Heating of up to 3C above preindustrial levels could lead to glaciers losing more than a quarter of their mass by 2100, raising sea levels 13cm. Global food production could decline 14% by 2050 if there are not effective strategies to adapt. Human health, water supplies, nature, cities, infrastructure and economies could all be severely damaged. Some losses would be irreversible. Many communities may have to relocate or change their livelihoods. The report said the best hope for humanity to limit damage was to adopt an “overshoot, peak and decline” pathway that required immediate and sustained greenhouse gas emissions cuts combined with steps to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. It described the goal of net zero emissions – increasingly politically contentious in some countries – as “an essential milestone that cannot be skipped” and stressed carbon dioxide removal through steps such as establishing vast new forests must occur alongside, not as an alternative to, deep cuts in fossil pollution. View image in fullscreen A wildfire near the town of Omis, Croatia, in August. Photograph: Miroslav Lelas/AFP/Getty ImagesCrucially, the authors of the report, titled Limiting Overshoot, said the average global temperature could be returned to 1.5C this century only if heating stayed below about 1.8C. They warned nature’s capacity to store carbon was uncertain and would shrink the more the planet heats. The president of Palau, Surangel Whipps Jr – this week hosting regional leaders including Australia’s Anthony Albanese for a Pacific Islands Forum meeting focused on security and climate – said the report was “a fork in the road moment for the planet”. “It is hard to overstate the depth of emotion for those of us living on the frontline after having fought so hard to put the 1.5C limit at the heart of the Paris agreement,” Whipps said. “We need to see an urgent and unprecedented increase in political will and investment in a climate safe future. Nobody can read this report and conclude otherwise.” Vishal Prasad, from Pacific Island Students Fighting Climate Change, said the report was terrifying for young people from the Pacific. “The International Court of Justice has made it clear – keeping to 1.5C is not a choice, it is a legal obligation,” he said. “We are not asking for your goodwill.
Federal Judge Strikes Down New York’s Climate Change Superfund Law
A federal judge has struck down New York’s Climate Change Superfund Act, ruling that it “conflicts with” federal authority. The legislation would have required fossil fuel companies to help cover the costs of adapting to climate change, but it operates in an area of the law “in which the federal interest is so dominant that […]
Met Office: Summer 2026 was UK's hottest ever
To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. This video can not be played Met Office: Summer 2026 was UK's hottest everClose about the extreme summer heat the UK experienced. Subsection Published close panel Share page Copy link About sharing Weather forecastingFollow Weather forecasting close panel You are now following Weather forecasting Updates from your News topics will appear in My News and in a collection on the News homepage. HeatwavesFollow Heatwaves close panel You are now following Heatwaves Updates from your News topics will appear in My News and in a collection on the News homepage. UK heatwavesFollow UK heatwaves close panel You are now following UK heatwaves Updates from your News topics will appear in My News and in a collection on the News homepage. ClimateFollow Climate close panel You are now following Climate Updates from your News topics will appear in My News and in a collection on the News homepage.
From firefighting to future-proofing: Preventing wildfires must be the priority
Share: X (Twitter) Facebook LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Print Gill Einhorn is head of the Forest Future Alliance and Natalie Çilem is community lead of the Global Wildfire Leadership Network. Wildfires have devastated communities across the world this summer, claiming lives, displacing thousands of people and leaving billions in economic damage in their wake. In Europe alone, wildfires have already caused an estimated €19 billion in losses this year. They are an economic, financial and public health challenge that is growing faster than many governments and markets are prepared for – and exposing the real costs of poor land management. Log in here → Continue reading with free access For 15 years, Climate Home News has rigorously reported on the decisions shaping our climate. Join the community of readers who make this work possible. Join free and keep reading → It takes less than a minute. Gill Einhorn is head of the Forest Future Alliance and Natalie Çilem is community lead of the Global Wildfire Leadership Network. Wildfires have devastated communities across the world this summer, claiming lives, displacing thousands of people and leaving billions in economic damage in their wake. In Europe alone, wildfires have already caused an estimated €19 billion in losses this year. They are an economic, financial and public health challenge that is growing faster than many governments and markets are prepared for – and exposing the real costs of poor land management. A system built for recovery, not resilience Far more money is currently spent responding to the disastrous effects of wildfires than preventing them in the first place. The United Nations Environment Programme estimates that more than half of wildfire-related spending goes towards response, while planning receives only around 0.2 percent. This problem is not limited to wildfires; over 95 percent of disaster aid between 2005 and 2017 was allocated to response, and less than 4 percent was directed towards prevention or preparedness. Forests are critical, but without investment in how land is managed and protected, their value is neither stable nor guaranteed. Protecting forests requires investing not only in conservation, but in the conditions that keep forests standing. Each dollar invested in wildfire-resistant construction could save around $210 in avoided future economic losses, according to a report . Despite this evidence that prevention can significantly reduce future costs, wildfire resilience remains chronically underfunded. This spending discrepancy is creating significant challenges for insurers, asset owners and financial institutions. Global insured losses from natural catastrophes reached $107 billion in 2025, with wildfires, floods and storms accounting for 92 percent of claims.
More hosepipe bans in force as drought declared - is your area affected?
Nearly three-quarters of England and all of Wales are under drought conditions, with repeated heatwaves leaving water supplies under strain. Both England and Wales provisionally recorded their driest July on record. This lack of rainfall - on top of hot, dry weather in spring and early summer - has taken its toll on rivers, crops and nature. Roughly 30 million people across parts of England and Wales are now covered . So how is your area doing and are you in a drought? There is no single definition of drought, but it is characterised by a period of low rainfall. As the ground dries out, crops and vegetation can begin to struggle. If dry conditions persist, rivers, reservoirs and groundwater levels can also fall, putting pressure on water supplies. Environmental bodies in each UK nation decide whether to declare drought or water scarcity . Both drought and water scarcity can lead to hosepipe bans, if they are not already in place. While drought is driven , water scarcity occurs when demand for water outstrips the available supply. This summer, restrictions have been introduced in some areas to help manage high demand. But while recent months have seen temperatures regularly exceed 35C, winter was much wetter than usual. It has raised questions about how effectively water resources are being managed, and whether the UK is prepared for the drier summers expected with climate change. So far, 11 UK water companies have announced hosepipe bans. This means hosepipes cannot be used for watering gardens, washing vehicles and windows, and filling pools. Ten companies are spread across central, southern and eastern parts of England, and one is in Wales. In England, nearly three-quarters of the country is now in drought, according to the Environment Agency (EA). Northern parts of England are in "prolonged dry weather" - the category below drought. Elsewhere, the whole of Wales is in drought, with Natural Resources Wales saying sustained high temperatures were causing the condition of the natural environment to "deteriorate". There are no official droughts currently in Northern Ireland. Scotland does not declare droughts but monitors "water scarcity". While conditions have improved in some parts of Scotland following recent rainfall, some areas remain in the two most extreme categories of "moderate" or "significant" scarcity, according to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Our three main sources of water are rivers, reservoirs and from deep underground. Almost all river flows in England and Wales were classed as "below normal", "notably low" or "exceptionally low" in July, according to the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH). "This is the third time in the last five years that drought conditions have intensified rapidly following exceptional spring and summer dryness," said Steve Turner, a hydrologist at the UKCEH.
When plastic companies write the lesson plans
This fall, 54 million K-12 students are headed back to the classroom for another year of lessons in all the classic subjects: math, English, history, biology. But there’s another subject that’s been sneaking into school curricula: plastics. A new report from the nonprofit Plastic Pollution Coalition documents the many ways the plastics industry has been inserting its agenda into classrooms across the U. S. — including through lesson plans and worksheets, hands-on science experiments, and a program called “PlastiVan” that travels from city to city teaching students about “the contribution plastics make to modern life.” Industry interests offer these resources to teachers for free or for cheap, according to the report. The materials tend to highlight the necessity of plastics while downplaying their significant downsides to human health and the environment. “When that information is provided to kids, it obfuscates the true impacts of plastic pollution,” said Madison Dennis, senior policy and advocacy manager for Plastic Pollution Coalition and one of the report’s main authors. Besides harming marine life, plastics can expose people to hazardous chemicals, clog storm drains and contribute to flooding, and release planet-warming greenhouse gases. The Plastic Pollution Coalition is calling for stricter school policies against the use of industry-sponsored learning materials. Grist thanks its sponsors. To support our nonprofit environmental journalism, please consider disabling your ad-blocker to allow ads on Grist. Here's How The report lays out four case studies of plastics industry “propaganda” for schoolkids. One involves the Society of Plastics Engineers, or SPE, a trade group that recently became a division of the Plastics Industry Association. SPE’s lesson plans include activities like a “plastic scavenger hunt,” which aims for students to “understand that plastics are ubiquitous and their importance to society and their personal life.” A video titled “Your Bottle Means Jobs” explains how plastics recycling supports local employment. Another case study highlights the American Association of Chemistry Teachers, an initiative of the Dow Chemical Company. One of the association’s lesson plans teaches elementary and middle school students how to compare the strength of various types of plastic bags that can be found in a grocery store. After a brief experiment, the lesson invites them to “pretend [they] are an employee for Dow Chemical Company” and are designing a plastic bag for a customer. Eve Vitale, chief executive of SPE Foundation, inside a classroom at Warren Mott High School in Michigan in 2024.
When ocean temperatures increase, so does child malnutrition on land
Published Aug 31, 2026 Share/Republish Copy Link Republish Copy Link Email X Facebook Republish ReddIt LinkedIn Bluesky SMS In 2024, an interdisciplinary team of social and marine scientists set out to examine whether the prevalence of marine heat waves — prolonged rises in ocean temperatures that are becoming more frequent and more intense because of climate change — has any impact on child and maternal health outcomes. “I was very ready to find nothing,” said Clark Gray, a human geographer and professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who led the research. The researchers published their report this month, which revealed some distressing results. The team discovered that for every standard deviation increase in the number of marine heat waves in a 24-month period — or roughly three more marine heat waves than normal — child mortality increases by 5.4 percent. Child wasting and child stunting, which can result from malnutrition, also increased — by 6.5 and 8.8 percent respectively. The ways in which marine heat waves might influence extreme weather on land are still being studied. This study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is not without its limitations. The authors specifically looked at health data from low- and middle-income countries. The data analysis also only demonstrates a correlation between marine heat waves and health; the authors are still not sure why or how child malnutrition and mortality spikes when oceans warm. For example, marine heat waves have been shown to disrupt oceanic food chains. It’s possible that these warm-water events are causing vital fish or shellfish populations to die off. However, the authors pointed out that other mechanisms — such as terrestrial heatwaves or the spread of mosquito-borne infectious diseases — cannot be ruled out as other drivers. Grist thanks its sponsors. To support our nonprofit environmental journalism, please consider disabling your ad-blocker to allow ads on Grist. Here's How Katy Seto, an associate professor of environmental studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz, called the research important nevertheless. Industrial fishing operations are more likely to have the technology to evade heat waves; their fishing boats, for example, could move further out away from the shore. But that distinction still does not illuminate why, exactly, these health declines happen in more vulnerable coastal regions. Grist thanks its sponsors. To support our nonprofit environmental journalism, please consider disabling your ad-blocker to allow ads on Grist. Here's How It is not the case, for example, that all countries relying on small-scale fishing necessarily depend on those catches for their own diets, said Seto. Those harvests could still be traded locally or regionally — meaning that maybe marine heat waves contribute to loss of income, driving malnutrition in a more roundabout way. Oceans absorb the majority of the planet’s excess energy, but scientists are still working to understand the full range of impacts on marine systems.