Matt McGrath

UN plastics treaty talks fail after oil producers block production limits Discussions postponed on curbs as Saudi Arabia and Russia frustrate multilateral process

It is very unfortunate that no agremeent on a Global Plastics Treaty could be found. The Financial Times is at least very clear on what happened there.
“UN plastics treaty talks fail after oil producers block production limits”https://on.ft.com/3ZuMf1j

BBC World Service - Global News Podcast, $300bn cash deal rescues COP29 climate talks from collapse COP29 deal falls well short of demands by underdeveloped countries

ICYMI: #GlobalNewsPod from V early Sunday

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p...

@mattmcgrathbbc.bsky.social at #Cop29; @frankgardner.bsky.social on reports Israeli hostage killed in IDF strike in Gaza; Hugo Bachega in Lebanon; plus Sudan, and the power of a photo. Sound @radiowilfan.bsky.social

COP29 overruns as poor countries seethe over climate cash Developing nations said a new cash offer from rich nations showed

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

COP29: Row at climate talks over ‘backsliding’ on fossil fuels Countries are split at UN climate summit over funding and commitments to reducing fossil fuel use.

Trouble at COP29

www.bbc.com/news/article...

For folks new to BlueSky, @davidosmond.bsky.social has been running a near real time simulation of a near 100% RE grid for Australia using data lagged by 1 wk. The current scaling factors are 4.5x Wind, 2.7x grid PV and 2.1x rooftop PV. Storage is 5 hrs of demand. That gets 98% RE. 🧪🔌💡☀️💨🔋

Trump victory a blow to climate action, experts say Trump's election will hit immediate efforts to tackle climate change, experts say - but the longer-term effect is less certain.

#BBCNews - Trump victory 'major setback' to climate action
www.bbc.com/news/article...
By @mattmcgrathbbc.bsky.social

New UNEP emissions gap report highlights a "massive gap between rhetoric and reality" and calls for a "quantum leap" in ambition to deliver Paris goals, as the world is way off-track today.

I cover the details over at @CarbonBrief: www.carbonbrief.org/...

@rafagarc.bsky.social hey Rafa! Welcome to life under the blue sky! Will I see you in Baku?

Burning rubbish now UK’s dirtiest form of power

Burning household rubbish in giant incinerators to make electricity is now the dirtiest way the UK generates power.

Esme Stallard, @mattmcgrathbbc.bsky.social, Patrick Clahane and Paul Lynch, BBC News

https://buff.ly/3A08Clc

Men will invent a tank full of algae before g̶o̶i̶n̶g̶ t̶o̶ t̶h̶e̶r̶a̶p̶y̶ planting trees.

The Sleeping Forecast - 8 hours of soothing sounds to ease your mind - BBC Sounds Escape to an oasis of calm with eight hours of The Shipping Forecast set to gentle music.

Who, as a child, used to go to bed when the shipping forecast came on?

The BBC has combined it with soothing music to help you sleep.

8 hours of it!

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

This Wendy Cope poem is new to me. It’s quietly magnificent.

Ooh look, there might have been another sighting of a North Atlantic Right Whale off the Donegal coast this month!

iwdg.ie/1st-irish-re...

Climate change: Polar bears face starvation threat as ice melts Melting ice is forcing this iconic Arctic species to spend more time on land, where they struggle for food.

Climate change: Polar bears face starvation threat as ice melts

www.bbc.co.uk/news/science...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-67627242