Climate News April 2026
UK & EU Climate News
- Renewables supplied a record 52.5 percent of the UK’s electricity in 2025, reflecting continued momentum in the energy transition. Strong growth in offshore wind, solar and bioenergy drove renewable generation to an unprecedented 152.5 terawatt hours, a 5.7 percent increase on 2024. Wind power remained the dominant source, providing around 30 percent of total generation, while exceptionally sunny conditions helped solar reach a record nearly 7 percent share. These gains were partly offset by nuclear generation falling to a record low, due to persistent outages across the ageing fleet.
- For a brief period during the week commencing 20 April, UK power generation from fossil fuels fell to just 2 per cent of total electricity supply, the lowest level recorded since consistent monitoring began in 2009. The milestone was reached at around 11.30am on Wednesday 22 April, according to real-time data from the National Energy System Operator. The drop reflected exceptionally strong output from wind and solar alongside low overall demand, underscoring the speed of the UK’s shift away from fossil fuels. While short lived, the moment highlights how often fossil free power now dominates the national grid.
- The UK government has approved the 800 megawatt Springwell Solar Farm in Lincolnshire, set to become the UK’s largest solar project by power generation. Backed by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the scheme is expected to generate enough electricity for more than 180,000 homes each year. The decision was taken despite local opposition over loss of farmland, landscape impacts and battery safety. Developers say solar is among the cheapest power sources. The government has not set a construction timetable, but similar projects can take several years to move from approval to operation.
Global Climate News
- The International Energy Agency’s Global Energy Review finds that global energy related CO2 emissions rose just 0.4 percent in 2025, a marked slowdown from recent years, largely due to rapid growth in solar power. Overall global energy demand increased 1.3 percent, slightly below the previous decade’s average, while gas demand growth slowed amid relatively high prices early in the year. Solar was the single largest contributor to global energy supply growth, accounting for over 25 percent of the increase, the first time a modern renewable has led global primary energy growth. Strong renewables deployment in developing economies helped offset emissions increases in advanced economies, even as electricity demand rose driven by EVs and data centres.
- Extreme heat is pushing global food systems to breaking point, threatening livelihoods and food security for more than a billion people, according to a new UN report. The joint Food and Agriculture Organisation and World Meteorological Organisation analysis warns that rising temperatures and more frequent heatwaves are already cutting crop yields, stressing livestock and reducing fisheries productivity, while also endangering farm workers’ health. Heat related losses are compounding existing pressures from conflict, economic shocks and underfunded food systems, particularly in vulnerable regions. The report highlights the urgent need for climate resilient agriculture and better protection for rural communities to prevent worsening hunger and instability.
- More than half of the United States is experiencing drought after near record early spring heat and prolonged shortages of rain and snow increased risks of wildfires and threatened water supplies. Scientists also warn that a return of El Nino later this year could amplify heat already intensified by climate change. Globally, March temperatures averaged 1.48 degrees Celsius above pre industrial levels, according to Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. The month also saw record low Arctic sea ice extent for March and sea surface temperatures nearing historic highs, signalling mounting stress across the climate system.
- BP’s board faced a rare triple rebellion from shareholders at its annual general meeting, underscoring mounting investor unease over the company’s climate strategy. A significant minority voted against the re election of chair Helge Lund, criticised for overseeing a slowdown in the company’s shift away from oil and gas. Investors also opposed BP’s climate transition plan and its remuneration report, with objections focusing on executive pay incentives seen as misaligned with long term emissions targets. The votes stop short of forcing immediate change but send a strong signal of dissatisfaction after BP scaled back renewable investment commitments. Campaigners and some large shareholders say the outcome reflects growing pressure on major energy firms to demonstrate credible, consistent progress on cutting emissions.
- The International Organization for Standardization and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol have finalised a new Joint Working Group to develop an updated, harmonised product level greenhouse gas accounting standard. The move builds on their strategic partnership launched last year to reduce fragmentation in carbon accounting by aligning global standards. The new standard will draw on existing ISO and GHG Protocol frameworks while moving toward a single global methodology to support credible decarbonisation, improve market transparency and enable policies such as carbon border adjustment mechanisms. More than 450 experts from over 50 countries were selected for the working group, representing industry, government, academia and major multinational companies.
- China has pledged to significantly ramp up non fossil energy by 2030 and double non fossil energy supply by 2035 compared with 2025 levels. Speaking at a government briefing, Wang Changlin, vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, indicated the target refers to supply and consumption, not just capacity, and would be driven by large hydropower projects and desert based renewable hubs.
- Record breaking ocean temperatures have been recorded off southern California, prompting warnings of a potentially prolonged marine heatwave. Monitoring stations operated by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography have logged repeated daily highs over the past three months, with the La Jolla site reaching around 5.5 degrees Celsius above its long term average. Scientists link the warming to persistent high pressure systems that suppress cooling winds and upwelling, raising risks for marine ecosystems. Researchers say the coming weeks will be critical in determining whether the event fades or develops into a longer lasting heatwave similar to the one seen a decade ago.
Don’t Mention the Climate
Ahead of the IMF and World Bank spring meetings in Washington, governments are reportedly being encouraged to downplay or even avoid references to climate change, despite mounting energy and food crises. Diplomats say the push has come largely from the United States, and creates a growing disconnect between these significant challenges and their root causes.
The World Bank was widely expected to approve a new climate action plan before its current strategy expires in June, but officials now say this is unlikely. They describe an environment in which pressure from influential shareholders has made institutions reluctant to openly discuss climate policy, resulting in plans being put on hold and debate effectively muted. Explicit references to climate change have also been stripped from reports and projects, underscoring the US’ influence as the largest shareholder in both the IMF and World Bank.
The tension was visible at a G7 environment ministers’ meeting that opened in Paris on 23 April, where climate change was deliberately excluded from the agenda to avoid confrontation with the US. France and its European partners instead focused on biodiversity finance, ocean protection and desertification, whilst leaving out how these topics are inextricably linked to climate change.
Campaigners warn that avoiding the issue of climate change leaves international institutions ill equipped to confront challenges that span energy, finance and food. The current US government’s attitude towards climate change seriously threatens global cooperation and action in reducing emissions.
New Research
- A critical Atlantic Ocean current is far more likely to collapse than previously thought, according to new research that has alarmed climate scientists. The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, which helps regulate temperatures and rainfall across Europe, Africa and the Americas, could weaken by up to 58 percent this century, a level that would likely trigger collapse. The study found that climate models projecting the sharpest slowdown best match real world ocean observations. Researchers say such a failure would bring extreme winters to Europe, disrupt tropical rainfall and accelerate sea level rise, with potentially catastrophic global consequences.
- A new study projects a substantial increase in Antarctic surface melting this century if greenhouse gas emissions remain high. Using high resolution downscaled climate projections, the researchers find that the area of Antarctica experiencing surface melt will expand by more than 10 percent by 2100 under a high emissions pathway. Increased melt is concentrated in vulnerable regions such as the West Antarctic Peninsula and the Amundsen Sea Embayment, where added surface water heightens the risk of ice shelf hydro fracture and destabilisation, with implications for sea level rise. By contrast, only a low emissions pathway stabilises the spread of Antarctic surface melt at near current rates.
- Human caused climate change significantly intensified an unprecedented East Antarctic winter heatwave in July to August 2024 according to a new study. The event saw regional temperatures exceed the long term average by more than 9 degrees Celsius for over two weeks, making it the strongest winter heatwave observed in the satellite era. Using multiple attribution methods, the authors show that a weakened polar vortex drove about half the warming, while anthropogenic global warming added roughly 0.7 degrees Celsius and more than doubled the likelihood of such an extreme event. The findings highlight how human influence is reshaping even Earth’s coldest regions, with implications for ice shelf stability.
- A new study finds that climate change is set to dramatically increase wildlife exposure to wildfires, putting nearly 10,000 non marine species at heightened risk by the end of this century. Using projections from 13 climate models combined with machine learning techniques, the researchers estimate that global burned area will rise by about 9 percent under a moderate emissions pathway, with around 84 percent of fire vulnerable species facing increased exposure. Risks are especially severe in South America, Australia, South Asia and high latitude regions, where fire seasons may more than double. Species with small ranges and existing conservation pressures are disproportionately affected, underscoring wildfire as a growing driver of biodiversity loss under climate change.
- Compound hot and dry extremes, simultaneous heatwaves and droughts, will become far more frequent and severe under current climate policies, according to a new study. The authors estimate that around 28 percent of the global population could face heightened exposure by 2100, as warming approaches 2.7 degrees Celsius. Crucially, low income countries are projected to suffer more frequently and intensely than high income nations, despite having contributed far less to historical greenhouse gas emissions. Tropical and island regions are among the hardest hit. The results highlight how ongoing emissions trajectories risk deepening global climate inequities and call for urgent, equity focused mitigation and adaptation policies.
- A new study finds that climate driven extremes in seawater temperature and acidity are increasing the corrosion risk to underwater cultural heritage, including historic shipwrecks in the Taiwan Strait. Using climate projections and marine environmental data, the researchers show that warming waters and ocean acidification accelerate chemical and electrochemical corrosion of metals, while also altering biological growth that can further degrade submerged structures. Periods of extreme temperature and low pH act together to intensify deterioration, shortening the lifespan of vulnerable wrecks and archaeological remains. The authors highlight the need for targeted climate services and monitoring tools to help heritage managers identify high risk sites and plan adaptive protection strategies as marine extremes intensify this century.
