Nigel Topping says shifting course risks deterring capital, as he urges ministers to hold firm on green transition

Weakening or changing net zero policy would deter investors and spook financial markets, the UK government’s new climate adviser has warned.

Nigel Topping, recently appointed chair of the climate change committee (CCC), said there was “robust evidence” the UK would benefit economically from strong climate policy, despite calls from some politicians to back down.

Australia’s soon to be announced emissions reduction target for 2035 will say a lot about how Labor will prioritise dealing with the climate crisis

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Progress on the climate crisis is often slow and frustrating. But sometimes, when people are given an opportunity, change can come in a rush.

On 1 July, the government introduced a subsidy scheme for small battery systems that reduces the cost for most households by about $4,000, or 30%. The response has been rapid. More than 1,000 batteries are being installed across the country each weekday.

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A country plagued by power cuts has become the first to ban imports of petrol and diesel cars, as a new dam brings hopes of cheap green energy

When Deghareg Bekele, an architect in his early 30s, bought an Volkswagen electric car this year, he was a little sceptical. Not only is his home town, the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, prone to persistent power cuts, he also doubted the quality of his new vehicle.

Four months on, Deghareg is pleased with his purchase since he no longer has to endure long lines at the petrol pump, caused by Ethiopia’s chronic fuel shortages.

Plans to have first turbines spinning by 2032 look increasingly unlikely as investors back out of multiple projects – but proponents say benefits will flow once industry established

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For many Australians, the scale of offshore wind projects can be hard to fathom. These powerful machines, designed to harness the strong and consistent winds blowing over the ocean, are colossal, with blade tips reaching up to 350m – higher than our tallest skyscrapers.

If everything falls into place, Australia’s first offshore wind project could have turbines in the water before 2032.

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A vast migrant labour force is helping India meet its ambitious renewable energy goals, drawn by promises of good wages and perks. But many say they are forced to ‘escape’ without pay

A month into his new job at the world’s largest renewable energy park in Gujarat’s Rann of Kutch, Anawar Alam was planning his escape. Hired along with 17 others who had travelled with him to work on the construction of a solar project, Alam had hoped that the promised pay and perks would support his family back home on the farm in Bihar. But within two weeks he was having second thoughts.

“Nothing really prepared us for where we would be working or the fact that it was so far from the nearest village. The work was strenuous, the shifts were 12 hours, and we were living in makeshift tents,” says Alam.