In brief | 15 October '24

European Council: COP29: EU calls for efforts to keep the 1.5°C goal within reach

The Council approved conclusions that will serve as the EU’s general negotiating position for the UN climate change conference starting on 11 November in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Club of Rome / Wuppertal Institue: Earth for All Germany: Towards a future for all

New book explores possible strategies to address the current challenges facing Germany, and demonstrates how it is possible to overcome environmental crises while safeguarding democracy and prosperity.

Financial Times: Google orders small modular nuclear reactors for its data centres

Tech group signs deal with Kairos Power to build up to seven small facilities to meet its energy needs, reports the FT.

EEA: Pollution, over-use and climate change threaten water resilience in Europe

Europe is not on track to meet its targets to improve the health of waters under EU rules, according to the largest assessment on the health of Europe’s water bodies by the European Environment Agency.

The Guardian: What happens to the world if forests stop absorbing carbon? Ask Finland

Natural sinks of forests and peat were key to Finland’s ambitious target to be carbon neutral by 2035. But now, the land has started emitting more greenhouse gases than it stores.

BBC: Burning rubbish now UK’s dirtiest form of power

The BBC examined five years of data from across the country, and found that burning waste produces the same amount of greenhouse gases for each unit of energy as coal power, which was abandoned by the UK last month.