Several outlets cover a new analysis by Climate Action Tracker (CAT), which according to Reuters finds: “Countries scrambling this year to source more natural gas to replace supplies from Russia are risking years of emissions that could thwart climate goals.” The newswire says: “The dash to replace [Russian gas] supplies has bolstered plans to expand fossil fuel infrastructure, even as the European Union has proposed higher renewable energy targets to attempt to mostly replace Russian fuel with clean energy.” The Guardian says: “The global dash for gas amid the Ukraine war will accelerate climate breakdown and could send temperatures soaring far beyond the 1.5C limit of safety, analysis has shown.” It adds: “If all of the new gas projects announced in response to the global gas supply crunch are fulfilled, the resulting greenhouse gas emissions would add up to about 10% of the total amount of carbon dioxide that can safely be emitted by 2050.” The Times reports: “In a report published at the COP27 climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh today, the Climate Action Tracker group found that greater use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) is putting the Paris Agreement’s headline goal at risk.” Bloomberg says that the latest CAT projections are “similar to last year’s – a troubling 2.7C increase above pre-industrial levels if policies don’t improve”.

Reuters reports that China would be “willing to support a mechanism for compensating poorer countries for losses and damage caused by climate change”, its climate envoy Xie Zhenhua said at COP27 yesterday. The newswire then updated its report to clarify that China “later said that it would not involve contributing cash”. Xie said China had “no obligation to participate”, but “stressed his solidarity with those calling for more action” from wealthy nations on the issue and “outlined the damage China had suffered from climate-linked weather extremes”. The newswire notes that Xie said that the US special envoy on climate change John Kerry, “his friend for 25 years”, had “not raised this issue with him” during “informal talks” at the conference this week, adding that China “already contributed billions of yuan to developing countries to help with their mitigation efforts”. (Carbon Brief also attended the press conference and asked a question about China’s views on the EU’s proposed carbon border adjustment mechanism.)

Bloomberg also reports that the US and China have “started unofficial conversations on climate-related issues” at COP27, a “potential signal” that relations between the two world “superpowers” are “warming despite a formal suspension of bilateral negotiations on related matters” earlier this year. The Guardian says that Xie called on the US to “clear the barriers” to talks. France24 writes that “fractured relations” between the US and China have “cast further doubt” on whether Beijing will “sign up to more climate promises, with pressure mounting on the world’s biggest emitter”. It adds that “cooperation between the world’s two largest economies and carbon polluters has been central to rare breakthroughs” in the “nearly 30-year saga” of UN climate talks, including the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement. The environmental impact of President Xi Jinping’s “flagship” Belt and Road initiative has also come “under scrutiny”, the article says, adding that the “sprawling plan envisions a continent-spanning web of infrastructure projects” to link China with markets in Asia, Europe, Africa and beyond.

Meanwhile, CNN writes that China and the other 104 members of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) are “deeply committed” to their net-zero targets, citing the chief of the continent’s “largest” multilateral development bank. AIIB president Jin Liqun at COP27 is quoted saying: “All of the members are committed to net-zero, particularly many developing countries who certainly have a lot of issues to deal with. But all of them are committed.”

Elsewhere, the Shanghai-based Sixth Tone says that social attitudes in China are now “starting to change, as natural disasters become ever more frequent – and a wave of new campaign groups emerge to highlight the issue”. Finally, China Dialogue has an article by Xia Zhijian, who writes China should “focus investment on electricity system reforms, build regional electricity markets, and develop demand-side response”.

US climate envoy John Kerry has announced a new plan to raise climate finance for developing countries, by selling carbon credits to companies that want to offset their emissions, CNN reports, adding that the “Energy Transition Accelerator” proposal, launched at the COP27 climate summit in Egypt yesterday, immediately attracted criticism. The broadcaster explains that carbon credits “allow companies to pay for someone else to cut their planet-warming emissions, instead of cutting their own”. It adds that Kerry is “tapping into the private sector” because the administration faces “an uphill battle in the US Congress” in terms of securing billions of dollars of climate finance promised by the president, Joe Biden, but not yet delivered. The Financial Times reports comments from Rachel Kyte, co-chair of the Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative, saying that the plan is a “massive distraction”. It quotes her saying: “There has been an extraordinary effort to build the rules [of the carbon credit market]. You can’t short-cut that.” The paper continues: “A senior European official also said there were ‘massive concerns in some circles’ about the idea.” Associated Press reports: “When it comes to helping poor nations cope with climate change, the US government left its wallet at home. So it hopes its friend, big business, can help pick up the tab.” Bloomberg reports under the headline: “Kerry’s climate credit plan risks payouts for carbon-cutting mirage.” It says: “[C]arbon-market experts and environmentalists warned in interviews that it mirrors a failed offset system created decades ago, and his framework has already been panned for potentially allowing corporate money to flow to green projects that would have happened anyway.” The outlet quotes Kerry saying: “We shouldn’t let the mistakes of the past keep us from employing a powerful tool for steering private capital where it is most needed.” It continues: “Kerry said the framework would be fleshed out over the next year, in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders that include governments, companies and standard-setting organisations. He promised safeguards, transparency and accountability to avoid the ‘fly by night’ greenwashing of past carbon trading regimes.”

The Washington Post says the Biden administration proposal is backed by major philanthropies and companies, with the group “hop[ing] to lure more than $100bn by the end of the decade”. The paper says: “Many in Egypt responded to Kerry’s announcement with some scepticism, saying that US businesses should be focused on cutting their own carbon pollution before paying for emissions cuts in the developing world.” It adds: “The announcement also comes a day after the UN released an expert report on net-zero commitments, which warned that such pledges pose the risk of being little more than ‘greenwashing’ if not backed up with robust plans. The ability to claim reduced emissions through offsets may allow businesses to avoid curbing their own carbon output, the report said.” Climate Home News says the Kerry plan “sets early test for UN net-zero standards”. It says the plan, which it first reported earlier this month, “is still in its infancy and most of the details remain to be worked out”. The outlet reports: “Kerry insisted that the initiative would align with [UN secretary-general António] Guterres’ expert group’s recommendations that offsets should be high quality and used as a last resort, after a company has reduced its emission reductions. But analysts are sceptic the barely fleshed out concept will meet the high bar of standards set out by Guterres’ expert group.” The Guardian reports: “Critics question plan’s value in dealing with climate crisis and its potential to ‘harm communities and undermine human rights’.” Politico, Axios, the Hill and BusinessGreen all cover the story.

Separately, Reuters reports: “Global securities regulators proposed closer scrutiny of carbon trading on Wednesday to deepen liquidity and prevent greenwashing in markets used by companies to offset their emissions to drive the transition to a net-zero economy.”

Reporting from the COP27 UN climate summit, the Guardian says a “series of symbolic moves on climate finance…suggests positive momentum could be starting to build”. It continues: “The UK said it would allow some debt payment deferrals for countries hit by climate disasters, while Austria and New Zealand put forward funding for loss and damage, which is the cost of rebuilding in poorer nations after unavoidable climate impacts.” The paper adds that the prime minister of Barbados Mia Mottley’s “Bridgetown Agenda”, “which sets out sweeping proposed reforms to the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other multilateral development banks (MDBs), received the backing of France at COP27”. The New York Times also reports on proposals to reform the IMF and World Bank while Reuters reports the comments of US climate envoy John Kerry, backing the idea. It quotes him saying: “We absolutely need to have multilateral development bank reform. We need to do it by the next spring meeting of the banks.”

(Another New York Times article says: “[World Bank head] David Malpass has faced continuing criticism from those who question his commitment to climate action as well as the bank’s track record.” The Guardian carries a video of its reporter asking Malpass: “Are you a climate denier?”)

Meanwhile, Reuters reports on protests: “Civil society groups and youth activists at the UN COP27 summit held small pop-up rallies Wednesday at designated areas in this Red Sea resort town.” Le Monde reports: “Global north’s debt to south at heart of climate talks.” Climate Home News reports: “Nations vulnerable to climate change are increasingly calling for polluting companies like fossil fuel producers to pay for the loss and damage caused by climate change.” Bloomberg reports: “A world hit with inflation, rising debts and growing climate impacts needs development banks to step up, said Mohamed Maait, Egypt’s finance minister.”

There were mixed results for climate and environmental measures on the ballots in US states during this week’s midterm election, New Scientist reports. It says the “biggest win was a measure in New York that authorises the state to sell bonds worth more than $4bn to raise funds for reducing emissions, increasing resilience”. The publication adds that a “billion-dollar measure to address climate change failed” in California. Bloomberg reports: “Special presidential envoy for climate change John Kerry said that investment will keep on pouring into US green technology despite Republican gains in the midterm elections.” Politico reports: “Although the Republican blitz never emerged, the impending switch of at least one chamber of the US Congress to a party that has embraced climate denial still sent a shiver of anxiety and defiance through the [COP27] UN climate conference.” Vox covers the “unexpected climate wins of the midterms”, reporting: “The red tsunami of Republican midterm voters that so many predicted at the federal level also didn’t quite pan out in state elections. State laws have big implications for climate change throughout the country, because even in a divided Congress, states can still ramp up their clean energy and climate goals.” It continues: “the early results show 2023 to be a year of serious headway in states on climate change”. The outlet adds: “Climate action could be moving forward in Michigan, Maryland, Minnesota and even Texas.” Inside Climate News says four states “just got a ‘trifecta’ of Democratic control, paving the way for climate and clean energy legislation”. The states it names are Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan and Minnesota. Axios also has the story.

More than 600 registered participants at the COP27 climate talks are “linked to fossil fuels”, a 25% increase since COP26, BBC News reports, citing analysis by campaign group Global Witness. The broadcaster says: “These conferences have always attracted significant numbers from the coal, oil and gas industries, who are keen to influence the shape of the debate.” It adds: “The researchers counted the number of individuals registered who were either directly affiliated with fossil fuel companies or attending as members of national delegations that act on behalf of the fossil fuel industry.” (Carbon Brief has published analysis of which countries registered the largest delegations for COP27.)

Elsewhere, Climate Home News reports: “An oil and gas lobbyist and convicted fraudster has teamed up with the UN to mobilise private sector investment in energy development across Africa – including, controversially, fossil gas.”

The UK government has been told to boost its energy-saving advice to households, Press Association reports. It says the government’s climate adviser the Climate Change Committee (CCC) has said energy demand reduction is the “biggest gap” in climate policy and that stronger efforts would cut costs for consumers and the Treasury this winter. It adds: “With higher prevailing energy prices, investments in energy efficiency measures are recouped faster through savings on fuel bills, [the CCC] said.” BusinessGreen and the Independent also have the story.

Another Press Association article on a separate report says: “The UK risks being left without enough energy to fuel economic growth if it does not invest in ways to make its buildings and industrial processes more efficient, experts have warned.” The Daily Telegraph reports: “British households could be paid to help prevent blackouts in France this winter, under plans drawn up by National Grid.”

In other news from the UK, Bloomberg reports: “UK offshore wind farm investment will be at risk if any windfall tax imposed on renewable producers is too severe, according to the head of the world’s top developer of the projects.”

The world’s biggest carmakers are planning to build 400m more petrol and diesel cars than the level “sustainable if the world is to limit global heating to…1.5C”, the Guardian reports. It says the findings, from the University of Technology Sydney and others, looked at 12 carmakers globally, including Toyota, Volkswagen and Hyundai/Kia. It compared their production plans to a 1.5C carbon budget for passenger cars, the paper explains, finding an “overshoot of 105-147% compared to the 1.5C-compatible number of ICE sales”. The paper adds: “Around the world carmarkers are shifting towards electric vehicles, with companies such as Volvo, General Motors and Mercedes-Benz planning to stop manufacturing petrol engines, some as soon as 2025.”

The Daily Mail uses its frontpage to report the comments of home secretary Suella Braverman, regarding the ongoing Just Stop Oil protests. Under the print headline: “Time to end eco mob rule, police are told,” the paper reports: “Police forces must ‘stop humouring’ eco activists, Suella Braverman said yesterday.” It continues: “The home secretary accused officers of letting protests get out of control because of their ‘reluctance’ to tackle ‘criminal disruption’. Her demand came after Just Stop Oil activists brought more chaos to the M25 [London orbital motorway], leading to a crash in which a constable was injured.” The story is also the frontpage splash for the Daily Express under the headline: “Suella attacks police for failing to stop eco mob.” The Daily Telegraph reports the comments of BJ Harrington, chief constable of Essex Police: “It is ‘only a matter of time’ before someone is killed by a Just Stop Oil protest, a police chief has warned after his officer was knocked off a motorcycle and injured on the M25.” It continues: “The injured officer had been trying to implement a ‘rolling roadblock’ – to help ease existing traffic before a road can be closed – between Junctions 26 and 27 when two lorries crashed and knocked him off his bike. He was taken to hospital but it is hoped that he will make a full recovery.” The Independent reports on a journalist “arrested covering Just Stop Oil M25 protest”. It says: “After showing [police] a press card and having explained she was reporting on the demonstration, the officers handcuffed her, took her phone and arrested her on conspiracy to commit a public nuisance.” The Guardian reports: “The chief constable of Hertfordshire constabulary has promised an investigation into the arrests of journalists covering climate protests, amid accusations the force was threatening press freedom and an intervention by Downing Street.”

The protests are the subject of several editorials, with the Sun saying: “If eco fanatics have no fear of jail, our judges must instil some – by handing out the maximum prison terms allowed. And those must be increased in law. Britain is sick of these extremists. No government can let a criminal cult inflict such routine misery on its people.” A Daily Mail editorial says: “Three hearty cheers for Suella Braverman’s outburst of common sense when she says the police should crack down on the eco-anarchists making lives a misery…What really sticks in the craw is how misplaced the synthetic anger of these ludicrous cranks is. Thanks to an aggressive anti-carbon agenda, UK emissions are just 1% of the global total – and falling. In China, meanwhile, CO2 discharges are off the charts. But, of course, the face-glueing M25 mob wouldn’t dare tread there.” The Daily Express gives it lead comment slot to Leo McKinstry who writes under the headline: “Get tough on eco bullies who inflict misery on epic scale.” For the Daily Telegraph, columnist and assistant editor Michael Deacon writes under the headline: “Just Stop Oil are no longer simply activists – they’re a cult.” Another Daily Telegraph comment, from climate sceptic journalist Ross Clark, is titled: “Will the environmental extremists of Just Stop Oil slowly morph into terrorists?”

Clark has a feature in the latest print edition of the Spectator in which he rails against “Britain[‘s] attempts to steer towards net-zero”. He writes: “Over the summer everyone from Boris Johnson to Extinction Rebellion was parroting the figure that wind power costs ‘nine times’ less than that of gas power. But this is a false comparison. The figure comes from an analysis by the pressure group Carbon Brief comparing the long-term, guaranteed, index-linked prices paid to renewable energy firms with the ‘day ahead’ prices which have to be paid to owners of gas power stations to fire them up for a few hours to make up a shortfall in supply.” (In a September joint letter to then-prime minister Liz Truss, the UK’s National Infrastructure Commission and Climate Change Committee wrote: “The latest auction revealed prices for renewables that are nine times cheaper than current high electricity prices set by gas generation.”)

In a comment for the Washington Post, Nigeria’s president Muhammadu Buhari points to major floods in his country, famine in the Horn of Africa, wildfires in the north of the continent and cyclones in the south: “climate disasters in Africa form the backdrop to this year’s UN climate conference”. He continues: “Many of my peers are frustrated with western hypocrisy and its inability to take responsibility. Governments have repeatedly failed to meet their commitments to the $100bn fund for climate adaptation and mitigation in the developing world – for the mess their own industries caused.” Buhari adds: “According to the UN, Africa is the continent worst affected by climate change despite contributing the least to it.” He continues: “Amid this simmering acrimony, I offer a few words of advice to western negotiators at this year’s COP27.” His advice includes: “First, rich countries should direct a greater share of funding to developing nations’ adaptation to the effects of climate change”; “Second, don’t tell Africans they can’t use their own resources…Don’t tell Africa that the world cannot afford the climate cost of its hydrocarbons.”; “Third, when you realise you need Africa’s reserves, don’t cut its citizens out of the benefits.”; “Fourth, follow your own logic. Africa is told that the falling cost of renewables means that it must leapfrog carbon-emitting industries. At the same time, western governments are effectively paying their citizens to burn more hydrocarbons.” He concludes: “Africa didn’t cause the mess, yet we pay the price. At this year’s COP, that should be the starting point for all negotiations.”

“There are just two actions needed to prevent catastrophic climate breakdown: leave fossil fuels in the ground and stop farming animals,” writes Guardian columnist George Monbiot. Yet “thanks to the power of the two industries”, he continues, “both aims are officially unmentionable”. Monbiot says he has looked at the final agreement produced by each of the 26 previous climate summits and found fossil fuels “are named in only six of them. Just one hints at using less overall.” He continues: “Livestock is mentioned in only three agreements, and the only action each of them proposes is ‘management’.” Monbiot concludes: “Slowly and painfully we have become energy-numerate. Large numbers of people have begun to ‘do the math’ on fossil fuel emissions. Now we need to become food-numerate.” Elsewhere, Foreign Policy carries a comment by independent journalist Kabir Agarwal, under the heading: “Want to fight climate change? Transform our food system.” He says that past climate summits have “neglected food” and adds: “That needs to change at COP27.”

New research provides estimates of future ice loss from the north-east Greenland ice stream (NEGIS) – Greenland’s largest basin and a prominent feature of fast-flowing ice that reaches the interior of the ice sheet. The researchers show that “extensive speed-up and thinning triggered by frontal changes in 2012 have already propagated more than 200 km inland”. Using satellite data and numerical models, the study shows that this sector alone will contribute 13.5-15.5mm to sea level rise by 2100. This is “equivalent to the contribution of the entire ice sheet over the past 50 years”, the authors say and “will cause precipitous changes in the coming century”.