Daily Briefing: Bangkok floods | Diesel price warning | Heathrow debate

28.09.26

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News

Bangkok floods send thousands into shelters after days of rain

Agence France-Presse

Thousands of residents of the Thai capital Bangkok were forced into shelters after more than 330mm of rain between Thursday and Sunday, Agence France-Presse reports. It says nearly 4,900 people from 52,000 households had been evacuated into shelters after floods that prompted a “disaster declaration across the capital”. It continues: “Thailand is used to wet weather and September is the peak of the rainy season, but several Bangkok residents said this year seemed worse than previous ones…Scientists warn that the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events will increase as the planet continues to heat up because of fossil-fuel emissions.” The Associated Press says that more than 545,000 in 25 other provinces of the country had been “impacted by flooding as of Sunday”. Reuters and BBC News also have the story. Reuters says the damage will cost at least $327m.

MORE ON EXTREME WEATHER

Reuters: “Floods, landslides kill 56 in India and 14 in Nepal.”
The Associated Press reports that a “month after Nepal floods, thousands are still missing”.
The Associated Press: “‘Strongest El Niño on record’ could keep extreme weather raging for months.”
A comment for the New York Times by climatologist Dr Jeffrey Shaman says: “The super El Niño is about to unleash weather chaos. Get ready now.”

ECB’s Vujcic warns that diesel prices threaten to fuel inflation

Francesco Canepa, Reuters

Reuters reports a warning from European Central Bank vice president Boris Vujcic that diesel prices are likely to remain high, threatening to raise inflation across the eurozone. The Press Association reports the governor of the Bank of England saying “high energy prices will make it ‘harder’ to maintain interest rates at their current levels and avoid an increase”. Reuters reports Vujcic pointing to factors including the ongoing Hormuz crisis, drone attacks on Russian refineries and Chinese export controls. It also mentions US president Donald Trump’s support for a potential ban on US diesel exports, although it says US energy secretary Chris Wright had “sought to play down” the idea. Politico reports that the White House “eyes diesel fuel moves that fall short of export ban”. The New York Times says a diesel export ban “may not lower prices” Politico also reports: “Trump’s diesel threat risks burning US credibility.” Reuters says oil prices rose on “US-Iran…stalemate”.

In the UK, Politico reports business secretary Jonathan Reynolds saying a US export ban would be a “significant concern”. Daily Telegraph columnist Liam Halligan says it “would be a disaster”. The Sunday Times looks at why “Britain’s diesel prices could hit record highs”, while the Daily Telegraph says “Britain’s motorists are dangerously exposed”. The Daily Telegraph says that “soaring” shipping rates are “pil[ing] pressure” on the UK economy. The Daily Telegraph says diesel car values “crash as pump prices reach record high”. The Times says Scottish business leaders have “joined calls” calling for lower fuel duty. The Sunday Times reports on its frontpage that UK chancellor John Healey “raises hope of fuel duty freeze”.

MORE ON FUEL PRICES

Reuters reports on a letter from EU energy commission Dan Jorgensen saying: “We are facing a price crisis linking to a supply crisis.” Politico also covers the letter.
The Financial Times: “Europe braces for LNG tug of war with Asia.”
Reuters: “Germany approves fuel tax discount.”
The Associated Press: “Europe uses subsidies, taxes and policy pauses to offset pain of high fuel prices.”
Reuters: “Truckers, commuters protest in Portugal against soaring fuel prices.”
The Independent claims on its frontpage that high energy prices pose a risk to plans to reform social care in England in the next parliament.

US: Trump administration plans to gut clean car rules

Maxine Joselow, The New York Times

The Trump administration is set to issue weaker fuel economy standards for cars that would “gut…one of the government’s most significant efforts to reduce gasoline consumption and speed the country’s shift to electric vehicles”, reports the New York Times. Citing social media posts by the administration, it says the final standards are expected today, following proposals published in December. The newspaper explains that the rollback is “largely symbolic” as “Congress already eliminated fines for automakers that don’t meet the [previous] standards”. It adds: “The move Monday would mark the final step in a remarkable retreat from US attempts to counter China’s chokehold on the production of EVs and their batteries.” The Financial Times reports the head of General Motors “warning that US climate policy could remain volatile for the next five years”.

Reuters says: “The new [US fuel] standards would cut the cost of new vehicles but increase fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions for decades, according to the department’s own estimates. Trump’s push comes as American drivers are grappling with sharply higher fuel prices since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran.” Politico reports: “The announcement comes as the White House faces increased scrutiny for high gas prices – hovering just under $4.50 a gallon on average in the US [on] Saturday – rising car prices and a tough midterm election on the horizon.” The Associated Press also has the story.

MORE ON US

CBS News: “Federal government issues emergency order defying Colorado’s plan to shut down coal-power plant.”
The Guardian says that the US oil deal with Venezuela “faces multiple legal and logistical problems, including questions about whether it can be implemented”.
The Associated Press: “Rising seas are eating away at a famous California beach town.”

EU energy chief signals delay to methane rules for imports

Ewa Krukowska, Bloomberg

EU energy commissioner Dan Jorgensen has “opened the door to oil and gas importers getting an extra year to prepare for the bloc’s methane reporting rules”, reports Bloomberg. It explains: “Starting next year, fossil-fuel imports into the EU will have to meet monitoring and reporting rules designed to reduce methane emissions. Energy commissioner Dan Jorgensen said that the bloc could delay the rules until 2028.” Euractiv reports that Germany has backed the implementation of the rules “despite unease over winter gas”. Separately, DeSmog reports on how the oil industry in the US is “pushing…to ’effectively gut’ methane rules”.

Heidi Alexander: Heathrow expansion is compatible with net-zero

Tony Diver, The Daily Telegraph

The Daily Telegraph reports transport secretary Heidi Alexander saying in an interview that a third runway at Heathrow airport could be consistent with UK climate targets, as they are economy wide. It quotes her saying: “We do remain committed to net-zero and we’re updating some of our wider decarbonisation plans in transport as well.” The Financial Times reports that prime minister Andy Burnham “plunged the plan for a third runway at Heathrow into doubt by privately telling MPs he has always opposed the project”. BBC News reports that Burnham “refused to say whether he backs a third runway” in an interview. Meanwhile, citing the airport operator, the Sunday Times says a third runway is “to be delayed until 2039”. The Daily Telegraph quotes “sources” saying the previous timeline was “unrealistic”. A Sunday Times editorial says the long-discussed expansion “has been bedevilled by political posturing, environmental activism and planning rows”.

MORE ON UK

The Press Association reports claims that “scrapping the current windfall tax on oil and gas companies could cost the UK up to £8.6bn by 2030”.
BusinessGreen: “Study: Electricity bills rising ‘much more slowly’ than gas due to UK’s clean power drive.”
The Times reports that installing solar panels and a battery can “cut energy bills by two-thirds” for homes. The Daily Telegraph says the government is looking at boosting solar for council houses.
BBC News: “Farmers down 240m litres of milk after heat.”
Financial Times: “UK biodiesel industry attacks rejection of duties on cheaper US imports.”
The Daily Telegraph continues to campaign against climate action with articles on “ugly” electric cars, the views of a US businessman, a supposed “war on motorists”, factory energy use, public contracts and the future need for air-con.

EU urges UK to raise tariffs on Chinese cars to avoid ‘made in Europe’ barriers

Peter Foster and Andy Bounds, Financial Times

Brussels has urged the UK to raise tariffs on Chinese-made vehicles and “more closely align with EU trade policy” if it wants to avoid “made in Europe” barriers that would hit key exports, reports the Financial Times. The newspaper quotes an unnamed EU official saying that the bloc’s concern is that the UK could “become a backdoor into the European market for Chinese goods”. Reuters says that the “made in Europe” policy aims to “curb reliance on Chinese components by prioritising European-made goods – ⁠a worry for the British auto industry which feeds parts into EU supply chains and sells cars across the bloc”. Meanwhile, Bloomberg reports that China’s global exports of electric vehicles (EVs) rose 33% year-on-year in August to 284,622 units, with Belgium becoming the top importer after vehicle shipments to the country jumped 76%, according to data from China customs.

MORE ON CHINA

Nepal’s prime minister Balendra Shah proposed a “climate alliance” with neighbouring India and China to protect the “fragile Himalayan ecosystem after catastrophic flooding across the region”, reports Bloomberg.
Two US senators have delayed efforts to pass a permanent legislative ban on Chinese vehicles as Trump and Xi met in Washington, reports Reuters.
The New York Times reports that none of the Chinese EV and battery executives being considered for the Trump-Xi meeting ultimately attended.
CPNN reports that the international green shipping corridor alliance has been launched in Beijing to promote “green shipping industry standards” and “green marine fuels”.

Comment

How resilient is Britain?

Will Lloyd, Financial Times

In a “weekend essay”, senior writer Will Lloyd looks at how resilient the UK is to shocks. He says: “As climate and geopolitical risks cast doubt on the UK’s ability to cope in a crisis, leaders are turning from ‘just in time’ to ‘just in case’ as a governing philosophy.” Lloyd writes: “Experts fear scenarios where climate and conflict shocks converge, exposing Britain’s fragilities.” He continues by citing one expert who “fears that summer heat followed by a powerful El Niño could result in ‘multiple breadbasket failures’ set against the background of conflicts in key regions for energy and food production”. For the Times, Sky News economics correspondent Ed Conway writes: “For two centuries, cheap global shipping was a given. Now it’s clear how much the west still relies on fossil fuel and remains at the mercy of straits and canals.”

MORE COMMENT

A Wall Street Journal editorial rails against “climate coercion”.
Daily Mail columnist Stephen Glover describes net-zero as an “abstract principle”. [It is the only way to stop global warming.]
New York Times columnist David Wallace-Wells compares “climate alarm, Covid and artificial intelligence”.
Financial Times columnist Stuart Kirk claims that “climate financial risk remains negligible”.
For the Atlantic, author Jason Dove Mark reflects on the state of US climate politics.
The Financial Times Alphaville column looks at the data-centre construction shortfall, which is “so big you can’t see it from space”.

Research

Climate models “struggle” to represent “coastal El Niño events”, when ocean temperatures warm rapidly along the coasts of Peru and Ecuador | Geophysical Research Letters
Climate change “likely elevates” the risk of extreme rainfall events, such as the record-breaking event recorded in south-east Africa in February 2023 | Environmental Research Letters
Carbon emissions from rivers and streams in the Tibetan plateau increased by 14% over 2000-19, largely due to “rising river discharge associated with climate change” | Global Biogeochemical Cycles