Environmental Politics
Uganda’s oil ambitions under fire for relying on pessimistic IEA climate scenarios
The government of Uganda and its international partners are facing mounting criticism from environmental economists and climate scientists for basing the nation’s massive oil development strategy on the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) most pessimistic climate action scenarios. Critics argue that by aligning national economic policy with the IEA’s Stated Policies Scenario (STEPS)—which assumes that global […]
Africa’s mineral wealth can make it an architect of a more just energy transition
The Global Scramble for Africa’s Green Wealth The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that the demand for critical minerals could increase sixfold by 2040 to reach net-zero goals. Africa holds roughly 30% of the world’s mineral reserves, including over 70% of the world’s cobalt (primarily in the Democratic Republic of Congo), significant lithium deposits in […]
Explainer: Will AI data centres make or break the energy transition?
The global energy landscape has reached a critical inflection point in the first quarter of 2026, as the insatiable appetite of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers pushes national power grids to their absolute limits. From the tech hubs of Northern Virginia to the industrial corridors of Dublin and the burgeoning digital districts of Southeast Asia, […]
Asia Returns to Coal as Geopolitical Volatility Weaponizes Oil and Gas Supplies
The global energy landscape is undergoing a turbulent realignment as Asian governments, faced with the weaponization of oil and gas markets, are increasingly retreating to coal as a primary source of industrial and social stability. While the international community has spent the last decade pushing for a "phase-down" or "phase-out" of the world’s most carbon-intensive […]
US Becomes First Nation to Formally Withdraw from the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
The United States has officially completed its withdrawal from the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), making it the first sovereign nation to exit the foundational treaty that has governed global climate diplomacy for over three decades. The announcement, finalized in early March 2026, marks a definitive shift in American foreign policy […]
Climate Envoy and TotalEnergies Discuss Carbon Credit Framework to Accelerate LPG Cooking Across Africa
In a significant move to address one of Africa’s most persistent public health and environmental challenges, the country’s top climate envoy has entered formal discussions with TotalEnergies to leverage carbon credits for the expansion of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cooking solutions. The discussions, held in early March 2026, signal a strategic pivot toward utilizing market-based […]
Climate Envoy and TotalEnergies Discuss Carbon Credits to Scale LPG Cookstoves Across Africa
The pursuit of sustainable energy solutions in sub-Saharan Africa has reached a critical juncture as high-level negotiations between national climate envoys and global energy giants focus on the integration of carbon markets into the clean cooking transition. In a series of meetings held this week, the country’s top climate envoy engaged in detailed discussions with […]
Iran war effect on oil and gas prices shows renewables are the path to energy security
The escalating military conflict involving Iran has triggered a seismic shift in global energy markets, driving oil and gas prices to levels not seen in years and forcing a radical reassessment of national security strategies. As the volatility of fossil fuel markets reaches a breaking point in March 2026, energy analysts and a growing coalition […]
China Is a Global Leader in Building New Nuclear Reactors as the Country Added More Capacity in the Last 15 Years Than the Rest of the World Combined
The scale of China’s nuclear energy expansion has reached a historic inflection point, solidifying its position as the primary engine of global nuclear growth. Over the past decade and a half, the People’s Republic of China has commissioned more nuclear power capacity than all other nations combined, a feat that underscores Beijing’s dual commitment to […]
Beijing’s new five-year economic plan leaves questions unanswered on growing coal power fleet.
The unveiling of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) was expected to be a watershed moment for global climate action, providing a definitive roadmap for the world’s largest emitter to begin a structural decline in coal consumption. However, the document released in Beijing this week has left international observers and climate scientists in a state of […]
