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United Nations

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Two men sit on stage in front of a white background; the man on the left holds a microphone and is gesturing while he talks. Both men are wearing suits. — Brazil’s COP30 chief makes the case for why climate summits matter
The Latin American country is facing a rapidly changing world order as it prepares to host delegates for the next climate summit in November. Latest News
Anca Gurzu 4 min read

A phot of the outside of a large glass building with palm trees out front, a blue sky, and a flag in front of the building that reads — Cricket metaphors and finance talk: Five takeaways from a meeting of developing countries
Under blue skies and palm trees, a stone’s throw from this island nation’s pristine beaches, leaders from across the Global South gathered last week to do some serious soul-searching. Latest News
Anca Gurzu 6 min read

An illustration that has a globe in one corner, multicolor puzzle pieces in another, a document with a blue ribbon on another corner, and people talking around a table in the other corner. — How United Nations climate conferences work
In partnership with Encyclopædia Britannica, Cipher will be publishing occasional articles offering background and context on important climate programs, technologies and leaders. This article is the first in the series. Explainers
Anca Gurzu 6 min read

An illustration of a European Union and American flag with cartoon legs running in opposite directions on a running track. Icons of representing different clean energy technologies appear in the background. — Europe rushes to boost cleantech as US gives sector the cold shoulder
This new transatlantic dynamic could offer Europe the chance to reposition itself over the United States as a more attractive destination for cleantech investments. Latest News
Anca Gurzu 4 min read

2024 reflections: AI power, elections and more

We knew some of what this year would bring — like consequential elections — while some events took many of us by surprise — like a sudden boom in electricity demand fueled (largely) by artificial intelligence. Harder Line

Amy Harder 5 min read

An illustration of the Earth in the top of an hourglass, slowly disintegrating into sand that's falling through the hourglass. Next to the hourglass, on the right, the year

Six key takeaways from the UN climate summit in Azerbaijan

The COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan offered drama, tension and a last-minute deal. Latest News

Anca Gurzu 5 min read

Calling for adaptation over emissions in development funding

A new study urges global development banks to prioritize funding for lower-income nations to help them adapt to climate change, above and beyond reducing emissions. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid 2 min read

Illustration with a grid of images in blue and green showing solar panels, the Earth, wind turbines, money, hurricanes and flooding.

At COP29, dancing delegates, purring cats and long days

A flurry of parallel activities was the norm at the United Nation's climate summit, leaving a reporter both overwhelmed and with a bit of FOMO at times. Reporter's Notebook

Anca Gurzu 6 min read

How to improve life for humanity — and not worsen global warming

Access to reliable energy dramatically improves the quality of people’s lives. And the world needs a lot more energy to bring billions of people out of poverty. Explainers

Cat Clifford 4 min read

An illustration with dots coming out from a globe.

Five things to know as COP29 kicks off in Azerbaijan

Money talks are front and center as the United Nations summit gets underway — but the election of Donald Trump as the next U.S. president is also set to loom over the summit. Explainers

Anca Gurzu 4 min read

An illustration where

Progress under a microscope at New York Climate Week

Cipher’s team was on the ground in the Big Apple. In all the chaos and busyness, here’s what stood out to our reporters. Latest News

Cipher Staff 6 min read

Photo of traffic in NYC, a sign above the traffic warns of gridlock.

China, Qatar and U.S. lead, depending on how you judge emissions

Two different ways to measure emissions paint very different pictures of the problem, leading countries to conflicting conclusions about how to address global warming. Data Dives

Bill Spindle 2 min read

Bar chart with smoke stacks in the background. Illustration.

COP29: Azerbaijan official on climate finance, fossil fuels

The ambassador from Azerbaijan to the Netherlands recently sat down with Cipher to talk about the upcoming United Nations climate summit being hosted in his home country. Latest News

Anca Gurzu 5 min read

Aerial photo of a large solar power plant in a dry landscape.

The world promised to triple renewable energy. It needs to get moving.

Six months after COP28, the world's ambition to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030 remains in reach, but countries will have to accelerate their plans to get there. Data Dives

Bill Spindle < 1

A bar chart in blue, red and green overlaid on top of a black and white photo of a solar panel, with a man holding up his arm and pointing at the top righthand corner of the screen.

John Kerry left his climate mark — and he’s not done

As the U.S. climate envoy prepares to leave his current post, he reflects on his career and how he plans to stay engaged in climate action. Latest News

Anca Gurzu 6 min read

An illustration depicts John Kerry sitting at a speaking engagement, with a group of climate change industry icons behind him.

Top takeaways from historic COP28 deal on fossil fuels

Bill Spindle 2 min read

In Dubai at COP28, nuclear fusion makes first-ever appearance

Universal fanfare over nuclear fusion was a counterpoint to often frustrated clashes at COP28 over the role of fossil fuels in the energy transition. Latest News

Bill Spindle 4 min read

Gabriela Hearst, Bob Mumgaard and Ernest Moniz on a panel at COP28

On net zero goals, corporate pledges rise but progress lags

Companies are getting better at “talking the talk” of net zero, but they’re not doing nearly as well in “walking the walk." Data Dives

Bill Spindle 2 min read

Blue and green bar chart

Oil and gas companies step into the spotlight at COP28

A flurry of announcements from the industry was at least partly aimed at blunting an unprecedented push for the eventual elimination of fossil fuel use. Latest News

Bill Spindle 5 min read

An exterior photo of a giant exhibition hall in Dubai, with posters for COP28 outside.

How Cipher is covering COP28, the climate change talks in Dubai

See how you can follow along with Cipher at COP28 and catch up on our climate finance series. Money is a central tenant of these climate talks — how to get more of it where it needs to go, especially to lower income countries. Harder Line

Amy Harder 2 min read

An illustrated Earth rising out of a dessert dotted with businesspeople, with COP28 written in the lefthand corner and a stamp that reads United Arab Emirates in the righthand corner.

Gulf petrostates bring an increasingly complex relationship with fossil fuels to COP28

With COP28 happening in Dubai, petrostates like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are in the spotlight. The glare can be harsh, but it also reveals their increasingly complicated relationship with fossil fuels. Latest News

Bill Spindle 5 min read

Skyscrapers and construction cranes in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Betting on solar solutions where there is no grid

Innovative off-grid solar projects are gaining traction in the climate financing world as a way of more quickly and efficiently solving an energy access problem affecting hundreds of millions of people. Explainers

Anca Gurzu 5 min read

Two hands shaking above a stack of coins and a farmer tending to a field. Illustration with a green background.

How to understand direct government aid for climate change

Wealthier nations say they are on track to belatedly meet a goal of providing $100 billion a year to poorer nations for climate adaptation and mitigation, but critics say this fund won't be enough for countries buffeted by climate-fueled impacts. Explainers

Amena H. Saiyid 4 min read

Climate financing's fate at COP28 is overshadowed by devastating images of flooding in Pakistan.

Carbon markets seek a reboot in the face of existential challenges

Carbon offsets are at a crossroads after years of complaints about greenwashing and accusations of ineffectiveness in fighting climate change. Explainers

Bill Spindle 5 min read

Exclusive: U.S. pushes to ensure nuclear “is not forgotten” in COP renewables pledge

It’s also pushing for language that recognizes the need to halt investments in new coal power plants. Latest News

Anca Gurzu 3 min read

Aerial view of a nuclear power plant in France.

In poorer nations, coal persists despite energy transition efforts

Just Energy Transition Partnerships — often referred to as JET-Ps — are seen as one of the primary ways wealthy, industrialized countries can help phase out coal use in low and middle-income countries while addressing the cost of closing coal plants and loss of employment. But progress implementing the deals is slow. Explainers

Bill Spindle 4 min read

Illustration showing one hand making a

Climate cash hopes hang on development bank reforms

Reforming how huge lenders like the World Bank operate is key to channeling more climate financing to developing countries. But proposed reforms of multilateral development banks are limited and must come with fresh cash. Explainers

Anca Gurzu 5 min read

White pillars hold up the Earth, symbolizing international banking.

Europe to the world: don’t give up on 1.5 degrees goal

“We are really playing with the future of the next generation,” the EU's Green Deal chief said in an exclusive interview with Cipher. Latest News

Anca Gurzu 2 min read

Photo of Maroš Šefčovič

Universal access to clean cooking lags behind

While the world strives to transition to a net zero economy, many poorer countries still do not have access to basic energy needs like clean cooking. Data Dives

Anca Gurzu 2 min read

A map of Africa with countries in different colors based on their level of access to clean cooking

The words that shape our energy future

Should fossil fuels be phased downed or phased out? Or should the emissions of fossil fuels be dealt with and phased out? This may sound like semantic games, but the nuances are important. Explainers

Anca Gurzu 4 min read

The image highlights various words like

COP28’s big challenge is closing the energy investment gap

Clean energy investment is ramping up fast, but most of it is still not reaching beyond the world’s richest countries. Explainers

Bill Spindle 4 min read

The Earth, shaded red, is in the middle of a black background with the words

COP leadership on fossil fuels, finance and China-U.S. relations

The director general designate of COP28 lays out the challenges and goals of the UAE leadership for the critical climate conference. Q&A

Bill Spindle 4 min read

Graphic depicting a tug of war over money above a heating globe

Renewables boss says world needs to prop up new energy system

Power grids, undersea cables and ports are overlooked yet essential connectors ensuring renewable energy can flow across great distances from production to consumption. Latest News

Anca Gurzu 3 min read

As the world bakes, developing world scrambles to adapt

The world is not cutting emissions fast enough to slow climate change, leaving everyone—but especially developing nations—scrambling to adapt to a hotter planet and its extreme-weather consequences. Latest News

Anca Gurzu 3 min read

Europe grapples with energy crisis while climate pressure ramps up

World leaders are gathering this week in the United States at two key conferences aimed at ratcheting up pressure to turn ambitious climate goals into reality. Latest News

Anca Gurzu 3 min read

Hurdles abound in race to build more clean energy

As conference attendees were waking up last week for the annual United Nations climate conference underway in Glasgow, Scotland, voters in Maine were rejecting a proposed power line sending Canadian hydropower to Massachusetts. Harder Line

Amy Harder 3 min read

Climate talks reveal big progress, but it’s not coming fast enough

When gauging progress, it's important not just to look ahead to where you need to go but also to look back to see where you've been. Harder Line

Amy Harder 3 min read

Finance ministers urged to fill central role in climate debate

Environment ministers have long taken center stage when it comes to the annual United Nations climate change negotiations. Harder Line

Amy Harder 3 min read

Record-breaking investments going into climate since Paris Agreement

A record nearly $30 billion of venture capital money has gone into climate-change technologies so far this year, according to an exclusive sneak peak of a forthcoming report by PitchBook. Data Dives

Amy Harder < 1