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Researchers analyse DNA from dung to save Laos elephants

Slow and silent, former logging elephant Mae Khoun Nung emerges from a forest in northern Laos and follows her guide to an animal hospital for a check-up.

Showdown looms on plastic treaty days before deadline

Diplomats warned Friday of a looming showdown in negotiations to reach the world's first deal to curb plastic pollution, after a new draft text emerged littered with competing visions and ongoing disagreements.

Days before deadline, plastic treaty draft highlights disagreement

With just two days before negotiators are due to agree on the world's first deal to curb global plastic pollution, a new draft text released Friday showed deep differences remain.

Top UN court to open unprecedented climate hearings

The world's top court will next week start unprecedented hearings aimed at finding a "legal blueprint" for how countries should protect the environment from damaging greenhouse gases -- and what the consequences are if they do not.

In Bosnia, the path to renewables runs through its coal mines

At 250 metres underground, the dust is thick and oxygen is in short supply at the Mramor mine in northeastern Bosnia.

Plastic pollution talks must speed up, chair warns

Negotiators must move "significantly" faster to agree on a landmark treaty to curb plastic pollution, the diplomat chairing the talks warned Wednesday, as countries lined up to express frustration about the limited progress.

Thailand to return nearly 1,000 trafficked lemurs, tortoises to Madagascar

Thailand is sending almost 1,000 highly endangered lemurs and tortoises back to their home in Madagascar, in what both countries called their biggest ever operation against wildlife trafficking.

Environmentalists slam lobbyist influence on plastic talks

Environmental groups on Wednesday slammed the presence of dozens of petrochemical and fossil fuel industry lobbyists at UN talks on a plastic pollution treaty, accusing them of "obstruction" and "misinformation."

'Very, very slow': plastic treaty talks grind forward

Negotiations on a first global treaty to curb plastic pollution are moving "very, very slowly", diplomats and observers told AFP on Wednesday, threatening the chances of reaching an agreement.

COP29 president blames rich countries for 'imperfect' deal

The tough-fought finance deal at UN climate negotiations was "imperfect", the Azerbaijan COP29 leadership has admitted, seeking to blame richer countries for an outcome slammed by poorer nations as insulting.

California vows to step in if Trump kills US EV tax credit

California will revive its own subsidy programs for electric vehicles if Donald Trump guts US federal tax breaks for such cars, the state's governor said Monday.

Plastic pollution talks must not fail: UN environment chief

Talks to agree the world's first treaty to curb plastic pollution cannot fail and must tackle both production and consumption, the UN's environment chief told AFP on Monday.

Indian author Ghosh wins top Dutch prize

Acclaimed Indian author Amitav Ghosh has won the coveted Dutch Erasmus Prize for his writings on climate change and its impact on humanity, especially on the Indian subcontinent.

As baboons become bolder, Cape Town battles for solutions

On a sunny afternoon in Cape Town’s seaside village of Simon’s Town, three young chacma baboons cause a commotion, clambering on roofs, jumping between buildings and swinging on the gutters.

'Existential challenge': plastic pollution treaty talks begin

A final round of talks on a treaty to end plastic pollution opened on Monday, with the diplomat chairing the difficult negotiations urging nations to "meet an existential challenge."

Climate finance's 'new era' shows new political realities

Rich countries' promise of $300 billion a year in climate finance brought fury at talks in Baku from poor nations that found it too paltry, but it also shows a shift in global political realities.

Concern as climate talks stalls on fossil fuels pledge

The failure of UN climate negotiations to double down on a global pledge to move away from planet-heating fossil fuels on Sunday was decried by experts as a "worrying" setback to global progress on curbing warming.

Main points of the $300 billion climate deal

The deal reached at UN climate talks in Azerbaijan ramps up the money that wealthy historic emitters will provide to help poorer nations transition to cleaner energy and adapt to global warming.

World approves UN rules for carbon trading between nations at COP29

New rules allowing wealthy polluting countries to buy carbon-cutting "offsets" from developing nations were agreed at UN climate talks Saturday, in a move already raising fears they will be used to greenwash climate targets.

Push to salvage climate talks after poor nations bristle at cash

Key nations raced Saturday to salvage UN climate talks after the poorest countries pushed back angrily for more than $300 billion a year in help from historic wealthy emitters.

Climate-threatened nations stage protest at COP29 over contentious deal

The world's most climate-imperilled nations stormed out of consultations in protest at the deadlocked UN COP29 conference Saturday, as simmering tensions over a hard-fought finance deal erupted into the open.

Failure haunts UN environment conferences

Negotiators were struggling to reach a deal Saturday at UN climate talks in Baku. If they fail, it would not be the first time.

Children suffer as schools go online in polluted Delhi

Confined to her family's ramshackle shanty by the toxic smog choking India's capital, Harshita Gautam strained to hear her teacher's instructions over a cheap mobile phone borrowed from her mother.

Gabon forest elephant forays into villages spark ire

In heavily forested Gabon, elephants are increasingly wandering into villages and destroying crops, angering the local population who demand the power to stop the critically endangered animals in their tracks.

'Moment of truth' for world-first plastic pollution treaty

Plastic pollution litters our seas, our air and even our bodies, but negotiators face an uphill battle next week to agree on the world's first treaty aimed at ending the problem.

Common water disinfectant creates potentially toxic byproduct: study

A group of chemical compounds used to disinfect water for one-third of the US population and millions of others globally produces a potentially toxic byproduct, according to new research published Thursday, sparking calls for an "immediate" investigation into possible health impacts.

Fears rise of gender setbacks in global climate battle

As global climate negotiators seek to eke out progress, participants say they are witnessing backsliding in one unexpected area -- gender.

World still split over money as clock ticks on COP29

A fresh draft deal published Thursday at the deadlocked COP29 climate talks shows rich and poor countries still divided as time runs out to strike a finance agreement for developing nations.

Brazil will not 'shy away' from fossil fuels as COP30 host: envoy

Brazil will not "shy away" from championing a phaseout of fossil fuels as host of COP30 next year, even if it is a major oil producer, the country's climate envoy said Wednesday.

Awaiting Trump, US auto execs further temper EV push

US auto giants signaled Wednesday they could further slow the ramp-up of electric vehicle production as Detroit awaits the arrival of a Trump administration eager to reverse key Biden climate initiatives.

Rich nations pressed to put money on table at UN climate talks

Pressure mounted on wealthy nations Wednesday to put a figure on the table as time runs out at COP29 to strike a deal on climate assistance for poorer countries.

Pakistan reopens Punjab schools after smog improves

Schools reopened Wednesday in Pakistan's most populated province after authorities announced a drop in dangerous air pollution, with parents rejoicing their children's return to classes.

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