Climate

Haze obscures the Dubai skyline including Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building. The United Arab Emirates is choking under "alarmingly high" air pollution levels fed by its fossil fuel industry, Human Rights Watch warned on December 4. The oil-rich country hosts the UN's COP28 climate talks in Dubai.

What it means for an oil producing country, the UAE, to host U.N. climate talks

10:55am December 09, 2023

by Aya Batrawy

The United Arab Emirates is a major oil producing nation, and that's drawing attention to the role oil and gas has at this year's COP28 climate negotiations.

How COP28 could help developing countries confront climate change

4:47pm December 07, 2023

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks to Belizean climate ambassador Janine Felson about how deals reached at COP28 can help developing countries confront climate change.

More than 2,400 fossil fuel representatives and lobbyists have been accredited for the U.N. climate talks in Dubai — a record. Meanwhile, negotiators are wrestling with calls to end all new oil, gas and coal projects to curb climate change.

World News

A record number of fossil fuel representatives are at this year's COP28 climate talks

10:57am December 07, 2023

by Julia Simon

With a record number of oil, gas and coal representatives at this year's COP28 climate talks, climate scientists worry industry influence could water down language on fossil fuels.

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National

U.S. mayors and governors are in Dubai to discuss climate change

5:13am December 07, 2023

NPR's Michel Martin talks to Barbara Buffaloe, mayor of Columbia, Mo., who's part of the U.S. Conference of Mayors delegation at the summit, to talk about her city's effort to tackle climate change.

The young industry of wind energy has hit economic headwinds in the U.S.

5:59pm December 06, 2023

At UN climate talks, the global community is looking at tripling the amount of renewables coming online. In the U.S., that's meant a push into offshore wind — but it's been met with fits and starts.

Sultan al-Jaber is the president of this year's climate talks and the head of the UAE's state-run oil company. Oil companies have a big platform at the climate conference, and experts say their language is important because it can make it into policy.

World News

Oil firms are out in force at the climate talks. Here's how to decode their language

11:36am December 05, 2023

The oil industry has a huge voice in this year's climate talks. But what are oil companies actually saying? And why does it matter? We break down their pledges and statements into plain English.

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What the fossil fuel industry is saying in this year's climate talks

4:51pm December 04, 2023

The fossil fuel industry has a huge voice in this year's climate talks. But what are oil companies actually saying? And why does it matter? We break down their statements into plain English.

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Science

The unsung heroes fighting against climate change? Fish in the 'twilight zone'

8:04am December 03, 2023

by Ayesha Rascoe

Fish are responsible for capturing billions of tons of carbon dioxide each year. NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks with Ken Buesseler of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute about how they do it.

Major flooding has hit Kenya in November. The disasters are likely intensified by climate change, and are causing ongoing health issues across the region. World leaders are discussing the health impacts of climate change at the COP28 climate meeting in Dubai this month.

Health is on the agenda at UN climate negotiations. Here's why that's a big deal

4:30am December 03, 2023

by Alejandra Borunda

Advocates say human-driven climate change is hurting people's health worldwide–but taking action like reducing reliance on fossil fuels lowers risks immediately.

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Vice President Harris speaks to leaders at the United Nations climate summit in Dubai on Dec. 2, 2023.

In Dubai, Harris deals with 2 issues important to young voters: climate and Gaza

6:46pm December 02, 2023

by Deepa Shivaram

Vice President Harris gave her most extensive comments to date on the fighting in Gaza, emphatically calling on Israel to do more to protect civilians.