Scientists in Australia have confirmed that an “unprecedented” fifth mass coral bleaching event in just eight years has hit the Great Barrier Reef, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. According to the newspaper, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority says aerial surveys show that two-thirds of the massive habitat’s reefs shows signs of bleaching. This is “the result of yet another marine heatwave in another sign of the deteriorating forecasts for Australia’s marine wonder under global warming”, the article explains. The news follows similar alerts from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which reported earlier this week that bleaching in the northern hemisphere and likely widespread bleaching in the southern hemisphere “put the world on the precipice of a global bleaching event”, it continues. South China Morning News says the bleaching is “primarily driven by climate change”, but also amplified by the El Nino phenomenon, which tends to cause warmer ocean waters. Agence France-Presse reports that ocean temperatures in the Great Barrier Reef region have approached record levels over the past few weeks. It explains that, as heat stress hits corals, they expel the algae that live within their tissues, draining them of their colours and leading to bleaching. The article notes that the World Heritage Committee has threatened to list the Great Barrier Reef as an “in danger” global heritage site – a move that could hamper tourism. But “fierce lobbying” by the Australian government has so far kept it off the list, the piece adds. The Guardian quotes Australian environment minister Tanya Plibersek, who points to efforts by the government to hit net-zero by 2050 and fund adaptation measures on the reef. However, it also quotes campaigners who say the bleaching should be a “wake-up call” for the government to instigate more ambitious climate policies.

Separately, the Guardian reports that the scientific debate over whether or not to declare the “Anthropocene” an official geological epoch has “descended into an epic row”. It says the controversy centres around the “validity of a leaked vote that apparently killed the proposal”. The newspaper explains that some scientists had hoped that naming the Anthropocene would “formalise the undeniable and irreversible changes that human activity has wreaked on the planet”.

US president Joe Biden delivered his annual State of the Union address last night, with some news outlets focusing on his references to climate change and energy policy. According to CBS News, the speech was an opportunity for the president to “thread the needle on his track record of climate change legislation, environmental protection and energy policy”, ahead of the November presidential election. It notes that polling suggests knowledge of Biden’s flagship Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) climate policy remains low among US voters and many “climate voters” are “seething over oil drilling and gas pipeline approvals by his administration”. Biden said, “I see a future where we save the planet from the climate crisis and our country from gun violence”, in a statement the New York Times describes as “a clear message to youth voters”. In the newspaper’s full factcheck of the president’s speech, it adds some context to Biden’s claim that “I am cutting our carbon emissions in half by 2030”. It notes that “it is not at all clear the policies he has put in place will get the country there”, with the IRA set to cut emissions by 40% [below 2005 levels], but only if it is fully realised. A preview article published ahead of the speech in Politico says congressional Democrats wanted Biden to make much of climate and energy policy in his speech and “set aside any shred of political modesty” on the topic. However, in the event, the Washington Post concludes that “climate change wasn’t a major theme of the speech”. It adds that, to some extent, this is unsurprising “since climate isn’t a top issue for voters”. The New York Times Climate Forward newsletter emphasises that the “consequences of November’s election will be momentous” for climate change – citing new Carbon Brief analysis that shows a victory for Republican presidential challenger Donald Trump could result in more than 4bn tonnes of extra US emissions by 2030.

The New York Times also has a piece about the guests that the president invited to attend the speech, including people “who reflect Mr Biden’s energy and climate change agenda – and underscore his message that tackling global warming creates jobs”. Among them were Natalie King – “described as the first Black woman to found an electric vehicle charging manufacturing company” – and Shawn Fain, president of the United Automobile Workers union, who the article says looks set to support Biden’s plans to curb emissions from cars.

Meanwhile, Axios reports on an interview with John Podesta, Biden’s new senior adviser for international climate policy. He tells the news outlet that the US is considering what it can commit to in its next round of emissions pledges, and that the government is also treating climate finance for developing countries and transitioning from fossil fuels as priorities. Podesta also cites the findings of Carbon Brief’s new “Trump vs Biden” analysis.

China’s foreign minister and top diplomat Wang Yi “doubled down” on efforts to portray China’s economy positively during a press conference at the “two sessions” political event happening in Beijing, reports the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post. The outlet adds that Wang said that China’s emerging industries are “booming” and its “green” transition had yielded “impressive results”. The New York Times reports that, when it comes to solar panel manufacturing, “China’s cost advantage is formidable” due in part to cheaper labour and electricity and a concentration of “know-how” in the country. Reuters quotes US energy secretary Jennifer Granholm saying that the US is “very concerned about China bigfooting our industry in the US even as we’re building up now this incredible backbone of manufacturing”. The state-run industry newspaper China Energy News responds to the comment, calling it “blunt” and adding that, recently, some US politicians have “promoted ‘threat theories’ related to China regarding electric vehicles”.

Meanwhile, China’s “ambition of delivering the world’s largest clean energy deployment in remote deserts and interior regions” needs more “focus on boosting grid capacity” to succeed, says Bloomberg quoting an Inner Mongolian local official at the “two sessions”. China Energy News reports that the delegates at the “two sessions” have offered suggestions on developing a “new energy system” and “vehicle-to-grid-interaction”. China Energy Net reports that Jin Shuanggen, vice president of Henan Polytechnic University, proposed at the “two sessions” that China should promote “the green mining of coal and the green development of coal mining areas, and scientifically advancing the transformation of coal from the main energy source to a backup energy guarantee”. The state-supporting newspaper Global Times quotes Lu Tiezhong, a member of the national committee, saying at the same meeting that “China’s nuclear industry, as an important cornerstone of national security, plays a crucial role in the future energy landscape”. Bloomberg carries a commentary by David Fickling, who argues that “a pollution peak won’t come [in China] this year unless China’s economy gets far more efficient at turning carbon into growth”. 

China Daily carries a commentary by Steven Barnett, senior representative of the International Monetary Fund in China, who writes: “China is still one of the largest emitters of CO2 and, thus, the speed of its decarbonisation is crucial for addressing the global climate crisis. China’s continued and growing leadership to address the global climate crisis is thus both welcome and vital.” Finally, another commentary in China Daily by Dimitri de Boer, regional director for Asia at ClientEarth and special adviser of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development, says that “China’s system for environmental public interest litigation is unique” and could “provide inspiration to other countries seeking to enhance their enforcement of environmental law”.

The EU plans to delay strict policing of commodities imported from regions that are suffering from deforestation, according to the Financial Times, citing “three EU officials”. The newspaper says that the changes to the anti-deforestation regulation, introduced as part of the EU’s flagship Green Deal, comes after several governments in Asia, Africa and Latin America “complained that the rules would be burdensome, unfair and scare off investors”. Instead of designating countries as “low, standard or high risk”, which the EU was due to do by December, it will define every country as “standard” risk to give them more time to adapt to the new measures, the article explains. It describes the law as a “crucial part of Brussels’ plans to reach net-zero emissions in the bloc by 2050”, by barring imports of products such as coffee and cocoa from deforested areas and, therefore, reducing EU consumers’ role in deforestation. 

In related news, the Financial Times reports that the Netherlands has expressed concerns that EU trade measures aimed at encouraging “climate-friendly” behaviour in trading partners “are alienating developing countries who find their products blocked from the EU market”. This is based on a Dutch paper circulated to other member states that says such measures have “had a clear effect on the EU’s international reputation and credibility”. Politico says that one such measure – the EU’s upcoming carbon border adjustment mechanism – will deal Ukraine “a severe economic blow in 2026 when the law takes effect” as it relies on exporting its relatively high-emissions iron and steel to the EU. Separately, Reuters reports that EU officials have agreed to quit the Energy Charter Treaty – which allows energy companies to sue governments over policies that damage their investments – due to “concerns that it undermines efforts to fight climate change”.\

In other EU news, Reuters reports on a draft report by the European Environment Agency that will form the first Europe-wide analysis of climate-related risks. The draft reveals the “mounting cost of climate change”, with economic losses from weather and climate extremes in EU countries exceeding €650bn between 1980-2022, the newswire says.

According to the German Federal Audit Court, the country “is falling behind” its goal of achieving 80% of electricity from renewables by 2030, reports Der Spiegel. It adds that the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) was only able to allocate land for 50% of the target volume for onshore wind turbines in 2023 and, instead of the required 12.84 gigawatts (GW), only 6.38GW were allocated. To get back on track, it would have to allocate land for 16.46GW of new onshore wind turbines in 2024, which the audit court deems “unrealistic”. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) also covers the story, calling the situation “a resounding slap in the face for the energy policy of the traffic-light coalition”. Nevertheless, Handelsblatt reports that wind power replaced coal last year as the most significant source of electricity generation in Germany. 

Meanwhile, Rheinische Post reports that German vice-chancellor Robert Habeck has lauded the improved transatlantic relationship, particularly relating to energy and climate protection, during his third visit to the US since taking office. The outlet details that the Russian invasion of Ukraine has brought the US and Germany together on the energy issue, prompting Germany to advance liquified “natural” gas (LNG) import terminals along its coasts, primarily supplied by the US. However, challenges remain, adds the outlet, such as Joe Biden’s moratorium on new LNG export licences as well as the Inflation Reduction Act, an American subsidy program for green investments, which “reflects continued protectionism”, creating hurdles for investments in clean energy in Europe. 

Finally, Deutsche Welle reports that a protest group known as the “Volcano Group” has claimed responsibility for an arson attack on an electricity pylon connected to Tesla’s Gigafactory near Berlin, causing power outages for thousands of local residents. 

The Conversation has published a variety of climate-related articles to mark International Women’s Day, including one by Prof Paola Profeta, director of the AXA research lab on gender equality at Bocconi University, reflecting on the role of women leaders in addressing climate change. “Addressing the complex global challenge of climate change requires diverse perspectives and experiences. Female leaders can bring different qualities to the table,” she writes. Profeta points to survey data that suggests women generally care more about the environment, feel more personally responsible for reducing emissions and tend to agree more that stronger action should be taken to tackle climate change. “When approaching climate change, women tend to offer fresh perspectives, creative problem-solving skills and inclusive leadership styles. As climate change affects everyone, our collective effort benefits from acknowledging the diverse ways in which men and women express concerns about the issues and propose actions for the future,” she writes.

Dr Alix Dietzel, a climate justice researcher at the University of Bristol, has a piece in the Conversation about how to encourage more diverse voices, beyond “white men”, in the environmental sector. She draws on her research working in these spaces and suggests practical steps that can be taken to address the dominance of white men. “Any institution that pays attention to how it makes decisions, and who is consulted, will help to ensure the green transition is as inclusive as possible,” she says. Finally, Prof Pedi Obani, a legal scholar at the University of Bradford, has a piece in the Conversation about climate cases being fought in domestic courts in South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya. She says such cases are particularly important as a way for women in Africa to seek climate justice, as they tend to feel the effects of climate change most. Shw writes: “If women are able to bring climate action effectively, it will lead to better protection of their rights. This will make them more resilient to climate change. It will also ensure better accountability of those responsible for climate change at various levels, from countries to corporations.”

Christina DeConcini, the World Resources Institute director of government affairs, has an article in Sustainable Views, a news service for “financial services professionals” produced by the Financial Times. She explains that, while some climate actions could be reversed if Joe Biden lost the upcoming US presidential election, “the most important components of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)…will not be repealed, irrespective of the inevitable power shifts in Washington”. She explains, for example, that the tax credits introduced under the IRA “can’t be rolled back unilaterally by a president via executive order. The only way to erase or weaken them would be through further legislation.” DeConcini notes that there are also political reasons why it will not be reversed: “The real-world fruits of this legislation are actually very popular with Americans across the country. As more factories go up and more jobs are created, it becomes increasingly untenable for lawmakers to call for the IRA’s dismantling.”

Meanwhile, an editorial in the Wall Street Journal, a newspaper that often opposes climate policies on its comment pages, says the new rules for companies to disclose their climate-related risks and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the Securities and Exchange Commission “will hurt firms and investors”. It says “the rule exceeds the agency’s authority under the law and imposes new costs on public companies” and suggests the focus should be on “more tangible risks” such as consumers not liking electric cars or other countries scaling back their climate policies.

A new study finds that the 2022 drought that gripped the UK was among the most far-reaching and severe droughts in recent history, with far-reaching effects. Using rainfall, temperature and streamflow data from across the UK to chart the evolution of the drought over the course of the year. They find that summer 2022 was the fifth-driest summer since 1890 and the joint-hottest since 1884, with many rivers reaching record low flows. The authors warn that “while there is significant uncertainty about how multiannual droughts may evolve in future, there is high confidence that we will be increasingly tested by more droughts like 2022”.