Molly Lempriere
@mollylempriere.carbonbrief.org
Section editor for policy at Carbon Brief
NEW – Factcheck: How nuclear, gas, wind and solar power are affected during heatwaves | @mollylempriere.carbonbrief.org w/ comment from @iain-staffell.bsky.social @henrypreston.bsky.social Read here: buff.ly/yfvQnUS
Carbon capture and storage is the subject of considerable hype – but as it stands, very little CO2 is being captured and stored.
🧵Right-leaning newspapers are trying to blame Europe's raging wildfires on everything EXCEPT fossil fuels 1. The Wall Street Journal Frontpage story: "Greece fights wildfires as Europe crisis spreads" WSJ editorial: "How green policies fuel fires in Europe"
Solar energy supplied more power to Britain’s grid in July than any previous month on record. The figure of 14.4% of all power generated in July smashed the last monthly record of 12.4%, set only in May In July 2025, the (formerly) best year for solar generation, 9.6% of generation was from solar.
A few weeks ago, the world crossed a major solar milestone: 3 terawatt installed. Why did no one notice? 0.1 TW to 1 TW: 120 months 1 TW to 2 TW: 29 months 2 TW to 3 TW: 19 months Gift link to the story 🎁🔗 www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
The World Crossed a Major Solar Milestone. No One Noticed
The next phase of the boom may reveal a shift in who is gaining access to the technology.
bloomberg.com
NEW – Factcheck: No, Europe is not having its ‘quietest’ year for wildfires ✍️ @giulianaviglione.bsky.social and @rtmcswee.carbonbrief.org 💬 With comments from @calxcunningham.bsky.social Read here: buff.ly/pDQGTR3
New UK energy statistics show why gas dependence is still an energy security risk 2025: 📍 UK gas production ⬇️ 📍 Liquefied Natural Gas imports ⬆️
This is even worse than Badenoch’s letter yesterday, as she has space to explain what she would do instead of net zero targets to tackle the climate change she accepts is real but then doesn’t. She accuses Labour of not having a plan, then insists we should trust her unannounced plan will be better.
It seems to be factcheck season! Here's our latest on claims that 2026 is a quiet year for wildfires in Europe ⬇️
Carbon Brief@carbonbrief.org · 6d agoNEW – Factcheck: No, Europe is not having its ‘quietest’ year for wildfires ✍️ @giulianaviglione.bsky.social and @rtmcswee.carbonbrief.org 💬 With comments from @calxcunningham.bsky.social Read here: buff.ly/pDQGTR3
🧵UK media has been duped about net-zero (again) The playbook is identical: 1️⃣ Find a big scary number 2️⃣ Speed-dial non-specialist hacks 3️⃣ Do say “serious economic damage” 4️⃣ Don’t say “we pretended gas is free” 5️⃣ That's it! Many papers still fell for it 🤷
2,877 excess deaths linked to the heatwaves in England in May and June. It looks likely that this year will exceed the record 2,985 excess heat deaths of 2022 (because of the long heatwave in July)
The first big UN assessment of the world's progress towards its 2030 nature goals finds that we are falling short on 22 of 23 targets Full breakdown of the draft global report and what it all means by me, @orladwyer.carbonbrief.org & @arunacsekhar.bsky.social www.carbonbrief.org/world-fallin...
World falling short on 22 of 23 nature targets for 2030, says draft UN report - Carbon Brief
The global goal to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030 “will not be achieved” unless action by countries “accelerates…
carbonbrief.org
not ideal World falling short on 22 of 23 nature targets for 2030, says draft UN report By @carbonbrief.org www.carbonbrief.org/world-fallin...
World falling short on 22 of 23 nature targets for 2030, says draft UN report - Carbon Brief
The global goal to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030 “will not be achieved” unless action by countries “accelerates…
carbonbrief.org
++BREAKING++ The UK and Spanish governments have issued a joint statement overnight: "[We] agreed that this summer’s wildfires demonstrated that climate change was now a national security emergency facing Europe and threatening our way of life." www.gov.uk/government/n...
NEW – Q&A: What does China’s 15th ‘five-year plan’ for renewables mean for climate change? ✍️ Written by @anikanpatel.carbonbrief.org and Lekai Liu 💬 With comments from Yao Zhe @jamesnorman.bsky.social Pan Jiahua, Cosimo Ries and Isadora Wang Read here: buff.ly/qVU3RTg
Despite resistance from Musk’s neo-Nazi buddies and the government’s misguided belief that fossil gas is a bridge fuel, Germany still relied on renewables more than fossil fuels for the first time ever last year www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-win...
Analysis: Wind and solar power overtake fossil fuels in Germany for first time ever - Carbon Brief
Together, wind and solar power generated 225 TWh of electricity – accounting for 44% of the total in 2025 – with just 43% coming from fossil fuels.
carbonbrief.org
Miliband: “International development is not an add-on to British foreign policy – it is central to it." This is a difficult sell after Labour has made huge cuts to the UK's aid and global climate finance budget. The UK's aid cuts are deeper than any other major donor, including the US.
Damian Carrington@dpcarrington.bsky.social · last wk.Ed Miliband indicates development and climate will be at heart of UK foreign policy - New foreign secretary to take up World Bank seat and play active role in shaping changes to global lender #climatecrisis www.theguardian.com/business/202...
++BREAKING++ The Daily Telegraph has... *rubs eyes* ...published something sensible about climate change: "I’m coming to the view that the Online Right is going wrong, eschewing compassion or charm, talking itself into corners of angry irrelevance. Take climate change."
You probably won't be surprised to learn that the Daily Telegraph and GB News have totally mangled a new study... ...and their mangling has then been gleefully amplified by rightwing influencers including Reform MP Richard Tice. 🫠 Here's our new factcheck... www.carbonbrief.org/factcheck-no...
Factcheck: No, Europe’s heatwaves are not being ‘caused’ by declining air pollution - Carbon Brief
Scientists tell Carbon Brief that the framing of heatwaves being “caused” by declining air pollution is “wrong”.
carbonbrief.org
Today, almost all new electricity is coming from clean energy Once clean-energy growth consistently exceeds demand, fossil-fuel power will start to decline Source: IEA
State of the climate: Rapidly developing El Niño raises chance of record-warm 2026 | @zekehausfather.com Read here ➡️ buff.ly/NDJddQS
Renewables are now the world's largest source of electricity – and the main source of new supplies
Renewables are overtaking coal as the world's largest source of electricity generation, after near parity in 2025. New @iea.org mid-year update: their share goes from 33% to 37% by 2027, solar and wind from 17% to 21%. EU well ahead of global average. iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/3c66a...
NEW: The opposition Conservatives are making a symbolic attempt to repeal the UK's Climate Change Act It will be debated on 2 September, after summer recess (and a series of deadly heatwaves)
🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham has appointed Miatta Fahnbulleh as Energy and Net Zero Secretary
As Ed Miliband leaves his post as energy and net-zero secretary, a final tally: There have been an incredible 251 newspaper editorials attacking him and his approach to net-zero since the start of 2024 That amounts to two editorials a week, mainly in the Sun, Daily Mail, Times and Daily Telegraph.
Andy Burnham hasn't said much on climate change recently But in the past he's been very outspoken about protecting net-zero and even signed the fossil fuel treaty for phasing them out just last year, while GM mayor More by me and @orladwyer.carbonbrief.org ⬇️ www.carbonbrief.org/28-quotes-fr...
28 quotes from next UK leader Andy Burnham on climate, net-zero and fossil fuels - Carbon Brief
Carbon Brief recounts 28 things that Andy Burnham has said about climate change, net-zero, fossil fuels, energy and transport.
carbonbrief.org