AGP Executive Report

Energy Efficiency: Oman will require high-consuming institutions to appoint energy officers, track use and cut waste as part of its goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. Climate Finance: Uganda has received just $1.6 billion of the $28.1 billion it estimates it needs by 2030, leaving a major gap for adaptation and emissions cuts. Wildfire Health: Indonesia’s September fires were linked to an estimated 3,560 deaths from smoke exposure; 57.8 million people breathed unhealthy or hazardous air. Oil Pollution: A tanker spill reached UAE beaches, prompting closures and cleanup efforts. Authorities say the leak is contained, but marine life remains at risk. Oil Profits: Disrupted Middle East supplies helped drive major oil companies’ profits sharply higher, even as households face rising fuel and heating costs. Cities and Climate: London Mayor Sadiq Khan says cities produce about 70% of carbon emissions and must lead on cuts, clean energy and green jobs ahead of COP31. Circular Economy: Jordan has adopted a roadmap through 2050 to expand reuse and recycling, improve water and energy efficiency, and turn waste into economic value.

Marine Pollution: The UAE says the GEM NO. 2 tanker spill is contained, but cleanup continues along affected coasts, with the slick concentrated near Umm Al Quwain. Biodiversity: Environmentalists warn that 14 oil and gas contracts surround Palawan; several are near protected areas, including Tubbataha Reefs, or overlap fishing grounds. Climate Finance: The Green Climate Fund approved a record funding package of nearly $2 billion, as climate-vulnerable countries press for more support. Climate Action: Ahead of COP31, observers say the summit should turn existing promises into policies, investment and measurable emissions cuts. Climate and Health: A Lancet report links nearly three million heat deaths from 2016 to 2023 to climate change, underscoring the rising human toll. Fossil Fuels: U.S. oil and gas companies earned more than $130 billion in the six months after the Iran war began, while fuel costs climbed for households. Oil Drilling: Los Angeles has banned new drilling and set a 20-year deadline to phase out existing wells.

Offshore Drilling: An environmental group warns that 14 of the Philippines’ 22 active petroleum contracts lie around Palawan, with four near protected areas including Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park — raising concerns for marine life and fishing communities. Climate Risks: Ghana’s environment minister called climate change a national security threat, citing floods and growing pressure on land and water. A new Lancet report says climate-related health harms are accelerating, while greenhouse gas levels hit a record in 2025, according to the UN climate agency. Clean Energy: A proposed Mersey tidal barrage could generate up to one gigawatt of electricity and help protect communities from rising seas; the project still needs detailed study and planning approval. Circular Economy: A European research project is developing biodegradable fertilizer coatings to replace polymers linked to an estimated 22,500 tonnes of microplastic releases each year in the European Economic Area. Japan also selected Veolia and Sumitomo Chemical to test combined mechanical and chemical recycling of plastic packaging. Climate Finance: The Green Climate Fund approved a record near $2 billion in funding, as vulnerable countries continue to face a shortfall in support.

Climate Risks: Oregon now faces four times as many days combining extreme heat and wildfire smoke as it did two decades ago, a state study says, with rising heat illness and deaths. Environmental Justice: A federal judge temporarily blocked West Virginia’s attorney general from demanding years of records from two climate groups, finding their First Amendment claim likely to prevail. Fossil-Fuel Costs: War-driven price spikes helped Shell and TotalEnergies post huge quarterly profits as households faced higher energy bills. Pollution: An oil spill off the UAE has prompted beach closures and raised concerns about desalination plants. Climate Policy: Climate Action Tracker says New Zealand’s policies are inadequate for its 2030 target without major reliance on overseas credits. Urban Cooling: Researchers say trees, green roofs, walls and urban gardens can help cool cities as extreme heat worsens. Plastic Alternatives: A South Korean study found paper straws scored higher than conventional plastic on modeled carcinogenic impact across their life cycle; the measure is not a direct estimate of cancer risk to users.

Business Climate Funding: A new UK poll found 74% of people believe businesses should fund environmental action; giving just 1% of private-sector turnover could raise £55 billion a year. Oil Spill: An expanding spill off the UAE has closed beaches and restricted fishing, with experts warning oil could threaten desalination plants that supply most of the country’s drinking water. Climate Signals: The UN’s weather agency says greenhouse gases reached record levels in 2025: CO₂ hit 426.8 parts per million, 153% of pre-industrial levels. Health Risks: A Lancet report says heat-related deaths have climbed nearly 36% since the Paris Agreement, reaching 710,000 in 2023, and urges a global health emergency declaration. Clean Energy: Jaipur’s utility will test a sodium-ion battery system to store rooftop solar and ease peak demand. At a Southeast Asian energy forum, delegates also called for more skilled workers and greater women’s participation to speed the transition. Fossil Fuel Profits: Shell’s quarterly profit doubled to $10.8 billion and TotalEnergies earned a record $8.3 billion as conflict-driven oil and gas prices lifted returns.

Climate and Health: A new Lancet Countdown report links nearly 3 million deaths worldwide to climate change from 2016 to 2023, including 710,000 heat-related deaths in 2023; researchers say the health harms are accelerating. Fossil Fuels: The Trump administration is moving to weaken methane rules for oil and gas producers, while Los Angeles approved a 20-year phaseout of oil production across the city’s roughly 600 active wells. Oil Spill: An expanding spill in the Arabian Gulf has prompted beach closures across parts of the UAE as crews work to contain pollution and protect marine habitats. Climate Resilience: The Green Climate Fund approved a $44 million programme for locally led coastal adaptation in five Caribbean nations, including support for mangrove restoration, early warnings and climate-resilient agriculture. Clean Energy: Mindanao aims to get half its power from renewables by 2030, with at least 1,000 megawatts of new clean energy expected within three years. Emissions and Infrastructure: Canadian officials say a proposed oil pipeline could add 27.7 million tonnes of emissions annually, exceeding expected cuts from the Pathways carbon-capture project.

Oil Spill: A tanker spill in the Strait of Hormuz has reached the UAE coast, prompting beach closures in Ras Al Khaimah and raising concern for marine life. U.S. Emissions Rules: President Donald Trump says he is ending Biden-era methane regulations for oil and gas producers, arguing the rollback will save $45 billion and unlock more fuel production. Climate and Health: A Lancet Countdown report says climate change contributed to 68% of heat deaths in 2023; researchers are urging governments to declare a global health emergency after nearly three million heat-related deaths since 2016. Africa’s Energy Transition: A study finds $293 billion in announced green hydrogen investments across 16 African countries, but most projects remain far from commercial operation. It warns that export ambitions must be balanced with domestic electricity access, with millions still without reliable power.

Climate Impacts: A Norwegian glacier has split into several sections after years of melting. In Oregon, extreme-heat days nearly doubled and wildfire-smoke days tripled over two decades, a state report finds. Emissions: Greenhouse gas levels reached a record high in 2025, according to the UN, as the Trump administration moves to loosen methane rules for oil and gas drilling. Energy Transition: Researchers say a battery-powered carbon-capture system could use half the energy of conventional methods, while COP31 preparations bring renewed calls for climate finance that developing countries can access more easily. Marine Pollution: An oil spill off the UAE coast has spread, prompting more beach closures and raising concerns for marine life.

Climate Records: The World Meteorological Organization says atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide all reached new highs in 2025, locking in warming that will affect the planet for centuries. Oil Spill: A tanker spill off the UAE coast is spreading, prompting more beach closures as cleanup crews work to contain the pollution. Clean Energy: The IEA warns that concentrated global supply chains for clean-energy technologies leave the transition vulnerable to disruption. Climate Justice: A youth-led trial in Canada is testing whether governments can be held legally accountable for failing to protect young people from climate harm.

Forever Chemicals: The U.S. EPA launched a strategy to speed up technologies that remove or destroy PFAS, persistent chemicals linked to serious health risks. Biodiversity Finance: More than $500 million in new pledges will support global nature conservation, including funding for the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund and a replenishment of the Global Environment Facility nearing $4.4 billion. Climate in Court: A landmark youth-led trial opened in Vancouver, where 15 Canadians argue federal climate policy violates their constitutional rights. Oil Spill: A tanker leak off the UAE has spread along the coast, prompting beach closures as cleanup efforts continue. Heat Risks: A new study attributes nearly two-thirds of 50,000 European summer heat deaths to fossil-fuel-driven warming. Emissions Gap: New Mexico officials say current policies will not meet the state’s 2030 climate target; emissions fell 21% from 2005 to 2023, short of the required 45% reduction.

Gulf Oil Spill: Satellite images show oil from a damaged tanker spreading toward the UAE coast, prompting more beach closures and raising concerns for marine life. Climate Targets: The Paris Accord’s 1.5°C goal remains in focus, but holding warming below it without overshoot is no longer considered realistic; the best-case outlook is around 1.7–1.8°C before a possible return to 1.5°C by century’s end. Energy Policy: UK Energy Secretary John Healey backs Rosebank oil drilling, while campaigners warn that Türkiye and Australia are expanding coal ahead of COP31. Wildlife: Five endangered green turtles accidentally caught in Philippine fish corrals were rescued, tagged and released into Casiguran Bay. Cleaner Industry: Tanzania is tightening protections against lead exposure, especially in used-battery recycling, while L’Oréal’s Nairobi factory won recognition for cutting resource use and environmental impacts as production grew.

UAE Oil Spill: Beach closures are expanding along the UAE coast after an oil spill off Umm Al Quwain. Cleanup experts warn that fast containment is crucial to protect marine life, while some dispersants can also harm sea creatures. North Sea Drilling: A cabinet split is brewing over Rosebank: Chancellor John Healey reportedly backs the oil project, while Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh is leaning against approval, citing its environmental impact and the fact that most oil would be exported. Climate Outlook: UNEP says the 1.5°C limit is now out of reach after decades of insufficient action; current policies put the world on course for about 2.6°C of warming this century, though faster emissions cuts could still curb the damage. Climate Finance: Ahead of COP31, Türkiye is urging wealthy nations to put more funding into climate support than defence, as developing countries press for investment and technology to help them adapt.

Coastal Pollution: Oil from a tanker leak off the UAE has prompted beach closures in Umm Al Quwain, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah. Authorities are assessing the spill and its effects; the vessel and cause have not been identified. Marine Life: Research on the Deepwater Horizon spill finds damage can persist for years, with pollutants linked to lasting harm to deep-sea species and food webs. Green Finance: Bangladesh’s BRAC Bank plans a Tk 1,000 crore green bond to fund renewable energy, green buildings and industrial efficiency. Clean Energy: Latin America’s renewable potential is being held back by costly financing, weak infrastructure and policy uncertainty, an IDB-CGD study warns. South Korea, meanwhile, plans renewable energy targets for public agencies as it pursues 100 gigawatts of capacity by 2030. Climate Health: A study estimates human-caused climate change contributed to 32,000 deaths in Europe this summer.

UAE Oil Spill: A tanker leak offshore has prompted beach closures across Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain and Sharjah. Authorities are assessing the impact and working to contain the oil, while warning people to avoid affected waters. North Sea Drilling: UK leaders are reportedly weighing approval for Rosebank, a field holding an estimated 500 million barrels, after approving the Jackdaw gas project. The prospect has sharpened Labour’s divide over energy security and climate commitments. Waste Tyres: A warning from South Africa highlights a growing hazard: the country generates about 70,000 discarded tyres a day, while poorly managed stockpiles risk fires that can send toxic smoke over nearby communities. Urban Heat: Chennai residents, researchers and city officials discussed targeted cooling measures after a risk assessment identified nine wards at very high heat risk and 30 at high risk, with built-up areas and limited green cover among the factors. Deforestation: Brazil’s emissions fell 6% in 2025, according to Climate Observatory, with reduced deforestation driving the decline.

UAE Oil Spill: A tanker spill has spread toward Umm Al Quwain’s coast, forcing beach closures as crews contain the slick and assess risks to marine life. Experts warn that quick recovery is crucial; dispersants can also harm wildlife. Environmental Law: Vietnam’s top legislator says revisions must not trade environmental protections for growth, and urges safeguards for public health and pollution oversight. Clean Energy: African advocates are calling for investment in grids and renewable power to deliver jobs and reliable electricity. An Australian delegation at India’s renewable energy expo is seeking partnerships in solar, storage and other clean technologies. Climate Outlook: UN projections suggest current national plans put warming at 2.6°C, beyond the Paris targets. Brazil, meanwhile, cut emissions 6% in 2025, largely by reducing deforestation. Fossil Fuel Debate: The UK has approved the Jackdaw gas project, drawing criticism from climate campaigners as debate over new North Sea drilling intensifies. Climate Finance: At a pre-COP31 gathering, India’s Piyush Goyal challenged developed nations over an unmet climate-finance pledge and opposed EU carbon trade measures.

Oil Spill: A tanker spill has reached beaches in Umm Al Quwain, prompting closures there and at Sharjah’s Al Hamriyah Beach. UAE teams are containing and assessing the pollution; the vessel and cause remain unconfirmed. COP31: The European Parliament is urging a faster global shift from fossil fuels and fairer climate finance for vulnerable countries, as Istanbul hosts a pre-summit push to turn available capital into green projects. Climate Toll: A new study estimates Europe’s summer heat caused more than 50,000 deaths in 2026, with climate change responsible for about two-thirds. Climate Resilience: Hawaiʻi is launching hands-on workshops to help farmers improve soil health, retain water and prepare for climate impacts. Energy Efficiency: A €72.4 million Moldova programme is upgrading 10 hospitals, with projected energy savings of about 40% once the work is complete.