Welcome to Carbon Brief’s DeBriefed. An essential guide to the week’s key developments relating to climate change.
This week
El Niño begins
‘DOMINO WEATHER’: The natural weather phenomenon El Niño, which can raise global heat and “bring domino weather effects across the planet”, is now underway, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) declared on Thursday, reported the Washington Post . The Japanese Meteorological Administration also identified the start of El Niño on Wednesday, said Bloomberg . According to the Japanese weather agency, the event is “expected to intensify in the coming months and become very strong later in the year, persisting into at least December”, reported the outlet.
‘SUPER EVENT’: BBC News reported that “many forecasts suggest this could end up as a so-called ‘super’ El Niño” and be “among the strongest ever recorded”. It added: “Coming on top of decades of human-caused warming, it could bring another record-hot year – most likely in 2027 – with disruption to weather, food supplies and economies running well into that year.”
COP31 hosts eye electrification
‘35 BY 35’: COP31 hosts Turkey and Australia have called for countries to support a target of electrifying 35% of global energy use by 2035, reported Politico . Speaking at climate talks in Bonn, Germany, Turkish minister Murat Kurum said that electrification would be a “flagship priority” at the COP31 summit, noted the publication. Kurum added that “electrifying daily life, from transport to buildings and industry” could “protect families and businesses from volatile energy markets”, said the outlet.
WASTE AND BUILDINGS: Climate Home News reported that electrification was one of three priorities unveiled by the COP31 hosts, with the other two being waste and buildings. On buildings, the COP31 hosts “quietly overhauled [their] goal”, Climate Home News said. It reported: “An initial press statement on Monday set out a target ‘to achieve at least a 25% increase in energy efficiency in buildings by 2035’. But…on Tuesday, that was replaced with a different goal to ‘reduce energy consumption intensity in the building sector by at least 25% by 2035’.”
‘HARDEST’ CHALLENGE: Elsewhere in Bonn, UN climate chief Simon Stiell said “governments must stop revisiting climate commitments and start delivering on them”, South Africa’s Mail and Guardian reported. It quoted Stiell as saying: “Tackling the global climate crisis is the hardest but most important thing humanity has ever tried to do together…We are not yet where we need to be. But we are somewhere we have never been before.”
Around the world
ETS EXTRA: The EU has agreed “stronger” price controls on “ETS2”, its planned trading system for heating and transport emissions, according to Reuters .
OCEAN STRESS: The rate of sea level rise has doubled in 10 years amid “severe and accelerating” pressures on oceans, said a UN report covered by Time .
CLIMATE MIGRANTS: Donald Trump’s “immigration crackdown is largely targeting people from the countries most vulnerable to displacement from climate-driven disasters”, according to Guardian analysis.
ULTRA-RICH: Investments by the world’s ultra-rich in 2022 are linked to nearly $1tn in climate damages, according to a Greenpeace Africa analysis covered by BusinessGreen .
Two
The number of bidders for Trump’s auction for drilling rights in an Arctic wildlife refuge, with big oil companies “sitting out the sale”, reported Bloomberg .
Latest climate research
As the Arctic warms, increased iceberg activity could “reshape” deep-sea habitats and “elevate” navigational hazards as maritime traffic expands | Nature
Around 11% of the population of the world’s “rarest great ape”, the Tapanuli orangutan, is estimated to have perished in an extreme rainfall event in Indonesia in 2025 | Current Biology
Canada’s forests are shifting from a carbon sink to a carbon source, due to “wildfires disturbances” | Global Change Biology
(For more, see Carbon Brief’s in-depth daily summaries of the top climate news stories on Monday , Tuesday , Wednesday , Thursday and Friday .)
Captured
Solar power has overtaken gas in Asia to become the region’s third largest electricity source behind coal and hydropower, according to Carbon Brief analysis of data from the thinktank Ember. Solar became the third largest electricity source for Asia on an annual basis in April 2026, according to the analysis. In the year to April 2026, solar generated 1,727 terawatt hours (TWh), while gas generated 1,711TWh, it added.
Spotlight
Atlantic current monitoring at risk
This week, Carbon Brief reports on how Trump plans could disrupt efforts to track a major ocean current.
The Irminger Sea, a patch of frigid ocean east of Greenland, plays an outsized role in the Earth’s climate.
Here, surface water that has travelled thousands of kilometres from the tropics grows cold and dense enough to sink to the ocean’s depths – a transformation that must occur for t…
Read the full article at Carbon Brief →📄Source document: Karl Brix Zinglersen, Head of the Department of Environment and Minerals, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources→6 reports
Phys.orgIndependentCenter3 days agoGreenland is experiencing wildfires earlier in the year, a phenomenon linked to climate change and the warming of the Arctic. Researchers note that vegetation fires in Greenland are relatively new, with only 21 recorded between 2008 and 2020, mostly occurring in July and August. Recent fires in Western Greenland occurred in June due to warm, dry conditions.
Bias read (Center): The article presents scientific findings without overtly favoring one perspective. It cites a researcher from the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources and discusses the role of climate change and environmental factors without using biased language or omitting key context.
Official sources cited
- study Karl Brix Zinglersen, Head of the Department of Environment and Minerals, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources
Phys.orgIndependentCenter4 days ago Spain logs third-warmest year on record in 2025Spain experienced its third-warmest year on record in 2025, according to the national weather agency AEMET. The year saw 25 single-day heat records, with an average temperature of 15.1°C—1.1°C above the 1991–2020 reference period. Spain’s summer of 2025 was its hottest on record, averaging 24.2°C, leading to severe wildfires. The report also notes that the four warmest years in Spain’s historical data are the most recent four. The return of the El Niño weather pattern is expected to contribute to further extreme heat globally.
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual data from the Spanish meteorological agency without overtly biased language or selective sourcing. It reports on climate trends and their effects without taking a stance on policy, ideology, or assigning blame. The framing remains neutral, focusing on scientific findings
Nature NewsParty-alignedCenter5 days agoAn article discusses the development of a potentially record-breaking El Niño event occurring against the backdrop of globally elevated ocean temperatures. It highlights concerns about the synchronized nature of climate disruptions, suggesting that the impacts of El Niño are becoming more overlapping across regions and sectors due to the existing thermal conditions.
Bias read (Center): The article presents scientific observations and does not exhibit overt ideological framing. It focuses on the climatic implications of an El Niño event without taking a stance on policy, politics, or ideology.
Official sources cited
- press release Nature 653, 990–991 (2026)
Phys.orgIndependentCenter8 days ago As wildfires increase in the West, so does suppression spendingThe article discusses the increasing frequency and severity of wildfires in the western United States due to hotter and drier conditions. It notes that these wildfires have caused damage to infrastructure, natural ecosystems, and communities, leading to higher costs for fire management.
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual information about rising wildfire activity and associated costs without taking a clear ideological stance. It describes the situation objectively, focusing on environmental factors and their consequences rather than attributing blame or proposing policy solutions.
iNewsIndependentCenter8 days agoAn upcoming El Niño weather pattern is expected to cause droughts and crop failures globally, potentially leading to increased prices for certain food items in the UK, including rice, chocolate, fruits, coffee, and tea. The UN has issued warnings about the impact of this phenomenon, which is anticipated to raise global temperatures and intensify extreme weather conditions. Countries such as India, Australia, and parts of Africa are expected to face significant agricultural challenges, increasing the risk of higher food prices. Experts recommend that UK food suppliers diversify their supply-ch铇
Bias read (Center): The article discusses environmental and economic impacts of a natural climatic event (El Niño), focusing on potential effects on food prices and supply chains. It presents scientific forecasts and expert opinions without overtly favoring any political stance. The content remains factual and does not
Carbon BriefIndependentCenter9 days agoCarbon Brief's DeBriefed covers recent climate-related developments including the onset of El Niño, predictions of a 'super' El Niño event, and discussions at COP31 regarding global electrification targets. The article references reports from NOAA, the Japanese Meteorological Agency, the BBC, and Politico.
Bias read (Center): The article provides factual updates on climate phenomena and policy discussions without overtly favoring any political stance. It cites multiple reputable sources and presents information neutrally.
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