AGP Executive Report

Climate Risks: A new interactive map shows where exposure to floods, droughts, heatwaves and cyclones overlaps with poverty and gaps in basic services, helping identify communities most in need of support. Researchers also warn floods have risen sharply worldwide since 2000, making community-led preparation increasingly important. Food and Farming: Climate shifts are reshaping India’s tea regions, with a 30-year study finding temperatures up 1.1–1.3°C in parts of Assam and West Bengal, alongside declining humidity and less predictable rain. In Ivory Coast, scientists have identified 11 cocoa varieties showing promise against heat and water stress. Pollution and Energy: U.S. lawmakers are investigating EPA guidance that exempts some data center power plants from Acid Rain Program protections, which regulate pollutants linked to acid rain and health harms. Climate Outlook: A new global climate report warns that Earth’s systems are becoming more unstable despite rapid clean-energy growth. Ahead of COP31 in Türkiye, climate justice and adaptation finance are also emerging as key tests for governments.

Extreme Weather: Climate change and El Niño intensified Hurricane Polo, with warming linked to about 6 mph of extra wind speed, according to a new attribution study. Water and AI: Indonesia’s infrastructure minister urged environmental checks for data centers, warning that their water and energy demands must not compromise supplies for communities and agriculture. Climate Adaptation: Ivory Coast researchers have developed 11 promising cocoa varieties that can better withstand water stress, as declining rainfall threatens the world’s largest producer. Urban Risks: Researchers in Ghana are tracking school heat and flooding in Accra and Tamale to guide practical responses to rising climate threats. Insurance: A new report warns insurers are pulling back from climate-related risks, potentially leaving households and governments to bear more of the losses. Marine Protection: Kuwait’s dive team has installed 35 moorings near Kubbar Island to prevent boat anchors from damaging coral reefs. Climate Justice: Türkiye’s foreign minister says November’s COP31 should advance climate justice and sustainable development.

Wildfire Smoke: Fires raging in Indonesia’s Central Kalimantan have blanketed the region in orange haze, obscured Singapore’s skyline and forced schools to close in Malaysia. Climate Warning: A new international report says seven of 16 climate indicators have reached record extremes, with atmospheric carbon dioxide at 428 parts per million; researchers say rapid emissions cuts and adaptation are both essential. Marine Risks: Philippine officials are watching for coral bleaching, harm to fish nurseries and other damage as a very strong El Niño brings extreme ocean heat early next year. Regional Cooperation: Nepal is proposing a Himalayan climate resilience mechanism to help India, China and Nepal share scientific data and coordinate disaster response.

Methane Rules: The EU has proposed delaying some methane monitoring and reporting requirements by a year, citing energy-price and supply concerns. Africa’s Climate Response: Stakeholders at the Africa Climate Forum called for more private investment, stronger accountability and journalism that tracks whether climate pledges improve lives. Land Rights: Women’s secure tenure in Indigenous and local communities remains underfunded, despite its role in protecting biodiversity and building climate resilience. Forest Loss: The world lost more than 7 million hectares of forest in 2025, according to a report highlighted in this week’s coverage. Climate and Poverty: A UN warning says climate extremes could push 132 million people into poverty by 2030. Pollution Emergency: Niger declared an environmental emergency after an oil well blowout, raising urgent concerns about contamination and community safety.

Climate Risks: UNICEF warns that an unusually strong El Niño could put 1.3 million Cambodian children at risk from heat, drought and floods; across Asia-Pacific, about 190 million children face potential impacts. Nature and Climate: Ahead of COP17 biodiversity talks and COP31 climate negotiations, coastal leaders urge governments and funders to connect conservation with climate resilience in local communities. Climate Finance: The Green Climate Fund approved preparation support for a Fiji agriculture guarantee designed to improve access to finance for climate-smart farming. Ocean Change: Pacific governments, scientists and finance institutions are pushing for stronger action on ocean acidification, a less visible threat to marine ecosystems and coastal livelihoods. Data Center Permits: Oregon’s governor ordered a pause on new air and water permits for data centers until July 2027, as the state weighs their environmental impacts. Oil Pollution: Niger declared an environmental emergency after an oil well blowout.

Community Resistance: Filipino environmental advocates completed a 154-kilometre march to Manila, protesting environmental destruction, land disputes and threats to fishers and climate-vulnerable communities. Organizers said their grievances went unanswered. El Niño Risks: UNICEF warns that 1.3 million Cambodian children and more than 190 million children across Asia-Pacific could face unusually dry or wet conditions in coming months, threatening food, water, health and education. Climate Action: Young campaigners are taking climate fights from streets to courts, challenging governments and fossil fuel companies over their responsibilities. Fossil Fuels: Greenpeace Africa and Extinction Rebellion protesters at African Energy Week in Cape Town called for an end to new oil and gas exploration, as South Africa considers expanding development. Climate Finance: UN chief António Guterres urged developed countries to triple annual adaptation funding to $300 billion and raise total climate finance to $1.3 trillion a year by 2035. Policy and Waste: Malaysia’s 2027 budget boosts conservation and resilience funding, while Johor says new data centres must prioritize water efficiency and green technology. In Dorset, regulators approved a permit allowing a planned incinerator to burn 68 waste types despite objections over pollution and other impacts.

Food and Climate: Extreme rainfall may damage cocoa yields more than heat or water shortages, a new study finds, threatening millions of farmers. Researchers say forecasts tied to El Niño could help growers prepare. Oceans Under Pressure: Pacific temperatures are setting records as El Niño strengthens. In the Galápagos, scientists found no blue whales during a 10-month survey amid unusually warm waters and possible shifts in food supply. Antarctic Research: An $18.4 million project will map the genetic diversity of Antarctic life, while a UK team heads south to protect historic research bases facing climate change. Climate Risks: The EU climate service says September was the world’s second-warmest on record. Separately, a report warns that El Niño and climate change put 30 million children in Brazil at risk. Water Solutions: Qatar’s PlasmaPure team reached the semifinals of a global competition for more sustainable desalination technologies, with potential applications in water-stressed regions.

Climate Warning: September was the world’s second-warmest on record, while El Niño pushed Pacific sea temperatures to a record in a key monitoring zone. The EU climate service warns the event is still intensifying, raising risks of drought and flooding. Climate Leadership: Sultan Nazrin Shah urged leaders to act on environmental crises before consensus is complete, as the world’s top climate science body remains deadlocked over when to publish its next major assessment. Flood Resilience: England is launching a flood-and-drought taskforce after a dry summer, with new advice for households and billions committed to flood defences. Ocean Pollution: Plastic waste found at every stop on Fiji’s Paddle for Hope campaign has renewed calls for better collection and recycling systems to protect coastal communities and tourism. Nature at Risk: Experts say climate change and short-term funding are complicating efforts to restore Scotland’s rainforest, while campaigners warn Brazil’s election could shape the future of the Amazon.

War’s Environmental Cost: Iran’s foreign minister warned that attacks on oil facilities risk long-lasting soil and water contamination, air pollution and ecosystem damage. Water Pollution: Nearly 6 million cubic metres of wastewater enter Iraq’s Tigris and Euphrates daily, a lawmaker said, worsening risks to drinking water and farming as drought reduces river flows. Climate and Food Security: A strong El Niño forecast for southern Africa could bring hotter, drier conditions, threatening rain-fed crops and household food budgets. Climate Science: Researchers warn global warming is weakening Atlantic Ocean circulation, raising concern about major shifts in climate patterns. COP31: Türkiye’s host agreement is now in force, with accommodation-cost limits for some participants and stronger provisions on inclusion and participant protections.

Climate Litigation: Courts are becoming a counterweight as governments retreat from climate commitments. Australia’s top court blocked a coal mine expansion over its climate impact, while international court opinions have affirmed states’ duties to act. War’s Environmental Toll: Iran’s foreign minister says US-Israeli strikes on oil facilities risk contaminating soil and water and causing pollution that could last for decades. Climate-Resilient Food: New maps show where farmers in southern Africa could grow drought-tolerant bambara groundnut, a nutritious crop that could help diversify food supplies. Water and Heat: Google says its planned Indian data centre will use air cooling after an assessment found pressure on the local watershed. A strengthening El Niño is also raising concern about water and power shortages in Telangana. Wildlife: Chinstrap penguins at Zavodovski Island, home to the world’s largest colony, have declined by 63%, a stark warning for a species facing climate pressures.

Mangrove Restoration: Prudential Life Insurance Ghana has planted 12,300 mangroves at the Songor Ramsar Site over three years, aiming to restore threatened wetlands and strengthen nearby communities against climate impacts. Air Pollution: Lahore’s LUMS has launched a research centre to identify major sources of particulate pollution across Punjab and study indoor air quality in schools. Storm Fallout: Hurricane Isaias triggered three sewage spills in Tallahassee; Florida officials said crews contained and cleaned them, though one spill reached Lexington Creek and Munson Slough. Regional Cooperation: Leaders from five Caspian Sea countries agreed to establish a joint mechanism to address the shrinking sea. Forest Protection: Finland halted Google data-centre construction after 530 hectares of forest were cleared without completed environmental impact studies. Climate Resilience: Nepal’s foreign minister called for fair climate finance and stronger cooperation, highlighting the severe flood risks facing Himalayan and Pacific communities.

River Pollution: Malaysia’s Pahang environment department is investigating black, foul-smelling water and dead fish in two rivers near Raub. Officials have collected river and factory-effluent samples and are awaiting test results. Tree-Planting Drive: Kenya plans to plant 17.24 million trees for Mazingira Day, with seedlings tracked to monitor survival. Flood Risk: England’s Environment Agency issued coastal flood alerts, while warning that about two million people living in at-risk homes do not know their properties could flood. Water Stress: Drought remains in 11 English areas, with reservoir storage at 54%—well below the seasonal average. Caspian Cooperation: Five countries agreed to establish a commission to investigate the Caspian Sea’s falling water levels and develop joint measures. Marine Protection: Tanzania and South Africa called for stronger cooperation on coastal management as the Nairobi Convention set priorities for ocean governance, climate resilience and sustainable development.

Climate Risks: A super El Niño formed in September, China’s climate center says, while UNICEF warns the 2026–27 cycle could threaten the health, safety and education of more than 347 million children. Nepal’s recent deadly floods highlight the need for long-term, community-led adaptation; the country is urging COP31 to deliver grant-based funding and faster support for loss and damage. COP31 Finance: Pacific leaders are pressing wealthy nations to turn climate pledges into action and get funding to vulnerable communities sooner. Energy and Environment: The U.S. has exempted many winter oil exploration activities in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve from case-by-case environmental reviews, drawing concern over a rollback in scrutiny. In contrast, California and France are expanding cooperation on clean energy, wildfire and heat preparedness, cleaner transport and nature protection. Nature Protection: Greece, Albania and North Macedonia have launched a joint UNESCO bid to recognize and protect the Prespa region’s biodiversity and shared heritage.

Climate Outlook: China’s climate centre says a “super El Niño” formed in September, with Pacific waters more than 3°C above average and further warming expected. The event could disrupt rainfall and lift global temperatures. COP31 and Finance: Pacific leaders ended pre-summit talks urging faster climate funding. New pledges bring the Pacific Resilience Facility to $190 million, still well short of its $500 million initial target. Caspian at Risk: Regional leaders gathered in Turkmenistan to address falling Caspian Sea levels, pollution, biodiversity loss and climate change. Pollution and Accountability: Two former directors of an Italian chemical plant will stand trial over alleged environmental disaster linked to PFAS contamination; residents near the site have reported elevated chemical levels. Climate in Court: Australia’s highest court blocked a coal-mine expansion on climate grounds, as climate lawsuits gain momentum worldwide. Climate Education: A U.S. survey found only about half of teens correctly identify human activity as the main cause of climate change, despite widespread concern among young people.

Climate Impacts: A new study finds heat seasons now start nearly two weeks earlier and lengthen by about 5.4 days per decade, leaving less time to prepare. New Zealand’s latest climate report warns its glaciers could lose all their volume by 2100 under high emissions, threatening water supplies and mountain ecosystems. Pacific Climate Finance: Pacific leaders at pre-COP31 called for faster funding, with the region’s climate fund still hundreds of millions short as island communities face mounting risks. Climate and Courts: Australia’s High Court blocked a coal-mine extension after finding its climate emissions had not been properly considered, in a landmark ruling for scrutiny of major projects. Data Center Expansion: A Finnish court ordered Google to pause forest clearing for data-center sites until environmental studies are complete, underscoring the land and energy costs of growing AI infrastructure. Communities at Risk: UN agencies say Sudanese civilians face climate shocks alongside violence and displacement, while New Zealand advocates urge urgent funding to reduce cyclone risks from vulnerable forestry land and debris.

Pacific Climate Finance: Pacific leaders at Pre-COP31 are pressing for faster, easier-to-reach funding as the regional resilience fund remains US$320 million short of its US$500 million target. The Green Climate Fund says a further US$300 million for the region could go before its board this month. COP31: Organisers plan a proposed summit decision focused on implementation and electrification, while the EU is lowering expectations for a major breakthrough. UN climate chief Simon Stiell says overshooting 1.5°C is now expected, making it urgent to limit how far and how long temperatures exceed it. Extreme Weather: The WMO warns a strengthening El Niño could push Pacific sea-surface temperatures to record levels and raise risks of heat, drought and flooding worldwide. Wildlife: A study found Zavodovski Island’s chinstrap penguin population fell by about two-thirds from 2011 to 2025, with climate-driven disruption to ocean food chains a likely factor. Environmental Oversight: Google has been ordered to pause forest clearing for data centers until environmental studies are completed.