ECIU

11 Sept

Record temperatures are being registered in the UK and around the world with increasing frequency as climate change intensifies. Find out just how frequent in 2026 (so far) 👇

euronews.comClimate disinformation a ‘public health threat’, warns new WHO report“Climate disinformation is not only a problem of false rumours and mistruths; it is also a problem of power, incentives and accountability.”

‘Hybrid weapon of war’: Why climate disinformation could be a growing public health threat WHO member states are being urged to recognise climate disinformation as a public health threat as vested interests attempt to “sow doubt and confusion” www.euronews.com/2026/10/26/...

ft.comEU tells countries to make plans to cope with 3C of global warmingClimate commissioner says member states must take ownership of damage caused by floods, heatwaves and fires

EU tells countries to make plans to cope with 3C of global warming Climate commissioner says member states must take ownership of damage caused by floods, heatwaves and fires www.ft.com/content/964...

thetimes.comSensors will help reduce wind turbine switch off costsOvercast and windy conditions can cool cables, increasing the power they can safely carry and curbing the cost of bottlenecks between wind farms and gas plants

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Sensors will help reduce wind turbine switch off costs Overcast and windy conditions can cool cables, increasing the power they can safely carry and curbing the cost of bottlenecks between wind farms and gas plants www.thetimes.com/business/en...

3️⃣,3️⃣3️⃣5️⃣ km² Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon fell to its lowest level since satellite records began in 1988, in the 12 months to July 2026 data.inpe.br/biomasbr/es...

theguardian.comCabinet split emerges over controversial Rosebank oilfield decisionChancellor is in favour of North Sea project, but energy secretary has said she is leaning towards rejecting it

Cabinet split emerges over controversial Rosebank oilfield decision Chancellor is in favour of North Sea project, but energy secretary has said she is leaning towards rejecting it www.theguardian.com/environment...

Gas prices in Europe back around levels last seen as Russia amassed troops near Ukraine in 2021 UK gas now above 230p/therm UK can’t control international gas prices. But: ⬆️ homegrown renewables ⬆️ better insulated homes 🟰 ⬇️ exposure to volatile international gas markets

theguardian.comU-turn on EV policy could stall UK’s take-up of EVs | Fiona Harvey and Jasper JollyThe 2030 target for 80% of new cars to have zero emissions could be cut to as low as half

Policy U-turn could stall Britain’s take-up of EVs The 2030 target for 80% of new cars to have zero emissions could be cut to as low as half www.theguardian.com/environment...

🚨 Brent Crude oil at $115.41 a barrel, up 89% from same period 2025 Reaching highs last seen during Ukraine invasion in 2022 Oil prices help to ⬆️ CPI inflation up to 3.5% - "Rising petrol and diesel prices are pushing up UK inflation, driving growing pressure on UK families’ cost of living."

eciu.netOil prices help to push CPI inflation up to 3.5%: commentIzzy Romilly is available for further comment and interview.

Chocoholics and meat lovers feel brunt of rising UK food prices Poor cocoa harvests and smaller cattle herds push up costs as trade experts call for energy relief for food and drink sector www.ft.com/content/7df...

England as a whole has received 52% of its long-term average rainfall for October Growing concerns that farmers may not be able to refill water storage reservoirs over the winter, acc @EnvAgency

"It's not a race to save the polar bears anymore. It's all about industrial strategy." Renewables hitting all time records in UK & globally Gas and oil price spikes based on whims of foreign regimes highlights the case for renewables as a national security measure 693GW installed in 2025 alone

Heat killed ‘staggering’ 50,000 people in Europe’s cities this summer, scientists warn People succumbed to heat at highest rates in Malta, Italy and Hungary, with health issues, loneliness and poverty exacerbating toll www.theguardian.com/environment...

independent.co.ukEV owners can save £300 thanks to home charging rule changeTwo new consultations have also been launched in a bid to make home charging easier

Electric vehicle owners can save £300 thanks to home charging rule change Drivers will no longer need planning permission to fit cross-pavement chargers www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/hom...

Global diesel prices seen staying high despite Trump's deal with Russia Analysts say promised volumes are too small to ease the global supply squeeze www.reuters.com/business/en...

lbc.co.ukDonald Trump says Jackdaw gas project ‘will make UK very wealthy again’ | LBCThe US president has urged ministers to ‘go full blast’, while calling on them to ‘take down the costly and ridiculous windmills’.

Trump urges 'full blast' on North Sea drilling following Jackdaw approval US president calls on ministers to 'take down the costly and ridiculous windmills' www.lbc.co.uk/article/df6...

Wildfires are UK's 'new reality', MPs warn Record wildfires destroyed homes, scorched thousands of hectares and stretched fire crews, exposing weaknesses in preparedness, a committee of MPs says www.bbc.co.uk/news/articl...

"After a summer of wildfires and droughts, the public are worried about climate change. Jackdaw won't help with bills or energy security, so Energy Wealth Fund is an offer to try and make this seem a better deal for billpayers and tax payers." ECIU's @jessralston.bsky.social on BBC News

1.5 billion children under one experienced a 5️⃣❎ increase in heatwave days in 2024 compared with the 1986 to 2005 baseline, from roughly four days a year to over 20 www.telegraph.co.uk/global-heal...

Meat- and chocolate-heavy diets hit harder by food inflation as climate extremes bite: new analysis A balanced diet experienced 40% lower inflation in 2025, with households potentially saving £520 cumulatively since the start of 2022

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Analysis does not mean that healthier diets are necessarily cheaper overall. Instead, it shows that households following more balanced diets would have been less exposed to some of the fastest-rising food prices in recent years.

Findings suggest that diets more closely aligned with dietary recommendations could offer benefits beyond health alone. By reducing reliance on several foods particularly exposed to recent price pressures, healthier diets could help protect households against future food inflation.

Chris Jaccarini, Senior Economist ECIU, said: “People are already eating less meat and our analysis suggests that eating a balanced diet, including less meat and chocolate, could offer some protection from climate-driven food inflation, though it’s not a silver bullet..."

🍫 Chocolate was single largest contributor, accounting for 32% of the downward pressure on inflation in the healthy basket over 2024 and 2025 🥩 Meat accounted for a further 22%, with beef and lamb alone contributing almost 15%

However, healthier diets were not entirely insulated from rising prices. ☕ Coffee intake unchanged across both diets, but prices ⬆️ sharply as extreme weather has damaged harvests in Brazil and Vietnam

Expensive gas behind ‘nearly 90%’ of rise in UK electricity bills, new analysis from @nesta_uk in @CarbonBrief Contradicts idea, which has become embedded in UK media and political narratives, that UK’s net zero target is to blame for high energy bills www.carbonbrief.org/revealed-ex...

thetimes.comJackdaw drilling won’t mean cheaper bills, says energy secretaryMiatta Fahnbulleh says the North Sea decision was driven by the need to strengthen Britain’s energy security and that Labour is still committed to net zero

Jackdaw drilling won’t mean cheaper bills, says energy secretary @Miatsf says the North Sea decision was driven by the need to strengthen Britain’s energy security and that Labour is still committed to net zero www.thetimes.com/uk/politics...

UK inflation jumps to highest rate in almost a year after fuel prices climb Overall, motor fuels soared by 30% in the year to September, up from a 23% annual rise in August, ONS data showed www.itv.com/news/2026-1...

Britain 'woefully unprepared' to tackle wildfires - with new firefighting planes and barbecue bans needed, MPs warn news.sky.com/story/brita...

World must cut emissions by 18% in 4 years ‘to find our way back’, UN says “Window has closed” on holding temperature rises to 1.5C, in line with scientific advice, limiting the “overshoot” of that target is still possible, according to UNEP www.theguardian.com/environment...

Europe records highest ever number of West Nile Virus cases European authorities have warned that increasing temperatures driven by climate change are pushing the disease further northwards. Mainland Europe has seen the largest number of cases, with Italy hardest www.telegraph.co.uk/global-heal...

theguardian.com‘Crucial opportunity to act’ as study finds most of Europe’s wild bee species in declineAs Cop17 kicks off, records since 1921 show more bee species declining than increasing in all parts of Europe except the Alps

As the Convention on Biodiversity COP17 kicks off, records since 1921 show most of Europe’s wild bee species have declined over the last century with more species declining than increasing in all parts of Europe except the Alps www.theguardian.com/environment...

🚨 UK Government decision on Jackdaw gas field "imminent" "Approving Jackdaw won't do anything meaningful to bring down energy bills or improve the UK's energy security, which the Government has said is its priority given high levels of public concern" @jessralston.bsky.social 👇 Full comment

eciu.netUK Government decision on Jackdaw gas field "imminent": commentJess Ralston is available for further comment and interview.

france24.comMiddle East fuel crunch drives solar push in tiny FijiPower cables weave through palm trees high above Fiji's Rukurukulevu Village, linking residents to the national grid and a select few to solar panels.

Fiji, which hosted pre-COP recently, spends as much as 12% of GDP importing fossil fuels. The country is aiming for 90% renewable energy generation by 2035 and plans to spend FJ$2bn on solar and hydropower development in the next decade www.france24.com/en/live-new...

ft.comEU drops push for global ban on Arctic drillingBrussels’ new strategy excludes 2021 pledge to work towards a ‘multilateral legal obligation’ not to allow any further hydrocarbon development in the polar region

A new EU strategy will maintain opposition to Arctic oil and gas drilling but end efforts to secure a global agreement on stopping hydrocarbon exploration us.list-manage.com/MlEd91D5BuZ...

buff.lyStaff at Britain’s grid operator did not cover up blackout risks, probe findsThe National Energy System Operator was being investigated over allegations raised by whistleblowers.

Staff at Britain’s grid operator did not cover up blackout risks, probe finds NESO investigated over allegations raised by whistleblowers. Law firm found no evidence to substantiate these but said organisation should address cultural and governance issues buff.ly/xYKfxTa

theguardian.comTap water no longer drinkable in Norwegian town as climate-related thawing releases heavy metalsWarning for other Arctic communities as residents told not to use water in Longyearbyen in Svalbard, one of the fastest-warming places in the world

Tap water no longer drinkable in Norwegian town as climate-related thawing releases heavy metals Warning for other Arctic communities as residents told not to use water in Longyearbyen in Svalbard, one of the fastest-warming places in the world www.theguardian.com/environment...

Global food inflation is expected to intensify as supply shocks pile up and persist well ‌into 2027, as war-related shipping disruptions and El Nino-driven drought squeeze cereal supplies www.reuters.com/world/ameri...

independent.co.ukForest fires significantly worsening across Africa’s tropical nations, data showsExclusive: Prevalence of fires is increasing across the Congo and Guinean tropical forest basins, Nick Ferris reports – as fears grow the great forest sinks of Africa could one day go the way of the Amazon and Indonesia

Forest fires significantly worsening across Africa’s tropical nations, data shows The combined impacts of human activity and climate change threaten these vital ecosystems, while also posing a threat to human lives www.independent.co.uk/climate-cha...

thetimes.comNearly all UK’s puffins could die out by 2050The distinctive seabird is one of ten predicted to suffer as climate change kills off its food supply and causes extreme weather events

Nearly all UK’s puffins could die out by 2050 The distinctive seabird is one of ten predicted to suffer as climate change kills off its food supply and causes extreme weather events www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland...

theguardian.comHeat pumps and insulation would cut UK living costs more than new oilfields, study suggestsWarm homes plan would create 50,000 jobs, compared with about 1,100 for Rosebank oilfield, thinktank finds

Heat pumps and insulation would cut UK living costs more than new oilfields, study suggests Warm homes plan would create 50,000 jobs, compared with about 1,100 for Rosebank oilfield, thinktank finds www.theguardian.com/environment...

inews.co.ukZero-interest loans for heat pumps set to launch within weeksThe low interest loans will cover heat pumps, solar panels and plug-in batteries to encourage more households to invest in green tech to lower energy bills

Zero-interest loans for heat pumps set to launch within weeks The low interest loans will cover heat pumps, solar panels and plug-in batteries to encourage more households to invest in green tech to lower energy bills inews.co.uk/news/zero-i...

On 15 October the government declared severe drought in parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex. "This is what climate change looks like in practice: longer, hotter dry spells putting growing pressure on the water system we all rely on." Tom Cantillon, ECIU

eciu.netSevere drought declared in parts of six counties of England: commentTom Cantillon is available for further comment and interview.

Global food inflation is expected to intensify as supply shocks pile up 📍 Shipping disruptions, costly fertiliser, El Nino hit supplies 📍Indonesian rice, Indian sugar hit records; Egyptian bread up 25% 📍Shrinking stocks, returning importers to drive prices higher www.reuters.com/world/ameri...

france24.comUN chief urges nations to end 'war on nature'UN chief Antonio Guterres said Thursday that the "war on nature has not yet ended" as he launched a report showing the world was falling short of its biodiversity committments.

UN chief urges nations to end 'war on nature' UN chief Antonio Guterres said on Thursday that the "war on nature has not yet ended" as he launched a report showing the world was falling short of its biodiversity committments www.france24.com/en/live-new...

euronews.comThe Doomsday Glacier is ‘committed’ to melting. Can we stop it?The total collapse of Thwaites Glacier, known as the Doomsday Glacier, would contribute an estimated 65cm to global sea level rise.

Doomsday Glacier will keep melting even if oceans cool. Here’s why cutting emissions still matters The total collapse of Thwaites Glacier, known as the Doomsday Glacier, would contribute an estimated 65cm to global sea level rise www.euronews.com/2026/10/16/...