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At COP30 in Brazil, a voluntary plan called the "global mutirão" was launched to curb fossil fuels, triple adaptation finance, and strengthen climate targets. Notable outcomes included a mechanism for a just transition globally and measures to track climate adaptation efforts. The event faced logistical challenges, including a fire that caused delays in negotiations. Despite disagreements on key issues and the absence of leaders from major polluting countries, a new work program was initiated to discuss concerns about climate finance and set ambitious goals for adaptation finance. Developing countries pushed for more funding for fossil-fuel phaseout, just transition, and adaptation, citing the Paris Agreement's Article 9.1. The summit also addressed the issue of unilateral trade measures and the need for a transition away from fossil fuels, with a focus on the cross-border impacts of climate-related trade measures. Climate experts expressed disappointment at the lack of alignment with the IPCC's assessment cycle and funding issues for climate research, but celebrated the establishment of a just transition mechanism. The section emphasizes the importance of strong implementation and tracking of climate solutions to drive effective climate action.

https://www.carbonbrief.org/cop30-key-outcomes-agreed-at-the-un-climate-talks-in-belem/

Professor Tord Envold Kjellström, a leading environmental and occupational health scientist, passed away in November 2025. His work focused on the impact of rising heat exposure on worker health and productivity, particularly in low-income and outdoor labor sectors. He developed ClimateCHIP, an open platform combining climate projections with heat-stress models, which contributed to Lancet Countdown indicators tracking labor capacity loss and occupational vulnerability to extreme heat. Tord's legacy includes his commitment to global health equity and social justice, as well as his mentorship of early-career researchers. His contributions to understanding the impact of heat exposure on workers will continue to shape climate and health assessments.

https://lancetcountdown.org/news/tribute-to-professor-tord-envold-kjellstrom-1943-2025/

Aquaria Technologies and Aqua Ubique, along with the Moses West Foundation, are leading the way in providing clean drinking water to communities in need through the use of Atmospheric Water Generators (AWGs). These devices can produce water from the air, even in off-grid locations, and can be connected to solar systems for sustainability. By offering payment plans and structuring as a social enterprise, these organizations are making clean water more accessible to those who need it most. Integrating AWG systems with other water collection and purification methods can create a complete off-grid water system, addressing the urgent need for safe drinking water in regions facing water scarcity. The focus on innovative solutions like AWGs is crucial in combating the current water crisis and ensuring a sustainable future for all.

https://reasonstobecheerful.world/startups-producing-drinkable-water-from-air-awg/

Scientists have developed sponge-like materials for atmospheric water harvesting to produce clean drinking water from humidity in desert conditions. Existing designs rely on heat from the sun to evaporate water from the materials, which can take hours or days. MIT engineers have created a system using ultrasonic waves to quickly recover water from the atmospheric water harvesting material, reducing the time needed to minutes. This innovation could improve access to clean drinking water in arid regions.

https://www.enn.com/articles/77450-ultrasonic-device-dramatically-speeds-harvesting-of-water-from-the-air

The analysis of the President's draft text at COP30 emphasizes anchoring the text in best available science and the Paris Agreement temperature goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C. It calls for adaptation finance to be non-debt inducing, predictable, and accessible for developing countries, recognizing the shortfall in reaching the US $100bn goal for climate finance. Developed countries and major emitters are urged to update their Nationally Determined Contributions to align with 1.5°C and address the ambition gap. A stronger architecture is needed for climate action, including high-level roundtables, annual dialogues, and collective roadmaps for transitioning away from fossil fuels and halting deforestation. Reforming fossil fuel subsidies, addressing intersections between climate and trade, and establishing a Platform on Unilateral Trade-Restrictive Measures Related to Climate Change are also highlighted as crucial steps in advancing climate solutions.

https://climatenetwork.org/2025/11/18/can-cop30-media-brief-analysis-of-presidents-draft-text/

The upcoming launch of Sentinel-6B will continue NASA's long-standing record of sea surface height data, aiding in coastal planning, infrastructure protection, and weather forecasting. This satellite, part of a series used since 1992, will cross-calibrate data with its predecessor to provide crucial information about Earth's oceans. The data collected will be essential for managing coastal flooding, supporting hurricane intensity forecasts, and assisting in astronaut return missions. This continued effort will contribute to improved climate solutions and help experts better understand and address the impacts of climate change on our planet's oceans.

https://www.enn.com/articles/77427-6-things-to-know-from-nasa-about-new-us-european-sea-satellite