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Friday

Indigenous women of Amazonia speak to the media at a press conference during the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Indigenous women of Amazonia speak to the media at a press conference during United Nations Climate Change Conference COP29. Dominika Zarzycka/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images hide caption

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Dominika Zarzycka/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Climate

Disappointed by this year's climate talks, Indigenous advocates look to Brazil in 2025

Indigenous advocates called the final agreement in Azerbaijan "drastically insufficient." Now they're focusing on next year's global climate summit in Brazil where Indigenous participation is expected to be historic.

Wednesday

At the U.N. climate summit, a contested deal over money

Brazil environment minister Marina Silva stands near a sign for the United Nations' COP29 climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, which came to a close Saturday. Sergei Grits/AP hide caption

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Sergei Grits/AP

Short Wave

At the U.N. climate summit, a contested deal over money

This year's United Nations climate talks, COP29, wrapped Saturday. Throughout the talks, it was all about the numbers. With the help of NPR climate reporters Julia Simon and Alejandra Borunda, we home in on two. First, $300 billion. That's the amount of money wealthy countries agreed to give developing countries to help them adapt to climate change and reduce pollution. Second, 1.5C. That's a warming limit countries agreed to try not to breach, but that is creeping closer every year.

At the U.N. climate summit, a contested deal over money

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Thursday

More than 1,000 people died in 2023's Cyclone Freddy and hundreds of thousands more were displaced in Malawi. Many low-income nations are bearing disproportionate impacts from more intense storms.

More than 1,000 people died in 2023's Cyclone Freddy and hundreds of thousands more were displaced in Malawi. Many low-income nations are bearing disproportionate impacts from more intense storms. Amos Gumulira/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Amos Gumulira/AFP via Getty Images

Climate

Richer countries are starting to pay poorer ones for climate change damages

With climate-related disasters getting more extreme, richer countries are piloting ways to compensate developing nations, since they bear the least responsibility for causing climate change.

COP29 Climate Loss and Damage

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Monday

An iceberg floats off the coast of Illulisat, Greenland. Ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica are melting rapidly, and that melt will accelerate as the Earth heats up. The melting of Greenland's ice sheet is the second-largest contributor to global sea-level rise. (The largest contributor is water expanding as it warms.)

An iceberg floats off the coast of Illulisat, Greenland. Ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica are melting rapidly, and the risks of drastic melting increase as the Earth heats up. The melting of Greenland's ice sheet is the second-largest contributor to global sea-level rise. (The largest contributor is water expanding as it warms.) Ryan Kellman/NPR hide caption

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Ryan Kellman/NPR

Climate

Countries agreed to try to hold global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Is that still possible?

In the 2015 Paris Agreement, most countries agreed to try hard to limit global warming to below 1.5 degrees Celsius. Delay and inaction mean that goal is becoming harder to achieve by the day.

1.5 C goal

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A fraught climate change conference, how are US home builders doing, and more
Sean Gallup/Getty Images

The Indicator from Planet Money

A fraught climate change conference, how are US home builders doing, and more

There is a LOT of economic news happening at the moment (it all happens, so very much of it, all the time), so we wanted to give you an idea of what we here at The Indicator are keeping tabs on.

A fraught climate change conference, how are US home builders doing, and more

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Sunday

The surface of this field on Germany’s Baltic Sea coast has sunk by up to three feet since its protective layer of water was removed.

The surface of this field on Germany's Baltic Sea coast has sunk by up to three feet since its protective layer of water was removed. Dan Charles for NPR hide caption

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Dan Charles for NPR

Climate

This soil is slowly burning, releasing CO2. The solution? Let water reclaim it

Peatlands, formed by ancient wetlands, store more carbon than the world's forests. But when they're drained for farming, they vent heat-trapping carbon dioxide into the air.

This soil is slowly burning, releasing carbon dioxide. The solution? Let water reclaim it

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Thursday

Renewable energy capacity is growing rapidly, especially in China, where this rooftop solar array is installed. The increasing use of sources like wind and solar power is driving down greenhouse gas emissions around the globe.

Renewable energy capacity is growing rapidly, especially in China, where this rooftop solar array is installed. The increasing use of sources like wind and solar power is driving down greenhouse gas emissions around the globe. STR/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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STR/AFP via Getty Images

Climate

When will greenhouse gas emissions finally peak? Could be soon

Fossil fuel emissions have increased steadily for almost two centuries. Now, the world may soon reach an important turning point for climate change.

ARE EMISSIONS PEAKING? 

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Thursday

Heavy rain from Hurricane Helene caused destructive flooding in North Carolina. A new study from the United Nations Environment Programme shows the world is on track for more severe climate impacts, like severe storms and extreme rain.

Heavy rain from Hurricane Helene caused destructive flooding in North Carolina this year. A new study from the United Nations Environment Programme shows the world is on track for more severe climate impacts, like severe storms and extreme rain. Mario Tama/Getty Images hide caption

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Mario Tama/Getty Images

Climate

How is the world doing on climate change? Not great

Greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise and the world is still on track for severe climate change impacts, a new U.N. report finds. Action this decade will be essential.

How is the world doing on climate change? Not great

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Friday

Azerbaijan names a former oil executive to lead 2024 climate talks

Mukhtar Babayev, Azerbaijan ecology and natural resources minister, attends a plenary session at the COP28 U.N. Climate Summit on Dec. 11, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Babayev has been named to lead the United Nations' annual climate talks later this year, prompting concern from some climate activists over his former ties to the state oil company in a major oil-producing nation. Rafiq Maqbool/AP hide caption

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Rafiq Maqbool/AP

Climate

Azerbaijan names a former oil executive to lead 2024 climate talks

Mukhtar Babayev, has been named to lead the United Nations' annual climate talks later this year, prompting concern from some climate activists over his former ties to the state oil company.