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Sebastián Rodríguez

@sebastianrodvar.bsky.social

390 followers 200 following 41 posts

Investigations & Special Projects Editor at Climate Home News

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Sebastián Rodríguez @sebastianrodvar.bsky.social · 15d

China has announced a new emissions target of 7-10% cuts by 2035 from "peak levels". While it was deemed "insufficient" compared to the 30% cuts needed to align with 1.5C, it's much better than its previous targets (which it met 6 years early)
www.climatechangenews.com/2025/09/24/c...

China unveils underwhelming emissions-cutting target for 2035

Experts say China's new 2035 goal to cut emissions by 7-10% from "peak levels" does not fully reflect its expansion of clean energy on the ground

www.climatechangenews.com

Sebastián Rodríguez @sebastianrodvar.bsky.social · 15d

The US president’s outspoken speech was littered with a string of misleading or false statements – many about efforts to fight climate change. @climatechangenews.com team is here with a fact check:
www.climatechangenews.com/2025/09/24/f...

Fact-checked: Trump's UN tirade against climate action

The US president's outspoken speech was littered with a string of misleading or false statements - many about efforts to fight climate change

www.climatechangenews.com

Sebastián Rodríguez @sebastianrodvar.bsky.social · 15d

Brazil has pledged $1bn to the TFFF - a proposed new fund to protect the world’s rainforests. It’s been called “innovative”, “promising” and “the right answer” to close the forest finance gap.

But how does it work? Here’s our breakdown of the TFFF: www.climatechangenews.com/2025/09/23/e...

Explainer: what is the TFFF, Brazil's COP30 rainforest fund?

The Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), a rainforest fund proposed by Brazil, is expected to be launched at COP30.

www.climatechangenews.com

Reposted by Sebastián Rodríguez

Climate Home News @climatechangenews.com · Aug 21

As countries were tasked with negotiating a treaty to end plastic pollution, the divide between 100 ambitious countries and oil- and gas- producing nations was too wide to bridge, writes Swiss lead negotiator Felix Wertli.

Read below his full acount of why the talks failed:

Why we couldn’t agree on a plastics treaty in Geneva - and what might happen next

Switzerland's lead negotiator at INC-5.2 reflects on why the talks didn't succeed - and the options now for getting an effective agreement

Sebastián Rodríguez @sebastianrodvar.bsky.social · Aug 22

What is going on with COP30? Brazil insists in holding the UN climate talks in the Amazon city of Belém. More than 120 countries have not yet booked hotels due to sky-high prices.

@mcivillini.bsky.social and @meganrowling.bsky.social bring the full story: www.climatechangenews.com/2025/08/22/c...

COP bureau meeting ends in stalemate as Brazil insists Belém logistics can work

A UN survey showed a majority of nations had not yet booked hotels in Belém due to high costs, raising concerns about lower participation

www.climatechangenews.com

Sebastián Rodríguez @sebastianrodvar.bsky.social · Jun 27

Brazil’s environment minister told @mcivillini.bsky.social she has advocated for a roadmap to end fossil fuels to be agreed at COP30:

“The worst possible thing would be for us to not plan for this transition.”

Brazil's environment minister suggests roadmap to end fossil fuels at COP30

Brazil's environment minister Marina Silva suggests this year's COP30 climate summit could result in a roadmap to guide a "planned and just transition"

www.climatechangenews.com

Sebastián Rodríguez @sebastianrodvar.bsky.social · Jun 25

While it is easy to feel despair over Brazil’s auction of oil and gas blocks in the Amazon (19 blocks sold), it’s encouraging to see so many different sectors willing to put up a fight (prosecutors, activists, unions). It will be very hard for any drilling to happen soon

Brazilian activists vow to fight Amazon oil auction in court

Months before hosting COP30, Brazil auctioned 47 oil and gas blocks in the Amazon. Activitsts have vowed to challenge the process in court.

www.climatechangenews.com

Sebastián Rodríguez @sebastianrodvar.bsky.social · Jun 19

New investigation out: Has aviation's green dream hit turbulence?

Our team mapped the supply chain of sustainable aviation fuel coming into Europe. We found an industry plagued by fraud risks, an opaque supply and a limited capacity for traceability.

Is the world’s big idea for greener air travel a flight of fancy?

Suspicions of fraud, ‘ridiculous’ data and a dearth of supplies - our investigation exposes the flaws in the airline industry’s big green hope: sustainable aviation fuel Our investigation exposes the ...

www.climatechangenews.com

Reposted by Sebastián Rodríguez

Journalismfund Europe @journalismfund.bsky.social · Jun 19

Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) made used cooking oil is key for world's green aviation plans. A team of journalists from three continents reveals high fraud risks to it: Virgin palm oil – not permitted under EU law because of its links to rainforest loss – is being passed off as UCO. t.ly/Zd9-W

Sebastián Rodríguez @sebastianrodvar.bsky.social · May 27

-Colombia is drumming up support for a legally binding minerals agreement
-An alliance of NGOs wants to get the issue onto the agenda of this year’s COP30 climate talks
-experts are calling for a new materials data hub

Does the world need a global treaty on energy transition minerals?

As governments rush to secure supplies of the transition minerals needed, activists want a treaty with stronger governance rules

www.climatechangenews.com

Sebastián Rodríguez @sebastianrodvar.bsky.social · May 23

First signs from Brazil's COP30 presidency at Climate Week in Panama: they want an "early harvest" on just transition talks and might take on the fossil fuel fight early on. www.climatechangenews.com/2025/05/23/b...

Brazil seeks early deals on contentious issues at Bonn climate talks

Brazil is seeking advances on the Just Transition Work Programme (JTWP) and recommendations from the 2023 GST during the Bonn climate talks

www.climatechangenews.com

Sebastián Rodríguez @sebastianrodvar.bsky.social · May 6

New from our Clean Energy Frontier series:

Chinese solar companies turned Thailand into a solar module assembly hub. Now thousands of Thai workers are caught in a trade war between Washington and Beijing

US tariffs threaten solar panel production and jobs in Thailand

Chinese firms turned Thailand into a solar module assembly hub. Now thousands of workers are caught in a trade war between the US and China

www.climatechangenews.com

Reposted by Sebastián Rodríguez

Kate Abnett @kateabnett.bsky.social · May 5

Exclusive: The U.S. is seeking to weaken a global deal aimed at helping developing countries struggling with the impacts of climate change and other issues, an internal UN document showed👇

Story with Simon Jessop on the UN development finance negotiations #FfD4

www.reuters.com/sustainabili...

Exclusive: US seeks to weaken global development finance efforts, UN document shows

The United States is seeking to weaken a global deal aimed at helping developing countries struggling with the impacts of climate change and other issues, an internal United Nations document seen by Reuters showed.

www.reuters.com

Sebastián Rodríguez @sebastianrodvar.bsky.social · Apr 30

100 days of Trump: we compiled a few examples of how the US has made climate action more difficult at the global stage www.climatechangenews.com/2025/04/29/t...

Trump's first 100 days: US walks away from global climate action

Trump's climate action decisions have pulled the plug on the UN climate process and its financial contributions, while backing fossil fuels

www.climatechangenews.com

Sebastián Rodríguez @sebastianrodvar.bsky.social · Apr 23

It's difficult to overstate how important this is, especially in the context of the US going rogue

Andreas Sieber @andreassieber.bsky.social · Apr 23

Major good news!

Xi Jinping of China 🇨🇳 confirms in closed door virtual meeting that #China will put forward a new #climate target covering all economic sectors and all greenhouse gases this year.

This was confirmed by #Guterres after the meeting.

👉 webtv.un.org/en/asset/k17...

Sebastián Rodríguez @sebastianrodvar.bsky.social · Apr 23

“When this company started extracting gas in our territory and I started negotiating for them to stop, they offered me apartments, cars, houses. But my people would remain suffering, so I refused,” said indigenous leader Jonas Mura. “That’s why they wanted to kill me.”

Amazon indigenous people call for oil drilling ban at COP30

Dozens of indigenous nations from different countries are calling for an oil drilling ban in the world's largest rainforest at COP30

www.climatechangenews.com

Reposted by Sebastián Rodríguez

Andreas Sieber @andreassieber.bsky.social · Apr 8

1/3
#Trump has such a passion for tariffs he even imposed them on Antarctic islands – home only to #penguins 🐧, who presumably pose a grave threat to American industry.

✍️ In this oped for @climatechangenews.com I detail why other than penguins, the #energytransition is safe from Trump’s #tariffs.

Trump's tariff tantrum won't stop the global energy transition

The US's share of the cleantech trade is too small to dictate the terms of the energy transition, but Trump's tariff decisions will do harm

www.climatechangenews.com

Sebastián Rodríguez @sebastianrodvar.bsky.social · Mar 26

While it contains many good news, one of the most unsettling facts in the new @iea.org report is that climate change is itself making the energy transition more difficult.

If weather in 2024 would’ve been slightly less extreme, emissions rise would’ve been cut in half

Reposted by Sebastián Rodríguez

Climate Home News @climatechangenews.com · Mar 25

NEW: Carbon credit auditors suspended for failures in sham rice-farming offsets

Verra has taken unprecedented action against four certification bodies that failed to spot integrity issues with the projects. But worthless credits still need to be compensated.

Carbon credit auditors suspended in sham rice-farming offsets

Verra suspended four carbon credit certification bodies that failed to spot integrity issues with rice-farming offset projects

www.climatechangenews.com

Reposted by Sebastián Rodríguez

Covering Climate Now @coveringclimatenow.org · Mar 25

In a break from routine at the UN’s annual climate conference, Brazilian organizers for COP30 are scheduling key world leaders’ speeches — normally headline events — for the days prior to the conference’s official kick-off. By @sebastianrodvar.bsky.social for @climatechangenews.com…

Global leaders will speak before COP30, easing logistics crunch

Authorities say that the global leaders talking before the COP30 summit will enable climate negotiators to reflect on their speeches

Reposted by Sebastián Rodríguez

Tais Gadea Lara @taisgadealara.bsky.social · Mar 21

🌎 Ayer fue el 1er webinario en español de @coveringclimatenow.org

Junto a Ana Bueno, @sebastianrodvar.bsky.social y Elena González conversamos sobre cómo cubrir el cambio climático desde América Latina y para audiencias hispanohablantes

Pueden ver la charla grabada aquí:
youtu.be/jKvkgFBsmog?...

Charla CCNow: Cómo cubrir el cambio climático en América Latina y para audiencias hispanohablantes

YouTube video by Covering Climate Now

Reposted by Sebastián Rodríguez

Climate Home News @climatechangenews.com · Mar 3

Argentina is considering leaving the Paris Agreement, following the US exit in January. President Milei, a climate skeptic, says he doesn’t “adhere to the environmentalist agenda”—but analysts warn withdrawal could harm trade and climate finance.

Risk of financial fallout may deter Argentina from leaving Paris Agreement

Mile has expressed his will to take Argentina out of the Paris Agreement, but key trade partners and foreign aid may stand in the way

www.climatechangenews.com

Sebastián Rodríguez @sebastianrodvar.bsky.social · Mar 3

We found a massive methane leak in the city of Minatitlán, in Mexico’s oil and gas heartland.

Residents and oil workers both said they’ve experienced nausea, headaches and other symptoms during leakage events. They recognise ammonia leaks more easily, because of the particular smell

Sebastián Rodríguez @sebastianrodvar.bsky.social · Mar 3

While Pemex managed to reduce flaring in 2023, gas venting kept growing steadily in part due to constant leaks. Worn out infrastructure and recurrent accidents have originated leaks.

Sebastián Rodríguez @sebastianrodvar.bsky.social · Mar 3

Despite corporate promises to control methane emissions, Mexico’s state oil company Pemex has increased gas flaring and venting in the past decade, which could threaten the country’s net zero by 2050 goal and impact local communities

New @climatehome.bsky.social investigation in Mexico

Oil giant Pemex emissions threaten Mexico's net zero goal

Pemex, Mexico's state oil company, has failed to control its methane emissions despite corporate promises - threatening the country's goals

www.climatechangenews.com