Follow key climate change developments through our timeline.
UK
These events are UK-centric
Global
These events are international
1-12 Nov 2021
COP26 UN climate conference in Glasgow.
27 May 2020
EU unveil a green recovery package in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
7 May 2020
Barclays pledges to align its financing activities with the goals of the Paris Agreement.
1 Apr 2020
The COP26 UN climate change conference set to take place in November 2020 is postponed due to COVID-19.
23 Mar 2020
Pacific Gas & Electric, California’s largest energy utility company, agrees to plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter in connection with the 2018 Camp Fire in Northern California.
4 Mar 2020
European Commission proposes European Climate Law which sets the 2050 target and consults on the future European Climate Pact.
27 Feb 2020
First major ruling based on the Paris Agreement: Court of Appeal rejects Heathrow expansion plan as illegal for failing to adequately take into account the UK government’s climate commitments.
27 Feb 2020
COP26 Private Finance Agenda launched by the Bank of England to help private finance support the global economy transition to net zero.
13 Feb 2020
UK government appoints Business Secretary, Alok Sharma, President of COP26.
30 Jan 2020
Environment Bill reintroduced to Parliament, including a new commitment to review international developments in environmental legislation every two years.
28 Jan 2020
Commencement of the European Green Deal Initiative – the roadmap for making the EU’s economy sustainable.
17 Jan 2020
Bank of England Governor, Mark Carney, appointed by the Prime Minister as Finance Advisor for COP26.
8 Jan 2020
Barclays pressed to stop financing some fossil fuel companies: shareholder climate change resolution filed for the bank’s annual investor meeting.
20 Dec 2019
Netherlands: Dutch Supreme Court confirms the European Convention of Human Rights requires a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of at least 25% by 2020 (Urgenda v Netherlands).
2-13 Dec 2019
Annual UN Climate Conference COP25 held in Madrid at which scientists announce that on current data, globally, all countries are not on track to achieve the Paris Agreement targets.
7 Nov 2019
New Zealand’s Zero Carbon Act 2019 comes into force, legislating target for net zero emissions by 2050.
15 Oct 2019
UK government introduces the Environment Bill 2019 to Parliament to make provision about targets, plans an policies for improving the natural environment.
15 Oct 2019
Prudential Regulation Authority requires banks and insurers to have an initial plan in place to manage the financial risks from climate change (Policy Statement 11/19).
2 July 2019
Launch of the Green Finance Strategy in the UK and the Green Finance Institute at the City of London Corporation’s annual summit.
30 June 2019
Chubb announces that it will stop underwriting new coal projects with existing coverage to be phased out by 2022.
27 June 2019
The Climate Change Act 2008 (2050 Target Amendment) Order 2019 comes in force and sets revised target for net zero emissions by 2050.
20 Mar 2019
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) extends scrutiny of how regulated companies are managing financial risks of climate change.
8 Feb 2019
Australia: NSW Court refuses development approval for the Rocky Hill Coal Mine Project on climate change grounds (Gloucester Resources Ltd v Minister for Planning).
24 Dec 2018
Three key pieces of EU legislation in the Clean Energy for All Europeans package comes into force setting a 2030 target of 32% of clean energy and a requirement for Member States to draw up “climate plans” for 2021 to 2030.
26 Apr 2017
Insurers begin to lead the way in withdrawing insurance coverage from coal projects: early movers include AXA, Allianz, Swiss Re and Zurich.
4 Nov 2016
The Paris Agreement comes into force setting out a global framework to avoid dangerous climate change.
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