In brief | 9 July '25

EU Commission: Clarity to hydrogen sector with new EU methodology for low-carbon hydrogen and fuels

To be considered low carbon, hydrogen and related fuels will need to reach a threshold of 70 percent greenhouse gas emission savings compared to the use of unabated fossil fuels.

Politico: Center-right MEPs block effort to blunt far-right control over climate law

A motion to fast-track the 2040 climate target through the European Parliament narrowly failed on 9 July.

Copernicus: Third-warmest June globally – Heatwaves in Europe amid temperature extremes across both hemispheres

June 2025 saw an exceptional heatwave impact large parts of western Europe, with much of the region experiencing very strong heat stress.

NYTimes: Research suggests climate change added excess deaths in European heat wave

The rapid analysis by World Weather Attribution calculated that climate change might have tripled the death toll from the event.

ICCT: Electric cars are the cleanest—and getting cleaner faster than expected

Battery electric cars sold today produce 73 percent less life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions than their gasoline counterparts — even when factoring in production, shows research by think tank ICCT.

Reuters: EU to set up Critical Chemical Alliance to secure supply chains

The European Commission will work with EU member states and the chemicals sector to support production of chemicals identified as critical for Europe's industrial supply chains, the EU executive said.

Carbon Brief: Net-zero is much cheaper than thought for UK – and unchecked global warming far more costly – OBR

Reaching net-zero will be much cheaper for the UK government than previously expected – and the economic damages of unmitigated climate change far more severe, according to a report by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).