In brief | 21 May ‘26

European Commission: €1.3 billion German state aid to support renewable hydrogen production approved Scheme to support construction of up to 1,000 MW electrolyser capacity and production of up to 10 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen.Euractiv: German borrowing costs surge as Iran energy shock starts to bite “This energy supply shock is more persistent, so we are moving away from our baseline scenario,” said central bank president Joachim Nagel.Politico: Putin’s trolls are weakening Merz to boost Russia-friendly far rightAs the chancellor struggles at home and the opposition AfD rises ahead of key elections, the Russian president is moving to undermine one of his biggest adversaries.Montel: 16 GW German wind capacity in limbo, risking 5bn euros – lobbyUp to 16 GW of German offshore wind capacity faces limbo due to grid connection delays and supply chain issues, risking 45 billion euros of investment, said wind industry association BWO.Reuters: Italy pays the price of Meloni's stalled green energy transition Italy depends on imported gas, and its power costs are among highest in the world. Its renewable energy push lags EU peers, while prime minister dismisses green transition as ideological.CCC: British way of life under threat from heat, flooding and drought Climate Change Committee publishes report setting out solutions to address the impacts of climate change affecting every aspect of life in the UK.UN: General Assembly backs historic World Court climate crisis rulingLandmark resolution is “a powerful affirmation” of international law, climate justice and science, according to UN chief António Guterres.OECD: Developed countries exceed USD 100 billion climate finance goal for third consecutive yearClimate finance has continued to grow, with developed countries providing and mobilising 132.8 billion US dollars in climate finance for developing countries in 2023 and 136.7 billion US dollars in 2024.Irish Times: Artificial intelligence spells a real climate disaster Despite the tech industry’s efforts to squash concern about the devastating climate impacts of AI, resistance is growing.

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