India says it won’t rely on global climate or pollution rankings to shape policies

India won’t use international rankings to shape its climate or pollution policy, the environment ministry told Parliament, distancing itself from reports that frequently place the country among the world’s most climate-vulnerable and polluted.

Asked about the latest Global Climate Risk Index — which ranked India ninth for extreme-weather impacts and reported over 80,000 deaths and nearly $170 billion in losses since 1995 — the ministry said it “does not recognise any external ranking” for domestic policymaking. It argued that isolating the climate component of economic losses remains a challenge.

The ministry took a similar view on global air-quality rankings from IQAir and the WHO, saying these are not official assessments and that countries set standards based on local geography and socio-economic conditions. India instead relies on its own monitoring and annual Swachh Vayu Survekshan to evaluate and reward city-level progress on clean air.

​Germany extends €1.3 billion in concessional loans to India for climate and green urban projects

Germany will provide about €1.3 billion in concessional loans to India under their Green and Sustainable Development Partnership, following the latest round of government-to-government talks. The funding will support climate and energy projects, sustainable urban development, green mobility and natural resource management, alongside deeper cooperation on skills development in renewables.

Both countries agreed on a new slate of joint projects, with German officials calling the partnership unique in scale and ambition. Green mobility remains a major focus: Germany is backing metro expansion in Bengaluru through a €340 million KfW loan and supporting innovation projects like the city’s Living Lab, which includes India’s first rooftop solar-powered EV charging station using second-life batteries.

UN moves to raise $35 million for Sri Lanka as Cyclone Ditwah fallout deepens

The UN plans to mobilise $35 million over the next four years to support Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah, saying the island cannot shoulder recovery costs while still burdened by its post-crisis debt collapse. The Humanitarian Priorities Plan launched this week focuses on immediate needs including food, education, health, protection, shelter and early recovery. The disaster has left at least 638 people dead and 193 missing, with nearly half a million children affected. UN officials warned that poverty and protection risks are worsening as shelters overflow. The initiative has received $9.5 million so far from partners such as Australia, Canada, the EU, Switzerland, the UK and the US, with another $26 million being sought.

US’ EPA removes references to human-caused climate change from its website

The EPA has edited and deleted sections of its website that explained how burning coal, oil and gas drives climate change, CNN reported. The shift aligns with the Trump administration’s push to expand fossil-fuel production and dismantle federal climate policy.

The agency’s “causes of climate change” page no longer mentions human activities directly, instead pointing to natural factors like volcanic activity and solar changes, while vaguely noting that recent warming “cannot be explained by natural causes alone.” A previous section quoting the IPCC’s conclusion that human influence is “unequivocal” has been removed. Key “climate indicators” pages used by teachers and researchers have also vanished.

BII commits £308 million to boost clean energy in South-East Asia

British International Investment (BII) will invest £308 million into climate and clean-energy projects across South-East Asia, as part of its plan to invest up to £500 million in the region by 2026. The funding is expected to enable 1.8 GW of new clean-energy capacity and avoid more than 1.6 million tonnes of emissions.

The region’s power systems remain dominated by coal and gas, even as governments set net-zero targets and face mounting climate risks. BII is investing through equity, debt and blended finance, backing platforms such as the SUSI Asia Energy Transition Fund and the SARA initiative, which is building a 500 MW pipeline.

Projects span rooftop solar in Indonesia, climate lending in Vietnam, and a joint facility supporting solar, hybrid and storage assets, including a 99 MW plant in the Philippines due in 2026.

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