July's positive climate news

In a major ruling, the UN’s top court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), said countries that don’t cut back on fossil fuels or limit pollution could be held legally responsible and forced to pay for the damage. The court said ignoring climate destruction breaks international law. Governments must also control companies that add to the crisis. This opinion, requested by the UN in 2023 after years of campaigning by Pacific island nations, supports climate justice and could lead to future lawsuits. Climate activists and vulnerable countries praised the ICJ’s ruling as a big step forward in the fight against climate change.

In 2024, global investment in factory farming dropped by 46%, from $2.27 billion to $1.23 billion, showing a clear shift in financial priorities, according to a new report by Stop Financing Factory Farming. Encouragingly, support for sustainable livestock farming more than tripled to $244 million. Sixteen major financial institutions, including the World Bank Group and European Investment Bank, were assessed. While factory farming still received more funding, the growing investment in eco-friendly farming reflects real progress. Campaigners see this shift as a hopeful sign that financial institutions are starting to align with climate goals and support a more sustainable food future.

Paris residents voted to ban cars from 500 more streets, marking a major step toward a car-free city. Backed by 66% of voters, the plan aims to boost walking, cycling and green spaces while cutting air and noise pollution. Since 2020, 300 streets have already been converted. Each new street will cost about $540,000 to redesign with local input guiding selection. The initiative supports cleaner air, safer streets and cooler neighbourhoods during heatwaves. Paris is becoming a global model for cities rethinking car use and urban space.

In June 2025, solar became the EU’s top electricity source for the first time, generating 22.1% (45.4 TWh) of power, which is up 22% from June 2024. At least 13 European countries set solar records, driven by increased installations and sunny weather. Solar helped meet rising demand during late-June heatwaves. Wind power also hit record highs for May and June, generating 16.6% and 15.8% of electricity respectively. This marked a strong recovery after a slow start to the year, supported by favourable conditions and continued expansion of wind capacity across Europe.

In May 2025, China installed 93 GW of solar and 26 GW of wind capacity which is enough to generate as much electricity to power the whole of Poland, according to analyst Lauri Myllyvirta. Additionally, between the months of January and May, China added 198 GW of solar and 46 GW of wind, matching the output of countries like Indonesia. China’s total installed solar capacity surpassed 1,000 GW, half the world’s total. Despite still being the largest emitter, China leads in clean energy installation.