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Donald Trump's second presidency -

One of the main events on the radar of climate experts for 2025 is the start of Donald Trump's second term as President of the United States.

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Donald Trump's second presidency -

Many worry that Trump's return will be a major setback for the environment. Indeed, he has already said that he plans to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement.

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Donald Trump's second presidency -

However, it is important to note that China is predicted to provide almost 60% of the world's renewable energy between 2024 and 2030, and does not depend on the US.

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Donald Trump's second presidency -

Furthermore, the clean industry sector is already booming in the US, and Trump may face opposition from within his own party if he tries to curb growth.

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New national climate targets - February 2025 will be an important month in the UN climate calendar as it carries the deadline for countries to submit their new climate action plans.

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New national climate targets -

The so-called Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are only updated every five years. Essentially, these outline each country's plan for dealing with climate change over the next ten years. 

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New national climate targets - The NDCs delivered in February 2025 will be expected to include much bigger commitments than in previous years due to the climate scenario's rapid escalation. 

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New national climate targets -

Despite the February 2025 deadline, many countries have not yet submitted their plans. It is expected that some entries will trickle in after the deadline and in the run-up to COP30, which will be held in Belem, Brazil, in November 2025.

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A chance to discuss biodiversity -

Experts will have an important chance to discuss biodiversity at the second installment of the COP16 biodiversity summit, which will take place in Rome, Italy, in late February 2025.

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A chance to discuss biodiversity -

Leaders will continue to discuss how we can protect 30% of the Earth's land and seas by 2030, as was agreed in December 2022.

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A chance to discuss biodiversity -

Nature is also expected to be high on the agenda at the COP30 summit in November. In particular, leaders will be expected to discuss the topic of deforestation.

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A chance to discuss biodiversity -

In 2024, deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon dropped to a nine-year low. This is great progress, of course, but global deforestation still remains a huge challenge.

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Climate lawsuits -

It's also expected to be a big year for climate lawsuits. These have exploded in the last few years, and there are now thousands of ongoing cases worldwide.

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Climate lawsuits -

It is becoming increasingly common for entities such as governments, fossil fuel companies, and airlines to end up defending themselves in court over climate-related damages.

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Climate lawsuits -

One particular development to look out for is the advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on whether states should be obliged to address climate damages.

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Climate lawsuits -

If the ICJ does indeed find that countries have an obligation under international law to address climate damages, this would be a major step forward.

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More satellite data -

In recent years, we have seen increasing numbers of satellites launched to collect data on the climate, as well as methane and CO2 emissions.

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More satellite data -

The data from these satellites are very valuable as they offer global overviews and a high level of detail on the topic of environmental pollution and changes. 

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More satellite data -

In 2025, we can expect to see even more detailed data coming from these satellites, as well as more new satellites being launched.

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More satellite data -

There is a particular buzz around the European Space Agency's high-resolution CO2M satellite, although this won't actually launch until 2026.

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Conclusion of the plastic debate -

In 2024, leaders failed again to reach an agreement on how best to tackle plastic pollution. This is despite two years of ongoing negotiations.

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Conclusion of the plastic debate -

The main sticking point of the debate is whether countries should focus on reducing plastic production or improving plastic recycling.

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Conclusion of the plastic debate -

There is also a question as to how much financial support should be given to developing countries looking to curb their levels of pollution.

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Conclusion of the plastic debate -

The next round of talks on this topic is scheduled for mid-2025, and the final conference, where hopefully the agreement will be signed, is planned for the end of 2025.

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Extreme weather -

Last but not least, there is one key trend that is sure to continue into 2025: extreme weather.

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Extreme weather -

In 2024, billions of people globally experienced various forms of extreme weather, from hurricanes and flooding to droughts and wildfires.

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Extreme weather -

In fact, 2024 was the hottest year on record. According to a research group from Imperial College, London, the world experienced 41 days of dangerous heat due to climate change.

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Extreme weather -

It is very difficult to predict exactly when extreme weather events will hit in 2025, but the UK's Met Office has warned that it is expected to be one of the top three hottest years on record. 

Sources: (BBC)

See also: Cities that will be least impacted by climate change

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