Climate news on October 18, 2026

1. 0109:22 UTC

   Research: Africa can cut air pollution and emissions together and save billions

   3 outlets · first: The Conversation Sustainability

   Machine summary Their work draws on the 2025 State of Global Air report, which attributed nearly 1 million premature deaths in sub-Saharan Africa in 2023 to polluted air, and on a report evaluating 25 proven solutions across energy, transport, industry, agriculture and households.

   1. Across sub-Saharan Africa, nearly 1 million people lost their lives prematurely during 2023 after breathing polluted air, per 2025's State of Global Air report, which the researchers cited.
   2. Air pollution has been described as a public health risk in Africa.
   3. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 12% of global air pollution deaths but more than half of all child-related air pollution deaths, the 2025 State of Global Air report says
   4. Household use of wood, charcoal and other polluting cooking fuels is the largest human-made air pollution source in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the researchers
   5. The report "Hidden assets: the economic and health case for climate and clean air action" evaluates 25 proven solutions spanning energy, industry, transport, agriculture, food systems and households

   Reported by The Conversation, Modern Ghana and Uganda Business News.

   • Hidden assets: the economic and health case for climate and clean air action

2. 0219:30 UTC

   Indian officials discuss whether to measure Scope 3 emissions for exports to all countries

   2 outlets · first: economictimes.indiatimes.com Regulation

   Machine summary The Economic Times says that officials in India are debating if Scope 3 emissions must be tracked for shipments to every nation while their trade allies tighten environmental requirements. The report quotes an official saying the indirect nature of these emissions makes them hard to measure, report and mitigate, and that no decision has been taken. Any Scope 3 disclosure should be phased and proportionate, starting with big players in high-impact sectors, Niti Aayog has recommended.

   1. The finance ministry and the commerce and industry ministry have held preliminary discussions on measuring Scope 3 emissions for exports to all countries, not just the EU and UK, according to the report.
   2. An official quoted in the report said one view is that Scope 3 measurement 'can't be done for the EU alone' because value chains are linked, and that no decision has been taken.
   3. The report states that the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism already covers Indian exporters of hydrogen products, iron, steel, aluminium, cement, fertilisers and electricity.
   4. According to how the report defines it, Scope 3 encompasses the sourcing of imported raw materials, raw material extraction, leased assets, staff commuting, business travel, waste, transportation, capital goods, as well as purchased goods and services.
   5. Niti Aayog said the phasing is intended to avoid disproportionate compliance burdens on micro, small and medium enterprises and smaller suppliers.

   Reported by The Economic Times and economictimes.indiatimes.com.

   • The Economic Times
   • NITI Aayog
   • Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
   • Scope 3 emissions

3. 0306:32 UTC

   AdaniConneX and Google plan air cooling at Vizag data centres

   2 outlets · first: Business Standard Sustainability

   Machine summary AdaniConneX's planned Visakhapatnam data centre campuses, built with Google, are to use air-cooled systems instead of water-based evaporative cooling, according to project details reported by Business Standard and the Economic Times. The reports state freshwater use across three sites is planned to stay below the capacity of an Olympic-size pool, with roughly 80 per cent going to landscaping, kitchens and worker facilities and on-site recycling in place.

   1. AdaniConneX's planned Visakhapatnam campuses, developed with Google, are to use air-cooled systems in place of water-based evaporative cooling, according to project details cited by people familiar with the plans and reported by Business Standard and the Economic Times
   2. Freshwater use across the three sites is planned to stay below the capacity of an Olympic-size pool, the reports state
   3. The Mudasarlova and Tarluvada campuses form part of a proposed development of roughly 1 gigawatt of capacity, the reports say
   4. The facilities are to use dedicated industrial water connections instead of municipal supply lines, which the reports frame as avoiding competition with households for drinking water
   5. A zero-discharge policy for domestic wastewater would route treated output to landscape irrigation and flushing, with no release into the Mudasarlova Reservoir, according to the reports

   Reported by Business Standard and economictimes.indiatimes.com.

   • Google
   • AdaniConneX
   • Mudasarlova Reservoir
   • Visakhapatnam data centre campuses
   • Air-cooled systems

4. 0411:30 UTC

   Analysis says Trump administration narrowed public input on environmental rules

   1 outlet · first: motherjones.com Regulation

   Machine summary According to the article, public comments on environmentally mandated reviews were curtailed by the administration starting in 2025, under the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act, legislation applying to undertakings such as highways, dams, and data centers.

   1. According to the article, every major environmental law passed in the last 50 years has public participation written into it.
   2. The 1969 National Environmental Policy Act requires federal agencies to evaluate and disclose foreseeable environmental impacts of major projects they build, fund, or approve, including highways, dams, and data centers, the article states.
   3. The article states that in 2025 the administration began restricting public input on NEPA-required environmental reviews, and notes the review process can delay projects.
   4. Demonstrators wearing shirts critical of EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin attended a Senate committee hearing on EPA budget cuts in Washington, DC, on May 21, 2025, per the article's photo caption.

   Reported by motherjones.com.

   • Trump Administration
   • Lee Zeldin
   • National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

Each summary and its key facts are a machine summary of the reports linked under it; the outlets, times and counts come from those reports' own records. How a rundown is built.