October 2026 – Week 5
In this week’s live blog we look at political events that could significant influence climate, energy and sustainability. The live updates, looks at the significant political developments influencing climate and energy around the world. Below we take you through the agenda for this week.
This weeks political climate and energy live updates
Within a couple of week’s several elections across the world is having or could have significant impacts on how the world is responding to the climate crisis.
The biggest news comes from Brazil, home to the world’s largest tropical rainforest, the Amazon, where in a nail-biting tight election of the far right Flávio Bolsonaro was averted due to a remarkable comeback by the leftist veteran Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva sealed victory and a record fourth-term in office after he lost the first round of voting. This could bring a lifeline to protecting and reducing deforestation in the Amazon while making progress on protecting and enhancing biodiversity and tackling the climate crisis.
In the US, next week’s crucial midterm election could be hugely influential for climate and energy policies both national, state-wide and local perspectives. The whole of the US House, a third of US Senate seats, several gubernatorial elections and local legislature elections. It is widely expected that the Democrats will take the House and are now also in pole position to take the Senate, which would give them control of both chambers in the US Congress.
Key developments we are tracking this week:
- Outcome of the Brazilian election
- Next week’s crucial US midterm elections
- Israel election
- Serbia’s political earthquake
Data snapshot: US midterm polls
From our data hub we are bringing you a snapshot of selected data. Below selected climate-specific US midterm polling.
Latest national climate-specific polling data
Full US midterm datasets can be seen here.
| Indicator | Result | Population | Survey period | Survey source and context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Want politicians to discuss climate change and pollution more | 59% | Likely midterm voters in eight battleground states | Sept 2026 | Environmental Voter Project, Midterm Battleground State Poll. Survey focused specifically on political priorities and opinions about the clean-energy transition in eight 2026 battleground states. |
| Want politicians to discuss climate change and pollution less | 17% | Likely midterm voters in eight battleground states | Sept 2026 | Same Environmental Voter Project survey. |
| Say fighting climate change and lowering energy costs can happen together | 55% | US voters | Sept 2026 | Searchlight Institute, When it Comes to Energy Policy, Voters are Most Worried About Costs. Midterm-focused survey examining energy costs, climate policy, data centres and permitting. |
| Prioritise keeping energy costs low over fighting climate change | 56% | US voters | Sept 2026 | Same Searchlight Institute survey; respondents were asked to balance energy affordability against climate action. |
The live blog is updated throughout the week as major developments unfold, bringing together the stories, data and announcements shaping the global climate and energy landscape.
Last week’s live blog can be found here.
Live updates
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