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The document argues that simply framing the clean energy transition as a trade-off between fossil fuel jobs lost and green jobs gained is insufficient and risks undermining public support. While citing data that renewables created over 12 million jobs by 2021, it highlights widespread skepticism and growing global inequality driven by climate change, technology, urbanization, and migration. The authors propose a shift toward 'regenerative capitalism' and a 'Great Regeneration' to foster a more equitable and sustainable global economy.

The document argues that carbon capture and storage (CCS) is an ineffective and expensive solution for decarbonizing Canada's oil and gas sector. It highlights that current projects capture only a small fraction of national emissions, often facilitate further oil extraction through enhanced oil recovery, and require disproportionate public subsidies compared to more cost-effective alternatives like methane reduction. The brief concludes that CCS does not align with the timelines or ambition required to limit global warming to 1.5°C.

The report examines the South African cannabis industry, arguing that current legal and regulatory frameworks create high barriers to entry that exclude traditional growers and small enterprises. It identifies critical bottlenecks in medical cannabis exports, such as the lack of mutual recognition for SAHPRA licenses in European markets, and a lack of processing capacity for industrial hemp. The authors advocate for a tiered licensing system, the legalisation of a regulated adult-use market to support inclusive growth, and the establishment of a specialised state agency to coordinate the sector's development and ensure decent work and environmental sustainability.

The document argues that carbon capture and storage (CCS) is an ineffective solution for Canada's oil and gas sector due to high costs, energy intensity, and a poor track record of delivery. It highlights that most Canadian CCS projects use captured carbon for enhanced oil recovery (EOR), which facilitates further oil production. Despite these failings, the Canadian government has provided billions in public funding, including a significant investment tax credit, which the authors suggest represents a high opportunity cost compared to more effective measures like methane reduction.

The authors contend that inflation in Europe is caused by global supply chain disruptions, the energy crisis, and corporate profit maintenance rather than rising wages. They argue that increasing interest rates risks severe economic damage and unemployment, suggesting instead that the solution lies in price controls, windfall profit taxes, wage indexation, and reducing dependence on global imports through a green transition.

The report finds that 99% of U.S. coal plants are more expensive to operate than to replace with new renewable energy. It highlights that local solar and wind resources, bolstered by IRA tax credits and the ability to reuse existing grid interconnections, offer a cost-effective path for coal retirement. The analysis suggests that the savings from this transition could fund 137 GW of four-hour battery storage to maintain grid reliability. The authors recommend that policymakers update resource plans, improve interconnection processes, and utilize IRA financing to ensure a just economic transition for coal-dependent communities.

The report analyzes Russia's climate policy, specifically the 2021 Low Carbon Strategy and the Law on Limiting Greenhouse Gas Emissions. It argues that these frameworks are 'imitational,' serving as a facade to maintain the international image of leadership while shielding fossil-fuel elites from actual emission reductions. Key failures identified include scientifically unfounded reliance on forest carbon sinks, a history of 'ghosted' energy-efficiency targets, and a lack of transparent verification or additionality criteria for carbon projects. The authors conclude that the current 'dual state' system, where informal elite interests override formal legislation, makes genuine carbon neutrality unlikely without systemic political and economic change.

The report highlights that community-held lands, covering approximately 50% of the world's land, often exhibit higher species richness and lower deforestation rates than state-managed protected areas (PAs). It argues that tenure security is fundamental to these positive outcomes, citing significant reductions in forest clearing in the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazons following land titling. Despite this, the document notes a severe funding gap, with only a small fraction of global biodiversity finance reaching community organizations. It also warns that 'fortress conservation' has led to mass evictions and human rights violations, calling for a shift toward rights-based conservation and the use of Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) to meet global targets like the 30x30 goal.

The author contends that inflation in the Eurozone is caused by vulnerability to global shocks—such as the energy crisis and supply chain disruptions—rather than a 'wage-price spiral'. The text criticizes the use of restrictive monetary policies (raising interest rates) as harmful and suggests that companies are maintaining or increasing margins by passing costs to consumers. To counter the decline in the wage share of GDP, the document proposes indexing wages to inflation, taxing superprofits, and investing in domestic transport, housing insulation, and agriculture to reduce reliance on imported inputs.

The analysis finds that all-electric single-family new construction is more economical to build and operate and produces lower lifetime emissions than mixed-fuel homes in all nine studied US cities. This is attributed to the efficiency of heat pump systems and the avoidance of gas connection costs.

The briefing argues that adopting a 45% renewable energy target by 2030 would halve EU fossil gas imports compared to the 40% target in the Fit for 55 plan, resulting in €43 billion in additional savings in 2030 and an estimated €200 billion between 2025 and 2030. It warns that relying on LNG diversification creates new dependencies and exposes the EU to global price shocks and high methane emissions, particularly from the US. The analysis highlights that countries like Italy, France, and Poland would see significant cost reductions, while warning that Poland's current plans for increased gas power generation could lead to power shortages and reduced competitiveness.

Asia is currently developing 442 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of new LNG import capacity, representing a US$119 billion investment. While driven by growing energy demand, these plans face a 'fork in the road' due to extreme price volatility caused by the European energy crisis and the falling cost of renewable energy. China leads the regional buildout, accounting for nearly half of Asia's planned capacity. The document warns that this infrastructure could lock economies into fossil fuel reliance, contradicting global 1.5°C warming targets.

The briefing highlights the socio-economic risks and opportunities for Africa amidst global decarbonisation, noting that while fossil fuel exports (40% of total) are threatened, the continent's mineral wealth can drive a just transition. It advocates for an 'African Green deal' to shift Africa from being a mere source of raw materials to an industrialised hub, mitigating climate-induced economic losses which reached US$38 billion in 2020.

Solar generation in seven Asian countries avoided approximately US$34 billion in fossil fuel costs in the first half of 2022. The report highlights rapid capacity growth in China, India, and Viet Nam, while noting that solar capacity across five key Asian economies is expected to grow by an average of 22% annually until 2030. However, the transition faces hurdles including grid instability in Viet Nam, high installation costs in Japan and South Korea, and policy bottlenecks in the Philippines and Thailand.

The report argues that India's buildings sector must adopt an integrative whole-system approach to address both embodied and operational emissions. It highlights that building operations account for about a third of India's energy use, and without intervention, energy consumption could triple by 2050. The proposed framework prioritises reducing energy needs through passive design, serving those needs with super-efficient equipment, and transitioning to clean energy procurement and demand flexibility. Key recommendations include government mandates for net-zero public buildings, the adoption of carbon accounting for corporations, and the implementation of building performance standards to ensure actual operational efficiency.

The Institute for Economic Justice calls for a radical shift in South Africa's 2022 MTBPS, advocating for the expansion of the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant to at least R624 and the eventual introduction of a Universal Basic Income Guarantee. The authors argue against budget cuts in education and healthcare, suggesting instead that the government utilize an estimated R110-billion revenue overrun and implement a wealth tax and luxury VAT to fund social support and infrastructure. Additionally, the document recommends reversing the corporate tax rate cut from 28% to 27% and increasing support for the Industrial Financing Programme to combat deindustrialisation.

The document critiques the administrative barriers and restrictive eligibility of the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant, arguing that a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) would more effectively reduce poverty and strengthen household resilience. It advocates for financing this system through wealth taxes and progressive reforms rather than regressive taxation like VAT increases.

The EU needs to mobilize €330 billion to €400 billion in private investment to bring 20 million tons of green hydrogen to market by 2030. However, two primary risks hinder this: market risk, where off-takers fear paying higher-than-market rates compared to fossil fuels, and first-mover risk, where early investors face high electrolyzer costs that may become uncompetitive as technology prices fall. RMI suggests that a cumulative investment of approximately €10 billion between 2024 and 2029 could offset market risk, while producers may need €3.5-5 billion per year in public support to keep early capacity competitive. By spending up to €15 billion to offset these risks by 2030, the EU could leverage significant private spending on renewables and electrolyzers.

The report finds that electrification retrofits for mid-sized commercial office buildings are cost-effective when tailored to regional climate conditions and gas utility rates. By analyzing a prototypical 50,000 square foot building, the study demonstrates that combining heat pump replacements with complementary measures—such as ventilation efficiency, peak demand management, and rooftop solar—can result in positive net present value compared to replacing gas equipment in kind.

The document analyzes the link between the EU's dependence on Russian fossil fuels and its current inflationary crisis, highlighting how wind and solar energy have provided significant cost savings. It advocates for the adoption of the RePowerEU proposal to increase renewable energy and energy efficiency targets to ensure long-term energy security and maintain the EU's global climate leadership.