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The study finds that in most U.S. states, financing and owning an EV is cheaper on a monthly basis than an equivalent gasoline car, despite higher sticker prices. This advantage is heavily dependent on the $7,500 federal tax credit; without it, most EVs become more expensive during the loan repayment period. The research highlights that while total cost of ownership (TCO) is significantly lower for EVs over a vehicle's lifetime, consumers are often deterred by upfront costs. Increasing the federal tax credit to $10,000 would make EVs cheaper in nearly every state-vehicle comparison evaluated.

The Mauritius–China Free Trade Agreement (MCFTA), effective January 1, 2021, is analyzed as a likely geopolitical tool rather than an economic driver, given the extreme trade imbalance between the two nations. The authors argue that Mauritius lacks the capacity to penetrate the Chinese market, and the agreement may exacerbate its trade deficit. While the MCFTA is China's first FTA with an African nation, the paper suggests it serves as a strategic base for China to influence the broader African market and the AfCFTA, while potentially acting as a 'laboratory' for future continental engagements.

The land sector is essential for 1.5°C and 2°C pathways, potentially providing up to 30% of global mitigation. While it offers significant near-term potential at low cost, the IPCC warns that land-based mitigation cannot compensate for delayed emissions reductions in other sectors. Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is deemed necessary for net-zero targets, but the IPCC highlights substantial uncertainties, risks, and a massive investment gap, with current annual investment at USD 0.7 billion against a needed USD 400 billion.

The report argues that expanding the CN ETS beyond the power sector to include iron and steel, aluminum, cement, chemicals, papermaking, and civil aviation is essential for China's decarbonization strategy. It identifies key obstacles including data collection challenges, industry concerns over international competitiveness (carbon leakage), and bureaucratic inertia. To address these, the authors recommend implementing a price collar to limit economic risk, simplifying allocation benchmarks to one per unique product to reduce information burdens, and highlighting the economic advantages of clean tech innovation. The report also uses green hydrogen as a case study to illustrate how CN ETS expansion can enhance the global competitiveness of Chinese enterprises.

The document highlights the role of boreal forests in storing two-thirds of global forest carbon and the threat posed by intensifying wildfires. It argues that current fire management in Alaska does not account for carbon emissions and is underfunded relative to its contribution to US fire emissions. Research suggests that increasing spending on fire suppression could cost-effectively reduce fire size and CO2 emissions, costing approximately $12.63 per ton of CO2 averted.

The report argues that blending green hydrogen into existing natural gas infrastructure for buildings and power generation is inefficient, costly, and risky. It finds that electrification is a superior alternative for the building sector due to higher energy efficiency and lower costs. In the power sector, hydrogen-fired turbines face significant NOx pollution challenges and risk becoming stranded assets. The authors recommend that green hydrogen be reserved for 'hard-to-decarbonize' sectors like industrial feedstocks, aviation, and marine shipping, while urging regulators to maintain a high burden of proof for any ratepayer-funded hydrogen projects.

The report argues that South Africa's policy of elevating trophy hunting as a conservation tool lacks empirical support and is economically insignificant compared to non-consumptive tourism. It highlights systemic governance failures, particularly in the Association of Private Nature Reserves (APNR), and suggests that the practice may actually harm biodiversity by targeting prime males and fragmenting landscapes. The author recommends a moratorium on trophy hunting for elephants, rhinos, leopards, lions, and giraffes, proposing a shift toward non-lethal alternatives like carbon and biodiversity credits.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) condemns the 2022/23 South African budget for prioritizing 'fiscal consolidation' and debt reduction over poverty alleviation and public service investment. The IEJ argues that the government is ignoring a revenue windfall of R181 billion to implement austerity measures that result in real spending cuts for healthcare and education, while maintaining an inadequate Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant. The document criticizes the reduction in corporate income tax and the reliance on public-private partnerships (PPPs) for industrial policy, suggesting instead that progressive taxes on wealth and luxury goods should fund a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG).

The document refutes the 'green inflation' myth, asserting that solar and wind are the cheapest forms of new electricity generation in 90% of the world. It contrasts the 'experience curves' of renewable technologies, where costs drop as deployment doubles, with the volatile commodity pricing of fossil fuels. While short-term supply chain disruptions and material shortages, such as polysilicon, have caused temporary price hikes, the long-term structural trend remains downward. The text concludes that transitioning to renewables will reduce global energy expenditures from 3.2% of GDP to less than 1.6% by mid-century.

The report argues that while COVID-19 provided a temporary respite for the environment, it exacerbated social inequalities and led to a rebound in carbon emissions. It contends that current 'green recovery' efforts are insufficient, primarily limited to wealthy nations and focused narrowly on decarbonisation while neglecting nature and social justice. The authors advocate for a structural shift toward a circular economy, nature-based solutions, and innovative finance like debt-for-nature swaps to ensure a sustainable and equitable transition.

The policy brief argues that most recovery packages in Latin America and the Caribbean are 'inertial' and environmentally negative, prioritizing short-term economic growth over long-term climate sustainability. It highlights a significant gap between national climate commitments (NDCs) and actual recovery spending, noting a trend toward fossil fuel subsidies and increased deforestation. The document recommends integrating social justice, gender equity, and systemic resilience into recovery plans, while urging governments to adopt green taxonomies and align financial incentives with the 1.5°C goal.

The document argues that adopting California's ACT and HDO rules would significantly reduce toxic air pollutants and carbon emissions from medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in Connecticut, leading to substantial health savings and economic benefits by 2050.

The document examines the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Africa, highlighting a tension between the continent's role as a provider of raw materials and labour and its dependence on foreign AI technologies from the Global North and China. It identifies significant risks associated with AI adoption, including the misuse of biometric digital IDs in Namibia and South Africa, the deployment of facial recognition for surveillance in Uganda and South Africa, and the exploitation of vulnerable populations through 'click work' in Kenyan refugee camps. The author analyses emerging national AI strategies in Egypt, Mauritius, and Rwanda, as well as the SMARTAfrica Blueprint, noting that while these frameworks address infrastructure and talent, they often overlook the labour rights of gig workers and the specific impact of automation on women. The brief evaluates the potential for policy transfer from the EU, specifically the AI Act and GDPR, warning that such frameworks may not account for African socio-economic rights or the technical constraints of local start-ups. It concludes by recommending that African policymakers focus on building inclusive digital infrastructure, fostering regional cooperation for data sharing, and implementing beneficiation frameworks to ensure local communities profit from the data used to train AI systems.

The report examines the systemic risks posed by the 'new planetary reality' of the Anthropocene, where climate instability and biosphere depletion create non-linear financial risks. It argues that current ESG metrics and macroeconomic indicators (like GDP) are insufficient because they fail to account for planetary boundaries and natural capital. The authors highlight the disproportionate responsibility of high-income countries for ecological breakdown and the role of 'keystone actors'—including transnational corporations and 'Big Three' asset managers (BlackRock, Vanguard, State Street)—in driving or mitigating these risks. The document proposes a shift toward a precautionary approach to financial regulation, the adoption of impact accounting, and the use of social norm shifts to accelerate a just transition.

This report chapter analyzes the growth of the lower-middle-income population in high-impact countries in 2022, highlighting the risks associated with their potential purchase of inefficient cooling devices and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on income levels.

The study analysed 15 centre pivot irrigation systems on six dairy farms in South Africa's Southern Cape between March and December 2021. It found that average system efficiency was 72.2%, with significant water wastage driven by wind speed, sprinkler height, and droplet size. The research highlights a positive correlation between soil health—specifically higher carbon and fungi levels—and pasture water-use efficiency. Financial analysis indicates that inefficient irrigation leads to substantial opportunity costs in terms of wasted water, increased electricity bills, and lost potential for dry matter production. The document advocates for the use of water meters and precise scheduling to reduce costs and enhance agro-ecosystem services.

The report assesses the viability of proposed gas power plants in the US against 'clean energy portfolios'—combinations of solar, wind, storage, demand flexibility, and energy efficiency—noting that over 88 gigawatts of gas capacity were proposed in 2021 despite economic and policy shifts favoring clean alternatives.

The report finds that most of the 88+ GW of proposed US gas power plants are economically uncompetitive compared to Clean Energy Portfolios (CEPs), which combine wind, solar, storage, energy efficiency, and demand flexibility. At least 70 GW of proposed gas capacity could be avoided using CEPs, potentially saving $22 billion and reducing CO2 emissions by 873 million metric tons over 20 years. The analysis highlights six key headwinds—including declining renewable costs, rising gas prices, and public health impacts—that increase the risk of project cancellations or stranded assets. Specifically, in a central analysis case, 40% of proposed combined cycle (CC) plants would cost more to operate than a new CEP would cost to build within 10 years, a figure that could rise to 80-90% under certain economic scenarios. The report also notes that CEPs create more jobs and avoid significant health costs, particularly in low-income communities and communities of color.

The adoption of the ACT and HDO rules in Massachusetts is projected to significantly reduce toxic air pollutants and carbon emissions from medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, leading to substantial health savings and net societal benefits by 2050.

The paper evaluates four scenarios—a Reference Scenario and three increasing levels of policy ambition—to determine the effectiveness of tax credits, infrastructure spending, and performance standards in decarbonizing the U.S. economy. It finds that while tax credits and spending drive early adoption, sector-specific performance standards and negative emissions technologies are essential to reach net-zero by 2050. The analysis concludes that decarbonization is economically feasible, with potential net savings of 0.3 percent of U.S. GDP by 2050 under reference oil prices.