Search Climate Insights Directory

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) provides expert comments to the Washington Department of Ecology regarding the potential linkage of Washington's cap-and-invest program with the Western Climate Initiative (WCI) market administered by California and Quebec. SEI warns that because Washington's program is currently more stringent and has a longer time horizon (through 2050) than California's (authorized through 2030), full linkage could significantly lower allowance prices, reduce state auction revenues, and undermine Washington's emission reduction goals. SEI recommends that full linkage be contingent on California extending its program beyond 2030 and increasing its 2030 cap stringency to address a large bank of unused allowances. As an interim measure, SEI proposes 'restricted linkage' via a quota on imported WCI allowances to balance cost containment with environmental integrity.

RMI's analysis of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) quantifies the potential economic and health benefits for US states, highlighting that ambitious adoption of clean energy technologies could secure significant investment, create thousands of jobs, and improve public health outcomes by 2030.

This policy brief by RMI argues that US airports are strategically positioned to host multi-megawatt fast-charging hubs to accelerate electric vehicle (EV) adoption, particularly for high-mileage commercial ridehail and taxi drivers. Using a model based on Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), RMI suggests that these hubs can be financially viable with investment payback periods under 10 years, provided there is close coordination with local utilities to manage infrastructure costs and capacity.

This report by Energy Innovation provides a guide for state policymakers to leverage the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 to accelerate the transition to clean electricity. It details the mechanics of clean energy tax credits, reinvestment financing for fossil infrastructure, and transmission provisions, while analyzing independent modeling of the IRA's potential to reduce U.S. electricity sector emissions and lower household energy costs by 2030.

This discussion paper by the African Climate Foundation examines the tension between utilizing Africa's significant natural gas resources for economic development and the risks posed by the global transition to low-carbon energy. It argues that while gas provides short-term revenue and energy security, long-term investments in gas infrastructure are increasingly risky due to falling renewable energy costs and international climate targets. The paper advocates for a shift toward renewable energy (RE) to support industrialization and electrification, provided that climate finance is scaled up.

Research using the Oregon Energy Policy Simulator evaluates the impact of current and potential climate policies on emissions, GDP, and employment in Oregon.

This policy brief by RMI argues that the Build Back Better Act could be made more effective by allowing regulated utilities to opt out of 'tax normalization' requirements for stand-alone battery storage and transmission projects eligible for the Investment Tax Credit (ITC). While the bill introduces positive changes such as direct pay and the option for solar developers to use the Production Tax Credit (PTC), the author contends that current normalization rules force utilities to retain some ITC benefits for shareholders rather than passing them to customers, thereby increasing costs and disincentivizing the deployment of critical grid infrastructure.

This policy brief by Energy Innovation analyzes the electric vehicle (EV) incentives proposed in the Build Back Better Act (BBB), arguing that these provisions are essential for decarbonizing the transportation sector, boosting domestic manufacturing, and improving public health.

This policy brief by RMI argues that the current design of the residential solar investment tax credit (ITC 25D) creates inequities by benefiting high-income and White residents while excluding low-and moderate-income (LMI) households who lack sufficient federal tax liability. RMI advocates for Congress to transition ITC 25D to a 'direct pay' model, similar to proposed provisions for business- and utility-scale renewables, to lower upfront costs, reduce energy burdens, and stimulate job growth in LMI communities.

This policy brief by RMI argues that federal incentives are necessary to help electric cooperatives (co-ops) retire aging coal plants and transition to renewable energy, which would drive significant economic development in rural US communities.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and Clean Prosperity examines the design and implementation of a border carbon adjustment (BCA) for Canada. It analyzes how a BCA could prevent carbon leakage—where emissions-intensive and trade-exposed (EITE) industries relocate or are undercut by foreign competitors—while maintaining WTO compliance. The document explores various design scenarios, identifies the most vulnerable Canadian sectors, and evaluates the potential impact of similar regimes being developed in the United States and the European Union.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative and PUC-Rio analyzes the capital requirements necessary to maximize agricultural productivity in Brazil without increasing deforestation, focusing on crop and beef output at the municipality level.

This report analyzes the impact of the OECD's Pillar Two global digital tax reforms on the mining sector, specifically focusing on 'timing differences' between accounting profits and taxable income. It argues that without proper resolution of these differences, resource-rich developing countries could lose significant tax revenue and investment to developed nations where parent companies are based.

This report by WWF South Africa, developed with Trace & Save and Nedbank, presents a business case for sustainable, regenerative dairy production in South Africa. Based on a case study of 62 pasture-based farms between 2013 and 2019, the report demonstrates a positive correlation between the implementation of sustainability best practices and increased farm profitability, alongside a reduction in environmental impact.

This executive summary by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes the planning, governance, and environmental risks of the EF-170 railway (Ferrogrão) in Brazil. The document identifies significant fragilities in the project's economic modeling, socio-environmental assessments, and administrative transparency, warning that without mitigation, the project could induce substantial deforestation in Mato Grosso.

The 'US Stimulus Strategy' report by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) provides four primary policy recommendations for a zero-carbon economic recovery in the United States following the COVID-19 pandemic. The strategy focuses on decarbonizing buildings and transportation, implementing debt forgiveness tied to emissions reductions, and establishing a federal Economic Recovery Facility to finance clean energy projects.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) estimates the public funding required by 2030 to end hunger, double the incomes of smallholder farmers, and maintain agricultural greenhouse gas emissions within the limits of the Paris Agreement. Using a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model, the authors determine that donors must nearly double their current annual contributions to food security, supplemented by increased domestic tax revenue in low- and middle-income countries.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) estimates the public investment required to eradicate hunger, double the incomes of small-scale producers, and maintain agricultural greenhouse gas emissions within Paris Agreement limits by 2030. Using a computable general equilibrium model, the authors determine that donors must increase their annual contributions by 14 billion USD, complemented by 19 billion USD from low- and middle-income countries, to achieve these goals.

This research paper by the NewClimate Institute compares geothermal and coal power generation in Kenya, evaluating their impacts on costs, affordability, reliability, and sustainable development. The study finds that geothermal energy is significantly more cost-effective, creates more domestic employment, and has far lower environmental and health impacts than the proposed coal plants in Lamu and Kitui.

This fact sheet by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) describes a study on enhancing the climate resilience of water and energy infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa. Using the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) system and the Open Source Energy Modeling System (OSeMOSYS), SEI evaluated seven major river basins to estimate the economic risks posed by climate change to hydropower and irrigation, providing recommendations for robust investment decision-making.