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In Q1 2026, U.S. clean energy investments were heavily influenced by executive branch implementation and policy certainty. While electric power investments increased—driven by a massive nuclear project in Texas—manufacturing investments declined for the sixth consecutive quarter. Federal support strongly favored critical minerals and battery storage, while sectors like hydrogen, solar, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) faced mixed outcomes due to fragile policy support and tightened tax credit eligibility windows.

The waste sector contributes approximately 20% of global human-caused methane emissions, yet adoption of proven technologies like anaerobic digestion and landfill gas to energy remains slow in emerging economies due to a lack of bankable projects. RMI identifies São Paulo and Bangkok as prime opportunity hubs for near-term private investment. Scaling this finance requires de-risking through investment-ready project pipelines, concessional capital, grant funding, and strengthened carbon markets to improve returns.

In Q4 2025, U.S. clean energy investments were characterized by significant uncertainty driven by a record 43-day government shutdown, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), and Department of Energy (DOE) funding cuts. While utility-scale solar and storage remained strong, with $18 billion in actual investments, other sectors like wind, hydrogen, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) faced substantial project cancellations. Nuclear energy showed signs of growth through large-scale partnerships and DOE loans, while the manufacturing sector saw $8.4 billion in EV supply chain cancellations, partly due to shifting federal incentives and corporate pivots toward gas and hybrid vehicles.

The 2026 Market Intelligence Report for the Western Cape's sustainable agriculture sector highlights a transition toward resource-efficient, technologically enabled production. It identifies biological crop protection and biostimulants as key regenerative agriculture opportunities, with a total addressable market of R79.3530.3 million and R27.3176.6 million respectively. Additionally, it identifies farm management systems as a critical smart farming opportunity to ensure export compliance and operational efficiency, with a total addressable market of R108135 million per year. The sector faces significant trade pressures, including the expiry of AGOA in September 2025 and evolving EU sustainability regulations under the European Green Deal, prompting a strategic pivot toward market diversification in Asia, particularly China, following a landmark stone fruit trade protocol signed in October 2025.

The Western Cape water sector is transitioning toward innovative procurement and financing models due to tightening public budgets and increasing climate pressures. Significant capital expenditure is planned for 2025/26 to 2027/28, with approximately R16.5 billion from the City of Cape Town and R7.5 billion from other local municipalities. Key opportunities include public-private partnerships (PPPs) for large-scale infrastructure like desalination and water reuse, as well as a growing market for decentralized water-efficient sanitation solutions (WESS) in both public informal settlements and private property developments.

The ARE Energy Access Investment Forum 2026 brought together 1,400 participants from 87 countries to discuss renewable electrification. Key outcomes included the launch of the USD 25m ASCENT Project Preparation Facility by COMESA and a GDP 14m contribution from the UK's FCDO to the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa in the DRC. The forum highlighted systemic gaps in capital allocation for small African-led firms and the need to shift from supply-led to demand-led skills training for the green transition.

The research paper examines the increasing role of GCC countries—primarily the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar—as major investors in Africa's energy transition and infrastructure. It identifies food security and economic diversification away from hydrocarbons as the primary drivers for Gulf states. While highlighting significant projects in renewable energy and mining, the paper warns that the current focus on large-scale, export-oriented developments may sideline local community needs and climate adaptation priorities unless African policymakers actively steer investments toward local beneficiation and regional integration.

Viet Nam, Indonesia, and the Philippines collectively drive nearly 60% of ASEAN’s power demand and emissions, with a heavy historical reliance on coal. While coal still dominates their energy mixes, all three nations are pivoting toward clean energy, attracting $4.6 billion in investment in 2024. Each country aims for renewables to exceed 50% of their installed capacity mix by 2030–2034. Viet Nam has led the region in new wind and solar generation, the Philippines operates a fully liberalised electricity market to attract FDI, and Indonesia is leveraging its mineral industrialisation to build an electric vehicle ecosystem while planning significant solar expansions.

The report assesses the economic impact of India's power sector decarbonization on Jharkhand, projecting significant losses in state revenue, PSU earnings, and employment. It proposes a three-phase strategic framework (Enabling, Scaling-up, and Viksit Bharat) to transition the state from a raw-material supplier to a cleantech manufacturing hub. The analysis identifies four priority investment areas—clean power, green molecules, sustainable mobility, and green equipment manufacturing—estimating a total capital requirement of USD 41.4 billion to substitute lost fossil fuel revenues and create new employment opportunities.

The cement and concrete sector accounts for nearly 8 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, primarily due to clinker production. Decarbonization requires a three-pronged innovation approach: 'Make Less' (reducing demand through design and efficiency), 'Make Better' (improving existing processes via supplementary cementitious materials and carbon storage), and 'Make New' (developing disruptive, zero-clinker chemistries and electrified production). While near-zero emission cement currently represents less than 1 percent of the market, the report highlights that scaling these technologies requires overcoming fragmented markets, outdated prescriptive standards, and a significant funding gap, as the sector has received less than 1 percent of climate tech venture capital over the last five years.

The document advocates for South Korea to set a 2035 emissions reduction target of at least 61% relative to 2018 levels to ensure alignment with its 2050 carbon neutrality goal. It emphasizes that a credible NDC must be supported by sectoral pathways in power, industry, and transport to provide the policy certainty required to unlock private sector investment. Key recommendations include phasing out coal power by 2035, reforming the Korea Emissions Trading System (K-ETS) to increase carbon price signals, and accelerating the deployment of breakthrough technologies like hydrogen steelmaking and electrified steam crackers. The briefing also stresses the importance of structured collaboration between the government, businesses of all sizes, and subnational authorities to ensure the NDC is investible and implementable.

The document asserts that blackouts are predominantly caused by infrastructure failure, human error, and extreme weather, rather than the deployment of variable renewables. It highlights a significant investment gap in electricity grids, noting that while renewable energy investment has more than doubled since 2015, grid investment has only grown by 24%. The briefing argues that modernising grids with storage, interconnections, and decentralised generation can enhance adequacy, operational security, and resilience, including 'black start' capabilities. However, the IEA warns that grids risk becoming the "weak link" in the energy transition due to underinvestment in ageing assets and the inability to keep pace with rising global electricity demand.

The global chemicals industry, a $4.7 trillion sector responsible for 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, requires urgent innovation to decouple from fossil fuels. RMI and Third Derivative identify three primary innovation pathways: 'Make Less' (circular economy and materials substitution), 'Make Better' (electrification and process efficiency), and 'Make New' (defossilized production using CO2 conversion and biomass). Despite the potential, the sector is undercapitalized, with only 3% of climate tech venture capital directed toward chemicals and plastics over the last five years. Key barriers to scaling include high capital costs, feedstock availability, and a 60% drop in global clean industry investment in 2024. The report emphasizes the role of strategic partnerships with incumbents, non-dilutive funding, and low-carbon certifications in accelerating the commercialization of these technologies.

Reclaim Finance argues that the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (CDC) lacks credibility in its responsible investment strategy due to its continued support for oil and gas expansion. The organization highlights that the CDC's 2024 responsible investment report fails to end new investments in fossil fuel developers, such as TotalEnergies, and relies on an ineffective shareholder dialogue process. Reclaim Finance urges the CDC to cease new investments in these companies, vote against their management, and implement stricter climate criteria for its external asset managers, who manage 10 billion euros of its portfolio.

The document examines the development of sustainable ocean economies (SOE) in six African SIDS, identifying that while legal frameworks are important, they are not the primary determinant for investors. Instead, funding decisions are driven by political will, a track record of marine preservation, and the presence of trusted in-country partners. The briefing highlights the role of innovative financing, such as blue bonds and debt-for-nature swaps, and emphasizes that regulatory reforms should focus on transparency, stakeholder engagement, and co-management to achieve sustainable development goals.

The document examines the transition to a sustainable ocean economy (SOE) in six African SIDS, identifying that while legal frameworks are important, they are not the primary driver of investment. Instead, investors prioritize political will, a track record of marine preservation, and trusted in-country partners. The briefing highlights the role of innovative finance, such as blue bonds and debt-for-nature swaps, and recommends that governments strengthen institutional coordination and regulatory transparency to unlock these flows.

The report argues that Repsol's climate strategy is insufficient, as the company continues to prioritize oil and gas expansion and shareholder returns over sustainable energy investments. It finds that Repsol's 2030 production targets exceed NZE requirements by 38%, and its diversification into renewables and green hydrogen remains a small fraction of its overall energy mix. Additionally, the report notes that Repsol has weakened its 2030 emissions targets, specifically regarding scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions.

The report finds that Shell's investment strategy prioritizes oil and gas expansion and shareholder returns over renewable energy, with 2030 production targets and LNG capacities significantly overshooting IEA Net Zero Emissions (NZE) levels. Shell's diversification into sustainable energy remains marginal, and the company has recently reduced its decarbonization targets for product carbon intensity.

Reclaim Finance criticizes ENGIE for planning a 500 MW fossil gas power plant in Nijmegen, Netherlands, arguing the project is unnecessary given the Netherlands' goal of decarbonized electricity by 2035. The organization claims that ENGIE's promise of 'hydrogen compatibility' is an illusion and warns that the project risks becoming a stranded asset, potentially requiring taxpayer-funded compensation for early closure, similar to previous coal plant exits in the region. Reclaim Finance calls on shareholders, including the French government and private investors like Amundi, BNP Paribas AM, and AXA Investment Managers, to vote against ENGIE's climate plan and management resolutions.

The document argues that Africa's rapid urban growth necessitates immediate investment in food environments to prevent unhealthy path dependencies. It identifies a funding gap of US$100 million over the next five years across four key initiatives: AfriFOODlinks, the Africa Food Environment Research Network (FERN), the Living Off-Grid Food & Infrastructure Collaboration (LOGIC), and the Resilient Municipal Market Fund (ReMark). The brief emphasizes that urban food environments are shaped by physical, economic, social, and infrastructural factors, and suggests aligning these with agroecological principles to improve resilience, equity, and resource efficiency.