Search Climate Insights Directory

The document argues that GDP is an insufficient measure of success and a 'blind spot' that limits financing for the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It proposes that G20 countries adopt 'inclusive wealth' indicators—which measure natural, human, social, produced, and financial capital—by 2025 to shift decision-making from short-term gain toward long-term sustainability and effective climate action.

The report advocates for the G20 to replace GDP as the primary measure of national progress with a framework that accounts for economic, environmental, social, and human assets. It notes that GDP growth often masks the deterioration of natural and social capital, which are essential for long-term wellbeing.

The document outlines the extensive health benefits of transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy, emphasizing that such a shift must be 'just' by focusing on the most vulnerable and remediating past damages. It identifies significant reductions in premature deaths from air pollution and occupational hazards, while highlighting opportunities for improved healthcare access and urban wellbeing. The briefing proposes three core principles—inclusive decision-making, health impact tracking, and nature restoration—and provides policy recommendations on redirecting fossil fuel subsidies, integrated ministerial planning, and prioritizing clean cooking solutions.

The document advocates for a just energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, emphasizing that this shift must prioritize social and ecological justice to maximize health benefits. It highlights that ending fossil fuel reliance can prevent millions of premature deaths from air pollution and reduce occupational hazards in mining and oil/gas sectors. The briefing proposes three core principles—inclusive decision-making, health impact tracking, and nature restoration—and recommends redirecting the $425 billion annual fossil fuel subsidies toward clean energy and health services.

The document argues that transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy must prioritize social and ecological justice to avoid replicating centralized power structures. It highlights that such a transition could prevent millions of premature deaths annually by reducing air pollution and eliminating occupational hazards for energy workers. The briefing outlines a framework for 'healthy cities' and 'healthy economies,' emphasizing the need to redirect fossil fuel subsidies toward clean energy and health protection. Key recommendations include inclusive decision-making, mandatory health impact monitoring for new energy investments, and the restoration of nature and health damaged during the fossil fuel era.

The report finds a massive gap between Africa's annual climate finance needs (USD 277 billion) and actual flows (USD 29.5 billion). While international public finance dominates, private sector contribution is low at 14%. Finance is heavily concentrated in a few countries and sectors, with energy receiving the most investment, while agriculture, forestry, and other land use (AFOLU) remains underfunded. The report recommends scaling up concessional finance, improving data tracking, and catalyzing private investment to meet 2030 goals.

The report examines the rapid growth of proof-of-work cryptocurrency mining in the U.S. following China's 2021 ban. It argues that the industry's high energy demands drive the revival of defunct fossil-fuel power plants, increase greenhouse gas emissions, and place financial burdens on electricity ratepayers. The document also details local harms, including noise and water pollution, and debunks industry claims regarding sustainability and grid stability.

The report analyzes how 'climateflation', 'fossilflation', and 'greenflation' impact price stability and proposes that the ECB align its operations with EU climate goals, implement green lending facilities for building renovation, and coordinate with the EIB and European Commission to fund a just energy transition.

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) argues that 'net zero' is a global scientific concept that should not be applied to individual entities, as doing so encourages the use of ineffective offsets and speculative technologies. CIEL recommends that standards for non-state entities require absolute emissions reductions, the inclusion of Scope 3 emissions, and a rapid phase-out of fossil fuels. The document specifically criticizes the fossil fuel industry for using net-zero pledges to mask continued production and warns that reliance on Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) and technological Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) is risky and unproven. It advocates for mandatory regulation, transparent reporting, and the integration of human rights and climate justice into all net-zero frameworks.

Carbon Market Watch argues against the use of Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) toward NDCs and the inclusion of emission avoidance in Article 6.4, while calling for a highly transparent mechanism registry and the mandatory application of corresponding adjustments to ensure overall mitigation in global emissions (OMGE).

Carbon Market Watch argues that 'averaging accounting' for single-year NDCs creates a risk of double counting that should be addressed through the ex-post cancellation of Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs). The organization advocates for a 'public' default status for all Article 6 information and a transparent, machine-readable infrastructure for the Centralised Accounting and Reporting Platform (CARP). Additionally, it strongly opposes allowing 'emission avoidance' to qualify for ITMOs, citing poor definitions and the risk of crediting fossil fuel infrastructure.

Reclaim Finance argues that net-zero commitments must be aligned with a 1.5°C temperature goal, requiring an immediate cessation of investment in new oil, coal, and gas projects. The submission emphasizes that at least 90% of reductions should be achieved by stopping emissions at the source, with carbon removals reserved only for residual emissions. It calls for absolute interim targets—specifically a 50% reduction in CO2 by 2030—and transparent transition plans that include meaningful sanctions for non-compliance. The document also warns against the use of fossil gas as a transition fuel and the practice of selling high-emitting assets to avoid decarbonization targets.

Reclaim Finance argues that the Powering Past Coal Alliance's (PPCA) current Finance Principles allow members to continue supporting coal expansion. The organization recommends updating the global phase-out deadline to 2040, removing the term "unabated" to ban all coal power, expanding the scope to include the entire coal value chain (including mining), banning general financial services to companies planning coal expansion, and implementing a sanction mechanism to exclude non-complying members.

The Russia-Ukraine war has worsened systemic weaknesses in the international food system, disproportionately affecting African countries due to their high reliance on food, fuel, and fertiliser imports from Russia and Ukraine. This vulnerability is compounded by climate-induced weather events, internal conflicts, and structural infrastructure deficits. The report highlights that food price shocks have already triggered protests in countries like Uganda, Malawi, Senegal, and Sudan. To mitigate these risks, the authors recommend that private companies support the diversification of food sources and local agribusiness capacity, while African governments should reduce regulation and leverage regional integration platforms like the AfCFTA.

The document advocates for a de-siloed approach to climate change and global health, emphasizing that public health is both a prerequisite for and a critical indicator of the Paris Agreement's success. It highlights the significant health co-benefits of mitigation in energy, food, and transport sectors, while noting that the healthcare sector itself contributes 4.9% of global emissions. The submission calls for the Global Stocktake to monitor public health implications across sectors, track the healthcare sector's progress in mitigation and adaptation, and address the severe lack of climate finance directed toward health resilience.

The document analyzes the AfCFTA's potential to industrialize Africa and create a market of 1.3 billion consumers. It highlights a decline in Korea-Africa trade since 2011 and suggests that Korea leverage its strengths in capital goods, specifically the automotive and shipping sectors, to integrate into emerging African regional value chains. The authors recommend that Korea pursue formal economic partnership agreements with African regional economic communities, focusing on asymmetric trade liberalization and supporting Africa's green energy transition.

The document outlines the potential for South Africa to expand its local wind energy industry, noting that while some components like towers and transformers are produced domestically, most turbine parts are imported. It highlights the need for targeted industrial support, such as concessional finance and the development of precast concrete facilities, to increase local content. The text also notes that South Africa's Integrated Resource Plan targets a wind energy share of 21% (17,742 MW) by 2030, which would require approximately 5,000 new large turbines.

The document emphasizes the necessity for Indonesia to plan for a just energy transition given the dominant role of coal and oil and gas in its economy. It highlights that coal-fired power plants provide over 60 percent of the country's electricity and that the coal industry employed at least 100,000 people in 2018. The brief warns that current government projections for the coal industry may be overly optimistic and recommends institutionalizing tripartite social dialogue and increasing administrative capacity on just transition to avoid missing the 23% renewable energy target.

Reclaim Finance calls for GFANZ to include specific, stringent criteria in its net-zero transition plan recommendations for financial institutions, including a 50% emissions reduction by 2030 and an immediate end to fossil fuel expansion support.

Heat pumps are all-electric appliances that move heat rather than generating it, allowing them to provide both heating and cooling with high efficiency. They are available as air-source or ground-source systems and can be ducted or ductless. While upfront costs can be a barrier, they offer long-term savings over gas or electric resistance furnaces and eliminate indoor fossil fuel combustion risks. Recent technological advances have made them viable in cold climates, and they are increasingly integrated into climate action plans to improve energy security and public health.