Search Climate Insights Directory

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) urges the Special Rapporteur on human rights and climate change to prioritize the voices of frontline communities and investigate human rights harms related to loss and damage, intergenerational justice, and the risks of geoengineering. CIEL specifically calls for a systematic examination of human rights violations linked to the fossil fuel industry and the impact of climate policies on land and tenure rights.

The We Mean Business Coalition and Stiftung KlimaWirtschaft call on G7 leaders to accelerate the clean energy transition by setting a 2030 deadline to end coal-fired power and domestic fossil fuel subsidies. The authors argue that a shift to renewables, including a target of 70% renewable electricity by 2030, would mitigate energy price volatility, create millions of jobs, and prevent stranded assets. They specifically advocate for scaled-up finance for energy efficiency and storage, common standards for renewable hydrogen, and the use of the proposed 'Climate Club' to support developing countries.

The Clean Air Task Force asserts that carbon capture and storage (CCS) is essential for decarbonising foundational industries like cement, iron, steel, and chemicals, which account for approximately one-fifth of total emissions. While some national initiatives exist in the UK, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway, the author argues that a centralized EU strategy is needed to resolve cross-border transport issues, close a projected €10 billion funding gap, and address a storage capacity deficit where available space by 2030 may only meet half of the captured CO2 volume. The proposed strategy would include setting milestone targets, developing strategically placed storage sites, and creating a regulatory platform for CO2 transport infrastructure.

The report examines the rising compensation awards in investor-state arbitral tribunals and compares these with approaches used in other international courts for private property claims. It proposes four reform options: updating treaty language regarding reparation standards, increasing engagement with domestic reparation mechanisms, promoting negotiated or mediated settlements, and increasing the use of tribunal-appointed experts to calculate compensation.

The Forum on Trade, Environment & the SDGs (TESS) highlights the critical role of international trade in the global plastics economy, noting that trade in plastics exceeds USD 1 trillion. TESS argues that current trade policies are often disjointed and can undermine national efforts to curb pollution. The statement urges the INC to foster international cooperation to reduce trade in problematic plastics, end the trade of contaminated waste, and improve data transparency regarding 'hidden' plastic flows. It emphasizes the need for a just transition for developing countries and synergy with existing frameworks like the Basel Convention and WTO dialogues.

The document outlines eleven specific priorities for the targeted review of Canada's Pest Control Products Act, arguing that current regulations fail to address increasing pesticide use and its associated risks to biodiversity, climate, and vulnerable populations.

The document outlines how climate-induced loss and damage (L&D) violates fundamental human rights and calls for the establishment of a Loss and Damage Finance Facility (LDFF) and the operationalization of the Santiago Network (SNLD) based on human rights standards. It highlights specific examples of L&D in South Africa, India, Pakistan, and the Arctic, arguing that wealthy nations have an extraterritorial obligation to provide compensation and support. The authors advocate for inclusive Loss and Damage Needs Assessments (LDNAs), universal social protection schemes, and legal protections for climate-induced displacement.

The document advocates for a shift from voluntary agreements to mandatory EU regulations to tackle microplastic pollution. It emphasizes reducing virgin plastic production and implementing sector-specific bans and design requirements for pellets, textiles, tyres, and agriculture. The authors argue that addressing both macro and microplastics is essential, as the degradation of larger plastics continues to fuel microplastic pollution.

The report finds that implementing Africa's NDCs will cost approximately USD 2.8 trillion between 2020 and 2030, with a 'climate finance need' of USD 2.5 trillion after accounting for domestic public commitments. Current annual flows of USD 30 billion cover only about 12% of the required USD 250 billion per year. Mitigation accounts for 66% of needs, heavily skewed toward South Africa's transport sector, while adaptation represents 24%, likely underestimated due to data gaps. The report highlights a significant reliance on public funding (87%) and recommends that the UNFCCC develop standardized guidance and that countries adopt more participatory, bottom-up needs assessments to mobilize private capital.

Wildfires in the western United States are increasing in size and severity due to climate change and historical fire suppression, posing significant risks to water resources. High-severity fires destroy vegetation and alter soil chemistry, leading to increased streamflow, flooding, and the contamination of drinking water with sediments, toxins, and carcinogens. The document advocates for a combination of emissions reductions, active forest management—including prescribed and Indigenous cultural burns—and investments in climate-resilient water infrastructure to mitigate these threats.

The European Union is developing a certification mechanism for carbon dioxide removals (CDR) to address the lack of widely accepted standards and reduce risks to the environment and consumer protection. The Clean Air Task Force recommends that the EU adopt a framework based on the IPCC's approach, categorizing methods by removal process and storage timescale rather than the 'natural vs. technological' dichotomy. To ensure integrity, the document proposes that certified removals must be real, measurable, additional, permanent, avoid leakage, and avoid double counting. Additionally, it suggests the creation of EU-level scientific and stakeholder advisory boards to oversee the framework's implementation and its integration into voluntary and compliance markets.

The We Mean Business Coalition urges G7 leaders to lead a rapid transition away from fossil fuels through specific targets, including decarbonized power systems by 2035 and the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies by 2025. The coalition emphasizes that the war in Ukraine has highlighted the vulnerability of fossil fuel dependence and calls for strengthened NDCs, scaled-up renewable energy, and mandatory corporate climate disclosures to ensure a just and people-centred transition.

This research paper argues for a redefined approach to multilateralism to address chronic and catastrophic global risks, specifically the climate crisis and pandemics, which are overwhelming the responsive capacities of nations and communities.

The authors argue that current international financial institutions, such as the IMF and World Bank, are not designed to handle concurrent global crises including climate change, pandemics, and debt. They propose a strategic financing framework to increase annual investment in low and middle-income economies by over one trillion dollars, focusing on sustainable infrastructure, human capital, and nature conservation. Short-term priorities include the reallocation of 100 billion in Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), restructuring debts for countries pursuing green transitions, and increasing concessional finance. Long-term goals involve strengthening national and global coordination, leveraging public capital to mobilize private investment, and ensuring G7 countries are held accountable for their own domestic climate and SDG policies.

The Clean Air Task Force asserts that Europe can address its energy security needs and reduce climate impact by targeting wasted methane in Algeria. It highlights that Algeria's wasted gas volume exceeds the amount Italy seeks in new deals and that capturing this gas is more climate-friendly and potentially more lucrative than new drilling.

The document argues against the use of the Defense Production Act (DPA) to subsidize the mining of critical minerals, advocating instead for a circular economy based on recycling and reuse. It demands that if DPA mechanisms are used for metals such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt, the US government must mandate free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) from Indigenous communities, binding human rights due diligence, and strong anti-corruption measures. The authors emphasize the need to avoid repeating the 'generational trauma' of past government-subsidized mining and suggest the US adopt frameworks similar to the EU Battery Directive.

The We Mean Business Coalition highlights that companies using the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) are reducing emissions faster than the global average, noting a 12% cut in 2020 compared to a 5% global decrease. With 2,253 companies representing $38 trillion in market capitalization engaged with SBTi, the author urges G7 governments to align Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) with the goal of halving global emissions by 2030 and to create legal requirements for all companies to set targets. The document emphasizes that a just transition to clean energy—through renewables, electrification, and energy efficiency—is essential to enable businesses to decarbonize their value chains and meet these targets.

The Canadian Climate Institute identifies four critical components for Canada's forthcoming National Adaptation Strategy: risk-based national priorities with measurable goals, immediate short-term policy priorities, improved governance and coordination, and a transparent framework for tracking progress and accountability.

The document argues that proof-of-work digital currencies, specifically Bitcoin, cause significant environmental harm through soaring electricity demand, increased greenhouse gas emissions, and the generation of substantial electronic waste. It highlights the negative impacts on local communities, such as increased electricity prices and thermal pollution in water bodies, and notes that these operations can strain critical semiconductor supply chains. The authors propose several mitigation strategies, including stringent EPA permit reviews, the creation of a mining operation registry by the OMB, energy efficiency standards from the DOE, and transparency requirements from financial regulators like the SEC and CFTC.

The document asserts that hydrogen is a viable tool for decarbonization, potentially reducing US yearly carbon dioxide emissions by roughly 15 percent. It argues that while leaked hydrogen acts as an indirect greenhouse gas, its warming impact is significantly lower than that of methane from natural gas supply chains, especially when accounting for hydrogen's higher energy density. The text emphasizes that green hydrogen offers the most certain climate benefit and suggests that focusing deployment on industrial and transport hubs can further minimize leakage risks by reducing the need for extensive distribution networks.