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Climate finance for land use in Brazil averaged US$ 17.1 billion annually from 2021 to 2023, a 99% increase from the 2015-2020 period. Domestic sources provided 97% of these resources, with the private sector contributing 72% of domestic finance. Rural credit was the primary financial instrument, accounting for 58% of total flows. While crops received the most funding (74%), the native forest sector remained heavily dependent on the federal public budget and international public sources. Mitigation-focused finance dominated at 57% of total flows, while spending on climate losses and damages grew significantly, reaching US$ 2.0 billion by 2023.

Global climate finance reached USD 1.46 trillion in 2022, showing resilience despite global crises. While advanced economies saw steady growth driven by domestic policy and stimulus, emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) experienced inconsistent trends, with significant recoveries in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia between 2020 and 2022. Private sector contributions to mitigation finance exceeded 50% in several EMDE regions, and finance to least developed countries (LDCs) more than doubled from 2018 to 2022.

The document assesses whether expanding the mandatory contributor base for climate finance to include emerging economies can bridge the gap between current funding and the estimated USD 1 trillion per year needed by developing countries. It finds that even if candidate emerging countries contributed at the same rate as developed countries, the additional funds would only cover about 5.12% of the minimum need. The briefing argues that developed countries must maintain primary responsibility, highlighting that many current contributors have not met their 'fair share' and that much of the provided finance consists of loans that increase the debt burden of vulnerable nations.

The report finds that while agrarian reform settlements occupy only 8% of the Amazon biome, they accounted for 24% of forest loss in 2023. Deforestation is highly concentrated, with 5% of settlements responsible for 65% of the deforested area between 2017 and 2023. Evidence suggests that large-scale clearing is driven by external actors rather than resident settlers, as the scale of deforestation is incompatible with family farming. The report recommends that INCRA, IBAMA, and the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change prioritize strategic interventions in these high-impact settlements and specific regional superintendencies, particularly those in Santarém, Amazonas, and Southern Pará.

The report argues that clean electrification is essential for UK energy security, as the transition to electric vehicles and heat pumps significantly reduces overall energy demand and fossil fuel imports. It highlights that the UK's power sector has become more efficient as wind and solar displace coal and gas, and that electrification currently reduces fossil fuel demand four times more than the additional electricity demand it creates.

The report analyzes the causal link between Amazon deforestation and reduced hydroelectric power generation in Brazil, utilizing case studies of the Teles Pires HPP and plants in the Paraná Basin to quantify energy and revenue losses.

The report finds that while agrarian reform settlements occupy only 8% of the Amazon biome, they accounted for 24% of its forest loss in 2023. Deforestation is highly concentrated, with 5% of settlements responsible for 65% of the loss in settled areas between 2017 and 2023. The analysis suggests that large-scale clearing is likely driven by external actors rather than smallholder farmers. Geographically, 63% of this deforestation is concentrated in three Incra Regional Superintendencies: Santarém, Sul do Pará, and Amazonas. The authors recommend that the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MMA), Ibama, and Incra implement focalized interventions in these priority settlements to enhance conservation.

The report finds that while agrarian reform settlements occupy only 8% of the Amazon biome, they accounted for 24% of its forest loss in 2023. Deforestation is highly concentrated, with 5% of settlements responsible for 65% of the deforested area between 2017 and 2023. Evidence suggests that forest loss is driven by external actors rather than resident settlers, as 75% of vegetation loss in these areas involves plots larger than 6.25 hectares, a pattern inconsistent with small-scale family farming. The report highlights that three INCRA regional superintendencies—Santarém, Amazonas, and Southern Pará—account for 63% of deforestation in settled areas. It recommends that the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MMA), IBAMA, and INCRA implement targeted action plans for these priority settlements to enhance conservation effectiveness.

Climate finance for land use in Brazil averaged R$ 88.1 billion annually from 2021 to 2023, a 145% increase over the 2015-2020 period. Domestic sources provided 97% of these funds, with rural credit serving as the primary instrument (58% of total flows). While mitigation remains the dominant climate use (57%), there was a significant surge in 'loss and damage' payments, which grew 357% between 2021 and 2023 due to government indemnities for extreme weather events. The report highlights a heavy reliance on self-declared sustainable practices in rural credit and a decline in thematic bonds, while noting the critical role of the federal budget in supporting native forests.

The report finds that Australia, Canada, and the UK (the "Big Three") have historically and currently dominated fossil fuel extraction emissions within the Commonwealth. While these wealthy nations have the highest emissions, they are the least economically dependent on fossil fuel rents. In contrast, lower- and middle-income countries like Nigeria and Papua New Guinea are more exposed to financial risks from carbon liabilities. The report concludes that Commonwealth production plans are inconsistent with the 1.5°C goal, with the Big Three's share of the gap between Business as Usual and Net Zero scenarios exceeding 50%.

The project analyzes the connection between inland watersheds and coastal ecosystems in several Caribbean island nations. It utilizes hydrological modeling of 84 catchments to assess how land-cover, soil, and human activities—such as urban wastewater discharge in Puerto Rico and deforestation in the Dominican Republic—affect water quality and coastal resources.

CPI has introduced a bespoke taxonomy and machine learning model to better capture private sector adaptation finance, increasing the annual average tracked flows from USD 1 billion to USD 4.7 billion for the 2019-2022 period. The analysis identifies significant gaps in reporting, particularly among insurers and pension funds, while highlighting that the majority of project-level private investment is concentrated in the water and sanitation sector. The report also estimates that annual consumer and household spending on high-adaptation-likelihood products ranges between USD 48 billion and USD 61 billion.

The report finds that G20 governments provided at least USD 168 billion in public financial support for renewable power in 2023, which is less than one third of the USD 535 billion provided in fossil fuel subsidies. Advanced economies and China account for 95% of this support, leaving many emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs) at risk. To meet the 2030 tripling target, public support in G20 countries may need to double to approximately USD 336 billion per year. The report highlights a shift from feed-in tariffs toward market-based mechanisms like auctions and a growing emphasis on domestic manufacturing support in the US, EU, and India.

Climate Central analyzed cooling degree days (CDD) across 243 U.S. locations, finding that 95% experienced increased cooling demand during the back-to-school period (July 17 to September 8) since 1970. Over the last decade, human-caused climate change increased this demand by approximately 34%. The report highlights that extreme heat negatively impacts children's learning and health, while many U.S. schools lack the necessary HVAC infrastructure to adapt to these rising temperatures.

RMI supported Washington State in creating the Transportation Electrification Strategy (TES) using a two-stage analytical approach. The first stage assessed EV adoption pathways and identified that reaching the 2030 goal of 100 percent zero-emissions passenger vehicle sales would result in 13.6 MMT of on-road emissions, which exceeds the target of less than 10 MMT CO2e needed to meet broader climate goals. To bridge this gap, the TES recommends point-of-sale rebates and low-cost leasing programs. The second stage utilized the GridUp tool's hyper-local travel data to forecast EV load and identify where grid investments are necessary to prevent bottlenecks and maintain affordability during the transition to electrified transportation and heating.

China is expanding its nuclear power capacity faster than any other country in the 21st century, with nearly half of the world's nuclear power under construction located there. While China's operational capacity of 58.1 GW currently ranks third globally, its prospective capacity of 118 GW positions it to potentially overtake France and the United States. The buildout is shifting toward Generation III and IV reactors, including the domestically developed Hualong One and the first commercial Generation IV unit, the HTR-PM. However, a moratorium on inland plants following the 2011 Fukushima disaster has led to the cancellation of 201 GW of capacity, though some sites have been repurposed for wind and solar energy.

The analysis reveals that 31% of properties that deforested in Brazil between 2020 and 2022 accessed subsidized rural credit, with a small number of large properties absorbing a significant portion of these funds. The study finds that deforestation is highly concentrated among the largest credit recipients, particularly in the Cerrado biome, and argues that current credit restrictions based on environmental embargoes are insufficient because most deforested properties are not embargoed.

The report identifies a significant gap between global solar panel manufacturing capacity and projected deployment, resulting in 'spare' capacity of 3,837 GW between 2024 and 2030. Utilizing this surplus could enable the world to exceed the COP28 target of tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030, reaching 13,345 GW (a 21% excess). The document argues that deploying just one-seventh of this spare capacity could meet the electricity demand growth and extend basic energy access to the entire populations of 88 analyzed Global South countries. It highlights that 80-85% of manufacturing is based in China, where companies are already facing investment delays and layoffs due to under-deployment. The report suggests a 'win-win-win' scenario where China maintains its industry, Global South nations gain energy independence and access, and developed nations fulfill their climate finance responsibilities.

The report quantifies the massive energy and financial waste inherent in the fossil fuel system, noting that nearly two-thirds of primary energy is lost before providing useful services. It identifies fossil thermal power plants and internal combustion engines as the primary drivers of this waste and posits that the transition to renewables, localization, and electrification will undercut fossil fuels through superior efficiency and lower lifetime costs.

In 2023, the share of renewables in the global electricity mix exceeded 30% for the first time, driven by record solar and wind generation. Despite this, total power sector emissions reached a record high of 14,153 million tonnes of CO2 because clean growth could not fully meet rising demand and was hampered by a record fall in hydropower. While carbon intensity hit a record low of 480 gCO2/kWh, fossil generation increased by 135 TWh, primarily in emerging economies like China and India where droughts reduced hydro output.