Search Climate Insights Directory

This working paper, based on a 2023 study by the Stockholm Environment Institute and others, evaluates four decarbonization scenarios for the gas sectors of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Finland. The analysis focuses on transitioning from fossil gas to renewable methane and hydrogen to enhance energy security and meet 2050 EU sustainability goals, projecting a regional gas demand reduction from 63 TWh in 2021 to 38 TWh by 2050.

This report, published by the Stockholm Environment Institute in June 2024, examines pathways for the complete decarbonisation of the gas markets in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Finland by 2050. Based on a study conducted between 2022 and 2023, it evaluates four scenarios—Business as Usual (BAU), Renewable Methane, Renewable Hydrogen, and Cost-Minimising (CM)—to determine the most sustainable and economically viable transition from fossil fuels to renewable gases like biomethane and hydrogen.

This report, published by the Stockholm Environment Institute in March 2024, provides a comprehensive long-term energy planning framework for Colombia from 2022 to 2052. It outlines the evolution of National Energy Plans (PEN), analyzes the current public policy landscape, and models five distinct energy scenarios: Actualización, Modernización, Inflexión, Innovación, and Transición Energética. The document details the technical and economic assumptions for energy demand and supply across the residential, tertiary, industrial, and transport sectors, while evaluating the role of strategic minerals and the cost-benefit ratios of various energy efficiency and substitution measures.

The report analyzes the growth of solar and wind energy in the ASEAN region, highlighting that while there has been significant expansion—largely driven by Viet Nam—stronger policy support and grid modernization are required to meet the IEA's 2050 net zero scenario. To align with this scenario, the region must reach a 23% share of solar and wind in total electricity generation by 2030, necessitating the addition of 164 GW of solar and 65 GW of wind capacity.

This report by Ember analyzes Japan's electricity sector, arguing that the country's reluctance to expand wind power, particularly offshore wind, prevents it from achieving a decarbonised power sector and hinders the collective ambitions of the G7.

This report by Ember outlines a pathway for the global electricity sector to reach net zero emissions by 2040, referencing the International Energy Agency's (IEA) Net Zero Emissions (NZE) scenario as a realistic trajectory to align with the 1.5 degrees Celsius goal.

This final report, commissioned by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support, provides a comprehensive analysis of scenarios for Estonia to achieve climate-neutral electricity production by 2050. The study evaluates eight scenarios—one baseline and seven climate-neutral—comparing them based on costs, risks, socio-economic impacts, and technical feasibility. The report recommends a strategy based on either 'All Technologies' or 'Renewables and Storage' as the most balanced paths forward, while cautioning against a heavy reliance on nuclear energy or carbon capture and utilization (CCU) due to high risks or poor economic outcomes.

This report by the NewClimate Institute analyzes greenhouse gas (GHG) emission pathways for Georgia's transport sector, comparing a business-as-usual reference scenario, a scenario based on the Climate Strategy and Action Plan (CSAP), and scenarios aligned with the Paris Agreement.

This research paper analyzes the alignment of 2018 U.S. light vehicle investments with the carbon intensity requirements of the Paris Agreement. It finds that the vast majority of financial flows, driven by private sector purchases of internal combustion engine vehicles, are critically misaligned with temperature trajectories, while government spending shows better alignment. The paper emphasizes the impact of 'locked-in' emissions from existing fleets and the necessity of scaling electric vehicles and modal shifts to meet climate goals.

The Integrated Resource Plan (IRP 2019) is a strategic electricity infrastructure development plan for South Africa, designed to balance least-cost electricity supply and demand while considering security of supply and environmental impacts. The document updates the previous IRP 2010–2030 to reflect lower-than-expected GDP growth, declining electricity demand, and the deteriorating performance of Eskom's existing power plants.

This report analyzes the technical and economic feasibility of Estonia reaching climate neutrality (net-zero greenhouse gas emissions) by 2050. It identifies a suite of measures across energy, transport, industry, agriculture, and land use (LULUCF) to move from the current -80% reduction target to -100%. The analysis concludes that this goal is technically possible and potentially profitable in the long term, though it requires a significant acceleration of investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy.

This fact sheet describes how the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) uses a Robust Decision Support (RDS) process to help California regions develop sustainable water management plans, specifically focusing on the Yuba River Basin and Yolo County.

This report details the narratives, data, and assumptions used by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and the Albertine Rift Conservation Society (ARCOS) to model development and climate scenarios for Rwanda up to 2050. Using the Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning (LEAP) and Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) tools, the authors co-created three primary pathways—reference, pessimistic, and optimistic—to explore the synergies and trade-offs between agricultural transformation and energy transition.

This report summarizes a national workshop held on March 23, 2017, in Tallinn, Estonia, as part of the HERON project. The event brought together 14 experts to discuss energy efficiency and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction scenarios for the buildings and transport sectors in Estonia leading up to 2030.

This report, produced by Energy Innovation, China’s National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation (NCSC), and China’s Energy Research Institute (ERI), uses the Energy Policy Simulator (EPS) to identify cost-effective climate and energy policies for China. The analysis compares a Reference Scenario (RS) against a Low Carbon (LC) scenario and an Accelerated Low Carbon (ALC) scenario, evaluating their impact on CO2 and CO2e emissions, primary energy use, and air quality through 2030.

This report analyzes how smart land use policy can help California achieve its 2030 goal of reducing carbon emissions to at least 40% below 1990 levels. Using the RapidFire model and data from the E3 California Pathways study, the authors demonstrate that compact, transit-oriented development can close the emissions gap left by technological advances alone, while providing significant economic, public health, and environmental co-benefits.

The report "RÍOS DEL PÁRAMO AL VALLE, POR URBES Y CAMPIÑAS" documents a project implemented between 2012 and 2015 by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) with USAID support. The project aimed to strengthen the capacity of Colombian regional environmental authorities (CAR) to integrate climate change adaptation into water resource planning using the Robust Decision Support (ADR) methodology and the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) system. The work focused on several key basins, including the Otún, La Vieja, and Alto Magdalena rivers, as well as the broader Magdalena-Cauca macro-basin, demonstrating how technical modeling and participatory processes can reduce climate vulnerability and inform national policy.

This 2012 report by the Stockholm Environment Institute describes the Resources and Energy Analysis Programme (REAP), a tool designed to calculate and illustrate the global environmental impact of consumption at national, regional, and local levels in Sweden. The report emphasizes the difference between traditional territory-based emission accounting and consumption-based accounting, which includes emissions from imported goods. It provides a detailed explanation of REAP's methodology, its database and scenario functions, and presents case studies from various Swedish municipalities to demonstrate how the tool can support policy decisions for sustainable development.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute and Synapse Energy Economics models the water-energy nexus in the eleven-state Western Electric Coordinating Council (WECC) through 2100. It examines how different electricity generation pathways—ranging from business-as-usual to aggressive carbon and water reductions—impact water consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and system costs. The analysis concludes that while power plants require water, their total consumption is significantly lower than agricultural and urban use, suggesting the water-energy nexus is a secondary driver of regional water stress compared to other sectors.

This report, titled 'México: Estudio sobre la disminución de emisiones de carbono (MEDEC)', provides a comprehensive economic and technical evaluation of low-carbon development options for Mexico. It identifies 40 specific interventions across five key sectors—electricity, oil and gas, end-use energy, transport, and agriculture and forestry—to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030. The study compares a 'baseline' scenario of continued fossil fuel reliance against a 'MEDEC' scenario, demonstrating that Mexico can stabilize its emissions at 2008 levels while maintaining economic growth through a combination of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainable land management.