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In 2023, the world's top six electricity sector emitters—China, the US, India, the EU, Russia, and Japan—accounted for approximately 72% of global emissions from this sector. China remains the largest emitter, though it leads the world in wind and solar growth. The US and EU have seen long-term emissions declines driven by the replacement of coal with gas and renewables. India's emissions continue to rise as demand growth outpaces clean energy additions. Russia's electricity mix remains largely unchanged over two decades, while Japan is seeing a recovery in nuclear generation and a significant increase in solar share, despite very low wind deployment.

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.

The report identifies 2023 as the likely peak for global power sector emissions, forecasting a decline in 2024 driven by record solar and wind additions. While electricity demand is expected to rise due to electrification, data centres, and air conditioning, the growth of clean energy is projected to outpace this demand. The document highlights that tripling renewable capacity by 2030 could halve power sector emissions. It also provides case studies of China, Brazil, and the Netherlands to demonstrate how high-level ambition, incentive mechanisms, and the removal of technical barriers can accelerate the transition regardless of geographic or economic starting points.

The 2024 update of the Living Planet Index for migratory freshwater fishes reveals a catastrophic global decline of 81% in population abundance from 1970 to 2020. The report identifies habitat degradation, loss, and overexploitation as the primary drivers of these declines, with the most severe regional losses occurring in Latin America & Caribbean (-91%) and Europe (-75%). While managed populations declined less than unmanaged ones, the report highlights a mismatch between the prevalence of habitat-related threats and the dominance of fisheries-focused management.

Global operating coal capacity increased by 48.4 GW in 2023, reaching a total of 2,130 GW, primarily driven by a surge of new plants in China. While construction starts hit record lows outside of China, China's new construction starts reached an eight-year high of 70.2 GW. Despite a growing number of countries committing to 'No New Coal', 75% of global operating coal capacity still lacks a specific closure commitment, hindering alignment with the Paris Agreement goals.

Since 1970, 98% of analyzed U.S. cities and all 50 states have warmed, with Reno, Nevada and Alaska experiencing the fastest increases. To combat this, U.S. clean technology investment reached a record $239 billion in 2023, more than tripling since 2018, with South Carolina and Nevada leading in investment as a percentage of GDP, primarily driven by battery manufacturing.

The document provides a detailed update on the climate trajectories of China and the U.S., highlighting China's rapid expansion of non-fossil energy capacity and the U.S.'s implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). It details specific national policies, such as China's '1+N' system and the U.S.'s EPA rules on power plants and vehicles, while analyzing the diplomatic dynamics following the Sunnylands Statement and the transition of key climate envoys.

The report highlights a contradictory global trend: while most countries are reducing coal construction and many are committing to phase-outs, global coal capacity increased by 11% since 2015, reaching a record high in 2023. This growth is driven primarily by China, which accounted for two-thirds of the 2023 increase. Outside China, new construction starts reached their lowest level since 2015. The report notes that only 15% of global operational capacity has a documented phase-out plan aligned with the 1.5°C goal. Regional analyses show significant progress in the EU and UK, though some countries lag behind 2030 targets, and a volatile situation in Sub-Saharan Africa where South Africa remains heavily dependent on coal despite an energy crisis.

The report finds that while many countries are reducing planned coal capacity, global operational capacity reached a record high in 2023, driven largely by China. It highlights a divergence between China's increasing construction and the decline in other regions. In South Korea, the report argues that current plans are insufficient to meet Paris Agreement goals and that continued reliance on coal, including ammonia co-firing, poses significant financial risks to the state utility and the national economy.

In 2023, global coal capacity reached a record 2130 GW, driven largely by China, despite a decline in new construction starts outside China. While 101 countries have committed to avoiding new coal, significant pre-construction pipelines remain in China and India. Central Asia is identified as a region moving against the global trend, with proposed coal capacity reaching 45% of its current operational capacity, led by Kazakhstan.

Global coal-fired power capacity reached a record 2,130 GW in 2023, driven largely by China, despite a general global trend toward reducing new coal construction. While the EU and UK are accelerating retirements, China's new construction capacity reached an eight-year high. Turkey continues to develop coal capacity, ranking eighth globally in capacity under development, despite significant local opposition and the cancellation of numerous projects.

The document examines human capital as a component of comprehensive wealth in Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Trinidad and Tobago. It finds that while Indonesia and Ethiopia saw significant growth between 1995 and 2020, this progress stalled recently. Trinidad and Tobago experienced a severe decline after 2008, erasing previous gains. The authors argue that diversifying human capital away from dominant sectors—such as agriculture in Ethiopia and services in Indonesia—and investing in health, education, and data capacity are essential for long-term prosperity.

The document examines natural capital trends in Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Trinidad and Tobago from 1995 to 2020, finding a general decline or stagnation in per capita market natural capital following the 2008 financial crisis. It highlights extreme dependencies, such as Ethiopia's reliance on agricultural land and Trinidad and Tobago's vulnerability due to the collapse of fossil fuel asset values. Non-market natural capital, including forest area and land per capita, is declining across all three nations, exacerbated by population growth and climate change. The authors advocate for moving beyond GDP toward comprehensive wealth measures and recommend green development policies, increased financial mobilization for nature-based solutions, and improved environmental statistical capacity.

The report examines produced capital—human-made assets used in production—across Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Trinidad and Tobago from 1995 to 2020. It finds that while produced capital has grown, levels remain low compared to developed nations and are heavily concentrated in a few sectors, such as petroleum in Trinidad and Tobago and manufacturing and real estate in Ethiopia and Indonesia. This concentration creates economic risks and hinders the transition to renewable energy and sustainable agriculture. The authors argue that the lack of regular measurement of produced capital by national statistical offices leaves policy-makers blind to these structural challenges, underscoring the need to move beyond GDP toward comprehensive wealth metrics.

The report analyzes the growing prevalence of voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) in free trade agreements (FTAs), noting a significant increase in references since 2018. It identifies five common rationales for their inclusion: cooperation, promotion, recognition, guidelines, and support. While VSSs can complement public regulations and drive innovative trade policy—such as using sustainability criteria for preferential tariffs—the report warns of pitfalls, including vague terminology, lack of enforcement, and the risk of VSSs becoming de facto market barriers for small-scale producers in developing countries. The authors argue that the effectiveness of VSSs depends on their credibility and the establishment of clear multilateral guidelines.

The report finds that while Trinidad and Tobago's GDP grew between 1995 and 2020, its real comprehensive wealth per capita has declined by 36% since the 2008 global recession. This divergence is attributed to an over-reliance on fossil fuel assets, which have seen a nearly 98% loss in value over the study period. The analysis highlights a 'Dutch Disease' effect, where investment in the petroleum sector has crowded out agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. Human capital, the largest component of wealth, also declined by 29% from its 2008 peak. The report recommends that the government integrate comprehensive wealth measures into official policy-making to diversify the economy and ensure long-term sustainability.

The document examines financial capital—defined as the difference between foreign financial assets and liabilities—across three countries. It finds that while Ethiopia and Trinidad and Tobago generally had positive financial capital, both saw a trend toward accumulating more liabilities in later years. Indonesia remained a net debtor throughout the study period. The brief argues that financial capital should complement GDP as a measure of well-being and suggests that well-managed liabilities, such as foreign direct investment, can boost other forms of capital like human and produced capital. It recommends diversifying financing sources, improving governance to optimize returns on capital, and reforming the international financial architecture to reduce public debt burdens in developing nations.

Nigeria is implementing a variety of regulatory tools and national plans to reduce methane emissions from its oil and gas sector, which accounted for approximately 41% of the country's total greenhouse gas emissions in 2020. While the country has reduced natural gas flaring by about 70% since 2000, it remains among the top 10 global gas flarers. National targets include reducing fugitive methane emissions by 60% by 2031 and achieving a 61% reduction in short-lived climate pollutants by 2030. However, progress is hindered by technical data gaps, inadequate leak detection infrastructure, and high mitigation costs.

The 2024 barometer identifies a shift toward embedding social justice in climate action and the rise of green macroeconomic governance, while warning against the 'gold rush' for critical minerals and the use of climate as a political 'wedge' issue.

Since 1970, spring temperatures in the contiguous U.S. have increased by an average of 2°F, with the most significant warming occurring in the Southwest. Analysis of 239 locations shows that 96% of cities experienced warming, with some locations in Nevada, Texas, and Arizona exceeding 6°F. This trend is characterized by an increase in warmer-than-normal spring days, which contributes to earlier snowmelt, prolonged allergy seasons, and extended agricultural growing seasons.