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Climate Central analyzed 247 U.S. locations from 1970 to 2022, finding that 232 locations experienced an increase in annual 'risky heat days'—days where temperatures exceed the local minimum mortality temperature (MMT). On average, these locations saw an increase of 21 such days per year. While increases occurred in every U.S. region, the South and Southeast were hotspots, with 91% of the 22 locations seeing the highest increases (40+ days) located there. The analysis emphasizes that extreme heat is the deadliest natural hazard in the U.S. and disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, including children, seniors, and low-income communities of color.

The document reports that 2022 was the deadliest year for state-based conflicts in Africa since 1989, primarily due to the war in Ethiopia. While non-state conflicts are the most common type of conflict in the region, they have generally been less severe in terms of battle-related deaths than state-based conflicts. The brief also highlights a worrying trend of one-sided violence by governments and a series of military coups in Central and West Africa between 2020 and 2023.

Analysis of 150 U.S. weather stations shows that 91% experienced an increase in hourly rainfall intensity between 1970 and 2022, with an average increase of 13%. This trend is linked to climate warming, which allows the atmosphere to hold more moisture, increasing the risk of flash flooding and landslides regardless of whether a location is typically wet or dry.

Since 1970, all 50 U.S. states and 241 analyzed cities have warmed, with the contiguous U.S. increasing by 2.5°F. While states reduced greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 19% between 2005 and 2020, the current pace of reduction is insufficient to meet the national target of a 50% reduction by 2030.

The document reports a significant increase in billion-dollar severe storms in the U.S., with a shift in tornado activity toward the Southeast and Mid-South. It highlights the vulnerability of mobile home residents and projects a nationwide increase in supercell frequency and a shift toward more winter and early spring storms by the end of the century.

In 2022, solar and wind power continued their rapid growth, with solar being the fastest-growing source and wind recording the largest absolute increase. Conversely, nuclear power saw a significant decline, primarily driven by outages in France and Germany. Coal generation reached an all-time record high of 10,186 TWh, although its overall share of the global electricity mix slightly decreased. Hydro power rebounded after a poor 2021 but remains below 2020 levels due to droughts in Europe. Fossil gas generation remained relatively stable despite supply chain disruptions. To align with the IEA Net Zero Emissions scenario by 2030, the report argues that solar and wind must sustain high annual growth rates, coal and unabated gas must be phased out, and nuclear power must grow more rapidly than its recent historical average.

In 2022, global electricity generation remained dominated by fossil fuels at 61%, though wind and solar reached a record 12% share. Despite record growth in renewables, global power sector emissions hit an all-time high of 12,431 mtCO2, driven by rising demand in major economies like China and India. The report highlights a gap between current trends and the IEA Net Zero Emissions scenario, which requires a rapid phase-out of unabated coal and gas by 2035-2040.

In 2022, China's power demand grew by 4.4% (374 TWh), with wind and solar generation increasing by 26% to meet 69% of the net demand increase. Despite this clean energy growth, coal generation reached an all-time high in absolute terms (5,420 TWh), though its share of the electricity mix fell to 61%. Since 2000, China's total power sector emissions have increased fivefold to 4,694 MtCO2, even as emissions intensity declined by 21%. To reach a net zero power sector by 2040, China would need to reduce emissions by 261 million tonnes of CO2 annually.

In 2022, global electricity reached its lowest emissions intensity ever at 436 gCO2/kWh, with wind and solar hitting a record 12% of generation. Despite this, total power sector CO2 emissions reached a record high of 12,431 mtCO2 because wind and solar growth could not fully keep pace with a 2.5% increase in global electricity demand. This gap was filled by coal and other fossils, with coal generation rising by 108 TWh to a record 10,186 TWh. While clean electricity sources other than wind and solar saw their first year-on-year decline since 2011 due to nuclear outages and droughts, 2022 is characterized as an 'accelerator year' due to policy shifts like the EU's REPowerEU and the US Inflation Reduction Act.

The global electricity system is transitioning toward clean energy, with wind and solar emerging as dominant forces. In 2022, wind and solar met 80% of the increase in global electricity demand. However, other clean sources like nuclear and hydro are underperforming relative to 1.5°C pathways. The report predicts a structural tipping point as soon as 2023, where clean power growth may finally exceed total electricity demand growth, leading to an enduring decline in fossil fuel generation. While coal plant closures have slowed, particularly in China and India, the report suggests a simultaneous phasedown of both coal and gas power is becoming likely, especially in G7 countries and Asia due to energy security and cost concerns.

The document analyzes how warming average annual minimum temperatures in the U.S. are shifting plant hardiness zones northward, affecting the geographic range of crops, invasive species, and pests. Based on an analysis of 242 U.S. locations from 1951 to 2022, it finds that 95% of these locations experienced warming, with some cities seeing significant zone shifts. This trend may expand the range of high-value crops but also facilitates the spread of invasive species like Kudzu and the brown marmorated stink bug.

The global GSS+ debt market reached a cumulative volume of USD3.7tn by the end of 2022, though new issuance fell 24% year-on-year to USD858.5bn due to rising interest rates and macroeconomic instability. Green bonds remained the dominant theme, accounting for 58% of 2022 volumes at USD487.1bn, while social bonds saw the steepest decline (41%) as COVID-19 recovery funding tapered. Transition bonds were the only segment to grow, increasing 5% to USD3.5bn, driven by policy support in China and Japan. The report also highlights the emergence of sovereign sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs) in Chile and Uruguay and the need for a dedicated Climate Resilience Taxonomy to scale adaptation and resilience (A&R) financing.

The report finds that while global coal power is generally declining and many existing plants have set retirement dates, China is experiencing a surge in new coal capacity. In 2022, China's new coal construction capacity grew by 38%, accounting for 68% of global construction. Despite this, the report suggests a coal-free future is possible if countries transition from broad commitments to specific plant retirement plans and close financial channels for coal.

The report finds that while the 'return of coal' did not materialize globally in 2022, the pace of retirements remains insufficient to meet Paris Agreement targets. China is a major outlier, with its coal capacity in development increasing by 38% in 2022, while capacities in the rest of the world decreased by 20%. In the EU and UK, coal use saw a marginal 1% increase due to the gas crisis, but long-term trends remain downward. In Sub-Saharan Africa, coal projects persist despite funding shortages, though some successful just transition initiatives, such as the Komati plant retirement in South Africa, provide a potential model for the region.

The report finds that while global coal phase-out remains possible, the current pace of closures is insufficient to meet Paris Agreement goals. China is a major outlier, accounting for 68% of proposed global coal capacity in 2022, while other regions show a decline in new projects. In South Korea, the report argues that current plans are inconsistent with national climate goals and that the financial risks of coal dependence are evident in the deficits of the Korea Electric Power Corporation.

The report indicates that while global coal capacity is nearing an end with one-third of the 580 GW fleet having set closure dates, the pace of exit is insufficient to meet Paris Agreement goals. China is a major outlier, with its development-stage capacity increasing by 32% to 366 GW in 2022, while the rest of the world saw a 22% decrease. In the EU and UK, the energy crisis caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine slowed retirements and led to the temporary restart of some units, though coal's share of electricity production only rose by 1%. Turkey ranks third globally in developing coal capacity with approximately 11 GW of announced projects, though many face financing and legal hurdles, and the government plans only 3.2 GW of new coal capacity by 2035.

The report analyzes women's participation in large-scale mining across 12 countries, finding that while female employment is slowly increasing, the sector remains highly masculinized with significant structural barriers. Women often possess higher general educational attainment than men but lack the specific technical and vocational qualifications required for core operational roles. The report identifies a 'leaky pipeline' where women exit the workforce at younger ages, often due to non-inclusive working conditions, lack of childcare, and sexist corporate cultures. It further examines how disruptive technologies (AI, automation) and the energy transition (demand for critical minerals) will reshape the labor market, warning that without targeted upskilling, women may be disproportionately displaced from clerical and low-skill roles while remaining excluded from high-skill digital and technical positions. The document concludes with policy recommendations for governments and companies to implement gender-responsive strategies, pay equity reviews, and inclusive health and safety standards.

The Middle East experienced a significant decline in battle-related deaths in 2022, primarily due to de-escalation in Syria and Yemen. While state-based conflicts remain the deadliest and most common, non-state conflicts proliferated in the 2010s before declining. One-sided violence increased in Iran in 2022 following protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini.

Atmospheric rivers are corridors of moisture that provide essential water resources to the western U.S. but also cause severe flooding and landslides. Climate change is increasing the intensity and moisture content of these storms, which is projected to raise annual flood damages in the western U.S. to between $2.3 and $3.2 billion by 2090. While a series of atmospheric rivers in early 2023 significantly reduced drought coverage in California, the trend toward warmer storms is reducing snowpack and increasing the risk of compounding climate hazards.

The analysis examines sectoral GHG emissions per capita from 2000 to 2019 across 180 countries. It finds that while energy supply, buildings, and agriculture emissions per capita have decreased in over half of the countries, transport and industry emissions per capita have increased in more than half. Road transport is identified as a particular laggard, with per capita emissions increasing in nearly two-thirds of the countries.