Search Climate Insights Directory

The report finds that Equinor's historical and planned production significantly exceed science-based carbon budgets. Since 1972, Equinor's assets have caused 8.66 GtCO2 in emissions, with the majority originating from Norway. The analysis argues that Equinor's current global portfolio and future expansion plans are incompatible with a 1.5°C pathway, overshooting the IEA NZE benchmark by 0.93 GtCO2 between 2024 and 2050. It further critiques Equinor's 'Bridges' scenario for relying on outdated carbon budget data and unproven carbon removal technologies.

Despite the removal of federal tax credits for clean energy upgrades via the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, residential clean technologies in the US continue to offer significant greenhouse gas emissions reductions and cost savings. Using the Green Upgrade Calculator, RMI found that electric vehicles (EVs) generally lead in emissions reductions and cost savings in the West, while air-source heat pumps (ASHPs) are most effective for emissions in the Northeast and Midwest and for savings in the South. Rooftop solar provides the highest emissions impact in Hawaii and leads in cost savings in California, Florida, and the Northeast due to high electricity prices and sunlight. The report emphasizes that the most effective state and local programs will target specific household archetypes—such as high-mileage drivers for EVs or delivered-fuel users for ASHPs—and bundle technologies to maximize synergy and savings.

Drax biomass power station received record public subsidies of £999 million in 2025, costing UK households approximately £13 each per year. These payments are expected to drop by about half to £460 million per year starting in 2027 as the Renewables Obligation scheme ends. Despite the subsidy reduction, Drax is projected to remain the UK's largest carbon emitter until at least 2030, while its long-term plans for carbon capture technology remain uncertain.

The document highlights the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) as a method to eliminate tailpipe emissions, citing Shenzhen's replacement of internal combustion engine buses with 16,000 electric buses. While the transition in Shenzhen reduced transportation emissions by an estimated 1.4 million tonnes CO2e annually, it also increased emissions within the electricity sector due to charging demand. The report notes a total project impact of 1 MtCO2e and a global emissions reduction potential for EV transitions of 3 BtCO2e.

The report evaluates the total greenhouse gas emissions of the Winter Olympics, highlighting the gap in official assessments regarding 'sponsorship emissions' from heavy polluters. It further analyzes the environmental consequences of these emissions, specifically the loss of glacier ice and snow cover essential for winter sports.

This research paper by Steven Haig of the International Institute for Sustainable Development argues that expanding liquefied natural gas (LNG) production in Canada will increase domestic and global emissions, hinder the transition to renewable energy, and divert public funds from climate solutions.

The document examines how electrifying heating systems and improving energy efficiency in buildings can reduce urban emissions, highlighting Copenhagen's achievement of reducing building-related emissions by over 60% between 2019 and 2023. It notes that while such measures reduce emissions at the source, they can increase induced emissions if the electricity grid remains carbon-intensive.

Indonesia's coal industry has seen significant growth, leading to a surge in coal mine methane (CMM) emissions that are largely underreported by the government and industry. Ember estimates 2024 CMM emissions at 722 kt CH4, far exceeding the official figure of 168 kt CH4. This discrepancy is attributed to ineffective monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) frameworks and the exclusion of high-emission underground mines from official estimates. The report warns that the development of large underground mines, specifically one in South Kalimantan, will cause total CMM emissions to increase by approximately 25% by 2030, even if national coal production declines by 14%.

The report examines methane emissions from Brazil's waste sector, which accounts for 15% of the country's methane emissions. It identifies significant infrastructure gaps, such as the continued operation of approximately 2,000 inadequate disposal sites and a low organic waste recovery rate of 1%. While Brazil has a comprehensive regulatory framework, including the National Solid Waste Policy (PNRS) and the 'Fuel of the Future' law, implementation is hindered by financial constraints and a lack of technical capacity at the municipal level. The report recommends expanding composting, anaerobic digestion, and landfill gas capture to meet Paris Agreement commitments and the targets of the National Solid Waste Plan (PLANARES).

Underground coal mine closures have been the primary driver of fugitive emissions reductions in Australia's coal sector, as a small number of 'super-emitting' mines contribute a disproportionate share of total emissions. While strategic investments in methane capture have helped, most reductions resulted from the closure of older mines or safety-related shutdowns. However, the document warns that 27 proposed projects and recent license extensions, such as for the Narrabri mine, threaten to undermine national and state climate targets.

Ecuador's waste sector accounts for 18% of the country's annual methane emissions, with a significant portion concentrated in the cities of Guayaquil and Quito. While the government has established a legal framework promoting the waste hierarchy and inclusive circular economy, implementation is hindered by a lack of long-term planning, insufficient funding for infrastructure, and poor data quality. Current mitigation efforts are limited to landfill gas capture in the three largest disposal sites, while organic waste treatment remains largely decentralized and under-prioritized. The report recommends developing a national integrated solid waste management plan with specific methane targets and improving waste tariff systems to ensure financial sustainability.

The report argues that Australia is a 'fossil fuel behemoth' whose exported emissions are projected to be 3.3 times larger than its domestic emissions within five years. It highlights that despite IEA warnings against new developments, Australia has approved 30 new coal and gas projects since 2021. The document asserts that a conservative selection of planned projects could consume 6.2% of the remaining global 1.5°C carbon budget. It further criticizes the Australian Safeguard Mechanism as insufficient because it does not manage exported emissions or prevent new project approvals. Finally, it contrasts Australia's fossil fuel expansion with its public commitments to Pacific nations and its bid to co-host COP31.

The report argues that Arla Foods employs 'smokescreens' to hide its significant methane footprint and derail climate legislation. It highlights a gap between Arla's net-zero pledges and its actual practices, noting that the company prioritizes intensity-based targets for Scope 3 emissions rather than absolute reductions. The document details Arla's reliance on biogas as a 'silver bullet' solution, which the authors claim incentivizes industrialization and larger herd sizes over sustainable grazing. Furthermore, it documents Arla's direct and indirect lobbying in the EU to exclude agriculture from the Methane Strategy and block plant-based alternatives in school programs. The report also examines legal challenges in Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands regarding Arla's 'carbon neutral' marketing claims, which courts found to be misleading.

The report identifies the waste sector as a critical source of methane in Brazil, primarily due to the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter in landfills and open dumps. While Brazil has an ambitious regulatory framework, including the National Solid Waste Policy (PNRS) and the PLANARES plan, implementation is hindered by financial constraints, lack of technical expertise, and a failure to meet the 2024 deadline for closing open dumps. The document highlights opportunities in biomethane production, organic waste diversion (composting and anaerobic digestion), and international climate financing to help Brazil meet its NDC and Global Methane Pledge commitments.

The report examines 22 of the world's largest meat and dairy companies, finding that their combined emissions are comparable to those of major oil companies and entire nations. It argues that corporate net-zero targets are largely non-aligned with the 1.5°C warming limit and that the industry relies on 'techno-fixes'—such as feed additives and biogas—and 'regenerative agriculture' to distract from the need to reduce livestock production. The analysis further highlights a lack of mandatory agricultural methane targets in the 11 countries where these companies are headquartered, attributing this to 'agricultural exceptionalism' and industry political influence.

The report analyzes Mexico's waste sector methane emissions, highlighting a significant increase since 1990 and a lack of integrated data systems. It identifies critical gaps in organic waste treatment, landfill gas capture, and municipal financing, while providing recommendations to strengthen the regulatory framework and improve stakeholder capacity to meet national climate targets.

Global Energy Monitor identifies 74 new oil and gas projects that could emit 2.4 million metric tonnes of methane annually by 2030, potentially undermining the Global Methane Pledge. The analysis reveals significant discrepancies between these potential emissions and the company-wide figures reported by operators to the OGMP 2.0, suggesting widespread underreporting of assets or methane intensity. A small number of fields in Saudi Arabia and Guyana account for a disproportionate share of these emissions, while new EU regulations on imported oil and gas are expected to impact many of these developments.

Private equity firms have invested in 85% of operating and 73% of proposed US LNG terminals, contributing significantly to global emissions. The briefing highlights that six firms—PIMCO, Brookfield, KKR, Blackstone, York Capital Management, and Global Infrastructure Partners—account for over 75% of these financed emissions. It argues that LNG may be worse than coal when lifecycle methane emissions are considered and uses the Rio Grande LNG project as a case study of private equity acquiring assets after more accountable investors exit due to climate risks.

Indonesia is significantly underreporting its coal mine methane (CMM) emissions, with official figures being six to seven times lower than independent estimates. The report identifies critical flaws in the current reporting framework, including the use of inaccurate emission factors, outdated global warming potential (GWP) values, and the total exclusion of underground coal mines. These gaps risk undermining Indonesia's commitments under the Global Methane Pledge. The author recommends transitioning to higher-tier IPCC estimation methods, implementing data disaggregation at the mine level, and improving public transparency to ensure climate targets are met and mine worker safety is enhanced.

Colombia is the third largest methane emitter from the waste sector in Latin America and the Caribbean. In 2018, the waste sector contributed 7% of national greenhouse gas emissions, with 93.4% of those emissions being methane. While the country has a regulatory framework for general waste management, it lacks specific national policies for methane reduction. Key challenges include a tariff system that disincentivizes organic waste diversion and a lack of disaggregated data on waste flows. The document recommends developing a national methane mitigation strategy, revising tariffs to reflect actual capital costs for organic treatment, and improving the technical robustness of municipal Integrated Solid Waste Management Plans (PGIRS).