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The report finds that international public finance disproportionately supports natural gas in low- and middle-income countries, often exceeding support for wind and solar by four times. It argues that the 'bridge fuel' narrative is obsolete due to the falling costs of renewables and the risks of stranded assets and methane leaks. The document recommends that international financial institutions cease funding gas infrastructure and instead support clean energy integration, technology transfer, and a just transition, particularly for the poorest nations.

The report finds that international public finance disproportionately supports natural gas over renewables in the Global South, creating risks of stranded assets and carbon lock-in. It argues that renewables are now cost-competitive for most gas uses and recommends that public financial institutions cease support for gas infrastructure to prioritize clean energy transitions.

The report examines the financial health of Roark Capital, noting that despite raising billions for funds like Roark Capital Partners IV and V, the firm has returned relatively little to investors. It highlights the underperformance of the Roark Capital Partners IV fund, which had an annual return (IRR) of just 0.09% as of September 2020. The document details declining sales and store growth at Jimmy John’s and slow expansion at other portfolio brands such as Orangetheory Fitness and Miller’s Ale House. Additionally, it notes that several large institutional investors, including the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, have exited or avoided new investments in Roark funds.

Legal & General is identified as the top UK coal investor, holding $7.2 billion in the sector as of January 2021. The document criticizes the company's weak exclusion thresholds and the fact that its passive assets, totaling $1 trillion, are not subject to coal exclusion policies, allowing continued investment in high-emitting companies like BHP Group.

Reclaim Finance criticizes BNP Paribas for continuing to finance the expansion of oil and gas despite a pledge to reduce its exposure by 10% between 2020 and 2025. The organization argues that this target is inadequate given the climate emergency and is undermined by the bank's previous funding surges and the exclusion of equity and bond issuances from the commitment. Furthermore, the document highlights that BNP Paribas remains a top financier for majors like Shell, BP, Eni, and Total, contributing to the growth of high-risk sectors such as oil sands, shale gas, and Arctic drilling.

The statement by Reclaim Finance criticizes Crédit Agricole for providing 64 billion dollars in financing to coal, oil, and gas between 2016 and 2020. It highlights that the bank remains one of the top 10 global financiers of companies active in the Arctic and has increased its support for unconventional oil and gas, including shale gas, despite public commitments to revise its policies.

This research paper by the Climate Policy Initiative proposes 'Recovery Bonds' as a mechanism for sovereign nations to raise capital for climate-resilient, post-COVID-19 economic recovery, specifically focusing on sovereign green bonds and bonds linked to fossil fuel subsidy reform (FFSR).

Reclaim Finance argues that Barclays is a leading global financier of coal and fossil fuels, providing over $27 billion to coal companies between 2018 and 2020. The statement criticizes the bank's current policies for allowing the funding of companies with coal expansion plans and calls for a full exit from coal by 2030 in EU/OECD countries and 2040 worldwide.

The document identifies six peculiarities of rural credit in the Amazon, noting that credit is heavily skewed toward cattle production, which is closely linked to illegal deforestation. It highlights that producers in the Amazon have less access to credit than those in other Brazilian regions, face low competition due to the dominance of public banks (Banco do Brasil and Banco da Amazônia), and operate with a less business-oriented approach. The brief argues that aligning credit access with Forest Code compliance and utilizing initiatives like the Green Credit Bureau (Bureau Verde) are essential to reducing deforestation and increasing agricultural productivity.

The report identifies a rural credit market in the Amazon characterized by low competition, limited access for producers, and a heavy concentration on livestock, which is strongly linked to illegal deforestation. It highlights that agricultural activity in the region is less entrepreneurial than in the rest of Brazil, with a predominance of public banks and a historical reliance on the Fundo Constitucional do Norte (FNO), though private resources like Letras de Crédito Agrícola (LCA) are increasing. The authors argue that aligning credit access with compliance with the Forest Code and utilizing tools like the Central Bank's Bureau Verde are essential to incentivize sustainable land use.

The document outlines two primary structures for Recovery Bonds: sovereign green bonds, which earmark proceeds for eligible environmental projects, and Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform (FFSR) bonds, which use future savings from the removal of fossil fuel subsidies as a notional basis for repayment. It provides a step-by-step issuance guide for green bonds and identifies high-potential target markets for FFSR bonds, including China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and Vietnam, with a cumulative potential of USD 500 billion. The report argues that green stimulus offers higher economic multipliers and job creation compared to traditional recovery spending.

The report argues that India must shift its policy focus from large grid-scale projects to distributed renewable energy (DRE) to meet its target of 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022. It identifies a critical investment gap, estimating that annual DRE investment must increase from USD 2 billion in 2019 to USD 18 billion by 2024. Key barriers include the financial instability of state electricity distribution companies (DISCOMs), which has led to hostility toward net-metering and the imposition of grid support charges. The report recommends a rejuvenated policy framework that integrates DISCOMs as demand aggregators and service providers across several DRE applications, including rooftop solar, energy storage, EV charging, and solar-powered agricultural tools.

Ember analyzes the German Ministry of Economics (BMWi) formula for lignite compensation, arguing that three key assumptions lead to a systematic overvaluation of payments. By adjusting power and CO2 prices to more recent data, accounting for avoidable fixed costs, and reducing the compensation period to three years, Ember suggests the total payment could be reduced from €4.4 billion to as low as €343 million.

The report finds that the City of London is the world's third largest source of loans for the global coal industry, with top UK banks providing $56 billion to coal companies between October 2018 and October 2020. It highlights a significant gap between the UK's net-zero rhetoric and the actual activities of its financial sector, noting that no UK financial institution has adopted a robust coal exit policy. The document specifically identifies Barclays, HSBC, and Standard Chartered as major providers of coal finance, and Legal & General as the largest UK investor in coal. It contrasts this with the French financial sector, where many institutions have committed to ending support for coal expansion. The report concludes with a set of ten rules for UK financiers to exit coal and calls for an immediate end to the expansion of all fossil fuels, including oil and gas.

Reclaim Finance asserts that the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA) has failed to translate its membership growth into a real coal phase-out. The organization highlights that most financial members continue to fund coal, and several member states, including Canada and the UK, are pursuing new coal projects or exports. It calls for a reform of PPCA principles to include mines and infrastructure and demands that financial institutions adopt policies based on the Coal Policy Tool to meet Paris Agreement timelines.

The report highlights a significant gap in adaptation finance, noting that while total global climate finance reached US$437 billion in 2015, only 16 percent was dedicated to adaptation. It argues that public finance is insufficient to meet the projected costs of building resilience in the developing world, which could reach US$500 billion by 2050. The text identifies critical barriers to private sector engagement, including a lack of predictable returns, deficient regulatory frameworks, and knowledge gaps regarding climate vulnerability. It further examines how climate change threatens key sectors—agriculture, energy, health, and transport—while suggesting that these vulnerabilities also present new market opportunities for climate-resilient products and infrastructure.

The EU's Just Transition Mechanism is a three-pillar framework designed to mitigate socio-economic disruptions caused by the transition to net-zero emissions by 2050. It focuses on regions dependent on coal, lignite, peat, and oil shale, providing a combination of grants and loans to support economic diversification, reskilling, and infrastructure. While the mechanism requires national Territorial Just Transition Plans for funding, challenges remain regarding the fund's size, the inclusion of social partners in governance, and the alignment of member state climate targets with EU goals.

In 2020, a significant increase in coal plant development in China offset a global retreat from coal, leading to the first increase in global coal capacity since 2015. While China commissioned 38.4 GW of new capacity, the rest of the world saw a decline of 17.2 GW, driven by record retirements in the U.S. and EU27. South and Southeast Asian nations, including Indonesia, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Vietnam, announced plans to cut up to 62 GW of planned coal power due to falling renewable costs and financing difficulties. Despite these regional shifts, the report finds that global coal capacity remains far above the levels required to meet the IPCC 1.5 degree pathway, with an estimated 1,350 GW needing to be cancelled or retired.

In 2020, global coal-fired power capacity increased by 12.5 GW, driven primarily by China, which operated 38.4 GW of new capacity. This offset record closures in the US (11.3 GW) and EU27 (10.1 GW). While China's development grew as an economic stimulus during the pandemic, other Asian nations like Indonesia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and the Philippines announced plans to cancel up to 62 GW of planned projects due to falling renewable costs and financing difficulties. The report concludes that current global trajectories remain far from the 1.5°C warming limit, with approximately 1,350 GW of capacity needing to be cancelled or closed to meet IPCC targets.

In 2020, global coal capacity increased by 12.5 GW, driven by China's addition of 38.4 GW, which offset 37.8 GW of closures globally, primarily in the US and EU. While China saw a surge in new plans and construction as economic stimulus, other regions—particularly South and Southeast Asia—experienced significant project cancellations due to funding difficulties and the rise of renewables. The report highlights a widening gap between current global trajectories and the IPCC 1.5°C pathway, noting that substantial further closures are required to meet climate goals.