Search Climate Insights Directory

The briefing argues that nuclear risk reduction requires moving beyond general policy statements toward concrete affirmations of restraint. It suggests four types of declarations: acknowledging the futility of first use, strengthening 'last resort' promises by removing exceptions for non-nuclear states, adopting multi-person decision protocols to prevent rash individual actions, and clarifying strategic ambiguities. Additionally, the author proposes 'CATALINK', a secure, encrypted, and multipolar nuclear hotline to replace outdated bilateral links and facilitate crisis communication in a multipolar world.

The document outlines a CaaS model using the 'Your Virtual Cold Chain Assistant' (Your VCCA) app to provide smallholder farmers in India with sustainable cooling facilities without upfront costs. The initiative aims to reduce food waste, which currently exceeds 40% of food produced in India, and increase farmer revenues by over 35%. A pilot program is scheduled for 2021-2022 in Bihar and Himachal Pradesh to demonstrate economic viability. The model targets the benefit of 1.5 million farmers, the abatement of 100,000 units of CO2, and the mobilization of USD 200 million for decentralized cold room projects within four years.

The report argues that current GHG accounting systems rely too heavily on approximations and are unsuitable for comparing scope 3 emissions between companies. To resolve this, RMI proposes a framework consisting of unified accounting principles that prioritize primary data, a technical architecture based on distributed ledger technology to track embodied carbon at the product level, and the creation of "digital twins" of carbon emissions to enable emissions to function as a unit of trade. This system aims to transform climate intelligence into actionable business intelligence and support the development of a global carbon market under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

The document identifies systemic inequities in the digital age, including digital divides, data monopolies, and online violence, while advocating for a communication ecosystem based on inclusive participation and human rights. It proposes a set of principles to ensure equitable access to information, privacy, and sustainable energy, calling for a transformative movement involving faith communities, civil society, and governments to protect civil rights in digital spaces.

The Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) outlines a proposal to certify 'credible' corporate transitions by requiring companies to meet five specific attributes: Paris-aligned goals, robust plans, implementation action, internal monitoring, and external reporting. This framework aims to bridge the gap between high-level market guidance and complex corporate assessment frameworks, providing a standardized, science-based approach to evaluate whether a company's transition is sufficiently ambitious and robust to align with global net-zero goals by 2050.

The proposal seeks USD 299,846 to help Honduras integrate climate resilience into its post-pandemic and post-disaster economic recovery. The project focuses on using the Green Economy Model (GEM) to quantify impacts, conducting stakeholder consultations to prioritize interventions, and developing a concrete investment plan. This will culminate in three pre-feasibility studies and at least one project concept note for future GCF funding. The initiative is aligned with the national Reconstruction and Sustainable Development Plan (PRDS) and is implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The proposal outlines a framework for EU State aid in the fishery and aquaculture sectors, aligning financial support with the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), the European Green Deal, and the Paris Agreement. It establishes strict criteria for compatibility, including the 'do no harm' principle, the prohibition of capacity-enhancing subsidies, and the requirement for beneficiaries to comply with EU environmental law. The guidelines detail specific types of compatible aid, such as those for natural disasters, adverse climatic events, and animal disease control, while mandating transparency and ex post evaluations for large aid schemes.

The briefing argues that as countries increase climate ambition and carbon pricing, border carbon adjustment (BCA) mechanisms are becoming inevitable to prevent carbon leakage. To avoid these tools becoming protectionist or causing trade disputes, the author proposes a framework of principles—such as prioritizing leakage protection over competitiveness and granting credit for foreign carbon prices—and best practices, including the use of international data standards. The document suggests the World Trade Organization (WTO) as the ideal multilateral forum for discussing these guidelines to provide a bulwark against national protectionist pressures.

The briefing advocates for a 'Clean Trucks New Jersey' program, combining the Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) and Heavy-Duty Omnibus (HDO) rules to replace diesel trucks with zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). Based on an MJ Bradley & Associates study, the program is projected to deliver $11.6 billion in societal benefits by 2050, including significant reductions in NOx and PM2.5, avoided premature deaths, and nearly 19 million metric tons of avoided CO2-equivalent emissions. The authors emphasize that while these rules are a start, additional targeted measures are necessary to protect environmental justice communities, particularly in areas like Camden County, Newark, and Elizabeth, which suffer disproportionate pollution impacts.

ClientEarth argues that Ofgem's current statutory objectives are outdated and prioritize competition over decarbonisation, hindering long-term climate investments. The submission proposes narrowing Ofgem's principal objective to focus on security of supply and greenhouse gas reduction, introducing sector-specific carbon budgets, and requiring the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to issue periodic Strategy and Policy Statements. Additionally, ClientEarth highlights a failure to regulate and verify non-carbon dioxide emissions, specifically methane and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), and advocates for a consumption-based emissions accounting approach to include extraterritorial emissions from imported energy.

The document proposes a 'Just Recovery Renewable Energy Plan for Africa' aiming for 100% renewable energy by 2050. Based on modelling by Dr. Sven Teske, it argues that this transition is technically and financially feasible, requiring an annual investment of approximately US$130 billion. The plan emphasizes energy sovereignty, decentralization, and a just transition for workers, projecting the creation of 7 million jobs by 2050. It identifies key funding sources including the cancellation of African debt, the elimination of illicit financial flows, and the fulfillment of climate finance obligations by developed nations.

The report advocates for a systemic shift in Africa's energy landscape, moving away from fossil fuels toward a decentralized, community-owned 100% renewable energy system by 2050. Based on modeling by Dr. Sven Teske, the plan suggests that achieving this goal requires an annual investment of approximately $130 billion. The document emphasizes that this transition would not only mitigate climate impacts and address severe energy poverty—where approximately half of sub-Saharan Africans lack electricity—but also create up to 7 million jobs by 2050. It calls for a 'just and feminist transition' that prioritizes gender equity and workers' rights. To fund the plan, the authors propose ending illicit financial flows, canceling African debt, and demanding that developed nations fulfill their climate finance obligations.

The report argues for a systemic shift in Africa's energy landscape, moving away from fossil fuels toward a decentralized, community-owned system of 100% renewable energy by 2050. Based on modeling by Dr. Sven Teske, the plan estimates a need for 360 GW of capacity by 2030 and 2,280 GW by 2050, requiring an average annual investment of $130 billion. This transition is projected to create 7 million jobs by 2050. The document emphasizes 'energy sovereignty' and 'energy as a common good,' calling for the cancellation of African debt, the end of illicit financial flows, and the fulfillment of climate finance promises by developed nations to fund the transition.

The Institute for Economic Justice argues that South Africa's initial R500 billion COVID-19 relief package was insufficient and poorly implemented, with only 41% (R207 billion) spent. The brief highlights severe economic vulnerabilities, particularly in construction, manufacturing, and the informal sector, and notes that South Africa spent only 4% of its GDP on relief, compared to a G20 average of 10%. To mitigate the third wave's impact, the IEJ proposes a R71.2 billion package over three months, focusing on sector-specific grants, tax relief, wage support via TERS, and expanded social grants.

The policy brief advocates for targeted, refundable tax credits to drive the transition to zero-carbon buildings and deep energy retrofits in the US. It proposes six specific tax credit mechanisms—including improvements to existing credits like 45L and 179D and the creation of new ones for lead safety and clean heating—to overcome cost barriers, support low-income housing, and scale domestic manufacturing of heat pumps.

The briefing argues that meeting the US NDC target of 50–52 percent emissions reduction by 2030 requires the rapid retirement of fossil fuel assets, which risks placing high costs on ratepayers and frontline communities. It proposes amending Title XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to establish a Clean Transition Financing Program. This program would use tools like low-cost direct loans, outcome-based impact bonds, and environmental risk insurance to reduce transition costs. Specifically, RMI estimates that a federal credit subsidy of $3 billion to $4 billion could save electricity ratepayers over $10 billion annually by refinancing fossil generation assets.

The document proposes a suite of financing mechanisms to fund a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) in South Africa, focusing on progressive taxation and the reduction of government waste. Key proposals include a ring-fenced Social Security Tax, a Resource Rent Tax on extractive industries, and a wealth tax for the top 1% of the population. The brief argues that many UBIG scenarios, particularly those aligned with national poverty lines, are immediately affordable without borrowing if these revenue-generating measures and VAT recoupments are implemented.

The Institute for Economic Justice proposes a suite of financing mechanisms to fund a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) in South Africa, focusing on progressive taxation and the reduction of government waste. Key proposals include a ring-fenced Social Security Tax (SST) with rates between 1.5% and 3%, a Resource Rent Tax on extractive industries, and the selective removal of tax deductions for high-income earners regarding pension funds and medical aid. The brief also suggests implementing a 25% luxury VAT, a wealth tax for the top 1% and 0.1%, and a Financial Transactions Tax (FTT) of 0.1%. Additionally, it argues for the cancellation of the Employment Tax Incentive and the reversal of proposed Corporate Income Tax reductions. The document concludes that many UBIG scenarios, particularly those aligned with national poverty lines, are affordable without borrowing if these revenue-generating measures and reductions in irregular government expenditure are adopted.

The NewClimate Institute proposes a rating system to categorize agribusinesses based on their consistency with Paris Agreement mitigation objectives, providing guidance for development finance on when to exclude, engage, or scale up funding. The system ranges from 'misaligned'—covering activities that drive deforestation or rely on air freight—to 'aligned,' which identifies businesses following best practices in soil carbon, manure management, and plant-based protein production.

The authors argue that uncertainty regarding the future of Canada's carbon price—scheduled to reach $170 per tonne by 2030—discourages firms from investing in expensive, long-lived low-carbon projects. To close this 'certainty gap,' they propose that the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) act as a partner to share risk, effectively providing insurance against policy reversals. This could be achieved through payment exchanges based on actual versus expected policy costs or by making loan payback obligations conditional on future policy stringency. The authors contend this approach is superior to grants or subsidies because it targets the specific market failure of government risk and creates a financial deterrent for future governments that might seek to weaken carbon pricing.