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The report analyzes the EU's proposed CBAM, which will impose fees on carbon-intensive imports starting in 2026. It finds that the overall impact on China's exports will be moderate due to the limited number of covered sectors, primarily aluminum, iron, and steel. The authors recommend that China expand its national emissions trading system (CN ETS) to reduce exposure to fees and enhance competitiveness. For the EU, the report suggests dedicating CBAM revenues to technical assistance for developing countries and recognizing non-price-based decarbonization policies to reduce international tensions.

The report estimates that retiring four nuclear plants in Illinois would lead to 1,200 to 2,700 premature deaths and $10 to $24 billion in monetized damages over ten years. Retiring two plants (Byron and Dresden) would result in 500 to 1,100 premature deaths and $4.4 to $10 billion in damages over the same period. These impacts are driven by increased PM2.5 emissions from fossil fuel plants used to offset the loss of zero-emission generation.

The report estimates that if five analyzed business initiatives achieve their most ambitious plans, they could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 3.2-4.2 billion tonnes per year by 2030. If all relevant companies joined these initiatives, reductions could reach approximately 10 billion tonnes. The document emphasizes that achieving this systemic impact requires governments to remove regulatory barriers and provide incentives, such as carbon pricing and R&D support, to create a virtuous circle of ambition between the public and private sectors.

The report evaluates a 'Power Switch' scenario for Japan's power sector, which emphasizes renewable energy, natural gas substitution for coal, energy efficiency, and a gradual nuclear phase-out. Compared to a Business As Usual (BAU) scenario, the Power Switch approach could reduce 2020 GHG emissions by 31%, avoiding nearly 2.0 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent between 2000 and 2020. The net cost of this transition is estimated at 1.1 trillion yen over the period, or 850 JPY per tonne of CO2 equivalent, largely offset by reduced fuel import costs.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) used US EPA COBRA modeling to estimate that retiring four Illinois nuclear plants (Byron, Dresden, Braidwood, and LaSalle) would lead to significant increases in PM2.5 pollution. Over a ten-year period, this shift is projected to cause between 1,200 and 2,700 premature deaths and $10 to $24 billion in monetized damages. While the pollution sources are spread across ten states, the most severe health impacts are concentrated in the Midwest.