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Systemic bankability is the key to unlocking energy transition speed and scale
The paper argues that emerging clean energy technologies face a 'missing middle'—a gap where projects are too large for venture capital but too risky for institutional project finance. To address this, the authors introduce a 'systemic bankability' framework consisting of nine risk factors: construction cost overruns, technology performance, revenue adequacy, regulatory uncertainty, enabling infrastructure limitations, social opposition, supply chain limitations, commercial insurance unavailability, and delivery system limitations. The authors note that while solar and onshore wind eventually achieved systemic bankability, the process was too slow for current climate goals, and even established technologies can see their bankability erode due to new bottlenecks like grid interconnection delays and social opposition.
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Document type: Research paper
Temperature overshoot and tipping points
The document explains that limiting global warming to 1.5°C will likely involve 'temperature overshoot', where targets are exceeded before returning to lower levels. Such overshoot increases the risk of triggering irreversible climate tipping points, such as the transformation of the Amazon rainforest into a savanna. The author argues that relying on large-scale carbon dioxide removal (CDR) or geoengineering to correct overshoot is risky and uncertain, emphasizing that immediate, deep emissions cuts are the only reliable way to maintain a habitable planet. It also introduces the concept of 'positive socio-economic tipping points' as a strategic means to accelerate the transition to net zero.
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Document type: Briefing
Hoja de ruta para la financiación climática de la ganadería en América Latina y el Caribe
The document details the methodology used to evaluate investment risks and attributes for the livestock sector in Latin America and the Caribbean, categorizing risks into governance, financial, physical climate, market, infrastructure, and nature. It establishes a framework for matching these risks with the preferences of public and private investors and models three capital scenarios: business-as-usual (BAU), improved financial strategies (IFS), and improved financial and political strategies (IFPS). The analysis distinguishes between small-scale farms (2-10 hectares) and large-scale commercial operations, noting that small-scale systems are more dependent on public funding. Geographically, it segments the region into Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and the 'rest of LAC', highlighting Brazil's role as the region's primary beef producer and the significant underreporting of private climate finance in the sector.
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Document type: Report
The Biodiversity Impacts of Geoengineering Techniques
The report examines the ecological and human rights risks associated with atmosphere-based, marine, and land-based geoengineering. It argues that these speculative interventions could trigger ecosystem collapse, exacerbate ocean acidification, and violate the rights of millions, particularly Indigenous Peoples and rural communities. The author advocates for the enforcement of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity's moratorium on geoengineering and a shift toward proven climate solutions.
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Document type: Report
New lines of defence: how interconnectors keep the lights on
The report argues that interconnectors are critical for European energy security, having prevented three major blackouts in the last five years and providing a lifeline to Ukraine and Moldova during Russian aggression. It highlights that 55% of Europe's power system remains at risk due to limited import options, with Spain, Ireland, and Finland being particularly exposed. The document also details the vulnerability of infrastructure to sabotage, citing nine incidents in the Baltic Sea, and calls for accelerated deployment of new capacity and strengthened security measures to protect the grid from hybrid warfare.
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Document type: Report
Africa’s blue economy and climate change
The report examines the intersection of Africa's blue economy and climate change, highlighting vulnerabilities in fisheries, maritime transport, and tourism. It argues for a transition toward renewable ocean energy, the expansion of blue carbon initiatives, and the implementation of integrated, regional governance to mitigate economic risks and environmental degradation.
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Document type: Report
2025-08-26-moc-opposition-letter-to-boem-re-kaskida-project-35da1f9ddcf4131f.pdf
A letter from Members of Congress to the BOEM arguing that BP's Kaskida project in the Gulf of Mexico poses unacceptable risks to ecosystems and public health, citing failures in high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) technology qualifications and underestimated spill risks.
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Document type: Statement
The AIxBio Landscape
The report examines how AI accelerates biological research, creating a 'dual-use dilemma' where tools for medical advancement can be repurposed for bioweapons. It analyzes the 'risk chain' of biological weapon development, the capabilities of foundation models and biological design tools (BDTs), and the geopolitical landscape involving the US, China, and Russia. The document proposes a 'preferred' 2030 scenario characterized by geopolitical stability and responsible AI development, offering specific US policy recommendations across biosecurity foundations, technical governance, and international diplomacy.
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Document type: Report
Technical Explainer: Carbon Credits for Improved Rice Cultivation
The document analyzes the transition of rice methane avoidance credits following a massive invalidation of projects in 2024. It evaluates new methodologies from Verra, Gold Standard, and CAR, identifying key risks in additionality, baselines, and MRV while providing mitigation strategies for buyers and developers.
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Document type: Guide
Technical Explainer: Ozone-Depleting Substances Carbon Credits
The document analyzes ODS destruction projects, which provide high-impact carbon credits by permanently eliminating potent greenhouse gases like CFCs. While these projects are considered highly additional and have high retirement rates, they face scaling challenges due to a lack of destruction facilities in developing countries and complex transboundary regulations. Key quality risks involve the monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) of the chain of custody and baseline leakage assumptions, though these are generally well-mitigated by existing methodologies.
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Document type: Guide
What We Know About Deep-Sea Mining — and What We Don’t
Deep-sea mining targets critical minerals like cobalt and nickel from polymetallic nodules, sulfides, and crusts, primarily in international waters such as the Clarion-Clipperton Zone. While proponents argue it can meet surging demand for the energy transition and avoid some terrestrial mining harms, the practice faces significant opposition due to risks of species extinction, disruption of the ocean's carbon sink, and threats to food security in small island states. Commercial exploitation remains stalled as the International Seabed Authority (ISA) has failed to reach a consensus on regulations as of July 2025, though some companies may attempt to bypass this via U.S. domestic law. Alternatives such as scaling up recycling and shifting to LFP or sodium-ion batteries could reduce the necessity of seabed extraction.
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Document type: Guide
FIFA's Climate Blind Spot: Men's World Cup Warming World
The report finds that expanding the World Cup to 48 teams will significantly increase GHG emissions, with air transport emissions estimated to rise by 160% to 325% for the 2026, 2030, and 2034 tournaments. It estimates the 2026 World Cup in North America will produce at least 9.0 million tCO2e, while the FIFA-Aramco sponsorship deal could induce an additional 30 million tCO2e. Furthermore, a risk assessment of the 16 stadiums for the 2026 event reveals that half require immediate environmental intervention, with six facing extreme heat stress.
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Document type: Report
Climate Finance Roadmap For Livestock in Latin America and the Caribbean Annexes
The document details the methodology used to quantify investment risks (governance, financing, physical climate, market, infrastructure, and nature) and attributes (horizon, ticket size, and return) for livestock in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). It establishes a scoring system to match these risks with the risk tolerances of various public and private investors, while modeling how different finance and policy strategies (IFS and IFPS) could improve investor suitability. The analysis distinguishes between small-scale farms (2-10 hectares) and large-scale commercial farms (10+ hectares) across Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and the rest of LAC, noting that small farms are primarily served by public and concessional finance, whereas large farms have better access to commercial private finance.
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Document type: Report
Canadian Oil and Gas Production in the Global Clean Energy Transition
The report finds that a significant portion of future capital investments in Canadian oil and gas (2025–2040) are at risk of becoming stranded, particularly under a 1.5°C climate scenario where up to 66% of investments could be lost. It argues that restricting oil and gas development would mitigate economic risks for investors and government, suggesting that Canada should limit expansion and redirect revenues toward clean industries.
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Document type: Report
Climate change turns warm summer days in England into health threat
A rapid analysis by World Weather Attribution finds that climate change made a June 2025 heatwave in southeast England approximately 2-4°C more intense, increasing the likelihood of such an event from once every 50 years to once every 5 years. The report highlights that early-season heatwaves are particularly dangerous due to a lack of human acclimatisation and that the UK's building stock, designed for heat retention, exacerbates indoor overheating. While the Heatwave Plan for England provides a foundation for response, the Climate Change Committee notes that heat-related policies remain fragmented and lack long-term targets.
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Document type: Briefing
Securing the Future of Development Finance in a Fragmented World
The briefing examines how cuts to official development assistance, trade instability, and rising debt burdens threaten low-income countries. It argues that while the FfD4 outcome document represents a multilateral consensus, its success depends on translating commitments into action. The authors propose a strategy combining restructured aid, coordinated debt relief, and strengthened domestic resource mobilization—including wealth and natural resource taxation—to prevent systemic crises and support sustainable development.
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Document type: Briefing
Energy Transitions and Ecological Security Risks
The document outlines how the shift to renewable energy creates socio-ecological risks through expanded critical mineral mining and the rise of oil and gas decommissioning. It highlights environmental degradation, such as water pollution in China and orphan wells in the US, and explains how these issues can escalate into regional conflicts or local violence, as seen in Papua New Guinea. The author argues that current approaches often separate human rights from environmental impacts and recommends integrating these perspectives, increasing data transparency on site locations and health impacts, and sharing decommissioning best practices between experienced and novice nations.
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Document type: Briefing
What the Nation Stands to Lose Without Climate.gov
The Council on Strategic Risks warns that the reported firing of staff and potential closure of climate.gov would erode the health and security of Americans. The site serves as a vital bridge between scientists and the public, providing STEM resources, extreme weather outlooks, and the US Climate Resilience Toolkit for farmers and policymakers. The author asserts that losing this 'national security asset' would lead to higher disaster recovery costs, increased vulnerability to misinformation, and a 'brain drain' of US scientists to regions like the European Union.
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Document type: Statement
SECURING CANADA’S PLACE IN THE GLOBAL CRITICAL MINERALS RACE
Canada possesses significant reserves of six priority critical minerals—cobalt, copper, graphite, lithium, nickel, and rare earth elements—essential for the global energy transition. However, current investment is insufficient to meet a projected domestic demand of over $16 billion per year by 2040. The report identifies three primary risks deterring investors: financial volatility, environmental liabilities, and risks to Indigenous rights. To address these, the authors recommend that the federal government implement financial risk-sharing agreements (such as contracts for difference and equity investments), scale up capacity-building and capital access for Indigenous communities, and mandate global environmental standards for tailings management. The report warns that attempting to speed up project approvals by cutting environmental or consultation requirements is likely to backfire by increasing local opposition and litigation.
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Document type: Report
SÉCURISER LA PLACE DU CANADA DANS LA COURSE INTERNATIONALE AUX MINÉRAUX CRITIQUES
The report argues that Canada has significant potential to become a leading supplier of critical minerals—specifically cobalt, copper, lithium, nickel, graphite, and rare earth elements—to support the global clean energy transition. However, it identifies a substantial investment gap, estimating that $30 billion in additional capital is needed by 2040 to meet domestic demand, which is projected to reach $16 billion annually. The document highlights three primary risks hindering investment: high price volatility in immature markets, environmental hazards such as tailings dam failures and abandoned mines, and the lack of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) from Indigenous communities. To address these, the report recommends that the federal government implement financial risk-sharing mechanisms like contracts for difference and equity investments, while provincial governments should tighten mining regulations to align with international standards and provide loan guarantees and capacity-building resources to Indigenous communities to foster genuine partnerships and self-determination.
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Document type: Report