Search Climate Insights Directory

The report examines the EU's 2040 climate target, which allows up to 5% of the 90% net reduction goal to be met via high-quality international credits under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement from 2036 to 2040. It advocates for centralised purchasing—via the European Commission or a dedicated body—over decentralised Member State procurement to leverage bargaining power, pool expertise, and link purchases to strategic partnerships. The authors warn of significant delivery risks due to strict Article 6 temporal rules, long project lead times, and the increasing tendency of partner countries to retain mitigation benefits for their own NDCs. Key recommendations include a structured procurement timeline starting with Member State notifications by 2030, a calibration report by 2034, and the use of strategic over-procurement to hedge against supply shortfalls. The report explicitly advises against allowing these credits for direct compliance under the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) to maintain the system's integrity.

The document examines the intersection of AI data centre growth and Canada's electricity grid, highlighting risks such as increased emissions from gas-powered generation and the potential for data centres to crowd out other electrification efforts. Conversely, it suggests that data centres can act as 'anchor tenants' for cleaner grids by spurring private investment in infrastructure and providing grid flexibility. Because electricity regulation is primarily provincial, the author proposes a federal framework of 'conditional carrots' (funding tied to clean energy), 'binding sticks' (Clean Electricity Regulations and carbon pricing), and 'transparency infrastructure' (national reporting standards) to align provincial actions with national climate objectives.

The US government has shifted toward taking equity stakes in private critical mineral projects to diversify supply chains and reduce dependence on China, which dominates the mining and refining of minerals like gallium and rare earth elements. While seven such projects were announced in 2025, the document argues that equity alone is insufficient for long-term stability. It highlights the MP Materials deal—which included a price floor and offtake commitment—as a model for providing demand safeguards. The author recommends establishing a centralized, congressionally authorized program to coordinate these investments and pair them with demand-side policies to ensure a sustainable domestic industry.

The UK's hydrogen strategy requires a course correction to prioritize hard-to-electrify sectors and resolve policy misalignments across government departments. While the UK has established production targets and funding streams like the Hydrogen Allocation Rounds (HAR), inconsistent frameworks between the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Department for Transport (DfT) create investment barriers. The document warns that slow policy delivery and high energy costs risk turning decarbonisation into deindustrialisation, as seen in the shutdown of the UK ammonia industry. It recommends integrating hydrogen strategy with broader industrial decarbonisation, aligning low-carbon fuel standards, and increasing stakeholder representation in decision-making bodies like the Hydrogen Delivery Council.

The document outlines five thematic areas for G20 action to support Africa's development: digital sovereignty and AI governance, trade resilience through the AfCFTA, 'whole-of-society' just energy transitions, reform of the global financial architecture, and the pursuit of the 2030 and 2063 sustainability agendas amidst shifting geopolitical tensions.

The UK's current hydrogen strategy is criticised for misaligning production targets with actual demand, leading to high public costs and inefficient funding. The author recommends prioritising hydrogen for industrial clusters and low-carbon fuels, strengthening methane emission standards, and redesigning the Hydrogen Allocation Round (HAR) to support the entire value chain from production to end-use.

The document highlights Africa's strategic position as the holder of over 30% of the world's critical mineral reserves, essential for the global transition to renewable energy. It warns that without regional coordination, African nations risk remaining locked into raw materials extraction while major economies like the US, EU, and China compete for access. The authors advocate for the implementation of the Africa Green Minerals Strategy (AGMS) through a coordinated diplomatic framework and a continental task force to enhance negotiation power and promote regional value chains.

The EU has introduced Clean Trade and Investment Partnerships (CTIPs) to diversify supply chains and foster clean energy cooperation, starting with South Africa. To be effective, CTIPs must move beyond existing frameworks by providing predictable demand, mobilising private finance through innovative instruments, and ensuring transparent, coordinated governance to avoid being perceived as mere compliance tools.

The report argues that Japan's continued reliance on imported liquefied natural gas (LNG), as outlined in its 7th Strategic Energy Plan, creates significant geopolitical security risks and threatens its 2050 net-zero target. It recommends a five-step acceleration of decarbonisation, focusing on grid modernisation, domestic renewable energy expansion, and methane abatement in the LNG supply chain.

The report examines the challenges and opportunities for a 'green recovery' in Ukraine following Russia's invasion, which caused direct damages of USD 176 billion. While Ukraine has established governance structures and transparency tools like the DREAM platform, it lacks a unified national reconstruction strategy, leaving sustainability efforts fragmented. The document highlights the town of Trostianets as a successful local model of sustainable rebuilding and suggests that Ukraine align its recovery with EU standards, such as the EU Taxonomy and the Recovery and Resilience Facility. It recommends the adoption of international green building and infrastructure certifications (e.g., EDGE, Envision) to ensure long-term resilience and climate neutrality.

The report argues that while Europe possesses world-class R&D infrastructure and talent, its fusion energy sector is hindered by fragmented governance and an outdated sequential roadmap. It recommends shifting to a Key Enabling Technologies (KET)-based strategy, centralising governance under Fusion for Energy (F4E), and establishing a robust public-private partnership (PPP) framework to support startups and prevent 'brain drain' to the U.S. and China.

The report calls for the EU to adopt a 2035 NDC target of at least 72.5% emissions reduction, aligning with a straight-line path toward a 90% reduction by 2040 and net zero by 2050. It emphasizes that a robust, investible target, supported by the Clean Industrial Deal and sectoral policies in energy, transport, and industry, will reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports—which cost the EU EUR 376 billion in 2024—and enhance global competitiveness. The authors advocate for a 'competitive sustainability' approach and strengthened public-private collaboration, citing models from Denmark, Sweden, and the Netherlands to accelerate the transition.

This joint report from the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and the Science and Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) details the committees' activities, membership updates, and strategic recommendations ahead of the 33rd Conference of the Parties (CoP-33) in Asunción, Paraguay.

The briefing assesses the energy transition of the Three Seas Initiative (3SI) region, noting that while some countries have reduced gas demand and integrated grids, Russian gas imports rose in 2024 for several members. It warns that planned expansions of LNG and pipeline capacity by 2030 risk creating stranded assets due to declining demand. The author recommends that the 10th Three Seas Summit focus on a 2027 Russian gas phase-out, the creation of a 'Transmission Highway' for clean power, and the development of regional energy hubs.

The EU's current clean hydrogen strategy faces a significant gap between aspiration and achievement, with renewable hydrogen accounting for less than 0.4% of total supply. The authors advocate for a broader definition of clean hydrogen that includes carbon capture-enabled reforming, methane pyrolysis, and nuclear-powered electrolysis to improve scalability and affordability. They recommend prioritising hydrogen for hard-to-electrify sectors like chemicals, steel, shipping, and aviation, while steering residential heating and passenger vehicles toward direct electrification. To overcome high costs—where clean hydrogen can reach €17 per kilogram compared to €3.5 per kilogram for unabated hydrogen—the document calls for additional subsidies and the development of centralised production-consumption hubs to reduce expensive transportation.

The Clean Air Task Force asserts that the EU is missing a strategic opportunity by excluding geothermal innovation from its Affordable Energy Action Plan. The author highlights that utilizing just 1% of Europe's high-temperature geothermal resources could produce 18,000 TWh of electricity. To avoid lagging behind competitors like China and Japan, the document urges the EU to publish a Geothermal Strategy by Q1 2026, include next-generation technologies in funding mechanisms like Horizon, and fully integrate geothermal into its broader energy security plans.

The document analyzes the crisis facing ECOWAS in 2025, characterized by the exit of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, and a decline in the organization's normative authority regarding democratic governance. It identifies a structural power imbalance where the executive Authority dominates, leading to inconsistent applications of 'zero-tolerance' policies toward unconstitutional changes of government (UCGs). The authors propose a three-phase reform strategy: first, restoring political authority through the operationalization of ECOSOC and revised sanctions; second, rebalancing power by making Court rulings binding and introducing parliamentary confirmation for Commission leadership; and third, transitioning to a supranational model with direct elections for the Parliament and primacy of Community law. The brief emphasizes the need for a coalition of 'reform champions'—including Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Senegal, and Ghana—and strategic financial support from Germany and the EU to ensure regional stability.

The document argues that the COP29 finance goal of US$300 billion is insufficient, covering less than 4.3% of projected global needs, and that Africa receives less than 3% of total global finance for developing countries. It highlights a critical imbalance where only 36% of Africa's climate finance is dedicated to adaptation. The brief calls for African nations to transition from passive actors to co-creators at COP30, advocating for the 'Baku to Belém Roadmap' to reach US$1.3 trillion and demanding that finance be grant-based, accessible, and channeled through African institutions. It also notes the negative impact of the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and the need for more inclusive participation for least developed countries in UN negotiations.

The policy brief proposes that Cyprus leverage its unique island profile and Mediterranean position during its 2026 EU Council Presidency to advance EU-level action on water scarcity, climate adaptation, energy security, and transport decarbonisation. Key recommendations include establishing a Mediterranean Resilience Summit, a Water & Climate Security Forum, and an EU-SIDS Compact 2030, while steering legislative processes such as the Energy Security Framework and ETS revisions to support affordability and resilience.

The policy brief outlines how Poland can use its 2025 EU Council presidency to influence the EU's energy and climate agenda. It emphasizes the need for a technology-inclusive approach to industrial decarbonisation—including CCS and clean hydrogen—to address regional cost disparities and ensure energy security. The brief also highlights the importance of mitigating socioeconomic impacts through retraining and equitable state aid, while promoting diverse energy solutions such as small modular reactors (SMRs) and geothermal energy.