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Wildfire smoke pollution in the U.S. has increased significantly, with per-person exposure four times higher between 2020-2024 than during 2006-2019. Research indicates that fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from wildfire smoke caused approximately 164,000 premature deaths in the U.S. from 2006 to 2020, with human-caused climate change accounting for about 15,000 of those deaths. While the West and Northwest experience the most smoke days, smoke is a nationwide issue, with every county in the contiguous U.S. seeing at least 16 smoke days annually. The rise in smoke since 2016 has stalled or reversed air quality improvements in 30 U.S. states, threatening the goals of the Clean Air Act.

International climate finance for Brazil grew by 84% between the 2019–2020 and 2021–2022 biennia, reaching an average of US$ 5.1 billion per year. This growth was primarily driven by the energy sector, specifically solar and wind power, and was characterized by a shift toward commercial financing instruments. While Western Europe, led by France, was the largest regional provider, the AFOLU sector—responsible for most of Brazil's GHG emissions—received only 11% of the total finance. Public institutions provided 58% of the funds, with multilateral development finance institutions (DFIs) playing a dominant role, while private finance grew fourfold to reach 42% of the total.

The report examines 50 years of Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) development, synthesizing data from 103 projects to identify trends in drilling speed, cost, and production. It highlights a shift toward commercial viability driven by oil and gas techniques, such as horizontal drilling and multi-well pads, and notes a surge in power purchase agreements (PPAs) totaling over 610 MWe. The analysis emphasizes that while incremental and step-change innovations have improved performance, further research into superhot rock and better data transparency are needed for global scaling.

Severe storms in the U.S. have become significantly more costly, with billion-dollar events increasing more than five-fold between 2005–2024 compared to 1985–2004. While the overall frequency of severe and tornadic thunderstorms has not changed significantly since 1979, tornado activity is concentrating into more frequent and extreme outbreaks, and 'Tornado Alley' has shifted eastward. Projections suggest a 5-20% increase in conditions favorable to severe thunderstorms per 1.8°F of warming, with one study projecting a 6.6% increase in supercell frequency by the end of the century.

International climate finance for Brazil averaged US$ 5.1 billion per year in 2021–2022, an 84% increase from the 2019–2020 period. This growth was primarily driven by the energy sector, particularly solar and wind power, and a significant rise in private capital from commercial financial institutions. While Western Europe was the largest regional provider, the report highlights a stark imbalance in sectoral allocation: the AFOLU sector, responsible for most of Brazil's GHG emissions, received only 11% of total finance. The majority of funds were earmarked for mitigation (80%) and delivered via commercial debt and equity, while grants and concessional finance declined by 43%.

Using Google Search data, the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication identifies that interest in climate change in the United States follows predictable cycles tied to Earth Day and the school year, as well as spikes driven by extreme weather. While heatwaves trigger nationwide interest, events like wildfires produce more localized spikes based on geographic exposure, such as the 2023 Canadian wildfires affecting the American Northeast. The authors argue that these trends can be used by decision-makers to time communications on risk, adaptation, and the transition to renewable energy when public awareness is highest.

Between 1980 and 2024, the U.S. experienced 403 billion-dollar disasters resulting in over $2.9 trillion in direct costs and nearly 17,000 deaths. The frequency and cost of these events have risen sharply, with the average time between disasters dropping from 82 days in the 1980s to 19 days in the last decade. Tropical cyclones are the costliest event type, while severe storms are the most frequent.

As of Q2 2025, US utility resource plans show a trend of increasing electricity demand projections and a corresponding increase in planned gas power plant capacity, leading to a widening gap between projected emissions and net-zero targets.

In June 2025, solar power became the largest source of electricity in the EU, generating 22.1% of the total supply. This milestone coincided with record-high wind generation for May and June and a record low for coal's share of electricity. However, the first half of 2025 saw an overall increase in fossil fuel generation, driven by higher gas use and lower hydropower output due to drought.

Twenty years after the 7/7 bombings, Islamist extremism remains a significant security threat in the UK, though it has shifted from top-down, group-organised attacks to grassroots, self-initiated actions by loosely connected individuals. The landscape is now characterised by a mix of traditional ideologies and hybridised forms of extremism amplified by social media. While some global movements have transitioned toward nationalist local governance, others, particularly in Africa, are expanding. A critical emerging trend is the radicalisation of minors, with a significant portion of recent terrorism convictions involving children and a rise in Prevent referrals for youth.

The briefing reports that while new coal mine capacity additions declined by 46% in 2024, approximately 2,270 Mtpa of new capacity remains under development globally. This pipeline is heavily concentrated in China, India, Australia, and Russia, which together account for nearly 90% of proposed developments. The document highlights that if fully realized, these projects could emit 15.7 million tonnes of methane annually, significantly hindering the achievement of the Paris Agreement and IEA Net Zero scenarios. It emphasizes the prevalence of 'greenfield' projects and the high methane intensity of underground and metallurgical coal mines.

The Union of Concerned Scientists finds that major transmission projects in California are experiencing significant delays, averaging an additional 6.1 years beyond original estimates. These delays, driven by utility reprioritization and permitting hurdles, hinder the integration of clean energy and threaten grid reliability. The brief recommends expanding competitive solicitation, increasing agency permitting capacity, implementing public financing, and deploying grid-enhancing technologies.

The report argues that proactive grid planning is essential for Europe to meet its goal of tripling data centre capacity and capturing the economic benefits of AI. It highlights a shift in investment from traditional hubs (FLAP-D markets) to regions with lower grid congestion, such as the Nordics and Southern Europe. The analysis suggests that innovative connection agreements, data centre flexibility, and strategic spatial planning can significantly reduce connection wait times and infrastructure costs.

The EU is projected to reduce total gas demand by 7% by 2030 compared to 2023 levels, falling from 326 bcm to 302 bcm. This trend follows a sharp decline between 2021 and 2023, where demand dropped from 404 bcm to 326 bcm. Despite this decline, LNG import capacity is expected to increase by 54% by 2030 relative to 2023, suggesting a risk of over-investment in infrastructure. Simultaneously, the EU is increasing its electrification rate, with National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) indicating a planned increase from 23% today to 30% by 2030, approaching the EU-level target of 32-33%. All 17 NECPs that reported 2030 electricity demand forecast an increase compared to 2023, reflecting a transition toward replacing fossil fuels with domestically generated clean electricity.

Analysis of 247 U.S. cities shows a significant increase in sweltering summer nights influenced by climate change, with average annual occurrences rising from one in the 1970s to approximately 27 currently. Nighttime temperatures have risen by an average of 3.1°F across 231 analyzed locations, with the Southwest experiencing the highest regional warming and Florida cities seeing the largest increases in climate-fueled warm nights.

The 2024 assessment of 40 global banks reveals a slight increase in the average seafood policy score to 25%, up from 21% in 2023. While 48% of banks showed year-on-year improvements, the majority of policies remain insufficient to address key business resilience risks. European banks continue to lead in policy depth, while Asian banks are showing strong progress in sustainable finance frameworks. Despite 83% of banks recognizing general climate and nature risks, only 33% have seafood-specific policies. The report highlights a growing but still small market for 'blue' financial products, with 38% of assessed banks now disclosing blue-labeled products or eligibility criteria.

The analysis reveals a significant increase in fire weather days across much of the contiguous U.S., with the western U.S. experiencing far more frequent fire weather than the east. While the western U.S. has seen strong increases, particularly in the Southwest during spring and summer, parts of the eastern U.S. have also seen impactful increases, especially in the Southeast and Northeast. The study emphasizes that while human activity causes 87% of wildfires, fire weather primes the landscape for these fires to ignite and spread.

In 2024, global coal power capacity increased by 18.8 GW, as 44.1 GW was commissioned and 25.2 GW retired. While the EU27 saw a fourfold increase in retirements and the UK completed its coal phaseout, global progress was offset by significant expansion in China and India. China commissioned 30.5 GW (70% of the global total) and saw 94.5 GW in new construction starts. India recorded its highest-ever level of new coal proposals at 38.4 GW. Conversely, coal proposals in OECD countries dropped from 142 in 2015 to five today, though retirements in these nations must triple to align with the Paris Agreement.

The U.S. public EV charging network grew more than six-fold between 2016 and 2025, reaching nearly 196,000 ports. While California leads in total numbers and northeastern states lead in density, significant coverage gaps remain in the southern, central, and plains regions. To support a projected 33 million EVs by 2030, the U.S. may need 1 million additional public chargers, including 170,000 DC fast chargers.

Analysis of NOAA data shows that all 50 U.S. states and 99% of 242 analyzed cities have warmed since 1970. Alaska was the fastest-warming state (+4.3°F), while Reno, Nevada, saw the highest city-level increase (+7.8°F). The contiguous U.S. has warmed by approximately 2.8°F, exceeding the global warming limit of 2.7°F (1.5°C). The document advocates for a clean energy transition through zero-emission vehicles, solar and wind power, and heat pumps to mitigate these trends.