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The report demonstrates that the U.S. can achieve 80% clean electricity by 2030 without increasing wholesale electricity costs or compromising grid dependability. This transition would require 950 GW of new wind and solar capacity and 227 GW of battery storage, necessitating $1.5 trillion in clean energy capital investments. The '80% Clean' scenario avoids $1.7 trillion in health and environmental damages and 93,000 premature deaths through 2050 compared to a 'No New Policy' case. The analysis concludes that such a target is feasible and critical for enabling broader economy-wide decarbonization of transportation, buildings, and industry to align with a 1.5°C warming limit.

The report highlights a global divergence in coal power: while most of the world saw record closures and project cancellations, China experienced a significant boom in new capacity, offsetting global declines. In 2020, China's new coal capacity reached 38.4 GW, accounting for 76% of the global total. Conversely, the US and EU27 led in closures, with 11.3 GW and 10.1 GW retired respectively. In South and Southeast Asia, countries like Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Bangladesh announced plans to cut up to 62 GW of planned coal capacity due to funding difficulties and the falling cost of renewables. The report also notes that global coal capacity is far exceeding the levels required to meet the IPCC's 1.5°C warming limit, with a projected 2,400 GW by 2030 compared to the required 1,100 GW.

The document establishes a two-component eligibility framework for hydropower certification: a Mitigation Component and an Adaptation & Resilience (A&R) Component. The Mitigation Component uses a 'predictive screen' based on power density to identify low-risk assets, while others must undergo a GHG assessment using the G-res tool or on-site studies to meet emissions intensity thresholds of 100g CO2e/kWh (pre-2020) or 50g CO2e/kWh (post-2020). The A&R Component requires assets to be assessed via the ESG Gap Analysis Tool, with strict limits on the number of 'significant gaps' allowed and a requirement for an Environmental and Social Action Plan (ESAP) to close those gaps within 24 months. Additionally, the criteria mandate Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) for indigenous peoples and public disclosure of compliance data.

The report evaluates three policy scenarios for Oregon's medium- and heavy-duty (M/HD) truck fleet: the adoption of California's Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rule, the addition of the NOx Omnibus Rule, and a more aggressive '100 x 40 ZEV + Clean Grid' scenario. The most ambitious scenario projects cumulative net societal benefits of $35.6 billion by 2050, including 186 avoided premature deaths and $1.9 billion in annual fleet cost savings. While ZEVs currently have higher purchase costs, the analysis suggests they will reach lifetime cost parity with combustion vehicles by 2030. The transition is expected to have positive macroeconomic effects on national jobs and GDP, and could reduce residential electricity rates in Oregon by up to 3.7% by 2050 due to increased utility net revenue.

The analysis finds that 2018 U.S. light vehicle investments are critically misaligned with Paris Agreement goals, particularly in the private sector. While government spending shows better alignment, overall progress is hindered by the 'lock-in' effect of the existing fleet and the dominance of internal combustion engine vehicles. The report emphasizes that achieving climate targets requires higher fuel efficiency standards, mass EV adoption, and a transition to a low-carbon power sector.

The report evaluates the climate and air quality impacts of residual waste treatment in the UK, comparing landfill and incineration across different scenarios. It finds that while incineration may currently appear more favorable due to energy credits, its relative performance is expected to decline by 2035 as the electricity grid decarbonises and waste composition changes. The study emphasizes that pre-treatment is essential for both technologies to align with net-zero targets and notes that incineration has a more significant negative impact on local air quality than landfill.

The policy brief argues that the U.S. can achieve 90 percent zero-carbon electricity by 2035 through a federal clean energy standard and complementary reforms in tax credits, manufacturing, transmission planning, and wholesale market design. This transition would require significant scaling of solar, wind, and battery storage, while retiring the coal fleet and utilizing existing gas plants only for flexibility. The authors emphasize the need for a 'just transition' for coal-dependent communities and the modernization of utility regulation through performance-based models and all-source procurement to ensure the transition is affordable and equitable.

The report finds that 2019 EU ETS emissions fell by 7.8% to 1612 million tonnes of CO2. While coal power emissions have dropped 43% since 2013, the power sector still accounts for 52% of total ETS emissions. Notably, coal-fired blast furnaces in the steel sector have become the largest emitters in seven countries, including the UK, France, and Spain.

The report finds that the EU ETS region is increasingly importing electricity from non-EU neighbors with high carbon intensities, effectively importing emissions and creating 'offshore carbon havens'. In 2019, the EU ETS region imported 26 million tonnes of CO2, with a net import of 20 million tonnes. The authors argue that the disparity in carbon pricing gives a competitive advantage to high-carbon generators in countries like Turkey, Ukraine, and the Western Balkans. To combat this, the report recommends a border carbon adjustment (BCA) on gross electricity imports to protect the integrity of EU climate policy and incentivize decarbonization in neighboring states. It also warns that planned increases in interconnection capacity (31% by 2030) and new coal power projects (up to 57GW) in connected non-EU countries will exacerbate the problem.

The document analyzes South Africa's heavy reliance on coal, which provided 89% of its electricity in 2017. It details the fiscal impact of this dependence, noting that while fossil fuel production revenues are modest, consumption taxes—primarily the fuel levy—contribute significantly to government revenue. The report also highlights the role of state-owned enterprises like Eskom and PetroSA, the risks of asset stranding, and the government's commitment to a 'just transition' and carbon taxation despite political flux in energy policy.

The Espejo de Tarapacá project in Chile proposes the construction of a 300 MW pumped storage hydroelectric (PSH) plant and a 561 MW-AC photovoltaic (PV) solar plant. The project aims to provide a renewable baseload energy solution to the Chilean national grid, reducing CO2 emissions by an average of 1,001,187 tonnes per year. The proposal requests US$ 60 million in direct equity from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to act as an 'anchor' investor, helping to overcome market barriers and attract an additional US$ 1 billion in private sector debt and equity. Beyond energy generation, the project includes adaptation measures for local fishing communities in the Tarapacá Region, such as providing stable drinking water via a desalination plant and funding for economic diversification.

The report finds that the 45Q tax credit could lead to the annual capture and storage of approximately 49 million metric tonnes of CO2 by 2030 in the U.S. power sector, primarily through retrofits on coal and natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) plants. This deployment is found to be complementary to renewable energy growth and could meet two-thirds of the 2030 U.S. power sector goal set by the International Energy Agency (IEA) to limit global temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius. The analysis emphasizes that the economics of the 45Q credit make enhanced oil recovery (EOR) more favorable than saline storage, necessitating rapid infrastructure development to realize the credit's full potential.

The Allianz Climate and Energy Monitor 2018 evaluates G20 nations on their investment attractiveness for renewable energy and their long-term decarbonization strategies. France is ranked as the most attractive destination, while Russia ranks last. The report finds that most G20 countries lack binding long-term strategies and sufficient renewable energy targets to meet the Paris Agreement goals, although some previous stragglers like Saudi Arabia and Turkey are improving their policy environments.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) finds that over one-third of US nuclear plants are unprofitable or scheduled to close due to cheap natural gas and falling renewable costs. Without carbon-reduction policies, early retirements could increase US power sector emissions by 4% to 6% by 2035. The report recommends adopting carbon pricing or low-carbon electricity standards and conditioning any nuclear subsidies on strict safety performance and consumer protections.

The report finds that the Western Climate Initiative (WCI) carbon market, comprising California, Quebec, and Ontario, is experiencing significant oversupply. This surplus, estimated at 270 million metric tons (MMT) through 2020, is driven by economic factors, renewable energy innovation, and the 2009 recession. Because allowances can be banked, this oversupply threatens to undermine the 2030 climate targets by effectively raising future emission caps. The author recommends that WCI jurisdictions adjust future caps downward by an amount equal to the privately held allowances banked by the end of 2020, citing the success of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) in using a similar approach.

The report analyzes the climate impact of electric vehicles (EVs) based on the electricity sources used for charging across different U.S. regions. It finds that while EVs generally produce fewer emissions than gasoline cars, their full potential depends on decarbonizing the power grid by shifting from coal and natural gas to renewable energy. The document also highlights the inherent efficiency of electric drive and the synergistic potential between EVs and renewable energy integration.

The 'Reinventing Fire: China' roadmap proposes a transition to a low-carbon energy system by 2050, focusing on demand reduction and a shift to non-fossil fuels. The analysis compares a 'Reference Scenario' with a 'Reinventing Fire Scenario,' finding that the latter can support 600% incremental GDP growth while keeping 2050 primary energy demand within 1% of 2010 levels. Key strategies include aggressive efficiency gains in industry, buildings, and transportation, alongside a power sector transition where 82% of electricity is non-fossil by 2050. The roadmap estimates a net present value savings of 21 trillion RMB and significant reductions in CO2, SO2, and NOX emissions.

The report argues that a "carbon market only" approach is insufficient for the cost-effective decarbonisation of the European power sector. While the EU ETS is an effective tool for driving fuel switching in the residual thermal generation mix, it cannot alone drive necessary investments in low-carbon technologies due to high capital costs, revenue risks, and the 'merit order effect'. The authors recommend a policy mix where the EU ETS is complemented by tailored national investment supports—such as feed-in tariffs or contracts for difference—to reduce the cost of capital. To ensure coherence, the report proposes an ex-ante cap adjustment process for the ETS based on Member State National Energy and Climate Plans and the development of long-term decarbonisation strategies back-casted from 2050.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) is leading a project to reform the incentive and reward ecosystem for carbon-free energy (CFE) procurement. The initiative aims to move beyond limited renewable energy standards toward metrics that accurately reflect carbon impact, targeting the buying power of corporations, governments, and utilities. Key activities include updating GHG accounting standards, supporting pilot transactions, and helping federal agencies implement Executive Order 14057 to achieve 50% 24/7 CFE by 2030.

The memo advocates for a shift from traditional renewable energy procurement to a 'higher-impact' approach that matches electricity consumption with carbon-free generation on an hourly and regional basis. It argues that this method better incentivizes the deployment of firm carbon-free resources and energy storage, leading to greater actual carbon reductions than traditional annual matching. The authors recommend that the Biden Administration set targets for federal facilities to achieve 100% round-the-clock carbon-free electricity consumption.