Search Climate Insights Directory

Reclaim Finance argues that Barclays is a leading global financier of coal and fossil fuels, providing over $27 billion to coal companies between 2018 and 2020. The statement criticizes the bank's current policies for allowing the funding of companies with coal expansion plans and calls for a full exit from coal by 2030 in EU/OECD countries and 2040 worldwide.

The Climate Action Tracker estimates global warming by 2100 at 2.4°C, a 0.2°C improvement driven by recent announcements including those from the US Leaders Summit on Climate. While 131 countries covering 73% of global emissions have adopted or are considering net zero targets, the 2030 emissions gap remains significant, and current policies lead to a projected warming of 2.9°C.

The report examines the disparity between cost-effectiveness and equity-based criteria for determining national emissions reduction targets under the Paris Agreement. It suggests that international support can bridge this gap, provided it avoids carbon lock-in and considers socio-economic contexts. The document also highlights how domestic political shifts in countries like Brazil and the United States create spill-over effects globally, and argues that the European Union can accelerate global transformation by adopting a more ambitious 2030 goal and a robust institutional setup for its 2050 climate neutrality target.

The report outlines a framework for Chile to establish a national green taxonomy, which would serve as a classification system to identify sustainable economic activities and prevent greenwashing. It recommends that Chile follow a three-step path: adopt existing international taxonomies (such as those from the EU, China, or Climate Bonds Initiative), adapt them to local contexts, and lead the development of new criteria for sectors lacking international benchmarks, specifically mining. The document identifies energy, transport, construction, and industry as priority sectors for mitigation, while emphasizing that adaptation and resilience criteria must be developed in parallel across all sectors. It proposes a three-level governance structure involving government ministries, technical coordinators, and industry experts, and suggests focusing initial applications on green debt instruments.

The report outlines a framework for Chile to establish a national green taxonomy, recommending a pathway of adopting and adapting international standards (such as the EU and CBI taxonomies) while leading the development of criteria for sectors unique to its economy, specifically mining. It identifies Energy, Transport, Construction, and Industry as priority sectors for mitigation and emphasizes the parallel development of adaptation and resilience criteria. The roadmap proposes a three-tier governance structure involving government ministries, financial regulators, and technical experts to ensure the taxonomy is science-based, binary, and aligned with the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C goal.

ClientEarth argues that the proposed revisions to Japan's Corporate Governance Code are insufficient and recommends requiring 'Paris-aligned' strategies, extending disclosure requirements to the Standard Market, and integrating climate expertise and training into board governance.

The document advocates for the EU to establish a comprehensive environmental due diligence framework within its sustainable corporate governance directive. It argues that human rights protections alone are insufficient because environmental damage can occur without direct human harm. The briefing proposes that companies be obligated to identify, prevent, and remedy adverse impacts across their entire value chains, aligned with international standards like the Paris Agreement and OECD Guidelines. It suggests a broad definition of environmental impacts—including climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss—and calls for a robust enforcement regime combining administrative, criminal, and civil liability to ensure victims, including those outside the EU, have access to justice.

The report criticizes the EU's REDII sustainability criteria for forest biomass, arguing that they prioritize legal formality over actual ecological sustainability. It contends that the criteria allow destructive forestry practices to continue by equating the existence of national laws with sustainability, while failing to provide rigorous verification mechanisms or incorporate NGO evidence. Through five case studies in Canada, Estonia, France, Portugal, and Finland, the document demonstrates that current rules would not prevent the logging of old-growth or high-nature-value forests for energy production.

The document identifies three primary narratives in Russia: a dominant 'keep coal' discourse supported by political leadership, an emerging 'low-carbon trend' discourse focused on economic competitiveness, and a 'local environmental' discourse centered on pollution and health. It concludes that while external pressures like the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and declining demand are increasing, there is currently no active 'coal phase-out' or 'just transition' discourse within Russian national politics.

The document identifies three primary discourses in Russia: a dominant 'keep coal' vision supported by political leadership, an economically-driven 'low-carbon trend' discourse, and a 'local environmental' discourse focused on pollution and health. It concludes that while external pressures like the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and declining demand may force long-term adjustments, there is currently no active 'coal phase-out' discourse or just transition planning in Russia, leaving coal communities vulnerable to economic instability.

The Framework for Sustainable Finance Integrity provides a structured approach to evaluate and drive the sustainability commitments of financial actors. It establishes 'Minimum Benchmarks' that all institutions should adopt—such as aligning portfolios with the Paris Agreement and eliminating new coal finance—and 'Leadership Benchmarks' for those seeking to drive transformative change, including science-based five-year emissions targets and comprehensive TCFD alignment. The report emphasizes the need for a 'whole-of-government' approach, the integration of biodiversity and just transition into financial mandates, and the necessity of cross-sector collaboration to avoid siloed efforts that fail to meet global climate goals.

The document outlines two primary structures for Recovery Bonds: sovereign green bonds, which earmark proceeds for eligible environmental projects, and Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform (FFSR) bonds, which use future savings from the removal of fossil fuel subsidies as a notional basis for repayment. It provides a step-by-step issuance guide for green bonds and identifies high-potential target markets for FFSR bonds, including China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and Vietnam, with a cumulative potential of USD 500 billion. The report argues that green stimulus offers higher economic multipliers and job creation compared to traditional recovery spending.

The briefing advocates for the EU to include specific, mandatory environmental protection requirements in its sustainable corporate governance directive. It argues that human rights frameworks alone are insufficient because environmental damage can occur without direct human harm. The authors propose that due diligence should cover the entire value chain, align with international agreements like the Paris Agreement, and include a non-exhaustive list of impacts such as biodiversity loss and greenhouse gas emissions. To ensure effectiveness, the document calls for a combination of administrative, criminal, and civil liability, including access to EU courts for victims of harms occurring outside the EU.

Fiji has used its National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process to mainstream Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA), positioning it as a strategic priority across five priority sectors. The process involved creating a NAP Framework and a 'NAP catalogue' to coordinate adaptation actions, resulting in 160 priority measures. A key implementation example is the use of vetiver grass for riverbank protection and erosion control, supported by a new nursery in Labasa. Fiji's approach emphasizes the link between healthy ecosystems and socioeconomic development, integrating traditional and scientific knowledge, and aligning with international commitments like the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework.

The report concludes that Alberta's oil sector faces a bleak long-term outlook due to technological shifts, climate action, and market volatility. It argues that the sector will become a diminishing contributor to provincial prosperity, making economic diversification imperative. Modelling shows that price volatility has a more severe negative impact on GDP, employment, and royalties than consistently low prices. The authors recommend that oil for combustion should not be a target of industrial policy and that the transition for workers and communities must be managed immediately.

The report argues that while the oil sector has historically driven Alberta's economy, its long-term outlook is bleak due to the rise of electric vehicles, global climate action, and price volatility. It recommends that the government shift industrial policy support away from combustible hydrocarbons toward economic diversification and managed transitions for workers.

The Climate Action Tracker reports that recent Paris Agreement pledges and targets have reduced the estimated end-of-century warming to 2.4°C, down by 0.2°C. While the 2030 emissions gap for a 1.5°C pathway has narrowed by 11-14%, current policies still project a warming of 2.9°C. The most optimistic scenario, assuming full implementation of net zero targets, suggests warming could be as low as 2.0°C, though this remains above the Paris Agreement limit. The report emphasizes that stronger near-term 2030 targets are more critical for reducing warming than the addition of new net zero targets.

The report finds that the City of London is the world's third largest source of loans for the global coal industry, with top UK banks providing $56 billion to coal companies between October 2018 and October 2020. It highlights a significant gap between the UK's net-zero rhetoric and the actual activities of its financial sector, noting that no UK financial institution has adopted a robust coal exit policy. The document specifically identifies Barclays, HSBC, and Standard Chartered as major providers of coal finance, and Legal & General as the largest UK investor in coal. It contrasts this with the French financial sector, where many institutions have committed to ending support for coal expansion. The report concludes with a set of ten rules for UK financiers to exit coal and calls for an immediate end to the expansion of all fossil fuels, including oil and gas.

The document outlines systemic governance failures in South Africa from a youth perspective, highlighting exclusion from political decision-making, extreme economic inequality, and poor infrastructure in education and health. It argues that while progressive policies often exist on paper, implementation is slow and unsystematic, particularly regarding land reform, climate change transition, and youth employment. The submission recommends institutionalising youth quotas, expanding social protection through a basic income grant, and reforming the electoral system to allow independent candidates.

The report details SEforALL's efforts over a 100-day period to accelerate the clean energy transition. Key activities include the launch of the 'Be Bold' campaign, coordination of the UN High-level Dialogue on Energy and its Energy Compacts, and supporting the COP26 Energy Transition Council. The organization also highlights research on sustainable cooling, a youth summit, and specific technical assistance for energy access in Nigeria and Sierra Leone, alongside a new healthcare electrification partnership with USAID and Power Africa.