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The document calls for urgent action to address the climate crisis, asserting that the necessary zero-emissions technologies already exist and are increasingly cost-competitive. It advocates for a broad spectrum of solutions, the immediate end of fossil fuel subsidies, and the rapid shutdown of coal plants and other carbon-intensive assets to prevent the planet from reaching an unbearable hothouse earth scenario.

The Electrical Grids and Storage Criteria provide a framework for certifying bonds that finance the construction, upgrade, and operation of electricity transmission, distribution, and storage infrastructure. Eligibility is based on two main components: a mitigation component, which ensures assets contribute to greenhouse gas reduction or support renewable energy integration, and an adaptation and resilience component, which requires issuers to assess and mitigate physical climate risks. The criteria cover a wide range of assets, from high-voltage transmission lines to battery storage facilities, and include specific methodological notes for determining system eligibility based on emission factors or generation capacity. To maintain certification, issuers must provide pre-issuance, post-issuance, and annual reporting to demonstrate ongoing compliance with these standards.

The document outlines the development of certification criteria for electrical grids and storage to mobilise private capital for low-carbon infrastructure. It establishes that most modern grid investments are eligible if they support the integration of renewables or are part of a system on a trajectory toward decarbonisation, adopting the EU taxonomy as a baseline. It specifically excludes pumped hydropower and hydrogen storage from this sector's scope. The criteria also mandate that issuers demonstrate climate resilience by assessing physical risks and implementing mitigation measures over the assets' operational lifetimes.

A meta-analysis of eight recent studies indicates that the United States can achieve approximately 80% clean electricity by 2030 at minimal cost. The findings suggest that such a transition would drive 500,000 to 1 million net new jobs, avoid up to $3 trillion in health and climate damages by 2050, and is essential for meeting the Biden administration's GHG emissions reduction targets. The analysis concludes that a strong national clean electricity standard (CES) is the most effective policy mechanism, primarily driving the deployment of wind, solar, and battery storage.

The document challenges the notion that heavy transport and industrial heat are 'hard-to-abate' sectors, suggesting that they can be decarbonized profitably. It emphasizes the role of plummeting renewable energy costs and the potential for massive efficiency gains in trucking, aviation, shipping, and the production of steel and cement. The author advocates for 'integrative design' and structural efficiency to drastically reduce the volume of materials needed, thereby lowering both costs and emissions.

The document examines the transition of the mining sector from diesel and grid power to renewable energy (RE), primarily solar PV and wind. It argues that while RE has high initial capital expenditure, it offers lower long-term operating costs and provides a hedge against volatile fuel prices. The paper highlights the role of hybrid systems and energy storage in overcoming the intermittency of RE to meet the constant baseload demands of mines. It also explores the potential for portable RE systems for exploration sites and the use of rehabilitated mine land for utility-scale RE generation.

The briefing outlines six funding models—sales taxes, retail taxes, fossil fuel production taxes, electricity consumption taxes, climate bonds, and resilience bonds—that US cities have implemented to fund climate action. It highlights specific examples from cities like Denver, Portland, and Miami, emphasizing that integrating equity into the design of these funding streams is essential for success, particularly for Black, Indigenous, Latino, and low-income communities who are disproportionately affected by pollution and climate change.

The Electrical Grids and Storage Criteria provide a framework for certifying bonds that finance the construction, upgrade, and operation of electricity transmission, distribution, and storage infrastructure. To be certified, assets must meet specific mitigation benchmarks—such as supporting renewable energy integration or operating within a decarbonising system—and satisfy a comprehensive adaptation and resilience checklist. The criteria cover a wide range of assets, from high-voltage transmission lines to battery storage facilities, and include detailed methodological notes for determining system eligibility based on grid emission factors or added generation capacity.

The document outlines the development of eligibility criteria for electrical grids and storage to align bond investments with a 1.5°C warming scenario. It details the decision to adopt EU taxonomy criteria for transmission and distribution, the rationale for applying similar constraints to energy storage, and the requirements for climate resilience and adaptation.

ClientEarth argues that the GBER must be revised to eliminate aid for environmentally harmful activities and prioritise sustainable energy transitions. The organisation recommends integrating the 'do no harm' principle, increasing transparency in state aid reporting, and excluding fossil-fuel-based technologies like high-efficient cogeneration and hydrogen from block exemptions. Conversely, it proposes new aid categories for energy communities, zero-exhaust-emission vehicles, and sustainable battery storage to accelerate the green transition.

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 advocates for a U.S. federal Clean Electricity Standard (CES) targeting 80% clean power by 2030. It asserts that such a target is technologically feasible, affordable, and reliable, while providing significant co-benefits. Key arguments include the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs, the avoidance of over $1.7 trillion in health costs through reduced air pollution, and the establishment of a foundation for 100% clean power by 2035. The document highlights that achieving this goal requires rapid infrastructure build-out, specifically approximately 95 GW of wind and solar annually, and emphasizes the need for federal policy to reduce siting and interconnection barriers.

The briefing discusses the application of securitization in US states to mitigate the financial and social risks of coal plant retirements. By replacing high-cost utility capital with low-interest bonds, states like Wisconsin, Michigan, and New Mexico have reduced ratepayer costs and provided funding for clean energy and community transition. The document highlights Colorado's legislation as a model for integrating consumer protections, worker assistance, and renewable energy reinvestment.

The briefing highlights the vulnerability of India's power sector to climate-induced extreme weather, citing the Tapovan Vishnugad hydropower plant disaster. It argues that current infrastructure is insufficient for future needs and calls for a shift toward flexibility, decentralized renewables, and higher design standards for grid hardening to protect critical services and social resilience.

The Union of Concerned Scientists finds that California's current electricity sector planning is insufficient to replace the zero-emissions energy from the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant, which is scheduled for retirement in 2024 and 2025. Without further action, the state faces a cumulative increase of 15.5 million metric tons of global warming emissions over the next decade, as existing natural gas plants fill the gap. The report recommends adopting a more ambitious 30 MMT emissions target by 2030 to guarantee full replacement and accelerate decarbonization.

The report examines the economic advantages of aggressive decarbonization in China, highlighting that solar and wind power have become more cost-competitive than coal. It argues that a faster transition to clean energy will enhance China's global export position in solar PV and electric vehicles, reduce stranded asset risks associated with coal, and provide significant co-benefits in air quality and energy security. The authors advocate for peaking emissions by 2025 and implementing a combination of carbon pricing, performance standards, and green finance to ensure a high-quality economic transition.

The report outlines the South African utility-scale renewable energy landscape, focusing on the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) and the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2019. It highlights a significant transition from coal-dominated generation toward wind and solar PV, with an estimated potential market value of R418 billion for these technologies and distributed generation. Key opportunities include the continuation of REIPPPP bid windows, increased local manufacturing of components, and the growth of utility-scale battery storage. However, the sector faces barriers such as Eskom's financial instability, regulatory uncertainty, and the complexities of unbundling the national utility.

The USAID Paani Program developed a three-part system-scale planning approach for Nepal to optimize energy production while protecting freshwater resources. The project identified High Conservation Value Rivers (HCVR), conducted an Energy Options Assessment (EOA) using the SWITCH model to find least-cost power pathways, and utilized System Scale Planning (SSP) to visualize tradeoffs between economic and environmental goals. Findings indicate that significant river conservation can be achieved with minimal increases in system costs by diversifying the energy mix with wind, solar, and battery storage, and by strategically siting hydropower projects.

The report assesses South Africa's capacity for renewable energy industrialisation, specifically in wind and solar PV. It identifies a shift from import-substitution to vertically specialised industrialisation as a key strategy and highlights the role of local content requirements (LCRs) and market stability. Comparative analysis of countries like Brazil, China, and Turkey suggests that long-term market visibility and strategic procurement are essential for sustainable manufacturing. The document also explores how renewable energy can support a Just Transition in coal-dependent regions through economic diversification and job creation.

The briefing describes a 'new abnormal' characterized by continuous climate escalation, citing extreme wildfires in Colorado and the US West, as well as hurricanes on the East and Gulf Coasts. It identifies five primary challenges: mass migration, health threats from air pollution and 'threat multipliers', financial instability due to asset loss and insurance costs, the need for resilient urban rebuilding, and the requirement to update the electric grid with localized resources and microgrids. The author calls for a 50 percent reduction in emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2050 to limit global heating to 1.5 degrees Celsius.