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The document assesses South Africa's energy sector, primarily its electricity supply industry (ESI), through the lens of sustainable development. It analyzes the transition of Eskom from a vertically integrated monopoly to a corporatized entity and the government's efforts to liberalize the market while maintaining social equity. Key findings highlight the environmental burden of coal-dependency, the success of national electrification programs in expanding access to the poor, and the necessity of restructuring the ESI to optimize future investment and integrate renewable energy sources.

The document examines the intersection of land use and energy efficiency, proposing a framework based on 'how' and 'where' we build to reduce fossil fuel dependence. It advocates for 'energy smart' growth, which combines compact, mixed-use development with green building standards and renewable energy. The author provides recommendations for funders to support this merger through research, integrated planning tools, policy incentives, and innovative financing like location-efficient mortgages.

The report examines subsidies within the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), focusing on South Africa's manufacturing, agriculture, and energy sectors. It finds that most domestic incentives are WTO-compliant, though the Duty Credit Certification Scheme for textiles is an exception. The agricultural sector has seen significant deregulation since the 1980s, resulting in low Producer Support Estimates (PSE) for most commodities. However, the region remains vulnerable to foreign subsidies, particularly the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the U.S. Farm Bill, which distort markets for sugar and beef. In the energy sector, South Africa's heavy reliance on coal creates high carbon intensity and a lack of incentives for renewable energy due to low coal prices.

The document outlines the causes and consequences of global climate change, highlighting the role of greenhouse gas emissions and the influence of the fossil fuel lobby. It categorizes career paths for scientists and engineers into four areas of positive contribution: understanding the problem, technological solutions, economic solutions, and social/political solutions, while warning against the influence of vested interests.

The document analyzes the current 'Planetary Phase' of human history, characterized by global interconnectedness and accelerating change. It presents six potential scenarios for the future: Market Forces, Policy Reform, Breakdown, Fortress World, Eco-communalism, and the New Sustainability Paradigm (the 'Great Transition'). The authors argue that while current trends favor a risky market-driven path, a transition to a sustainable world is possible through a combination of technological 'dematerialization' and a fundamental shift in human values away from consumerism toward solidarity and ecological health. The report outlines specific strategies for this transition, including the role of civil society, the need for a 'science of sustainability,' and the implementation of renewable energy and ecological farming.

The Union of Concerned Scientists asserts that the United States can meet 20% of its electricity needs via renewables by 2020, saving consumers $440 billion and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by two-thirds compared to business-as-usual forecasts. The report suggests this approach would avoid the need for 975 new power plants and significantly decrease reliance on coal and natural gas.

The Union of Concerned Scientists identifies seven policy tools—Renewables Portfolio Standards, public benefits funding, net metering, fair transmission/distribution rules, fair pollution rules, consumer information, and green customer demand—to transition the US to renewable energy. It argues that deregulation risks favoring fossil fuels unless these mechanisms internalize the public benefits of renewables and remove market barriers.

The AES Corporation, an independent power producer, faced a conflict between its strategy of using low-cost coal for electricity generation and its commitment to social responsibility, specifically regarding greenhouse gas emissions. For its Thames plant in Connecticut, which was projected to emit over 15 million tons of carbon over 40 years, the company evaluated four offset alternatives: promoting energy conservation through lighting retrofits, employing carbon scrubbing technology, implementing reforestation projects in tropical developing countries, or shifting its long-term strategy toward natural gas and renewables. While natural gas and renewables offered lower emissions, they presented higher operating costs or intermittency issues. Reforestation was identified as a cost-effective method to sequester carbon while providing additional social benefits.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) calls for a decisive U.S. energy policy to address global warming, urban air pollution, and economic competitiveness. The primary recommendation is to prioritize energy efficiency through tax strategies, such as a carbon dioxide tax and phased-in gasoline taxes, and the removal of fossil fuel subsidies. The report also advocates for stimulating renewable energy sources, halting deforestation, and leading international efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions, including a total phase-out of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

The document examines how Mozambique's vast natural gas reserves, particularly in the Rovuma Basin, have failed to translate into sustainable development, instead contributing to regional inequality, corruption, and civil unrest in Cabo Delgado. It analyzes the 'enclave' nature of extractive projects and the country's severe debt crisis, including the 'Tuna Bonds' scandal. The brief also addresses the gendered impacts of the energy sector and the challenges of transitioning to a just energy future while managing critical minerals like graphite.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) recommends that the EU Governance Regulation be revised to formally define and incentivise 'clean firm' electricity generation—dispatchable, low-emission sources that do not rely on weather. The brief argues that relying solely on renewable penetration metrics is inadequate for decarbonisation, citing the difference in carbon intensity between Germany and France. CATF proposes three main actions: establishing a legal definition of clean firm generation, setting an EU-wide installed capacity target, and requiring Member States to report on these targets within their National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) to ensure system adequacy and energy security.

The Clean Air Task Force calls on the European Commission to prioritise a Communication on the Strategic Vision on CCUS, arguing that a robust policy framework is essential for deploying critical infrastructure by 2030. The letter proposes that an EU CCS strategy should prioritise hard-to-electrify industrial processes, establish clear definitions for CCS, CCU, and CDR, and develop a publicly regulated, open-access CO2 infrastructure network while maintaining the 'polluter pays' principle via the EU ETS.

The document analyzes energy demand and GHG emissions in Pakistan's residential, commercial, and agriculture (RCA) sectors, which accounted for roughly 9 per cent of national emissions in 2012. It identifies 12 mitigation options, prioritizing nine based on abatement potential and cost-effectiveness. Key measures include replacing inefficient lighting, stoves, and cooling appliances, as well as improving irrigation pumps. The report projects that without intervention, RCA sector emissions will grow from 29 MtCO2e in 2012 to 61 MtCO2e by 2030. The most significant abatement potential in 2030 is attributed to efficient stoves (12.86 MtCO2e) and efficient lighting (2.19 MtCO2e).

The document outlines Pakistan's energy sector challenges, projecting a 97% increase in grid electricity GHG emissions between 2012 and 2030 under a business-as-usual scenario. It identifies eight priority mitigation measures—including large-scale hydel, wind, solar, biomass, and the reduction of transmission and distribution (T&D) losses—which collectively could reduce 2030 emissions by 41.01% relative to the baseline.

The study predicts a significant biomass deficit in Uganda from the 2020s onwards, which climate change is expected to exacerbate by reducing domestic wood availability by 5 to 10 percent between 2020 and 2050. Addressing this gap through imported biomass or LPG would require additional expenditures of US$0.6-1.3 billion or US$5-11 billion, respectively. While a potential 26 percent decline in hydropower potential by 2050 could be managed by the government's current expansion programme, this requires an estimated US$83 billion in capital investment for hydro, nuclear, and other generation through 2050. The document recommends prioritizing a switch from traditional biomass to modern energy sources and implementing energy efficiency standards.

The document analyzes Uganda's energy sector using the LEAP model, predicting a significant biomass deficit by the 2020s. It estimates that climate change could further reduce domestic wood availability by 5-10% by 2050, requiring $5-11 billion in additional LPG expenditures. While hydropower potential may decrease by 26% by 2050, current government expansion plans are deemed sufficient if implemented. The report recommends prioritizing the transition from traditional biomass to LPG and modern energy, noting that the current national adaptation strategy lacks these specific components.

The study finds that climate change, characterized by rising temperatures and decreasing rainfall, will likely cause significant economic losses in the Mpanga river catchment, particularly in the energy sector. Annual costs for the energy sector are estimated between US$25 million and US$98 million by 2030-2035, while the water supply sector in the Rushango area may face annual losses of US$45,000 to US$79,000. Adaptation measures, including water resource regulation and energy diversification, are considered high priorities as they only need to offset between 2.8% and 32.8% of estimated losses to be economically justified.

The 2015 Union Budget of India incorporates 'Green India' goals through electric vehicle promotion, revised renewable energy targets, and irrigation funding, though it lacks focus on green skills, crop insurance, and resilient 'Smart Cities'.

A letter from Eskom to the South African Department of Environmental Affairs providing comments on draft amendments to the Listed Activities and Associated Minimum Emission Standards under the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (Act No 39 of 2004).

ClientEarth supports a combination of regulatory and non-regulatory measures to revise the Renewable Energy Directive (REDII) to align with the European Green Deal. The organization advocates for a 2030 emissions reduction target of at least 65%, the exclusion of non-renewable hydrogen from support, and the removal of biomass from the category of renewable energy sources due to its impact on climate, health, and biodiversity.