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The report argues that current utility regulation is incompatible with an all-electric future and proposes ten strategies to decarbonize US buildings. It emphasizes electrification via heat pumps as the primary solution, warning that alternative fuels like biomethane are costly and limited in scale. Key recommendations include reforming electricity rate designs, updating energy efficiency standards to account for total emissions, and proactively managing the retirement of gas infrastructure to avoid stranded asset risks and inequitable cost burdens on low-income customers.

The policy brief contends that the proposed $1 billion Northeast Supply Enhancement Project (NESE) gas pipeline is incompatible with New York's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). It argues that a 'no infrastructure' approach—combining energy efficiency, electrification (specifically heat pumps), and demand response—is a more cost-effective and reliable path to meeting energy needs while reducing emissions. The author asserts that National Grid's cost analysis underestimates the benefits of customer-focused solutions by ignoring air conditioner cost savings, externality costs of pollution, and the long-term savings beyond a 15-year net present value calculation.

The report finds that G20 countries are not on track to meet Paris Agreement goals, with energy-related CO2 emissions increasing again in 2017 and 82% of energy supply still coming from fossil fuels. It highlights significant gaps in sectoral actions—particularly in power, transport, and industry—and notes that fossil fuel subsidies in the G20 nearly doubled between 2007 and 2016. While some countries are implementing 'just transition' initiatives for workers, others lack dialogue or action.

Green NGOs call on the European Commission to publish the Effort Sharing Decision on 20 July to maintain EU climate leadership and implement the Paris Agreement. They argue that the 2030 targets for sectors not covered by the ETS—including transport, buildings, and agriculture—must be upheld. The statement also warns against using forestry credits as loopholes to avoid reductions in other sectors.

The Effort Sharing Decision (ESD) covers approximately 60% of EU greenhouse gas emissions, focusing on sectors like transport, buildings, and agriculture. The document argues that the 2013-2020 targets were too weak, leading to a projected surplus of 600 million tons of CO2-eq by 2020. It recommends that the 2030 framework significantly increase targets to at least 45% below 2005 levels, exclude international offsets, and maintain a separate pillar for land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) to avoid undermining overall climate ambition.

The report identifies significant financial, institutional, and skill-based barriers that prevent the scale-up of energy-efficient low-income housing in South Africa, despite the availability of simple passive thermal improvements and solar water heaters. It argues that the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is an unsustainable model for these projects due to low carbon prices and dispersed savings. Instead, the author proposes 'Direct Support' mechanisms—including framework support for government institutions, project support for developers, and micro-finance/insurance models for homeowners—to provide upfront capital and capacity building. The paper also recommends establishing national energy performance standards and vocational training to bridge the gap between policy and implementation.

The document argues that zero carbon buildings (ZCBs) are attainable globally through various policy pathways focused on operational carbon emissions. It emphasizes the leadership role of cities and suggests that ZCB goals are more achievable when definitions expand beyond individual building boundaries to include off-site clean energy or portfolio-wide considerations. The research utilizes policy reviews and stakeholder consultations from India, China, Mexico, and Kenya to demonstrate that feasible ZCB pathways exist across diverse national and subnational policy contexts.

The Zero Carbon Building Accelerator aims to decarbonize the global building stock by 2050, addressing the fact that building construction and operations account for nearly 40% of global energy-related CO2 emissions. The initiative employs a four-part strategy—outreach, dialogue, planning, and enabling—to help governments map decarbonization pathways and implement action plans. WRI intends to scale impact by engaging at least two jurisdictions per country and supporting three additional subnational governments globally through technical assistance and peer learning. Zero carbon buildings are defined as having net zero annual operational emissions and reduced life-cycle emissions, achieved through energy efficiency, electrification, and renewable energy sources.