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The document examines the limited global carbon budget available to restrict warming to 1.5°C and the resulting necessity for Australia to undergo a rapid energy transformation. It argues that current national pledges under the Paris Agreement are insufficient and that relying on future 'negative emissions' technologies is risky. For Australia, a 'fair share' of the carbon budget would be exhausted in less than six years at current emission levels, necessitating a shift away from fossil fuel extraction and exports.

The paper argues that relying on future large-scale negative emissions to 'undo' current carbon emissions is a high-risk strategy that may lead to insufficient near-term decarbonization. It identifies three primary risk types: technological/biophysical infeasibility, unacceptable social and ecological impacts, and the potential for sequestered carbon to be re-released or for climate impacts to become irreversible. The authors evaluate four land-based options, concluding that while ecosystem restoration and reforestation may provide some viable negative emissions, high-reliance scenarios (e.g., those requiring 1,000 Gt CO2) are likely unachievable. BECCS is highlighted as particularly risky due to unproven commercial scale and extreme land and resource requirements. The paper advocates for a 'zero fossil carbon' goal over 'net zero' to ensure aggressive immediate mitigation.

The report examines the risks of Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) and Coal Chemicals, highlighting their potential to expand coal reserves and increase greenhouse gas emissions. It details environmental failures in Australia, the US, and South Africa, and the massive scale of coal-to-chemical projects in China, concluding that these technologies are incompatible with a 1.5C warming limit.

Carbon Market Watch and partners argue that the proposed 30% emission reduction target for the 2021-2030 Effort Sharing Decision (ESD) is insufficient to meet Paris Agreement goals. They warn that specific loopholes—including the use of forest carbon removals, EU ETS surplus allowances, and the carry-over of unused permits—could lead to an additional 4.7 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions. The authors call for a minimum 45% reduction in ESD sectors by 2030, a target of -95% by 2050, and the implementation of an automatic mechanism to accelerate emission cuts every five years based on science and technology.

The policy brief argues that the EU's Effort Sharing Decision (ESD) must be significantly strengthened to meet Paris Agreement goals. It recommends a 95% emission reduction by 2050 and at least 45% by 2030, based on a carbon budget. The author identifies five critical loopholes—including the use of ETS credits and land-use offsets—that could allow an additional 4,703 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent to be released. It further proposes robust governance through National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) and stronger financial penalties for non-compliant Member States.

A coalition of 64 organizations and European Parliament members calls on the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to implement a stringent global market-based mechanism (GMBM) for aviation emissions. The letter argues that aviation is a top ten global polluter and warns that emissions could grow by 300% by 2050 if left unaddressed. The signatories demand binding targets aligned with the 1.5°C Paris agreement goal, mandatory credit quality criteria to ensure environmental integrity, robust accounting to prevent double counting, and transparent decision-making processes.

This fact sheet advocates for the permanent withdrawal of the U.S. Arctic and Atlantic Oceans from oil and gas leasing. It argues that such a move is necessary to meet Paris Agreement commitments, avoid 'carbon lock-in' from massive infrastructure investments, and prevent severe ecological and economic risks from oil spills. The document highlights that proven fossil fuel reserves already exceed the carbon budget for limiting warming to 2°C and that clean energy alternatives are growing rapidly enough to replace the need for these unproven reserves.

ClientEarth and partners argue that climate change poses material financial risks to fossil fuel companies, potentially rendering a significant portion of reserves 'stranded'. They call on ESMA to enforce consistent regulatory reporting of these risks under the Transparency and Accounting Directives, aligning with global efforts like the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures.

The document examines the tension between treating fossil fuel suppliers as polluters and recognizing extraction as a sovereign right for development. It argues that meeting Paris Agreement targets requires leaving a majority of proven reserves in the ground, which would disproportionately impact lower-income regions through the loss of significant resource rents.

The document defines key climate terminology used in COP21 negotiations, such as decarbonization, carbon neutrality, and carbon budgets, while explaining how these terms influence the global emissions trajectory. It argues that for long-term goals to be effective, they must be consistent with climate science, limit both long-term and cumulative emissions, and provide clear dates and plausible reduction pathways.

The document is a call to action by cleantech entrepreneurs and supporting organisations directed at COP21. It argues that viable solutions for decarbonisation already exist but are hindered by policy influence and capital allocation favouring the fossil fuel industry. The signatories demand a global shift to 100% renewable energy by 2050, the redirection of finance away from fossil fuels, and the implementation of science-based targets and carbon pricing.

The policy brief warns that the EU's 2030 commitment to reduce emissions by at least 40% below 1990 levels could be undermined by a projected surplus of up to 4.5 GtCO2e in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and 1.5–1.7 GtCO2e in the Effort Sharing Decision (ESD). If these 'hot air' allowances are carried over, the effective emission reductions for 2030 could drop to 32%. The author recommends the permanent cancellation of at least 2 billion EU allowances by the end of 2020 and the prohibition of pre-2020 reductions in the 2030 ESD, while calling for robust international accounting and eligibility criteria under the Paris agreement to prevent similar issues globally.

South Africa's INDC proposes a 'peak, plateau and decline' emissions trajectory, with GHG emissions expected to peak between 2020 and 2025 and decline in absolute terms after 2036. The plan integrates climate action with the National Development Plan's goal to eliminate poverty by 2030. Adaptation efforts focus on six goals, including the development of a National Adaptation Plan by 2020, while mitigation emphasizes a transition to a low-carbon economy through renewable energy and efficiency. The document emphasizes that these commitments are premised on a fair multilateral agreement and the provision of international finance, technology, and capacity-building support.

The document outlines the criteria for a 'strong' INDC, emphasizing that it must be equitable, ambitious, science-based, and transparent. It provides a detailed evaluation framework based on six questions: clarity of intent, alignment with science, equity and ambition, robustness of the design process, feasibility of implementation, and transparency. The guide distinguishes between 'results-based' and 'action-based' mitigation commitments and encourages the inclusion of adaptation plans based on evidence of climate risks.

The document outlines the criteria for a 'strong' Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC), emphasizing that such commitments must be fair, ambitious, and scientifically grounded. It provides a detailed evaluation framework based on six key questions: clarity of intent, scientific consistency, fairness and ambition, process robustness, implementation viability, and transparency. The guide distinguishes between mitigation approaches (actions vs. direct effects) and encourages the inclusion of adaptation components based on evidence of climate risks. It stresses that INDCs should drive a 'transformative' decarbonization pace to align with the goal of limiting global warming to two degrees Celsius.

Carbon Market Watch argues that carbon markets should not substitute for domestic emission reductions and warns that oversupply in previous systems, such as the EU ETS and Kyoto Protocol's International Emissions Trading, has undermined their effectiveness. The organization emphasizes that the remaining carbon budget to stay below 2ºC is limited, necessitating a focus on zero/low carbon infrastructure over offsetting. It recommends that any new framework for international unit transfers must include robust eligibility rules, environmental integrity standards, and accounting rules to prevent double claiming.

Carbon Market Watch argues that international carbon markets must be supplementary to domestic action and governed by strict eligibility, accounting, and integrity rules to avoid the failures of previous mechanisms like the CDM and EU ETS. The organization recommends excluding REDD-plus and agriculture from carbon markets, implementing a 'negative list' of ineligible project types, and establishing a UN-led standard-setting body to prevent double-counting and ensure net atmospheric benefits.

The letter argues that aviation is the fastest growing transport mode and that ICAO's proposed offset mechanisms are inadequate. It calls for the EU to establish a common position, phase out tax-free fuel and VAT status, and push for legally binding emissions reduction carbon budgets for 2030 and 2050 to keep global warming below 2°C.

The document defines a net phase out of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as reducing anthropogenic emissions to a level equal to or smaller than anthropogenic removals. To maintain a likely chance of meeting the 2°C target, global GHG emissions must be net zero by 2100, while CO2 emissions specifically should reach net zero around 2070. If action is delayed until 2020, these deadlines accelerate to 2080 for all GHGs and 2065 for CO2. The briefing notes that technological options already exist for approximately 90% of current GHG sources, though the remaining 10% require further innovation or offsetting. It highlights the critical role of bio-energy and carbon capture and storage (CCS) for achieving these targets, noting that limiting bio-energy significantly increases mitigation costs and reduces the number of models that find the 2°C target feasible.

The document asserts that aviation is the fastest growing and most carbon intensive transport mode, contributing 5% of global warming. It criticizes ICAO's current approach as inadequate, focusing on limiting growth rather than reducing emissions. The brief calls for the removal of aviation fuel tax and VAT exemptions, the implementation of binding emissions reduction budgets for 2030 and 2050, and a more proactive EU role in ensuring the environmental integrity of a Global Market-Based Mechanism (GMBM). It also suggests shifting focus toward rail infrastructure to reduce aviation dependence.