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The analysis demonstrates that ships built or retrofitted with dual-fuel capacity for ammonia can meet or exceed EU marine sector decarbonization targets at costs equal to or lower than conventional heavy fuel oil (HFO) ships when carbon pricing is applied. A new build fully powered by ammonia can reduce lifetime emissions by 77% with a lifetime fuel cost equivalent to an HFO ship, while retrofits can reduce emissions by 41-52% at a lower overall cost. The report highlights that ammonia's viability depends on the availability of varying carbon intensities—from 'moderate CI' produced via natural gas with carbon capture to 'very low CI' produced via electrolysis—and notes that while ammonia is already handled globally, its toxicity requires purpose-built ship systems and ongoing safety validation by the IMO.

The document explains the EU's State aid control system, which generally prohibits government financial support to companies to protect the internal market unless the European Commission approves it. It details the 'State aid rulebook', including block exemptions and guidelines, and highlights the lack of systematic climate and environmental mainstreaming in these rules. The guide also outlines the procedural challenges for CSOs, who are typically treated as 'third parties' without formal standing to lodge complaints or challenge decisions in EU courts, and provides strategies for CSOs to influence State aid design and transparency.

ClientEarth brought a derivative action against Shell's Board of Directors in the High Court of England and Wales, arguing that the company's Energy Transition Strategy was inadequate and breached sections 172 and 174 of the Companies Act 2006. The claim alleged failures in setting Scope 3 targets, over-reliance on carbon capture and nature-based solutions, and non-compliance with a Dutch court order. Despite support from institutional investors managing over half a trillion USD in assets, the High Court refused permission to continue the claim, citing a lack of formal expert evidence and the wide discretion afforded to directors in management decisions. The Court of Appeal subsequently refused permission to appeal this decision.

Reclaim Finance establishes a comprehensive framework to identify insufficient or greenwashed corporate climate transition plans. The report outlines five essential steps for a robust plan: setting science-based absolute emission targets, developing a detailed decarbonization strategy (including financial alignment and fossil fuel phase-outs), implementing a value-chain engagement strategy, integrating reporting and governance, and addressing just transition and biodiversity. It further maps these criteria to the EU's European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) and the European Central Bank's (ECB) supervisory expectations to help companies and financial institutions meet regulatory obligations.

The report argues that COP28 failed to uphold human rights and was subject to corporate capture, resulting in insufficient outcomes on fossil fuel phaseouts and the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund.

The report argues that the fossil fuel industry has shifted from outright climate denial to a strategy of 'duplicity,' using greenwashing and misleading claims to protect profits while expanding fossil fuel production. It details how companies like ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, and Chevron overstate their clean energy investments, set unrealistic or retracted emissions goals, promote unviable 'false solutions' such as carbon capture and algae biofuels, use front groups to lobby against climate policy, and shift responsibility for emissions onto individual consumers.

The report analyzes Ghana's efforts to transition to a low-carbon economy, focusing on the National Energy Transition Framework (NETF) and updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). While official goals align with international standards and stakeholder expectations for green job creation and sustainability, significant gaps exist. These include a contradiction between renewable energy goals and continued fossil fuel investments, such as a $12 billion oil refinery deal. Key barriers include a public debt level of 83.60% of GDP, regulatory inconsistencies, and an outdated power grid. The report recommends that the UNFCCC's Just Transition Work Programme (JTWP) provide support in policy reform, financial mobilization, and technology transfer to help Ghana achieve net-zero energy-related emissions by 2060.

The report analyzes the current state of transatlantic industrial decarbonization policies, identifying a significant divergence between the EU's regulatory-led approach and the US's subsidy-driven model. It argues that while high-level negotiations on carbon pricing (such as GASSA) have stalled, there is substantial opportunity for cooperation through 'softer' market functions, including R&D, green public procurement, and the harmonization of technical standards. The document provides a detailed SWOT analysis of various policy instruments and technology-specific areas, recommending the creation of dedicated dialogue platforms and innovation hubs to foster a globally interoperable clean economy.

The report argues that while US and EU cooperation on carbon pricing and tariffs (such as GASSA and CBAM) has stalled due to diverging political visions, a 'softer' path to alignment is possible. This approach prioritizes cooperation on 'carrots' like R&D and green public procurement, and 'sticks' like the harmonization of carbon standards. The study recommends expanding collaboration beyond hydrogen and carbon capture to include circular economy practices and industrial electrification, utilizing platforms like the Trade and Technology Council (TTC) to avoid duplication and establish common technology standards.

The report demonstrates a causal link between Amazonian deforestation and reduced hydroelectric output in Brazil, affecting plants both within the Amazon and in distant regions like the Paraná Basin. Through case studies of the Teles Pires and several Paraná Basin plants, it quantifies energy and financial losses, highlighting that 17 of Brazil's 20 largest hydroelectric plants are exposed to the 'flying rivers' mechanism. The document argues that forest conservation is essential for national energy security and suggests targeted restoration policies based on land tenure categories.

The 2024 state of global environmental governance is characterized by a 'polycrisis' of geopolitical tension, climate disasters, and economic instability. While some progress was made in Indigenous Peoples' participation and the establishment of the Cali Fund for biodiversity, major negotiations on plastic pollution and chemicals failed to reach landmarks. Climate finance remains a central point of contention, with the new collective quantified goal (NCQG) of USD 300 billion per year by 2035 falling short of developing countries' expectations. The report highlights a growing trend of environmental litigation at global courts and the persistent challenge of 'siloed' governance, where the three Rio Conventions operate independently despite the interconnected nature of climate, biodiversity, and land degradation.

In 2024, WRI supported over 150 U.S. cities and counties in accelerating clean energy deployment and helped over 60 cities claim more than $12 million in tax credits via the Inflation Reduction Act's elective pay mechanism. The organization advanced next-generation geothermal technologies, launched a database of 50 community benefits frameworks for transmission projects, and supported the deployment of electric school buses (ESBs) through initiatives like the RVXDS project in California. WRI also focused on reforming power markets and grids, providing technical assistance to the PJM Cities and Communities Coalition and researching interregional transmission procurement.

The Living Planet Report 2024 documents a 73% average decline in monitored wildlife populations from 1970 to 2020, with freshwater species suffering the most (85%). The report warns that cumulative pressures from habitat loss, overexploitation, and climate change are pushing ecosystems toward irreversible tipping points, such as the potential collapse of the Amazon rainforest and coral reefs. It argues that current national commitments for biodiversity and climate are insufficient, and calls for a systemic transformation of the global food system (the leading cause of habitat loss), the energy system (the primary driver of climate change), and the financial system (which currently provides almost US$7 trillion annually in nature-negative flows).

The document advocates for a holistic 'biodiversity lens' in agriculture, emphasizing the role of soil health, indigenous plant restoration, and regenerative farming in the Western Cape's Fynbos Biome. It details the differences between rehabilitation and restoration, provides plant palettes for various farm areas, and presents case studies on using livestock for soil health, creating wildlife corridors, and managing riverine buffers to mitigate flood damage.

The research assesses the effectiveness of carbon abatement projects funded by municipal green bonds in Sweden, finding that clean energy production, particularly wind energy, is more cost-efficient than other emerging technologies like carbon capture storage. The study utilizes life-cycle costs and considers all greenhouse gases to evaluate these investments, noting that the Swedish carbon tax serves as an effective incentive for clean energy projects.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) allocated $12.1 billion to advance carbon management technologies in the United States. Two years into implementation, the Department of Energy (DOE) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have launched several key programs. The Carbon Capture Demonstration Projects Program has selected nine FEED study projects and three demonstration projects, including the Baytown, Project Tundra, and Sutter projects. The Carbon Storage Validation and Testing Program has awarded funding to projects across multiple states, including Texas, Louisiana, and Wyoming, to develop large-scale sequestration and transport infrastructure. Additionally, the EPA has allotted $48 million to 25 state and Tribal recipients to support the regulation of UIC Class VI wells. In the realm of carbon removal, the Regional Direct Air Capture (DAC) Hubs Program has selected two commercial-scale hubs in Texas and Louisiana for award negotiations. The document notes that while progress is underway, agencies have until 2026 to allocate remaining funds, and future success depends on shared transport networks and community engagement.

Earthjustice argues that the American Convention on Human Rights requires States to implement a just transition to clean energy based on their 'fair share' of historical and current emissions. The brief advocates for the immediate phase-out of fossil fuel extraction and power generation, the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies, and the mandatory use of comprehensive climate assessments—including scope 3 emissions—for all new energy projects and policies. It emphasizes that human rights obligations may necessitate more ambitious mitigation than those outlined in the Paris Agreement and warns against 'false solutions' like carbon capture and storage.

The study investigates the transition of Poland's power system to a 99% reduction in emissions by 2050. The 'base' scenario identifies onshore wind as the dominant generation source, complemented by nuclear power, gas plants with carbon capture and storage (CCS), and hydrogen storage. The analysis emphasizes that a technology-inclusive approach is essential for competitiveness, as scenarios excluding nuclear and CCS result in significantly higher electricity prices and system costs. Key recommendations include maximizing onshore wind deployment, advancing a nuclear fleet exceeding 8 GW, and establishing CO2 transport and storage infrastructure by 2035.

Reclaim Finance argues that Crédit Agricole's new climate commitments are insufficient because they do not explicitly ban the financing of new oil and gas infrastructure, such as LNG terminals. While the bank increased its target for reducing financed emissions from oil and gas loans to 75% by 2030, the organization notes that this does not guarantee an end to support for companies developing new fossil projects. The statement highlights specific examples of continued involvement, including the Port Arthur LNG terminal in the US and advisory services for the Papua LNG project, and criticizes the exclusion of only independent extraction companies while sparing integrated oil majors.

The briefing details a coordinated effort by the fossil fuel industry, OPEC, and the UAE to derail fossil fuel phase-out efforts at COP28 through greenwashing, the promotion of unproven technologies like CCS, and the use of fake social media accounts and lobbyists. It highlights how these tactics influenced the Global Stocktake text to avoid direct calls for a phase-out, instead emphasizing 'zero and low emissions technologies'.