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The document critiques the COP28 final declaration for lacking a commitment to a 'fossil fuel phaseout' and for being lenient on coal and gas. It argues that developed countries, particularly France and the UK, must stop their financial institutions from enabling fossil fuel expansion and instead provide concessional finance and de-risking mechanisms to help developing countries transition to renewables and energy efficiency.

The World Resources Institute describes the COP28 agreement to transition away from fossil fuels as a historic outcome but warns that the transition requires a massive scale-up in climate finance for developing countries. While praising the activation of the Loss and Damage Fund and the Global Goal on Adaptation framework, the statement criticizes the deal's failure to limit the role of carbon capture technology and the lack of quantified targets for adaptation.

The document argues that limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C requires an immediate stop to burning fossil fuels, urging governments to halve global fossil fuel use by 2035 and stop new fossil fuel project investments. It highlights the role of cities and businesses in this transition, noting that solar and wind are already cheaper than new fossil gas electricity in most C40 city locations. Examples of city-level action include fossil gas bans in new buildings in several US cities and renewable energy targets in Los Angeles, Mexico City, and Seoul. Additionally, over 200 companies with nearly US$1.5 trillion in revenue are calling for clear phase-out timelines, 100% decarbonised power, and the reform of fossil fuel subsidies.

The document argues that climate change is a human rights crisis driven by a small number of 'Carbon Majors' in the fossil fuel and agroindustrial sectors. It asserts that States have a duty under the American Convention on Human Rights to regulate these entities, halt fossil fuel expansion, and ensure reparations for affected communities. It further argues that business enterprises have an independent obligation to respect human rights, which includes conducting due diligence across their entire value chain and ceasing deceptive 'climate-washing' practices.

The IISD welcomes the launch of a new coalition for fossil fuel subsidy (FFS) reform at COP 28, which aims to increase transparency, evaluate barriers to reform, and develop national phase-out strategies. However, the IISD warns that public financial support for fossil fuels reached a record USD 1.7 trillion in 2022 and notes that only 16 countries have included FFS reform in their current nationally determined contributions (NDCs). To ensure success, the IISD recommends establishing a 2025 deadline for FFS removal in OECD countries and 2030 for non-OECD countries, reinvesting savings into just transition programs, and avoiding narrow definitions of subsidies that have historically delayed action.

The Electrical Utilities Criteria provide a framework for certifying entities and debt instruments based on their emissions intensity and transition pathways toward net-zero by 2040. The criteria distinguish between existing and new capacity, setting specific GHG thresholds for low-carbon technologies and phase-out dates for unabated fossil fuel plants. It also defines requirements for mitigation measures like CCS/CCUS and cofiring, as well as a comprehensive adaptation and resilience checklist to ensure infrastructure is robust against physical climate hazards.

The report outlines the development of certification criteria for electrical utilities to ensure their financing aligns with the Paris Agreement. It establishes a global emissions intensity transition pathway based on the IEA Net Zero Emissions (NZE) by 2050 scenario, targeting near-zero emissions for the power sector by 2040. The criteria distinguish between existing capacity, which must follow phase-out or retrofitting benchmarks, and new capacity, which must be low-carbon as no new fossil fuel plants are eligible. It also details specific thresholds for non-combustion emissions in hydropower, geothermal, and bioenergy, and sets requirements for decarbonization measures like Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and hydrogen co-firing.

The Climate Action Tracker finds that warming projections have not improved since 2021, with current government 2030 targets leading to 2.5°C of warming. The briefing argues that 'abated' fossil fuel strategies and techno-fixes like CCS are insufficient, calling instead for a full fossil fuel phase-out and specific 'must haves' for 2035 NDCs, including tripling renewables and cutting fossil fuel production by 40% by 2030.

The report analyzes the impact of amine-based carbon capture retrofits at two petroleum refineries and two cement plants in California and Texas. It finds that because carbon capture systems require the removal of pollutants like sulfur dioxide and particulate matter from flue gas to operate effectively, their installation leads to significant reductions in criteria air pollutants and associated public health improvements. While the systems cause a small increase in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the combined climate and health benefits are estimated to be 1.5 to 4 times greater than the costs of the technology.

The report identifies a critical gap in the energy policy lifecycle, which it terms the "policy valley of death," where a lack of effective planning prevents financial incentives from achieving emissions targets. It argues that waiting for a decarbonized system to self-assemble through individual projects is inefficient and fails to address the scale of mid-century needs. To resolve this, the authors propose five principles for effective energy planning: being proactive and risk-aware, adopting a multi-jurisdictional and systems-perspective, co-creating plans with all stakeholders, utilizing comprehensive scenario-based analysis, and establishing actionable roadmaps with accountable progress tracking. The document further details five essential components for a durable plan: a stakeholder engagement roadmap, proactive risk-aware analysis, an implementation roadmap, progress tracking mechanisms, and knowledge-sharing centers.

Global gas pipeline construction has increased by 18% over the previous year, with approximately 69,700 km under construction at a cost of US$193.9 billion. Asia accounts for 82% of this construction, led by China and India. Other significant activities include the U.S. expanding export capacity from the Permian Basin and Haynesville Shale, and Argentina developing infrastructure for the Vaca Muerta shale gas reserve.

The December 2023 update finds that global warming projections have stalled, with current policies leading to 2.7°C of warming by 2100. Even the most optimistic scenario, including all announced targets, results in 1.8°C, exceeding the 1.5°C Paris Agreement goal. The report highlights a growing implementation gap and warns that reliance on carbon capture and storage (CCS), e-fuels, and carbon offsets are 'false solutions' that delay necessary deep emission cuts. It urges governments to submit 1.5°C-aligned 2035 targets by February 2025 and to commit to a complete phase-out of fossil fuels.

The report finds that ADNOC's climate strategy is not aligned with a 1.5°C pathway, characterized by significant oil and gas expansion and insufficient transparency. ADNOC has the highest absolute short-term expansion overshooting the IEA NZE scenario worldwide, with 8,343 mmboe from fields with Final Investment Decisions (FID) after 2021. The company plans to increase crude oil production capacity by 25% between 2020 and 2027 and intends to expand its LNG capacity through new terminals in the UAE, India, and the Netherlands. Low-carbon investments represent only 10% of its 2023-27 CAPEX, and renewables are projected to make up less than 7% of its energy mix by 2030. Furthermore, ADNOC lacks scope 3 emission targets and does not provide detailed financial statements or production forecasts for 2030, hindering a full assessment of its transition risks.

The briefing finds that Saudi Aramco's climate strategy lacks transparency and is misaligned with 1.5°C pathways. The company plans to increase oil and gas production capacity through 2030, resulting in production levels significantly above the IEA Net Zero Emissions (NZE) scenario. Investment remains heavily skewed toward upstream fossil fuel activities, with renewables expected to constitute less than 1% of its energy mix by 2030. Furthermore, the company does not disclose scope 3 emissions or targets, making a full GHG trajectory projection impossible.

The document analyzes hydrogen production methods, contrasting the high carbon intensity of fossil fuel-based routes—even those using carbon capture (CCUS)—with the lower impact of water-based electrolysis. It highlights a significant gap between current electrolyser manufacturing capacity and the targets required for the IEA's Net Zero Emissions by 2050 scenario. Reclaim Finance argues that financial support should be restricted to electrolytic hydrogen and prioritized for hard-to-abate sectors like ironmaking and shipping, rather than power storage or heating.

The document argues that media coverage of COP events often focuses disproportionately on failure and inefficiency while ignoring the influence of fossil fuel lobbies, the role of NGOs, and the historical tensions between developed and developing nations. It outlines the key objectives of COP 28, including the first global climate action stocktake and the operationalization of the loss and damage fund, and counters myths regarding the utility of COPs and the role of technological innovation in solving the climate crisis.

The briefing asserts that tripling renewables and doubling energy efficiency by 2030 will provide 85% of the required cuts in unabated fossil fuels for that period. By 2035, these two actions alone are projected to reduce total CO2 emissions by more than half. The document emphasizes that while nuclear energy and carbon capture and storage (CCS) play roles, their contributions are significantly smaller due to slow deployment and technology immaturity, making renewables and efficiency the most effective tools for a rapid fossil fuel phaseout.

A joint statement by Reclaim Finance and other organizations challenging TotalEnergies' claims regarding the Papua LNG project. The authors argue the project contradicts global climate goals, risks becoming a stranded asset due to peaking gas demand, and threatens high-biodiversity native forests. They further contend that the project's social safeguards are insufficient, citing a lack of transparency and opposition from local clans and chiefs in Papua New Guinea.

The briefing asserts that current fossil fuel production is incompatible with temperature limits and calls for a full phase-out of fossil fuels at COP28. It argues that carbon capture and storage (CCS) cannot achieve the necessary declines by 2030 and urges delegates to reject qualifiers like "unabated" or a focus on "fossil fuel emissions" in the final agreement.

The briefing highlights the lack of a widely agreed-upon definition for 'unabated fossil fuels' despite the term's centrality in G7, G20, and UN climate negotiations. It warns that ambiguous definitions may allow for low carbon capture rates and the exclusion of upstream emissions, potentially stalling climate progress. The author proposes a science-based definition requiring near-total carbon capture (90-95%), permanent geological storage, near-total elimination of upstream and transport emissions, and rigorous third-party verification.