Search Climate Insights Directory

The paper examines four regime options for a post-2012 climate framework: maintaining targets with flexibility mechanisms (broadening the CDM scope), differentiating developing country eligibility, implementing an expanded CDM (sectoral/NAMA approaches), and establishing a fund-based mechanism. It analyzes how these options affect the 'development dividend' across three dimensions: quality (sustainable development benefits), quantity (volume of Certified Emission Reductions), and regional distribution (investment in least developed countries). The authors conclude that while a fund-based mechanism best addresses quality and equity, it may struggle to match the investment volumes of private-sector market mechanisms. Conversely, expanding the CDM scope could flood the market with cheap credits, potentially crashing prices unless accompanied by ambitious emission reduction targets in developed nations.

This report by the Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI) provides preliminary estimates of global energy subsidies by source for 2007, detailing the assumptions and calculations used for nuclear energy, renewable energy, biofuels, fossil fuels, and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS).

The document details the transition of public finance institutions away from fossil fuel investments, highlighting the role of G20 governments and multilateral development banks in implementing restrictions on coal, oil, and gas financing to align with the Paris Agreement.

The report argues that the ITES sector has missed previous opportunities to drive sustainable development and must now adopt an 'Outsourcing 3.0' model. This framework moves beyond simple cost-cutting (Outsourcing 1.0) and high-value job relocation (Outsourcing 2.0) toward a model where companies, cities, and countries compete responsibly. The authors identify six drivers for this transition: creating a responsible business climate, smart philanthropy at the base-of-the-pyramid, building talent, improving business standards and compliance, fostering product and service innovation (such as 'tribesourcing'), and contributing to low-carbon prosperity. The report emphasizes that the 2009 economic downturn provides a critical window to reset the industry's approach to corporate social responsibility and environmental impact.

The report identifies a resurgence of outright climate denial and the rise of 'culture war' narratives used to delay climate action. It highlights systemic greenwashing by fossil fuel entities on Meta and the algorithmic amplification of the #ClimateScam hashtag on Twitter. The analysis reveals that climate misinformation is increasingly integrated into broader 'anti-woke' and conspiratorial communities, with a small number of high-influence actors driving a significant portion of the engagement.

The report by Mighty Earth characterizes Cargill as a major contributor to global environmental and human rights crises. It details the company's role in the deforestation of the Amazon, Cerrado, and Gran Chaco for soy production, as well as illegal deforestation in West African national parks for cocoa. The document alleges systemic failures in Cargill's sustainability promises, citing continued use of child slave labor in cocoa harvests and severe water and air pollution in the United States. It concludes that corporate customers like McDonald's and Ahold Delhaize are complicit by continuing to source from Cargill despite the company's documented record of deception and ecological damage.

A statement submitted on 13 December 2024 by a coalition of civil society organizations, including Natural Justice and SAFCEI, providing critical comments on South Africa's Draft Article 6 Framework. The coalition argues that carbon markets are fundamentally flawed and risk enabling human rights abuses, land grabs, and the evasion of actual emission reductions.

This guide outlines a comprehensive set of questions for institutional investors to use during due diligence of private equity managers. It focuses on five key areas: alignment with science-based climate targets (including phasing out fossil fuels by 2030), disclosure of fossil fuel exposure and emissions, the existence of portfolio-wide energy transition plans, the integration of climate and environmental justice, and transparency regarding political spending and climate lobbying.

The document demands that AXA cease providing insurance for new oil and gas projects, divest from unconventional hydrocarbons, and adopt a stricter definition of the Arctic region. It specifically calls for AXA to vote against Total's climate strategy, divest from Fortum due to pro-coal lobbying, and implement an exclusion policy for soy traders linked to deforestation in the Cerrado.

The fact sheet argues that many climate scenarios used by financial actors act as 'greenwashing tools' by underestimating renewable energy, relying on unlikely negative emissions technologies, and omitting significant portions of global greenhouse gas emissions. It asserts that these scenarios often lead to warming exceeding 1.5°C and calls for a complete phase-out of fossil fuel financing by 2040 in Europe and 2050 globally.

The document argues that many climate scenarios used by financial actors and large companies serve as tools for greenwashing by underestimating renewable energy and relying on improbable negative emissions to justify continued fossil fuel investment.

Reclaim Finance responds to the Bank of England's consultation on the Corporate Bond Purchase Scheme (CBPS), urging the Bank to prioritize the exclusion and divestment of fossil fuel assets to mitigate climate-related financial risks. The organization argues that engagement is often ineffective for high-carbon companies and recommends that the Bank set ambitious, short-term portfolio targets, integrate scope 3 emissions, and implement a heavy negative tilt strategy. Reclaim Finance further suggests that the Bank should lead the market in climate risk management by increasing capital requirements for fossil fuel exposures and expanding its environmental focus to include nature-related financial risks.

A coalition of climate and accountability organizations argues that Total's climate strategy is insufficient to meet the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement. They highlight that Total's 2030 emissions reduction targets cover only a small fraction of its total emissions and that the company plans to increase energy production to 4Mboe/d by 2030, with gas production potentially increasing by 30%. The authors note that 80% of Total's capex remains assigned to oil and gas, creating a risk of stranded assets. The document specifically criticizes the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) and Tilenga projects and calls on shareholders to vote against the company's climate resolutions and the leadership of CEO Patrick Pouyanné at the May 28, 2021 Annual General Meeting.

The document serves as a regulatory guide, offering a structured set of inquiries to help Public Utility Commissions (PUCs) assess utility resource planning in the context of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). It organizes questions into five exhibits covering common IRA considerations, assumptions, forecasts, objectives/scenarios, and solution identification. Key areas of focus include the application of Investment Tax Credits (ITC) and Production Tax Credits (PTC), bonus adders for energy communities and domestic content, the integration of hydrogen and carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technologies, and the utilization of Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) financing. The toolkit also emphasizes the need for utilities to account for IRA-driven changes in load forecasts related to building and transportation electrification, energy efficiency, and distributed energy resources (DERs).

The document describes the use of NREL's Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS) and RMI's internal dispatch model to evaluate the technical feasibility and cost of four electricity scenarios: Maintain, Migrate, Renew, and Transform. It outlines spatial and temporal resolutions, generation cost assumptions based on learning curve theory, and specific modifications made to approximate distributed energy resources in the Transform case.

South Africa is the largest greenhouse gas emitter in Africa, with emissions primarily driven by a coal-dependent energy sector. The country faces a strategic dilemma in balancing poverty alleviation and energy security with international pressure to reduce emissions. To navigate this, South Africa engages in multilateral alliances such as the BASIC group and IBSA to promote 'climate equity' and 'climate justice', arguing that historical polluters should bear the primary burden of mitigation. While South Africa has pledged emission cuts under the Copenhagen Accord, the document notes a gap between its international rhetoric and domestic implementation of renewable energy policies. The report suggests that South Africa and other emerging economies can collaborate on technology transfer, climate modeling, and adaptation strategies to transition toward low-carbon economies without compromising development.

South Africa has increased its climate ambition by lowering its 2030 emission target upper limit from 614 Mt CO2-eq to 420 Mt CO2-eq. While the country leads Africa in green finance and has established a carbon tax, implementation of climate strategies remains slow. The COVID-19 pandemic initially diverted focus toward immediate socioeconomic needs, but later spurred the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan. Conversely, the Ukraine war has increased global demand for South African coal, potentially incentivizing a rollback of decarbonization. The Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) provides critical financial support, but the transition is hindered by ongoing power shortages, reliance on new coal plants like Medupi and Kusile, and political sensitivity regarding job losses in the coal sector.

The Barbados Energy Transition and Investment Plan (ETIP) identifies a net-zero emissions (NZE) target by 2035 as the most feasible pathway for the nation. Achieving this goal requires a total capital investment of BBD 19 billion by 2040, with the transport sector accounting for approximately BBD 17.3 billion of this total. The transition is expected to be driven by the widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), onshore wind, solar PV, and blue hydrogen, while utilizing bioenergy carbon capture and storage (BECCS) in the industry sector to offset residual emissions. The plan projects that NZE 2035 will result in fuel cost savings of BBD 15.6 billion and create approximately 1,500 new jobs above business-as-usual levels by 2035. Key policy recommendations include implementing mandatory building energy codes, establishing a national electric mobility roadmap, and developing a governance structure featuring an Energy Transition Office to coordinate cross-ministerial implementation.

The 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Compact, coordinated by Sustainable Energy for All on behalf of UN-Energy, promotes a global effort to ensure every kilowatt-hour of electricity consumption is met with carbon-free sources every hour of every day. The guidebook outlines five core principles: time-matched procurement, local procurement, technology-inclusivity, enabling new generation, and maximizing system impact. It details technical enablers such as Granular Certificates (GCs) for hourly tracking, smart metering, and 24/7 CFE Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). The document also highlights the role of green hydrogen as a storage solution and provides implementation roadmaps for energy buyers, governments, and suppliers, while emphasizing equity considerations for the Global South.

Ghana aims to reach net-zero emissions by 2060, a transition requiring approximately USD 550 billion in capital investment. The plan identifies a shift toward solar PV, electric vehicles, and clean cooking as primary abatement drivers, while noting that without action, emissions could rise from 28 Mt CO2e in 2021 to over 140 Mt by 2050. The strategy emphasizes the need for de-risking instruments to attract private capital and the establishment of an Energy Transition Office to coordinate implementation.