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The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) argues that carbon dioxide removals (CDR) are essential for the EU to reach climate neutrality by 2050, as current emission reduction policies are insufficient. CATF proposes a certification mechanism based on a 'long-cycle' (geological storage) and 'short-cycle' (terrestrial sinks) categorisation rather than a binary 'natural' vs 'industrial' split. To ensure environmental integrity, CATF recommends seven minimum standards: real, measurable, permanent, additional, avoidance of leakage, avoidance of double counting, and sustainability. The submission emphasizes that credits from short-cycle and long-cycle removals should not be fungible, with long-cycle removals carrying higher value due to their permanence. CATF also suggests a three-step process for integrating innovative CDR methods and a governance structure involving a clear division of responsibilities between public authorities and private certification bodies, supported by a Union-wide registry.

The document calls on banks, insurers, and investors to use the 2022 AGM season to challenge fossil fuel expansion, citing IEA and IPCC reports that state new fossil fuel projects are incompatible with limiting global warming to 1.5°C. It highlights a gap between the decarbonization targets of financial players in the Paris financial center and their continued support for companies developing new fossil fuel projects. Reclaim Finance urges shareholders to block insufficient 'Say on Climate' plans, support climate-strengthening resolutions, and oppose the re-appointment of directors at companies persisting in fossil fuel development.

The report analyzes the 2021 Chinese green bond market, which saw a sharp rebound with USD 109.4bn in total issuance. It highlights the role of top-down policy guidance, such as the Green Bond Endorsed Project Catalogue (2021 Edition), in standardizing the market and aligning it with international principles. The analysis finds a positive correlation between local policy efficacy scores and the volume of green bond issuance, particularly in economically developed regions like the Yangtze and Pearl River Deltas. However, stakeholders identify challenges including inadequate information disclosure and a lack of issuer experience in identifying green assets. The report recommends strengthening disclosure standards, developing transition finance frameworks, and expanding innovative products like sustainability-linked bonds to support high-emitting sectors.

The 2021 China Green Bond Investor Survey reveals a strong demand for high-quality green bonds, particularly in renewable energy and low-carbon transport. While investors value green credentials and credit fundamentals, they highlight significant gaps in transparency and post-issuance disclosure. International investors face barriers related to market access and regulatory quotas. The report emphasizes the need for standardized green definitions aligned with international benchmarks and the adoption of TCFD recommendations to enhance market integrity and attract global capital.

The report examines China's green finance landscape in 2021, highlighting the role of top-down policies in driving the green bond market. It identifies a positive correlation between regional policy stimulus and bond issuance volumes, while noting that economic disparities limit policy effectiveness in less developed provinces. The document also analyzes the alignment of Chinese green bonds with international standards and provides recommendations for improving information disclosure and developing transition finance.

The report finds that while China has a stringent regulatory framework for green bond reporting, actual post-issuance disclosure—particularly regarding environmental impacts—is lower than global averages. UoP reporting is more common than impact reporting, with financial institutions showing higher compliance due to stricter PBoC requirements. The study highlights a unique Chinese reliance on 'fossil fuel savings' as a metric and recommends shifting toward GHG and energy savings to align with international standards. While the quality of impact reporting among those who do report is generally high, the report notes significant inconsistencies across different bond types and regulatory bodies.

The Canadian Climate Institute concludes that Canada's 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan is credible and capable of delivering deep emissions reductions, putting the country on a path to meet its 2026 targets and nearly meeting its 2030 milestone. However, the assessment warns that success depends entirely on the timely execution of a complex policy package, with at least 43 per cent of reductions coming from policies that are announced but not yet developed. Five critical policies—carbon pricing, the oil and gas cap, the Clean Electricity Standard, the Clean Fuel Standard, and land-use reductions—are identified as accounting for 62 per cent of the total reductions needed by 2030.

The report highlights a global trend toward phasing out coal power, accelerated by COP26 commitments, while identifying China as a significant exception due to its continued construction of new plants. It details the decline of international public financing for coal and the risks associated with 'clean coal' technologies like CCS.

The global coal fleet grew by 18.2 GW in 2021, primarily driven by China, which commissioned 25.2 GW of new capacity. While COP26 led to an increase in the number of plants with phase-out dates to 750 (550 GW), a significant gap remains to meet the 1.5C pathway, which would require retiring an additional 1,100 GW. Public financing for new international coal projects has largely ceased following pledges from G20 countries, including China, Japan, and South Korea. However, some nations continue to rely on unproven 'clean coal' technologies like carbon capture and storage (CCS) to extend plant lifetimes.

The report details a global landscape where coal capacity is increasingly concentrated in China, while other regions face a decline in new projects. Despite a record number of phase-out announcements following COP26, the global fleet grew by 18.2 GW in 2021, primarily due to Chinese expansion. The document argues that 'clean coal' technologies are costly and ineffective distractions from the necessary total phase-out of coal power.

The report finds that while many countries are committing to end coal power, global capacity increased by 18.2 GW in 2021, driven primarily by China. While OECD countries and several non-OECD nations are cancelling projects, China's continued expansion and the use of unproven 'clean coal' technologies in some developed nations hinder alignment with the 1.5°C Paris Agreement target.

The report finds that while many countries are committing to 'No New Coal' and accelerating closures, China continues to expand its coal capacity, largely offsetting global reductions. As of 2021, 750 coal plants (550 GW) have determined closure dates, but a significant gap remains to meet IPCC 1.5°C targets, which would require an additional 1,100 GW of capacity to be cancelled or closed by 2030.

The report provides a comprehensive tracking of global coal-fired power plant capacity, highlighting a divergence between the decline of coal in most OECD and non-OECD countries and the continued expansion of coal capacity in China. It evaluates the effectiveness of COP 26 commitments, the role of public financing, and the perceived inefficiency of 'clean coal' technologies like Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS).

The report finds that while many countries are committing to end new coal power, China continues to expand its capacity, offsetting global declines. In 2021, global operating coal capacity increased by 18.2 GW, largely driven by China, which accounted for 56% of new operational capacity. Despite COP26 commitments, a significant gap remains between current plans and the 1.5°C warming limit, which would require decommissioning an additional 1,100 GW of capacity by 2030. The report also critiques 'clean coal' technologies like CCS as costly and ineffective distractions from renewable energy.

The 2022 scorecard by Reclaim Finance finds that 30 of the world's largest asset managers hold US$ 550bn in major fossil fuel developers and generally fail to restrict investments in new coal, oil, and gas projects. Despite many pledging carbon neutrality by 2050, the report argues their engagement policies are 'toothless,' lacking clear demands for absolute emission reductions or the cessation of new supply projects. Passive investment is highlighted as a significant loophole, with most managers failing to apply exclusion rules to their passive portfolios.

The document argues that Michigan can meet all electricity needs with wind, solar, and batteries by 2035, leading to significant public health savings, job growth, and emissions reductions, provided the transition is managed equitably.

In 2021, wind and solar power reached a record 10.3% of global electricity generation, but this growth was insufficient to offset a historic surge in electricity demand. Consequently, global coal generation and power sector CO2 emissions both hit all-time highs, with coal meeting 59% of new demand. While 50 countries now derive over 10% of their power from wind and solar, the report warns that the global energy transition is significantly off track from the IEA's net-zero pathway, which requires wind and solar to grow by 20% annually through 2030.

Reclaim Finance assesses TotalEnergies' 2022 climate plan as insufficient, noting that the company's emissions are projected to decrease by only 5.8% to 6.7% between 2015 and 2030. The analysis highlights a 'fossil-first' investment strategy where over 70% of CAPEX remains dedicated to oil and gas, and criticizes the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) as fundamentally incompatible with climate goals. The document urges shareholders to vote against the management-sponsored climate resolution at the 2022 AGM.

The document analyzes how Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland created a highly integrated electricity market, notably through the Nord Pool exchange, to balance variable renewable energy with hydroelectric storage. It argues that Canada's 'balkanized' grid, characterized by provincial control and political resistance, could benefit from similar bilateral exchanges—specifically linking hydroelectric-rich provinces like Quebec, Manitoba, and British Columbia with those transitioning from fossil fuels—to lower costs and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

The document analyzes the Nordic model of electricity co-operation—characterized by two-way trade, market harmonization via Nord Pool, and regional governance—as a blueprint for Canada. It argues that Canadian provinces could lower decarbonization costs by using hydro-rich provinces as 'batteries' to back up variable renewable energy in other regions, provided they overcome political resistance and regulatory misalignment.