Search Climate Insights Directory

WRI President & CEO Andrew Steer states that while the UN Climate Action Summit saw commitments from 67 countries to enhance climate plans and 66 working toward carbon neutrality, major economies fell short of necessary ambition. Progress was instead driven by the private sector and subnational actors, including 87 businesses committing to 1.5 degree C targets and over 100 cities aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050.

The Mahindra Group aims for carbon neutrality by 2040, with 20 of its companies committing to science-based targets. In FY 2017-2018, the group reduced total emissions by 14% to 618,439 t CO2 and increased renewable energy use by over 100%. The group maintains a $418 million green product portfolio spanning electric mobility, renewables, and sustainable real estate.

Ember argues that the UK's priority should be to remain within the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) to maintain a shared Europe-wide approach to carbon pricing. The organization warns against the creation of a standalone UK ETS due to risks of market dysfunction and volatility, suggesting that if the UK must leave the EU ETS, it should implement a carbon tax on power, industry, and aviation with a price floor based on the previous year's average EU ETS price. Furthermore, Ember asserts that carbon pricing must be complemented by direct regulation and public funding to achieve net zero emissions.

The Sustainable Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMA) Coffee of Honduras programme seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase the resilience of 4,000 small coffee producers and 80 coffee mills. With a total indicative cost of USD 39,623,400, the initiative focuses on introducing agroforestry systems, improving fertilizer use, and implementing solar technologies for coffee drying. The programme proposes a dual financial mechanism consisting of a non-reimbursable Coffee Fund and a reimbursable Coffee Credit Line, managed by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI). Key goals include a mitigation impact of 320 GgCO2e by 2023 and the establishment of a Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system to track emissions reductions.

The statement urges national governments to align their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) with the IPCC 1.5°C report, specifically calling for peaking emissions by 2020 and reaching net zero by 2050. It highlights the existing commitments of non-state actors—including over 900 companies, 9,000 cities, and hundreds of investors—as evidence that a zero-carbon transition is possible. The signatories demand specific policy interventions, including carbon pricing between US$40-100/tCO2-e by 2030, the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies, and the implementation of TCFD financial reporting recommendations by 2020.

The case study explores how stakeholders in Dordrecht, a vulnerable Dutch city, imagine various climate futures to foster participatory climate resilience. Through narrative interviews, four scenarios emerged: a 'doomsday' future involving total dyke failure and depopulation; a 'disruptive' future marked by frequent pluvial flooding and heat stress; a 'challenged but bearable' future where adaptation measures like 'sponge' neighborhoods and increased water room mitigate impacts; and a 'climate resilient safe future' characterized by global carbon neutrality and systemic zero-carbon urban development. The research emphasizes that historical memories of floods, such as the 1421 St. Elisabeth flood, strongly influence current perceptions of risk and the desire for collaborative climate action.

The briefing outlines four strategic priorities for the upcoming UN Climate Action and SDG Summits: ramping up ambition for systemic economic change, ensuring a just transition that protects vulnerable populations, scaling high-impact solutions across six key sectors, and establishing inclusive long-term goals for carbon neutrality and equity.

The report identifies approximately 300 international cooperative initiatives (ICIs) under the Global Climate Action Agenda, noting that Nordic countries are highly active participants, with 62% of these initiatives involving at least one Nordic country. It argues that while these initiatives vary in scale and transparency, they are critical for bridging the estimated 32 Gigaton emissions gap by 2030 required to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The analysis highlights seven specific initiatives—including the Under2 Coalition and the New York Declaration on Forests—as high-potential areas for Nordic leadership and support, aligned with the 2019 Declaration on Nordic Carbon Neutrality.

The document is a comprehensive guide for healthcare professionals to address climate change. It covers the science of climate change, its global and Canadian health impacts, greenhouse gas (GHG) emission trends in Canada, and practical solutions. It emphasizes 'co-benefits'—where climate actions like promoting plant-based diets or active transport immediately improve public health. The guide provides specific strategies for making healthcare facilities more resilient and sustainable, such as reducing the carbon footprint of anesthesia and supply chains, and offers a framework for community-level adaptation and professional advocacy.

The NDC Update Report November 2018 examines the 'Ambition' of governments in implementing the Paris Agreement. Based on a survey of 92 policymakers and experts, the report finds that while confidence in initial NDC implementation is high, there is a critical lack of long-term strategic planning. It argues that focusing solely on first-round NDCs is insufficient, as the Paris Agreement requires a transition to net zero emissions. The report advocates for a 'whole of government' approach and the development of long-term visions to guide sector transformation, financial shifts from 'brown to green' investments, and more ambitious second-round pledges in 2020.

The report argues that the Northern Territory Government must implement an evidence-based climate policy, including a net zero emissions target by 2050 and a comprehensive adaptation strategy, while engaging all sectors to achieve a people-centred low-carbon transition using existing technology and expertise.

Cement production accounts for 5.6% of global CO2 emissions, split between thermal fuel combustion (30-40%) and limestone calcination process emissions (60-70%). The report highlights that concrete naturally re-absorbs CO2 through carbonation, sequestering roughly 48% of process emissions over several decades. To reach carbon neutrality by 2050, the author models scenarios suggesting that capturing 80% of process emissions is sufficient if electricity is decarbonized, or 53% if thermal fuels are also fully decarbonized. Mitigation strategies discussed include energy efficiency, clinker substitution (reducing clinker content to 60%), and novel technologies from CarbonCure and Solidia.

Google achieved its goal of matching 100% of its global electricity consumption with renewable energy in 2017, investing over $3.5 billion USD across 26 projects. The company now aims for a 'moonshot' goal of powering operations on a region-specific, 24/7 basis with zero-carbon energy. To achieve this, Google focuses on regional procurement to overcome regulatory barriers, the pursuit of new technologies to manage resource variability, and the promotion of energy policies that empower consumers. Additionally, Google launched the Environmental Insights Explorer in 2018 to help cities estimate carbon emissions and renewable energy potential.

The World Resources Institute supports California's SB 100 legislation, which mandates 100% zero-carbon electricity by 2045 and sets interim renewable energy targets for 2020 and 2030, alongside a statewide goal of carbon neutrality by 2045.

The document identifies buildings as contributing almost one-third of global emissions and proposes three primary actions for regional governments: implementing net-zero building codes for new constructions, requiring energy efficiency upgrades for existing buildings, and establishing energy efficiency resource standards (EERS) for utilities.

As of June 30, 2018, Australia and New Zealand have established themselves as leaders in the use of the Climate Bonds Standard, despite differing national climate policy environments. Australia's market is driven by major banks and sub-sovereign entities, with significant issuance in energy, transport, and buildings. New Zealand's market is more nascent, featuring a world-first green borrowing programme for geothermal energy. Both nations are noted for high levels of certification and best-practice reporting, though further policy support and project pipelines are needed to meet Paris Agreement targets.

The document outlines the process for developing long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies, emphasizing their role in guiding near- and medium-term actions and avoiding stranded assets. It details essential design elements, including long-term visions, sectoral pathways, and the critical role of the energy sector. The paper also discusses the use of modeling, scenarios, and qualitative inputs to inform these strategies, while highlighting the importance of transparent communication and just transitions.

Danone aims for full value-chain carbon neutrality by 2050, with intermediate 2030 targets to reduce scope 1, 2, and 3 emission intensity by 50% and achieve a 30% absolute reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions. As of 2017, the company's total greenhouse gas emissions were 21.6 million tons, with 93.2% originating from Scope 3. Key initiatives include transitioning to 100% renewable electricity via RE100, implementing regenerative agricultural practices with 140,000 global farmers, and utilizing the Cool Farm Tool for farm-level quantification. Specific projects include a carbon-neutral evian bottling site powered by hydro-electric energy and the Livelihoods Carbon Fund, which supports mangrove restoration in Senegal, Indonesia, and India.

The document advocates for 'green urban industrialisation' in Ethiopia, specifically through a corridor approach that connects urban clusters. Using the Kombolcha–Mek’ele corridor as a case study, it suggests that integrating transport, infrastructure, and resource management across administrative boundaries can prevent carbon-intensive development and maximise economic productivity. Key recommendations include identifying catalytic projects in green housing, waste, and water management, improving institutional coordination between federal and regional levels, and aligning local urban plans with national climate strategies.

The document argues that current NDCs are insufficient to limit warming to 1.5°C and calls for transformative systemic change across all sectors. It provides a framework for governments to conduct national gap analyses, align their short-term plans with long-term global requirements, and implement disruptive innovations and governance reforms. Key recommendations include the urgent withdrawal of financial support for fossil fuels and the integration of climate-resilient planning into mainstream development and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) strategies.