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The briefing challenges the perception that burning trees for energy is carbon neutral, noting that wood combustion can emit more CO2 per unit of energy than fossil fuels and creates a 'carbon payback time' that can last decades or centuries. It warns that increasing the EU's renewable energy targets may drive higher demand for tree harvesting, including imports from the U.S. and Canada, which would release a pulse of CO2 into the atmosphere at a time when rapid emissions reductions are required to meet global temperature goals. The author recommends that the EU phase out subsidies for stemwood and stumps and instead invest in wind, solar, and energy efficiency.

The document outlines four specific actions for cities to achieve carbon-free electricity: implementing LED smart streetlighting, creating electric districts by removing natural gas infrastructure, installing municipal solar photovoltaics, and leveraging renewable energy supply mechanisms like power purchase agreements.

The We Mean Business coalition calls for stronger alignment between government policies and corporate climate action to meet Paris Agreement goals. The coalition highlights significant corporate commitments to emissions reductions and advocates for the Marrakech Partnership and the 2018 Facilitative Dialogue to be used as platforms for enhancing NDCs and building climate resilience.

The report identifies a set of 21 cost-effective and technically feasible policies that can enable Mexico to meet its 2030 climate goals. It proposes two scenarios: an unconditional package to reduce GHG emissions by 22% below the baseline and a conditional package for a 36% reduction. The analysis indicates that Mexico can achieve these targets while realizing significant net financial savings and public health benefits through reduced particulate matter pollution. The proposed eight-point action plan prioritizes industrial efficiency, methane capture, and carbon pricing as the most impactful interventions.

The document defines the 'Decade Zero' as the critical window to prevent irreversible climate warming. It critiques the current global energy system and neoliberal economic models, labeling market-based mechanisms like carbon trading and REDD as 'false solutions' that protect corporate profits while violating human rights. The report advocates for a systemic transformation centered on climate justice, where developed nations pay their 'climate debt' to the Global South and energy production is shifted to decentralized, community-owned, and sustainable models.

The Paris Agreement is projected to significantly impact the global economy and private sector as the international community aims for net zero emissions by the second half of the century. The report examines how the agreement and NDCs influence renewable energy markets, carbon pricing, and climate risk management, with a specific focus on clean energy investments, energy efficiency, and the competitiveness of renewables.

The Clean Air Task Force criticizes a June 2016 Senate Appropriations Committee bill that requires the US Environmental Protection Agency to treat forest biomass-based energy generation as carbon neutral. The author contends that this 'attempt to legislate science' ignores research showing that biomass combustion typically increases atmospheric carbon dioxide levels for decades. The document calls for a scientifically-defensible approach to carbon accounting, noting that while some specific bioenergy systems like co-generation using harvest residues may offer benefits, burning forest biomass generally emits more carbon dioxide per unit of electricity than coal or natural gas.

The letter calls for the EU ETS revision to align with the 1.5 degree goal of the Paris Agreement, establish a mechanism to direct revenues toward international climate finance, and correct the assumption that biomass burning is carbon neutral.

The document urges the European Parliament to revise the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) to align with the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement. It proposes using EU ETS revenues as a source of international climate finance, establishing an international climate action fund, and correcting the assumption that biomass burning is carbon neutral due to a lack of sustainability criteria.

The document celebrates the signing of the Paris Agreement and calls on the business community to move from government intent to implementation by adopting science-based targets, internal carbon pricing, and risk mitigation strategies to support the goal of keeping warming well below 2°C.

The report analyzes Estonia's energy transition from a system heavily dependent on oil shale to one based on low-carbon sources by 2050. Using LEAP, Balmorel, and EMPS models, it evaluates four scenarios: Baseline (BAU), Carbon Neutral (CN), 100% renewable (RES), and 100% renewable with increased demand (RES+). Key findings highlight that while wind and biomass have significant potential, achieving a carbon-neutral sector requires phasing out oil shale by 2040, expanding interconnections with the Nordic Power System (specifically Sweden and Finland), and implementing policy reforms such as removing fossil fuel subsidies and increasing investment support for small-scale renewables and energy efficiency.

The policy brief examines the risks of including the LULUCF sector in the EU's 2030 climate framework, specifically the danger that carbon sinks could be used to reduce the decarbonization efforts of sectors like transport and manufacturing. It identifies four primary reasons why LULUCF is unfit for integration with other climate instruments: high data uncertainty (32% compared to 1% for fossil fuels), incomplete accounting methods that allow for over-crediting, the non-permanence of biological carbon stores, and the need for carbon removals to be additional to, rather than replacements for, emission reductions. The author highlights specific accounting flaws, such as 'Gross-net accounting' and 'forest management reference levels' (FMRL), which may allow Member States to generate unearned credits. Additionally, the brief criticizes the assumption of biomass carbon neutrality, noting that emissions from burning wood are often unaccounted for in the EU ETS or ESD. The document recommends that LULUCF be maintained in a separate pillar, that land-use offsets be prohibited, and that biomass sustainability criteria be strictly enforced.

The Paris Agreement represents a milestone in global climate policy by establishing a universal, hybrid framework for climate action. While it lacks binding implementation of national targets to ensure the participation of major emitters like the USA and China, it introduces a mandatory five-year cycle of review and increased ambition to close a 15-gigatonne emissions gap. The agreement aims to limit global temperature rise to 2°C, with an aspiration for 1.5°C, requiring net-zero emissions from 2050 onwards. It also reaffirms a collective goal of mobilizing $100 billion annually for developing countries from 2020, with a planned upward review by 2025.

The Green Economy Barometer 2016 reports that while the transition to green economies is accelerating—marked by record investments in renewables and a maturing international policy architecture—it remains insufficient in depth and breadth. The report highlights a significant shift in investment toward developing countries and the emergence of ambitious national sectoral targets. However, it argues that structural reform is lacking, as most national plans ignore the informal economy and the needs of the poorest populations. The document concludes that the green economy remains politically fringe and requires a more inclusive narrative to achieve large-scale societal transformation.

The Paris Agreement establishes a global mandate to hold warming well below 2C and reach net zero emissions in the second half of the century. For businesses, this creates a structural shift in energy, land use, and urban systems, offering trillions of dollars in investment opportunities in renewables and energy efficiency. The report emphasizes the importance of internal carbon pricing for risk management and highlights specific vulnerabilities in sectors like textiles in Bangladesh and agriculture in Ethiopia. It argues that the agreement provides long-term policy certainty, making the transition to a clean economy inevitable and irresistible for the private sector.

The author acknowledges the Paris agreement's goal to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees and achieve 'net zero' emissions by the end of the century as a landmark diplomatic achievement. However, the text highlights critical gaps, noting that the final agreement contains no mentions of fossil fuels or specific plans to curtail their production. To bridge the gap between rhetoric and reality, the author advocates for a comprehensive public engagement strategy based on people's values and lived experiences rather than scientific data alone.

Friends of the Earth International concludes that the Paris Agreement fails the 'People’s Test on Climate' due to a lack of binding emissions targets, insufficient financial commitments for developing nations, and the absence of protections for vulnerable communities. The assessment highlights that the agreement does not mandate a phase-out of fossil fuels, lacks mentions of renewable energy or energy efficiency, and relies on unproven technologies like BECCS. Furthermore, it argues that the agreement weakens the principle of 'Common But Differentiated Responsibilities' and excludes compensation and liability for loss and damage.

The Paris Climate Agreement establishes a global goal to keep temperature increases well below 2.0C, aiming for 1.5C and net-zero emissions between 2050 and 2100. However, current national commitments are insufficient, projecting a 2.7C increase, necessitating periodic reviews every five years starting in 2018. The agreement also mandates US$ 100 billion in support for developing countries from 2020 to assist with adaptation and emission reductions.

The document defines GHG emissions neutrality as achieving net zero anthropogenic GHG emissions from all sectors, primarily through reductions and balancing remaining emissions with removals or negative emissions. It distinguishes this from carbon neutrality, which only addresses carbon dioxide. To limit warming to below 2 degrees C, CO2 emissions must reach net zero between 2060 and 2075, and total GHG emissions between 2080 and 2090. For a 1.5 degrees C limit, CO2 must reach net zero between 2045 and 2050, and total GHGs between 2060 and 2080. Achieving this requires a zero-carbon transformation, including increasing the low-carbon energy share in the electricity sector to over 80 percent by 2050 and phasing out unabated fossil-fuel use this century.

The document defines key climate terminology used in COP21 negotiations, such as decarbonization, carbon neutrality, and carbon budgets, while explaining how these terms influence the global emissions trajectory. It argues that for long-term goals to be effective, they must be consistent with climate science, limit both long-term and cumulative emissions, and provide clear dates and plausible reduction pathways.