Search Climate Insights Directory

The briefing outlines six funding models—sales taxes, retail taxes, fossil fuel production taxes, electricity consumption taxes, climate bonds, and resilience bonds—that US cities have implemented to fund climate action. It highlights specific examples from cities like Denver, Portland, and Miami, emphasizing that integrating equity into the design of these funding streams is essential for success, particularly for Black, Indigenous, Latino, and low-income communities who are disproportionately affected by pollution and climate change.

The document identifies three primary narratives in Russia: a dominant 'keep coal' discourse supported by political leadership, an emerging 'low-carbon trend' discourse focused on economic competitiveness, and a 'local environmental' discourse centered on pollution and health. It concludes that while external pressures like the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and declining demand are increasing, there is currently no active 'coal phase-out' or 'just transition' discourse within Russian national politics.

The report analyzes government energy-related spending during the COVID-19 pandemic, finding that a significant portion of recovery funds still supports fossil fuel-intensive sectors. It proposes five core principles for a 'fossil-free recovery': ending public funding for fossil fuel production, reforming fossil fuel subsidies and taxes to raise revenue, 'swapping' those funds into clean energy (access, efficiency, transport, and power), incentivizing private investment in clean electricity, and ensuring a just transition for affected workers and communities.

The document highlights the success of Nordic countries in decoupling economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions through environmental fiscal reform (EFR). It notes that EFR has supported industrial growth, such as the Danish wind energy sector, and generated significant annual revenues between USD 7 billion and USD 13 billion per country in 2018. The brief argues that aligning taxes, subsidies, and spending can simultaneously address economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change by raising funds for debt reduction and stimulus while creating price signals to deter pollution.

Alberta, Canada, committed to ending coal power pollution by 2030, a goal it is currently exceeding. To manage the transition, the province established the Climate Leadership Plan, which included an economy-wide carbon tax and the 'Off-Coal Agreements' providing CAD 1.36 billion to utilities for converting to natural gas. The government implemented a CAD 40 million Coal Workforce Transition Fund offering retirement bridges, relocation assistance, and tuition vouchers, alongside a CAD 5 million Coal Community Transition Fund for economic diversification. While social dialogue and early phase-out progress are strengths, challenges remain regarding the long-term availability of funding and the risk of investing in non-climate-friendly infrastructure.

The submission argues that South Africa's draft NDC targets are insufficiently ambitious, aligning with a 3°C temperature increase rather than the 1.5°C or 2°C goals necessary to protect public health. It highlights the severe health risks posed by climate change in South Africa, including drought, heat, and infectious diseases, and notes that coal-fired power stations cause over 2,200 deaths annually. The authors advocate for a 'green' recovery from COVID-19, urging a shift from fossil fuel investments toward renewable energy and a commitment to phase out coal by 2034. The document proposes specific co-benefit policies in energy (e.g., adopting the Climate Justice Charter), food and agriculture (e.g., incentivizing urban agriculture), and transportation (e.g., electrifying public transit) to simultaneously reduce emissions and improve health outcomes.

The document analyzes how Nordic countries have used environmental fiscal reform (EFR)—specifically carbon, energy, and pollution taxes—to decouple economic growth from emissions. It highlights the use of revenue recycling to maintain productivity and the implementation of 'carrot-and-stick' strategies, such as vehicle registration taxes and EV subsidies, to reduce transport emissions. The brief concludes that EFR can generate significant revenue and green jobs without hindering GDP growth, provided that revenues are spent productively and the poor are protected from rising energy costs.

The report assesses South Africa's natural gas value chain, identifying a current energy mix contribution of 2.6% with a target of 15.7% by 2030. It evaluates domestic reserves in basins such as the Orange and Outeniqua, regional supply options from SADC countries—particularly Mozambique—and global LNG markets. The document prioritizes gas-to-power projects as anchor demand to stimulate infrastructure growth, while also exploring industrial and transport applications like CNG for taxis and buses. It concludes with a PESTEL and SWOT analysis to inform a national roadmap for gas sector reforms.

The research finds that the "Clean Peak Standard" is largely ineffective at reducing emissions because it reinforces existing storage operator incentives and fails to account for high-frequency changes in marginal operating emissions rates. The authors suggest that alternative policies, such as a carbon tax, would be more effective.

The document advocates for a global carbon price on shipping to drive decarbonisation, suggesting that such a measure must avoid offsets and free permits while using revenues to fund green infrastructure and support vulnerable nations through rebates rather than exemptions.

A March 2021 survey of 922 registered U.S. voters reveals broad support for clean energy development and conservation policies, though significant political polarization persists regarding the urgency of global warming and the role of government. While majorities support tax rebates for energy-efficient vehicles and renewable energy research, views on carbon taxes and national emergency declarations are more divided. The report also highlights a general preference for combined government and individual action, with a specific demand for increased corporate responsibility.

A March 2021 survey of 922 registered U.S. voters reveals broad support for clean energy research, tax rebates for energy-efficient products, and conservation jobs programs. While majorities support transitioning to 100% clean energy by 2050 and regulating carbon dioxide, significant political divisions persist regarding the economic impact of clean energy and the use of national emergency declarations. Voters generally believe corporations and government should do more to address global warming, though confidence in the ability of state and local governments to protect communities remains low.

The research paper evaluates the impact of a 1.5°C-compatible policy scenario for Nevada, projecting that deep decarbonization across electricity, transportation, and buildings could add $700 million to the state economy and create 4,500 jobs by 2030. It contrasts a 'Business-As-Usual' outlook, where emissions are expected to increase by 12% by 2050, with a strategic policy package including a 100% clean electricity standard by 2035 and a transition to all-electric vehicle and building equipment sales. The analysis also highlights significant public health benefits, estimating the prevention of over 120 deaths annually by 2030.

The Institute for Economic Justice proposes a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) for South African adults aged 18-59 to address widespread hunger and job losses. The brief argues that a universal, unconditional grant is superior to targeted measures due to administrative ease and broader reach. It suggests starting with a grant at the food poverty line (R585 per month), funded by R158 billion in progressive tax increases, including a Social Security Tax and the elimination of certain tax credits. In the medium term, the document recommends a wealth tax to increase the grant to lower-bound (R840) or upper-bound (R1,268) poverty lines. Immediate recommendations include extending and increasing the COVID-19 social relief grant and incorporating caregivers.

The report finds a nascent process of alignment in Colombia, where progress in green bond issuance and renewable energy auctions is offset by significant continued investment in fossil fuels and high deforestation rates. While the government has established frameworks like the Climate Change Law (2018) and a Carbon Tax, public spending remains heavily skewed toward the energy and mining sectors. Private financial flows are largely inconsistent with climate goals, with carbon-related assets dominating the listed equity market and insurance portfolios. The authors recommend a just transition that redirects fossil fuel subsidies toward renewables and enhances the use of green taxonomies to improve transparency.

The report finds a stark contrast between public support for climate action in Massachusetts and the actual legislative outcomes. While approximately 90% of public testimony supports environmental priorities, ambitious legislation is frequently blocked by powerful industry coalitions—most notably regulated utilities and the Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM). The study identifies four primary opposition coalitions: utilities, fossil and chemical companies, real estate, and power generation companies. It highlights that utilities are uniquely successful in steering policy, often opposing decentralized solar energy while supporting large-scale wind and hydro projects that benefit their business models. Furthermore, the report notes a shift in opposition rhetoric from climate denial to 'discourses of delay,' such as policy perfectionism and appeals to social justice. The authors conclude that the lack of transparency in the State House, combined with the immense spending power of corporate lobbyists, creates a hostile environment for ambitious climate policy.

Colombia has committed to reducing GHG emissions by 51% by 2030 and reaching carbon neutrality by 2050. While the government has developed a robust legal framework for climate mitigation and adaptation, the report finds a critical gap in Just Transition planning. Massive layoffs are already occurring in the thermal coal sector due to falling international prices and the shift toward renewables, yet the government has not implemented specific policy responses to support affected workers. Similarly, conservation efforts in the AFOLU sector, particularly the expansion of protected areas and páramo ecosystems, threaten the livelihoods of informal rural workers and ethnic communities. The report concludes that Colombia's Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) system lacks the capacity to track social welfare and employment impacts, and recommends urgent, regionally differentiated strategies for economic diversification and worker retraining.

The document details the 'externalities' of fossil fuels—costs not reflected in market prices—across climate, environmental, and health dimensions. It highlights significant U.S. impacts, including $606.9 billion in extreme weather costs (2016-2020) and 350,000 premature deaths in 2018. It also emphasizes the disproportionate burden on communities of color and low-income areas, such as 'Cancer Alley' in Louisiana. Proposed policy solutions include eliminating subsidies, increasing the social cost of carbon, implementing a federal clean electricity standard, and establishing carbon pricing.

The document outlines the financial landscape for rooftop solar PV in South Africa's commercial and industrial (C&I) sectors. It highlights that while high upfront costs are a perceived barrier, a variety of funding options exist, including traditional commercial bank loans, Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), and emerging models like Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) and Pay As You Save (PAYS). It also details specific tax incentives and grants available to reduce the cost of solar installations.

The City of Cape Town (CCT) is transitioning from landfilling wastewater sludge to anaerobic digestion at bio-solids beneficiation facilities (BBFs) due to national and provincial landfill bans on liquid and organic wastes. The CCT generates approximately 199 dry tonnes of dewatered sludge per day, which it currently spends ~R60 million annually to dispose of or apply to land. The city plans to establish two regional BBFs over the next 15 years to produce A1a class treated digestate cake and recover energy and nutrients. Potential circular economy options include agricultural use, energy recovery (biogas, combustion, pyrolysis), and commercial applications like brick manufacturing. Additionally, the CCT is exploring broader organic waste diversion for garden greens, animal carcasses, and household food waste to meet a 100% organic waste landfill diversion target by 2027.