Search Climate Insights Directory

The report analyzes the feasibility of decarbonizing Estonia's electricity production, which was 86.39% dependent on oil shale in 2013. Using the LEAP model and multi-criteria analysis, it compares several scenarios, finding that a 'LowCO2' path could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90% compared to 1990 levels by 2050. Achieving this requires phasing out oil shale subsidies, investing in grid interconnections with Latvia and Sweden, and significantly increasing support for energy efficiency and distributed renewable generation.

The report argues that Colombia's NDC 3.0 must move from implicit to explicit fossil fuel phase-out (FFPO) goals, aligning national targets with the COP28 Global Stocktake. It provides quantitative modeling for renewable energy capacity, energy storage, and the retirement of coal and gas plants, while emphasizing the need for social protection and economic diversification for affected communities.

The report proposes a U.S. cap-and-trade system to limit global warming emissions, citing the success of the 1990 Acid Rain Program. It outlines design criteria including a stringent declining cap, full auctioning of allowances, and the inclusion of all major heat-trapping gases. The author emphasizes that while cap-and-trade is a lynchpin, it must be paired with parallel sector-based policies to be effective.

The document details the climate-related activities of various corporations, including utilities, oil and gas producers, and manufacturers. It tracks their public statements, lobbying spending, and affiliations with trade organizations and think tanks, highlighting discrepancies between public sustainability claims and political actions.

The document provides a comprehensive analysis of carbon pricing mechanisms, specifically carbon taxes and emissions trading systems (ETS), within the Brazilian context. It evaluates international experiences, such as the EU ETS, to demonstrate that while short-term costs increase, long-term benefits include fostered innovation and business growth. The report details various macroeconomic studies on Brazil, suggesting that the negative impacts of emission restrictions can be minimized through revenue recycling and technological progress. It emphasizes the importance of Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) and recommends that the Brazilian government establish a transparent climate governance structure. For companies, it suggests incorporating climate change into corporate strategy and adopting internal carbon pricing as a risk management tool.

The We Mean Business coalition outlines eight key policy asks for the COP21 Paris Agreement to ensure the transition to a low carbon economy is "inevitable, irreversible and irresistible." The brief argues that a clear, ambitious legal framework is essential to provide the policy certainty businesses and investors need to allocate capital toward decarbonization. Key recommendations include a long-term goal of net zero emissions well before the end of the century, five-year cycles for strengthening national commitments, the adoption of meaningful carbon pricing, and the scaling of climate finance beyond the USD$100 billion annual pledge. The document also emphasizes the need for transparency, high-ambition national commitments, political parity between mitigation and adaptation, and enhanced private sector engagement in pre-2020 ambition through Workstream 2.

The document proposes a federal carbon tax on the carbon content of oil, coal, and natural gas as an efficient fiscal tool for the United States. It suggests that such a tax would be easy to administer, covering 82 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by targeting approximately 2,000 entities. The brief highlights the potential for significant revenue generation—citing a CBO estimate of $208 billion over ten years from a tax rising from $12 to $17 per metric ton—which could be used to offset inefficient taxes on labor and investment. Ultimately, the authors argue that a gradual, market-based federal tax would provide the necessary incentives to reduce emissions and improve long-term energy security with minimal economic disruption.

Missouri can achieve 90 percent of its Clean Power Plan emission reductions by meeting voluntary energy efficiency goals, adhering to its 15 percent renewable energy standard by 2021, increasing the utilization of existing natural gas combined cycle plants, and improving coal plant efficiency. To close the remaining gap and exceed targets by 14 percent, the state could increase renewable energy to 20 percent of all state sales by 2030. The document suggests maximizing economic benefits through a market-based carbon pricing program—potentially generating over $40 million annually from out-of-state sources at $10 per short ton—and continued investment in energy efficiency, noting that Ameren's 2013 programs returned over $3 in benefits for every dollar invested.

The document introduces a comprehensive guide for U.S. policymakers on implementing a national carbon price. It focuses on the design and economic effects of carbon taxes and cap-and-trade programs, arguing that carbon pricing should be a core element of the U.S. strategy for greenhouse gas emission reductions while noting its potential to serve non-climate policy goals such as tax code reform.

The paper evaluates two policy packages for India: the NDC-SDG scenario, aligning with 2030 goals, and the LTD scenario, targeting 2050. The LTD scenario offers higher emission reductions and health co-benefits but relies more on nascent technologies. Both scenarios demonstrate that deep decarbonization can coexist with GDP growth and employment increases, with a carbon tax identified as a critical policy lever.

The document argues that a low-carbon product standard for the U.S. steel industry, featuring an emissions intensity benchmark and tradable credits, can drive the adoption of abatement technologies. It recommends covering intermediate steel products (sheets, plates, bars, beams, pipes, and tubes) and including Scope 1, 2, and significant Scope 3 emissions in the benchmark. To prevent carbon leakage and protect competitiveness, the author suggests applying the standard to all steel products produced and sold in the U.S., including those from importers of upstream and downstream products. The paper emphasizes that while such a standard is a significant tool, a suite of complementary policies—including R&D funding, carbon pricing, and production tax credits—is necessary for full sector decarbonization.

The report evaluates how companies are managing 'cutting-edge' climate issues, noting that while GHG target-setting and data verification have become more common, significant barriers remain. It argues that current corporate goals are insufficient for the scale of necessary emission reductions and outlines six strategic actions—including expanding GHG reporting, realigning value chains, and factoring climate risks into long-term investments—to establish a new benchmark for corporate leadership in a low-carbon future.

The document analyzes Japan's 'Warsaw Target' to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 3.8 percent from 2005 levels by 2020. It finds that while this target represents a decrease in ambition compared to the earlier Copenhagen Pledge, it is likely achievable if Japan continues electricity-saving efforts and implements existing mitigation policies. The paper notes a lack of transparency regarding expected emissions reductions for specific policy measures and highlights a contradiction between the promotion of high-efficiency coal-fired power plants and Japan's long-term 2050 mitigation goals.

The document proposes a U.S. carbon tax strategy designed to replace taxes on productive resources like capital and labor with pollution taxes. The authors suggest a framework that returns revenues to the economy through other tax reductions, provides compensation to affected households or regions, and prioritizes cost-effective emission reductions.

Wisconsin can achieve 63 percent of its Clean Power Plan (CPP) emission reductions by continuing the Focus on Energy program, maintaining its renewable portfolio standard, and improving the efficiency of natural gas and coal plants. To close the remaining gap and exceed targets, the state could increase efficiency targets to 2.5 percent by 2025 and renewable generation to 30 percent by 2030. The document argues that adopting a market-based carbon pricing program could generate over $100 million annually from out-of-state sources between 2022 and 2030 if allowances trade at $10 per short ton. Additionally, investments in energy efficiency via Focus on Energy provided a 3:1 benefit ratio from 2011-14, saving homes and businesses $1.7 billion.

The document proposes a Green Employment Tax Swap (GETS) where a national carbon tax is used to fund payroll tax relief. Specifically, it analyzes a tax of $15 per metric ton of CO2 used to rebate the federal payroll tax on the first $3,660 of earnings per worker, aiming for a reform that is both revenue and distributionally neutral.

The document outlines four primary actions for Illinois to meet Clean Power Plan targets: removing spending caps on energy efficiency, ensuring renewable energy standard payments increase investment, increasing combined cycle natural gas plant usage to 75 percent, and adopting operational improvements at coal plants. By increasing the renewable energy standard to 35 percent by 2030 and targeting 20 percent cumulative energy savings by 2025, the state could reduce CO2 emissions by 76 percent below 2012 levels by 2030. The report also suggests a market-based carbon pricing program, which could generate over $300 million annually from out-of-state sources between 2022 and 2030 if allowances trade at $10 per short ton.

The study calculates India's share of the global carbon budget using four allocation methods and employs four energy-economy models to map low-carbon pathways for the power, industry, and transport sectors through 2050. It finds that while the power sector's 500 GW non-fossil capacity target aligns with these budgets, the industry and transport sectors will become the largest and fastest-growing emission sources, requiring demand reduction and R&D. To support a just transition and ensure emissions reductions, the models suggest a carbon tax of INR 4,000–6,000 per tCO2e (2018 prices) by 2050 for 1.5°C scenarios, noting that India will underconsume its equity-based carbon budget share and requires international finance and technology.

The document defines fundamental climate policy terminology, distinguishing between market-based mechanisms like carbon taxes and cap-and-trade programs, and explaining concepts such as offsets, adaptation, and complementary policies.

The document defines a carbon tax as a fee on fossil fuels and primary products based on greenhouse gas emissions, providing a financial incentive for reduction. It distinguishes carbon taxes from cap-and-trade programs by noting that taxes set a price without an emissions limit, whereas cap-and-trade sets a limit with a market-determined price. The text details how these taxes are typically applied upstream and passed to downstream consumers, noting that the economic impact on businesses and lower-income individuals depends on whether revenues are 'recycled' through rebates or tax cuts to maintain revenue neutrality. It mentions international implementations in Europe, Japan, and British Columbia, and notes the political difficulty of establishing a national carbon tax in the United States.