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The Coal Atlas 2015 examines the systemic damage caused by coal extraction and combustion, highlighting its role as a primary driver of global CO2 emissions and its associated health and human rights violations. It analyzes the economic instability of the 'carbon bubble' and the failure of technologies like carbon capture and storage, while documenting the rise of renewable energy and grassroots protests against the coal industry across various nations, including China, India, the US, Russia, and Germany.

The paper analyzes reference and alternative scenarios for China's CO2 emissions, finding that while reference paths project emissions to double by 2050, alternative paths suggest a peak around 2030. It identifies GDP growth, energy intensity, and the energy mix as primary drivers, arguing that deep decarbonization through industrial restructuring and non-fossil fuel expansion is necessary to meet climate goals.

The document expresses disappointment over the Green Climate Fund's (GCF) accreditation of Deutsche Bank, the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The signatories argue that accrediting entities with poor human rights records and heavy investments in coal and fossil fuels contradicts the GCF's goal of supporting low-carbon, climate-resilient societies. They further criticize the accreditation process as non-transparent, alleging that the Board approved applicants in blocs, which encouraged 'political horse-trading' and ignored critical information about the track records of the institutions involved.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) provides submissions on the first draft of the Nkangala District Municipality (NDM) Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP). The CER identifies significant gaps in technical and financial capacity, a lack of alignment with the Highveld Priority Area (HPA) AQMP, and deficiencies in health impact assessments and monitoring. The submissions call for the NDM to prioritize staffing, ensure transparency in air quality data, and implement stricter dust control regulations.

The document presents a framework for achieving clean air in China, emphasizing the need for a robust air quality management system, the application of Best Available Control Technologies (BACT), and the alignment of fiscal policies with pollution goals. It advocates for the removal of fossil fuel subsidies, the implementation of a coal cap to reduce coal's share of the energy structure to less than 50% by 2030, and the adoption of Euro 6 fuel standards by 2018 for heavy-duty trucks and off-road vehicles. The experts highlight that integrating air pollutant and greenhouse gas reductions is more cost-effective than treating them separately.

The report examines the transition of the U.S. power sector from coal to natural gas, highlighting that while this shift provides immediate reductions in some pollutants, it creates long-term risks including price volatility, methane leakage, and stranded assets. Through modeling three scenarios—Business as Usual, a Carbon Standard, and a Carbon Standard plus Renewables and Efficiency Policies—the authors find that a diversified energy mix is the most economically and environmentally sound approach. The 'Carbon Standard plus Renewables and Efficiency Policies' scenario is projected to reduce power plant carbon emissions by 70% below 2005 levels by 2040 and generate net societal benefits of nearly $170 billion by that year. The report recommends strengthening the EPA's Clean Power Plan, implementing federal renewable electricity and energy efficiency standards, and increasing regulations on fugitive methane emissions.

The document details the methodology for 'The Natural Gas Gamble' report, utilizing a modified National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) to compare three primary policy scenarios: Business as Usual, a Carbon Standard, and a Carbon Standard combined with renewable energy and energy efficiency policies. It outlines specific adjustments made to U.S. Department of Energy assumptions regarding capital costs and capacity factors for various energy technologies, including wind, solar, nuclear, and carbon capture and storage. Additionally, it describes sensitivity analyses based on high and low natural gas price projections and explains the calculations used to determine the social costs of carbon and the health benefits of reducing sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.

The briefing outlines the unique energy context of India—characterized by high total emissions but low per capita emissions—and proposes four areas for US-India cooperation: facilitating investment in renewable energy, leading a global clean energy collaborative, expanding climate resilience partnerships through data access, and establishing direct high-level communication to support the 2015 Paris climate agreement.

The SEI Initiative on Fossil Fuels and Climate Change, launched in January 2015, focuses on the supply side of climate policy to prevent the 'lock-in' of fossil fuel dependence. The initiative investigates the emissions implications of infrastructure, the political economy of extraction, and the role of international governance. It employs a multi-disciplinary approach involving energy modelling and political economy analysis, with specific case studies in Colombia, South Africa, Indonesia, Norway, and the U.S. to examine the interplay between resource exploitation and low-carbon development goals.

The author contends that 'corporate capture' of the UN and EU has prioritised profit over climate action, leading to ineffective market-based policies and rising emissions. The text advocates for a binding international agreement based on scientific evidence and historical responsibility, rather than political compromise. It calls for the abandonment of coal—which accounted for 43% of CO2 emissions from fuel combustion in 2012—and the adoption of 'energy sovereignty' through decentralized, democratically controlled renewable energy. The author argues that the EU should lead by replacing market mechanisms like the EU-Emissions Trading Scheme with regulation, taxation, and subsidies to achieve necessary emission cuts.

The document analyzes the 2014 U.S.-China climate agreement, detailing the specific emissions targets for both nations and their plans to transition away from coal toward renewables and natural gas. It discusses the diplomatic significance of the deal for the 2015 Paris negotiations and the specific pressures it places on Canada to increase its own climate ambitions and regulate its oil and gas sector.

Botswana possesses 212 billion tonnes of coal, offering potential for economic diversification away from diamonds. However, the document argues that a coal export industry is likely economically unfeasible due to massive infrastructure costs—specifically a proposed $10 billion railway to Namibia—and environmental constraints. Instead, the author suggests that integrating regional fossil fuels for electricity production could address Southern Africa's power crisis, provided there is political cooperation, particularly from South Africa, and until solar baseload power becomes a viable alternative.

The text asserts that the United States possesses renewable energy potential exceeding the requirements of the Clean Power Plan and advocates for a coordinated shift toward wind and solar technologies to prevent long-term dependence on fossil fuels.

The research paper examines the political strategy of RENAMO and its leader Afonso Dhlakama in Mozambique following the 2014 elections. It argues that RENAMO has shifted from electoral politics toward a strategy of 'brinkmanship' and guerrilla warfare to secure political concessions and a Government of National Unity (GNU), drawing parallels to post-election settlements in Kenya and Zimbabwe. While this approach restored RENAMO's political fortunes and secured reforms to election management bodies, the author notes that international observers viewed the 2014 elections as generally free and fair, potentially undermining RENAMO's bid for international mediation and a forced power-sharing agreement.

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) argues that the Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global (GPFG) faces significant legal, financial, and reputational risks due to its investments in fossil fuel companies. CIEL highlights that GPFG invests in 44 of the 90 'Carbon Majors' responsible for 63% of industrial greenhouse gas emissions from 1854-2010, increasing the likelihood of successful climate change litigation. The document specifically calls for immediate divestment from coal, citing the industry's financial decline, systemic demand drops in the US, and severe environmental and human rights abuses in India and China. Furthermore, CIEL asserts that continued fossil fuel investment contradicts Norway's international obligations under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and its commitment to inter-generational equity.

The report estimates that a transition to a low-carbon economy could put nearly $25 trillion of fossil fuel asset value at risk, with approximately 80% of this risk borne by governments rather than private investors. The analysis highlights that oil represents the majority of value at risk (close to 75%), while coal offers the highest emissions reduction potential with relatively low stranding risk (12%). The document argues that the net economic impact depends heavily on policy: a purely tax-based approach to reducing oil demand could cost the global economy $3 trillion, whereas an innovation-led transition could yield a net benefit of $7 trillion. It recommends prioritizing the phase-out of coal and utilizing financial mechanisms to lower the cost of renewable energy in emerging markets.

The document examines South Africa's struggle to transition from a high-carbon, coal-based energy economy to a green economy. It analyzes the role of the state-owned utility Eskom, the impact of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPP), and various financial and regulatory incentives designed to attract private investment in renewables. The author argues that while policy signals are positive, a lack of inter-departmental coordination and the entrenched nature of the minerals-energy complex hinder the transition.

The author highlights the devastating floods in the Balkans and the collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet as evidence of the urgent need for global societal and economic restructuring. Despite the solidarity shown during disasters, the author criticizes Balkan governments for continuing to build coal-fired power plants for export. The text calls for the elimination of fossil fuels, a reduction in energy consumption, and a move away from the current consumption-based economic model to ensure survival and sustainability.

The report examines how the transition to a low-carbon economy creates 'stranded assets'—assets that suffer premature write-downs or devaluation due to climate change, regulation, or technological shifts. It highlights that traditional market valuations often ignore long-term carbon budgets, leading to overinvestment in fossil fuels. The author provides specific risk assessments from HSBC, noting that 40-60% of the market value of major European oil and gas companies is at risk. To mitigate these risks, the document proposes reforms in capital regulation for high-carbon industries, fiscal incentives for sustainable investment, financial regulation that accounts for climate stability, and the adoption of climate targets by institutional investors.

The document examines how the global shift toward a low-carbon economy creates the risk of 'stranded assets'—productive assets that suffer premature write-offs or downward revaluations. It highlights that current market valuations often ignore long-term carbon targets, leading to overinvestment in fossil fuels. Using HSBC analysis, the report quantifies potential value losses in the coal and oil and gas sectors, while also noting the impact of water stress on China's energy sector. It concludes by recommending four themes for capital market alignment: capital stewardship in high-carbon sectors, linking financial incentives to ESG factors, climate-proofing financial regulation, and setting portfolio climate targets for institutional investors.