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The document analyzes South Africa's transition from a coal-dependent economy, highlighting the tension between transformative visions of social justice and narrower, market-based decarbonization efforts. It identifies significant challenges, including high regional economic dependence in Mpumalanga, a massive funding gap for the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET IP), and institutional failures such as state capture and fragmented governance. The report examines the divergent perspectives of trade unions, national and local governments, state-owned utility Eskom, and civil society, while emphasizing the need for procedural justice and bottom-up engagement to ensure the transition does not entrench existing inequalities.

The report finds that the DMRE has exhibited significant reluctance to lead South Africa's just energy transition (JET), often viewing it as a 'western imposition'. This resistance is rooted in the historical minerals-energy complex (MEC) and a desire to protect vested interests in the coal sector and black industrialist projects. The document highlights a lack of policy articulation, poor stakeholder engagement, and internal organizational incoherence caused by repeated mergers and splits. It recommends that the successor departments—Mineral and Petroleum Resources, and Electricity and Energy—improve transparency, update the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) regularly, and align the transition with the post-apartheid racial transformation agenda.

The report assesses the transition plans of Enel, ENGIE, EPH, Iberdrola, and Statkraft, finding that none have committed to phasing out fossil gas by 2035 as recommended by the IEA. While Iberdrola and Statkraft demonstrate better practices in transitioning to sustainable power systems, Enel, ENGIE, and EPH continue to develop fossil gas-fired plants and lack coal phase-out plans based on absolute closures.

The briefing reports that underground coal mines in the EU closed since 2015 may emit approximately 200 kt of methane per year, with Poland being the largest contributor. It notes that active coal mine emissions in the EU are likely underestimated, with GEM estimates being 36% higher than IEA figures. The report emphasizes that emissions from abandoned mines persist for years unless flooded, but data on the flooding status of over 60% of analyzed mines remains unknown, creating significant uncertainty in estimates.

The report evaluates the transition plans of Enel, ENGIE, EPH, Iberdrola, and Statkraft, finding that none have committed to phasing out fossil gas power in Europe or the OECD by 2035. While Iberdrola and Statkraft are highlighted as following better practices by focusing on sustainable power solutions, EPH is identified as an industry laggard with a strategy heavily reliant on coal and gas. Enel and ENGIE are described as having conflicting strategies that combine renewable growth with continued fossil gas development and reliance on immature technologies like hydrogen and CCUS. The analysis emphasizes that current CAPEX allocations for several utilities remain too high for fossil fuels to meet the IEA's Net-zero Emissions by 2050 scenario.

The document explores the application of Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JET-P) in Colombia, analyzing international experiences from South Africa, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Senegal. It identifies a significant financing gap, noting that public investment currently represents only 0.01% of required resources. The brief proposes a country platform to attract international public and private capital, while emphasizing the need for grants over loans to avoid increasing public debt. It prioritizes strategic projects such as energy communities and the phase-out of coal plants, while arguing against financing fossil fuel infrastructure or inefficient subsidies.

The document analyzes the JET-P model as a mechanism to catalyze international and private investment for Colombia's energy transition. It highlights a significant funding gap, noting that public investment currently represents only 0.01% of required resources. By reviewing JET-P experiences in South Africa, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Senegal, the report identifies risks such as increased public debt and the need for transparent, community-led project design. It proposes prioritizing projects like energy communities and the phase-out of coal plants, while warning against financing fossil fuel infrastructure or inefficient consumption subsidies.

The document highlights a recent increase in global coal capacity and a slowdown in the adoption of coal-restrictive policies by private financial institutions, calling for urgent regulatory action and the implementation of the Coal Transition Accelerator.

The document criticizes the European Central Bank (ECB) for allowing assets from fossil fuel developers to serve as collateral for bank liquidity, arguing that current 'greening' efforts are insufficient. It highlights that 32 fossil fuel developers and two coal companies without exit dates were eligible for collateral between July 2023 and January 2024. The author contends that companies can circumvent emission limits via financial subsidiaries and that haircuts for companies like TotalEnergies and Shell are too low, failing to reflect environmental and financial risks.

The 2024 'Boom and Bust' report finds that while many countries are reducing coal capacity, global operational capacity grew by 2% in 2023 to 2,130 GW, driven largely by China. China's new coal construction reached an eight-year high, contradicting its 2021 pledge to strictly control new projects. Globally, only 15% of operational coal capacity is committed to retirement aligned with the 1.5°C goal. While construction outside China hit a nine-year low, new planning in India, Kazakhstan, and Indonesia remains a challenge, and captive coal plants are emerging as a persistent loophole.

The report argues that while ENGIE has ambitious renewable energy targets, its overall climate plan is not aligned with a 1.5°C trajectory due to continued investments in fossil gas infrastructure, long-term LNG contracts for fracked US gas, and a reliance on immature technologies like CCUS and large-scale renewable gas. It highlights a lack of precise intermediate absolute emission targets and insufficient methane reporting as key governance failures.

The document examines the intersection of South Africa's energy transition and the interdependencies of water, energy, and food security. It identifies significant barriers to policy coherence, including institutional silos, budget cuts to environmental departments, and the political influence of the coal lobby and agricultural sector. The brief concludes that without an integrated framework, the transition risks perpetuating unsustainable coal practices and exacerbating social inequalities, particularly in coal-dependent regions like Mpumalanga.

The report examines how public development banks can address barriers to coal phase-out through advisory services, technical assistance, and financing. It warns against risks such as moral hazard and the indirect support of natural gas capacity, recommending that banks seek firm commitments from governments to stop future fossil fuel investments. Specific guidance is provided for engaging national policymakers, utilities, and independent power producers (IPPs) to ensure transitions align with 1.5°C goals.

The report warns that 'unabated' coal phase-down strategies—including co-firing, retrofitting with CCS, and using carbon credits—risk extending the life of fossil fuel infrastructure and providing incomplete emission reductions. It urges public development banks to avoid these 'false solutions' to ensure public funds support rapid coal retirement rather than prolonging coal usage.

Chile has transitioned from a centralized climate policy model, where the Ministry of the Environment held sole responsibility, to a decentralized system under the 2022 Climate Change Framework Law. This law assigns net-zero responsibilities to 17 government ministries, regional authorities, and municipal governments, supported by new national bodies including the Council of Ministers for Sustainability and Climate Change and a Scientific Advisory Committee. The governance shift has enabled the rapid development of policy instruments, such as greenhouse gas emissions standards, and the creation of sectoral carbon budgets with associated budgetary sanctions for non-compliance.

The report argues that Poland requires a diverse technological portfolio—including wind, solar, nuclear, and carbon capture—to decarbonise its power system by 2050. Modelling of 19 scenarios indicates that relying on a narrow set of technologies increases system costs and infrastructure needs, while a 'base' scenario suggests a rapid transition involving a massive build-out of onshore wind and the introduction of nuclear power to replace coal.

The report argues that Poland, as one of Europe's most carbon-intensive economies, must adopt a diversified technology portfolio to achieve climate neutrality. It recommends a shift from coal (currently 70% of the power mix) toward a combination of renewables, nuclear energy, carbon capture and storage (CCS), clean hydrogen, and superhot rock geothermal energy. The authors emphasize that restricting technology options would significantly increase system costs and infrastructure needs. Key policy recommendations include implementing 'carbon contracts for difference' to advance CCS, prioritizing clean hydrogen for 'no regrets' industrial sectors, and reforming the nuclear industry through standardized, product-based business models. Additionally, the report calls for urgent action to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector and the mapping of thousands of abandoned wells. Public polling indicates strong Polish support for advanced nuclear (63%) and superhot rock energy (66%).

Bulgaria is at a pivotal energy transition point as coal's share of electricity generation fell below 30% in 2023. While solar power has grown rapidly, wind energy has stagnated since 2012. The report highlights a technical offshore wind potential of 4.3-5 GW in the maritime exclusive economic zone near Romania, which could lower wholesale power prices by 45% by 2030 if combined with increased onshore wind and better interconnections. To achieve this, the report recommends the swift adoption of a new offshore wind law, the implementation of Contracts-for-Difference (CfDs), and the update of the National Energy and Climate Plan with explicit 2030 targets.

The report analyzes the US Department of Energy's Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) program, which provides low-cost loans to repurpose energy infrastructure. It demonstrates that using EIR to refinance remaining coal plant balances and fund new clean energy assets can significantly reduce costs for ratepayers. Case studies of Alliant in Iowa and Ameren in Missouri show potential net present value (NPV) savings of $124 million and $413 million, respectively, compared to traditional utility financing. The report emphasizes the urgency for utilities to apply before the September 2026 approval deadline.

In 2023, EU fossil fuel generation fell to less than a third of the electricity mix (33%) for the first time, driven by a record 26% drop in coal generation. Wind and solar combined for 27% of EU electricity, with wind surpassing gas power for the first time. While solar capacity grew by 56 GW, wind generation growth remains inconsistent and below the 15% annual increase needed for REPowerEU targets. EU electricity demand fell by 3.4% in 2023 to its lowest level since 2001, though a rise of 2-3% is projected for 2024. To support this transition, the EU requires significant grid investments—estimated at €584 billion by 2030—and an increase in storage capacity to 200 GW by 2030 to manage variable renewable energy and reduce curtailment.