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Ember provides comments on India's draft National Electricity Plan (Vol.I: Generation), arguing that the plan's projections may fall short of India's 2030 non-fossil fuel targets and that peak demand estimates are potentially overestimated. The document warns that overestimating demand could lead to excessive investment in coal capacity, potentially creating 'zombie plants'. Ember suggests implementing periodic stock-taking of coal targets and a temporary stay on new coal proposals to better align with renewable energy goals and battery storage growth.

The document assesses the impact of Chinese infrastructure funding and construction in the Global South, specifically comparing experiences in Africa and Southeast Asia. It identifies systemic failures in transparency, land acquisition, and long-term sustainability planning, while noting that Chinese contractors often follow the 'host country principle' of adhering to local norms. The brief argues that while China is shifting toward 'green development' and smaller projects due to debt distress and domestic policy changes, the primary responsibility for higher ESG standards lies with recipient governments. Key recommendations include the creation of joint ESG dialogue platforms between the AU and ASEAN, the normalization of publishing loan contracts, and the fast-tracking of local capacity-building plans.

The We Mean Business Coalition asserts that current government commitments are insufficient, putting the world on track for over 2.5°C of warming. The author calls for COP27 to translate G20 agreements into a science-based plan of action, emphasizing the need for a just transition away from all fossil fuels, streamlined permitting for renewables, and a reformed global financial system using ISSB standards as a baseline.

Earthjustice criticizes the continued reliance on a centralized fossil-fuel energy grid in Puerto Rico, citing the failure of LNG and coal plants and the resulting energy-related deaths following Hurricane Fiona. The organization advocates for the use of unspent FEMA funds to implement distributed rooftop solar and storage systems, as supported by US Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and local communities like Adjuntas.

For the first time, wind and solar generated more of Chile's electricity than coal over a 12-month period (October 2021 to September 2022), with wind and solar accounting for 27.5% and coal 26.5%. Since 2016, wind and solar have met all growth in electricity demand, contributing to a 6% drop in annual power sector emissions between 2016 and 2021 despite an 11% increase in demand. Chile aims for 80% renewable electricity by 2030 and a zero-emissions grid by 2050, though the report notes that IEA guidelines suggest a coal phase-out by 2030 for OECD countries.

In the first half of 2022, global renewable energy growth met all new electricity demand, preventing a rise in fossil fuel generation. Wind and solar energy specifically met 77% of this new demand, avoiding $40 billion in fuel costs and 230 million tonnes of CO2 emissions. However, the report notes that severe droughts in China and global heatwaves in July and August 2022 led to a resurgence in coal and gas use, meaning total electricity sector emissions for the full year 2022 could still reach record highs.

Bangladesh faces a potential $11 billion expenditure on spot market LNG imports from 2022 to 2024 due to diminishing domestic gas reserves and a heavy reliance on gas-fired power generation. The analysis indicates that implementing the ambitious solar targets of the Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan could reduce these imports by 25% and save approximately $2.7 billion. Despite this, the country continues to prioritize new gas and coal capacity over renewable energy, which currently accounts for only 1% of total power generation.

The report reveals that while designated project-specific funding for coal has declined, general corporate financing remains the primary driver of new coal infrastructure. It highlights a gap between the public net-zero commitments of many financial institutions and their actual lending practices, noting that many 'coal exclusion' policies contain loopholes that allow continued support for coal developers. The document provides data on the shrinking coal pipeline and identifies specific banks and asset managers that continue to provide loans, underwriting, or equity to companies building new coal plants and mines.

The report argues that current IFI efforts to align indirect financing through financial intermediaries with the Paris Agreement are insufficient and opaque. It highlights how this lending model allows IFIs to 'outsource' environmental and social safeguards, potentially funding fossil fuel projects. The authors provide recommendations for a rights-based alignment methodology that includes an absolute ban on new fossil fuel financing, increased support for sustainable renewables, and strict transparency requirements for sub-project disclosure.

The document argues that Indonesia can technically achieve a net zero power sector by 2040, which would accelerate the broader national net zero target to 2050. This transition requires phasing out unabated coal, significantly increasing annual electricity investment to USD 40 billion this decade and USD 80 billion in the next, and addressing grid flexibility and inter-regional connectivity. While the transition would result in a net gain of 265,000 jobs, it would cause 230,000 losses in coal mining, necessitating just energy transition policies. The author notes that Presidential Regulation No. 112/2022 is a positive step toward attracting renewable investment and retiring coal plants.

The report examines the rapid growth of proof-of-work cryptocurrency mining in the U.S. following China's 2021 ban. It argues that the industry's high energy demands drive the revival of defunct fossil-fuel power plants, increase greenhouse gas emissions, and place financial burdens on electricity ratepayers. The document also details local harms, including noise and water pollution, and debunks industry claims regarding sustainability and grid stability.

The document reports that despite China's climate goals, investment in high-carbon coal power and blast furnace steel capacity remains high. While renewable energy and electric arc furnace (EAF) investments are growing, the continued approval of coal plants and high-emission steel projects creates significant stranded asset risks. The report argues that power shortages in provinces like Sichuan are caused by rigid grid management and fuel costs rather than a lack of capacity, suggesting that further coal expansion is unnecessary if grid reforms are implemented.

The case study describes the installation of an off-grid solar photovoltaic system in the village of Ned, Datal Bonglangon, in South Cotabato, Philippines. Supported by the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center and Friends of the Earth International, the project provides essential lighting to 46 of 60 planned households and a community charging station. The initiative is framed as a move toward energy sovereignty for the T’boli-Manobo people, who face threats from industrial coffee plantations and proposed coal power plants, and as a model for low-carbon development in remote areas.

Mighty Earth reports that the Japanese government has ended its overseas coal finance, leading to the cancellation of the Matarbari 2 coal power plant in Bangladesh. The organization attributes the project's failure to the withdrawal of Sumitomo Corporation as lead contractor on February 28, 2022, following a global campaign launched in December 2019. Roger Smith of Mighty Earth argues that Japan must now accelerate the retirement of existing coal plants without using 'duplicitous technologies' such as biomass, hydrogen, and ammonia.

The letter asserts that GFANZ is acting as a "smokescreen" for the financial sector's lack of progress on decarbonization. It highlights a gap between GFANZ's goal of halving emissions by 2030 and the reality that many members continue to fund new coal, oil, and gas projects. The authors demand that GFANZ implement interim milestones, absolute emission targets, mandatory Scope 3 targets for fossil fuel companies, and a ban on using offsets to meet 2030 targets.

In 2021, wind and solar generated over 10% of global electricity for the first time, but record-high electricity demand led to a record rise in coal power and the largest absolute increase in power sector CO2 emissions ever recorded.

In 2021, wind and solar power reached a record 10.3% of global electricity generation, but this growth was insufficient to offset a historic surge in electricity demand. Consequently, global coal generation and power sector CO2 emissions both hit all-time highs, with coal meeting 59% of new demand. While 50 countries now derive over 10% of their power from wind and solar, the report warns that the global energy transition is significantly off track from the IEA's net-zero pathway, which requires wind and solar to grow by 20% annually through 2030.

In 2021, global electricity demand grew by 5.4%, the fastest rate since 2010. While solar and wind generation continued to rise, coal generation reached an all-time high, leading to a 7% increase in power sector CO2 emissions. This resulted in the first increase in global electricity carbon intensity since 2011, moving the sector further away from the IEA's 1.5 degree pathway.

The report finds that the world's 60 largest banks provided USD $4.6 trillion in fossil fuel financing from 2016 to 2021, with $742 billion in 2021 alone. It highlights a significant gap between banks' net-zero commitments and their actual lending and underwriting practices, particularly regarding companies expanding oil, gas, and coal production. The analysis identifies JPMorgan Chase as the world's worst banker of fossil fuels over this period. The report also details financing in high-impact subsectors, such as tar sands, Arctic oil and gas, and coal power, while emphasizing the human rights impacts on Indigenous and frontline communities.

The document reports a surge in China's coal power construction and coal-based steelmaking investments in 2021, contradicting the country's carbon neutrality goals. It highlights that 33 GW of new coal power plants started construction in 2021 and 74 million tonnes of coal-based steelmaking capacity were approved. The report warns that these investments risk creating billions of dollars in stranded assets and lock the sectors into coal dependency, while noting a simultaneous but insufficient scale-up of clean energy.