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Ember expresses two primary concerns regarding India's draft VPPA framework: its potential to undermine power system flexibility and its role as a potentially misleading accounting mechanism for corporate clean energy claims. The organization argues that VPPAs may encourage continued investment in 'plain vanilla' solar without storage, exacerbating midday surpluses and grid balancing challenges. Ember also contends that VPPAs allow industrial consumers to claim 100% renewable energy usage through Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) without physically consuming clean power or contributing to grid stability, potentially diverting investment away from genuine 24/7 clean energy solutions.

Brazil is positioned to lead in green iron production due to its abundant renewable energy resources, which can make H2-DRI production up to 65% cheaper than in other steelmaking countries. The document argues that a green iron export agenda would drive domestic economic growth and jobs while reducing global steel emissions.

The report argues for a 'hybrid market model' in Europe that combines proactive procurement for the market with competition in the market to ensure a reliable, 24/7 decarbonised power system. It identifies significant gaps in current National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs), noting that many Member States are not on track to meet 2030 EU targets. To address this, the authors recommend expanding system needs assessments to include flexibility and resilience (including climate and cyber risks) and extending their time horizon to 2050. On the contracting side, the report suggests enhancing Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) through standardisation and public demand, and improving Contracts for Difference (CfDs) by embedding dispatch incentives to avoid distorting market signals. It also proposes a tripartite contracting framework involving a central public entity to hedge risks for both the state and industrial consumers, thereby fostering industrial electrification and competitiveness.

The document outlines a framework for mobilizing capital to reduce methane emissions and flaring in the oil and gas sector. It details how to structure debt instruments—such as green, sustainable, and sustainability-linked bonds—to prioritize emission reduction projects. The guide provides a comprehensive list of eligible activities, a hierarchy for quantifying emissions, and specific KPI and Sustainability Performance Target (SPT) matrices. It emphasizes the role of National Oil Companies (NOCs) and provides safeguards against 'greenwashing,' including requirements for third-party verification and rigorous reporting standards.

Canada possesses significant reserves of six priority critical minerals—cobalt, copper, graphite, lithium, nickel, and rare earth elements—essential for the global energy transition. However, current investment is insufficient to meet a projected domestic demand of over $16 billion per year by 2040. The report identifies three primary risks deterring investors: financial volatility, environmental liabilities, and risks to Indigenous rights. To address these, the authors recommend that the federal government implement financial risk-sharing agreements (such as contracts for difference and equity investments), scale up capacity-building and capital access for Indigenous communities, and mandate global environmental standards for tailings management. The report warns that attempting to speed up project approvals by cutting environmental or consultation requirements is likely to backfire by increasing local opposition and litigation.

The report argues that while Canada has a competitive advantage due to its clean electricity grids, the mining sector's emissions are rising as mines deepen and ore grades decline. It identifies three primary barriers to decarbonization: a lack of market demand for 'green' minerals, fragmented traceability infrastructure, and technological gaps in open-pit mining. The author proposes a policy toolkit including emission-intensity criteria for funding, support for R&D in emerging technologies like direct lithium extraction, and the maintenance of carbon pricing systems to incentivize the transition.

The report argues that Canada has significant potential to become a leading supplier of critical minerals—specifically cobalt, copper, lithium, nickel, graphite, and rare earth elements—to support the global clean energy transition. However, it identifies a substantial investment gap, estimating that $30 billion in additional capital is needed by 2040 to meet domestic demand, which is projected to reach $16 billion annually. The document highlights three primary risks hindering investment: high price volatility in immature markets, environmental hazards such as tailings dam failures and abandoned mines, and the lack of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) from Indigenous communities. To address these, the report recommends that the federal government implement financial risk-sharing mechanisms like contracts for difference and equity investments, while provincial governments should tighten mining regulations to align with international standards and provide loan guarantees and capacity-building resources to Indigenous communities to foster genuine partnerships and self-determination.

The document argues that the EU ETS1 is fit for purpose until 2035, after which a supply-demand mismatch for allowances may emerge. It strongly warns that integrating international carbon credits (Article 6) or carbon removals into the ETS would undermine the carbon price incentive, risk emissions mitigation avoidance, and divert investment away from domestic decarbonisation. For the upcoming ETS2, the brief recommends allowing the market to function for several years before making adjustments due to high price uncertainty. It also cautions against merging ETS1 and ETS2 due to differences in market actor price sensitivity and suggests maintaining national targets beyond 2030 to support the ETS.

The report outlines the regulatory complexities of the energy transition toward low-emissions hydrogen, emphasizing the high uncertainty of future demand. It provides specific guidance for electricity and gas regulators on managing infrastructure investments, pricing, and safety risks. The authors argue that regulators must balance government policy goals with their mandate to ensure affordable and safe service, warning against 'stranded assets' if hydrogen investments are based on hype rather than economic reality. Key technical concerns include hydrogen's propensity for pipeline embrittlement, low roundtrip efficiency in power generation, and the necessity of high-integrity emissions accounting to avoid greenwashing.

The document examines the risks associated with South Africa's increasing reliance on IFI loans, particularly for climate finance under the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JET-P). It highlights a lack of transparency and parliamentary oversight, noting that loan conditionalities can undermine constitutional rights and sovereignty. The authors propose a five-step approval procedure involving sustainability, human rights, development, and sovereignty assessments, alongside a public consultation and majority vote in the National Assembly.

The analysis finds that VGI, particularly bidirectional charging (V2G), can generate annual system savings between $1.8 billion and $11.7 billion by 2045. These savings primarily stem from reduced requirements for electricity delivery infrastructure and utility-scale storage. The report recommends that California mandate bidirectional charging capabilities in new EVs and update battery warranties to cover discharging to encourage widespread adoption.

The report examines the vulnerabilities of the US power grid to climate change, highlighting how extreme heat, wildfires, winter storms, and hurricanes cause widespread outages. It argues that current planning focuses on reliability under typical conditions rather than resilience to high-impact, low-frequency events. The authors emphasize that structural inequities, such as the legacy of redlining, leave low-income communities and people of color disproportionately vulnerable to the life-threatening consequences of power loss. The document recommends that regional transmission organizations (RTOs) and independent system operators (ISOs) adopt forward-looking climate risk assessments, integrate energy justice principles, and reform economic metrics like the Value of Lost Load (VOLL) to prioritize human vulnerability over economic activity.

The report analyzes the global iron and steel fleet, noting that while electric arc furnace (EAF) and direct reduced iron (DRI) capacities are growing in development plans, implementation lags. India is identified as the primary driver of global steel capacity, with a high concentration of coal-based projects that could prevent the sector from meeting the IEA's 37% EAF target by 2030. Additionally, Australia and Brazil are highlighted as having significant untapped potential for green ironmaking due to their iron ore reserves and renewable energy capacity.

The document outlines the significance of the U.S. rail network for commerce and passenger travel, noting that rail can help decarbonize transportation by displacing emissions from other modes. It highlights the role of the surface transportation bill in funding rail modernization through electrification, track expansion, and safety improvements.

The report argues that foundations must move beyond vague sustainability principles to adopt coherent, climate-aligned investment strategies. It emphasizes that reducing portfolio emissions alone is insufficient for real-world impact; instead, foundations should employ a mix of capital allocation and stewardship strategies to support the transformation of the broader economy, including maintaining investments in essential high-emissions sectors to facilitate their transition.

The report examines the surge in data centre development in Southeast Asia, highlighting how increasing electricity demand—particularly in Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines—threatens climate targets due to reliance on fossil-fuel-dominated grids. It argues that without significant investment in solar and wind energy and improved energy efficiency, the digital boom will lead to a substantial rise in greenhouse gas emissions.

The report highlights the risks faced by human rights defenders (HRDs) in Indonesia, using the Rempang Eco-City project as a case study. It details how residents of Rempang Island, including Indigenous seafarers, have faced violence, intimidation, and judicial harassment from government and private security forces while protesting a proposed USD11.6 billion glass and solar panel factory. The document notes that despite the goals of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JET-P) to decarbonise Indonesia's economy, projects like the Rempang Eco-City—which would rely on coal power—have led to evictions and physical attacks on community members.

The document introduces a three-part framework consisting of on-the-ground solutions, policy and market-enabling conditions, and state levers. It categorizes electricity system improvements into six areas: system-wide efficiency and demand management, utility-scale clean energy supply, community- and commercial-scale clean energy supply, clean distributed energy supply, improved grid management, and updated grid infrastructure. For each category, the guide suggests specific actions—such as implementing clean portfolio standards, expanding virtual power plants (VPPs), and adopting grid-enhancing technologies (GETs)—and provides sample implementation pathways combining different state levers and market conditions.

The paper examines the link between Japan's energy dependence and its national security, arguing that a shift to renewables is essential for strategic autonomy. It highlights Japan's vulnerability due to importing 97% of its energy and suggests that leading the Asia-Pacific transition could fill a leadership vacuum left by the US. While acknowledging China's dominance in renewable supply chains, the authors contend that diversifying these networks is more feasible than managing continuous fossil fuel imports.

The report argues that ASEAN's transmission grid expansion must roughly double to align with IEA pathways, as current national plans for Indonesia, Viet Nam, the Philippines, and Thailand cover only about 45% of the required expansion. It highlights that 30 GW of solar and wind potential is located along planned interconnection routes in countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Brunei. To support this transition, the report proposes a six-pillar framework for future-ready grid planning—including smart modernisation, strategic expansion, and market reforms—and suggests learning from the integrated power systems of Europe and Southern Africa to move from bilateral to multilateral power trade.