Search Climate Insights Directory

Reclaim Finance criticizes ENGIE for planning a 500 MW fossil gas power plant in Nijmegen, Netherlands, arguing the project is unnecessary given the Netherlands' goal of decarbonized electricity by 2035. The organization claims that ENGIE's promise of 'hydrogen compatibility' is an illusion and warns that the project risks becoming a stranded asset, potentially requiring taxpayer-funded compensation for early closure, similar to previous coal plant exits in the region. Reclaim Finance calls on shareholders, including the French government and private investors like Amundi, BNP Paribas AM, and AXA Investment Managers, to vote against ENGIE's climate plan and management resolutions.

Hydrogen fuel cells (FCEVs) are identified as a more efficient alternative to internal combustion engines for heavy-duty trucking, particularly for long-haul and drayage operations where minimizing downtime is critical. Projections for the California market suggest FCEVs could serve 60% of long-haul and 35% of drayage trips by 2045. However, widespread adoption depends on hydrogen reaching price parity with diesel (approximately $4-$5/kg) and overcoming infrastructure delays and maintenance issues.

Reclaim Finance criticizes ArcelorMittal for contradictions between its public decarbonization claims and its actual financial and operational actions. The organization highlights delayed hydrogen-based steel projects in Europe, insufficient capital expenditure for decarbonization, and misleading emissions reporting. It calls on investors to pressure the company to publish an updated Climate Action Report (CAR3) with a clear timeline to phase out coal globally.

Reclaim Finance argues that ArcelorMittal is failing to implement sincere decarbonization actions despite its public commitments. The organization calls on investors to demand a solid climate strategy, specifically requesting the long-awaited third climate action report (CAR3) to include a commitment and timeline for exiting coal across all global operations.

The document identifies China as the world's largest producer and consumer of ammonia, noting that coal-based production is highly carbon-intensive, with hydrogen generation accounting for over 85 percent of emissions. It highlights that while China's green ammonia industry is growing, it faces challenges regarding the intermittent nature of renewable power and higher costs compared to traditional methods. The report proposes integrating policy, downstream premiums, and carbon markets to reach cost parity and suggests actions for policy makers and enterprises to accelerate the transition.

The document analyzes the EU Omnibus proposal, characterizing it as a "massive deregulation project" that weakens corporate sustainability and due diligence requirements. It compares the proposal's specific changes to the demands of industry lobbies—including the French Banking Federation (FBF), Medef, BDI, Confindustria, the American Chamber of Commerce, and Business Europe—concluding that the Commission's proposal closely aligns with these corporate interests, suggesting "corporate capture."

The document outlines the process for setting up renewable energy manufacturing in Ghana, focusing on solar PV, batteries, and electric vehicles. It details legal entity options, industrial zones, and a comprehensive suite of fiscal incentives including tax holidays and import duty waivers. The guide also identifies key regulatory bodies and recommends strategies to overcome challenges in financing, skills, and market demand to accelerate the domestic green manufacturing sector.

The report argues that Indonesia's promotion of natural gas as a 'transitional fuel' and the continued financing of gas projects by Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) lock the country into fossil fuel dependence and hinder its climate commitments. It highlights significant environmental, social, and governance risks associated with gas infrastructure, including methane emissions, corruption, and human rights violations, while calling for an immediate shift toward renewable energy.

The report argues that promoting LNG as a 'transition fuel' in Indonesia creates a long-term dependency on fossil fuels and contradicts climate commitments. It highlights that Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), including the World Bank Group and ADB, continue to support gas infrastructure through technical assistance and policy loans despite their public Paris Alignment pledges. The document details numerous negative impacts of gas projects, including corruption in LNG procurement, human rights violations in Aceh, and environmental disasters such as the PHE ONWJ oil spill in Karawang. It concludes that gas is not a clean alternative due to high methane emissions and calls for an immediate shift to truly renewable energy.

The briefing outlines Brazil's updated NDC targets for 2035 and argues that the successful implementation of these goals depends on a strong 'Plano Clima' and a collaborative relationship with the private sector. It identifies key opportunities and barriers across land use, agriculture, energy, transport, and industry, while proposing mechanisms to increase transparency and corporate transition planning ahead of COP30.

The document identifies a USD 146.4 billion investment gap for Indonesia's 2030 ENDC targets, noting that private financial institutions' climate finance represents only 3% of their total investments. While new regulations like the Indonesia Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance (TKBI) and POJK 18/2023 support decarbonization, significant barriers remain, including contradictory fossil fuel subsidies and a mismatch between the long-term capital needs of climate projects and the short-term nature of commercial bank funding.

The statement warns against the potential dismantling of EU sustainability rules through the proposed Omnibus simplification package, arguing that such moves would penalize companies already investing in sustainable supply chains and create policy uncertainty. It advocates for 'competitive sustainability' and a just transition to clean energy, while supporting regulatory simplification only if it enhances efficiency without undermining the foundations of sustainable business practices.

The document identifies that while the U.S. needs a three- to four-fold increase in transmission capacity over 30 years, deployment is hindered by federal leadership gaps, insufficient agency staffing, and uncoordinated requirements across federal, state, and Tribal jurisdictions. Quantitative analysis of 33 completed transmission lines shows an average EIS review length of 4.3 years. The author recommends consolidating siting authority under FERC for projects in the national interest, expanding the use of programmatic environmental impact statements, and utilizing the Permitting Dashboard for greater transparency.

Natural Justice critiques proposed amendments to South Africa's EIA Regulations, warning that reducing 'red tape' for seismic surveys, mining expansions, and fracturing could lead to long-term ecological and social harm. The organization advocates for maintaining full EIAs for high-impact activities and strengthening public participation to ensure a just energy transition.

Natural Justice argues that South Africa's proposed 2024 EIA regulation amendments must ensure full environmental impact assessments for high-impact activities, including hydraulic fracturing, seismic surveys, and coastal industrial construction, to protect ecological integrity and community livelihoods.

The author contends that following the U.S. lead in abandoning the Paris climate accord would be 'economically perilous' for countries like Indonesia. He highlights the continued global acceleration of electric vehicle and solar energy growth, and cites specific policy actions in Japan and South Korea as examples of proactive decarbonization. The text argues that U.S. clean energy deployment is driven by economic sense and private sector investment, which will persist regardless of federal government policy.

The author contends that current EU climate policies, including the European Green Deal, lack a sufficient social dimension and risk becoming regressive by disproportionately impacting low-income households. The proposed solution is 'universal basic services' (USB)—a needs-based approach that provides essential services like public transport, housing, and childcare as public goods. This strategy aims to decouple social security from the labor market and reduce carbon intensity by shifting from individual consumption to collective provision. The document calls for the EU to abandon restrictive fiscal rules, increase public investment, and implement wealth taxes to fund this transition, arguing that public support for climate action depends on the perceived fairness of the transition.

The research evaluates Mongolia's greenhouse gas emission trajectories up to 2050, comparing a baseline scenario with one incorporating 49 mitigation measures. While emissions could rise significantly without intervention, the proposed measures could reduce 2050 emissions by 40% relative to the baseline, though the authors note that technical feasibility and full decarbonization remain distant goals due to implementation barriers.

The report argues that achieving net-zero emissions requires a broad portfolio of zero-carbon technologies beyond wind and solar, including nuclear fission, fusion, and carbon capture. It introduces an Innovation Technology Framework based on the 'S curve' of innovation, which identifies critical development stages—R&D, early output, and commercialization—leading to 'market take-off.' The framework emphasizes four 'levers of success': lowering costs, speeding project deployment, easing access to financing, and removing ecosystem barriers. The authors advocate for a coordinated industrial policy that provides sustained public financial support until technologies reach the take-off point, typically defined as 1%-2.5% of global energy demand.

The report identifies a substantial investment gap of approximately USD 146.4 billion to meet Indonesia's 2030 Enhanced Nationally Determined Contribution (ENDC) targets. While the government budget provides about one-third of the necessary funding, private financial institutions' contributions remain low, representing only 3% of their total investments. Key barriers include contradictory policies, such as fossil fuel subsidies outweighing climate spending, and a financing mismatch where commercial banks rely on short-term deposits for long-term, capital-intensive climate projects. The report recommends harmonizing sustainable finance policies through the Indonesia Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance (TKBI), enabling alternative instruments like sustainability-linked loans and carbon finance, and enhancing transparency via IFRS S1 and S2 disclosure standards.