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Closing the gap
The report finds that current G20 commitments put the world on a trajectory for 2.4°C of warming by 2100. While announced but non-formalised pledges could lower this to 2.1°C, only an 'enhanced ambition' scenario—where all G20 members align 2030 targets with 1.5°C pathways and commit to mid-century net zero—could limit warming to 1.7°C. The authors argue that G20 countries, accounting for 75% of global emissions, are uniquely positioned to close three-quarters of the temperature gap, provided they accelerate near-term action and developed nations ramp up financial support to developing countries.
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Document type: Research paper
Clean Electricity Payment Program and EPA Performance Standards: Beautiful dance partners
The author contends that while the Clean Electricity Payment Program (CEPP) and infrastructure investments provide necessary financial incentives to reach a goal of 80 percent carbon-free electricity by 2030, these measures lack the enforceability needed to prevent backsliding. The document urges the EPA to use its Clean Air Act authority to update and strengthen new source performance standards (NSPS) for coal- and gas-fired power plants and to establish standards for existing plants, ensuring that emissions reductions are legally binding rather than voluntary.
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Document type: Statement
Offener Brief von Unternehmen an die Staats- und Regierungschefs der G20
A coalition of businesses calls on G20 leaders to lead the global climate transition by halving emissions by 2030, ending coal financing, removing fossil fuel subsidies by 2025, and mandating climate-related financial disclosures to drive investment toward sustainable solutions.
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Document type: Statement
Carta abierta del sector empresarial dirigida a los líderes del G20
A coalition of businesses calls on G20 leaders to lead the global climate response by strengthening Nationally Determined Contributions, ending coal financing, aligning COVID-19 recovery funds with decarbonization, and implementing carbon pricing and mandatory financial disclosures.
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Document type: Statement
Net Zero Solutions 2020s
The document argues that the UK's 2050 net-zero target requires a systemic combination of technological, societal, and nature-based solutions, alongside innovative business models and regulatory changes. It emphasizes the need to prioritize research for sectors that are difficult to decarbonize and focuses on innovations for the 2020s across eight sectors identified by the Climate Change Committee.
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Document type: Briefing
FCA Referral Request
ClientEarth has submitted a referral request to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) alleging that Carnival plc and Carnival Corporation failed to disclose material climate-related financial risks in their 2020 reporting. The request argues that the companies' reports are vague or entirely silent on climate change, potentially misleading investors and violating Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules (DTRs) and the UK Market Abuse Regulation (UK MAR). ClientEarth specifically challenges Carnival's reliance on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as a decarbonisation strategy, noting that such claims are not substantiated in financial statements and ignore methane emissions and the UK Climate Change Committee's findings on biofuels. The referral seeks financial penalties, public censure, and corrective disclosures.
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Document type: Statement
The Romanian Protest Wave: A Path to a New Political Era
The document traces a series of Romanian protest waves, starting with the 2013 Rosia Montana anti-mining movement and the 2015 Colectiv nightclub fire protests, which challenged government corruption and systemic failures. It argues that these movements helped citizens overcome a historical fear of state repression dating back to the 1990-1991 Mineriade, eventually leading to the rise of centre-right parties like USR and PLUS. The author notes that while these new parties adopted some green policies, the formal Green party in Romania remains weak due to the continued dominance of the Social Democrats (PSD) and internal organizational issues.
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Document type: Research paper
Buying out coal plants for climate goals
Reclaim Finance critiques a proposed initiative by the Asian Development Bank and Prudential to accelerate the closure of coal plants in Asia. The organization warns that the scheme could provide a financial lifeline to polluting plants, allow major fossil fuel funders like Citi, HSBC, and BlackRock to greenwash their reputations, and fail to ensure that resale profits are used for the energy transition rather than further fossil fuel investment.
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Document type: Statement
The State of Electric School Bus Adoption in the US
As of August 2021, fewer than 1% of U.S. school buses are electric, with adoption heavily concentrated in California and suburban areas. While 33 states have committed to electric buses, the report emphasizes that targeted public funding is essential to ensure these benefits reach vulnerable communities and rural areas, which currently lag in deployment despite the health risks posed by diesel emissions to students.
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Document type: Report
Turning Around the Power Distribution Sector
The document outlines the need for financial, operational, and policy reforms within India's power distribution companies (discoms) to overcome losses and enable the transition to a clean energy future.
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Document type: Report
DISTINGUISHING OIL & GAS INDUSTRY SPIN FROM ZERO-EMISSION SOLUTIONS
The report analyzes the role of hydrogen in the energy transition, contrasting 'green hydrogen' (produced via renewable-powered electrolysis) with the current industry standard of steam methane reformation (SMR) from fossil fuels. It warns that the oil and gas industry uses hydrogen rhetoric to justify continued fossil fuel infrastructure and delay electrification. The authors argue that green hydrogen should be reserved for 'hard-to-electrify' sectors like maritime shipping and high-heat industrial processes, while being rejected for use in passenger vehicles, home appliances, and gas-fired power plants due to energy inefficiency, high costs, and pollution risks.
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Document type: Report
Considering Private Enterprise, Public Initiative, and Hybrid Approaches to the Challenge of Electricity Transmission
The report argues that the current U.S. electricity transmission system is too slow and fragmented to meet decarbonization goals, which require tripling or quadrupling generating capacity and significantly expanding long-distance transmission. It proposes a '5P' framework—planning, permitting, paying, participation, and process—to replace the traditional three-P approach. The authors contrast two primary policy models: a private-enterprise approach relying on market incentives and regulatory streamlining, and a public-initiative approach centered on a National Transmission Authority (NTA) with federal siting and ownership powers. The report concludes that a national transmission plan is an imperative to coordinate these efforts across state and federal jurisdictions.
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Document type: Report
Bridging the Gap: How Nuclear-Derived Zero-Carbon Fuels Can Help Decarbonize Marine Shipping
The report examines the role of nuclear energy in producing zero-carbon fuels (ZCFs) to decarbonize the marine shipping industry, which accounted for 2.6% of global CO2 emissions in 2018. It identifies ammonia as a particularly promising fuel due to its energy density and compatibility with existing engine technology. The authors argue that nuclear energy is well-suited for ZCF production because of its high capacity factor, low land-use requirements, and ability to provide high-temperature steam for electrolysis. The document proposes using the U.S. Jones Act and other federal programs to incentivize the construction of ZCF-powered vessels and the development of regional production hubs, specifically suggesting the Houston region as a potential case study.
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Document type: Report
Electrical Grids and Storage Criteria
The document outlines the development of certification criteria for electrical grids and storage to mobilise private capital for low-carbon infrastructure. It establishes that most modern grid investments are eligible if they support the integration of renewables or are part of a system on a trajectory toward decarbonisation, adopting the EU taxonomy as a baseline. It specifically excludes pumped hydropower and hydrogen storage from this sector's scope. The criteria also mandate that issuers demonstrate climate resilience by assessing physical risks and implementing mitigation measures over the assets' operational lifetimes.
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Document type: Report
Consultation on the Revised Climate, Environment and Energy Aid Guidelines post-2022
ClientEarth argues that the draft CEEAG contains political compromises that undermine environmental ambitions, specifically criticizing the continued support for fossil gas, low-carbon hydrogen, and biomass. The organization advocates for the strict integration of the 'Energy Efficiency First' principle, the 'energy solidarity principle', and more rigorous safeguards to prevent 'carbon lock-in'. Key recommendations include limiting hydrogen aid to renewable sources, phasing out support for high-efficient cogeneration and small hydropower, and implementing stricter conditions for the closure of coal activities to ensure they occur by 2030.
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Document type: Statement
We need federal action, but not a blank check, to counter the premature retirement of nuclear plants
The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) advocates for federal action to stop the premature closure of U.S. nuclear plants, which provide over half of the country's clean electricity. Since 2012, nine reactors (over 6 GW) have retired early due to market conditions and low natural gas and renewable prices, leading to increased regional emissions. CATF supports legislative options like the Zero-Emission Nuclear Power Production Credit Act of 2021 and the American Nuclear Infrastructure Act (ANIA), provided they include 'guardrails' such as financial stress tests and reverse auctions to ensure support is limited to truly at-risk units.
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Document type: Statement
Decline of the United Kingdom's Steel Industry: Lessons from Industrial Transitions
The document analyzes the decline of the UK steel industry over 50 years, noting a workforce reduction from 320,000 in the early 1970s to 5-10% of that figure today. It identifies negative outcomes including job losses, environmental contamination, and barriers to reemployment such as wage differentials. The brief argues that local support organizations are insufficient and calls for wider regional economic development policies focused on diversification, supply-chain support, urban regeneration, and workforce upskilling.
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Document type: Briefing
STUDIES CONVERGE ON BENEFITS OF A RAPID CLEAN ENERGY TRANSITION
A meta-analysis of eight recent studies indicates that the United States can achieve approximately 80% clean electricity by 2030 at minimal cost. The findings suggest that such a transition would drive 500,000 to 1 million net new jobs, avoid up to $3 trillion in health and climate damages by 2050, and is essential for meeting the Biden administration's GHG emissions reduction targets. The analysis concludes that a strong national clean electricity standard (CES) is the most effective policy mechanism, primarily driving the deployment of wind, solar, and battery storage.
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Document type: Policy brief
Measuring the Wealth of Nations: A review
The report argues that GDP is an insufficient measure of national well-being because it ignores the depletion of assets and favors short-term gains. It advocates for 'comprehensive wealth' measurement, which tracks five capital types: produced, financial, natural, human, and social capital. The document reviews global initiatives from organizations like the World Bank, UNEP, and OECD, noting that while human and produced capital have generally grown, natural capital is declining globally, particularly in developing countries. It concludes that comprehensive wealth accounts are essential for building resilience to climate change and achieving the UN 2030 Agenda's Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG 17.
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Document type: Report
Mix It Up Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs)
The document argues that substituting portland cement with SCMs—such as fly ash, ground glass, natural pozzolans, and blast furnace slag—is a cost-effective way to reduce the embodied carbon of concrete. It highlights that up to 40% substitution is possible in the US, potentially saving 27 Mt CO2e per year and reducing emissions for specific applications by up to 80%. However, it notes that supply for some SCMs is geographically constrained or declining due to the phase-out of coal power, suggesting the reclamation of stored fly ash and the use of natural pozzolans as viable future alternatives.
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Document type: Guide