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The document analyzes the socio-economic and environmental consequences of the UK steel industry's decline since the 1970s, highlighting the failure of generic regional development policies that attempted to replicate old manufacturing models rather than transitioning to knowledge-based economies.

The report examines the decline of major industrial activities in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and South Africa to derive lessons for contemporary decarbonization efforts. It argues that transition planning is a highly political process and that failing to address pre-existing inequalities or environmental legacies often leads to poor outcomes. Key recommendations include the need for early government engagement, locally-driven planning, and the use of nuanced indicators beyond simple job creation to measure success.

The Union of Concerned Scientists argues that the US can technically achieve a 50% reduction in heat-trapping emissions by 2030 and net-zero by 2050 through widespread electrification and renewables. However, it emphasizes that carbon-only modeling is insufficient; a transformative transition must actively dismantle structural racism and economic inequality by prioritizing marginalized communities, ensuring a fair transition for fossil fuel workers, and shifting power from corporate interests to community governance.

The research evaluates 29 industry transition road maps from 13 countries, comparing decarbonization targets, financial costs, and mitigation measures. It concludes that similar challenges across different industries and nations necessitate greater international cooperation to achieve a global transition to climate-neutral heavy industry.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute analyzes the collapse of gold mining in the Free State Goldfields of South Africa to derive lessons for current and future decarbonization transitions in regional economies.

The authors argue that global media coverage of climate change is insufficient and fails to convey the scale of the crisis. They call for newsrooms to prioritize climate stories, use plain language to describe the threat, and treat the situation with the same urgency as the Covid-19 pandemic. The text highlights that while some outlets fear the term 'climate emergency' suggests activism, the scientific consensus demands such framing to drive the political will necessary for decarbonization.

Between January 2020 and March 3, 2021, G7 nations invested more in fossil fuels (US$189 billion) than in clean energy (US$147 billion), despite pledges to achieve net-zero emissions by mid-century. The report finds that over 80% of fossil fuel funding lacked 'green strings' or climate targets, while only 10% of COVID-19 response funds supported the cleanest energy measures. To align with the Paris Climate Agreement, the report recommends that the G7 end support for fossil fuel production, increase green recovery spending to at least 40% of total COVID-19 recovery funds, and double climate finance pledges to assist low- and middle-income countries.

The report finds that the fashion industry, particularly the fast-fashion model, is heavily reliant on synthetic fibers derived from oil and gas, with such materials making up 69% of all textiles. Analysis of 46 brands and 12 online retailers reveals a widespread lack of transparency and the prevalence of 'greenwashing,' where brands use misleading claims about sustainability or rely on 'downcycling' PET bottles into clothing rather than implementing true fiber-to-fiber circularity. The study highlights that many 'sustainable' collections actually contain higher percentages of synthetic fibers than standard lines, and that the industry largely ignores the issue of microplastic pollution. The authors call for urgent EU legislation on extended producer responsibility and stricter regulations on environmental claims to break the industry's dependence on fossil fuels.

The document critiques the European Commission's December 2020 proposal for a revised TEN-E Regulation, highlighting risks of conflict of interest due to the influence of Transmission System Operators (TSOs) and a lack of transparency in selecting Projects of Common Interest (PCIs). It proposes integrating the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change (ESABCC) into the decision-making process for PCI lists and Ten-Year Network Development Plans (TYNDPs) to provide independent, science-based oversight. Key recommendations include adopting PCI lists via separate delegated acts per infrastructure category, mandating public consultations on regional lists, and establishing a common assessment method across regional Groups to prevent bias.

The global steel sector, responsible for 11% of CO2 emissions, remains heavily reliant on carbon-intensive blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) pathways. While over 75% of global capacity is now covered by net-zero pledges, the report warns of significant stranded asset risks—estimated between 47 and 70 billion USD—due to the continued construction of BF-BOF plants. The analysis emphasizes a transition toward electric arc furnaces (EAF), green hydrogen-based direct reduced iron (DRI), and carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), while leveraging existing global overcapacity to retire inefficient plants.

The briefing examines how industry lobby groups, including Hydrogen Europe and Global Alliance Powerfuels, are attempting to weaken the EU's Renewable Energy Directive (RED II). Specifically, it highlights efforts to remove 'additionality' requirements and extend 'temporal correlation' timeframes, which would allow hydrogen to be labeled as 'renewable' even if produced using fossil-fuel electricity. The author warns that such standards would result in carbon-intensive hydrogen, undermine the EU's 'energy efficiency first' principle, and risk subsidizing climate-damaging fuels through EU recovery funds.

The report warns that the 11 largest banks in the eurozone hold over 530 billion euros in fossil fuel assets, which represent 95% of their total equity on average. This overexposure creates a significant risk of 'stranded assets' as the world transitions to meet Paris Agreement goals. The authors argue that current 'green finance' is largely a greenwashing tool and that voluntary bank commitments are insufficient. They propose a two-step solution: first, implementing strict regulations and reforming European Central Bank (ECB) monetary policy to stop new fossil fuel funding; second, establishing a public 'fossil bank' under the ECB to buy back and gradually phase out these risky assets to protect financial stability and enable the ecological transition.

The document examines the transition of the mining sector from diesel and grid power to renewable energy (RE), primarily solar PV and wind. It argues that while RE has high initial capital expenditure, it offers lower long-term operating costs and provides a hedge against volatile fuel prices. The paper highlights the role of hybrid systems and energy storage in overcoming the intermittency of RE to meet the constant baseload demands of mines. It also explores the potential for portable RE systems for exploration sites and the use of rehabilitated mine land for utility-scale RE generation.

The closure of the BHP steelworks in Newcastle, Australia, serves as a case study in industrial transition. The process was characterized by a decades-long decline that allowed for the development of cooperative relationships between unions and industry, as well as community-led economic diversification. While the transition successfully avoided widespread social collapse and saw a shift toward higher-skilled manufacturing and service sectors, the quality of new employment was often lower (part-time and casual). Additionally, the environmental remediation of the site became the largest in Australian history, with costs exceeding the initial payment from BHP, resulting in a public funding burden.

The document analyzes the multi-decade decline of the Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester, New York, and the city's subsequent economic transition. It presents two contrasting narratives: one highlighting the successful diversification into a high-tech hub and the other emphasizing persistent poverty, urban decay, and widening inequality. The study concludes that while leveraging existing infrastructure and university partnerships can spur growth, targeted interventions are necessary to protect low-skilled workers and address environmental legacies.

The decline of gold mining in South Africa's Free State Goldfields led to catastrophic economic collapse, rising poverty, and severe gender-based vulnerabilities. Initial local government responses failed by prioritizing the revival of a vanishing industry over economic diversification. While the Free State Goldfields Development Centre showed early success in job creation and diversification, political factionalism and governance failures undermined long-term gains. National interventions, including Social and Labour Plans, are criticized for being too general and failing to address community-wide needs or local conditions.

The paper argues that while DFIs have focused on aligning direct project financing, they must also address 'indirect' investments via financial intermediaries to meet global climate goals. It proposes a four-pillar framework—mitigation, adaptation, governance, and transparency—implemented in two phases over a maximum of five years. The framework suggests sector-specific exclusion lists, physical climate risk screenings, institutional climate governance, and TCFD-aligned reporting. It also recommends a risk-tailored approach to investment instruments, suggesting that general purpose loans and equity be restricted to FIs already meeting alignment criteria, while special purpose vehicles (SPVs) can be used for clients committed to the principle of alignment but lacking immediate capacity.

The document examines the technological, economic, and environmental aspects of transitioning the U.S. transportation sector to electric vehicles. It highlights the role of falling battery costs, the necessity of expanding charging infrastructure, and the potential for significant public health improvements, particularly in marginalized communities. It also addresses challenges related to the sourcing of critical minerals like lithium and cobalt and the impact of regional climates on vehicle range.

The U.S. experienced significant growth in wind electricity generation between 2000 and 2020, with wind turbines accounting for 8.4% of total utility-scale electricity generation. Research from Net Zero America's 'High Electrification (E+)' scenario suggests that by 2050, Texas could lead the country with over 180 gigawatts of installed capacity, while Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, and Nebraska could each exceed 100 gigawatts. Offshore wind potential is particularly high along the East Coast, with Environment America estimating a potential for over 7,200 terawatt-hours of electricity per year. The document also highlights job growth potential, noting that Texas could support over 130,000 wind energy jobs by 2050, and rural states like Wyoming, Nebraska, Montana, and Iowa could see more than 200 jobs per 10,000 residents.

The statement asserts that while protecting and restoring ecosystems is essential to meeting the 1.5-degree Celsius goal of the Paris Agreement, natural climate solutions must not be used as a substitute for rapid decarbonization. It calls for strict guardrails on offsets and encourages investors to demand transparency regarding corporate transition plans and the specifics of carbon credit sourcing.