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Carbon Market Watch argues that Horizon Europe, with its 100 billion euro budget, should prioritize the decarbonization of the economy and exclude all fossil fuel-based research and innovation to support a transition to net-zero emissions by 2040.

The guide introduces a method to determine the 'Climate Effectiveness' of electricity system investments by combining emissions and cost data. Using 3Q2019 U.S. market data, the author demonstrates that carbon savings per dollar can vary from manyfold to over 50-fold between different options. The method is designed to be simple, requiring only basic arithmetic, and is applicable to various resources and emission types.

The policy brief contends that new natural gas capacity is a primary driver of increased grid emissions in the US and that avoiding 90% of proposed gas plants could save electricity customers over $29 billion. It advocates for a transition to 'clean energy portfolios'—combinations of wind, solar, batteries, demand flexibility, and energy efficiency—to support economy-wide decarbonization and meet international climate targets.

The document argues that while NDCs (short-to-medium term commitments) and LTSs (mid-century visions) serve different legal and functional roles, they should be developed synergistically. Aligning them prevents the 'lock-in' of carbon-intensive infrastructure and reduces administrative costs by sharing data, modeling, and stakeholder consultations. The authors suggest that ideally, an LTS should inform the NDC, though they provide options for countries developing both in parallel or those updating NDCs without a formal LTS.

Following 2019 legislation to decarbonize Colorado's electricity sector, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) must investigate whether transitioning to performance-based regulation (PBR) is 'net beneficial'. The briefing suggests that the PUC should utilize scenario analysis and collaborative stakeholder processes, drawing on examples from Hawaii, Minnesota, and Oregon to align utility incentives with goals such as emissions reductions and cost-efficiency.

Unilever is implementing the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP) to reduce its environmental footprint, with goals to be carbon positive by 2030 and achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2030. While direct and indirect emissions declined 8% between 2017 and 2018, total emissions including the value chain rose by 3%. The company reports that consumer use of its products accounts for over 60% of its total greenhouse gas footprint. Unilever has achieved 100% renewable electricity across five continents and is trialling alternative fuels for transport, including HVO100 in Sweden and CNG in the US, India, and Turkey.

The 2019 Rhode Island Greenhouse Gas Reduction Study finds that the state can feasibly reduce emissions by 70-80% by 2030, 2040, or 2050 by focusing on electrification, efficiency, and transitioning the power grid to renewables. The report updates previous 2016 baseline estimates, finding that 2017 emissions were approximately 45% higher than previously thought due to updated science on methane leakage and its short-term global warming potential. While substantial reductions are possible, the study notes that pathways stall at around 4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, leaving a 20-30% gap that requires further research into industrial decarbonization and carbon sequestration.

The report finds that Rhode Island can feasibly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 70-80% by 2030, 2040, or 2050 by focusing on electrifying transportation and heating, improving energy efficiency, and transitioning the electricity grid to renewables. A critical finding is that updated science on methane leakage from natural gas infrastructure reveals that 2017 emissions were approximately 45% higher than previously estimated in 2016. While the 2050 pathway is relatively low-cost, the 2030 pathway requires a significant spending spike, resembling a 'Green New Deal' approach. The study emphasizes that reaching net-zero requires the complete phase-out of natural gas and further research into industrial decarbonization and carbon sequestration.

The document argues for the denial of the Tacoma LNG project, claiming it locks Washington into 40 years of fossil fuel dependence and poses significant safety and health risks. It asserts that the project's purpose has shifted from peak-shaving for utility customers to primarily serving as a marine and trucking fuel source, necessitating a new environmental review. The authors contend that the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA) has underestimated greenhouse gas emissions by relying on flawed assumptions regarding methane leakage and the 'no-action' alternative. Additionally, the document highlights failures in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) to address recent LNG disasters, cumulative toxic air emissions in a densely populated urban area, and environmental justice impacts on the South Sound community and the Puyallup Tribe.

The briefing positions hydrogen as a necessary partner to electrification in the energy transition, particularly for heavy industry and long-range transport. It details the transition from fossil-fuel-based 'grey' and 'blue' hydrogen to 'green' hydrogen produced via renewable-powered electrolysis. The text highlights hydrogen's potential to decarbonize mineral extraction and steelmaking, while noting that global production must scale significantly from current levels to align with science-based climate pathways.

ClientEarth argues that HM Treasury (HMT) is an obstacle to ambitious climate policy and lacks transparency in its coordination with other departments. The submission calls for a 'Climate Cabinet' and a parallel climate budget to ensure legal targets are met. In the financial sector, ClientEarth highlights a widespread failure among pension funds and asset managers to treat climate change as a material financial risk, noting a 'herd mentality' that stifles innovation. It criticises the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for a lack of enforcement regarding climate risk disclosures and warns of 'greenwash' in sustainable financial products. The document recommends mandatory TCFD reporting for large asset owners by 2022 and the regulation of investment consultants by the FCA.

The report examines Shenzhen's experience with electric logistics vehicles to identify strategies for improving charging infrastructure, utilizing a dataset of over 10,000 vehicles and operator interviews to provide a guide for other global cities.

This executive summary discusses the need for wholesale electricity market reform to accommodate the transition from large, fossil-fuel-burning power plants to cheaper, smaller, carbon-free resources. It introduces two proposed pathways for market evolution: a decentralized approach emphasizing bilateral contracting and a hybrid approach combining long-term markets with short-term spot markets.

The document argues that current Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are insufficient to meet the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C limit and proposes a ten-point agenda to scale up mitigation ambition. It emphasizes the need for a whole-economy view to avoid detrimental social and economic consequences and argues that climate mitigation and sustainable development goals are synergistic rather than contradictory. The paper calls for a full transformation across all sectors to reach net zero CO2 emissions globally by 2050, requiring that all financial flows be made Paris-compatible and that countries with higher capacities support those with limited resources.

The Life After Coal Campaign advocates for the urgent phase-out of coal-fired power in South Africa to mitigate climate change and economic risks. The campaign calls for the cancellation of several coal projects, including the Coal IPP Programme and remaining units of the Kusile power station, while urging the government to remove barriers to renewable energy procurement and finalise the Integrated Resource Plan for Electricity (IRP). The document argues that continuing investment in coal infrastructure risks stranding assets and workers, noting that a low-carbon transition is necessary to avoid an estimated $120 billion in transition risk by 2035.

The authors propose a market design featuring a regional spot market operated by an independent Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) using locational marginal pricing and security-constrained economic dispatch. To ensure long-term investment in clean resources and manage price risk, the model relies on decentralized bilateral contracts, such as Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), rather than centralized capacity procurement. The authors contend that this approach facilitates the retirement of fossil fuel generation, promotes innovation in distributed energy resources, and minimizes political interference. They emphasize that public policy instruments, such as carbon pricing or portfolio standards, should complement this market structure by internalizing greenhouse gas externalities to accelerate the transition.

The paper argues that current wholesale electricity markets, designed for large fuel-burning plants with high production costs, are ill-equipped for a future dominated by wind, solar, and storage, which have near-zero production costs and different operational characteristics. It identifies a disconnect between federal wholesale rates and state retail rates as a barrier to demand-side flexibility. The authors propose ten principles for modern markets—including technology neutrality, grid reliability, and long-run efficiency—and outline two emerging pathways for reform: a "Robust Spot Market" approach focusing on decentralized bilateral contracting, and a "Long-Term Plus Short-Term Markets" approach utilizing a centralized forward market.

The document examines the risks that current short-term wholesale electricity markets, based on locational marginal prices (LMPs), may fail to provide sufficient price signals to sustain the investment needed for deep decarbonization. This is primarily due to the minimal short-run marginal costs of variable renewable energy (VRE) and the fact that VRE resources often cannot capture scarcity prices during production lulls. To mitigate this, the authors propose long-term markets that provide contractual certainty through power purchase agreements (PPAs) or similar mechanisms. The report compares three specific proposals (by Corneli, Gimon, and Pierpont), identifying six core commonalities: the use of long-term contracts, voluntary participation, coordination with short-term markets, incremental implementation, optimized policy guidance, and organic implementation pathways. The authors suggest that these long-term markets can better identify efficient portfolios of VRE, storage, and flexible load across broad regions, reducing the risk of overbuild or incompatible resource mixes.

The report explores how large utility customers, including cities and corporations, can achieve high renewable energy goals through various procurement models. It details options such as green tariffs, sleeved PPAs, and community solar, while addressing the critical role of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) in accounting and disclosure. The document emphasizes the need for collaboration between utilities, customers, and regulators to ensure that the transition to carbon-free energy is cost-effective, avoids cross-subsidization of non-participants, and maintains grid reliability.

The We Mean Business coalition, representing nearly 900 global companies, calls on Japan to establish a clear path to net-zero domestic emissions by 2050. The coalition argues that clear, long-term government policies are necessary to provide businesses with the confidence to invest in zero-carbon technologies and avoid stranded assets. To achieve this, they recommend that Japan implement quantitative decarbonization targets across all sectors, prioritize renewable energy deployment, phase out coal, introduce carbon pricing, and support green finance.