Search Climate Insights Directory

The report identifies a significant price gap between sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and conventional jet fuel as the primary barrier to adoption. It proposes that U.S. airports, specifically the Port of Seattle at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, can overcome this by funding 'co-benefits'—such as air quality improvements and greenhouse gas reductions—rather than the fuel commodity itself. The authors evaluate 14 funding mechanisms and recommend a portfolio including corporate support, port taxing authority, general non-aeronautical revenue, and airline agreements to meet an estimated $6 million annual cost for a 1% SAF blend. Additionally, the report explores infrastructure financing, noting that long-term co-benefit procurement contracts can de-risk private investment in regional SAF production.

The 2017 Allianz Climate and Energy Monitor finds that while emerging markets like China and India are seeing a boom in renewable energy installations driven by falling costs, OECD countries—specifically Germany, the UK, and France—remain the most attractive investment destinations due to stable policy frameworks. The report highlights a significant investment gap, stating that G20 countries must roughly double annual investments to meet Paris Agreement goals, with absolute needs reaching USD 709 billion per year (2012 prices) between 2014 and 2035. It notes a global shift from feed-in tariffs to auction-based support systems and warns that governments must now transition from focusing on generation to holistic power system design to integrate variable renewables and avoid curtailment.

The briefing outlines the role of the 2018 Facilitative Dialogue (FD 2018) as the first progress assessment under the Paris Agreement. It emphasizes the need for a process that combines technical and political components, incorporates inputs from non-state actors and multilateral institutions, and utilizes the IPCC special report on 1.5 degrees C to signal a collective commitment to enhanced climate ambition by 2020.

The document argues that natural gas must be phased out alongside coal to limit global warming to 1.5˚C, warning that current investments in gas infrastructure risk creating stranded assets as the power sector transitions to carbon-free energy by 2050.

A coalition of environmental organizations calls on the Italian government to strengthen the EU's Effort Sharing Regulation by lowering the emission starting point, limiting the use of LULUCF and ETS credits, capping accumulated surpluses, and introducing periodic upward revisions of 2030 targets to align with the Paris Agreement.

A coalition of Romanian NGOs urges the Minister of Environment to advocate for a strengthened Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR) during the Environment Council. The authors argue that the current ESR is insufficient to meet Paris Agreement goals and propose specific improvements, including higher emission reduction targets for 2030 and 2050, more accurate emission baselines, the removal of forestry and ETS loopholes, and stricter governance with financial sanctions.

A coalition of environmental organizations calls on the Spanish government to strengthen the EU's Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR) to align with the Paris Agreement, specifically requesting a 95% emissions reduction by 2050, the removal of the 'ESR safety reserve', and stricter governance to ensure climate targets are met.

The policy brief asserts that while the EU ETS is necessary, it is insufficient on its own to achieve a net-zero economy due to market barriers, low carbon prices, and a lack of focus on energy security and air quality. It advocates for a complementary policy package including energy efficiency measures, renewable policies, and direct regulation to avoid high-carbon infrastructure lock-in and ensure synergy between the EU ETS and the Clean Energy Package.

A joint letter from environmental organizations to Italian MEPs arguing that the European Commission's Effort Sharing Regulation proposal is inadequate and proposing specific amendments to reduce the carbon budget, limit the use of credits, and introduce periodic target reviews.

The document outlines the dual motivations of despair and hope behind the People's Climate March. Despair is driven by climate damage and government inaction, while hope is based on the potential for sustainable cities, reduced food waste, landscape restoration, and sustainable infrastructure investment.

The report examines the progress of decarbonisation across three global energy sectors. It highlights the rapid growth of wind and solar power, the emerging scale of electric vehicle sales, and the relative lag in the buildings sector despite available technological solutions.

This report analyzes the economic viability and technical requirements for the 100% decarbonization of Indian Railways' (IR) traction electricity demand, focusing on a case study in Madhya Pradesh. It concludes that a mixed wind and solar energy strategy is the most cost-effective approach, projecting that decarbonization will be 26-28% cheaper than business-as-usual by 2030.

The CSIR's analysis of South Africa's Draft IRP 2016 concludes that a 'Least Cost' scenario—prioritising solar PV, wind, and flexible power—is significantly cheaper, creates more jobs, and emits less CO2 than the government's Base Case and Carbon Budget scenarios. The report argues that the Draft IRP 2016 imposes annual new-build constraints on solar and wind without techno-economic justification, which artificially inflates costs and pushes the system toward new coal or nuclear investment. By 2050, the CSIR finds that a renewable energy share of over 70% is cost-optimal. Technical assessments on system inertia and transmission infrastructure indicate that the costs of maintaining stability in a high-renewable system are low, representing less than 1% of total power generation costs.

The report finds that 100% decarbonization of Indian Railways' traction electricity demand in Madhya Pradesh would be 26-28% cheaper than the business-as-usual pathway by 2030. This cost-effectiveness is driven by falling renewable energy and battery storage costs, contrasted with rising fossil fuel costs. The study emphasizes that an optimal mix of wind and solar power is essential to minimize balancing costs, which are expected to account for 5-8% of total costs by 2030. However, the report warns of significant policy and regulatory risks, particularly the lack of recognition of Indian Railways' deemed transmission and distribution licensee status by state governments and the difficulty in securing power banking arrangements.

The paper examines how subnational governments, with a focus on Washington State, can effectively use carbon tax revenues for greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation. It argues against a narrow focus on the lowest-cost reductions, which often leads to pitfalls such as overpayment, lack of additionality, and long ramp-up periods. Instead, it recommends a strategic approach that targets market failures, promotes social equity, and leverages existing state programs to ensure rapid and effective deployment of funds.

The Clean Air Task Force asserts that President Trump's Executive Order to rescind the Climate Action Plan and related rules cannot be implemented by 'administrative fiat' due to the requirement for notice and comment rulemaking. The author argues that the Clean Power Plan is a cost-effective method for reducing emissions from power plants and that curbing methane emissions from the oil and gas industry is essential for public health and the climate, noting that methane is '70 times as potent a warmer as CO2' over its first 20 years.

The We Mean Business coalition criticizes a US Executive Order that undermines the Clean Power Plan (CPP) and the broader clean energy agenda. The coalition argues that the CPP provides significant economic benefits, including estimated net economic gains of US$26-45 billion and support for over 3 million jobs in 2016. Despite the policy shift, the coalition asserts that the transition to low-carbon energy is inevitable, citing support from over 1,000 companies and investors via the 'Business Backs Low Carbon USA' statement and the continued global commitment to the Paris Agreement.

Scott Vaughan, President and CEO of IISD, critiques the investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) model and the CETA agreement, advocating for a multilateral investment court and a shift toward investment models that align with the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He suggests that the WTO may not be the ideal venue for a new multilateral investment agreement due to its focus on disciplines rather than cooperation.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the cost-effectiveness and feasibility of decarbonizing Indian Railways (IR) by 2030. It evaluates various pathways for the traction and non-traction segments, concluding that transitioning to renewable energy—specifically through captive generation at an accelerated rate—is significantly cheaper than a business-as-usual scenario. The report emphasizes the necessity of full electrification and identifies regulatory barriers regarding state-level net metering and open access policies.

RMI defends its research on grid defection, asserting that while full disconnection from the utility may currently only be economical in Hawaii, the declining costs of distributed energy resources (DERs) create a risk of stranded utility assets. RMI critiques a Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) study for focusing only on present-day costs and a limited set of DER options, arguing that the threat of future defection empowers customers and necessitates reforms in utility business models and retail pricing to achieve an integrated, cost-optimal grid.