Search Climate Insights Directory

This case study examines how Chile, Indonesia, and South Africa are decarbonizing their mining sectors to align with the Paris Agreement while continuing to supply critical minerals for the global energy transition.

This report by RMI provides a strategic framework for hydrogen project developers to comply with the proposed 45V clean hydrogen production tax credit in the United States. It details the 'four pillars' of the Treasury's proposed guidance—regionality, hourly matching, incrementality, and attribute tradeability—and outlines an ecosystem of registries, contracts, and operational strategies needed to secure the highest credit tier of $3 per kg of hydrogen.

RMI and partners conducted a feasibility study on establishing a green shipping corridor for dry bulk trade between the US Gulf Coast and Japan. The study focuses on the use of green methanol in dual-fuel bulk carriers by 2030, analyzing cost drivers, infrastructure needs, and the impact of regulatory frameworks to achieve decarbonization goals.

This research paper examines the efforts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Zambia to establish a regional battery industry by leveraging their copper and cobalt resources. It analyzes the geopolitical competition between the USA, China, and the EU for critical minerals, the historical shift from nationalized to privatized mining, and the governance challenges hindering local value addition.

A fact sheet by Ember detailing the risk of sanctions for Romania due to high methane emissions from its hard coal mines, which currently exceed EU limits, and proposing methane capture and conversion as a solution.

The report by Ember analyzes the strategic importance of wind energy in India's energy transition, emphasizing its complementarity with solar power to reduce reliance on thermal power during non-solar hours. It highlights the need to accelerate wind capacity deployment to meet the 14th National Electricity Plan (NEP14) targets and discusses policy interventions, economic benefits, and the potential for offshore wind and repowering.

The 'Beyond Gensets' report by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) provides a comprehensive audit of fossil fuel generator sets (gensets) in Lagos State, Nigeria. It establishes a baseline of genset capacity, fuel consumption, and emissions across residential, commercial, and market sectors to inform a state-wide displacement programme in favour of distributed solar PV (DPV). The study highlights a massive reliance on self-generation due to grid unreliability and identifies high upfront capital costs as the primary barrier to solar adoption.

This briefing by RMI outlines how the US Department of Energy's Loan Program Office (LPO) Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) program, combined with Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tax incentives, provides a financial mechanism for the US oil and gas sector to transition to clean energy. The EIR program offers low-cost, long-tenor debt financing for projects that repurpose ceased energy infrastructure or reduce the operational emissions of existing facilities.

This research paper proposes a working definition and a methodology to measure the activity of distribution system operators (DSOs) in the electricity and natural gas sectors regarding their role in facilitating decarbonization, using UK DSOs as a case study.

A case study by RMI detailing how the City of Ithaca used digital building modeling tools, developed by Cornell University’s Environmental System Lab and RMI, to plan the electrification of 5,468 buildings to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.

The report 'Manitoba Builds Green' explores the potential for scaling a deep energy retrofit (DER) industry in Manitoba to decarbonize the building sector, create sustainable employment, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

This guide by RMI explains demand aggregation as a strategy to accelerate the decarbonization of heavy industry and transport. By consolidating fragmented demand into larger signals, buyers can reduce first-mover risk, achieve economies of scale, and provide the financial certainty needed for suppliers to invest in low-emissions infrastructure. The document details specific initiatives in aviation, maritime shipping, steel, and cement, highlighting the use of joint procurement and 'book and claim' mechanisms to bridge the 'green premium' gap.

The report by RMI and the Green Hydrogen Catapult proposes the creation of 'green iron corridors' to decarbonize the steel sector. This strategy involves splitting production: ironmaking occurs in regions with abundant iron ore and renewable energy, while steelmaking remains in manufacturing hubs. This approach aims to reduce emissions and costs by leveraging renewable hydrogen-based ironmaking.

A survey of 23 companies by RMI and the Mission Possible Partnership indicates that airlines and corporate customers are willing to pay a 'green premium' for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and SAF certificates (SAFc). The findings suggest that waste-based feedstocks and shorter contract durations are preferred, and that current willingness to pay (WTP) could make certain SAF production pathways, particularly HEFA, financially bankable.

This policy brief examines the global race to secure critical minerals for green and digital industrial revolutions, detailing the strategies of the US, EU, UK, Canada, and China. It argues that African countries can leverage their mineral wealth through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by adopting a 'climate-resilient developmental regionalism' approach to build regional value chains and achieve sustainable structural transformation.

A speech delivered by WTO Deputy Director-General Jean-Marie Paugam on 4 July 2024, discussing the evolving relationship between global trade and environmental sustainability. Paugam argues that the WTO must move beyond a history of 'benign neglect' toward the environment to address current climate-driven trade disruptions and the risks of trade fragmentation caused by uncoordinated green policies.

This policy brief by Transforma analyzes the feasibility and requirements for Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile to contribute to the global goals of tripling renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency rates by 2030, as established during COP 28. Using the EnergyScope modeling tool, the document evaluates various scenarios to determine the most cost-effective paths for each country to transition their electrical matrices while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

This research paper by Global Energy Monitor analyzes the market dominance of the top three gas turbine manufacturers—GE Vernova, Siemens Energy, and Mitsubishi Power—and the financial and geopolitical risks they face as the energy transition accelerates. The report highlights the industry's reliance on 'hydrogen-ready' technology and long-term service contracts as precarious strategies in the face of rising renewable energy capacity and potential gas power overcapacity.

This guide by RMI outlines how Public Utility Commissions (PUCs) can use regulatory actions to ensure utilities leverage the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to reduce costs for ratepayers. It provides four case studies from Washington, Georgia, Oregon, and New Jersey, demonstrating proactive, mid-planning, procurement-stage, and program-design interventions to improve grid affordability and reliability.

This case study by the World Resources Institute examines Sweden's approach to achieving net-zero emissions, focusing on the 2017 climate policy framework and the subsequent Climate Act. It highlights the use of legal enshrinement, independent oversight, and detailed implementation plans to maintain climate goals despite potential political shifts.