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156 results
Decarbonization in Singapore: Hydrogen and the Long-Term Low-Emissions Development Strategy (LEDS)
Singapore aims for climate neutrality after 2050, focusing on hydrogen as a key decarbonization enabler due to its limited renewable energy potential. The country's economy is heavily export-oriented, with industrial activities and the power sector contributing 46% and 39% of GHG emissions, respectively. Singapore is exploring low-carbon hydrogen for electricity generation, heavy-duty transport, and industrial fuel, while considering ammonia for maritime bunkering. While blue hydrogen is feasible, the lack of domestic geological formations for CO2 storage necessitates partnerships with neighboring countries. Singapore leverages its position as a global port and refining hub to aim for a future role as a hydrogen hub within a developing global supply chain.
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Document type: Briefing
CATF Statement on the Introduction of the CLEAN Future Act
The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) supports the CLEAN Future Act, describing it as a blueprint for economy-wide decarbonization. CATF highlights the bill's focus on transmission planning, community assistance for clean energy transitions, the reduction of methane 'Super Pollutants', and the deployment of clean energy technologies. Additionally, the organization notes that the bill's Clean Electricity Standard is designed to accelerate power sector decarbonization while ensuring affordability and fairness.
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Document type: Statement
SADC e-Mobility Outlook: Accelerating Low Carbon Transport Futures
The document assesses the transition to low-carbon transport in the SADC region, focusing on the synergy between e-mobility and the power sector. Using the South Africa TIMES (SATIM) model, it compares four scenarios: Fossil-Car, Fossil-Efficiency, Electric-Car, and Eco-Mobility. The analysis finds that while modal shifts (road-to-rail and transit-oriented development) significantly reduce energy demand, the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is the primary lever for rapid GHG emission reductions. The paper highlights that a transition to EVs would eliminate the need for new crude-oil refinery capacity in South Africa but would increase electricity demand by approximately 20% by 2050. It also explores the role of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles (FCEVs) for heavy corridor freight and the potential for a regional value chain leveraging the mineral resources of the DRC and Zambia.
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Document type: Research paper
MODELING SHOWS VIRGINIA CLEAN ECONOMY ACT WILL CUT STATEWIDE EMISSIONS 35 PERCENT, BUT ADDITIONAL POLICIES ARE REQUIRED TO LIMIT WARMING TO 1.5°C
The Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA) is projected to nearly eliminate power sector emissions and reduce economy-wide emissions by 35% by 2050 compared to business-as-usual. However, to meet a 1.5°C warming pathway, the document argues that Virginia must implement further policies across transportation, buildings, industry, and land use. A proposed '1.5°C Pathway Scenario' involving aggressive electrification and clean energy standards could achieve net-zero emissions before 2050, while generating over 11,000 job-years and increasing annual GDP by more than $2.6 billion by 2050.
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Document type: Research paper
Paris Misaligned Joint Summary
The report finds that global power sector investment in 2018 was significantly misaligned with Paris Agreement goals, with 29% of new investment (USD 129 billion) flowing into fossil fuels. No major country or region is decarbonizing its power sector at the required pace, and no major investor category is fully aligned with Paris-aligned emissions intensity targets. The authors highlight a critical data gap, noting that asset-level transaction data was available for only 23% of tracked high-emissions power finance due to corporate balance sheet borrowing. To achieve alignment, the report recommends halting new carbon-intensive investments, accelerating the retirement of fossil-fuel plants, and scaling up low-carbon investments through public-private collaboration and improved climate risk reporting.
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Document type: Executive summary
Improving Tracking of High-GHG Finance in the Power Sector
The report analyzes the tracking of 'high-emissions finance'—defined as primary investment in assets with a material contribution to global GHG emissions—focusing on the power sector in 2017 and 2018. Using project-level datasets, the authors tracked USD 40.8 billion in annual average commitments, representing roughly one-third of the total fossil fuel power investment estimated by the IEA. The analysis reveals that public institutions, particularly export credit agencies and state-owned banks, and private commercial banks are major sources of this finance. Significant data gaps exist because investments made through corporate balance sheets are not captured in project-level data, particularly in Europe and China. The report recommends that public authorities mandate the disclosure of capital expenditures for high-emissions assets and establish technical emission thresholds to deter harmful investments.
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Document type: Report
A Proposed Method for Measuring Paris Alignment of New Investment
The paper introduces a science-based approach to assess the Paris alignment of new investments by comparing the carbon intensity of new assets against thresholds required to meet specific temperature goals, accounting for locked-in emissions from existing assets. Unlike portfolio-based methods that focus on current ownership, this method attributes responsibility to the original finance providers at the time of asset creation. The authors detail the application of this methodology to the global power sector and the U.S. light road vehicle transport sector, utilizing data from the IEA and other technical sources to establish carbon intensity benchmarks and evaluate financial commitments.
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Document type: Research paper
Paris Misaligned: An Assessment of Global Power Sector Investment
The report finds that while renewable energy investment is growing, continued funding for fossil fuel power plants and the presence of 'locked-in' emissions from existing assets keep the global power sector on a temperature trajectory exceeding 3.2°C. It highlights a significant gap between actual 2018 investment carbon intensities and the negative thresholds required by 2030 to achieve Paris alignment. The analysis identifies specific misalignments among major economies like China, India, and Japan, and among financial actors such as commercial banks and export credit agencies. The document recommends halting new carbon-intensive investments, accelerating the retirement of existing fossil fuel plants, and harmonizing climate risk reporting.
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Document type: Report
Gambling with Biomass: Reliance on BECCS undermines National Grid’s net-zero scenarios
Ember argues that National Grid ESO's FES 2020 scenarios for achieving net-zero by 2050 are undermined by an over-reliance on BECCS to offset residual emissions. The briefing highlights that the required scale of BECCS would necessitate converting 1Mha of UK agricultural land to energy crops and potentially 200Mha globally, posing significant risks to biodiversity and food security. Ember contends that the assumption of 'instant' negative emissions is flawed and that relying on BECCS creates a moral hazard, potentially discouraging more ambitious decarbonisation efforts in difficult sectors like aviation and agriculture.
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Document type: Briefing
Clean Growth in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia has achieved significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions between 2005 and 2018 while maintaining economic growth, driven by fuel switching in electricity, energy efficiency, and a growing clean tech sector. However, the province faces structural unemployment in rural and Indigenous communities, high energy costs for households, and difficulties in decarbonizing the transportation sector to meet its target of net-zero emissions by 2050.
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Document type: Case study
Paris Agreement Compatible Sectoral Benchmarks Summary Report
The Climate Action Tracker has established 'highest plausible ambition' benchmarks for four key sectors—Power, Transport, Industry, and Buildings—to guide the global transition to net-zero emissions by 2050. The report provides specific targets for 2030 and 2050, both globally and for seven major economies (Brazil, China, EU, India, Indonesia, South Africa, and the US), emphasizing that while starting points differ, all sectors must decarbonise by mid-century to meet the 1.5°C goal. Key priorities include the immediate phase-out of coal in developed nations by 2030, a rapid shift to zero-emission vehicles, and significant emissions intensity reductions in cement and steel production.
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Document type: Report
IMPACTS OF COVID-19 ON THE ELECTRICITY SECTOR: HOW CAN STATES MAKE THE MOST OF THE STIMULUS ON OFFER?
The document details the financial distress caused by COVID-19 in India's electricity sector, specifically the revenue losses of DISCOMs and the payment delays affecting power producers. It outlines a stimulus package of INR 90,000 crore for DISCOMs and lists specific loan terms from PFC-REC, including a 10-year loan period and requirements for digital payment and smart meter installation. The briefing also highlights best practices in billing and collection adopted by states like Odisha, Gujarat, Bihar, and Rajasthan to mitigate losses.
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Document type: Briefing
NATURAL GAS: A BRIDGE TO CLIMATE BREAKDOWN
The report argues that natural gas is not a viable 'bridge' fuel but rather a risk to climate stability and shareholder value. It highlights that new gas infrastructure is increasingly incompatible with the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C goal and faces significant economic threats from the falling costs of renewables and storage. The document details how utilities face 'stranded asset' risks, regulatory pressure from state and city decarbonization mandates, and customer defection to community choice aggregations and corporate clean energy contracts. It suggests that 'steel for fuel' strategies—replacing fossil fuel generation with capital investment in renewables—offer a more sustainable financial model. The report concludes by urging investors to demand better disclosure on emissions and transition plans and to support policies like performance-based regulation and securitization to facilitate a just and rapid energy transition.
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Document type: Report
A Roadmap for the Power Supply Sector in Argentina
The report evaluates the energy transition in Argentina's power sector, highlighting the need to align long-term Paris Agreement temperature goals with NDC processes to avoid carbon lock-in. It identifies opportunities for leadership in renewables-based hydrogen and synthetic fuels, while noting that grid limitations are the primary short-term barrier to increasing renewable energy participation.
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Document type: Report
Climate Change and Sustainable Development in the Kenyan Electricity Sector
The report evaluates emission pathways and technology options for Kenya's electricity sector to ensure alignment with the Paris Agreement and sustainable development goals. It argues that avoiding coal and limiting natural gas in favor of geothermal, mini-grids, and energy efficiency is essential for a Paris-compatible trajectory. The document highlights a misalignment between previous climate documents and actual sector planning, recommending integrated planning processes and the creation of a Long-term Strategy to provide transparency and a clear economic vision.
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Document type: Report
Perceptions of climate-related investment risk in Southeast Asia’s power sector
The paper finds a significant gap between the necessity of integrating climate risks and actual investor practice in Southeast Asia's power sector. While physical risks are generally well-understood and factored into due diligence, transition risks—including policy, technology, and reputational risks—are often ignored or superficially addressed. Investors frequently use long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) to shift climate-related liabilities to state-owned utilities. The study identifies institutional habits, the need to deploy large amounts of capital quickly, and limited financial governance as primary barriers to shifting investment from fossil fuels to renewables.
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Document type: Research paper
Transition towards a decarbonised electricity sector
The document introduces a qualitative assessment framework designed to guide policy makers through the phased process of decarbonising the electricity sector. It emphasizes that while the transition to variable renewable energy sources (vRES) like wind and solar presents universal technical challenges, the impact of these challenges is shaped by a country's specific geographic and socio-economic characteristics. The author argues that successful transformation requires timely planning and the embedding of technical solutions within country-specific regulatory frameworks to achieve Paris Agreement goals.
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Document type: Research paper
The Climate Opportunity of Clean Energy Portfolios
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.
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Document type: Policy brief
NDC Update Report
The report argues that to meet the Paris Agreement's long-term temperature goals, most countries must reach net-zero emissions by 2050 or shortly thereafter, requiring immediate sector-specific planning. It identifies five critical sectors—power, industry, transport, buildings, and agriculture, forestry and other land-use—and warns that delaying strategic choices until after 2030 risks 'carbon lock-in' and inefficient, costly infrastructure transitions. The document advocates for a multi-disciplinary approach to planning, combining scenario modelling to translate global goals into feasible policies, Political Economy Analysis (PEA) to navigate stakeholder interests and political feasibility, and a focus on transparency, finance, and governance to mobilise investment and ensure systemic implementation.
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Document type: Report
Growing Risks to the Implementation of Puerto Rico’s Energy Transformation
Puerto Rico's energy transition, guided by Act 17 of 2019, is threatened by projects expedited by PREPA and the P3 Authority that circumvent regulatory oversight. This lack of transparency weakens institutional trust and increases investor risk, potentially making public-benefit projects more expensive and less likely. The document suggests that civil society pressure during the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) process is necessary to ensure compliance and public benefit.
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Document type: Report