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South Africa's carbon-intensive export model is increasingly vulnerable as 78% of its exports are sold to countries with net zero targets. The report highlights acute risks in the basic metals, automotive, and agricultural sectors due to high embodied CO2 emissions compared to global competitors. While the EU's CBAM and shifting US trade policies pose immediate threats, South Africa's reserves of critical minerals and renewable energy potential offer a strategic path toward 'carbon competitiveness'. The report argues that success depends on decarbonising the national electricity grid, implementing the Climate Change Act 2024, and securing international support through the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).

Brazil possesses a significant carbon competitiveness advantage due to its renewable-heavy electricity grid, but faces substantial risks from incoming Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAMs) and the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). While 78% of its exports go to net zero-aligned markets, structural contradictions—such as continued fossil fuel exploration and the 'Devastation Bill'—threaten its climate credibility. The economy is heavily dependent on China, and recent unilateral tariffs from the US have introduced significant geopolitical volatility.

The report evaluates the financial viability of five clean energy technologies in India: battery energy storage systems (BESSs), solar photovoltaic (PV), electric vehicles (EVs), offshore wind, and green hydrogen (GH2). While current subsidies are sufficient for solar PV and BESSs, significant funding gaps remain for offshore wind and green hydrogen. The analysis suggests that while the government does not need to fund the entire cost gap due to potential private sector catalysis, international climate finance and policy reforms are essential to meet 2030 goals.

The document outlines a three-phase framework for states to maximize federal clean energy funding: Identification, Collaboration, and Implementation. It details a wide array of available federal grants, loans, and tax credits across generation, transmission, energy efficiency, and workforce development, emphasizing the role of the DOE, EPA, and USDA in supporting the transition to a clean power system.

This report by QuotaClimat examines how climate disinformation has moved from social media fringes into mainstream news outlets, particularly in France. It identifies structural vulnerabilities in the media industry—such as financial crises, the rise of 'infotainment', and a regulatory vacuum—that allow anti-science narratives to proliferate. The document argues that news media, despite their perceived credibility, often act as channels for disinformation through 'false balance' and selective framing. It concludes by advocating for a new legislative framework in France to mandate environmental coverage standards and strengthen the role of the regulator, Arcom.

India's tracked green finance for mitigation reached INR 3,712 billion (USD 50 billion) per annum in FY 2021/22, a 20% increase from 2019/20. However, this represents only approximately 30% of the annual finance needed to meet the country's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC). Mitigation finance is primarily domestic (83%), with clean energy receiving the largest share (47%). Adaptation finance saw a nearly threefold increase to INR 1,092 billion (USD 15 billion) per year, dominated by government budgetary expenditure (98%) and focused on disaster risk management. The report highlights significant investment gaps, particularly in electric vehicles and on-farm agricultural adaptation, and recommends the development of a green finance taxonomy and enhanced private sector mobilization.

The report details a comprehensive methodology for mapping green finance in India, defining the scope of 'green finance' to include climate finance and environmental objectives like biodiversity and resource conservation. It establishes a framework for categorizing financial flows by source (domestic/international, public/private), instrument (grants, debt, equity), and sector (clean energy, energy efficiency, clean transportation, and climate adaptation). The methodology employs a variety of data sources, including government budgets, OECD CRS, and project-level databases, while applying specific assumptions such as a 70:30 debt-to-equity gearing ratio and the use of Rio Markers for international public finance. A significant portion of the document is dedicated to the granular classification of on-farm agricultural adaptation activities, categorizing government schemes into 'absolute', 'lower bound', and 'upper bound' based on their adaptation relevance.

The document provides a technical framework for calculating the 'cost gap'—the marginal cost differential between clean energy technologies and their conventional benchmarks—for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), offshore wind, solar PV, electric vehicles (EVs), and green hydrogen in India. It outlines the specific input parameters, learning rates, and benchmarks used for each technology. Furthermore, it describes the application of the Green Economy Model (GEM), a system dynamics tool, to simulate how varying levels of public funding (e.g., 30% or 100% of the cost gap) influence India's GDP, employment, and emissions through feedback loops involving energy spending, air pollution, and labor productivity.

The report argues that artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) is an underestimated but significant contributor to the global supply of critical minerals, particularly cobalt, tin, and tantalum. It highlights that while some minerals like lithium have high potential for ASM extraction in pegmatite deposits, others like graphite are less viable due to low value per unit of weight. The document emphasizes that the sector's deep informality, lack of geological data, and restrictive licensing frameworks hinder its potential. It presents case studies from the DRC, Indonesia, and Chile to demonstrate both the challenges of informality and the success of formalization models like Chile's ENAMI. The report concludes that for ASM to become a reliable supplier, governments must streamline licensing, provide geological foundations for small-scale plots, and create tailored regulatory frameworks specifically for critical minerals rather than relying on generic gold or gemstone policies.

The report analyzes the cost gaps for battery energy storage systems (BESSs), offshore wind, solar PV, electric vehicles (EVs), and green hydrogen (GH2) in India. It finds that while current subsidies are sufficient for solar PV and BESSs, significant additional support is needed for offshore wind, EVs, and GH2. Macroeconomic modeling suggests that bridging these gaps generally boosts GDP and employment, except for GH2, which remains cost-uncompetitive until after 2050.

The Union of Concerned Scientists finds that implementing battery recycling, improving vehicle efficiency, right-sizing battery range, and increasing non-vehicle transportation options could reduce newly mined lithium demand in the US by 48% between 2025 and 2050. This reduction equals 1.5 million metric tons of lithium. The report argues that high recovery rates (90%) could allow recycled content to meet nearly 60% of lithium demand by 2050. Key recommendations include federal recycling requirements, efficiency standards, and expanded public charging infrastructure to reduce the need for oversized batteries.

The report argues that the US can significantly reduce its reliance on newly mined minerals for electric vehicle (EV) batteries by prioritizing energy efficiency, right-sizing battery range, and implementing robust recycling policies. Through a 'Very Low Demand Scenario,' the authors demonstrate that newly mined lithium needs could be reduced by 48% from 2025 to 2050, saving 1.5 million metric tons of material. The analysis emphasizes that while electrification is essential for decarbonization, a systems-wide approach—including investments in public transit and rail to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT)—is necessary to create a sustainable and just supply chain.

Ember argues that the EU must accelerate the deployment of wind, solar, and clean flexibility solutions to achieve energy self-sufficiency and security. The response emphasizes the need for a "Smart Electrification" Action Plan, the complete cessation of Russian fossil fuel imports by 2027, and the modernization of grid infrastructure and cross-border interconnections, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe.

The document highlights the significant influence of French banks on the automotive market, noting that five major groups control 34% of leasing contracts. It criticizes these banks for lacking a phase-out date for internal combustion engine rentals and for a low proportion of electric vehicles in their fleets compared to market averages, particularly at BNP Paribas and Société Générale.

Attribution studies in Brazil indicate that fossil fuel combustion increased the likelihood and intensity of recent floods in Rio Grande do Sul and droughts in the Amazon. Despite these impacts, the Brazilian government continues to support oil and gas expansion, with plans to increase oil production by 63% and gas by 124% by 2032. Petrobras, which controls over 90% of domestic production, is estimated to be responsible for USD 500 billion in climate damages between 2018 and 2023. While Brazil has pledged to reduce emissions by up to 67% by 2035 and has successfully increased wind and solar power to reduce reliance on hydropower, its overall climate policies are rated as 'Insufficient' by Climate Action Tracker.

The report evaluates several major global climate pledges, finding that most are currently off-track. While there are isolated successes—such as the UK closing its last coal plant and growth in electric car sales—critical goals like tripling renewable energy by 2030 and halting deforestation are not being met. The document highlights a significant gap between high-level commitments and implementation, particularly in the financial sector where net-zero plans are deemed insufficient and fossil fuel subsidies have reached record highs. It calls for a shift from loose networks to platforms of accountability as countries develop their next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for 2025.

The report identifies a 'dangerously polluted' digital information landscape where Big Tech platforms allow 'super-spreaders' to propagate debunked claims against renewable energy and electric vehicles. It highlights how disinformation operations weaponise extreme weather events, such as wildfires, to decouple them from environmental drivers and fuel opposition to climate policies. Additionally, the analysis reveals that eight fossil fuel advertisers spent at least $17.6 million on Meta for over 700 million impressions to greenwash their image and lobby for US policy changes. The document warns that degrading researcher access to data is hindering the ability to track these trends and argues that systemic architectural problems and profit motives must be addressed rather than relying solely on fact-checking.

RMI states its readiness to work with the new US administration and elected officials to support clean energy technologies, energy security, and manufacturing jobs, noting that cleantech investments are already driving growth across the United States.

The re-election of Donald Trump may slow US clean technology deployment through the potential repeal of Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds and EV tax credits, potentially shifting leadership to emerging economies. The global market for six key technologies—solar PV, wind turbines, EVs, batteries, electrolysers, and heat pumps—is projected to exceed USD 2 trillion by 2035, with global trade reaching USD 575 billion. China currently leads with 70% of the market for these technologies, though it faces risks from proposed US tariffs of 60% on all imports and 100% on EVs. Other nations may benefit: India could become a net exporter of clean technologies by 2035 with annual exports of USD 30 billion, and Brazil is well-positioned in wind turbine blade production, currently accounting for 5% of the global market. In the Global South, renewable energy potential is 400 times greater than fossil fuel production, and solar is expected to have lower upfront costs than coal in Vietnam from 2024 and in India from approximately 2027.

The ninth FOCAC Beijing Summit signaled a recalibration of China-Africa relations, moving toward a partnership defined by African agency and a focus on quality outcomes over quantity. Despite a period of declining lending since 2016, China committed USD 50.7 billion over three years, focusing on agricultural market access, mineral processing, and infrastructure. The summit highlighted Africa's desire for value addition and industrialization, as well as China's assertive push to promote its governance model and Global South leadership through the Global Development, Security, and Civilization Initiatives. This shift poses a competitive challenge to the EU and US, as African nations increasingly prioritize partnerships that offer tangible utility and respect for sovereignty.