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Governments take note: science-based targets lead to faster emissions cuts, the right policy can cut them faster still
The We Mean Business Coalition highlights that companies using the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) are reducing emissions faster than the global average, noting a 12% cut in 2020 compared to a 5% global decrease. With 2,253 companies representing $38 trillion in market capitalization engaged with SBTi, the author urges G7 governments to align Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) with the goal of halving global emissions by 2030 and to create legal requirements for all companies to set targets. The document emphasizes that a just transition to clean energy—through renewables, electrification, and energy efficiency—is essential to enable businesses to decarbonize their value chains and meet these targets.
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Document type: Statement
Volte-face
The executive summary outlines a strategy for Canada to reach carbon neutrality by shifting from fossil fuels to clean electricity. It emphasizes the need for a massive expansion of electricity production capacity, the acceleration of wind and solar deployment, and the implementation of 'electro-federalism'—a coordinated policy approach across all levels of government to manage the transition and ensure equity.
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Document type: Executive summary
How Australia is Decarbonizing Its Premium Commercial Buildings: A Story of Ambition Loops
Australia has become a global leader in decarbonizing high-end commercial buildings through 'ambition loops'—positive feedback cycles where government regulation, industry collaboration, and market demand reinforce each other. Early leadership from the Victoria state government and the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) helped overcome initial knowledge gaps and lack of demand. The implementation of mandatory efficiency codes and transparency tools, such as the Commercial Building Disclosure Program and the National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS), created a competitive environment where sustainable buildings attract more corporate tenants and investors. This model has since influenced residential and construction sectors in Australia and exported rating systems to New Zealand and the UK.
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Document type: Case study
BIGGER, CLEANER, SMARTER
The report argues that Canada's electricity systems must become "bigger, cleaner, and smarter" to serve as the backbone of a net zero economy by 2050. It identifies 'safe bets'—commercially available solutions like wind, solar, and energy efficiency—and 'wild cards'—emerging or high-barrier technologies like small modular reactors and carbon capture. The analysis emphasizes that while technical pathways exist, significant social, political, and institutional barriers, such as interregional grid integration and local opposition, must be overcome. It also highlights the unique challenges faced by remote communities and the necessity of Indigenous leadership in the energy transition.
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Document type: Report
ELECTRIC FEDERALISM POLICY FOR ALIGNING CANADIAN ELECTRICITY SYSTEMS WITH NET ZERO
The report identifies four critical policy challenges in Canada's transition to a net zero electricity system by 2035: misalignment of federal climate policy, lack of coordination among provincial institutions, potential upward pressure on electricity rates, and weak incentives for interregional grid integration. To address these, the authors propose a framework of 'electric federalism' involving strengthened carbon pricing, the implementation of performance standards, and the use of government tax bases to fund infrastructure investments to protect low-income ratepayers. The report emphasizes the need for provincial regulators to have mandates explicitly aligned with climate goals and suggests that the federal government use negotiated agreements—similar to health transfers—to provide financial support conditional on provincial policy reforms.
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Document type: Report
PLUS GRANDS, PLUS PROPRES, PLUS INTELLIGENTS
The report argues that Canada's electrical systems must become "plus grands, plus propres et plus intelligents" (larger, cleaner, and smarter) to support national carbon neutrality by 2050. It identifies 'safe bets' (valeurs sûres)—such as expanding wind and solar capacity, improving energy efficiency, and phasing out unabated fossil fuels—and 'risky bets' (paris risqués), including small modular reactors and carbon capture and storage (CCS). The analysis emphasizes that while technical solutions exist, significant social, institutional, and political barriers remain, particularly regarding interregional grid integration and Indigenous leadership in the energy transition.
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Document type: Report
POWERING CANADA'S NET ZERO FUTURE
The report argues that a 'big switch' to clean electricity is essential for Canada's net zero transition, requiring a substantial increase in generation capacity, the phase-out of unabated fossil fuels, and enhanced system flexibility. It identifies significant barriers, including uncoordinated federal and provincial policies, potential electricity rate increases, and limited interregional grid integration. To overcome these, the authors propose 'electric federalism'—a coordinated approach where the federal government provides financial support and a clean electricity standard in exchange for provinces updating institutional mandates and energy plans.
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Document type: Executive summary
Électrifier le chauffage des bâtiments commerciaux et institutionnels
The report identifies that Canada must increase the share of electricity in commercial and institutional building heating from less than 15% to at least 75% by 2050 to reach net-zero goals. It highlights three primary obstacles: the low cost of natural gas, a lack of internal planning capacity and a 'business-as-usual' bias among technical experts, and significant capital constraints for building owners. To address these, the report proposes five catalysts: short-term electrification plans for businesses, integrating net-zero mandates into utility and regulatory frameworks, aligning utility planning with net-zero trajectories to ensure clean energy supply, establishing building performance standards, and developing innovative public-private financing models. Examples of progress include the bi-energy strategy in Quebec and performance standards in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal.
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Document type: Report
Développer l’électricité propre
The document identifies a critical gap between current electricity planning and the capacity needed for net-zero goals, proposing five catalysts—including regulatory reform and private investment—to accelerate the transition in Canada.
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Document type: Report
Électrifier les industries
The report identifies the manufacturing, construction, and mining sectors as having high potential for electrification to reduce Canada's industrial greenhouse gas emissions. It highlights three primary barriers: technical readiness for hard-to-abate sectors, concerns over electricity reliability and availability, and the low cost of natural gas. To overcome these, the report proposes three catalysts: the development of short-term electrification plans by companies, the alignment of utility planning with net-zero trajectories, and the implementation of guaranteed carbon pricing mechanisms, such as carbon contracts for difference.
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Document type: Report
Shifting policy gears to effect global transition towards sustainable lifestyles
The document examines the link between resource-intensive lifestyles of the global rich and environmental degradation, noting that the world has been in 'global ecological overshoot' since 1970. It identifies housing, transport, and food as the primary drivers of lifestyle emissions and proposes a multi-pronged policy approach to shift societal norms. The authors emphasize that a 'just transition' is necessary to avoid marginalizing local communities and to prevent 'neo-consumerism' where green products simply replace unsustainable ones without reducing overall consumption.
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Document type: Research paper
Dr Carney: demanding an end to fossil fuel expansion is not clickbait
Reclaim Finance critiques Mark Carney's claims that financing for carbon-intensive industries is necessary and consistent with a 1.5°C transition. The organization argues that GFANZ acts as a 'greenwashing operation' due to its lack of enforcement and transparency, and asserts that new fossil fuel infrastructure is neither a viable solution to the energy crisis caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine nor compatible with IEA pathways. It calls for a managed decline of fossil fuel production and the adoption of strict enforcement mechanisms for financial institutions committing to net zero.
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Document type: Statement
Consideration of funding proposals - Addendum II Funding proposal package for FP185
The 'Climate Change: The New Evolutionary Challenge for the Galapagos' programme seeks USD 65.27 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to implement a comprehensive transition to a low-carbon economy in Ecuador's Galapagos Islands. The initiative focuses on three main components: changing the energy matrix through a centralized 14.8 MWp solar plant (Conolophus project) and distributed renewable energy; building climate resilience in food systems and ecosystems (including coral reef and Scalesia forest restoration); and establishing sustainability mechanisms such as ecotourism certification and climate-responsive planning. The programme targets 33,000 residents and over 100,000 annual tourists, aiming to reduce 584,169 tCO2eq over 25 years and enhance resilience across 19,000 hectares of agricultural land and 138,000 km2 of marine ecosystems.
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Document type: Report
Ndjekja e shpejtë e tranzicionit energjetik të Europës
The authors evaluate the EU and German recovery funds, noting that while they are framed as 'green', much of the funding remains conditional or vague. They contrast this with the 2008 financial crisis, where green investments were limited. The text emphasizes the role of the European Parliament in ensuring accountability and pushing for a 60% CO2 reduction by 2030, while warning that Germany's current plans may not meet its 65% renewable energy target due to restrictive zoning laws and continued fossil fuel subsidies.
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Document type: Research paper
Living with Climate Change
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) hosted a briefing series titled 'Living with Climate Change' to address community preparation for polar vortices, sea level rise, wildfires, and extreme heat. A specific focus was placed on the polar vortex, noting that climate change is expected to affect the frequency and severity of these events. The document highlights the necessity of adaptation strategies for the energy grid and home energy efficiency to prevent deadly power losses, citing 246 deaths during the 2021 Texas polar vortex freeze.
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Document type: Briefing
In Search of a Triple Win
The briefing analyzes energy policies in buildings, mobility, power, and resource extraction across 30 countries to determine their impact on poverty and inequality. It finds that while 60% of analyzed policies are likely to decrease poverty, only 11% are likely to decrease inequality, and only 13% provide both positive social and environmental impacts. The author argues that energy policies must be integrated with social policies, such as worker retraining and the use of tax revenues for social benefits, to prevent exacerbating social disparities during the clean energy transition.
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Document type: Briefing
From Deep Crisis, Profound Change
The report argues that Russia's war on Ukraine has created a supply-side shock that aligns energy security, climate goals, and economics, potentially leading to a prompt and sustained decline in global fossil fuel demand. It suggests that high fossil fuel prices make renewables more competitive and encourages both Europe and the Global South to accelerate the shift toward domestic renewable energy and efficiency to ensure energy security.
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Document type: Report
IPCC's upcoming 6th assessment report mitigation of climate change
The briefing highlights that global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, making the Paris Agreement targets of 1.5°C and 2°C increasingly difficult to achieve without significant 'overshoot'. It notes a critical gap in climate finance, where current levels are roughly ten times lower than the estimated USD 6.3 trillion needed annually by 2030. While net-zero commitments and renewable energy deployment have grown substantially, the document warns against an over-reliance on carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and emphasizes the need for rapid transformations in energy, agriculture, and urban planning.
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Document type: Briefing
Designing a sound EU carbon market for buildings and transport
Carbon Market Watch outlines recommendations for the EU ETS II, emphasizing that emission allowances should be auctioned rather than allocated for free to ensure the 'polluter pays' principle. The author argues that the estimated annual average revenue of €47 billion (2026-2030) should be recycled into socially fair compensation schemes for energy efficiency and renewable energy to protect low-income households. Additionally, the document asserts that carbon pricing must be complemented by regulatory frameworks, such as vehicle emission standards and energy performance requirements for buildings, as pricing alone is insufficient to drive full decarbonization.
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Document type: Statement
Politics & Global Warming
The report finds that while a majority of U.S. registered voters support various clean energy policies and prefer candidates who take action on global warming, the issue ranks relatively low as a primary voting priority. There is significant political polarization, with strong support for climate action among Democrats and substantial opposition or indifference among conservative Republicans. Voters generally trust scientific and medical sources over political or industry ones and express widespread dissatisfaction with the U.S. government's response to global warming.
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Document type: Report