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The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) evaluated the 50 US states using 12 indicators to rank their progress in clean energy, focusing on renewable energy generation, energy efficiency, and transport electrification. California leads the ranking, followed by Vermont and Massachusetts. The analysis highlights that clean energy progress is tangible across the US, with wind farms in 41 states and over half a million electric vehicles on the road. The report argues that state-level leadership is critical for job creation and public health improvements, and recommends that states adopt multi-dimensional policies, facilitate corporate participation, and improve energy equity for low-income and minority communities.

The document provides a detailed analysis of energy access and efficiency across high-impact countries, highlighting a significant gap between urban and rural electrification and the critical role of enabling policy frameworks. It reports that 3.04 billion people lacked clean cooking access in 2014 and 1.06 billion lacked electricity. While some countries like India, Bangladesh, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda show strong policy support for energy access, Sub-Saharan Africa remains the least electrified region with underdeveloped policy environments. The report also examines energy efficiency and renewable energy, noting that while renewable energy targets are nearly universal, energy efficiency mandates often lag, particularly in developing nations.

The City of Cape Town is issuing a Green Bond of up to R1 billion, accredited by the Climate Bonds Initiative’s Standard, to fund a variety of climate action projects. These projects include the procurement of electric buses, building energy efficiency, water management, sewerage effluent treatment, and coastal protection. The City intends to raise the bond in July 2017, requiring updates to its Domestic Medium Term Note (DMTN) programme to comply with JSE Debt Listing Requirements and the Municipal Finance Management Act.

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.

The document details a workshop organized by the Stockholm Environment Institute Tallinn Centre as part of the HERON project. It outlines proposed energy efficiency (EE) scenarios for Estonia's buildings and transport sectors, contrasting them with business-as-usual (BAU) paths. Expert panel discussions concluded that the proposed renovation rates for buildings are overly ambitious due to funding and skill shortages, while transport goals require better integration of modes and increased local government authority over cycling and public transport infrastructure.

This executive summary outlines a report on the productivity of energy interventions by International Financial Institutions (IFIs). It finds that while energy efficiency and renewable projects offer broad benefits, energy efficiency represented only 14% of IFI energy portfolios from 2012 to 2014, and 80% of total interventions were non-energy related. The report introduces an "assessment of integrated energy productivity impact" to help IFIs align their lending with the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals, suggesting a common framework to better direct resources toward low-emission economic growth.

As of 31 January 2017, the GCF pipeline consists of 50 funding proposals requesting USD 3.5 billion and 189 concept notes with a potential funding request of USD 9.1 billion. The pipeline is split between public-sector (37 proposals) and private-sector (13 proposals) requests, with a significant focus on adaptation and mitigation in least developed countries, small island developing States, and African States. The document also outlines the progress of the first pilot programme for micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), which aims for a total portfolio of up to five proposals within a USD 100 million envelope.

The report introduces Integrated Energy Productivity (IEP), a metric that expands the traditional economic definition of energy productivity to include social and environmental benefits, weighed against fossil fuel energy inputs. Analyzing data from 2012 to 2014 for seven IFIs—ADB, EBRD, EIB, IDB, KfW/DEG, OPIC, and the World Bank—the study finds that while most energy investments are IEP-positive or relevant, energy efficiency projects are significantly underfunded, representing only 14% of energy portfolios. The report identifies a lack of standardized IEP targets across IFIs and recommends mainstreaming energy efficiency through operational safeguards and a joint IFI framework for tracking impact.

The report addresses the conflict between the Northeastern U.S.'s aggressive renewable energy targets and its limited available land. It argues that meeting these goals requires a combination of innovative siting on low-conflict lands (such as brownfields and prison lands), the acceleration of offshore wind, the use of distributed energy resources, and the import of Canadian hydroelectricity. The authors emphasize that overcoming local opposition through early community engagement and 'Smart from the Start' principles is critical to avoiding project delays and failures.

The document examines the scale of fossil fuel subsidies in China and India, arguing that reforming these payments is essential for improving urban air quality and meeting Paris Agreement targets. It highlights specific reform mechanisms, such as India's Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG and China's voluntary G20 peer reviews, while drawing on Indonesia's experience in reallocating subsidy savings toward social welfare and infrastructure. The brief emphasizes that successful reform requires phased approaches to protect vulnerable consumers and workers, as well as the reallocation of funds toward renewable energy and social services.

The report examines 'M&V 2.0', which combines automated analytics with high-granularity data (such as hourly interval data) to provide near-real-time energy savings estimates. While traditional M&V often relies on delayed reporting and manual analysis, M&V 2.0 offers the potential for faster feedback to program administrators, utilities, and facility owners. However, the authors note significant limitations, including a current focus on existing-conditions baselines rather than standard-practice code baselines, and the difficulty of isolating individual measure-level savings from whole-building meter data. The document outlines the current landscape of proprietary tools, primarily focused on the commercial sector, and discusses ongoing standardization efforts such as the Uniform Methods Project and CalTRACK. To realize the full promise of M&V 2.0, the report recommends conducting more public pilots, establishing collective acceptance criteria for accuracy, and improving automated data access and interoperability.

The document analyzes the U.S. home energy financing landscape, distinguishing between traditional lenders (e.g., FHA, Fannie Mae) and nontraditional options (e.g., PACE, on-bill financing). It argues that consumer choice is driven more by the timing of improvements and ease of origination than by interest rates or terms. Key barriers include manual underwriting for traditional products and a lack of standardization and securitization for nontraditional products. The brief recommends automating underwriting for traditional lenders and creating standardized, poolable programs for nontraditional financing to enable scaling.

The document outlines cross-cutting barriers to energy efficiency in Estonia, categorized as social, cultural, economic, educational, and institutional. It concludes that without additional policy measures, Estonia will fail to meet its 2020 energy efficiency target. While 2020 GHG targets for the non-ETS sector are likely to be met, achieving 2030 targets will require significant interventions, including the renovation of 40% of single-family and 50% of multi-family houses, as well as improved fuel efficiency and spatial planning in the transport sector.

A coalition of 31 networks and organizations calls on EU Environment Ministers to reform the EU ETS by excluding coal investments from the Modernization Fund and article 10c, maintaining the 2013 base year for eligibility to prevent lignite plant subsidies in Greece, and establishing a Just Transition Fund.

The document provides a detailed breakdown of 'green jobs' in the US and internationally, contrasting clean energy employment with fossil fuel industry figures and detailing specific subsectors such as solar, wind, and energy efficiency.

REI constructed a 400,000-square-foot distribution center in Goodyear, Arizona, which is the only facility of its type in the U.S. to achieve both LEED Platinum certification and net-zero energy. Developed with RMI through an integrative design charrette, the facility combines aggressive efficiency measures—such as LED lighting, motion sensors, and air-cooled chillers—with a 2.2-megawatt rooftop PV system. The solar array generates 25–30 percent more energy than the building consumes, providing a return on investment through approximately 20 years of free power. The project also integrates advanced automation and employee-centric climate controls, such as hyperchairs, to balance operational efficiency with workforce comfort.

The report analyzes the climate pledges of 18 Asian countries, finding that while energy and transport are primary mitigation focuses, there are significant gaps in quantified climate finance requirements and the integration of gender and social inclusion. It highlights a regional disparity in disaster risk reduction planning, with South Asian countries generally showing higher levels of integration than their South-East Asian counterparts.

The document examines the growth and potential of green asset-backed securities (ABS), which convert pools of non-liquid carbon-saving assets into tradable securities. It highlights that green ABS accounted for approximately USD 5 billion (6% market share) of green securities issued in 2016, growing from USD 1.9 billion in 2014. The OECD estimates that annual issuance for renewable energy, energy efficiency, and low-emission vehicles could reach USD 280-380 billion by 2035. The briefing identifies key benefits, such as the ability to bundle small projects to reach bond market volumes and the potential for lower capital costs compared to bank financing. It also addresses risks stemming from the 2008 financial crisis and recommends public sector interventions, including the development of uniform 'green' asset definitions, financial support for data collection, and guarantees for junior or mezzanine tranches to attract institutional investors.

The document explains how green securitisation transforms pools of illiquid low-carbon assets into tradable securities, improving access to and lowering the cost of capital for small-scale projects. It notes that green Asset-Backed Securities (ABS) grew to USD 5bn in 2016 and could reach USD 280-380bn annually by 2035. The author recommends public sector interventions, such as providing guarantees for junior tranches and supporting the standardisation of green loan contracts, to mitigate risks and drive market growth.

The document provides a detailed breakdown of jobs in clean energy, contrasting them with fossil fuel employment in the U.S. and highlighting global leaders like China and Brazil. It details specific employment numbers for solar, wind, biomass, and energy efficiency subsectors, while noting the methodological challenges in comparing data from different sources.