Search Climate Insights Directory

The statement criticizes the high profits of fossil fuel companies like Eni, Exxon, and Chevron amidst rising energy poverty in Europe, particularly in Italy. It advocates for the European Commission's REPowerEU plan to allow Member States to tax windfall profits, which the IEA estimates could generate €200 billion in 2022. Additionally, it calls for the EU ETS2 revision to ensure big polluters absorb carbon costs to protect vulnerable households.

The document outlines the synergies between climate mitigation and public health, arguing that immediate action to reduce emissions provides significant health co-benefits across energy, transport, urban planning, and agriculture. It emphasises that climate change is a justice issue, noting that wealthy nations and individuals are the primary polluters while vulnerable populations suffer most. The briefing advocates for systemic transformations, such as shifting to plant-based diets, decarbonising energy systems, and implementing sustainable urban design, to avoid breaching the 1.5°C warming threshold and to improve global health outcomes.

The report identifies four critical barriers to Canada's electricity transition: misaligned federal climate policies, lack of provincial institutional coordination, potential electricity rate increases, and insufficient interregional connectivity. To overcome these, it advocates for a combination of federal carbon pricing reform, the implementation of national performance standards, and the use of negotiated agreements where federal funding is tied to provincial governance reforms. Key recommendations include clarifying the mandates of provincial regulators to include climate goals, developing comprehensive energy plans, and utilizing the tax base rather than just electricity rates to fund infrastructure and support low-income households.

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.

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.

The report argues that Canada must transition to larger, cleaner, and smarter electrical systems to achieve net-zero emissions. It highlights the need for a massive increase in production capacity, the elimination of fossil fuel power, and enhanced grid flexibility. To overcome institutional and financial barriers, the authors recommend 'electro-federalism,' where the federal government provides strategic funding and standards while provinces manage regional implementation and integration.

The document examines the dimensions of a just energy transition, moving beyond the focus on fossil fuel workers to address the impacts of clean energy deployment. It identifies five types of energy justice—distributive, procedural, recognition, restorative, and cosmopolitan—and emphasizes the necessity of respecting human rights across the entire clean energy supply chain. The briefing highlights risks associated with critical mineral extraction and land use, providing case studies from Colombia and Scandinavia. It concludes that international cooperation and robust regulatory frameworks are essential to ensure that the benefits and costs of the transition are shared equitably without exacerbating existing inequalities.

The report assesses the current state of energy transition in Latin America and the Caribbean, identifying gaps in energy efficiency, electrification, and the adoption of low-carbon technologies like hydrogen and CCUS. It highlights the region's strong baseline in renewable electricity, primarily from hydropower, while emphasizing the need for more aggressive long-term targets and climate adaptation strategies to protect energy infrastructure from extreme weather.

The document details EU member state reactions to the proposed extension of the Emission Trading System (ETS) to road transport and buildings (RTB). While many delegations support the measure to meet the -55% emission target by 2030, significant concerns persist regarding socio-economic impacts on vulnerable groups, the sufficiency of the Social Climate Fund (SCF), and the timing of implementation. The briefing also notes discussions on the Effort Sharing Regulation, LULUCF targets, and CO2 standards for vehicles.

The document analyzes how end-user subsidies—direct or indirect payments to consumers—can bridge the affordability gap for basic electricity access. It evaluates two primary methodologies for calculating this gap (SEforALL's 'Taking the Pulse' and the World Bank's 'Off-Grid Solar Market Trends Report') and identifies key design attributes such as financing structures, delivery modalities, and verification systems. Through case studies, it finds that Ghana's programme succeeded due to accurate targeting and pricing, while Uganda's faced challenges with high costs and payment delays. Togo's CIZO programme is highlighted for its innovative use of mobile money for subsidy delivery. The brief concludes that improving demographic and consumption data is essential to avoid market distortion and ensure subsidies reach the poorest households.

The document argues that end-user subsidies are essential for achieving universal electricity access by reducing product costs for the poorest households. It analyzes two primary methodologies for calculating the affordability gap—the SEforALL 'Taking the Pulse' and the World Bank 'Market Trends' approaches—and identifies key design attributes including financing structures, delivery modalities, and verification systems. Through case studies, it demonstrates that successful programmes, like those in Ghana and Togo, rely on accurate demographic data and effective public-private partnerships, whereas the Ugandan experience highlights risks such as payment delays and inaccurate subsidy thresholds. The brief concludes that harmonized data metrics and a modified energy burden threshold for emerging economies are necessary to prevent market distortion and improve targeting.

The author contends that energy poverty in South Africa persists because the government defines 'access' solely as a physical grid connection, ignoring the critical barriers of affordability and reliability. While electricity is essential for small-scale economic activity, education, and health, the current cost-recovery model and an inadequate Free Basic Electricity policy trap low-income households in poverty. The document calls for a national policy shift to establish clear affordability benchmarks to prevent electricity infrastructure from becoming stranded assets and to unlock broader development goals.

The document examines the 'polycrisis' affecting Europe, where the cost of living crisis is driven by a combination of the pandemic, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and long-term neoliberal policies. It analyzes the disproportionate impact on young people, women, and the elderly, while exploring systemic failures in energy, housing, and food systems. The authors advocate for 'energy sobriety', the re-municipalisation of water, the expansion of social housing, and the revitalization of trade unions as essential steps toward a Green New Deal that ensures social justice and ecological sustainability.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) critiques South Africa's Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP), a USD 8.5 billion deal with France, the UK, the US, and the EU. The analysis highlights that 81% of the financing consists of loans, with 89.4% targeted at infrastructure, leaving minimal funding for skills development (0.1%) and economic diversification (0.3%). The IEJ warns that the plan's reliance on 'de-risking' private investment through Independent Power Producers (IPPs) may lead to higher electricity tariffs, unsustainable sovereign debt from previous guarantee windows, and a failure to localize the renewable energy value chain. Furthermore, the document notes a lack of social security for workers in the Mpumalanga coal-belt, where up to 8,000 direct jobs could be lost. The IEJ advocates for a shift toward climate reparations, debt cancellation, and grant-based financing to ensure a truly just transition.

This report section analyzes the increasing vulnerability of the urban poor to extreme heat across 54 high-impact countries in 2022, highlighting a rise in the population at high risk due to lack of access to cooling.

The author contends that the proposed ETS2 for buildings and road transport risks exacerbating energy poverty and failing to drive decarbonization unless it is accompanied by complementary policies to remove renovation barriers and a reform of the current ETS to eliminate free allowances for heavy industry.

The document argues that electrifying homes and businesses is a critical pathway to net-zero emissions, noting that these buildings account for 13% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. It highlights high-efficiency heat pumps, smart thermostats, and weatherization as key upgrades that can reduce emissions and lower utility bills. The brief emphasizes that while individual actions are important, systemic support through government incentives, building codes, and financing is necessary to overcome barriers, particularly for low-income households and renters in multifamily housing.

The document critiques the current global energy system as a driver of climate change and systemic oppression, particularly affecting women in the Global South. It warns against 'false solutions'—such as greenwashing and 'purplewashing'—where corporations adopt environmental or feminist rhetoric without challenging underlying power structures. The report advocates for a 'Feminist Just Energy Transition' based on energy democracy, public ownership, and the centrality of care work and life sustainability over profit accumulation.

The report by Friends of the Earth International contends that the current energy system is built on systemic oppression, including patriarchy and neocolonialism, which disproportionately affects women, indigenous peoples, and the Global South. It warns against 'false solutions' such as greenwashing and 'purplewashing' (superficial feminism), where corporations use renewable energy or gender equality rhetoric to mask continued exploitation. The authors advocate for a feminist energy transition centered on the 'sustainability of life,' public ownership, degrowth, and the recognition of care work, rather than market-led technical fixes.

The document critiques the current global energy system as a product of patriarchal extractivism and capitalism that disproportionately harms women, particularly in the Global South. It warns against 'greenwashing' (maquillaje verde) and 'purplewashing' (maquillaje violeta), where corporations use environmental and gender-equality narratives to mask continued exploitation. The authors advocate for a 'just and feminist energy transition' centered on the sustainability of life, public ownership, and the recognition of care work, rather than market-driven technological fixes.