Search Climate Insights Directory

This report evaluates the potential risks to water resources posed by the proposed Thabametsi Power Plant's coal ash dump and pollution control dams. The author concludes that the chosen site is unsuitable and the proposed mitigation measures are insufficient to protect groundwater, surface water, and wetlands.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), acting on behalf of groundWork (gW), has issued an urgent request to the South African Department of Water and Sanitation for information and reasons regarding a water use licence (WUL) issued for the proposed 600 MW Khanyisa Independent Power Producer (IPP) coal-fired power station.

This briefing by the Climate Bonds Initiative explains how green securitisation—the process of creating asset-backed securities (ABS) from low-carbon assets—can unlock finance for small-scale projects. It details various structures including synthetic ABS, PACE ABS, solar ABS, and green mortgage-backed securities, highlighting how aggregating small assets allows institutional investors to provide capital to SMEs and urban infrastructure.

This briefing by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) and Agroicone discusses the legal status and implementation steps of the Brazilian Forest Code (Federal Law No. 12,651/2012) following a February 2018 Supreme Federal Court (STF) ruling. The document outlines the requirements for rural producers to achieve environmental regularization, the benefits available to those who deforested before July 22, 2008, and the critical deadlines for registration in the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR).

This article analyzes a decision by the Brazilian Supreme Federal Court (STF) regarding the 2012 Forest Code (Law No. 12,651/2012), specifically focusing on how contradictory rulings regarding the Environmental Reserve Quote (CRA) create legal uncertainty and potentially weaken this market-based mechanism for environmental regularization.

This research paper evaluates the Pan-Canadian Framework (PCF) using the Canada Energy Policy Simulator (EPS), a tool developed by the Pembina Institute and Energy Innovation. The analysis finds that the PCF is insufficient to meet Canada's 2030 Paris Agreement goals and suggests that extending and strengthening these policies would improve environmental, economic, and public health outcomes.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the use of country systems (UCS) in Morocco, focusing on how Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) can better integrate local public financial management (PFM), procurement, and environmental and social frameworks (ESF) into their financing operations.

This research paper by the Stockholm Environment Institute provides a case study of Thailand's emerging bioeconomy as of 2017. It examines the government's strategy to transition from commodity exports to high-value bio-based products, the roles of the private sector and state, and the socio-economic implications for smallholder farmers.

A letter from the Life After Coal Campaign to South Africa's Minister of Energy, Jeff Radebe, requesting a meeting to discuss the country's energy trajectory and advocating for a just transition from coal and nuclear power to renewable energy.

This research paper compares the electric vehicle (EV) policies of the United States and China, focusing on financial incentives, charging infrastructure, research and development, and fleet procurement. It highlights China's more aggressive approach to subsidies and mandates compared to the U.S. system of tax credits and state-level incentives.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing several environmental justice organizations, issued a formal letter to the Director-General of the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) on 26 February 2018. The letter demands urgent action to address air pollution in the Highveld Priority Area (HPA), specifically criticizing the DEA's handling of minimum emission standards (MES) compliance, its failure to respond to the 'Broken Promises' report, and the health impacts of emissions from Eskom and Sasol.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted a formal statement to the South African Department of Environmental Affairs on 23 February 2018, requesting clarity on the strategic alignment of various climate mitigation and adaptation documents, including the 'Pathways documents'. The CER expressed concern over the lack of transparency regarding the purpose of these documents and the confidentiality of pollution prevention plans for major emitters, while arguing that climate modelling should reflect research showing that new coal-fired power capacity is unnecessary for South Africa's energy security.

This research paper proposes a 'solar municipal bond model' (SMB) to help India reach its 40 GW rooftop solar target by 2022. The model suggests using municipal entities as finance aggregators to provide project developers with access to debt capital markets, potentially reducing rooftop solar costs by up to 12%.

This report investigates the barriers preventing the expansion of renewable energy in Indonesia, specifically wind and solar, despite national targets and falling global prices. Based on 26 interviews with diverse stakeholders, it examines why the country is struggling to meet its commitment to increase the renewable energy mix to 23 per cent by 2025.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing Earthlife Africa and groundWork, notified the IPP Office of its intention to review and set aside the Minister of Environmental Affairs' January 30, 2018, decision to uphold the environmental authorisation for the Thabametsi coal-fired power station.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), on behalf of the Life After Coal campaign and the Highveld Environmental Justice Alliance Network (HEJN), submitted formal objections to Eskom's Background Information Document (BID) regarding a second postponement application for Minimum Emission Standards (MES) at the Tutuka Power Station. The submission argues that the application is legally impermissible because Tutuka is located in the Highveld Priority Area (HPA), where ambient air quality does not comply with National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), a prerequisite for any postponement. The CER further contends that Eskom's request for a "rolling postponement" is equivalent to an illegal exemption and that the BID intentionally withholds critical information regarding pollutants, timeframes, and health impacts to mislead the public and decision-makers.

This briefing argues that without a carbon intensity limit of 550gCO2/kWh for capacity payments, Europe's coal plants could be 'supercharged,' extending their operational lives and crowding out cleaner energy alternatives. The document outlines existing EU policy gaps that favor coal and details how specific capacity market designs risk subsidizing fossil fuels over modern technologies like batteries and demand-side response.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) has notified the Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs of its intention to challenge the Minister of Environmental Affairs' January 30, 2018, decision to uphold the environmental authorisation for the proposed Thabametsi coal-fired power station. The CER argues the decision is unreasonable and unlawful, as it relies on an outdated energy policy to justify a project with very high greenhouse gas emissions and water scarcity risks, contradicting a previous High Court judgment regarding the necessity of independent climate impact assessments.

This report by Good Governance Africa examines the transition to sustainable energy in Nigeria and the broader West African region. It highlights the gap between the region's abundant renewable energy potential and its current energy deficits, emphasizing the need for coherent governance, regional integration, and the urgent leveraging of fossil fuel revenues to fund green infrastructure before hydrocarbon assets become stranded.

A letter from the Life After Coal Campaign to the Chairman of Eskom's Board of Directors, arguing that Eskom's reliance on coal-fired power is economically unsustainable and creates severe liabilities regarding human health, water, and the environment.