Search Climate Insights Directory

This case study by the Climate Policy Initiative examines the trajectory of Spain's concentrated solar power (CSP) industry, detailing how initial successful incentives led to rapid deployment and innovation, followed by a collapse in investor confidence due to retroactive policy changes and a lack of cost-control mechanisms.

This quarterly status report from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) details the financial standing of the core budget as of June 30, 2014. It highlights a critical funding gap caused by unpaid contributions from major member countries, resulting in the freezing of non-essential expenses and hiring. The report also covers budget performance through April 2014, the relocation of the Directorate to Uruguay, and the status of internal administrative controls.

This RMI research paper argues that traditional bundled, volumetric electricity rates are inadequate for a grid with increasing distributed energy resources (DERs). It proposes a transition toward more sophisticated pricing across three dimensions: attribute unbundling, temporal granularity (e.g., real-time pricing), and locational granularity (e.g., 'hot spot' credits). The authors recommend a staged implementation using default and opt-in rates, supported by third-party technologies to maintain a simple customer experience, and call for greater data transparency and improved valuation methodologies for regulators.

The document argues that traditional bundled, volumetric electricity pricing is outdated and fails to incentivize the efficient deployment of distributed energy resources (DERs). It proposes a transition toward more sophisticated pricing based on attribute unbundling, temporal granularity, and locational granularity. Six evolutionary pricing options are suggested, ranging from Time-of-Use pricing to Distribution Locational Marginal Pricing, noting that technology can manage the resulting complexity for the end customer.

This policy brief discusses the role of technological innovation and policy in providing modern, clean energy to the 'bottom of the pyramid' population, focusing on household energy and rural electricity to achieve climate-compatible development.

This amicus curiae brief, submitted by member organizations of the El Salvador National Roundtable on Mining (La Mesa) via the Center for International Environmental Law, argues that El Salvador's denial of a mining exploitation concession to Pac Rim Cayman LLC was consistent with international human rights and environmental obligations. The brief contends that the state must implement regulatory frameworks to protect citizens from the risks of extractive industries, particularly in water-scarce regions, and that public interest should be defined through environmental democracy and access rights.

A statement by Friends of the Earth urging President Obama to implement a moratorium on all new offshore oil and gas leasing and drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf to prevent climate disruption and protect marine wildlife.

This research paper analyzes the shift in India's foreign policy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, arguing for a transition from the perceived strategic confusion of the previous UPA government to a pragmatic approach. It suggests that India should prioritize regional connectivity in South Asia, address emerging security threats like climate change and cyber-attacks, and utilize BRICS and IBSA to advocate for a more equitable system of global governance.

This policy brief examines the political economy of low carbon energy in Kenya, exploring how national energy security goals align with renewable energy technologies to address energy price volatility and climate vulnerability, while noting the potential complicating influence of recent oil and gas discoveries.

This paper examines the relationship between fossil-fuel subsidies and gender in India, specifically analyzing the impacts of subsidy reform on cooking, lighting, pumping, and transport fuels.

A statement from a coalition of EU, U.S., and international organizations expressing strong opposition to the inclusion of chemical regulations within the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The authors argue that TTIP proposals would prioritize chemical industry interests over public health and the environment by freezing protective regulations, limiting public access to hazard information, and empowering corporations to challenge domestic laws through investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanisms.

This document provides an overview of several reports and case studies concerning government subsidies and fiscal transitions in Russia and other BRICS nations, specifically focusing on upstream oil and gas projects in the Russian Arctic and coal subsidies.

This report describes the March 10-14, 2014, Bonn Climate Change Conference, where parties under the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP) worked to identify elements for a universal climate agreement intended for 2015. The document also includes unrelated sections regarding Germany's overseas gas project funding and energy transition lessons for Canada.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) critiques the European Commission's proposed approach to chemicals under the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The author argues that the EU's vision, which aligns closely with chemical industry proposals, threatens to obstruct the substitution of harmful substances with safer alternatives and could freeze progress in regulating toxic chemicals.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the legislative process for reauthorising the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which was scheduled to expire on 30 September 2015. The author argues that African stakeholders should focus their advocacy on the US Congress rather than the Executive Branch, as the legislative process is complex and subject to partisan stalemates and lobbying from US interest groups.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted a letter to the Department of Environmental Affairs on 24 June 2014, arguing that Eskom failed to conduct necessary health impact assessments for its applications to postpone Minimum Emission Standards (MES). The CER highlights expert estimates of significant premature deaths and economic costs resulting from Eskom's emissions and notes that Eskom previously withheld its own internal health risk reports from the public.

This case study examines the 100 MW Eskom CSP power tower plant in Upington, South Africa, focusing on its financial structure, risk management, and the role of public funding in deploying emerging concentrated solar power (CSP) technologies.

As of June 2014, the U.S. plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) market was characterized by rapid growth, with sales increasing 85% between 2012 and 2013. The market was dominated by the Nissan LEAF, Chevrolet Volt, Toyota Prius Plug-in, and Tesla Model S. While PEVs offer zero tailpipe emissions and lower total cost of ownership due to cheaper fuel, challenges remain regarding the availability of public charging infrastructure (8,000 stations vs 150,000 gas stations) and high battery costs. Federal tax credits up to $7,500 and various state-level incentives in places like California, Colorado, and Georgia are used to drive adoption.

This research paper examines the implementation of the Direct Benefit Transfer for liquefied petroleum gas (DBTL) in the Mysore district of Karnataka, India, based on interviews conducted in October 2013.

This briefing describes the concepts presented in the book 'Resource Revolution' by Stefan Heck and Matt Rogers, which argues that companies can spark a new industrial revolution by dramatically improving resource productivity through five specific strategic approaches.