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This fact sheet provides a comprehensive tracker of U.S. Congressional hearings held between January and April 2024 that pertain to climate, environmental, and energy issues. It lists hearings by House and Senate committees, detailing the dates and specific topics addressed, ranging from budget requests for federal agencies to specific policy debates on LNG exports and nuclear energy.

Data center power demand in the US is projected to reach 35 GW by 2030, potentially accounting for 7.5% of total electricity consumption. RMI argues that this surge presents an opportunity to set a precedent for future large-scale electrification (e.g., EVs, manufacturing) by prioritizing energy efficiency, demand flexibility, grid-enhancing technologies (GETs), and carbon-free energy procurement. The document highlights the risk of utilities defaulting to new gas generation and urges regulators to implement system-level 'zoning' for the grid and equitable cost allocation for upgrades.

This report by Global Energy Monitor analyzes the tension between expanding gas infrastructure and adopting renewable energy in Southeast Asia. It warns that current gas expansion plans, requiring over $220 billion in investment, risk locking the region into volatile fuel dependencies and delaying the energy transition, despite the cost-competitiveness and vast potential of solar and wind power.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines global trends in the governance, management, and reprocessing of tailings from artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM). It highlights the severe environmental and health risks associated with the indiscriminate use of mercury and cyanide, the lack of specific regulatory frameworks for tailings management at international, regional, and national levels, and the potential for recovering critical minerals from these waste products.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the current technological landscape of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) and the potential for emerging technologies to drive sustainable development. It analyzes the ASM life cycle—from exploration to mine closure—and identifies gaps in technology adoption, particularly regarding worker safety, environmental protection, and financial inclusion. The document highlights the dual nature of technological advancement: while it can increase productivity and recovery rates, it also risks displacing labor, especially women, and potentially increasing environmental degradation through overmining.

This executive summary outlines a roadmap for rethinking international investment treaties by shifting the focus from fixing existing treaty problems to identifying the foundational policy problems the regime should solve. The authors analyze three main categories: the encouragement of sustainable investment, the regulation of investment project impacts, and cross-cutting governance and international cooperation issues.

This executive summary, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in May 2024, proposes a new framework for designing international investment treaties. Rather than focusing on the flaws of existing regimes, the document suggests a 'roadmap' approach that identifies urgent policy problems in international investment governance and evaluates whether treaties are the appropriate tool to solve them, emphasizing sustainable investment, the regulation of project impacts, and international cooperation.

The Nigerian DRE market is growing rapidly, driven by a high energy access deficit (88.5 million unserved) and a heavy reliance on expensive diesel generators. While the mini-grid and stand-alone solar sectors have seen significant growth and commercialization—supported by major initiatives like the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP)—barriers remain, including high interest rates (25-35%), currency volatility, and low local manufacturing capacity. Productive Use of Energy (PUE) in agriculture is a key emerging focus, though it remains largely grant-dependent.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the governance challenges facing critical mineral supply chains in Africa. It argues that while the global energy transition increases demand for minerals like lithium and cobalt, a lack of transparency and accountability risks causing environmental and socio-economic harm. The document advocates for the implementation of the African Mining Vision and a coordinated approach between national governments, private companies, and civil society to ensure the energy transition does not entrench global inequalities.

This report by Ember analyzes Singapore's path to a net-zero power sector by 2045, emphasizing that the city-state's limited land and renewable potential necessitate a heavy reliance on regional grid interconnections and renewable energy imports from neighboring countries to replace natural gas.

The report 'Making clean power flexy' by Ember argues that clean flexibility—specifically battery storage and demand side flexibility (DSF)—is essential to integrate the rapid growth of wind and solar power in the European Union and phase out fossil fuel 'peakers'. It highlights a significant gap in national policy targets for these technologies despite projections that EU flexibility needs will double by 2030.

This executive summary by Ember argues that the rapid deployment of clean flexibility—specifically battery storage, demand-side flexibility, and grids—is essential to integrate increasing volumes of wind and solar generation into the European power system and avoid renewable energy curtailment.

The Boom and Bust Coal 2024 report by Global Energy Monitor analyzes global coal power capacity trends, highlighting a net increase in operating capacity in 2023 driven primarily by China, despite a general global decline in new construction starts outside of China.

This briefing by Global Energy Monitor analyzes the impact of the Biden Administration's January 2024 pause on non-Free Trade Agreement (non-FTA) LNG export authorizations. It argues that the pause curbs a potential overbuild of U.S. export capacity without threatening European energy security, as U.S. capacity is still expected to grow significantly and European gas demand is forecast to decline.

This research paper examines the relationship between the concept of Social License to Operate (SLO), originally from the extractive industry, and Social Acceptance (SA) within the context of renewable energy and the energy transition.

This briefing by RMI argues that high rates of return on equity (ROE) for regulated utilities hinder the energy transition by incentivizing capital-intensive projects over efficiency, increasing costs for consumers, and making utilities less competitive than third-party renewable developers.

This briefing document, prepared by the IAI Directorate, presents the report of the 2024 Extraordinary Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI). The primary purpose of the meeting, held via videoconference on 26 March 2024, was to review and decide upon a proposal from Panama to host the headquarters of the IAI Directorate.

The Report of the Financial Working Group, prepared by the IAI Directorate, outlines a plan to ensure the financial stability of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) through adjusted voluntary contributions and the acceptance of in-kind support.

This report from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) details the activities and recommendations of the Financial Working Group. The group was tasked with developing a plan to increase voluntary contributions to the IAI's operating budget and define other forms of financial and in-kind support to ensure financial stability amidst inflation and growth in activities.

This briefing from the IAI Directorate presents the core budget request for the 2024-2025 fiscal year and preliminary requests for 2025-2027, detailing operational costs, staffing changes, and proposed increases in country contributions.