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Reclaim Finance criticizes the third technical report from the European Commission's Joint Research Committee (JRC) regarding the EU Ecolabel for Retail Financial Products. The organization argues that new categories for companies 'investing in transition' or 'in green growth' allow polluting activities, including fossil fuels, to remain eligible for the label. Furthermore, Reclaim Finance highlights a reduction in the required percentage of 'green' activities for equity products and a provision allowing banks to use up to 30% of labeled savings accounts for loans to companies investing in polluting activities.

ClientEarth argues that the revised IPCEI Communication must align with the European Green Deal by mainstreaming climate protection and excluding fossil fuel projects. The organization recommends that eligibility for aid be contingent on strict environmental compliance, the 'Energy Efficiency First' principle, and the production of hydrogen exclusively from 100% renewable sources. Additionally, ClientEarth calls for increased transparency in the State aid process, including the publication of pre-notification files and the implementation of competitive tenders to select beneficiaries.

The report analyzes the tracking of 'high-emissions finance'—defined as primary investment in assets with a material contribution to global GHG emissions—focusing on the power sector in 2017 and 2018. Using project-level datasets, the authors tracked USD 40.8 billion in annual average commitments, representing roughly one-third of the total fossil fuel power investment estimated by the IEA. The analysis reveals that public institutions, particularly export credit agencies and state-owned banks, and private commercial banks are major sources of this finance. Significant data gaps exist because investments made through corporate balance sheets are not captured in project-level data, particularly in Europe and China. The report recommends that public authorities mandate the disclosure of capital expenditures for high-emissions assets and establish technical emission thresholds to deter harmful investments.

The report finds that while renewable energy investment is growing, continued funding for fossil fuel power plants and the presence of 'locked-in' emissions from existing assets keep the global power sector on a temperature trajectory exceeding 3.2°C. It highlights a significant gap between actual 2018 investment carbon intensities and the negative thresholds required by 2030 to achieve Paris alignment. The analysis identifies specific misalignments among major economies like China, India, and Japan, and among financial actors such as commercial banks and export credit agencies. The document recommends halting new carbon-intensive investments, accelerating the retirement of existing fossil fuel plants, and harmonizing climate risk reporting.

A December 2020 survey of 949 registered U.S. voters reveals broad support for clean energy development, energy efficiency, and international climate cooperation, though significant partisan divides persist regarding the urgency of global warming and specific regulatory policies. While majorities support transitioning to 100% clean energy by 2050 and the Paris Climate Agreement, support for fossil fuel expansion remains higher among Republicans. The report also highlights a general consensus on the economic benefits of clean energy and the importance of climate education in schools.

A December 2020 survey of 949 registered U.S. voters reveals broad support for clean energy development and various climate policies, though significant partisan divides remain regarding the urgency of global warming and specific regulatory measures. While majorities support transitioning to 100% clean energy by 2050 and participating in the Paris Climate Agreement, support for fossil fuel expansion remains higher among Republicans. The report also highlights a general consensus on the importance of infrastructure investment and climate education in schools.

The document describes plastic pollution as a global crisis driven by the longevity of fossil-fuel-based plastics and the failure of recycling. It reviews UN efforts, including the Basel Convention's 2019 amendments and the UNEP's expert group on marine litter, while debating the merits of a new global treaty versus voluntary measures. The author argues that the '3R' (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) framework has unfairly shifted responsibility to consumers and that true progress requires curbing the production of virgin plastics, which the IEA predicts will drive nearly 50% of oil demand growth by 2050.

Reclaim Finance critiques the third technical report for the EU Ecolabel for financial products, stating that new 'transition' and 'green growth' categories allow companies to continue investing in polluting activities without requiring Paris-aligned phase-out plans. The organization argues that the report's loosened restrictions on deposit accounts and reduced 'greenness' thresholds for UCITS equity funds undermine the label's ambition and could mislead savers.

The report finds that the financial sector is the largest block opposing an EU taxonomy for polluting activities, with 74 institutions representing 45% of opponents. It highlights a contradiction where many financial players oppose the taxonomy while adhering to international climate initiatives. The document argues that professional federations are often used by influential members to push anti-climate agendas, and that opponents use misleading arguments to protect high-emission activities, particularly in the energy and steel sectors.

The European Union's 'Benchmark Regulation' introduces the Paris Aligned Benchmark (PAB) and Climate Transition Benchmark (CTB) to standardize 'green' financial indices. However, Reclaim Finance asserts these are insufficient because they lack requirements for absolute greenhouse gas emission reductions and do not guarantee the exclusion of companies developing new fossil fuel projects. The document highlights a gap in passive asset management, noting that firms like Lyxor AM and BlackRock often exclude coal from active assets but not from passive index funds. To achieve real alignment, the author suggests adding absolute emission reduction targets, stricter exclusion thresholds, and a dynamic phase-out of fossil fuels to the PAB framework.

The 2020 Energizing Finance report finds a widening gap between actual and required investment for universal energy access, with funding failing to reach the countries with the greatest need. In 2018, only USD 16 billion of the required USD 41 billion for residential electrification was tracked in high-impact countries, and clean cooking finance remained far below the USD 4.5 billion annual requirement. The report highlights a concerning shift toward fossil fuel-generated electricity and a lack of private sector investment in clean cooking, urging a move away from business-as-usual approaches toward coordinated, sustainable financing.

The document denounces the murder of Mama Fikile Ntshangase, a member of the Somkhele community and vice-president of a sub-commission of the Mfolozi Community Environmental Justice Organisation (MCEJO). Ntshangase was killed on October 22, 2020, after refusing a bribe from Tendele Coal Mining (Pty) Ltd to drop legal actions against the expansion of the Tendele coal mine, which would have displaced 21 families. The statement highlights a broader trend of human rights violations against environmental and land defenders across Africa, driven by the expansion of mining, oil, and gas activities by multinationals. It demands that South African authorities, including President Cyril Ramaphosa, conduct impartial investigations and calls for a binding international instrument to regulate states and end the impunity of multinational corporations.

Friends of the Earth International denounces the killing of Mama Fikile Ntshangase, a member of the Somkhele community and vice-president of a subcommission of the Mfolozi Community Environmental Justice Organization (MCEJO). Ntshangase was murdered on October 22, 2020, after opposing the expansion of the Tendele coal mine, owned by Tendele Coal Mining (Pty) Ltd (a Petmin subsidiary), which threatened to displace 21 families. The organization highlights a broader trend of increasing human rights abuses against environmental and political activists across Africa, where transnational companies expand mining, oil, and gas activities despite local opposition. The statement calls on South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and other authorities to ensure an impartial and exhaustive investigation into the murder and other attacks on community rights defenders. It further advocates for a legally binding international instrument to regulate transnational corporations and end corporate impunity.

The report by Friends of the Earth Latin America and the Caribbean (ATALC) examines how Transnational Corporations (TNCs) drive a capitalist system of accumulation through extractivism and the commercialization of services. It highlights the 'architecture of impunity'—including Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanisms—that allows TNCs to avoid accountability for environmental destruction and human rights abuses. The document details the impacts of agribusiness, forestry, mining, and energy sectors, noting that more than two-thirds of global territory defenders killed in 2019 were in Latin America. It advocates for a UN Binding Treaty to regulate TNCs and a transition toward an economy based on the sustainability of life and peoples' sovereignty.

An analysis of 442 savings funds marketed in France reveals that 86.2% are exposed to companies with critical environmental or social risks, including major greenhouse gas emitters, arms manufacturers, and coal companies. The report highlights a significant gap between French citizens' desire for sustainable investments and the reality of current financial products, noting that 94% of studied ISR-labeled funds still finance these problematic companies. Reclaim Finance calls for mandatory climate requirements for all financial products in France, stricter standards for 'green' or 'sustainable' labels, and the implementation of a 'nutri-score' for financial products to increase transparency.

The Banque de France is criticized for failing to adopt a coal exit policy aligned with the Paris Agreement and for continuing to finance unconventional fossil fuels, despite commitments from other French financial players.

Reclaim Finance argues that Société Générale's pledge to reduce oil and gas exposure by 10% by 2025 is flawed because it focuses on stocks rather than flows, excludes equity and bond issuances, and ignores transport and processing activities. The organization highlights that the bank's previous commitment to reduce coal exposure did not prevent increased funding to major coal producers and notes that the bank's alignment with the IEA's Sustainable Development Scenario is insufficient for a 1.5°C trajectory.

The authors contend that the COVID-19 pandemic exposed fragilities caused by a global economic focus on productivity over resilience, disproportionately impacting informal workers and vulnerable regions. They advocate for post-pandemic stimulus packages to prioritize inclusive governance by empowering grassroots organizations, diversifying concentrated food, energy, and finance value chains, and recognizing the interdependence of human and planetary wellbeing.

The report argues that while Canada's greenhouse gas reduction goals are achievable, neither federal nor provincial governments are currently on track to meet them. It emphasizes that the energy sector is responsible for 80% of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions and urges the public to look beyond carbon pricing and pipelines to recognize the broader transformative potential of the energy transition. The text notes that other countries are managing this transition more organizedly, gaining economic advantages and avoiding future costly re-engineering risks.

Reclaim Finance criticizes the International Energy Agency (IEA) for a lack of transparency regarding its budget, staffing, and internal procedures, highlighting significant influence from fossil fuel companies through seconded employees, peer reviews, and voluntary contributions.