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The report examines the feasibility of reaching the $100 billion annual climate finance goal by 2020 through four scenarios of varying inclusivity. It finds that relying solely on developed country climate finance is insufficient, while a combination of public flows—including multilateral development bank (MDB) finance and climate-related official development assistance (ODA)—alongside leveraged private sector investment makes the target achievable even under low-growth projections. The analysis highlights a persistent imbalance, with mitigation finance projected to significantly outweigh adaptation finance across all scenarios.

The document presents a framework for achieving clean air in China, emphasizing the need for a robust air quality management system, the application of Best Available Control Technologies (BACT), and the alignment of fiscal policies with pollution goals. It advocates for the removal of fossil fuel subsidies, the implementation of a coal cap to reduce coal's share of the energy structure to less than 50% by 2030, and the adoption of Euro 6 fuel standards by 2018 for heavy-duty trucks and off-road vehicles. The experts highlight that integrating air pollutant and greenhouse gas reductions is more cost-effective than treating them separately.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) advocates for a stringent cap-and-trade system, the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies, and the integration of climate adaptation into infrastructure and building codes to advance Ontario's climate goals.

The report provides a framework for measuring the transition to sustainable consumption and production (SCP) by identifying specific indicators for SDG 12 and related targets in other SDGs. It organizes these indicators into six domains: scale of resource use, decoupling, environmental impact, technology and lifestyles, financing and investing, and policy support. The document emphasizes the need for 'positive indicators' to show the return on investment in SCP and highlights significant data gaps, particularly in developing countries, while suggesting a set of headline indicators to serve as proxies for global progress.

The report analyzes Indonesia's transition from ad hoc fuel subsidies to a new pricing system introduced in January 2015, which aims to reduce wasteful spending by passing through international price changes. It evaluates 'good practice' across four dimensions—subsidies, pass-through, transparency, and enforcement—and examines case studies from China, Mexico, India, the Philippines, South Africa, and Thailand. The document argues that while full deregulation is the international benchmark for fiscal sustainability, Indonesia's constitutional constraints necessitate a robust, government-led mechanism. It recommends adopting variable taxes, improving real-time monitoring, and investing in non-pricing measures such as energy efficiency and targeted social safety nets to protect vulnerable groups from price volatility.

Richard Branson and B Team leaders advocate for a global commitment to net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050, arguing that this target is necessary to avoid the most catastrophic consequences of climate change. The statement calls for a meaningful price on carbon and the redirection of fossil fuel subsidies toward renewables, emphasizing that bold government commitments in Paris will drive business innovation and investment.

The article highlights the disconnect between public opposition to fossil fuel subsidies and congressional spending priorities. It introduces a 'fossil fuel subsidies tradeoff calculator' created by Friends of the Earth and 13 other groups to illustrate how funds given to 'Big Oil' could instead support social services like Pell grants, park rangers, and veteran healthcare. Specifically, it notes that a 2004 tax break for domestic manufacturers cost taxpayers $656 million last year, which could have funded medical care for 221,622 combat veterans.

The document argues that removing global fossil-fuel subsidies, which total $543 billion annually, could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 6 to 13 per cent by 2050 and save governments between 5 and 30 per cent of expenditure for reallocation toward low-carbon energy and households. It suggests that parties to the UNFCCC can use the Global Subsidies Initiative – Integrated Fiscal model (GSI–IF model) to estimate these reductions for their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions.

The report asserts that the combined fortunes of the world's wealthiest individuals could fund a total transition to renewable energy in the Global South by 2030. It estimates that $5.15 trillion is required to meet the energy demands of Africa, Latin America, and non-OECD Asia (excluding India and China). The authors argue that the energy transition must go beyond substituting fuel sources to include democratic ownership of resources and the dismantling of corporate power to address the intersecting crises of climate change and extreme inequality.

The report by Friends of the Earth International asserts that a 100% renewable energy revolution is financially feasible, noting that the personal fortunes of the world's 782 wealthiest people (approximately $5,149 billion) could fund this transition for Africa, Latin America, and much of Asia by 2030. Using International Energy Agency (IEA) demand projections, the authors calculate that $5,148 billion in additional investment is required to meet electricity needs in these regions using renewables. The document emphasizes that the transition must be guided by principles of democratic control, energy access as a human right, and community consent to avoid further human rights violations. It concludes that the primary barrier is not finance, but a lack of political will, and recommends ending fossil fuel subsidies, repaying climate debt from developed nations, and implementing global feed-in tariffs to facilitate a just energy transition.

The document argues that removing fossil-fuel subsidies is a critical lever for reducing global greenhouse gas emissions and unlocking low-carbon energy pathways. It highlights that global emissions could decrease by 6% to 13% by 2050 through the phase-out of consumer subsidies, though these figures are likely underestimates as they exclude producer subsidies. The paper outlines how countries can incorporate FFSR into their INDCs, Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs), and the 2015 UNFCCC agreement. It emphasizes that to maximize emission reductions, subsidy removal must be coupled with binding emission caps in OECD countries to prevent 'carbon leakage' and simultaneous government investment in low-carbon energy and transport infrastructure to enable fuel switching.

The SEI Initiative on Fossil Fuels and Climate Change, launched in January 2015, focuses on the supply side of climate policy to prevent the 'lock-in' of fossil fuel dependence. The initiative investigates the emissions implications of infrastructure, the political economy of extraction, and the role of international governance. It employs a multi-disciplinary approach involving energy modelling and political economy analysis, with specific case studies in Colombia, South Africa, Indonesia, Norway, and the U.S. to examine the interplay between resource exploitation and low-carbon development goals.

The report argues for integrating a 'capabilities approach'—derived from the work of Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum—into global climate policy, specifically the 2015 international climate agreement. It suggests that climate policies, such as renewable energy and carbon pricing, should be designed to strengthen the basic capabilities of the least well-off rather than diminish them. The document recommends that the UNFCCC incorporate capabilities into the evaluation of Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) and across all core agreement elements, including finance and technology, to achieve equitable climate action.

The document describes a study focused on the cost-effectiveness of biomass power deployment subsidies in Germany and the United Kingdom. It aims to inform policy debates by estimating the magnitude of benefits and establishing a framework that considers all costs and benefits to ensure the efficient use of government resources for low-carbon energy deployment.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that while the Arctic possesses vast renewable energy reserves and successful technology tests, adoption remains slow. To accelerate this transition, the IISD proposes clear long-term targets, the phase-out of fossil fuel subsidies—specifically subsidized diesel—and the establishment of public-private partnerships funded by environmental taxes.

The document examines the paradox of resource-led growth in sub-Saharan Africa, where windfall revenues from minerals and hydrocarbons often correlate with declining governance and institutional quality. It highlights the negative externalities of extraction and the role of foreign investment in shaping 'elite bargains' between political and business leaders. The author argues that for resource wealth to foster sustainable development, research must focus on reducing commodity concentration, improving institutional accountability, and balancing the trade-offs between extractive growth and climate change mitigation.

The document defines energy poverty as a lack of sufficient alternatives to access adequate, affordable, and sustainable energy services, which hinders economic and human development. It highlights that 1.3 billion people lack electricity and 2.7 billion rely on biomass, leading to severe health issues. The author argues that energy poverty is both a cause and consequence of general poverty, creating a 'poverty trap' that requires specific policy interventions beyond general economic growth. The briefing notes that universal energy access by 2030 is financially feasible, requiring an annual investment of 30 to 35 billion dollars, which is significantly less than global fossil fuel subsidies.

The report argues that fossil-fuel subsidies disadvantage renewable energy by impairing its cost competitiveness, reinforcing incumbent fossil-fuel-based infrastructure, and distorting investment decisions. It details various subsidy mechanisms—including fuel input subsidies, funding of utility losses, and tax breaks—and highlights how these create an artificial advantage for thermal generation. The document also examines the role of underpriced externalities and the political economy of the energy sector in resisting reform. It concludes that reforming these subsidies is a priority for transitioning to a sustainable energy system, though it notes that governments often opt for 'second-best' renewable energy incentives instead of removing fossil-fuel supports.

On November 11, 2014, the United States and China announced a bilateral agreement to cooperate on clean energy and emissions mitigation. The United States targeted a reduction of 26 to 28 per cent from 2005 levels by 2025, while China committed to peaking emissions by 2030. The agreement signals a shift away from coal-fired energy toward natural gas and renewables to facilitate a global energy transition.

The document defines energy poverty as the lack of access to adequate, affordable, and sustainable energy services, highlighting its severe impacts on health, economic productivity, and the environment. It notes that 1.3 billion people lack electricity and 2.7 billion rely on biomass for cooking, with the highest concentrations in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. The author argues that while energy consumption is a necessary condition for development, universal access could be achieved by 2030 with an annual investment of 30-35 billion USD, a sum significantly lower than current global fossil fuel subsidies.