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Fossils, Fertilizers, and False Solutions
The report details how the global production of nitrogen fertilizers has grown nearly ninefold since 1961, creating a systemic dependency on fossil gas. It argues that the agrochemical industry is collaborating with oil and gas companies to 'launder' fossil fuels through the promotion of blue hydrogen and blue ammonia paired with carbon capture and storage (CCS). The document asserts that these technologies are technically and economically infeasible for most uses and serve as a distraction to delay the phaseout of fossil fuels and industrial agriculture. It further highlights the environmental impacts of these chemicals, including the crossing of planetary boundaries related to nitrogen and phosphorus flows and chemical pollution.
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Document type: Report
Navigating Energy Transitions
The report finds that limiting global warming to 1.5C requires a rapid decline in oil and gas production, with a minimum 65% reduction by 2050. It argues that developing new oil and gas fields is incompatible with this goal and would likely create stranded assets. To replace fossil fuels, the world must significantly scale up wind and solar deployment; the annual investment gap for these technologies is estimated at USD 450 billion until 2030, a sum that could be covered by redirecting funds currently slated for new fossil fuel exploration (USD 570 billion annually). The report also examines the 'dash for gas' in Europe following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, concluding that existing infrastructure can meet medium-to-long-term demand if consumption is reduced. Finally, it highlights legal risks from investment treaties, which could cost governments up to USD 340 billion in compensation claims, and criticizes the lack of transparency and ambition in corporate net-zero targets.
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Document type: Report
Carbon capture and storage: where are we at?
The document describes CCS as an integrated infrastructure for capturing, transporting, and storing CO2. It notes a history of failure, with only 10% of projects between 1995 and 2018 being completed, but highlights a recent surge in investment and project pipelines, particularly in North America and Europe. The author argues that CCS is currently only truly essential for the cement sector, as renewables outperform it in power generation and green hydrogen is expected to undercut blue hydrogen by 2030. It warns against carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) due to high energy requirements and the risk of increasing net emissions.
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Document type: Briefing
A path out of the gas crisis
Ember's analysis argues that the UK can reduce gas power generation to 1% by 2030, avoiding £93 billion in costs. This would require adding 90 GW of wind and solar capacity and utilizing green hydrogen and carbon capture and storage (CCS) for system balancing. The report emphasizes that high global gas prices make this transition an economic and security imperative.
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Document type: Research paper
SOUTH AFRICA’S PARTICIPATION IN THE JUST ENERGY TRANSITION PARTNERSHIP (“JETP”): CIVIL SOCIETY PARTICIPATION AND INPUT
The Life after Coal Campaign (LAC) and Fair Finance Southern Africa (FFSA) call for greater transparency and civil society inclusion in South Africa's Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). They demand clarity on financial offers from the International Partners Group, the composition of JETP working groups, and the accessibility of the JETP Investment Plan. The coalitions argue that climate finance must prioritize 'justice elements'—including gender-responsive interventions and community-led projects—while strictly excluding funding for new coal, gas, or nuclear energy. They further emphasize the need for robust governance to track finance flows and ensure that the transition does not impose austerity on low-income users.
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Document type: Statement
Steel decarbonization in emerging economies: What case for international climate finance and support?
The report argues that decarbonizing the global steel sector requires a shift from project-based funding to systemic international cooperation that addresses both high capital and operational costs. It highlights a significant gap in green steel initiatives, which are currently clustered in the EU, while production growth is projected in emerging economies. The authors propose the international application of Carbon Contracts for Difference (CCfDs) to cover incremental costs of clean production and mitigate risks for private investors. Furthermore, the report emphasizes that successful transformation depends on fostering trust through non-hierarchical policy dialogues and peer review processes to avoid concerns over national sovereignty and 'carbon colonialism'.
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Document type: Report
FINANCING STEEL DECARBONIZATION INSTRUMENT ANALYSIS
The Financing Steel Decarbonization (FSD) mechanism is a proposed dual-entity structure consisting of the Steel Decarbonization Financing Facility (SDF), a blended debt fund, and the Steel Decarbonization Initiative (SDI), a service company. The SDF aims to invest nearly USD 1 billion over five years to support both commercially available technologies (CATs) and new and innovative technologies (NITs), with a goal of mobilizing an additional USD 3.4 billion in private investment. The SDI provides non-financial support, including technical assistance, impact monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV), and deal brokerage to reduce investment risks. The mechanism targets the Indian steel sector, which contributes approximately 10% of the country's total emissions, aiming to reduce emission intensity by 25% and mitigate up to 250 MtCO2 against the baseline.
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Document type: Report
GREEN GUARANTEE COMPANY INSTRUMENT ANALYSIS
The Green Guarantee Company (GGC) is designed to unlock private institutional capital for climate projects in emerging and frontier markets by providing full hard-currency guarantees for bonds and loans of USD 50-200 million with maturities of 5-20 years. To address technical barriers, the GGC includes a USD 10 million technical assistance (TA) facility to build issuer capabilities and support certification against the Climate Bond Standard (CBS). The instrument will pilot in South Africa before expanding to other large emitters like Brazil, India, and Indonesia, and eventually to more vulnerable least developed countries. Financial modeling suggests the GGC can catalyze up to USD 10.6 billion in climate debt over 20 years, achieving operating breakeven within 3 to 7 years across various scenarios. Expected impacts include the addition of 7.97 GW of renewable energy capacity and the avoidance of approximately 75 Mt of carbon dioxide equivalent.
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Document type: Report
BURNING THE PUBLIC
The report argues that the gas industry is pushing hydrogen heating to avoid a 'death spiral' as consumers switch to electric heat pumps. It claims that converting gas grids to hydrogen could cost European users €240bn and that 'hydrogen ready' boilers are a greenwashing tactic to lock in fossil gas use. The document highlights that hydrogen combustion emits dangerous nitrogen oxides (NOx), contrary to industry marketing, and that heat pumps are significantly more cost-effective and efficient than hydrogen-based heating.
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Document type: Report
India’s State-Owned Energy Enterprises, 2020–2050
The report analyzes the financial exposure of Coal India Limited (CIL), Indian Railways (IR), and NTPC to the energy transition using a Green Economy Model (GEM). It compares a Business-As-Usual (BAU) scenario with an Aspirational scenario aligned with net-zero goals to calculate 'cash flow at risk' (CFaR). The findings indicate significant long-term financial risks for all three entities, particularly in the 2030–2040 period. To mitigate these, the report proposes diversification into solar photovoltaics, battery storage, and operational reforms, while emphasizing the need for a just transition for coal-dependent communities.
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Document type: Report
Low-Carbon Pathways for Transportation
The Union of Concerned Scientists finds that the United States can achieve a 98 percent reduction in transportation emissions by 2050 through rapid vehicle electrification, strengthened efficiency standards, and a transition to renewable electricity. The proposed 'Core scenario' involves ending sales of passenger cars and light trucks by 2035 and medium- and heavy-duty trucks by 2040, reducing liquid fuel use by 84 percent by midcentury. These pathways are deemed economically viable, with net energy costs estimated at less than 1 percent of GDP. The report emphasizes that this transition must be coupled with a power grid shift to 97 percent zero-carbon sources by 2050 and a focus on environmental justice for overburdened communities.
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Document type: Executive summary
How to Protect Forest Carbon in a Fire-Prone Future
The policy brief examines the impact of high-severity wildfires on the U.S. forest carbon sink, noting that forests in several Western states have become net carbon emitters. It advocates for scaling up 'fuel load treatments'—such as prescribed burns and mechanical removal of biomass—to mitigate wildfire risk and suggests developing markets for thinned biomass (e.g., biochar, green hydrogen) to fund these efforts and reduce emissions. The brief calls for federal policy support via the 2023 Farm Bill to increase research, support rural and Tribal communities, and incentivize innovative wood products.
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Document type: Policy brief
E-Mobility Program for Sustainable Cities in Latin America and the Caribbean Multiple Countries
The E-Mobility Program for Sustainable Cities in Latin America and the Caribbean is a 450 million USD initiative (200 million USD from GCF) designed to accelerate the transition to commercial electric vehicles (EVs) and enhance the climate resilience of urban transport systems. The program focuses on high-utilization commercial vehicles, including buses, taxis, trucks, and vessels, while excluding private passenger cars. It integrates EV deployment with sustainable urban mobility measures, such as cycle lanes and pedestrianization, and explores advanced technologies like green hydrogen and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) systems to improve grid stability. The program targets nine countries: Barbados, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Panama, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Key goals include reducing GHG emissions by 7.55 million tCO2e and benefiting approximately 8.9 million people through adaptation measures.
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Document type: Report
How the New Climate Bill Promises to Cut Inflation, Upgrade the Economy, and Slash Emissions
The Inflation Reduction Act commits $369 billion to energy and climate initiatives to decarbonize the US economy and secure clean energy supply chains. Key measures include tax credits for electric vehicles, residential energy efficiency, and green hydrogen, alongside funding for urban forestry and carbon capture. The legislation targets a reduction in energy costs for households, the revitalization of former fossil fuel communities, and the acceleration of low-carbon industrial production in sectors like steel and cement.
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Document type: Briefing
JUST ENERGY TRANSITIONS AND NATURAL GAS IN AFRICA: BALANCING CLIMATE ACTION AND STRUCTURAL TRANSFORMATION
The document examines the tension between Africa's significant natural gas resources and the global shift toward net-zero emissions. It argues that while gas provides short-term revenue and energy security, long-term investments face high risks of becoming stranded assets due to declining global demand and the falling costs of renewable energy. The paper advocates for leveraging climate finance to scale up renewables and green hydrogen, which it presents as more sustainable pathways for economic diversification and energy access.
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Document type: Research paper
A GREEN FUTURE FOR STEEL
The report argues that the EU steel sector faces a critical investment window as 74% of blast furnace capacity requires renewal by 2030. It advocates for a combination of carbon pricing, circular economy measures, and innovative finance tools like Carbon Contracts for Difference (CCfDs) to scale low-carbon technologies such as green hydrogen and Direct Reduced Iron (DRI). The document emphasizes that while public funds are insufficient, the green bond market and transition finance instruments can mobilize the necessary private capital, provided there are science-based standards to prevent greenwashing.
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Document type: Report
ESCENARIO RUTA A CERO NETO 2050
The report outlines a 'Route to Net Zero' for Colombia by 2050, arguing that current national energy plans are insufficient for carbon neutrality. It proposes a strategy centered on high electrification (targeting 60% of final energy consumption by 2050), a massive expansion of non-conventional renewable energy (FNCER), and a gradual phase-out of fossil fuels. The analysis emphasizes that decarbonization must be paired with a 'just transition' framework to protect communities and workers dependent on the mining and hydrocarbon sectors, particularly in regions like La Guajira and Cesar.
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Document type: Report
Wie die EU kohlenstoffarmen Wasserstoff zertifizieren kann
The European Union faces a significant hydrogen supply gap, with demand projected to rise from 8.3 million tonnes per year to over 60 million tonnes by 2050, necessitating imports from regions such as the Middle East, North Africa, and the USA. The Clean Air Task Force argues that current certification efforts are often voluntary or too narrow, focusing only on production plants rather than the full value chain. To avoid market uncertainty and investment risks, the document recommends that the EU's 'Gas Package' and subsequent delegated acts establish a technology-neutral certification methodology. This methodology must employ a full life-cycle analysis (LCA) that includes upstream methane leaks, transport, storage, and distribution to ensure genuine greenhouse gas reductions.
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Document type: Policy brief
Renewable energy in North Africa
North Africa possesses significant solar and wind potential, with Egypt and Morocco emerging as the region's largest renewable energy markets. While Egypt's power sector is dominated by gas and Morocco's by coal, both are aggressively expanding their renewable capacities through policy shifts and international investment. Egypt has seen rapid solar growth, exemplified by the Benban solar farm, while Morocco has focused on onshore wind and concentrated solar power, aiming to become a global green hydrogen exporter by 2050.
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Document type: Briefing
EU’s Russian Oil Curtain Call: A Crossroads for Climate
The EU is phasing out Russian oil, which accounted for over 25 percent of its 2021 imports. While replacing these streams is technically complex due to refinery design requirements regarding sulfur and density, the report argues that the EU can reduce its carbon footprint by sourcing lower-emissions crudes. For example, Saudi Arab Light is identified as a potential substitute for Russian Urals crude that could lower emissions. Additionally, the report suggests that using hydrotreated intermediates could reduce EU refinery hydrogen demand, which currently represents nearly 10 percent of EU natural gas imports from Russia.
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Document type: Report