Search Climate Insights Directory

The report argues that mine closures often exacerbate the social, economic, and domestic vulnerability of women, who are frequently excluded from decision-making and formal mining employment. It outlines a framework for governments to mandate gender-responsive practices throughout the mine life cycle, including the use of Gender Comparative Analysis (GCA) in environmental and social impact assessments, the creation of inclusive closure committees, and the provision of targeted social services to combat gender-based violence during the post-mining transition. The document emphasizes that while mine operators hold primary responsibility for closure, governments must establish the regulatory standards and strategic frameworks to ensure equitable outcomes for all community members.

The report finds that while CETP signatories have made significant progress in restricting fossil fuel finance, they have lagged in scaling up clean energy support. In 2022, signatories shifted USD 6.5 billion out of fossil fuels but only USD 5.2 billion into clean energy. Most high-income signatories lack concrete, publicly available targets and strategies to 'fully prioritize' clean energy, and financing remains heavily concentrated in upper- and middle-income countries, with no low-income countries among the top 20 recipients between 2020 and 2022.

The document argues that Land and Environmental Defenders (LEDs) are critical to climate mitigation but face escalating violence, criminalization, and exclusion from global climate processes. It calls for the UNFCCC and COP28 parties to guarantee civic space, prioritize land tenure security—particularly for women—and integrate human rights-based protections into the Global Stocktake and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

The document examines the intersection of South Africa's renewable energy goals and indigenous land rights, focusing on the Boegoebaai site in the Northern Cape. It highlights how the failure to resolve historical land dispossessions and finalize restitution claims for the Richtersveld community risks further alienating indigenous populations during the energy transition. The brief advocates for moving beyond narrow definitions of 'justice'—which currently focus on employment and BBBEE—toward a framework that recognizes indigenous land sovereignty and implements inclusive partnership models.

The policy brief examines the devastating socioeconomic and financial impacts of load shedding in South Africa, highlighting a cumulative 15 percentage point loss in GDP growth from 2020 to 2023. It argues that the current reliance on Eskom's aging coal fleet and proposed nuclear projects is insufficient and too costly. Instead, it advocates for municipalities to leverage solar PV and battery energy storage systems (BESS), which are significantly cheaper and faster to deploy, to increase electricity supply and reduce bulk purchase costs.

The report highlights a critical loophole in financial sector policies where metallurgical coal is often excluded from coal phase-out commitments. Despite the IEA stating that existing mines can meet demand until 2050, 118 companies are planning new projects with a combined capacity of 406Mtpa. Between 2016 and June 2023, banks provided over $557 billion to 50 major metallurgical coal developers, with Japanese banks accounting for 29% of this support. The document identifies a lack of specific metallurgical coal policies among 100 analyzed financial institutions, with only five banks having such policies. It advocates for a total cessation of financial services for new projects and the adoption of a just transition plan for workers and communities.

The document details Africa's strategic position for COP28, as framed by the Nairobi Declaration. It argues that the continent must shift from being viewed as a 'climate victim' to a 'climate champion' by leveraging its renewable energy potential and critical minerals. Central to this is a demand for a complete overhaul of the global financial architecture to increase grant-based and concessional finance, as current investments are far below the $2.8 trillion needed by 2030. The brief emphasizes the urgent need to operationalize the Loss and Damage Fund and double adaptation finance to prevent an estimated $6 trillion in economic losses by 2035. It also highlights the importance of the first Global Stocktake as an accountability tool to hold the world's largest emitters and fossil-fuel companies responsible.

The report analyzes how the shift toward a multipolar world, the EU Green Deal, US energy strategies, and China's dominance in critical minerals impact South Africa. It highlights the contradictions in European energy policy following the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the paradoxical nature of China's green energy support versus its fossil fuel investments in Africa. The authors argue that South Africa should adopt a strategy of 'active non-alignment,' diversify its critical mineral supply chains, and foster domestic innovation to achieve energy sovereignty and a just transition.

Jamaica aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 73% below 2020 levels by 2050 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2060. The strategy focuses on deep decarbonisation of the electricity, transport, and industry sectors, alongside comprehensive adaptation measures for tourism, infrastructure, and agriculture. Implementation requires an estimated USD 6 billion (USD 5 billion for mitigation and USD 1 billion for adaptation) and a just transition for the workforce.

The report identifies eight enabling factors to improve social acceptance of wind energy projects in La Guajira, Colombia, where high social conflict has led to project delays and suspensions. It emphasizes the need for transparent information, regulated community advisors, recognition of ancestral Wayuu leadership, and standardized benefit distribution to ensure a just energy transition.

The report assesses Colombia's energy transition policies, specifically Law 1715 of 2014 and Law 2169 of 2021, finding both have a 'Medium' implementation rating. While legal frameworks are strong, the country has struggled to meet installed capacity targets for renewables due to social conflicts and regulatory uncertainty. The document also examines the phase-out of coal and hydrocarbons, noting contradictions between international commitments and national development plans regarding natural gas.

The Private Equity Stakeholder Project argues that The Carlyle Group lacks transparency in its climate reporting by excluding its majority-owned subsidiary, NGP Energy Capital, from its ESG and net zero goals. The document notes that Carlyle has lagged behind peers in renewable energy fundraising and invested $16 in fossil fuels for every $1 invested in renewables between 2011 and 2021. It specifically highlights NGP's impact in New Mexico, where its portfolio company Tap Rock Resources has a history of emitting pollutants, and notes that Carlyle received $145 million in carried interest from NGP over the past year.

The South African Youth Statement outlines a comprehensive framework for climate action ahead of COP28, emphasizing the intersection of climate change with health, human rights, and social inequality. It calls for a just energy transition, the reform of global climate finance to prioritize grants over debt-burdening loans, and the legal recognition of climate migrants. The statement advocates for the meaningful inclusion of youth, women, and Indigenous peoples in decision-making and urges developed nations to lead in achieving net-zero emissions to provide developmental space for the Global South.

The document critiques the lack of transparency in the development of Indonesia's Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) investment plan, noting that the Comprehensive Investment Policy and Plan (CIPP) was not released to the public as scheduled, thereby limiting public participation and feedback.

The document details the case of Sagoonick v. Alaska, where the Alaskan Supreme Court upheld a lower court's dismissal of a claim by 16 young Alaskans. The plaintiffs had petitioned the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation to reduce carbon emissions to 85% below 1990 levels by 2050. The court ruled that the claims for injunctive relief were non-justiciable political questions and that declaratory relief was inappropriate on prudential grounds. A dissenting opinion argued that the Public Trust doctrine provides a right to a liveable climate.

The guidance introduces the 'Triple A' framework (Ambition, Action, and Accountability) and five specific 'Hallmarks' to evaluate corporate transition plans. It emphasizes that credible plans must feature science-based, time-bound targets covering all material GHG emissions (Scopes 1, 2, and 3), detailed financial plans, and strong board-level governance. The document warns against the over-reliance on carbon offsets and the use of national NDCs as a substitute for sectoral science-based pathways, while advocating for annual third-party verification to ensure transparency and accountability.

The We Mean Business Coalition has convened 131 companies, representing nearly $1 trillion in combined revenue, to call on governments to phase out unabated fossil fuels and triple global renewable electricity capacity. The coalition argues that policy certainty and coherence are essential for businesses to meet science-based targets and develop affordable alternatives to fossil fuels. The group specifically urges governments to set clear phase-out timelines, commit to 100% decarbonized power, reform fossil fuel subsidies, and support a just transition in the Global South.

The Asia Pacific Regional Biomass Working Group urges the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to cease support for wood bioenergy and the 'repurposing' of coal plants, arguing that biomass co-firing extends the life of coal infrastructure and causes severe ecological and social harm. The group highlights that in Indonesia, PT PLN's co-firing strategy could require 2.33 million hectares of energy plantations, potentially leading to 2.1 million hectares of deforestation annually. The letter demands that ADB recognize bioenergy as contradictory to coal phase-out goals, divest from wood biomass projects, and identify the sector as high-risk.

Ember's analysis indicates that Whitehaven Coal Limited could release over 1.2 million tonnes of methane by 2050, with emissions potentially doubling by 2030 due to planned expansions. The report highlights severe discrepancies in reporting, noting that the Narrabri mine's actual emissions have been nearly five times higher than final EIS estimates. Ember argues that Whitehaven's use of internal emission factors for open-cut mines—which are often significantly lower than Australian averages—leads to underreporting. The report recommends third-party verification, improved transparency, and a 75% reduction in portfolio-wide methane emissions by 2030 to align with 1.5 degree pathways.

The Marrakech Framework outlines an African agenda for reforming the global financial architecture, focusing on debt resolution, increased concessional funding, the re-channeling of Special Drawing Rights, greater African representation in global decision-making, and a commitment to green growth. It argues that current systems, rooted in the 1950s, hinder Africa's potential and calls for a transition where the continent is a contributor of ideas and investment rather than just a beneficiary.