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In 2017, fossil fuels accounted for 89% of China's primary energy supply, with related taxes and revenues representing 4.2% of general government revenue. The document argues that phasing out fossil fuel subsidies and strategically using these revenues can support economic diversification and the social costs of a just transition for vulnerable workers and communities.

The report analyzes the reliance of BRICS nations on fossil fuel revenues and subsidies, urging a strategic shift in fiscal policy to diversify economies and support vulnerable groups during the clean energy transition.

In 2017, fossil fuels accounted for 55% of Brazil's primary energy supply, with related taxes and revenues comprising 6.8% of general government revenue. The document argues that these revenues should be used to diversify the economy and cover the social costs of a just transition, while the phasing out of fossil fuel subsidies would increase government revenues and support the shift to clean energy.

The document argues that climate action must be rights-based to be effective, urging COP-25 to ensure that Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Article 6 mechanisms include social and environmental safeguards. It specifically calls for the ratification of the Escazú Agreement, the establishment of a financial mechanism for loss and damage under the Warsaw International Mechanism, and the integration of gender-responsive approaches in the Lima Work Programme. The briefing also emphasizes the need for independent grievance mechanisms in the Sustainable Development Mechanism to remedy harms to local communities and indigenous peoples.

The briefing note examines the ongoing negotiations regarding Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, highlighting the risk that poorly designed carbon market and non-market mechanisms could lead to human rights violations. It advocates for the inclusion of rights-based safeguards, meaningful stakeholder consultation (including free, prior, and informed consent for indigenous peoples), and independent grievance redress processes to avoid repeating failures seen in the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism.

The document advocates for enhancing public participation in climate policies by leveraging international legal instruments like the Aarhus Convention and the Escazú Agreement. It identifies specific entry points at COP-25—including Article 6 market mechanisms, the Lima Work Programme on Gender, and the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform—where procedural rights and safeguards for environmental defenders should be strengthened. It further suggests using the transparency framework's interactive dialogues to review how public participation improves national climate ambition.

The report analyzes the dependence of BRICS governments on fossil fuel revenues and the risks posed by the clean energy transition, including asset stranding and revenue loss. It provides 2017 data on revenues and subsidies, highlighting Russia's high fiscal exposure and the potential for 'fossil fuel to clean energy subsidy swaps' to fund a just transition.

The document analyzes South Africa's heavy reliance on coal, which provided 89% of its electricity in 2017. It details the fiscal impact of this dependence, noting that while fossil fuel production revenues are modest, consumption taxes—primarily the fuel levy—contribute significantly to government revenue. The report also highlights the role of state-owned enterprises like Eskom and PetroSA, the risks of asset stranding, and the government's commitment to a 'just transition' and carbon taxation despite political flux in energy policy.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) endorses the IMF's Fiscal Monitor report, which identifies carbon pricing as the most efficient tool for climate mitigation. The WRI highlights the report's finding that carbon pricing could prevent 725,000 premature deaths from air pollution in G20 countries by 2030, while noting that the current global average carbon price of $2 per ton is insufficient to limit warming to 2°C.

The IRP 2019 identifies an immediate risk of power shortages in South Africa due to the declining energy availability factor (EAF) of Eskom's fleet and the decommissioning of old coal plants. To mitigate this, the plan recommends a medium-term power purchase programme, the life extension of the Koeberg nuclear plant to 2044, and the continued operation of plants despite minimum emission standard non-compliance. Long-term, the plan envisions a diversified energy mix shifting from coal toward renewables, gas, and nuclear, while emphasizing a 'just transition' to protect jobs and local economies. It specifically proposes 2,500 MW of new nuclear capacity and the integration of the Grand Inga Hydropower Project from the DRC.

The document highlights the disconnect between mass public demand for urgent climate action, evidenced by the September 20, 2019 strikes, and the lack of citizen engagement in the drafting of EU national energy and climate plans (NECPs). It asserts that current NECPs are insufficient to meet Paris Agreement goals and calls for the establishment of permanent, multi-level public consultation platforms to ensure a rapid and just transition to zero-carbon societies.

The statement criticizes Global North governments for declaring climate emergencies without implementing the systemic changes necessary to avoid catastrophe. It rejects 'false solutions' like carbon markets and geoengineering, advocating instead for a transition to 100% renewable energy managed as a common good by communities rather than corporations.

The statement contends that declarations of climate emergencies by global North governments are insufficient if they continue to fund fossil fuel infrastructure and rely on 'false solutions' like carbon markets and geoengineering. It advocates for a system change that treats energy as a human right and ensures a just transition to 100% renewable energy, emphasizing that rich nations must provide financial support to countries with less capacity to compensate for historical pollution and facilitate adaptation.

The statement criticizes governments in the Global North for declaring climate emergencies without implementing proportional measures, arguing that 'false solutions' like carbon markets and geoengineering serve corporate elites rather than the planet. It calls for a systemic change where energy is treated as a human right and a common good, demanding a just transition that ends fossil fuel extraction and provides financial reparations from rich nations to less fortunate ones.

The report advocates for treating fossil fuels as the root cause of air pollution and climate change, drawing parallels to tobacco control. It recommends identifying the health impacts of combustion, implementing regulatory measures such as subsidy reform and taxation, and establishing just transition plans for those dependent on the fossil fuel industry.

The document argues that while NDCs (short-to-medium term commitments) and LTSs (mid-century visions) serve different legal and functional roles, they should be developed synergistically. Aligning them prevents the 'lock-in' of carbon-intensive infrastructure and reduces administrative costs by sharing data, modeling, and stakeholder consultations. The authors suggest that ideally, an LTS should inform the NDC, though they provide options for countries developing both in parallel or those updating NDCs without a formal LTS.

The report finds that Rhode Island can feasibly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 70-80% by 2030, 2040, or 2050 by focusing on electrifying transportation and heating, improving energy efficiency, and transitioning the electricity grid to renewables. A critical finding is that updated science on methane leakage from natural gas infrastructure reveals that 2017 emissions were approximately 45% higher than previously estimated in 2016. While the 2050 pathway is relatively low-cost, the 2030 pathway requires a significant spending spike, resembling a 'Green New Deal' approach. The study emphasizes that reaching net-zero requires the complete phase-out of natural gas and further research into industrial decarbonization and carbon sequestration.

The document proposes overhauling the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) to ensure it supports rather than hinders the low-carbon transition. It suggests three building blocks for a revised ECT: encouraging low-carbon energy investments, discouraging carbon-intensive energy investments, and ensuring a just transition to low-carbon economies and societies.

The We Mean Business coalition calls on G7 leaders to align national policies with the Paris Agreement by setting clear pathways to net-zero emissions by 2050, phasing out fossil fuel subsidies, and supporting a just transition. The statement highlights that over 980 global companies have already made climate commitments, including targets for renewable electricity (RE100) and electric vehicle deployment (EV100), but argues that private action must be reinforced by government leadership to achieve the necessary scale of transformation.

This research paper by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the economic, social, and political consequences of coal mine closures at national and subnational levels, utilizing a systematic map of published literature on declining extractive-based economies to derive lessons for current coal-producing areas.