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The US coal industry has faced a sharp decline driven by the shale gas revolution, increasing competitiveness of renewables, and federal environmental regulations. This transition has led to significant job losses and bankruptcies among major coal producers, particularly impacting regions like Appalachia and the Powder River Basin. To mitigate these effects, the Obama administration introduced the Power Plus Plan to fund economic diversification and worker retraining. However, low-income households still face high electricity costs, and bankrupt companies have shifted reclamation and pension liabilities to state budgets.

The document asserts that meeting the Paris Agreement's goals of keeping warming "well below 2°C" requires a phase-down of coal, oil, and natural gas production. It identifies six primary mechanisms within the UNFCCC framework to achieve this: incorporating supply-side targets in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), planning managed declines in long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies (LTSs), tracking extraction via the global stocktake, providing technical capacity-building support, redirecting finance away from fossil fuel infrastructure, and providing developed-country assistance to developing nations for economic transitions.

The report examines South Africa's renewable energy landscape, highlighting the success of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REI4P) in attracting R195 billion in investment and creating 26,790 jobs. It argues that South Africa possesses world-class solar and wind resources that could allow for a 70% renewable energy share by 2040, reducing costs and emissions. However, the document identifies significant barriers, primarily the state utility Eskom's reluctance to sign power purchase agreements and a historical path-dependency on coal. It also discusses the rise of rooftop photovoltaics and the necessity of a 'just transition' to protect workers in the coal sector.

A coalition of global climate justice movements, gathered at COP22, issued a statement asserting that the election of Donald Trump must not derail global climate action. The signatories argue that Trump represents a broken economic system driven by corporate interests and fossil fuel lobbyists. They call for the end of all fossil fuel extraction, a transition to 100% renewable energy, and the fulfillment of climate finance and technology transfer commitments by rich nations. The document urges U.S. subnational governments to resist the federal administration's agenda and calls for a broad-based progressive movement to address intersecting injustices, including racism and sexism, alongside the climate crisis.

The document asserts that developing nations, despite contributing the least to carbon emissions, suffer the most from climate impacts. It argues that the Paris Agreement's goals can only be met if vulnerable communities are provided with sustainable energy resources and that the $100 billion annual climate finance pledge by wealthy nations is insufficient to protect lives and maintain development in health and education. The author calls for the mobilization of both public and private finance to build low-carbon economies in the global south, noting that developing and emerging economies invested $156 billion in renewables in 2015.

The document argues that energy sufficiency—defined as using 'enough—not more, and not less'—is essential for achieving a just energy transition. It distinguishes sufficiency from efficiency, noting that efficiency alone can lead to increased consumption via the 'rebound effect'. The briefing highlights global inequalities, where energy consumption in the US and Canada is roughly 30 times higher than in the poorest African countries. Practical applications are illustrated through community-led solar projects in Palestine and Cameroon, and a consumption-capped mini-grid on the Isle of Eigg in Scotland.

The document examines the global disparity in energy consumption, contrasting energy poverty in the Global South and parts of the North with excessive consumption in industrialized nations. It proposes 'energy sufficiency' as a paradigm shift away from orthodox economic growth and purely technocentric efficiency, which can lead to the 'Jevons paradox' (increased overall consumption). Through case studies in Gaza, Cameroon, and the Isle of Eigg, the report demonstrates how community-led, small-scale renewable energy projects can meet basic human needs and empower local populations while maintaining ecological limits.

The report by Friends of the Earth International examines the global disparities in energy consumption, distinguishing between energy exclusion in the Global South and energy poverty in the Global North. It proposes 'energy sufficiency'—defined as using neither more nor less energy than is sufficient for a dignified life—as an alternative to energy efficiency, which can lead to the 'Jevons paradox' or 'rebound effect' where efficiency increases overall consumption. The document illustrates this through case studies: solar PV projects in Gaza to counter electricity shortages; community solar lighting in rural Cameroon to bypass centralized, polluting grids; and a community-owned mini-grid on the Isle of Eigg in Scotland that uses consumption caps to maintain sustainability.

Friends of the Earth International (FOEI) asserts that humanity has entered 'Decade Zero,' a critical window for drastic action to prevent irreversible warming. The report advocates for a 'Fairshare' approach to the global carbon budget, where rich industrialised nations take the deepest cuts and pay their 'climate debt' to the global South. FOEI rejects 'false solutions'—including carbon markets, REDD, and 'net zero' technologies—arguing they protect corporate profits and lead to human rights violations. Instead, it proposes a transition to energy sovereignty, agroecology, and community forest management, underpinned by a shift away from neoliberalism toward an economic system accountable to people.

The document argues that Eskom is obstructing South Africa's transition to renewable energy and violating constitutional rights through the continued operation of polluting coal-fired power stations. The signatories call for the removal of barriers to small-scale renewable energy, the decommissioning of ageing coal plants, and greater transparency regarding emission compliance plans.

The report asserts that an 'Energy Revolution' is financially viable if governments end tax avoidance and evasion. It calculates that the annual cost to power half the world with 100% renewable energy—approximately $507 billion—is well below the estimated $600 billion in annual government revenue lost to tax havens. The document advocates for a just energy transition based on democratic control and energy access as a human right, specifically targeting the global South.

The report identifies 15 'signals' indicating a global energy transition, including the rapid growth of renewable energy capacity, falling solar PV costs, and record investments in green energy. It highlights China's leading role in renewable investment and the decline of the coal industry. The document also notes the rise of city-level climate actions and the growth of the green bond market, while advocating for a 'just transition' that addresses energy poverty and social equity.

The report utilizes the "window of opportunity" framework—examining context, champions, concerns, and complementary policies—to analyze coal phase-outs in California, Denmark, France, and Beijing. It highlights how resource endowment, international climate commitments, and public health concerns drive reform. For Beijing, the report details the closure of coal mines and power plants, the role of central and local government coordination, and the impact of high-profile events like the Olympics and APEC summit in accelerating the transition. It concludes that successful nationwide phase-out in China requires viable energy alternatives, social protection for workers, and high-level political leadership supported by grassroots demand.

The report finds that EU coal-fired power plants were responsible for approximately 22,900 premature deaths in 2013, with health costs estimated between 32.4 and 62.3 billion Euros. A significant portion of these impacts is cross-border; for example, coal plants in Poland and Germany caused over 7,000 premature deaths in other countries. The analysis identifies the 'Toxic 30' plants responsible for 51% of these deaths and the 'Dirty 30' plants contributing nearly half of the EU coal fleet's CO2 emissions. The authors advocate for a full coal phase-out, structural reform of the EU Emissions Trading System, and the implementation of an Emissions Performance Standard to meet Paris Agreement goals.

The SEforALL Strategic Framework for Results (2016-21) establishes a partnership-based delivery model to accelerate progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 7 and the Paris Agreement. The framework focuses on empowering leaders to broker partnerships and unlock finance, utilizing 'heat maps' to prioritize engagement in high-impact countries. Key priorities include an 'energy efficiency first' approach, scaling up renewables through IRENA's REmap, and ensuring a people-centered transition that prioritizes women and the energy poor. The global team is transitioning into a Quasi-International Organization headquartered in Vienna to improve operational efficiency and governance.

The authors call for an immediate shift from the commitments made in 2015—specifically the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement—to concrete implementation. They identify three primary challenges: reorienting economies through investment and consumption changes, making the reduction of inequalities a central objective, and translating international agreements into national strategies. The text emphasizes the need for policy signals to redirect financial flows, the role of innovation coalitions, and the necessity of ensuring an equitable transition for workers and regions affected by the shift in energy and food systems.

A coalition of businesses and environmental organizations calls on the United States to implement the Clean Power Plan and invest in a low-carbon economy to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.

The document outlines strategies for US states to ensure that the Clean Power Plan does not disproportionately burden low-income communities and communities of color. It emphasizes the need for 'high impact' engagement, the conduct of formal Environmental Justice (EJ) analyses, and the avoidance of carbon trading mechanisms that may allow power plants to avoid on-site pollution reductions. The guide also advocates for a 'Just Transition' that provides economic development and job training in communities heavily dependent on fossil fuels.

The document assesses the progress of Germany's Energiewende, noting that while renewable energy shares have grown, coal still provided 42% of power production in 2015. It highlights the economic tension between the 'big four' utilities and decentralized renewables, the social and political challenges of phasing out hard coal and lignite, and the influence of industry unions in blocking a proposed climate levy on power plants in favor of a capacity reserve.

The document examines the psychological and social drivers of climate action, arguing that values, social norms, and trust are more influential than scientific knowledge alone. It provides strategic principles for communicators, emphasizing the need to avoid alarmism, tailor messages to specific audiences, and leverage trusted messengers to overcome political polarization and the 'information deficit' myth.