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Rhino Oil & Gas Exploration South Africa (Pty) Ltd has applied for two exploration rights, ER377 and ER378, to explore for natural gas, methane, helium, and hydrogen in the Free State Province. The project involves aeromagnetic surveys and the drilling of up to 20 wells, which may require significant water resources and infrastructure. Potential risks identified include water contamination, soil degradation, air pollution, and disruptions to agriculture and cultural heritage. The document emphasizes that the extraction of natural gas contributes to climate change through methane and carbon emissions. Public comments on the Draft EIA Reports are requested by 6 March 2025.

The document analyzes how Colombia and Nigeria use narratives of development, energy security, and energy transition to maintain dependence on fossil fuels. It argues that these narratives are often inaccurate or outdated, contributing to 'carbon lock-in'. The briefing suggests that civil society and researchers can counter these claims by demanding transparency, highlighting the benefits of renewables, and promoting science-based alternatives for a just transition.

The author contends that households and businesses can act as a 'flexible power plant' by adjusting electricity use during peak demand, reducing the need for natural gas backup. The text highlights an Ontario program where smart thermostats created a 90 MW 'virtual power plant' and urges federal and provincial governments to incentivize energy efficiency and smart device integration to lower costs and carbon emissions.

The author contends that customer-driven demand-side management—such as smart thermostats, heat pumps, and optimized EV charging—can serve as a 'virtual power plant' to maintain grid stability. The text highlights a successful Ontario program that created a 90-megawatt virtual power plant and calls for federal and provincial policy shifts to prioritize energy efficiency investments over fossil fuel infrastructure.

Since the launch of the European Green Deal in 2019, the EU has seen a significant transformation of its power sector, with renewables increasing from 34% to 47% of the electricity mix by 2024. This shift was primarily driven by wind and solar, which together increased their share from 17% to 29%. This transition reduced the emissions intensity of EU electricity generation by 26% and avoided €59 billion in fossil fuel import costs. While coal use has dropped from 16% to under 10% of the mix, and gas power has declined from 20% to 16%, the EU still faces challenges with Russian gas imports, which accounted for 14% of total gas consumption in 2024.

In 2024, the EU power sector saw fossil fuel generation fall to its lowest level in over forty years, reaching 793 TWh. This decline was driven primarily by record solar growth, which saw generation increase by 22% to 304 TWh, overtaking coal for the first time. Renewables accounted for 47% of EU power generation, while clean sources reached a record 71% of the mix. Despite a small 1% increase in total EU power demand and increased exports to the UK and Ukraine, coal and gas generation fell by 16% and 6% respectively, leading to a 9% drop in power sector emissions to an estimated 585 million tonnes of CO2.

In 2024, the EU's electricity transition continued with solar power overtaking coal for the first time and gas generation declining for the fifth consecutive year. Renewables reached a 47% share of the power sector in 2024, up from 34% in 2019, while fossil fuels dropped to a historic low of 29%. This shift reduced power sector emissions to less than half of their 2007 peak and avoided €59 billion in fossil fuel imports since the start of the European Green Deal. Despite this momentum, the report argues that wind power deployment and grid infrastructure must accelerate to meet 2030 targets.

In Q4 2024, US utilities updating their IRPs reduced planned wind and solar capacity by 20 GW and increased planned gas capacity by 12 GW, leading to an 8 percent increase in projected emissions despite a small downward adjustment in projected load.

The Free State Environmental Justice Network (FSEJN) has filed an appeal to the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment to set aside an environmental authorisation (EA) granted on 23 June 2025 to Afro Energy (Pty) Ltd. The EA allows for the exploration of conventional natural gas across approximately 240,000 hectares in the Free State and Mpumalanga provinces. FSEJN argues that the decision by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) was unlawful, irrational, and failed to adequately assess climate, air quality, geohydrological, and socio-economic impacts, while also neglecting meaningful public participation.

The report analyzes the Novo PAC's impact on the Amazon, arguing that the program lacks regional planning and fails to account for the area's socio-environmental complexity. It highlights contradictions between infrastructure projects and deforestation goals, such as the Ferrogrão railway and BR-319 paving, and criticizes the continued use of fossil fuels in energy projects. The authors recommend a comprehensive regional development plan, better alignment with the PPCDAm's zero-deforestation target, and a shift toward renewable energy and distributed generation.

The report reveals that while 50% of Indians have limited or no knowledge of global warming, 84% believe it is happening after receiving a definition, and 88% are worried about it. There is strong public support for transitioning from coal to renewable energy, with 82% favoring a ban on new coal plants and 86% supporting the national goal of net-zero carbon pollution by 2070. However, significant vulnerabilities persist, as 66% of respondents experience daily electricity disruptions and 43% lacked sufficient clean drinking water at least once in the past year.

The report links the systems of imperialism, neoliberalism, and colonialism to both the global climate collapse and the destruction of life and land in Palestine. It provides detailed data on the collapse of water, energy, and agricultural infrastructure in Gaza, while identifying specific global arms, energy, and financial companies that support the Israeli state.

The appendix outlines the technical process for estimating the 'government plans and projections' (GPP) pathway using data from 19 major producer countries, which accounted for approximately 81% of global fossil fuel production in 2022. It describes the harmonization of diverse national data into exajoules (EJ) per year and the use of IEA's Stated Policies Scenario (STEPS) to scale these figures to a global estimate. The document also explains the conversion of energy units into physical units and extraction-based greenhouse gas emissions using specific emission factors for coal, oil, and gas.

In 2024, UK low-carbon renewables (wind, solar, and hydropower) are forecast to generate 37% of electricity (103 TWh), overtaking fossil fuels, which are set to provide 35% (97 TWh). Wind power is close to becoming the largest single source of UK power, forecast at 29% (82 TWh), just behind fossil gas at 30% (85 TWh). The year also marked the closure of the UK's last coal power plant, with gas power use set to decrease by 13% compared to 2023, reaching its lowest level since 1996. This decline in fossil fuel reliance is attributed to rising renewable generation, low electricity demand, and a 42% increase in net electricity imports.

The document analyzes how Colombia and Nigeria employ narratives of development, energy security, and energy transition to justify oil and gas production, arguing that these stories often rely on inaccurate or outdated premises that entrench carbon dependency. It suggests that civil society and researchers can counter these narratives by demanding transparency, challenging flawed evidence, and promoting science-based alternatives for a just transition.

Ember argues that the EU must accelerate the deployment of wind, solar, and clean flexibility solutions to achieve energy self-sufficiency and security. The response emphasizes the need for a "Smart Electrification" Action Plan, the complete cessation of Russian fossil fuel imports by 2027, and the modernization of grid infrastructure and cross-border interconnections, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe.

A letter from medical professionals to Vancouver City Council arguing against the use of natural gas in new builds due to indoor air pollution, climate impacts, and the health risks associated with fracking.

The CCPI 2025 reports that while 61 of 64 assessed countries increased their renewable energy share over five years, the top three ranks remain vacant as no country performs well enough to meet Paris Agreement goals. Denmark ranks 4th, while oil and gas producers like Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Russia are the lowest performers. The G20, responsible for over 75% of global emissions, shows poor overall performance with only the UK and India ranking as high performers.

Climate Central's analysis of U.S. data from 1970 to 2024 shows that winter is the fastest-warming season for 74% of analyzed locations. Average winter temperatures rose by 4°F across 235 locations, with the highest warming seen in the Upper Midwest, Northeast, and Ohio Valley. The report notes a decrease in freezing nights and shorter cold streaks, alongside an increase in warmer-than-normal winter days. These trends impact western water supplies, residential energy use, the $27 billion fruit and nut industry, and the prevalence of disease-carrying pests.

The document challenges six common arguments used to justify financial support for gas expansion, asserting that new gas projects are incompatible with a 1.5°C warming limit and that global gas demand will peak by 2030.