Search Climate Insights Directory

One year after COP26, progress on climate pledges is described as "mixed at best," with some advancements in renewable energy and net-zero targets countered by a resurgence in fossil fuel reliance due to the Russia-Ukraine war. While 24 countries updated their emissions targets and renewable capacity reached new heights, global fossil fuel subsidies nearly doubled in 2021. Financial commitments remain unmet, with developed nations still $17 billion short of the $100 billion annual goal for 2020. Efforts to curb methane and deforestation have seen expanded participation, but accountability for city-level net-zero pledges remains low due to a lack of reported emissions data.

Türkiye can reduce its reliance on imported fossil fuels for power generation from 50% in 2021 to less than 25% by 2030 by accelerating the deployment of solar and wind energy. Achieving this requires reaching 40 GW of solar and 30 GW of wind capacity by 2030, which would result in these sources providing 34-38% of total power generation. This transition is framed as a means to both achieve the 2053 net zero target and improve energy independence and trade balances.

WRI identifies six critical objectives for COP27: establishing a loss and damage financing mechanism, scaling adaptation support, strengthening national emissions targets (NDCs), ensuring the $100 billion climate finance goal is met, advancing the Global Stocktake, and converting previous Glasgow commitments into tangible actions.

The document asserts that Canada's reliance on oil, gas, and coal leaves it vulnerable to global market volatility and geopolitical shocks, despite being a major producer. It argues that renewable energy sources like wind and solar are now more cost-effective than fossil fuels and can provide long-term price stability because they do not require input fuels. The brief highlights Canada's existing hydroelectric capacity as a key asset for balancing variable renewables and suggests that electrifying transport and heating will further reduce exposure to fossil fuel price spikes. It concludes that prioritizing investments in flexible, integrated electricity grids and energy efficiency is essential for achieving a non-emitting electricity grid by 2035 and ensuring affordable energy security.

California's current bottom-up approach to clean energy deployment is insufficient to meet its targets of 90 percent zero-carbon electricity sales by 2035 and 100 percent by 2045. To achieve these goals, the state would need to quadruple its in-state electricity generation capacity and triple its transmission capacity by 2050. The document recommends the creation of a formal Clean Energy Deployment Plan with specific quantities and locations, the assignment of a lead agency, and the implementation of a public progress dashboard.

The document argues that while the costs of climate action are high, the costs of inaction are higher, noting that physical climate risk has already increased the cost of capital for V20 countries by USD62bn over 10 years. It proposes a three-pillar policy framework: providing clarity on green investments via taxonomies, tilting investment toward green opportunities through de-risking and carbon pricing, and building green investment pipelines. Key mechanisms suggested include the use of junior capital by development finance institutions to mobilize private investment, the removal of fossil fuel subsidies, and the implementation of carbon border adjustment mechanisms (CBAMs). The summary concludes with a list of 101 specific policy ideas across sectors including energy, transport, and agriculture to be detailed in a full report.

The document opposes the push for new gas infrastructure in Africa, which it describes as a short-term solution for European energy security that risks irreversible climate disaster. It highlights the disproportionate impact of climate change on Africa, the environmental damage caused by gas extraction in Nigeria and Mozambique, and the inadequacy of 'net zero' pledges. The authors call for an immediate end to fossil fuel financing and the implementation of a 100% renewable energy goal for Africa by 2050, funded by climate debt repayments from the Global North.

The document opposes the promotion of natural gas as a 'transition fuel' in Africa, arguing that such projects primarily benefit European energy security and corporate profits while exacerbating climate vulnerability and poverty on the continent. It highlights the environmental damage in the Niger Delta and Cabo Delgado, criticizes 'Net Zero' as greenwashing, and proposes a 100% renewable energy target for Africa by 2050. The authors call for an end to fossil fuel financing and demand an annual climate debt payment of $2 trillion from industrialized nations to fund loss, damage, and a just transition.

Global Energy Monitor (GEM) finds that India's coal mining sector suffers from chronic underutilization, with 36% of approved capacity idled, making the 99 proposed coal mine projects (427 mtpa) unnecessary. The report highlights that existing capacity is sufficient to meet long-term demand and that new projects threaten to displace 165 villages, affect 87,630 families, and consume 168,041 kiloliters of water daily. Furthermore, these expansions risk creating stranded assets and carbon lock-in as India pursues a 2070 net-zero target and expands its solar power capacity.

The report argues that the UK's strategy to expand North Sea oil and gas production is incompatible with the Paris Agreement and the UK's own net-zero targets. It highlights that the 'Climate Compatibility Checkpoint' used by the government is insufficient and fails to account for the 'production gap' or emissions from burning fuels. The document details several major fields, such as Rosebank and Clair South, whose projected lifetime emissions would significantly exceed the UK's carbon budgets. It further debunks claims that domestic production lowers consumer bills or meaningfully reduces import dependency, noting that the majority of gas imports come from Norway.

The document asserts that Canada's reliance on oil, gas, and coal exposes it to global market volatility and geopolitical risks, as evidenced by record-high fuel prices in 2022. It argues that renewable energy sources like wind and solar are now more cost-effective than fossil fuels and provide long-term price stability because they do not require input fuels. The brief highlights Canada's existing hydroelectric capacity and transmission infrastructure as key assets for integrating variable renewables. It recommends accelerating the electrification of transportation and heating, improving interprovincial grid connectivity, and investing in energy storage to achieve a non-emitting electricity grid by 2035.

The report examines the Ichthys LNG project in Australia, highlighting its high carbon intensity and the risks its expansion poses to climate targets and biodiversity. It identifies numerous global insurers that provided coverage for the project's initial construction and argues that continuing such support, particularly for the planned 2C expansion, contradicts the net-zero pledges of many of these firms.

The document outlines the need for co-created transition pathways for the UK's oil and gas sector to align with net-zero emissions goals, presenting results from a May 2022 workshop that examined a "median anticipated pathway" and a "rapid exit" scenario.

The report outlines two pathway scenarios for the Norwegian oil and gas sector's transition to net-zero, developed through a 'backcasting' exercise with policy makers, businesses, and civil society. While there is general acceptance of a 2050 net-zero goal, the document notes that achieving this via a science-based approach requires deep global energy system transformations and concerted efforts from the Norwegian government and other social actors.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) critiques the Western Cape's draft climate plan, arguing for greater urgency, transparency, and meaningful public participation. The CER strongly opposes the use of fossil gas as a transition fuel due to methane leakage and warns against the potential misuse of 'Net Zero' targets. They propose a comprehensive set of 27 guiding principles for the plan's implementation, emphasizing climate justice, the phase-out of fossil fuels, and the protection of vulnerable groups, particularly those in informal settlements.

The document warns against the proliferation of LNG import terminals in Europe, arguing they will not solve the immediate energy crisis and will create long-term fossil fuel dependency. It calls on private financial institutions to deny funding for these projects to prevent carbon lock-in and mitigate methane emissions.

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.

The document identifies industrial heat as a significant contributor to global energy demand and proposes 'Heat as a Service' (HaaS) to address the high capital costs and low returns associated with sustainable heat solutions. Under HaaS, a third party invests in and operates low-carbon assets, selling the resulting energy via long-term agreements.

The document analyzes global oil demand scenarios from the IEA and CER, concluding that climate policies and technological shifts—particularly in road transport—will lead to a permanent decline in oil demand starting before 2030. It highlights that road transport, the largest consumer of oil at 44%, is seeing an exponential shift toward electric vehicles. Other sectors, including buildings, power, aviation, shipping, and plastics, are also expected to contribute to demand destruction, though at different paces. The brief asserts that Canada must prepare for this structural decline to ensure economic resilience.

California has passed a series of climate and energy measures to increase clean energy options and accelerate infrastructure projects to meet its ambitious emissions goals and ensure grid reliability.