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Climate TRACE Inventory Sept 2026 (Version 5.11.0) Data Licensing, Schema, and Citation Guide
The document outlines the technical structure and legal permissions for the Climate TRACE Inventory (v5.11.0). It defines the metadata for emissions source, country-level, confidence, and ownership files, while specifying that most data is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License. It also provides a comprehensive list of recommended citations for various sectors and identifies third-party data sources used for specific emissions estimates.
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Document type: Guide
Food security in Europe is structurally exposed to energy markets through synthetic fertiliser
European agriculture's heavy reliance on synthetic nitrogen fertiliser, produced primarily from natural gas, creates a direct link between energy price shocks and food costs. Analysis of 17 EU member states from 2019-2024 reveals that EUR 16.4 billion was spent on fertiliser that was never taken up by crops, with EUR 6.1 billion spent on the embedded natural gas for that wasted input. Environmental damage from synthetic nitrogen application during this period is estimated at EUR 233.7 billion, dominated by water pollution. The report argues that reducing synthetic nitrogen use by up to 43% through precision management and legume integration could save farmers up to EUR 5.08 billion annually and significantly reduce gas dependency. Modeling shows that the post-Ukraine invasion energy crisis pushed wheat prices up by approximately 22%, establishing a lasting structural link between energy and food prices.
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Document type: Briefing
A WTO-Compatible Climate Club That Solves Our Climate Problem
The authors argue that the Paris Climate Agreement's 'name and shame' approach fails because it ignores the science of cooperative agreements on common resources. They propose a climate club where members commit to net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050, using a combination of high import tariffs and export taxes on non-members, a uniform tariff surcharge (up to 10%) on non-member imports, and penalties for members who miss intermediate goals. To ensure WTO compatibility, the proposal relies on GATT Articles XX(b) and XX(g), allowing any regulatory approach that achieves emissions reductions. The plan includes a Multilateral Fund for developing countries and suggests similar structures for methane and nitrous oxide, drawing inspiration from the Montreal Protocol.
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Document type: Research paper
Dangerous Distractions
The briefing argues that the meat and dairy industry exploits narratives of efficiency and food security to obstruct transformative changes to food systems and the adoption of sustainable diets. It notes that despite scientific consensus, only 4% of nationally determined contributions (NDCs) include quantified, time-bound agricultural methane reduction targets. The document specifically analyzes industry messaging from the World Meat Congress and COP30 to illustrate how these actors hinder the inclusion of food systems in official climate conference texts.
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Document type: Briefing
Less Fertilizer, Better Outcomes: USDA Conservation Programs Benefit Both Farmers and the Planet
The report finds that US farmers apply 3.5 to 5.8 million metric tons of nitrogen fertilizer in excess of what crops can absorb, contributing to significant greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution. It highlights that nitrogen fertilizer use in 2023 was responsible for approximately 120 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions. The authors argue that voluntary USDA programs like EQIP and CSP are underfunded and that the next Farm Bill should prioritize soil health and agroecology to reduce chemical dependency and climate risks.
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Document type: Report
Less Fertilizer, Better Outcomes
The document highlights that US farmers apply 30 to 50 percent more synthetic nitrogen fertilizer than crops can absorb, leading to significant economic waste and greenhouse gas emissions. It advocates for the next food and farm bill to increase funding for USDA programs like EQIP and CSP to support soil health and climate resilience, particularly for socially disadvantaged farmers.
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Document type: Executive summary
A Decade of Transformation: China's Path to Fertilizer Reduction and Efficiency Gains
The document highlights the high carbon intensity of synthetic fertilizer production, which relies heavily on coal and natural gas, and the significant nitrous oxide emissions released during field application. It identifies China as a key global market player that has implemented an integrated governance framework combining policy, market mechanisms, and technology to coordinate the low-carbon transition of its fertilizer industry.
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Document type: Report
ERS Spotlight Partial Substitution of Nitrogen Fertilizer
The document highlights the use of soil activators and organic substitutes to reduce synthetic nitrogen fertilizer application by up to 20% without compromising crop yields, noting a specific project impact of 12,765 tCO2e in North America.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Does the EU need an Emissions Trading System for Agriculture?
The document assesses the potential for an Emissions Trading System for Agriculture (Agri-ETS) in the EU, arguing that such a system would only be effective if it targets large-scale polluters, avoids free allowances and carbon offsets, and is integrated into a wider suite of reforms. It highlights the risks of 'GHG tunnel vision' and the necessity of reforming the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to stop subsidising harmful practices. The author advocates for a 'Just Transition Fund for Agri-food' to support small-scale farmers using Agri-ETS revenues.
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Document type: Statement
Identifying and Tackling Environmentally Harmful Agricultural Subsidies in the WTO
The document analyzes global agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, noting that the sector accounted for approximately 20% of global anthropogenic emissions in 2022. It identifies ruminant livestock and deforestation as the primary drivers of these emissions and highlights significant regional variations in emission intensities. The author argues that coupled subsidies and market price supports incentivize environmentally harmful practices and recommends repurposing these funds toward sustainable management, innovation, and uncoupled payments to reduce the sector's carbon footprint while balancing food security and livelihoods.
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Document type: Briefing
Agriculture Trade, Climate, and Net Zero Pathways: Scenarios and Implications for Developing Countries and Climate-Resilient Development
The document analyzes how climate change disrupts agricultural yields and trade flows, particularly in developing regions, while contributing significantly to global GHG emissions. It highlights the risks of food insecurity and the potential for trade-related climate measures to marginalize vulnerable economies. The author argues for a comprehensive international cooperation agenda focused on reducing trade tensions, reforming harmful subsidies, facilitating technology transfer, and securing global food stocks to ensure a fair transition to sustainable agriculture.
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Document type: Briefing
Protect Peatlands
The report identifies peatland protection as an 'emergency brake' climate solution due to the high carbon density of these ecosystems, which store approximately 600 Gt of carbon. It estimates that protecting one hectare of peatland avoids between 0.92 and 13.47 t CO-eq/ha/yr, with the highest impact in tropical and subtropical regions. The net cost is estimated at US$1.5/ha/yr, or $0.25/t CO-eq avoided. While approximately 22% of global peatlands are in protected areas (PAs), the report suggests an achievable protection range of 70–90% of remaining undrained peatlands, which could reduce emissions by 1.3–1.7 Gt CO-eq/yr. The analysis emphasizes the critical role of Indigenous peoples' lands, which contain an additional 186 Mha of peatlands, and advocates for secure land tenure and community-led governance to ensure permanence and avoid leakage.
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Document type: Research paper
The Energy Transition in 2025: What to Watch For
The energy transition accelerated in 2024, driven by record uptake in solar, wind, and electric vehicles as costs for solar modules and batteries fell significantly. While renewables are poised to overtake coal as the leading power source in 2025 and many nations have set net-zero goals, progress in energy efficiency and methane reduction remains off track. The document argues that achieving 2030 targets requires shifting fossil fuel subsidies toward clean energy investments, particularly in emerging economies.
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Document type: Briefing
Global overview on inclusion of non-CO2 emissions in NDCs
Non-CO2 emissions account for approximately 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet they are frequently overlooked in NDCs, which often lack gas-specific quantitative targets. While some countries like Côte d’Ivoire and Japan provide good practice examples of quantitative targets, major emitters including China, Russia, India, and Brazil generally only include non-CO2 gases as part of overall GHG targets. China, whose current NDC covers only CO2 despite non-CO2 gases making up 18% of its national emissions, has indicated it will include these gases in its updated NDC. The brief argues that the 2025 NDC update cycle is a critical opportunity for major emitters, particularly China, to adopt sector-specific targets and align with international initiatives like the Global Methane Pledge and the Kigali Amendment to maintain the 1.5°C warming limit.
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Document type: Policy brief
GCF Water Project Design Guidelines Part 3
The GCF Water Project Design Guidelines Part 3 outlines a framework for creating climate-resilient sanitation (CRS) projects. It defines CRS as systems that can survive and function despite climate shocks while minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. The guide provides a detailed methodology for conducting climate risk assessments (analyzing hazards, exposure, and vulnerability) and identifies specific technical and management interventions for the sanitation service chain, including containment, conveyance, and treatment. It emphasizes a 'paradigm shift' toward circular economy principles—such as nutrient recovery and wastewater reuse—and provides a step-by-step process for aligning proposals with GCF investment criteria, including impact potential and country ownership.
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Document type: Guide
Heat-Trapping Pollution
The document details how human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels, have increased atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide to levels higher than any point in the last 800,000 years. These gases have caused a combined 1.6°C of global warming since 1850, with CO2 and methane accounting for 95% of this increase. In the United States, 76% of greenhouse gas emissions originate from three sectors: transportation (28%), electric power (25%), and industry (23%). The text emphasizes that while the U.S. has reduced emissions to approximately 17% below 2005 levels, the pace of reduction must more than triple to meet 2030 national targets.
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Document type: Fact sheet
NET ZERO STOCKTAKE 2024
The Net Zero Stocktake 2024 reveals a consolidation of net zero targets across countries, cities, and companies, but highlights a critical gap in integrity. While national targets now cover 87% of global GHG emissions, fewer than 5% of non-state entities meet all minimum procedural and substantive integrity criteria. The report emphasizes that national targets often act as a 'ceiling' for subnational ambition, though some regions in countries like Australia and Japan have historically pushed national goals forward. It also notes that members of the Race to Zero campaign generally outperform non-members on integrity measures, although absolute performance remains low.
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Document type: Report
Clean Energy 101: Ammonia’s Role in the Energy Transition
Ammonia is essential for global food security via fertilizers and is emerging as a critical low-carbon energy carrier and maritime fuel. While current production relies on fossil fuels—contributing over 1% of global GHG emissions—the transition to 'green ammonia' via electrolysis and renewable energy offers a path to carbon neutrality. RMI forecasts a 113% increase in US ammonia production by 2030, driven by hydrogen exports to the EU and the adoption of ammonia-powered shipping, provided that technical challenges and NOx/N2O emissions are managed.
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Document type: Guide
Methods for measuring greenhouse gas emissions from sanitation and wastewater management systems
The report analyzes seven categories of enclosure-based and open measurement methods for greenhouse gas emissions in sanitation systems. It finds that while enclosure-based methods like flux chambers are widely used, they are limited by scale. Emerging optical and remote sensing methods offer broader coverage but are constrained by high costs. The document highlights a critical lack of empirical data for non-sewered sanitation in low- and middle-income countries and advocates for standardized, affordable methodologies and increased collaboration to improve national greenhouse gas inventories.
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Document type: Report
Consumption emissions: opportunities for EU climate mitigation
The document argues that the EU's territorial emission reductions underestimate its true carbon footprint due to emissions embedded in imports. It identifies food, housing, and mobility as primary consumption 'hotspots' and calls for a shift from a focus on production efficiency to policies that target consumption patterns and behavioral change. Key barriers include a lack of standardized monitoring and supply chain transparency, while opportunities lie in leveraging the EU's market influence to set common CBE targets and support developing countries in transitioning to low-carbon production.
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Document type: Policy brief