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The briefing outlines how the EU can sustain its climate leadership following the June 2024 elections by linking emissions reductions to energy security, consumer cost savings, and industrial competitiveness. It highlights the success of the RePowerEU Plan in reducing Russian gas imports and notes that wind and solar power saved EU consumers approximately EUR 100 billion between 2021 and 2023. The document emphasizes that investing in green technology and implementing social safety nets, such as retraining programmes, will ensure the transition is competitive and inclusive.

ClientEarth argues that the designation of renewables acceleration areas must strictly adhere to the Birds and Habitats Directives, the SEA Directive, and the Aarhus Convention to avoid legal challenges and environmental degradation. The document recommends that Member States coordinate RED mapping with National Restoration Plans, exclude not only Natura 2000 sites but also areas likely to have significant effects on them, and implement a rigorous, transparent public consultation process that includes the 'zero option' of not designating an area.

The report examines the pathways for a just energy transition in the Pacific, highlighting that while 14 Pacific Island Countries (PICs) contribute only 0.23% of global emissions, they are disproportionately affected by climate change. It estimates the upfront cost of replacing fossil fuel electricity generation in eight profiled PICs between $691 million and $1 billion USD. The document argues that a just transition must go beyond technology swaps to include economic diversification, poverty eradication, and the protection of workers, particularly in Papua New Guinea's fossil fuel sector. It also warns of a 'double exposure' where the region faces both climate impacts and potential environmental damage from increased mining of Energy Transition Metals (ETMs).

The document details the technical methodology used by the Union of Concerned Scientists to model US energy system transitions. It outlines targets for reducing energy and industrial CO2 emissions by 47.5% by 2030 and 100% by 2050, alongside specific targets for non-CO2 gases. The analysis employs seven scenarios, including reference cases and various net-zero pathways, incorporating the impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Key assumptions include the total retirement of coal generation by 2030 in net-zero scenarios and 100% zero emissions vehicle sales by 2035.

The Great Lakes region is positioned for an industrial renaissance in clean energy, having seen over $40 billion in new investments since 2021. However, the report argues that the region faces significant constraints, including slow population growth, a migration of manufacturing to the US South, and uneven clean electricity deployment. To overcome these, RMI suggests that states prioritize industries where they have existing 'economic complexity' and related capabilities, such as EV batteries and low-carbon steel. The report highlights the importance of coordinating across state lines to share legislative best practices—such as the creation of green banks and competitiveness funds—and recommends a regional investment attraction strategy to draw foreign direct investment. It specifically praises Illinois and Minnesota as leaders in environmental justice and workforce development frameworks.

A survey of 58 European climate experts reveals skepticism about Europe's ability to meet its 2030 and 2050 climate goals, citing lagging investments and bureaucratic hurdles. While experts show varying confidence in technologies like CCS and hydrogen, there is a notable call for a more prominent role for nuclear energy and a shift toward 'technology optionality' and simplified, incentive-based policymaking.

Using the EPA's AVERT tool and 2021 data, the analysis finds that ignoring additionality, regionality, line loss accounting, or hourly time-matching can lead to hydrogen production emissions that exceed the threshold for the top $3/kg 45V tax credit. Specifically, forgoing additionality could result in emissions 22 to 40 kgCO2/kgH2, which is more than twice the emissions of steam methane reformation.

RMI analysis finds that utility-scale solar and onshore wind are already cheaper to build than new natural gas plants in Texas, even without the Chapter 313 tax incentives. The report argues that excluding renewables from the next iteration of Chapter 313 via House Bill (HB) 5 is economically inefficient, as it would require $150 to $300 in taxpayer funds per kilowatt to make natural gas competitive. Furthermore, rapid adoption of clean technologies could allow Texas to retain $130 billion in-state through federal tax credits, with approximately 35 percent of that amount stimulating the electricity sector.

The SRMI-Resilience program aims to deploy 2.16 GW of renewable energy and reduce GHG emissions by 55.01 million tons of CO2eq across Ethiopia, Guinea Bissau, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Seychelles, Somalia, Tajikistan, and Tunisia. The initiative combines technical assistance, public investments in grid resilience, and risk mitigation instruments to unlock an estimated USD 1.8 billion in private investment. Key adaptation goals include providing 3.2 million people with electricity to power cooling systems during heat waves and upgrading grid infrastructure to withstand climate hazards like floods and cyclones.

Global investments in energy transition technologies reached a record USD 1.3 trillion in 2022, yet this remains insufficient to meet climate goals, with annual needs estimated at over USD 5 trillion. While renewable energy investments are growing, they are heavily concentrated in a few regions—primarily East Asia and the Pacific—and specific technologies like solar PV and wind. Conversely, fossil fuel investments continue to rise, and subsidies remain high, particularly in Europe and the MENA region. The report emphasizes the need for a fundamental shift in financing for the Global South, calling for more innovative public finance instruments, the mobilization of institutional capital, and a transition away from fossil fuel funding to ensure a just and inclusive energy transition.

The document assesses the attractiveness of South Africa's green economy manufacturing market, detailing policy frameworks, electricity costs, labour laws, and tax systems. It highlights significant opportunities in renewable energy, water infrastructure, and sustainable agriculture, while identifying critical bottlenecks such as load shedding, policy inconsistency, and skills shortages.

The report identifies significant growth potential in South Africa's large-scale renewable energy sector, driven by the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2019 and the removal of licensing thresholds for private generation. While public procurement via the REIPPPP has historically led the market, grid constraints in the Northern and Western Cape now limit project viability. Private procurement is surging, particularly among energy-intensive mining companies. The report also highlights emerging opportunities in battery energy storage systems (BESS), green hydrogen, and local manufacturing of components, while noting the systemic risk posed by Eskom's debt and the ongoing unbundling of the national utility.

The Kenya Energy Transition & Investment Plan (ETIP) 2023-2050 outlines a pathway to Net Zero emissions by 2050, requiring approximately USD 600 billion in capital investment. The plan emphasizes an 'Orderly Transition' anchored by six key technologies: renewables, low-carbon hydrogen, battery electric vehicles, clean cooking, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and negative-emission solutions. Key sectoral shifts include a 20-fold increase in power demand met primarily by solar and wind, the total phase-out of fossil-fuel motorcycles by 2045, and a transition from traditional biomass to electric and improved biomass cooking. The transition is projected to create 500,000 net new jobs and reduce domestic oil and gas consumption by approximately 94% compared to a business-as-usual scenario.

The Green Economy Coalition argues that the UK's cost-of-living crisis requires a combination of urgent financial support for the vulnerable and a strategic commitment to a green recovery. It rejects short-term fixes such as North Sea drilling, fracking, and scrapping the green levy, instead advocating for a transition to renewable energy, a pro-poor policy approach, and a green jobs strategy to ensure long-term economic and environmental resilience.

Tracked green finance in India averaged INR 309 thousand crores (~USD 44 billion) per annum in FY 2019-20, which is less than 25% of the annual amount required to meet the country's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). While flows increased by 150% from FY2017/18 to FY2019/20, the report highlights a critical shortfall in adaptation funding and a heavy reliance on public sector finance for clean transportation. The study recommends the development of a green taxonomy, improved data disclosure, and the scaling of capital markets to mobilize the trillions of dollars needed for India's 2030 and 2070 Net-Zero goals.

The EU is facing an implementation gap where high renewable energy targets are not translating into on-the-ground deployment. By 2026, combined annual wind and solar additions are forecast to be only 38 GW, half of the 76 GW required for 1.5C alignment. Only four EU countries—Finland, Croatia, Lithuania, and Sweden—are on track for required wind capacity. A primary barrier is the permitting process; onshore wind permitting times in 18 analysed countries all exceeded the EU's two-year limit, with some taking up to 120 months. The report argues for enforcing the Renewable Energy Directive's permitting limits and streamlining administrative processes to enhance energy security and meet climate goals.

North Africa possesses significant solar and wind potential, with Egypt and Morocco emerging as the region's largest renewable energy markets. While Egypt's power sector is dominated by gas and Morocco's by coal, both are aggressively expanding their renewable capacities through policy shifts and international investment. Egypt has seen rapid solar growth, exemplified by the Benban solar farm, while Morocco has focused on onshore wind and concentrated solar power, aiming to become a global green hydrogen exporter by 2050.

The study finds that California can reliably meet an 85% clean electricity target by 2030 using portfolios primarily composed of wind, solar, and battery storage. Through 264 PLEXOS simulations, the authors tested three portfolios—Base Case, Diverse Clean Resources, and High Electrification—against stressors including gas and coal retirements, low hydro availability, and extreme weather. Results indicate the system remains robust even under simultaneous stressors, though it remains dependent on a strategic amount of in-state natural gas and economic imports. The report emphasizes that diversifying resources with offshore wind and geothermal reduces the need for solar and storage and improves grid stability by lowering instantaneous inverter-based generation. While demand flexibility can offset some storage needs, the study concludes that further nodal transmission and grid stability analyses are required for a complete reliability assessment.

The report contends that natural gas expansion in Africa contradicts the Paris Agreement and poses significant economic and environmental risks. It argues that renewable energy is more cost-effective and creates more sustainable employment than the fossil fuel industry. Through case studies of Egypt, Nigeria, and Senegal, the document demonstrates that shifting from gas-based power to high-renewable scenarios would increase job creation and, in the case of Egypt, significantly reduce premature deaths from air pollution. It concludes that developed nations must stop financing fossil fuels and increase climate finance to support Africa's transition to zero-emissions energy systems.

The South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (SAREM) outlines a framework to localise the wind, solar PV, and battery energy storage value chains. It argues that localising 70% of components and 90% of Balance of Plant (BoP) and Operations and Maintenance (O&M) could create 36,500 direct jobs and contribute R420 billion to GDP by 2030. The plan emphasizes the need for market certainty through consistent public procurement and the transition to a points-based local content scoring system to incentivize high-value manufacturing over simple CAPEX spend. It specifically targets 'Just Transition hotspots' like Mpumalanga to pivot coal-sector workers into the green economy.