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The report finds a positive trend in European pension funds' commitment to sustainable investing, with significant growth in the adoption of mitigation targets and climate risk management. However, a persistent gap remains between these commitments and actual real-economy impact, as pension funds rarely invest directly in projects and often hold fragmented indirect ownership. The analysis highlights that larger funds, those in net-zero coalitions, and funds in countries with strong regulatory frameworks—such as the Nordic countries, the Netherlands, and France—are leading the transition. Key challenges include the gap between asset ownership and management, the difficulty of transitioning passive investments, and limited capital flow to emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs).

Reclaim Finance is calling for shareholders to vote against the reelection of TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné at the May 24, 2024 general meeting. The organization argues that the company's strategy is incompatible with the 1.5°C warming limit, noting that TotalEnergies was the sixth largest oil and gas developer globally in 2023. The document highlights a gap in investment, stating that only 33% of investments in the 2028 plan are allocated to the "electricity and new molecules" division, while 3.4 dollars were distributed to shareholders for every dollar invested in electricity in 2023. Reclaim Finance further claims that the company ignores climate-related shareholder resolutions, citing a 2023 resolution for Paris Agreement alignment that received 30.4% support but resulted in no significant action, followed by a plan to increase annual oil production by 2 to 3% by 2028.

Reclaim Finance argues that current investor engagement strategies, including the Climate Action 100+ initiative, have failed to produce meaningful climate action from the oil and gas sector. The organization highlights that most companies continue fossil fuel expansion and maintain minimal investment in clean energy despite high profits. Consequently, Reclaim Finance calls on asset managers to escalate their tactics by suspending new investments, voting against strategic routine resolutions, and issuing public statements to sanction companies that refuse to stop developing new upstream and midstream projects.

The document critiques the current state of financial sector decarbonization targets, arguing that reliance on 'financed emissions' metrics—specifically those using Enterprise Value Including Cash (EVIC)—allows banks to report emissions reductions based on stock market volatility rather than actual decarbonization. It highlights how banks like Deutsche Bank and Crédit Agricole met targets early due to soaring energy stock prices in 2022. The author warns against 'gaming' metrics through concepts like 'energy mix' targets or 'Expected Emission Reduction' (EER) and calls for a comprehensive dashboard of absolute targets, facilitated emissions tracking, and strict exclusion policies for fossil fuel expansion.

The document reports that global public financial support for fossil fuels reached a record high of over USD 1.7 trillion in 2022, driven largely by USD 1.3 trillion in subsidies. It notes a discrepancy in G7 financing, where USD 20 billion was provided for fossil fuels compared to USD 10 billion for clean energy. The briefing argues that these flows contradict the Paris Agreement and COP 26 pledges, calling for a total phase-out of fossil fuel production and consumption and a shift of public finance toward clean energy and just transition measures.

The Net Zero Finance Tracker (NZFT) methodology establishes a system for monitoring how financial institutions transition from climate intentions to real-world results. It employs a three-dimensional assessment framework—Targets, Implementation, and Impact—using a combination of qualitative tiered badges and quantitative metrics. The current version focuses on 553 members of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), representing USD 85 trillion in assets. The methodology emphasizes transparency, concreteness, and ambition, utilizing data from approximately 30 providers to track indicators such as mitigation targets, TCFD disclosures, and project-level clean energy financing.

The document argues that energy transition planning in Africa is hindered by polarized debates, a gap between science and policy, and the use of simplistic myths about the continent's resources. It calls for a shift toward granular, country-specific evidence to inform decisions on energy systems and the role of fossil fuels.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has allocated $5 billion for the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) to help US states and municipalities implement greenhouse gas reduction strategies. Forty-six states have accepted $3 million each in planning grants, with $4.6 billion remaining for competitive implementation grants in 2024. The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) advises states to use these planning funds to develop broad, economy-wide strategies, tailor messaging to local political contexts, and engage the public early to avoid project delays. Additionally, the briefing suggests using funds to increase agency capacity, optimize the layering of various federal resources (such as the CHIPS and Science Act), and identify workforce needs for a low-carbon economy. To ensure success, states are encouraged to secure contractors early to avoid surges in demand and to communicate implementation barriers quickly to the EPA and the White House.

In 2022, global electricity reached its lowest emissions intensity ever at 436 gCO2/kWh, with wind and solar hitting a record 12% of generation. Despite this, total power sector CO2 emissions reached a record high of 12,431 mtCO2 because wind and solar growth could not fully keep pace with a 2.5% increase in global electricity demand. This gap was filled by coal and other fossils, with coal generation rising by 108 TWh to a record 10,186 TWh. While clean electricity sources other than wind and solar saw their first year-on-year decline since 2011 due to nuclear outages and droughts, 2022 is characterized as an 'accelerator year' due to policy shifts like the EU's REPowerEU and the US Inflation Reduction Act.

The World Resources Institute analyzes CEJST 1.0, finding that while it identifies more disadvantaged populations than the beta version, it lacks a mechanism to prioritize communities facing multiple overlapping burdens. The analysis reveals that non-white populations are disproportionately exposed to higher cumulative burdens, yet the tool treats all disadvantaged communities as equal for funding purposes. The authors recommend incorporating cumulative burden metrics, adjusting low-income eligibility for severely burdened areas, and establishing a rigorous monitoring framework for the Justice40 Initiative.

The Community Connect Grant Program provides financial assistance to eligible organizations to deploy broadband internet in rural, economically challenged communities. The program is linked to climate goals by enabling the use of precision agriculture and smart home energy devices. For fiscal year 2023, Congress appropriated $35 million for the program, which requires grant recipients to provide a cash match of at least 15%.

The document examines the IEA's WEO 2022, specifically the Net-Zero by 2050 (NZE) scenario, to outline a transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. It argues that fossil fuel demand is peaking and that achieving the 1.5°C target requires a total transformation of energy investment, characterized by a '9 for 1' ratio of clean energy to fossil fuel spending by 2030.

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 is presented as a critical opportunity for the U.S. to strengthen energy security and economic growth through federal incentives for clean energy. The document argues that the bill supports business climate goals by providing tax credits for domestic manufacturing of wind turbines, solar panels, and batteries, as well as incentives for electric vehicles and heat pumps. It contends that the cost of climate inaction, evidenced by nearly $100 billion in U.S. climate-related disasters in one year, far outweighs the bill's corporate tax provisions.

The guide explains that Community Project Funding (CPF), a form of discretionary spending available to U.S. senators and representatives, provides a flexible alternative to competitive federal grants for local climate action. It highlights the case of Cohoes, New York, which used $3 million in CPF to build a 3.2 MW floating solar array, and provides strategic advice for communities to secure similar funding by engaging representatives early and focusing on shovel-ready, community-supported projects.

The report finds that global gas-fired power capacity in development (615 GW) now exceeds that of coal (457 GW), representing an estimated US$509 billion in capital expenditure. This expansion is described as ubiquitous across all continents, directly conflicting with the IEA's 1.5°C net-zero pathway. The authors argue that these investments face significant stranded asset risks as clean energy portfolios (CEPs) increasingly outcompete gas on cost, particularly in the US and Australia.

The report assesses the viability of proposed gas power plants in the US against 'clean energy portfolios'—combinations of solar, wind, storage, demand flexibility, and energy efficiency—noting that over 88 gigawatts of gas capacity were proposed in 2021 despite economic and policy shifts favoring clean alternatives.

A coalition of organizations urges the U.S. government to oppose deep seabed mining, citing grave risks to biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and the rights of Pacific Indigenous communities. The authors call for a moratorium on mining in the U.S. EEZ and international waters, arguing that the International Seabed Authority (ISA) lacks transparent governance and that critical mineral needs should be met through a circular economy rather than seabed extraction.

The document argues that new investment in US gas-fired power plants is becoming uneconomic due to the rise of Clean Energy Portfolios (CEPs)—combinations of wind, solar, energy efficiency, demand response, and battery storage. As of late 2021, 88 GW of gas capacity was proposed, but over 50% of proposed new gas plants have been cancelled prior to construction in the last two years. The analysis finds that CEPs are a cheaper option in more than 80% of sites where gas plants are proposed for service by 2030, and at least 70 GW of proposed gas could be economically avoided, potentially saving $22 billion and 873 MMT of CO2. The report highlights significant stranded cost risks, noting that in a central analysis case, 40% of proposed combined cycle gas plants would cost more to operate than a new CEP costs to build within 10 years.

The report finds that most of the 88+ GW of proposed US gas power plants are economically uncompetitive compared to Clean Energy Portfolios (CEPs), which combine wind, solar, storage, energy efficiency, and demand flexibility. At least 70 GW of proposed gas capacity could be avoided using CEPs, potentially saving $22 billion and reducing CO2 emissions by 873 million metric tons over 20 years. The analysis highlights six key headwinds—including declining renewable costs, rising gas prices, and public health impacts—that increase the risk of project cancellations or stranded assets. Specifically, in a central analysis case, 40% of proposed combined cycle (CC) plants would cost more to operate than a new CEP would cost to build within 10 years, a figure that could rise to 80-90% under certain economic scenarios. The report also notes that CEPs create more jobs and avoid significant health costs, particularly in low-income communities and communities of color.

The document analyzes the 'digital divide' in the U.S., where millions of people—particularly in rural and tribal areas—lack high-speed internet. It details various broadband technologies, the economic and social impacts of this gap, and the critical link between broadband and smart energy technologies. The brief also reviews federal funding mechanisms, the role of municipal and electric cooperative networks, and recent legislative efforts to expand access.