Search Climate Insights Directory

The report 'Playing With Fire' by Sandbag assesses plans to convert European coal power stations to burn biomass, primarily wood pellets. It argues that these conversions, driven by EU legislation and subsidies, risk accelerating climate change due to long carbon payback periods and significant forest loss, while providing minimal electricity relative to the cost and environmental impact.

This briefing by Global Energy Monitor examines the expansion of woody biomass power in Japan and South Korea, arguing that these technologies are being used to meet renewable energy targets despite lacking financial viability and failing to reduce emissions. The document highlights that woody biomass can emit 30% more CO2 than coal and warns that subsidies for biomass are delaying the transition to truly renewable sources like wind and solar.

This document is an annex to the 2018 update of 'India’s Energy Transition: Subsidies for Fossil Fuels and Renewable Energy'. It details changes in subsidy policies since 2017 and introduces new summary tables for subsidies related to the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the Saubhagya electrification scheme, and electric vehicles (EVs) at both central and state levels.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the role of investment treaties and Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanisms in global governance. It argues that traditional investment treaties, which prioritize investor protection, often fail to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and instead create significant financial and legal burdens for host states, potentially hindering sustainable development and climate action.