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The document examines the intersection of gender equality and renewable energy in the Lower Mekong region and other ASEAN states. It notes that while hydropower and solar energy are growing due to private sector investment, biomass and wind power are lagging. Although national governments have established gender equality plans and long-term renewable energy targets, these two policy areas remain separate, leaving it unclear how women will be integrated into energy transition efforts.

The Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) has developed a new finance and business model for a Clean Energy Investment Trust aimed at institutional investors. By addressing the specific cashflow fundamentals of wind and solar projects—which differ from conventional fossil fuel generation due to higher initial investments and lower operating costs—the proposed model aims to reduce the cost of renewable energy by 15-17% compared to existing practices.

The report identifies that institutional investment in renewable energy is constrained by illiquidity, fund size, and a lack of internal expertise, limiting potential direct investment to less than 1% of total assets under management. To address this, the authors propose the Clean Energy Investment Trust (CEIT), a pooled, listed, and low-fee vehicle designed for liability-hedging. The report argues that a CEIT could increase potential institutional investment from $305 billion to nearly $4 trillion, significantly lowering the cost of capital for renewables. Initial core investors are expected to be large public-sector pension funds, with smaller institutions joining as the market matures.

The report argues that traditional utility and project finance models are inefficient for renewable energy because they do not align with the specific risk-reward profiles of wind and solar assets. It proposes the Clean Energy Investment Trust (CEIT), a liquid, exchange-traded vehicle targeting liability-hedging investors (such as pension funds and insurance companies) by offering investment-grade, bond-like returns. To achieve this, the CEIT unbundles project cashflows into four streams: construction finance, predictable contracted cashflows (the CEIT core), volatile 'surplus' cashflows, and 'tail' cashflows occurring after the fixed-price regime expires. By using risk-mitigation tools—including diversification of 5-10 assets, conservative P75-P95 production estimates, and long-term O&M contracts—the model claims it can reduce the cost of wind-generated electricity by 15-17%.

The report argues that the cost of the low-carbon energy transition can be minimized by correctly allocating investment risks—such as construction, price, and curtailment—between private investors, public entities, and consumers. It introduces a framework to identify key risks based on technology and country context, select an appropriate ownership model, and use specific instruments (like guarantees or Feed-in Tariffs) to fill risk gaps. Case studies suggest that optimizing risk allocation could reduce levelized costs by 10% for onshore wind in New York and 30-40% for solar in India.

The report analyzes the challenges facing Shanxi province as it transitions away from coal, highlighting the tension between national environmental goals and provincial economic dependence. It uses international case studies to argue that successful transition requires a comprehensive approach combining economic diversification, infrastructure investment, and social welfare to prevent long-term regional decline.

The report examines the proposed Stiegler's Gorge hydropower dam in Tanzania, highlighting significant risks to the Selous Game Reserve (a World Heritage Site) and the Rufiji-Mafia-Kilwa Marine Ramsar Site. It argues that the project would cause irreversible damage to the region's Outstanding Universal Value, disrupt downstream ecosystems, and threaten the livelihoods of approximately 200,000 people. The document also questions the project's financial feasibility and reliability given climate change and suggests alternative energy sources such as natural gas, solar, wind, and geothermal power.

Scientists for Global Responsibility urges UK political leaders to prioritize climate action through home energy conservation, renewable energy, and energy storage, while ending subsidies for fossil fuels and new nuclear power commitments.

RMI asserts that while the U.S. federal withdrawal from the Paris Agreement undermines global efforts, the transition to clean energy will continue through the actions of American states, cities, and businesses. The organization highlights the growth of the solar industry and the ability of subnational entities to form an alternative 'societally determined contribution' to maintain climate leadership.

The document argues that while Africa has immense renewable energy potential, its transition to a low-carbon economy is hindered by fragmented governance, inadequate investment, and a reliance on hydrocarbon assets that risk becoming 'stranded'. It highlights the specific challenges in West Africa, where over 57% of the population lacks electricity access despite abundant solar, wind, and hydro resources. Using Nigeria as a case study, the briefing notes a trend toward decentralized solar projects in universities and businesses, but warns that these must be integrated into national grids to avoid inefficient clusters. The authors recommend that African governments prioritize robust, adapted technologies and align country-level actions with regional visions to build climate resilience.

The document outlines five South African case studies focused on livestock residue valorization. These include biogas installations at Zandam Piggery & Cheese and Uilenkraal Dairy, insect protein production from organic waste by AgriProtein and Khepri Innovations, and open wind-row composting at the Robertson Abattoir.

The report details CDKN's work in India to integrate climate change adaptation and mitigation into development planning. Key initiatives include the use of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) for energy and building sectors, the development of Heat Action Plans in cities like Ahmedabad, and the promotion of rural electrification through micro-franchising. The document emphasizes the importance of co-benefits, private sector engagement, and gender sensitivity in achieving resilient growth.

The document analyzes two clean energy scenarios for Bangladesh: a short-term 'Clean Energy Policy 1' and a long-term 'Clean Energy Policy 2'. It finds that transitioning to clean energy can significantly reduce emissions, create thousands of jobs, and save lives by reducing air pollution, all while remaining cost-effective relative to conventional fossil fuel generation.

The report finds that while a majority of registered US voters believe global warming is happening and support various clean energy policies, there is a significant gap between their stated willingness to advocate for climate action and their actual behavior. Political affiliation strongly influences beliefs about the cause of global warming and the priority it should hold for government leaders, though broad support exists for renewable energy research and tax rebates for energy-efficient products.

The report finds that Latinos in the U.S. are significantly more engaged with global warming than non-Latinos, showing higher levels of belief in human-caused warming, greater worry, and stronger support for climate policies. Spanish-language Latinos exhibit the highest levels of engagement. While many Latinos are willing to take political action, they face specific barriers, including a lack of outreach from organizations and fears regarding immigration authorities.

The report finds that while a majority of US registered voters believe global warming is happening and support various clean energy policies, there is a significant gap between their stated willingness to advocate for climate action and their actual behavior. Political polarization remains evident, with conservative Republicans showing the lowest levels of concern and support for regulatory measures, although they still support renewable energy research and tax rebates for energy-efficient products.

The report finds that while coal may appear cheaper on a per-unit basis when considering only generation costs and subsidies, its "true cost" is significantly higher than that of renewable energy once environmental and health externalities are included. In 2015, subsidies to coal were estimated at USD 644 million, nearly five times the USD 133 million provided to renewables. The authors argue that Indonesia's energy policy should shift toward increasing the share of renewable energy and reducing coal to lower the long-term cost to society.

The report examines the potential for electric vehicles to act as flexible loads to balance electricity supply and demand, particularly to mitigate the 'duck curve' caused by high solar penetration. It analyzes technical barriers, utility roles, and rate designs, concluding that managed charging can reduce system costs and emissions if aligned with clean energy availability.

The report examines the progress of decarbonisation across three global energy sectors. It highlights the rapid growth of wind and solar power, the emerging scale of electric vehicle sales, and the relative lag in the buildings sector despite available technological solutions.

The document argues that renewable energy investments in China, India, and the US must increase significantly—doubling in China and the US and tripling in India—to meet Paris Agreement warming limits. While China and India are rapidly expanding renewable capacity and moving away from coal, the US faces worsening federal policy ambition despite strong state-level support for renewables.