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Pipeline Bubble
The report identifies a significant surge in global oil and gas pipeline development, with North America leading the trend. It contends that this expansion is predicated on a 'super cycle' of demand from Asia that is incompatible with IPCC climate goals and threatened by the rise of renewables and competing production in other regions. The authors compare the current situation to the 2011–2016 coal mining crash, warning that high leverage and a loss of 'social license' create a high risk of stranded assets.
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Document type: Report
India’s Energy Transition: Stranded coal power assets, workers and energy subsidies
The document examines the crisis of 'stressed' coal power assets in India, where approximately 21% of operational capacity was identified as non-performing in 2018. It identifies current drivers of stranding, such as the financial distress of distribution companies (DISCOMs) and coal shortages, alongside future risks including water scarcity, air pollution regulations, and the increasing cost-competitiveness of renewable energy. The authors argue that government subsidies and preferential financing have artificially dampened market signals, prolonging the life of unviable assets. Finally, the brief advocates for a 'just transition' framework to prevent the burden of asset stranding from falling on the millions of workers in the coal value chain, particularly in states like Jharkhand, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh.
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Document type: Briefing
Prospects for Gas Pipelines in the Era of Clean Energy
RMI research indicates that clean energy portfolios are now cost-competitive with new natural gas power plants. Consequently, over $70 billion in planned gas-fired power plant construction and $30 billion in new interstate pipelines face significant stranded cost risks, as these assets may become uneconomic by 2035 and lead to increased gas delivery costs.
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Document type: Briefing
Financial Risks from Coal Underwriting and Investment
ClientEarth argues that Lloyd's of London's current risk management is inadequate regarding coal assets, noting that its Coal Exclusion Policy only covers 2.5% of assets. The letter highlights the Carmichael coalmine as a high-risk project due to potential stranded asset risks and a lack of a 'social licence to operate', which could lead to significant insurance claims. ClientEarth asserts that continuing to enable coal undermines the insurance business model by fueling climate-driven natural catastrophes, and calls for public disclosure of risk management criteria.
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Document type: Statement
Understanding the impact of a low carbon transition on South Africa
South Africa faces a cumulative transition risk of over $120 billion in present value terms between 2013 and 2035, primarily driven by declining global demand for coal exports. While investors initially bear the majority of this risk, implicit transfers and contingent liabilities could shift more than half of the total risk onto the national government, potentially jeopardising its investment-grade sovereign credit rating. The report identifies significant risks to state-owned enterprises like Transnet and Eskom, and private entities such as Sasol and Exxaro. Conversely, a global transition could provide a $45.5 billion windfall for consumers through lower oil prices. The document recommends that the South African government avoid new carbon-intensive investments, develop fiscal tools to capture oil windfalls to offset coal losses, and implement transparent transition plans for workers and municipalities.
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Document type: Report
Understanding the impact of a low carbon transition on South Africa
The report finds that South Africa faces a cumulative transition risk of over $120 billion in present value terms between 2013 and 2035, primarily driven by falling demand and prices for coal exports. While the public balance sheet explicitly faces only 16% of this downside risk, implicit transfers—such as bailouts and social support—could increase the national government's share to over half. The analysis highlights that approximately 75% of these risks are external, and nearly 50% were already realized by 2017. Furthermore, current investment incentives may add another $25.8 billion in risk through projects like new oil refineries and coal infrastructure. The report recommends that the government adopt transition risk assessments, reconsider high-risk investments, and potentially tax oil price windfalls to offset losses.
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Document type: Executive summary
THE COAL COST CROSSOVER: ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF EXISTING COAL COMPARED TO NEW LOCAL WIND AND SOLAR RESOURCES
The report finds that a significant portion of the U.S. coal fleet is now more expensive to operate than replacing it with new local wind and solar power. In 2018, 74% of the fleet was 'at risk' of being undercut by renewables, a figure projected to rise to 86% by 2025. The analysis emphasizes that these findings are conservative because they only consider resources within 35 miles of existing plants and do not account for broader transmission expansion or combined energy portfolios.
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Document type: Report
Bùng nổ và thoái trào
In 2018, global coal power growth indicators declined for the third consecutive year, with new construction capacity falling 39% compared to 2017. While China and India saw record lows in new permits, China remained an outlier by resuming construction on previously frozen projects. The United States led the world in plant closures, recording 17.6 GW of decommissioned capacity. The report highlights that meeting IPCC climate goals of 1.5°C to 2°C requires a rapid phase-out of coal, yet China's China Electricity Council has proposed increasing its coal capacity limit to 1,300 GW by 2030. In India, coal is facing stiff competition from cheaper solar and wind energy, while Vietnam has seen the fastest growth in coal capacity among countries with over 4 GW, though it is facing increasing public opposition and financial tightening from Japanese banks.
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Document type: Report
活況と不況 2019 世界の石炭火力発電所の計画の追跡
The report finds that most indicators of coal power expansion declined for three consecutive years as of 2018, driven by financial restrictions and phase-out policies. While China and India saw record lows in new permit applications, China remains a significant exception due to the secret resumption of previously shelved projects and a proposal by the China Electricity Council to raise the 2030 capacity cap to 1,300 GW. Globally, coal plant closures reached near-record levels, led by the United States. The report emphasizes that current operational coal plants already exceed the emissions limits required to meet IPCC targets of limiting warming to 1.5°C or 2°C.
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Document type: Report
붐 앤 버스트 2019 국제 석탄발전소 추이 조사
The report finds a three-year decline in global coal power growth indicators as of 2018, driven by record reductions in permits in China and India and accelerated closures in the US. However, it highlights a contradictory trend where financial institutions from China, Japan, and South Korea have become the primary funders for overseas coal projects. While global planned capacity has dropped significantly since 2015, the report warns that current operational plants already exceed the IPCC's carbon limits for 1.5°C and 2°C warming targets. It specifically notes China's potential to add up to 290GW of capacity by 2030 if a proposal by the China Electricity Council is adopted.
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Document type: Report
Comparison of 2019, 2018 ExxonMobil Energy and Carbon Summary Report
The Union of Concerned Scientists' comparison of ExxonMobil's 2018 and 2019 climate reports finds that the company relies on unchanged energy demand assumptions and maintains a belief that the world will fail to meet Paris Agreement temperature goals. The analysis highlights inconsistencies in how the company describes methane reduction efforts, a lack of detailed low-carbon investment breakdowns, and the use of problematic graphs to suggest alignment with IPCC scenarios. While ExxonMobil acknowledges for the first time that its fossil fuel products are part of the climate problem, it continues to emphasize uncertainty regarding the pace of the global energy transition.
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Document type: Report
Beyond Fossil Fuels: Indonesia’s fiscal transition
The report analyzes Indonesia's shift from a high fiscal reliance on oil and gas revenues to a more diversified economy. It highlights a critical imbalance where government revenues from fossil fuel production are largely offset by inefficient consumption subsidies that disproportionately benefit wealthy households. The document warns of the risk of stranded assets valued between USD 200–300 billion and argues for phasing out fossil fuel subsidies to create fiscal space for renewable energy and social development.
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Document type: Report
Selepas Bahan Bakar Fosil: Transisi fiskal Indonesia
Indonesia has successfully reduced its fiscal reliance on oil and gas production, but continues to struggle with inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that benefit wealthy households and hinder the growth of renewable energy. While the government has diversified its economy into manufacturing and finance, contradictory policies—such as maintaining price caps on fuels and prioritizing coal for electrification—create risks of stranded assets and environmental degradation. The report argues for the complete removal of fossil fuel subsidies, the implementation of consumption-based energy taxes, and the strategic investment of resource rents into social safety nets and renewable energy infrastructure to ensure a just transition.
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Document type: Report
Communicating climate change: A practitioner’s guide
The guide outlines strategies for climate communication in low- and middle-income countries, emphasizing the need to frame climate action as a tool for poverty reduction and sustainable development. It advocates for 'co-production' of knowledge, the use of diverse messengers, and the application of social marketing techniques to drive policy and behavioral change. Key recommendations include using 'demonstration effects' to show tangible resilience solutions, employing data visualization and mapping to make invisible risks visible, and leveraging ICTs to amplify under-represented voices. The document also addresses the importance of scientific accuracy when attributing extreme weather events to climate change and warns against the financial risks of 'stranded assets' in fossil fuel-dependent economies.
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Document type: Guide
Communiquer sur le changement climatique : Un guide du praticien
The document serves as a practitioner's guide for communicating climate change in developing nations. It emphasizes moving away from scientific jargon toward narratives that highlight the benefits of climate-compatible development, particularly for the poor. The guide outlines strategies for targeting diverse audiences—including governments, businesses, and the general public—and advocates for the use of 'demonstration effects' and data visualization to make climate risks tangible. It includes numerous case studies from Africa, Asia, and Latin America illustrating successful interventions such as participatory mapping, community radio, and the use of 'stranded assets' as a policy framework.
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Document type: Guide
Comunicando el cambio climático: Una guía para profesionales
The document outlines a framework for effective climate communication in developing countries, emphasizing the need to link scientific data with local lived experiences. It provides guidance on audience segmentation, the use of 'demonstration effects' for adaptation solutions, and framing mitigation as an economic opportunity. The guide includes numerous case studies from regions such as India, Kenya, Peru, and Bangladesh, illustrating the use of creative tools like participatory theater, citizen mapping, and role-playing games to engage policymakers and marginalized groups.
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Document type: Guide
Closing the Fossil Fuel Production Gap
The document highlights a 'production gap' where current fossil fuel extraction trajectories far exceed carbon budgets for 1.5°C and 2°C scenarios. It advocates for a combination of supply-side measures—such as exploration moratoriums and subsidy removals—and demand-side policies to achieve cost-effective emission reductions and a just transition for affected workers.
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Document type: Briefing
The Production Gap 2019 Report
The 2019 Production Gap Report reveals that global fossil fuel production plans are significantly incompatible with the Paris Agreement goals. By 2030, planned production is projected to be 50% higher than consistent with a 2°C pathway and 120% higher than a 1.5°C pathway, with the largest gap occurring in coal. The report identifies that this gap is wider than the global emissions gap because governments continue to support production through subsidies, direct investment, and ambitious national targets. It examines 10 key producer countries and suggests 'supply-side' policies—such as extraction bans, subsidy reform, and just transition plans—to close the gap. The report emphasizes that international cooperation through the UN climate process and financial institutions is essential to manage an equitable decline in fossil fuel extraction.
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Document type: Report
Moving beyond climate finance towards Paris-aligned investing: How do MDBs' climate finance
The document argues for a shift from simply mobilizing 'climate finance' to ensuring all investments are 'Paris-aligned', meaning they actively support limiting global warming to well below 2°C. It compares MDB eligibility typologies against a framework of 'aligned', 'misaligned', and 'conditional' investments. Analysis of energy and transport sectors shows that while about half of MDB typologies are aligned, two-thirds of the remainder are only conditionally aligned, necessitating stricter benchmarks and fuel-specific criteria to avoid carbon lock-in.
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Document type: Briefing
DEBT FOR EQUITY UTILITY REFINANCE
The document argues that replacing high-cost equity with lower-cost corporate debt or securitized bonds can reduce consumer rate increases associated with the early retirement of fossil fuel plants. It examines the trade-offs between shareholder returns and consumer costs, suggesting that refinancing 'regulatory assets' can mitigate stranded asset risks and accelerate the transition to clean energy resources like wind and solar.
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Document type: Briefing