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Estimating the Economic Impact of Chinese BRI Investment in Africa
The report assesses the impact of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) on African infrastructure, economic growth, trade, and debt sustainability. While finding that Chinese investment helps close the infrastructure gap and can boost GDP, the authors note risks including debt distress in specific countries, environmental degradation, and the crowding out of local manufacturing by Chinese imports. Case studies in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Nigeria demonstrate positive outcomes in transport and energy, though the failure of Nigeria's NIGCOM satellite highlights risks of using the continent as a testing ground. The report concludes that benefits generally outweigh costs, provided African nations improve project management and negotiate more symmetrical trade and loan terms.
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Document type: Report
SADC e-Mobility Outlook: Accelerating Low Carbon Transport Futures
The document assesses the transition to low-carbon transport in the SADC region, focusing on the synergy between e-mobility and the power sector. Using the South Africa TIMES (SATIM) model, it compares four scenarios: Fossil-Car, Fossil-Efficiency, Electric-Car, and Eco-Mobility. The analysis finds that while modal shifts (road-to-rail and transit-oriented development) significantly reduce energy demand, the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is the primary lever for rapid GHG emission reductions. The paper highlights that a transition to EVs would eliminate the need for new crude-oil refinery capacity in South Africa but would increase electricity demand by approximately 20% by 2050. It also explores the role of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles (FCEVs) for heavy corridor freight and the potential for a regional value chain leveraging the mineral resources of the DRC and Zambia.
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Document type: Research paper
Decarbonisation Scenarios for the Transport Sector in Georgia
The report analyzes emission projections for Georgia's transport sector up to 2030, comparing a business-as-usual scenario with a Climate Strategy and Action Plan (CSAP) scenario and Paris Agreement-compatible pathways. It highlights the significant role of freight and passenger transport in national emissions and recommends the establishment of a permanent coordinated planning process, improved data collection, and the pursuit of international climate finance for high-potential mitigation measures.
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Document type: Report
Decarbonising the Indian transport sector: pathways and policies
The report analyzes pathways for decarbonizing India's transport sector, which is the country's fastest-growing source of carbon emissions. It explores two primary paradigm shifts: scaling up rail transport and the electrification of road transport. The analysis identifies policy-driven interventions—including urban planning, electrification, modal shifts to public transport, and alternative fuels—to determine their mitigation potential compared to a 'Current Policies' scenario. While the report reviews international policy examples to initiate transformation, it does not quantify the international financial support required for these transitions.
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Document type: Report
Decarbonising the Indian transport sector pathways and policies
The report outlines two primary decarbonisation scenarios for India's transport sector: a 'Rail focused' pathway and a 'Road focused' pathway. Both scenarios emphasise that electrification is essential, aiming for nearly 100% electrification of road fleets by 2050. The Rail focused scenario prioritises a massive modal shift toward public transit and rail freight, which significantly reduces the total number of electric vehicles needed. The Road focused scenario assumes continued growth in private vehicle ownership, relying more heavily on rapid electrification and alternative fuels. The analysis identifies four priority action areas: sustainable urban planning to counter urban sprawl, improving non-motorised and public transport, expanding high-quality railway infrastructure, and electrifying all road vehicle fleets. It concludes that achieving these goals will require substantial international financial support and the adoption of global good-practice policies from regions like China, California, and Europe.
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Document type: Report
Paris Misaligned Joint Summary
The report finds that global power sector investment in 2018 was significantly misaligned with Paris Agreement goals, with 29% of new investment (USD 129 billion) flowing into fossil fuels. No major country or region is decarbonizing its power sector at the required pace, and no major investor category is fully aligned with Paris-aligned emissions intensity targets. The authors highlight a critical data gap, noting that asset-level transaction data was available for only 23% of tracked high-emissions power finance due to corporate balance sheet borrowing. To achieve alignment, the report recommends halting new carbon-intensive investments, accelerating the retirement of fossil-fuel plants, and scaling up low-carbon investments through public-private collaboration and improved climate risk reporting.
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Document type: Executive summary
A Proposed Method for Measuring Paris Alignment of New Investment
The paper introduces a science-based approach to assess the Paris alignment of new investments by comparing the carbon intensity of new assets against thresholds required to meet specific temperature goals, accounting for locked-in emissions from existing assets. Unlike portfolio-based methods that focus on current ownership, this method attributes responsibility to the original finance providers at the time of asset creation. The authors detail the application of this methodology to the global power sector and the U.S. light road vehicle transport sector, utilizing data from the IEA and other technical sources to establish carbon intensity benchmarks and evaluate financial commitments.
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Document type: Research paper
Remarks of Ann Weeks, for Clean Air Task Force Virtual Public Hearing on Proposed Revised Cross-State Air Pollution Rule Update for the 2008 Ozone NAAAQS, Fed. Reg. 68,964 (Oct. 30, 2020)
Clean Air Task Force argues that the EPA's proposed ozone reductions are insufficient, urging the agency to address the 2015 ozone standard, expand NOx controls to industrial and transportation sectors, and analyze the environmental justice impacts of power plant emissions and trading programs.
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Document type: Statement
Understanding the Role of Subsidies in South Africa's Coal-Based Liquid Fuel Sector
The document examines subsidies for South Africa's coal-to-liquid (CTL) sector, dominated by Sasol. It identifies two primary support mechanisms: market price support via the Basic Fuel Price and exemptions from the Carbon Tax Act 15 of 2019. In 2019, these combined to a total value of ZAR 6.6 billion (USD 380 million). The brief argues that these subsidies increase costs for consumers, contribute to high coal use in transport, and conflict with South Africa's Paris Agreement commitments.
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Document type: Policy brief
Overview of recently adopted mitigation policies and climate-relevant policy
The report identifies over 60 mitigation policies adopted between July 2019 and August 2020, noting the highest activity in the energy and transport sectors. It highlights a lack of explicitly 'green' COVID-19 recovery measures in most assessed countries, except for the EU and Republic of Korea. Additionally, it tracks the progress of NDCs and LTS, noting that only Vietnam has officially revised its NDC target among the group, while the EU and Japan have submitted net-zero long-term strategies.
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Document type: Report
Paris Agreement Compatible Sectoral Benchmarks Summary Report
The Climate Action Tracker has established 'highest plausible ambition' benchmarks for four key sectors—Power, Transport, Industry, and Buildings—to guide the global transition to net-zero emissions by 2050. The report provides specific targets for 2030 and 2050, both globally and for seven major economies (Brazil, China, EU, India, Indonesia, South Africa, and the US), emphasizing that while starting points differ, all sectors must decarbonise by mid-century to meet the 1.5°C goal. Key priorities include the immediate phase-out of coal in developed nations by 2030, a rapid shift to zero-emission vehicles, and significant emissions intensity reductions in cement and steel production.
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Document type: Report
Scoping report ETHIOPIA’S RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND GENDER
The scoping report identifies a general consensus on the importance of gender-responsive climate action in Ethiopia but highlights significant gaps in institutionalization, accountability, and technical expertise. While the Climate-Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) Strategy and National Adaptation Plan (NAP) have undergone gender analyses, the report finds that attitudinal barriers and a lack of coordination between gender directorates and climate coordination offices hinder implementation. It specifically notes that sectors like transport and urban planning are overlooked compared to agriculture, and recommends the establishment of a Standing Committee and a Gender Readiness Fund to bridge these gaps.
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Document type: Report
Electric Vehicles Are Cleaner than Gasoline— and Getting Better
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) finds that the average EV in the US produces global warming emissions equivalent to a gasoline vehicle achieving 88 mpg, making it cleaner than any new gasoline car available. This advantage is driven by the decreasing share of coal in the US electricity grid and improvements in EV efficiency, notably from the Tesla Model 3. The report highlights that 94% of the US population now lives in regions where an EV is cleaner than a 50 mpg gasoline car, compared to less than 50% in 2012.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Guidelines for Implementing PPPs in SADC
The document examines the role of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in developing infrastructure in the SADC region, distinguishing them from privatisation and highlighting their potential to overcome budget constraints and technical inefficiencies. It identifies key barriers to PPP uptake in SADC, including political interference, lack of administrative maturity, and the risks of hidden debt through government guarantees. The briefing recommends the establishment of independent PPP units, improved public engagement protocols, and rigorous due diligence on partners to ensure sustainable project delivery.
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Document type: Policy brief
CEE CLIMATE POLICY FRONTIER
The report examines six specific policy cases from the UK, Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, and Austria to provide a roadmap for decarbonising the non-ETS transport and buildings sectors in CEE countries. It uses a participatory transferability assessment involving experts from Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria to identify regional barriers and opportunities for 'leap-frogging' to best practices.
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Document type: Report
Energy Transition in Support of the Low-Carbon Development Initiative in Indonesia: Transport sector
The policy brief argues that Indonesia must implement a robust pricing mechanism to prevent a return to expensive fuel subsidies, which contribute to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. It recommends pricing models such as smoothing, ratcheting, or price caps and floors to reduce price fluctuations while phasing out subsidies for polluting fuels. The brief suggests redirecting subsidy savings toward low-emission infrastructure, including public transport and electric vehicle charging stations, and improving biofuel governance. It notes that while 2015 reforms saved over USD 15 billion, subsidies have persisted and pricing has remained stagnant despite rising international oil prices.
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Document type: Policy brief
India’s Energy Transition
The document analyzes the tension between India's push for electric vehicle (EV) adoption and its continued support for fossil fuels. While the government has significantly increased EV funding through the FAME II scheme, it simultaneously provided substantial price support for petrol and diesel in 2018-2019 to counter rising oil prices. The authors argue that these fuel subsidies undermine the energy transition and that the environmental benefits of EVs will only be fully realized as India decarbonizes its coal-heavy electricity grid.
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Document type: Briefing
GHG mitigation policies in major emitting countries: an overview of recently adopted and under development policies
The report identifies about 50 policies from July 2018 to May 2019 in 25 countries, noting that the energy sector saw the most activity with 29 entries. While most policies aim to reduce emissions, the document highlights emissions-increasing policies in Argentina and the United States. Additionally, it notes that of the 25 countries, four have submitted long-term GHG strategies to the UNFCCC and five have developed drafts or domestic strategies.
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Document type: Report
Climate Change Toolkit for Health Professionals
The report details Canada's greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 to 2016, highlighting that while overall emissions grew nearly 17%, the oil and gas and transportation sectors were the primary drivers. It examines the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change and provides a detailed breakdown of emissions by province and territory, noting significant per capita disparities between jurisdictions like Alberta and Quebec.
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Document type: Report
LeasePlan CEO: Germany’s clean mobility commission should harness the EV future
LeasePlan CEO Tex Gunning urges Germany to embrace electric vehicles (EVs) as a critical tool for reducing transport emissions and driving economic growth. He highlights that while the global automotive industry and countries like China, the UK, and Norway are accelerating their shift to EVs, Germany's transport sector has seen no GHG emission reductions since 1990. Gunning calls on the German clean mobility commission to provide the policy clarity needed for businesses to invest in a zero-carbon transport future.
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Document type: Statement