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Background note on Africa’s Current Path Energy Future to 2043
The report forecasts a significant increase in Africa's energy demand due to population growth, projecting that it will overtake the EU27 by 2043. While Africa possesses vast oil, gas, and hydropower reserves, its current energy mix remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels, with 'other renewables' making up only 1.6% of production in 2023. The document highlights a trajectory where Africa will eventually become a major global source of carbon emissions from fossil fuels, overtaking the EU by 2034.
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Document type: Report
HOW A FOSSIL FUEL NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY CAN PROPEL AFRICAS RENEWABLE ENERGY TRANSITION
The briefing contends that fossil fuel extraction in Africa has failed to provide energy access, with 600 million people remaining without power while resources are exported. It highlights that Africa possesses 39% of the global renewable energy potential but lacks the investment and technology to harness it. The document proposes a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty based on non-proliferation, fair phase-out, and a just transition to provide the international framework needed to shift financing from fossil fuels to renewables and ensure a just energy transition for the continent.
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Document type: Briefing
Cuales son los siguientes pasos de la agenda verde de la Union Europea
The author contends that the EU's green agenda has lost momentum and calls for a deep economic transformation. Key proposals include shifting from unanimity to qualified majority voting in the European Council to implement taxes on fossil fuel profits and billionaires, phasing out fossil gas by 2035, and reforming global financial architectures to support the Global South. The text emphasizes that a sustainable economy must integrate strict social and environmental standards for public subsidies and transition toward a circular economy to reduce overproduction and energy waste.
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Document type: Statement
Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics & Policy
The report finds that a majority of registered U.S. voters prefer candidates who support action on global warming and support various clean energy policies, including a transition to 100% clean energy by 2050. While there is broad support for the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 after it is described, awareness of the law remains low. The findings highlight a significant trust deficit toward fossil fuel companies and a general perception that the U.S. government is not responding effectively to climate change. Despite this, actual political and consumer activism remains relatively low, and collective efficacy—the belief that citizens can influence government and corporate action—is limited to less than half of the electorate.
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Document type: Report
Why Ukraine’s reconstruction must be green
The author contends that Ukraine's recovery should not be a return to pre-war status but a comprehensive green transformation. This includes decentralizing the energy grid through wind and solar power to mitigate the impact of Russian attacks, modernizing agriculture to protect fertile chernozem soils, and aligning with the European Green Deal to accelerate EU membership. The text highlights the severe environmental damage caused by the invasion, including the Kakhovka Dam collapse and forest destruction, as urgent drivers for a sustainable reconstruction strategy.
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Document type: Research paper
Las mejores prcticas para el periodismo climtico
The document outlines a set of professional standards for climate journalism, emphasizing the need to connect climate causes to news stories, avoid false balance by excluding climate deniers, and integrate climate perspectives across all reporting beats. It advocates for humanizing stories through local perspectives, highlighting climate justice for marginalized and indigenous groups, and reporting on a diverse range of solutions beyond just technology. Additionally, it warns journalists against 'greenwashing' and misinformation from powerful interests, while advising on the use of appropriate imagery and the importance of mental health care for reporters covering traumatic climate impacts.
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Document type: Guide
Development prospects for the Horn of Africa countries to 2040
The Horn of Africa faces severe challenges including governance failure, chronic food insecurity, and high poverty rates, with no countries on track to eliminate extreme poverty by 2030. The region is characterized by a very young population and high dependence on rain-fed agriculture, which is increasingly threatened by climate change and conflict. While Ethiopia and Sudan dominate the regional GDP, most nations suffer from poor infrastructure and dysfunctional health and education systems. The report models an 'Integrated Development Push' scenario involving improvements in governance, agriculture, and human capital, which could significantly increase regional GDP and reduce extreme poverty by 2040.
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Document type: Report
Beware using Karpowership as a temporary electricity solution
The author contends that while South Africa requires urgent energy stabilization, the proposed Karpowership deal is an exorbitant and risky option. The text highlights the need for grid reconfiguration to support renewable energy and suggests that short-term gas needs could be more cost-effectively met via Mozambique rather than a 20-year contract with a company accused of circumventing environmental regulations.
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Document type: Statement
Earth Day: Warming & Solutions
Since 1970, all 50 U.S. states and 241 analyzed cities have warmed, with the contiguous U.S. increasing by 2.5°F. While states reduced greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 19% between 2005 and 2020, the current pace of reduction is insufficient to meet the national target of a 50% reduction by 2030.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics & Policy
A survey of 861 registered U.S. voters in Spring 2023 reveals broad support for clean energy research, tax rebates for energy efficiency, and local climate-friendly infrastructure. While 71% support the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 after reading a description, only 11% believe the U.S. government is responding well to global warming. There is a significant gap between the willingness of voters to take political action and their actual engagement over the past year.
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Document type: Report
How to Get Your Local Government to 100 Percent Clean Electricity
RMI developed the Local Energy Action Framework (LEAF) to help US local governments move from setting carbon-neutrality goals to implementing efficient energy projects. By analyzing six US cities and counties, the framework emphasizes a holistic approach that considers the interaction between energy efficiency, electrification, and renewable procurement. Key findings suggest that prioritizing high-demand facilities like water treatment plants for efficiency and using flexible loads or batteries to manage peak demand are critical for achieving 24/7 clean electricity. The guide also highlights that while electrification significantly reduces emissions, it increases building loads, necessitating the use of efficient technologies like heat pumps and the procurement of off-site non-solar renewable energy to fill remaining gaps.
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Document type: Guide
Kertas Posisi Dalam Rangka Pemilihan Umum Presiden dan Wakil Presiden 2024-2029, Khususnya Menyikapi Debat Kandidat Soal Lingkungan Sikap Organisasi Masyarakat Sipil Terhadap Kebijakan Bioenergi di Indonesia
Civil society organizations Traction Energy Asia, Trend Asia, and Forest Watch Indonesia (FWI) warn that current bioenergy policies in Indonesia, specifically biofuel and biomass co-firing, drive deforestation and increase carbon emissions. They report that 13 Energy Plantation Forest (HTE) companies caused 55,000 hectares of deforestation between 2017-2021, with projections suggesting up to 4.65 million hectares of natural forest could be lost if current co-firing governance persists across 52 power plants. The document recommends freezing biodiesel blends at 35%, halting new permits, and diversifying feedstocks to include used cooking oil (UCO). It also calls for a comprehensive evaluation of the social and environmental impacts of co-firing, noting that burning 1 million tons of biomass in 43 power plants in 2023 resulted in 1.7 million tons of carbon emissions. The brief includes responses from the national campaign teams of the 2024 candidates regarding their visions for energy transition and forest protection.
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Document type: Policy brief
2022 U.S. Temperatures and Billion-Dollar Disasters
In 2022, the U.S. experienced 18 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters causing $165 billion in damages and 474 deaths, with Hurricane Ian being the costliest hurricane on record. The year was the 18th hottest on record for the U.S., with 73% of analyzed locations experiencing warmer-than-normal temperatures. These events are part of a longer warming trend, with 98% of analyzed U.S. locations showing increased average annual temperatures from 1970 to 2021. Meanwhile, U.S. fossil fuel emissions increased by 1.5% in 2022, though the Inflation Reduction Act is expected to help double annual wind and solar PV capacity additions by 2027 compared to 2021.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Coal Cost Crossover 3.0
The report finds that 99% of U.S. coal plants are more expensive to operate than to replace with new renewable energy. It highlights that local solar and wind resources, bolstered by IRA tax credits and the ability to reuse existing grid interconnections, offer a cost-effective path for coal retirement. The analysis suggests that the savings from this transition could fund 137 GW of four-hour battery storage to maintain grid reliability. The authors recommend that policymakers update resource plans, improve interconnection processes, and utilize IRA financing to ensure a just economic transition for coal-dependent communities.
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Document type: Report
Genesee - Finger Lakes Emissions Scenario Analysis
The report evaluates three emissions scenarios for the Genesee-Finger Lakes Region: an existing policy scenario, a low ambition scenario, and a high ambition scenario. It finds that while the high ambition scenario can meet the 2030 intermediate target of the CLCPA, none of the current scenarios are sufficient to meet the 85% reduction goal by 2050. Key challenges include high emissions from enteric fermentation in dairy cows and methane leakage from large landfills. The analysis emphasizes the need for a carbon-free grid, electrification of transport and heating, and enhanced agricultural manure management.
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Document type: Report
Climate Change in the Indian Mind
The report finds that while a majority of Indians are worried about local environmental hazards and support a transition to renewable energy, there is a significant gap in basic knowledge of global warming. Many respondents report high vulnerability to extreme weather and economic instability, yet express a strong willingness to adopt lifestyle changes and support government climate commitments.
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Document type: Report
RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR REMOTE COMMUNITIES
The document outlines strategies for extending electricity access to 'last mile' remote communities—including indigenous, displaced, and mountain populations—using decentralized renewable energy (DRE). It argues that off-grid solutions, particularly solar PV and hybrid systems, are often more cost-effective than grid extension in low-demand, remote areas. The guide emphasizes community engagement, local capacity building, and the transition from grant-based funding to market-based impact investment to ensure long-term sustainability. It details various delivery mechanisms, such as solar co-operatives and micro-utilities, and provides comparative data on renewable technologies and government program models from Brazil, Malaysia, and Canada.
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Document type: Guide
Daily Heat Records Rising
Climate Central's analysis of 247 U.S. locations shows a significant shift toward heat records over cold records, with 96% of locations setting more heat records in the 2010s compared to 54% in the 1910s. From January 2020 to November 2022, 91% of analyzed locations saw more record heat than cold, with some cities like Tampa and Miami setting only heat records. The report links these local trends to global warming, noting that daily heat records in the U.S. have become at least twice as frequent as cold records, increasing risks for health, ecosystems, and infrastructure.
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Document type: Research paper
Making the Leap
The document contends that JETP countries should leapfrog fossil gas to avoid economic volatility and asset stranding, instead leveraging their significant solar and wind resources to improve energy access and ensure a climate-safe transition.
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Document type: Briefing
Landscape of Climate Finance in Ethiopia
In 2019/20, Ethiopia's tracked climate finance averaged USD 1.7 billion, representing only 7% of its estimated annual needs of USD 25.3 billion. The landscape is heavily dominated by international public finance (92%), with a strong preference for adaptation projects (56%) over mitigation (38%). While the Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) sector received the most sectoral finance (29%), it remains significantly underfunded relative to its 83% contribution to national GHG emissions. Key barriers to scaling finance include a highly regulated financial sector, lack of a stock market, unfavorable collateral policies for SMEs, and a heavy reliance on grants over private capital. The report recommends establishing a comprehensive climate budget tagging system, conducting bottom-up needs assessments, and developing capital markets to mobilize private investment.
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Document type: Report