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The report finds that all 15 assessed products in Belgian supermarkets make misleading carbon neutrality claims because they rely on carbon credits that do not provide climate benefits equivalent to the emissions generated. The analysis highlights systemic issues with carbon offsets, including a lack of additionality in renewable energy projects and a lack of permanence in forest-based sinks. Furthermore, the report notes a lack of transparency in company-level climate strategies and a conflict of interest within the third-party certification industry.

The document argues that ArcelorMittal's current climate strategy is inadequate to limit global warming to 1.5°C, citing a lack of absolute emission targets, a reliance on unproven carbon capture technologies, and a 'two-speed' approach that continues coal-based expansion in the Global South while deploying cleaner tech in Europe.

The document analyzes the economic relationship between South Africa and the BRICS nations, noting that while trade has grown, it remains unbalanced and dominated by raw material exports to China. It identifies three primary 'enablers' for deepening these ties: the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), the shift in global manufacturing due to US-China rivalry (including 'friend-shoring' and 'Chexit'), and the potential expansion of BRICS membership. The author recommends that South Africa use its 2023 BRICS chairship to promote Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and business-to-business engagements to attract diversified investment into Africa.

The report evaluates three approaches to determining Belgium's fair share of the global carbon budget. Under a 'grandfathering' approach based on 2020 emissions, Belgium would need a 61.0% reduction by 2030. A population-based distribution would require an 81.5% reduction by 2030. However, the report concludes that when accounting for historical responsibility and capability, Belgium has already used its fair share of carbon space and would need to reach emissions below zero by 2030 to be unambiguously fair.

The document serves as a legal FAQ for the CO2 Performance Ladder, a carbon management system used in the Netherlands and Belgium to provide certified organizations with award advantages in public tenders. It addresses compliance with the EU Procurement Directive, specifically regarding the link between award criteria and contract subject matter, the acceptance of equivalent proof, and the determination of the most economically advantageous tender. The tool is managed by the Foundation for Climate Friendly Procurement and Business (SKAO), which aims to expand its application across Europe to accelerate carbon emission reductions.

The report identifies two primary loopholes in the EU methane regulation: the weakening of venting thresholds for thermal coal and the delayed regulation of coking coal. These gaps are projected to result in an additional 2.2 million tonnes of methane emissions by 2050, failing the EU's 58% reduction goal. The analysis highlights that Poland is the primary source of EU coal mine methane (CMM), with seven high-methane thermal coal mines accounting for all of Poland's reported thermal hard coal emissions. Ember recommends tightening venting thresholds to 1 tonne methane/kilotonne of coal by 2030, prioritizing the retirement of high-methane mines, and implementing a 5 tonne threshold for coking coal to avoid 3 million tonnes of methane by 2050. Additionally, the report notes that Romania's abandoned mines represent a significant opportunity for methane capture, potentially generating 0.5 TWh of electricity.

The report finds that green bonds in EUR and USD generally outperformed vanilla equivalents in H2 2022, exhibiting higher book cover and greater spread compression. While the incidence of an outright 'greenium' (pricing inside the yield curve) decreased due to macroeconomic volatility, green bonds still achieved relatively tighter pricing than matched vanilla pairs. Approximately 67% of these bonds were allocated to green or responsible investors. The report also notes a trend of auto manufacturers increasing their use of green labels and a net growth of 11.2% in green bond ETF assets.

ClientEarth asserts that current REACH enforcement is insufficient and inconsistent across EU Member States, creating an uneven playing field and failing to protect human health and the environment. The document details high non-compliance rates across registration, supply chain, downstream user, restriction, and authorisation obligations. It proposes a comprehensive reform package including a Commission-led EU audit system, the power for ECHA to revoke registration numbers ('no data, no market'), 'name and shame' transparency measures, and turnover-based fines of at least 8% for serious breaches of authorisation and restriction decisions.

The CO2 Performance Ladder (CO2PL) is a carbon management system and procurement tool used by over 200 public contracting authorities in the Netherlands and Belgium to reward companies that reduce carbon emissions. It operates as a voluntary award criterion under the EU Procurement Directive, providing bidders with a 'fictitious discount' or bonus points based on their performance level (1 to 5). Compliance is verified by accredited third parties through either organization-wide CO2 Awareness Certificates or project-level statements. To ensure legal compliance with EU law, contracting authorities must accept equivalent means of proof and link the criteria to the subject matter of the contract. Non-compliance after winning a tender typically results in financial penalties exceeding the initial award advantage.

The report evaluates the potential for scaling the CO2 Performance Ladder (CO2PL) in Austria, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The CO2PL serves as both a carbon management system for organizations and a procurement tool that provides certified suppliers with an award advantage in tenders. The study finds a general demand for third-party verified, easy-to-use tools to reduce carbon emissions, though implementation faces challenges such as risk aversion among public procurers, legal concerns regarding the link between criteria and the subject matter of contracts, and capacity constraints in smaller procuring entities. The report recommends aligning the CO2PL with common measurement methods like Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), engaging with European city networks, and providing specific support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to ensure inclusive participation.

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) 2022 Annual Results Report details the organization's progress across three impact areas: reducing climate risk, promoting sustainable resource use and resilient ecosystems, and improving health and well-being. Key achievements include contributing to the COP27 decision to establish a loss and damage fund, developing the Global Environmental Impacts of Consumption (GEIC) indicator adopted at COP15, and implementing water management master plans in Bolivia. The report highlights the use of digital tools like LEAP, WEAP, and Trase to inform policy in various regions, including Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Organizationally, SEI reports an increase in scientific publications, a diversification of funding sources, and the implementation of a global monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) procedure.

The document calls on financial institutions to address the steel industry's reliance on metallurgical coal, which accounts for 70% of global steel production and contributes 11% of global CO2 emissions. It argues that because steel plants have long lifetimes, investment decisions made in the 2020s are critical for achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The author urges financial institutions to stop funding new metallurgical coal mines and coal-based steel projects, while pushing companies to avoid 'two-speed decarbonization' strategies where green projects are developed in Europe and Canada while coal-based facilities continue in India.

The steel industry is a major emitter of greenhouse gases due to its reliance on metallurgical coal, which accounts for 70% of global steel production. While many financial institutions have policies against thermal coal, they often exclude metallurgical coal. The document asserts that the 2020s are a critical decade for investment decisions, as existing plants reach the end of their lives and new capacity is needed. Transitioning the global industry to carbon-neutral technologies would require an additional annual investment of US$8 to US$11 billion, totaling US$235 to US$335 billion by 2050. The author urges financial institutions to stop funding new metallurgical coal mines and coal-based steel infrastructure, and to discourage the use of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), which is viewed as a limited solution that perpetuates fossil fuel dependence. Furthermore, the document warns against 'two-speed' decarbonization strategies, citing ArcelorMittal's development of green hydrogen projects in Europe and Canada while continuing coal-based installations in India.

One year after the invasion of Ukraine, the EU has substituted nearly 75% of Russian gas imports and seen wind and solar generate a record 22% of its electricity in 2022. Globally, gas demand is forecast to peak by the end of the decade, with 88% of electricity demand growth to 2025 expected to be met by renewables. While renewable energy saved billions in fossil fuel costs, high gas and coal prices drove 90% of the global increase in electricity costs in 2022. Russia faces significant financial losses from sanctions, including a USD 25 billion public deficit in January 2023, while EU industrial production grew by over 2% on average despite a 15% drop in industrial gas demand.

The document examines how the cost-of-living crisis in Europe is driving vulnerable households toward risky, unregulated financial products like buy-now-pay-later schemes and crypto assets. It calls for EU policymakers to update the Consumer Credit Directive (CCD) and the Distance Marketing of Consumer Financial Services Directive (DMFSD) to include better creditworthiness assessments, advertising rules, and debt relief measures to prevent a debt spiral among low-income citizens.

The Longship project is a Norwegian industrial-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) network designed to decarbonize heavy industries where electrification is not feasible. The project consists of two initial capture sites—a cement plant in Brevik and a waste-to-energy plant in Oslo—and the Northern Lights transport and storage infrastructure. The Norwegian government is funding approximately two-thirds of the first phase, which exceeds 3.5 billion CAD, with the goal of creating a commercially viable cross-border storage service for European emitters. The document highlights the importance of holistic government support, including regulatory streamlining and increasing carbon pricing, while noting criticisms regarding the use of public funds to support the oil and gas sector.

Longship is a Norwegian megaproject designed to create a full-chain carbon capture and storage network, linking industrial capture sites to offshore storage in the North Sea. The Norwegian government is funding approximately two-thirds of the first phase, valued at over C$3.5 billion, to overcome high upfront costs and regulatory barriers. The project includes two initial capture sites—a cement factory in Brevik and a waste-to-energy plant in Oslo—and the Northern Lights transport and storage facility. While phase one is heavily subsidized, phase two aims for commercial viability by providing storage services to industrial emitters across Europe. The document highlights the importance of addressing non-financial barriers, such as regulatory red tape, and leveraging existing national expertise to jumpstart a regional CCS market.

ClientEarth is pursuing a 'world-first' derivative action in the High Court of England and Wales to hold Shell's Board of Directors personally liable for mismanaging climate risks. The claim argues that Shell's energy transition strategy is insufficient, as its net-zero targets are not reflected in budgets and its reduction targets focus on 'carbon intensity' rather than absolute emissions. ClientEarth asserts this mismanagement breaches the UK Companies Act, specifically Section 172, which requires directors to promote the company's long-term success. The action is supported by various institutional investors from the UK, Sweden, France, Belgium, and Denmark.

In 2022, the EU experienced a temporary 7% rise in coal generation driven by shortfalls in nuclear and hydro power, rather than a structural 'return to coal'. This was offset by a record surge in solar capacity and a significant 7.9% drop in electricity demand in Q4 2022. Solar power generated 7.3% of EU electricity, avoiding approximately 249 billion in gas import costs. Looking ahead to 2023, the report forecasts a potential 20% plummet in fossil fuel generation as French nuclear capacity returns and renewable capacity continues to grow.

The analysis argues that the UK's economic insecurity is rooted in neoliberalism, which prioritizes individual resilience over collective security. This is evidenced by underinvestment in public infrastructure, the sale of 2.5 million social houses between 1979 and 2022, and a lack of energy storage (four days compared to France's fourteen). In contrast, Finland's approach to housing, energy, and social policy—including a 'housing first' strategy and a basic income pilot—is presented as a model for restoring public confidence and wellbeing. The authors suggest that a cost-neutral universal basic income of approximately £60 per week for single adults could more than halve child and pensioner poverty in the UK.