Search Climate Insights Directory

The briefing examines the global trend of shrinking lakes and reservoirs, highlighting a study that found 53% of nearly 2,000 lakes experienced significant storage declines between 1992 and 2020. It distinguishes between anthropogenic drivers, such as unsustainable consumption seen in the Aral Sea, and climate drivers, such as increased evaporation in Mongolia. The author argues that this attribution allows policymakers to choose between demand management and behavioral changes for overuse, or infrastructure resilience and conservation for climate-driven losses.

The report identifies six distinct climate audiences—Alarmed, Concerned, Cautious, Disengaged, Doubtful, and Dismissive—across a global survey of 139,136 Facebook users. It finds that the 'Alarmed' group is the largest in approximately 77% of the surveyed areas, with the highest concentrations in Puerto Rico and other Latin American countries. Conversely, the 'Doubtful' and 'Dismissive' groups are most prevalent in the Netherlands, Norway, and Libya. The analysis highlights a correlation between lower per-capita emissions and income and higher levels of climate alarm, while noting that the United States has a lower proportion of 'Alarmed' respondents compared to other top carbon-emitting nations.

The authors contend that the boom in energy transition mineral (ETM) extraction threatens Indigenous Peoples and biodiversity, noting that 54% of known ETM projects are on Indigenous lands. They criticize U.S. mining laws from 1872 and the Biden administration's support for the Thacker Pass mine in Nevada as contradictory to Indigenous rights. To reduce reliance on extraction, the document advocates for a circular economy hierarchy prioritizing demand reduction, reuse, and high-standard recycling, specifically favoring direct recycling over pyrometallurgy.

The document outlines the critical role of copper in India's infrastructure and clean energy transition, predicting a potential doubling of demand by 2030. It recommends a multi-pronged approach including diversifying primary supply through strategic partnerships with countries like Chile and Australia, reforming trade duties to support domestic smelting, and rationalizing the GST on copper scrap to promote a circular economy.

The report argues that for China's power sector to meet its 2030 peak emissions and 2060 carbon neutrality targets, electrical utilities must develop credible, science-based transition plans. These plans serve as the foundation for transition finance instruments, such as Use of Proceeds (UoP) bonds and sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs). While China is a major global issuer of SLBs, the report notes a lack of alignment with rigorous standards, as many domestic issuers focus on renewable energy capacity rather than comprehensive greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets. The document provides a framework for utilities to develop transition plans and select appropriate financial tools to support low-carbon development, including the retirement of coal assets and grid optimisation.

The report examines the paradox of the mining sector, which is essential for supplying critical minerals for energy transition technologies but is itself a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. It analyzes the sector's impact on NDCs, with a focus on coal mining and critical minerals, and provides case studies from Chile, Indonesia, and South Africa to highlight the challenges of achieving a just transition. The document concludes with policy recommendations for improving data quality, creating sector-specific mitigation packages, and fostering shared responsibility between producing and destination countries.

The report argues that battery minerals are not like oil because their demand can be managed through six key solutions: changing chemistries, increasing energy density, recycling, extending battery lifetimes, improving vehicle efficiency, and enhancing mobility efficiency. Under a 'continued trend' scenario, virgin demand for lithium, nickel, and cobalt is projected to peak in the mid-2030s. Under an 'accelerated trend' scenario, net-zero mineral demand is achievable by 2050, turning mining into a one-off effort. The report highlights China's leadership in recycling and suggests that the Global South can leverage used vehicle imports to build its own recycling industries. Ultimately, the transition to a circular battery loop offers a path from oil dependence to circular energy independence.

The evaluation finds that while the GCF has a prominent position in climate finance and a diverse set of instruments, its energy sector approach lacks a clearly articulated strategy and suffers from a mismatch between its stated and actual risk appetite. The portfolio is heavily skewed toward international accredited entities (IAEs) and focuses primarily on renewable energy generation, while underfinancing energy efficiency and emerging technologies like green hydrogen and large-scale storage. Results management is described as underdeveloped, with inconsistent metrics for measuring paradigm shifts and a lack of specific emissions reduction targets for the energy sector. The report recommends that the GCF clarify its role in the global energy transition, increase support for enabling environments and regulatory frameworks, and better align its risk appetite with transformational innovation.

In 2021, IDB Invest and Engie Energia Chile (EECL) implemented a blended finance package to retire two coal units at the Tocopilla plant early and finance the 151 MW Calama wind farm. The deal utilized a results-based concessional loan where interest payments at maturity are reduced based on verified carbon emissions abated through early retirement, using a pre-agreed carbon price of $3/ton. This transaction was enabled by Chile's top-down coal phaseout policy, the lower cost of renewable energy compared to legacy coal Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), and the involvement of the Climate Investment Funds (CIF).

In 2022, Starwood Energy Group (now Lotus Infrastructure) accelerated the retirement of the Logan (225 MW) and Chambers (285 MW) coal plants by 30 months, moving the date from 2024 to 2022. This was achieved through a three-part strategy: renegotiating Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with Atlantic City Electric (ACE), refinancing project debt with a $200 million loan from MetLife, and planning the redevelopment of the sites into grid-scale battery storage. The transaction resulted in an estimated reduction of 3.9 million tons of CO2 and saved ACE customers approximately $30 million.

In 2022, ACEN Corporation sold its equity in the SLTEC coal plant to a special purpose vehicle (SPV), reducing the plant's operating life by 25 years to a retirement date of 2040. The transaction was enabled by the use of domestic financial institutions to provide low-cost debt and equity, as international lenders often have coal exclusion policies. The SPV re-levered the capital structure, increasing the debt/capital ratio from 0.58 to 0.79, with $247 million in debt provided by RCBC and BPI. This structure allowed ACEN to divest the asset and reinvest proceeds into renewable energy, aligning with its corporate goal of 100% renewable energy by 2025.

The briefing examines the challenges and opportunities of developing lithium in Sonora, Mexico. It highlights the tension between the global demand for clean energy minerals and the local risks of ecological damage and cartel co-option. The author criticizes the current state-led energy model, citing the debt of Pemex and the prioritization of carbon-intensive power, and suggests that Mexico should instead focus on moving up the value chain into refinement and battery production through international partnerships and stakeholder consultation.

The document analyzes India's high import dependence on copper and the global supply risks—including geopolitical instability in producer nations and declining ore grades—that threaten its economic and energy goals. It proposes a four-pronged strategy: diversifying primary supply through strategic partnerships, reforming trade duties to encourage domestic value addition, providing production-linked incentives for the smelting and fabrication industry, and rationalizing the GST on copper scrap to formalize the recycling sector.

The report identifies significant barriers to grid battery deployment in South Africa, including an outdated electricity sector framework, insufficient understanding of battery capabilities, and economic challenges related to capital access and revenue stacking. It highlights the potential for local value chain development in lithium-ion and vanadium redox flow batteries, while warning of environmental risks in raw material extraction and the danger of technological lock-in. The authors propose a series of priority actions, including the alignment of national planning documents, the establishment of a market for ancillary services, and the implementation of pragmatic local content requirements in procurement.

The 2024 IPIE expert survey of 412 researchers across 66 countries reveals a growing pessimism about the global information environment, with 63% expecting it to deteriorate. Experts identify the availability of accurate information and diversity of opinion as the most critical features of a healthy information environment. Social media platform owners and governments are viewed as the most severe threats. While generative AI is seen as a tool for both hope and concern, 63% of experts fear its potential to amplify disinformation and harassment. The report advocates for supporting free and independent media and improving data access for researchers to build resilience.

The Climate Action Tracker (CAT) argues that current 2030 climate targets and policies are insufficient, projecting end-of-century warming of 2.5°C to 2.7°C. To maintain the 1.5°C goal, the document asserts that governments must enter 'emergency mode,' peaking global emissions before 2025 and halving them by 2030. It outlines four essential elements for 2035 NDCs: ambition based on sectoral benchmarks, scaled-up climate finance for developing nations, credibility through the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies and exploration, and transparency via absolute economy-wide targets that separate land-use sinks and carbon removals from domestic reductions.

The document is a participant list for the 32nd Meeting to the Conference of the Parties to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, hosted by Bolivia and Canada on May 22-23, 2024. It identifies representatives from various member parties, advisory committees, and observers. Party representatives include officials from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Jamaica, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, the United States, and Uruguay. The list also includes members of the SAC and SPAC advisory committees, as well as observers from organizations such as the AAAS, Future Earth, and the Belmont Forum.

The authors contend that youth are disproportionately affected by climate change and its associated security risks but remain excluded from formal policymaking. They propose three specific actions for U.S. leadership: including youth in the Paris Agreement negotiating team, utilizing youth engagement in public diplomacy and peacebuilding, and leveraging influence in international financial institutions like the World Bank to prioritize youth-led climate projects.

In 2023, solar and wind power continued to grow, with solar producing a record 5.5% of global electricity and wind reaching 7.8%. China was the primary driver for both, accounting for 51% of solar growth and 60% of wind additions. Conversely, coal generation reached a record high of 10,434 TWh (35% of the global mix), largely due to droughts in China reducing hydropower output, which fell by a record 88 TWh. Fossil gas remained the second-largest source at 23%, with growth driven by the US. Nuclear generation saw a slight rebound to 9.1% of the mix, while bioenergy reached a record 697 TWh (2.4%). The report notes that while solar and wind are on a positive trajectory, coal and gas must decline sharply, and nuclear and hydro must accelerate growth to meet IEA Net Zero Emissions targets by 2030.

The report identifies 2023 as the likely peak for global power sector emissions, forecasting a decline in 2024 driven by record solar and wind additions. While electricity demand is expected to rise due to electrification, data centres, and air conditioning, the growth of clean energy is projected to outpace this demand. The document highlights that tripling renewable capacity by 2030 could halve power sector emissions. It also provides case studies of China, Brazil, and the Netherlands to demonstrate how high-level ambition, incentive mechanisms, and the removal of technical barriers can accelerate the transition regardless of geographic or economic starting points.