Search Climate Insights Directory

The 2020 Global Electricity Review by Ember analyzes global electricity generation changes in 2019, highlighting a record 3% fall in global coal-fired generation and a corresponding 2% drop in power sector CO2 emissions. While the EU and US saw significant coal collapses, China's coal generation rose, making it responsible for over half of global coal generation for the first time. Wind and solar generation grew by 15%, though the report notes that this growth rate is slowing and may be insufficient to meet Paris Agreement goals without concerted global effort.

The 'Boom and Bust 2020' report by Global Energy Monitor and partners analyzes global coal power plant trends in 2019. It highlights a general decline in new coal project proposals and construction, though China remains a significant outlier with continued capacity increases. The report emphasizes the growing gap between current trends and the IPCC's requirement to reduce coal power by 80% by 2030 to limit global warming to 1.5°C.

This report by Global Energy Monitor and partners analyzes global coal-fired power plant trends in 2019, noting a general decline in new project planning and construction, contrasted by a net increase in global capacity driven primarily by China.

This report by Global Energy Monitor, Sierra Club, Greenpeace, and CREA analyzes global coal power plant trends in 2019. It highlights a general decline in new coal development and operational capacity globally, though this trend is heavily skewed by China, which continued to increase its capacity. The report details the financial pressures on the coal industry, the role of public funding, and regional shifts in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the OECD.

This SEI synthesis brief argues that low-carbon energy transitions must explicitly integrate gender and social equity to avoid marginalizing vulnerable groups. Through case studies in regions like the Lower Mekong and countries such as Zambia and Sweden, it demonstrates how political power dynamics, socio-cultural norms, and systemic barriers in job markets and technology adoption can perpetuate inequality despite technological advances.

This case study by the NewClimate Institute examines a virtual Article 6 pilot focused on the construction of Net-Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs) in Cartagena, Colombia, to inform carbon market rulemaking and cooperation.

The ASSEGAIA Alliance launched the Declaration for the Protection of Sacred Natural Sites in January 2020, calling for the regeneration of the Earth to be central to decisions regarding these sites. The Declaration proposes a conservation model featuring a central 'no-go' zone and a buffer zone for ecologically sensitive activities, managed by Spiritual Guardians. The Alliance seeks to identify and protect such sites globally using international rights of Nature.

This case study examines water-use conflicts and water stress in the Campoalegre River basin in Colombia, focusing on the impact of water diversions and fragmented governance on downstream supply.

This case study describes a project to model water stress vulnerability in the Campoalegre river basin in Colombia. The study aims to develop a water balance, quantify supply and demand, and evaluate how governance challenges and diverse water uses—including hydroelectric, agricultural, and industrial—affect water availability downstream.

This research paper uses a Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning (LEAP) model to quantify the greenhouse gas emission reductions resulting from two proposed Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) in Colombia's energy system.

This report details the history and current state of e-commerce negotiations at the WTO, focusing on the Joint Statement Initiative (JSI). It examines how existing WTO rules apply to digital trade, the growth of the JSI membership to 83 countries, and the critical divides between developed and developing nations regarding data flows, customs duties, and technical capacity.

A 2020 fact sheet from the Centro de Movilidad Sostenible detailing fuel quality standards (specifically sulfur levels and octane ratings) and emission standards for light-duty vehicles (LDV) across several Latin American and Caribbean countries.

The 2020 Energy Trilemma Index for Colombia analyzes the electricity sector across its departments, highlighting a strong dependence on hydroelectric power (72% of the national matrix) and significant regional disparities. While departments like Antioquia, Boyacá, and La Guajira show high energy security, there are stark gaps in energy equity, particularly between the National Interconnected System (SIN) and Non-Interconnected Zones (ZNI). The report also notes that environmental sustainability is compromised in departments relying on fossil fuels, with Casanare and Atlántico recording high CO2 emissions per capita.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) filed a Form 990 for the tax year beginning October 1, 2020, and ending September 30, 2021. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) public charity focused on global environmental challenges, including climate, food, forests, water, ocean, cities, and energy. For the reported period, WRI recorded total revenue of $289,669,226 and total expenses of $151,998,641, ending the year with net assets of $402,845,763.

This fact sheet details a BRL 530 million (USD 131 million) green bond issued by Transmissora Serra da Mantiqueira (TSM), a special purpose vehicle controlled by the Brazilian energy holding company Alupar, to finance transmission infrastructure connected to Brazil's national grid.

Patrimonio Autónomo Titularización TMAS-1 (Financiera de Desarrollo Nacional) issued a COP 131.5 billion (USD 41 million) sustainability bond on July 2, 2019. The funds are used to purchase up to 741 EURO VI compliant compressed natural gas (CNG) buses for Bogota's TransMilenio BRT system. This issuance is noted as Colombia's first sustainable bond and the first in the country to exclusively finance transport projects.

This commentary by the World Resources Institute argues that climate action is only politically viable if it is 'people-centered,' meaning it purposefully unlocks social and economic benefits, targets them to enhance equity, and ensures a just transition for workers and vulnerable communities. The document provides evidence that bold climate action can deliver significant global economic gains, job creation, and public health improvements while mitigating the disproportionate impacts of climate change on the poor.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the status of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and the role of Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs). It details the two primary cooperation avenues (Article 6.2 and 6.4), the challenges of establishing a rulebook—including debates over additionality and double counting—and provides examples of pilot projects and national strategies, particularly focusing on Canada's preparations.

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Strategy 2020–24 outlines the organization's mission to bridge science, policy, and practice to support sustainable development. The strategy focuses on three primary impact areas: reducing climate risk, promoting sustainable resource use and resilient ecosystems, and improving health and well-being. To achieve these, SEI employs a theory of change centered on changing agendas, enhancing capacities, and improving decisions through the co-creation of knowledge and the development of specialized tools.

This report, produced by Transforma as part of the STEP project, outlines best practices for the financial and environmental sustainability of scientific stations, using the Organization for Tropical Studies (OET) in Costa Rica as a primary case study. It argues that scientific stations cannot be 100% self-sustainable through research alone and must strategically integrate 'Amateur Scientific Tourism' to fund 'Investigative Scientific Tourism'.