Search Climate Insights Directory

The April 2024 report by Global Energy Monitor and partners reveals that while global coal capacity reached a record 2,130 GW in 2023, there is a stark divide: China continues to expand its fleet, while most other countries are reducing new construction. The report highlights that only 15% of operational capacity has retirement plans aligned with the 1.5°C goal. Regional analysis shows significant progress in the EU and UK, stability in Sub-Saharan Africa (dominated by South Africa), and a lack of new projects in the MENA region.

This report, published by Global Energy Monitor and a coalition of partners, tracks global coal-fired power plant capacity as of April 2024. It highlights a paradoxical trend where global coal capacity reached record highs in 2023, driven primarily by China, despite a general decline in new coal construction in the rest of the world and increasing phase-out commitments.

This guide by Zero Carbon Analytics explains the role of heat pumps in decarbonising buildings and industry, detailing their technical operation, economic viability, and the policy barriers to their global adoption.

An analysis of 2022 EU Emissions Trading System (EU-ETS) data reveals that the ten largest emitters are all coal power plants, with a high concentration of emissions in Germany and Poland. While long-term trends show a decline in coal power emissions, 2022 saw a 6% increase compared to 2021 due to the energy crisis, nuclear outages, and droughts.

This report by Ember analyses 2022 emissions data from the EU’s Emissions Trading System (EU-ETS), focusing on the power sector. It identifies a small number of coal power plants and utilities that dominate emissions in Europe, noting a temporary 3% increase in power sector emissions in 2022 driven by the energy crisis, despite a long-term downward trend in coal use.

This report by Ember proposes an ambitious wind and solar expansion plan for Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries to improve energy security and lower electricity prices. Using the PyPSA-CEE model, the study argues that accelerating renewables deployment could reduce wholesale power prices by 29% and make the region electricity self-sufficient by 2030.

This report analyzes the 2022 activities of United Nations Human Rights Treaty Bodies (HRTBs) regarding state obligations in the context of climate change. It tracks the increasing frequency of climate-related recommendations in state review processes and examines specific trends in mitigation, fossil fuel regulation, adaptation, and the protection of vulnerable groups, including Indigenous Peoples and persons with disabilities.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law and the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights analyzes the 2022 activities of seven UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies (HRTBs) regarding climate change. It documents an increase in climate-related references in State reporting procedures and highlights key developments in General Comments and individual communications, specifically the landmark Billy et al. v. Australia case.

Ember analyzes loopholes in the EU methane regulation that could lead to an additional 2.2 million tonnes of methane emissions by 2050. The report highlights that coal mines are the largest energy sector methane source in the EU, dominated by Polish operations, and argues that tightening venting thresholds and prioritizing the closure of high-methane mines are cost-effective ways to meet climate goals.

The Europe Gas Tracker Report 2023 by Global Energy Monitor analyzes the rapid expansion of gas infrastructure in the European Union following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The report argues that a 'gas panic' has led to uncoordinated buildouts of LNG terminals and pipelines that risk creating massive overcapacity and locking the region into fossil fuel dependency, potentially undermining the EU's climate goals under the European Climate Law and the Fit for 55 package.

This fact sheet by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the state of energy markets one year after the invasion of Ukraine, detailing the European Union's rapid reduction of Russian gas imports, the acceleration of the global energy transition toward renewables, and the financial impacts of energy sanctions on Russia and high fuel prices on global consumers.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law and the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights synthesizes the 2022 activities of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) regarding climate change. It details the Committee's interactions with State parties through the review process, its focus on mitigation, adaptation, and fossil fuel financing, and the publication of General Comment No. 26 on land and economic, social and cultural rights.

This report by Ember analyses electricity generation data for the European Union from May to August 2022, highlighting a record share of solar power and its role in reducing the need for expensive fossil gas imports during an energy crisis.

European countries are accelerating their transition to renewable energy to reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels. EU national plans now target a 63% share of renewable electricity by 2030, with planned fossil fuel generation slashed by 31% compared to 2019 strategies. Major importers like Germany and Italy have significantly raised their renewable targets, while several Central and Eastern European nations have announced coal phase-out dates. The REPowerEU proposal further aims for a 69% renewable electricity share by 2030 and the deployment of 10 million heat pumps.

This report describes the methodology used by Ember to measure the impact of energy policy changes announced by national governments between 2020 and 2022, focusing on the transition from fossil fuels to renewables and clean energy.

This research paper by the Green Economy Coalition proposes a structural agenda for a green economic recovery from COVID-19. It defines green structural reforms as systemic, long-lasting, and general-purpose interventions, contrasting them with short-term stimulus measures. The document provides a nested framework of ten high-level reform measures and a comprehensive set of prioritisation criteria (conventional, advanced, and systemic/political) to help governments move beyond emergency triage toward long-term socio-ecological transformation.

The Ember 2022 Global Electricity Review analyzes global power trends for 2021, highlighting a record-breaking year where wind and solar power reached a historic share of global electricity, yet were offset by record-high coal generation and carbon emissions driven by a surge in global electricity demand.

This report by Ember analyzes electricity trends in the European Union during 2021, focusing on the impact of the fossil gas crisis, the growth of solar power, and the effect of declining nuclear output on decarbonization.

This report by Ember analyzes the trends in the EU-27 power sector for 2021, focusing on electricity demand, the shift in fuel sources, the growth of renewables, and the resulting impact on greenhouse gas emissions.

The European Electricity Review 2022 by Ember analyzes EU-27 electricity generation data for 2021, highlighting a 'paradigm shift' where new renewable energy replaced expensive fossil gas instead of coal due to a price crisis. While wind and solar reached record generation, the report warns that the EU's power sector emissions are declining at less than half the rate required to meet 1.5°C targets, partly because renewables are replacing gas and declining nuclear capacity rather than coal.