Search Climate Insights Directory

The document argues that the EU is failing to meet its 2020 goal of ending overfishing due to Total Allowable Catches (TACs) being set above scientific advice, particularly by certain Member States. It recommends following scientific advice to achieve Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY), properly enforcing the landing obligation, increasing transparency in the TAC-setting process, and ensuring honest reporting on progress.

The document offers detailed guidance on defining, regulating, and supporting Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) and Citizen Energy Communities (CECs) under the EU's Clean Energy Package. It emphasizes the need for non-commercial purposes, democratic governance, and the removal of administrative barriers to empower citizens in the energy transition. The guide provides specific recommendations on legal forms, effective control, market access, and the design of support schemes, while drawing on examples from various EU Member States and the US to illustrate best practices for implementation.

The document examines how ISDS mechanisms are used by foreign investors to challenge environmental and climate policies, often resulting in 'regulatory chill' where states avoid enacting laws for fear of costly arbitration. It highlights the lack of transparency in these proceedings and the limited role of public participation and amicus briefs. The authors argue that investment treaties have a negligible effect on promoting foreign direct investment (FDI) but impose significant costs on human rights and the environment, particularly in the Global South. The submission recommends the termination of old-generation treaties, the carving out of climate measures from ISDS scope, and a shift toward resolving disputes in domestic courts.

A coalition of European civil society organisations (CSOs) is protesting a campaign of disinformation led by some Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from the European People’s Party (EPP) and far-right groups. The attack specifically targets the legitimacy of public funding for environmental NGOs under the LIFE programme. The statement argues that independent CSOs are essential for a functioning democracy and a fully informed decision-making process, contrasting the modest public grants received by NGOs with the high spending of corporate lobbyists in Brussels.

The report outlines a stepwise process for EU Member States to develop National Restoration Plans (NRPs) to meet the legally binding targets of the Nature Restoration Law (NRL), which aims to restore 20% of land and sea areas by 2030 and all degraded ecosystems by 2050. It details legal requirements for monitoring, quantification, and stakeholder engagement, while emphasizing the need for policy coherence with the Renewable Energy Directive, Common Agricultural Policy, and Common Fisheries Policy. The document provides 14 specific recommendations to ensure NRPs are ambitious, evidence-based, and well-funded through a mix of public and private sources.

The document argues that EMFAF funds are being used in ways that contradict EU environmental goals and international obligations, specifically by underfunding marine biodiversity and failing to prioritise small-scale fisheries. It highlights a systemic gap where 5–12% of funds are allocated to environmentally harmful subsidies, exceeding biodiversity spending by more than twofold. Analysis of several Member States shows that most fall far below a recommended 25% allocation for conservation and restoration. The brief also warns that proposed changes to the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) risk further diluting these priorities by removing the EMFAF as a stand-alone fund and lacking mandatory spending targets for biodiversity and the decarbonisation of the fishing fleet.

The document advocates for the adoption of Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM)—an integrated system of sensors and cameras—to address non-compliance with the EU Landing Obligation (LO). It highlights that traditional monitoring is insufficient and that REM provides a cost-effective way to verify catch data, improve stock assessments, and satisfy retailer demands for sustainable sourcing. While citing successful implementations in Canada, the US, Australia, and New Zealand, the text identifies privacy concerns and a lack of political will as primary barriers. It concludes by recommending that the European Commission strengthen its revised Control Regulation to mandate REM for high-risk fleet segments and remove exemptions for small catches.

The document examines how fuel subsidies in the EU fishing fleet incentivise overfishing, increase greenhouse gas emissions, and provide a competitive advantage to environmentally damaging, fuel-intensive fishing methods like trawling. It argues that removing these subsidies—estimated at €1 billion to €1.5 billion annually—would promote energy efficiency, support fish stock recovery, and benefit small-scale fishers, who currently receive less support than large-scale and distant-water fleets.

The document highlights the synergies between climate change mitigation and the prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), identifying key areas for multisectoral intervention. It emphasizes that shifting to clean energy, promoting active transport, and adopting sustainable food systems can reduce both greenhouse gas emissions and NCD risk factors like air pollution and physical inactivity. The briefing advocates for policy coherence across government ministries and a whole-of-society approach to achieve these health and environmental co-benefits.

The document highlights the intersection between climate change and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), identifying air pollution, physical inactivity, and poor diet as shared risk factors. It proposes 'co-benefit' solutions across four key sectors: air quality (clean stoves), energy (transition to renewables), transport (active mobility), and food systems (plant-based, local diets). The brief emphasizes that integrated policies—particularly at the municipal level—can provide immediate health improvements and economic savings while contributing to long-term climate goals and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The document analyzes the diverse structures of Canada's provincial electricity markets, noting that a lack of coordination creates economic inefficiencies and hinders the integration of renewable energy. It identifies key barriers to integration, such as constitutional jurisdictional splits and political inertia, and proposes four strategies—bilateral collaboration, a Nordic-inspired bottom-up approach, a free-trade framework, and a health-care-style principles-based model—to foster a more integrated national grid necessary for deep decarbonization.

This report details the institutional frameworks used by the United States, United Kingdom, British Columbia, France, Germany, Australia, Denmark, and Singapore to implement a whole-of-government approach to climate change. It catalogs specific committees, task forces, and legislative mechanisms designed to integrate climate priorities across different government departments and agencies.

This report details the institutional frameworks, interministerial committees, and legislative processes used by the United States, United Kingdom, British Columbia, France, Germany, Australia, Denmark, and Singapore to integrate climate action across all government departments.

The document argues that because the energy transition is already underway due to technological shifts, countries must proactively plan for a Just Transition to avoid economic dislocation. It highlights opportunities for economic diversification, such as Ghana's investment plan to generate 400,000 net jobs by 2060, and best practices like Brazil's reallocation of petroleum revenues to reforestation. However, it identifies critical barriers, including fiscal dependence on fossil fuels in countries like Azerbaijan (where oil and gas constitute 90% of exports) and a lack of granular data on workforce impacts in Indonesia. The author proposes actionable solutions including the repurposing of coal infrastructure, the expansion of local financing mechanisms, and the anchoring of transition policies in legal frameworks to ensure long-term stability.

The document argues for a broad interpretation of Just Transitions that encompasses procedural and distributional justice across multiple sectors, moving beyond a narrow focus on the energy workforce. It provides six practical recommendations for operationalisation, including the need for reliable data, stakeholder forums, and place-based solutions. The submission highlights specific challenges in the Global South, such as high employment informality and unequal energy access, and suggests that the JTWP can enhance ambition by integrating Just Transitions into NDCs and fostering high-level political buy-in. It includes case studies from various countries to illustrate different transition pathways and the importance of coordinating top-down and bottom-up approaches.

The Glasgow Work Programme on Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) aims to empower society through education, public awareness, training, public participation, public access to information, and international cooperation. While COP30 saw the adoption of a draft decision reaffirming ACE priorities and the planning of a 2026 Dialogue and technical workshops, significant barriers remain. Countries like Sudan and Panama report that "insufficient technical and financial resources" and a "lack of an evaluation index" hinder national implementation. Future efforts are directed toward a 2026 midterm review of the work programme at SB64 to identify gaps and shape a new action plan.

The report analyzes the shift from stalled global climate negotiations toward national and subnational policy actions. It examines sectoral emissions drivers and the effectiveness of various policy instruments—including carbon pricing, renewable energy mandates, and energy efficiency programs—across Brazil, China, the EU, India, and the US, while emphasizing the role of innovation and finance in achieving low-carbon growth.

The document argues against a proposed one-year postponement of ETS2, stating it would delay climate action and cost Member States €50 billion in lost auction revenues. The signatories call for the Social Climate Fund to begin in full-size in 2026, the application of its spending principles to the Frontloading Facility, and the submission of ambitious Social Climate Plans by Member States, specifically mentioning Denmark, France, and Germany. They further propose uncapping the fund, linking it to actual carbon revenues, and extending it beyond 2032 to support vulnerable households and micro-enterprises.

The 9th GCF Board meeting resulted in the accreditation of the first seven implementing entities and the adoption of an initial investment framework to screen project proposals. However, civil society criticized the accreditation process for a lack of transparency and the Board's failure to explicitly exclude fossil fuel projects from funding. The Fund faces a critical deadline of 30 April 2015 to secure the remaining US$4.5 billion in pledged contributions to become officially effective, with only about 1 per cent legally committed as of the report's date.

The petition argues that the routine use of medically important antibiotics (MIAs) in livestock and poultry—specifically for disease prevention and long durations—creates antibiotic-resistant bacteria that threaten human health. It claims that the FDA has a mandatory duty under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) to withdraw approvals for uses that are not shown to be safe. The document asserts that current voluntary compliance programs are insufficient and that improved animal husbandry can eliminate the need for routine antibiotic use. It requests that the FDA withdraw specific drug indications, set strict duration limits (e.g., prohibiting use beyond 21 days), implement species-specific data collection via feed-distribution records, and establish sector-specific reduction targets.