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Playing With Fire
The report identifies 67 planned coal-to-biomass projects in the EU that could increase biomass consumption by 607 PJ per year, potentially tripling the current levels of biomass burnt in coal power plants. This expansion would require approximately 36 million tonnes of wood pellets annually, which is similar to current global production. The authors argue that these projects are expensive, rely on public subsidies, and risk accelerating climate change because the CO2 emitted during combustion is not reabsorbed quickly enough to meet Paris Agreement targets. The report highlights that five countries—Finland, Germany, Ireland, Spain, and the Netherlands—are responsible for most of this potential growth, with the Netherlands accounting for 25%.
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Document type: Report
Monthly Wind and Solar Capacity Data Methodology
The document details the technical approach for calculating and harmonising monthly wind and solar capacity data. It defines 'installed capacity' as the maximum potential output and explains the process for converting solar data between AC and DC values, using a default conversion factor of 1.3. The methodology describes how onshore and offshore wind are distinguished, often relying on IRENA data when primary sources lack a breakdown. It also specifies the publication schedule (twice monthly) and the use of proxies and linear interpolation to estimate missing data for global aggregates and specific countries. Detailed country-specific sections list data sources, publication lags, and specific adjustments for 25 territories, including the US, China, and the EU.
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Document type: Guide
A power sector analysis of draft NECPs
The analysis of 15 draft NECPs reveals a significant increase in wind and solar capacity targets since 2019, bringing the EU closer to REPowerEU goals, though still falling short. While renewable electricity is projected to generate 66-67% of EU electricity by 2030, the report highlights a critical lack of quantified targets for electricity storage and clean flexibility. Furthermore, the document criticises the poor quality and transparency of data provided in the draft plans, which hinders accountability and investment signals.
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Document type: Report
PATHWAYS TOWARDS INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ON FOSSIL FUEL SUPPLY BRIEFING NOTE
The briefing note advocates for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty to complement the Paris Agreement by addressing fossil fuel production. It proposes a three-pillar approach—non-proliferation, global phase-out, and just transition support—and suggests that a group of 'champion' countries could drive the process. The document outlines a roadmap from building public support and evidence bases to formal negotiations via standalone processes, UN General Assembly resolutions, or other UN bodies, drawing parallels to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the Mine Ban Treaty.
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Document type: Briefing
Farming money
The report argues that excessive financial speculation in agricultural commodity derivatives and the financing of land grabs by European banks, pension funds, and insurance companies contribute to food price volatility and human rights abuses. It identifies key institutions such as Deutsche Bank, Barclays, and BNP Paribas as significant actors in these markets and recommends strict EU regulations, including position limits and bans on index funds for agricultural commodities, to protect the right to food.
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Document type: Report
Microsoft Word - FoEE_ETS_Final
The document critiques the EU-ETS for its failure to deliver necessary CO2 cuts due to over-allocation of permits, price volatility, and the use of offsetting. It argues that the system has become a profit-making tool for industry while increasing energy costs for consumers. Friends of the Earth Europe proposes replacing or supplementing the EU-ETS with binding national climate laws, mandatory energy savings targets, higher renewable energy goals, and a shift toward CO2-based taxation and direct public financing for emissions reductions.
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Document type: Report
COVID-19: Ten Priority Options for a Just, Green & Transformative Recovery
The briefing argues that the COVID-19 crisis exposed systemic fragilities and provides an opportunity to build resilience against climate change, biodiversity loss, and inequality. It outlines ten priority options, including the adoption of green economy principles, the use of 'Green Deals', the removal of fossil fuel subsidies, and the implementation of gender-responsive recovery plans. The authors emphasize that recovery spending must align with the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement, particularly in the global South where public debt may limit fiscal space.
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Document type: Briefing
Measuring What Matters
The Green Economy Coalition advocates for a systemic shift from narrow economic metrics like GDP toward a 'green economy' that prioritizes human wellbeing and ecological health. The report identifies five key action areas: redefining progress through new metrics, reforming financial flows to reduce short-termism, greening high-impact sectors (energy, food, housing, transport), investing in people to ensure inclusive growth, and managing natural systems to protect essential ecosystem services. It concludes with nine guiding principles for a fair and inclusive transition, emphasizing the need for multi-stakeholder engagement and a move away from resource-intensive growth.
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Document type: Report
Vietnam’s Just Energy Transition Partnership
Global Witness criticizes the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) in Vietnam, stating that the $15.5 billion deal lacks sufficient protections for human rights and civil society. The organization highlights the imprisonment of environmental defenders and argues that a truly 'just' transition is impossible without the free participation of civil society and the release of unjustly arrested climate leaders.
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Document type: Statement
Global Hating
A Global Witness investigation based on a survey of 468 climate scientists reveals that online abuse is common, particularly for those with high academic output and media visibility. The report highlights that women are disproportionately targeted with sexual violence and personal attacks. This harassment leads to mental health issues, productivity loss, and a 'chilling effect' where scientists become less likely to engage in public discourse. The document identifies Twitter and Facebook as primary venues for abuse and calls for reforms to social media business models and content moderation to protect scientists and ensure the flow of critical climate information.
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Document type: Report
Toxic Takeaways
The report documents a pattern of forced evictions, illegal chemical fumigations, and the criminalization of land defenders in eastern Paraguay, driven by the expansion of industrial soy production. It identifies US traders ADM, Cargill, and Bunge as primary conduits, linking these abuses to European meat processors 2 Sisters and Danish Crown. The document argues that voluntary sustainability initiatives and 'mass balance' certification schemes are insufficient to prevent the import of 'tainted' soy into the EU and UK, and calls for mandatory human rights due diligence legislation.
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Document type: Executive summary
The Gas Subsidy Pipeline
The report examines the relationship between ENTSOG, a body that influences EU gas infrastructure funding, and GIE, a gas industry lobby group. It highlights significant membership overlap and a lack of transparency regarding meetings and conflict-of-interest policies. Global Witness asserts that this relationship has led to billions in EU subsidies flowing to industry-favoured projects, some of which are failing, while contradicting the EU's climate targets.
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Document type: Report
EU companies burn fossil gas and taxpayer cash
Global Witness reports that the EU has spent nearly €5 billion in taxpayer-funded grants and loans on 41 gas projects since 2013, with approximately €439 million wasted on seven projects that failed or are unlikely to function. The author contends that the TEN-E regulation creates a conflict of interest by allowing the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (ENTSOG) to influence project selection. The report specifically highlights the BRUA pipeline, which received €431 million but faces significant viability issues regarding Black Sea gas extraction. Global Witness calls for the European Commission to remove all gas projects from the fifth Project of Common Interest (PCI) list and to reform the TEN-E regulation to redirect funds toward renewable energy.
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Document type: Statement
Solving climate and development challenges in the developing world through cleantech clusters
The white paper proposes using cleantech clusters—groups of co-located firms and institutions—to overcome the slow adoption of climate solutions in developing countries. It advocates for the creation of independent, non-profit cluster agencies to coordinate ecosystems, attract investment, and create jobs, citing the success of organizations like GreenCape and Clean in South Africa, Denmark, Brazil, and Colombia.
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Document type: Report
LIGHTENING LABOUR’S LOAD AN ATLAS OF GREEN TAX ALTERNATIVES
The report presents a series of expert contributions from Green movements in 16 European countries, arguing that labour taxes are often the primary source of government revenue and should be shifted toward taxes on pollution, capital, and resource use. Proposed alternatives include carbon taxes, wealth taxes, and taxes on automated work, while improvements to labour taxation focus on increasing progressivity, introducing negative income taxes for low earners, and simplifying tax codes.
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Document type: Report
Exploiter le pouvoir de la finance et de la technologie pour assurer un développement durable
The document argues that while global financial assets are sufficient to fund sustainable development, a significant funding gap and digital divide persist. It traces the history of international environmental cooperation from the 1972 Stockholm Conference to the 2015 Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the Paris Agreement. Key challenges identified include the failure of developed nations to meet the $100 billion annual climate finance goal, fragmented funding architectures, and barriers to technology transfer such as intellectual property rights. The text emphasizes that digital technologies (AI, blockchain, cloud computing) offer immense potential for zero-carbon energy and circular economies, provided that access is equitable and risks like data privacy and job loss are managed.
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Document type: Research paper
Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform Communiqué
The communiqué calls for the elimination of fossil-fuel subsidies to help limit global temperature increases to below 2°C, noting that such subsidies encourage wasteful consumption and hinder renewable energy investment. It emphasizes that reform should be transparent, ambitious, and accompanied by targeted support for the poor, while referencing existing commitments from the G20 and APEC.
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Document type: Statement
Five facts about the market for eco-certified fish
The document identifies growing demand for eco-certified fish in the US and Europe, noting that young consumers and those seeking status symbols are primary drivers. It highlights that American shoppers select supermarkets based on their commitment to eco-certified sourcing and lists key European markets for Canadian seafood exports.
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Document type: Fact sheet
GSI_RelativeEnergySubsidiesJuly2010
This report by the Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI) provides preliminary estimates of global energy subsidies by source for 2007, detailing the assumptions and calculations used for nuclear energy, renewable energy, biofuels, fossil fuels, and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS).
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Document type: Report
IISD and Sustainable Procurement
The IISD-Europe program on sustainable procurement provides policy advisory and research services to scale up green industrial growth through "whole life value" procurement. The institute advises governments on Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) and Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), and leads the International Initiative on Procurement and Green Growth. IISD argues that because public procurement accounts for 12–15 per cent of GDP in the EU and US, governments can use their purchasing power to trigger markets for sustainable goods and services and incentivize private sector investment in green technology.
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Document type: Fact sheet