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Understanding Global Concessional Climate Finance 2024
The report finds that international concessional climate finance grew by 50% from 2019 to reach USD 81 billion in 2022, though it remains small compared to fossil fuel subsidies. Sub-Saharan Africa is the primary recipient of these flows. The analysis highlights a gap in adaptation finance and a lack of standardized impact metrics. Domestic concessional finance is heavily concentrated in high-income economies, particularly Western Europe, and focuses primarily on mitigation. The report recommends redirecting fossil fuel subsidies, targeting fragile and conflict-affected states, and streamlining project approval processes to enhance efficiency.
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Document type: Report
Confirmation Hearings of the European Commissioners-Designate – CATF’s Key Questions
The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) outlines key policy priorities for the incoming European Commission, emphasizing the need for a 'Clean Industrial Deal' that aligns competitiveness with a 90% emissions reduction target by 2040. The document advocates for 'clean firm power'—including geothermal, nuclear, and CCS—to complement renewables and ensure grid reliability. It calls for a 'reality check' on hydrogen targets, a more ambitious implementation of the Methane Regulation (including agricultural emissions), and the development of a clear strategy for carbon removals and emerging technologies like fusion and superhot rock geothermal energy.
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Document type: Fact sheet
The UK’s journey to a coal power phase-out
The UK officially entered a coal-free power era on 1 October 2024 with the closure of the Ratcliffe-on-Soar plant. This transition saw power sector emissions drop by 74% between 2012 and 2023, driven by a combination of carbon pricing, renewable energy growth, and grid investment. The report argues that while the coal phase-out provides a roadmap, the next goal of clean power by 2030 will require a more complex whole-systems approach to displace gas and manage grid stability.
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Document type: Report
Comments on the Draft State of PFAS Report and Risk Management Scope (July 2023)
The submission argues that the Canadian government's updated approach to PFAS is insufficient, specifically criticizing the proposal to exclude fluoropolymers from the PFAS class and the use of outdated bioaccumulation criteria. The authors call for the fast-tracking of PFAS listing on Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) and a more ambitious risk management scope that prioritizes prohibitions over technical feasibility studies.
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Document type: Statement
Amendment No. 3 to the Trust Fund Contribution Agreement among the Government of Denmark, represented by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Green Climate Fund, and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, serving as the trustee of the Green Climate Fund Trust Fund concerning the Green Climate Fund Trust Fund (MTO No. 069022)
The Government of Denmark has agreed to provide a supplemental grant contribution of 1.6 billion Danish Kroner (DKK) to the Green Climate Fund Trust Fund, to be paid in four installments between 2024 and 2027.
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Document type: Statement
Common Fisheries Policy – evaluation
ClientEarth asserts that the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is a sound framework but suffers from systemic failures in implementation and enforcement. The organization argues that the EU has missed the 2020 deadline to end overfishing in all European sea basins and calls for the strict application of maximum sustainable yield (MSY), the landing obligation, and the integration of environmental legislation. Key recommendations include the deployment of remote electronic monitoring (REM) to combat illegal discards, the use of transparent social and environmental criteria for quota allocation, and the redirection of the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) away from harmful subsidies toward small-scale, low-impact fisheries.
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Document type: Statement
Unlocking Clean Power for All
The report applies tipping point theory to the energy transition, arguing that while solar and wind have reached cost parity with fossil fuels globally, systemic barriers persist in many emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs). It proposes a holistic policy framework to 'force' tipping by amplifying positive feedbacks (e.g., reducing cost of capital), removing negative feedbacks (e.g., fossil fuel subsidy reform), and creating enabling conditions (e.g., grid modernization). The authors emphasize that public finance, especially international concessional funding, is critical to overcome high capital costs and infrastructure gaps in the Global South to meet the goal of tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030.
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Document type: Report
Wind and solar overtake EU fossil fuels in the first half of 2024
In the first half of 2024, wind and solar power generated 30% of the EU's electricity, surpassing fossil fuels (27%) for the first time. This transition occurred despite a 0.7% increase in electricity demand. Fossil fuel generation fell by 17%, with coal dropping by 24% and gas by 14%. Renewables overall provided 50% of the EU's electricity, aided by a 21% rebound in hydro generation. Power sector emissions decreased by 17% compared to the same period in 2023, and are 31% lower than in the first half of 2022. While capacity additions are high, the report notes a gap between national ambitions and the EU's 2030 targets under the REPowerEU plan, particularly for wind energy.
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Document type: Report
Transparent Grids for All Grid(un)lock: Hosting Capacity Maps
The report addresses the barrier of limited grid capacity in Europe's energy transition, proposing the use of hosting capacity maps to help developers of renewables, electrolysers, and data centres select optimal connection locations. It notes that while EU legislation now mandates these maps for TSOs and DSOs, there is a lack of specificity in their design. The authors provide a framework for an "ideal" map, recommending substation-level granularity, open-source data access, and the inclusion of planned grid investments to improve network efficiency and investment speed.
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Document type: Report
Unnatural Disasters: The Connection Between Extreme Weather and Fossil Fuels
The briefing establishes that fossil fuels are responsible for approximately 70% of carbon dioxide emissions since the industrial revolution, with a small number of companies contributing a disproportionate share. It highlights the role of attribution science in linking specific extreme weather events to climate change and details the growing trend of using the 'polluter pays' principle in litigation and legislation to hold these companies financially accountable. The document further argues that to meet the 1.5C target, global fossil fuel production must decrease significantly by 2030, supported by a transition to renewable energy and electric vehicles.
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Document type: Briefing
Joint letter expressing serious concern over the FAO’s recent Pathways report
The document is a formal statement by a coalition of NGOs and academics criticizing the FAO's 'Pathways towards Lower Emissions' report for underestimating the climate mitigation potential of dietary shifts. The authors argue that the report contains systemic biases and methodological failures, such as double-counting emissions and using obsolete dietary guidelines. They call for a retraction of the report, a delay of the upcoming 2050 Roadmap report until these issues are addressed, and greater transparency regarding the GLEAM livestock emissions methodology.
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Document type: Statement
Methods for measuring greenhouse gas emissions from sanitation and wastewater management systems
The report analyzes seven categories of enclosure-based and open measurement methods for greenhouse gas emissions in sanitation systems. It finds that while enclosure-based methods like flux chambers are widely used, they are limited by scale. Emerging optical and remote sensing methods offer broader coverage but are constrained by high costs. The document highlights a critical lack of empirical data for non-sewered sanitation in low- and middle-income countries and advocates for standardized, affordable methodologies and increased collaboration to improve national greenhouse gas inventories.
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Document type: Report
Is the EU’s green industrial policy doomed to fail?
The EU is attempting to increase domestic production of net-zero technologies through the Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA) and other strategies to reduce dependencies on China and the US. However, the author contends that the EU lacks the necessary funding to meet its 2030 targets, such as producing 40 per cent of its installation needs domestically. The document highlights a conflict between 'frugal' member states and those seeking a European Sovereignty Fund, leading to a reliance on the Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework (TCTF). This framework allows national 'matching aid', which the author argues creates unfair competition between wealthy nations like Germany and France and smaller states like Belgium. The text further critiques the use of non-price criteria in procurement and trade defense instruments, such as the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR), noting they can increase costs for taxpayers and slow decarbonization. The author concludes that targeted, conditional European-level subsidies are the only viable way to ensure a just and cohesive green transition.
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Document type: Research paper
Consumption emissions: opportunities for EU climate mitigation
The document argues that the EU's territorial emission reductions underestimate its true carbon footprint due to emissions embedded in imports. It identifies food, housing, and mobility as primary consumption 'hotspots' and calls for a shift from a focus on production efficiency to policies that target consumption patterns and behavioral change. Key barriers include a lack of standardized monitoring and supply chain transparency, while opportunities lie in leveraging the EU's market influence to set common CBE targets and support developing countries in transitioning to low-carbon production.
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Document type: Policy brief
Climate-smart agricultural practices and technologies adoption
The study examines the drivers and barriers to the adoption of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) across five European production systems, incorporating perspectives from a wide range of stakeholders beyond just farmers. The primary drivers for adoption are economic, institutional/policy, and personal/psychological factors, while the main barriers are economic, technology-related, and institutional/policy factors. Stakeholders suggest that overcoming these hurdles requires financial support, policy reform, capacity-building, and improved coordination and communication strategies to make CSA practices more attractive to farmers.
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Document type: Research paper
POLICYMAKERS' TOOLKIT FOR A JUST TRANSITION FROM FOSSIL FUELS
The document argues that a just transition requires wealthy, high-emitting nations to phase out fossil fuels first and fastest while providing financial and technological support to less wealthy countries. It outlines a broad menu of policy tools across resource management, financial markets, fiscal and monetary policy, economic diversification, and global governance to manage the decline of fossil fuel production and consumption equitably.
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Document type: Guide
Consumption-based emissions: a new frontier for EU climate policy
The report highlights that the EU is a net importer of CO2 emissions, with consumption-based emissions (CBEs) significantly exceeding territorial emissions. While the EU has focused on territorial targets, the authors argue that addressing CBEs is essential for global climate goals. Through case studies of Sweden, Denmark, and France, the report identifies a lack of standardized monitoring and binding targets as primary barriers. It recommends that the EU establish binding CBE targets, standardize carbon accounting, and expand policies like the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the EcoDesign Regulation to drive sustainable consumption and production globally.
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Document type: Report
Consumption-driven emissions: new opportunities for EU climate mitigation
The document argues that the EU's territorial emission reductions mask a growing carbon footprint driven by the import of emissions-intensive goods. It identifies food, housing, and mobility as primary consumption hotspots and recommends binding EU-level targets, mandatory reporting for member states, and enhanced trade transparency to address these emissions.
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Document type: Briefing
Climate Negotiations Glossary
The Climate Negotiations Glossary defines the technical, political, and procedural terminology of the UNFCCC process. It covers the governing bodies of the UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol, and Paris Agreement, as well as the roles of various negotiation blocks, observer constituencies, and financial mechanisms. The guide explains specific articles of the Paris Agreement (such as Article 6 on carbon markets and Article 9 on finance), the functions of constituted bodies like the Adaptation Committee, and the logistical details of COP meetings, including the 'blue zone' and 'green zone'.
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Document type: Guide
Hot Issues: Battle for the climate at the ballot box
The author warns that a rightward political shift in the EU and UK could lead to the rollback of climate regulations and the weakening of the European Green Deal. While EU citizens express high levels of concern for climate change, competing priorities like security and healthcare may lead them to vote for parties hostile to green policies. The text urges activists to combat political apathy and maintain climate action on the political agenda even if climate-skeptical forces gain power.
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Document type: Statement