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The report evaluates the potential for scaling the CO2 Performance Ladder (CO2PL) in Austria, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The CO2PL serves as both a carbon management system for organizations and a procurement tool that provides certified suppliers with an award advantage in tenders. The study finds a general demand for third-party verified, easy-to-use tools to reduce carbon emissions, though implementation faces challenges such as risk aversion among public procurers, legal concerns regarding the link between criteria and the subject matter of contracts, and capacity constraints in smaller procuring entities. The report recommends aligning the CO2PL with common measurement methods like Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), engaging with European city networks, and providing specific support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to ensure inclusive participation.

The document argues that employee savings in France, totaling 158 billion euros, are often invested in climate-harmful activities without the knowledge of savers. It proposes 14 specific measures to remedy this, including a mandatory 'tricolore' indicator for controversial activities, the requirement for ISIN codes for FCPE funds, and fiscal incentives for responsible savings plans. It also suggests restricting asset managers' access to the employee savings market unless they adhere to strict climate policies, particularly regarding the phase-out of fossil fuel investments.

The Strategic Plan for Advancing Energy Efficiency Across Demand Sectors by 2030 outlines a framework for G20 countries to double the global annual rate of energy intensity improvement. It focuses on five pillars: buildings, industry, transport, financing, and behavioral change. The plan argues that energy efficiency is the 'first fuel' for the energy transition and proposes specific high-impact opportunities, such as rethinking building codes (RENEW), scaling motor efficiency for SMEs (SME²), and aggregating energy services (FAST). It emphasizes the need to triple annual energy efficiency investments to approximately USD 840 billion by 2030 and highlights the potential of the Indian 'Lifestyle for Environment' (LiFE) initiative to reduce global CO2 emissions by 2 billion tonnes by 2030.

The report examines Sweden's maritime sectors—including blue food, offshore energy, tourism, and shipping—and argues for a shift from a sector-based approach to a multifunctional, ecosystem-based model. It identifies significant growth potential in offshore wind and sustainable aquaculture but warns that the current state of marine ecosystems is dire. The document recommends national coordination of marine spatial planning, the adoption of net-zero goals for maritime transport, and the modernization of regulatory frameworks to support circular and fossil-free technologies.

The briefing examines the interdependencies between water systems and the transition to fossil-free energy, highlighting the environmental and social costs of hydropower and offshore renewables. Using Sweden as a primary example, it discusses how energy expansion can lead to habitat degradation and the marginalization of Indigenous communities. It calls for the Water Action Agenda to adopt integrated water resource management and accelerate SDG 6 targets to ensure a sustainable and equitable energy transition.

The document discusses the critical need to reduce anthropogenic methane emissions, particularly from the oil and gas sector, to limit global warming. It details a transition from 'bottom-up' estimation methods to 'top-down' monitoring using ground-based, airborne, and spaceborne instruments. The authors advocate for globally recognised testing standards, integrated observing systems, and robust reporting protocols to support smart regulation. It highlights that the oil and gas industry could eliminate nearly 75% of its global methane emissions using existing technologies at little to no cost, and notes emerging regulations in regions including North America, Europe, Nigeria, and Colombia.

The signatories support the European Commission's Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF) but argue that the current legislative proposal contains critical shortcomings. They demand a clear distinction between carbon removal and emissions reductions, aligned with IPCC definitions, to prevent the misclassification of activities that merely reduce carbon release. Additionally, the authors call for strict guardrails on the use of removal certificates to prevent greenwashing and 'mitigation deterrence,' suggesting that different types of removals be labeled and regulated based on the duration and reliability of their carbon storage.

ClientEarth argues that the TPT framework must move from permissive language to mandatory, science-aligned standards to correct a market failure where corporate net zero commitments lack credible transition plans. Key recommendations include requiring alignment with 1.5°C pathways, mandatory disclosure of all Scope 1-3 emissions, and a prohibition on counting carbon credits toward reduction targets. The document also advocates for stronger links between transition plans and financial statements, more rigorous reporting on corporate lobbying, and the integration of 'just transition' and nature-positive objectives.

The briefing argues that the EU is on course to reach a 45% renewable energy share by 2030, rendering the current 40% Fit-for-55 target outdated. This trajectory is driven by solar capacity growth, heat pump adoption, and electric vehicle expansion, which are all outpacing original policy forecasts.

The policy brief examines the potential of the US Inflation Reduction Act's hydrogen production tax credit to scale clean hydrogen and decarbonize heavy industry. It argues that for grid-connected electrolyzers to qualify, the US Treasury must implement three pillars: additionality, emissions-accurate temporal accounting, and deliverability. Without these, the credit risks inducing higher emissions. If implemented correctly, the credit could provide up to $3 per kilogram of clean hydrogen, drive investment in geothermal and long-duration storage, and establish US leadership in international clean commodity standards.

The European Green Deal (EGD) offers the African private sector significant opportunities in green hydrogen production and the supply of critical raw materials, driven by the EU's need for energy security and supply chain diversification. While various funding instruments like InvestEU and the Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package exist, the report warns of a potential 'unequal partnership' where Africa remains a mere resource supplier. It emphasizes the need for African stakeholders to proactively engage in technology transfer and co-creation to avoid lock-in effects and ensure inclusive growth.

The document explores how the European Green Deal (EGD) creates opportunities for the African private sector, particularly in green hydrogen and critical minerals, while warning against a return to a resource-supplier relationship. It details various EU funding mechanisms, technology transfer possibilities, and capacity-building programs, providing recommendations for African governments and companies to proactively engage with the EU to ensure an equal partnership.

The author contends that Europe's current climate approach is too narrow and lacks coordination, risking failure to meet net-zero targets. To mitigate risks such as supply chain dependence on China for rare earths and the slow deployment of renewables, the document advocates for a strategy that supports nuclear power, carbon capture and storage, and zero-carbon fuels alongside renewables. It highlights the need for long-term investment planning, as historical data shows technology commercialization takes decades, whereas current net-zero models assume unrealistic compression of these timelines. Furthermore, the text calls for the EU to streamline its 'kaleidoscope' of conflicting policies and adopt incentive structures similar to the US Inflation Reduction Act to drive cost reductions and infrastructure deployment. Finally, it emphasizes the necessity of proactive system planning to determine future energy demand and the required clean firm power capacity, estimated at over 100 GW by 2035.

A coalition of organizations argues that weak guidelines for the 45V clean hydrogen tax credit could lead to increased net emissions and wasteful subsidies. They advocate for a 'three-pillar' system—additionality, deliverability, and hourly matching—to ensure hydrogen is truly low-carbon. The authors assert that these requirements are technically and economically feasible, citing existing tools like M-RETS and EnergyTag, as well as similar standards already adopted in the EU and UK.

One year after the invasion of Ukraine, the EU has substituted nearly 75% of Russian gas imports and seen wind and solar generate a record 22% of its electricity in 2022. Globally, gas demand is forecast to peak by the end of the decade, with 88% of electricity demand growth to 2025 expected to be met by renewables. While renewable energy saved billions in fossil fuel costs, high gas and coal prices drove 90% of the global increase in electricity costs in 2022. Russia faces significant financial losses from sanctions, including a USD 25 billion public deficit in January 2023, while EU industrial production grew by over 2% on average despite a 15% drop in industrial gas demand.

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, the EU saw a record increase in wind and solar generation, which together provided 23% of total electricity. This growth saved the EU €12 billion in avoided gas costs and contributed to a significant drop in Russian gas import reliance, from approximately 40% before the invasion to 16% in the period analyzed.

The document examines how the cost-of-living crisis in Europe is driving vulnerable households toward risky, unregulated financial products like buy-now-pay-later schemes and crypto assets. It calls for EU policymakers to update the Consumer Credit Directive (CCD) and the Distance Marketing of Consumer Financial Services Directive (DMFSD) to include better creditworthiness assessments, advertising rules, and debt relief measures to prevent a debt spiral among low-income citizens.

The October 2023 Polish parliamentary elections represent a critical juncture for the country's democratic governance and its relationship with the European Union. The contest pits the ruling nationalist coalition, led by the Law and Justice (PiS) party, against a fragmented but numerically stronger 'democratic opposition' including the Civic Coalition, Poland 2050, the Left, and the Polish People's Party. While PiS and its partner United Poland oppose EU decarbonisation and the Green Deal, the opposition generally supports the green transition and Eurozone accession. A victory for the opposition would necessitate extensive reforms to restore the rule of law and depoliticise state institutions, while a PiS victory would likely continue the undermining of European constitutional values.

The document asserts that the current cost of living crisis is driven by fossil fuel price volatility, particularly natural gas, rather than the costs of net-zero policies. It identifies that poorer households are disproportionately affected by energy poverty and argues that short-term government subsidies are insufficient. The briefing proposes that expanding renewable energy capacity, implementing building energy efficiency retrofits, installing heat pumps, and electrifying transport can lower energy bills, reduce market volatility, and enhance energy security.

The document analyzes the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act's (IRA) approach to clean hydrogen through investment and production tax credits, evaluating their economic benefits and limitations to inform Canadian policy. It details the IRA's emission-based credit tiers and emphasizes the need for Canada to integrate its existing carbon pricing and focus on the entire hydrogen ecosystem to remain competitive.