Search Climate Insights Directory

The policy brief proposes ten strategic principles for governments to unlock business investment in clean electrification. These include setting clear targets, reforming financial incentives to remove fossil fuel subsidies, modernizing electricity grids, and streamlining permitting processes. The document emphasizes that coordinated international signals and integrated industrial strategies are necessary to reduce policy uncertainty and overcome barriers such as high upfront costs and skilled labor shortages, aiming for electricity to account for approximately 35% of global final energy use by 2035.

The report finds that by 2025, fossil fuel power generation fell below its peak in all 38 OECD member countries, driven by the rapid scaling of solar and wind energy. This trend is extending to emerging markets, with 2025 marking the first year this century (excluding 2020) that non-OECD fossil generation fell, specifically in China and India. The transition is increasingly driven by economic imperatives, as the levelized cost of solar and onshore wind is now 60% lower than combined cycle gas turbines.

The authors argue that voluntary initiatives to reduce fossil fuel subsidies have failed, as evidenced by 2023 subsidies reaching $794 billion. They propose a binding WTO agreement based on the Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS) model, which uses the Standardized Carbon Rate Measurement (SCRM) to ensure carbon prices remain above committed levels. The paper suggests that successful subsidy removal depends on a state's ability to transition to green energy and recommends a WTO waiver on local content requirements to support this transition.

The document outlines how climate-fueled hazards like rising sea levels and extreme weather are reshaping global tourism, leading to trends such as "coolcations" and the decline of snow-based activities. It highlights the economic risks for tourism-dependent communities, the carbon intensity of aviation, and the ethical dilemmas of "last-chance tourism." The guide suggests reporting on adaptation strategies, such as Hawaii's "green fee" and climate insurance in El Salvador, while urging journalists to contextualize aviation emissions beyond their current global percentage.

The report highlights that 'next generation geothermal' technologies, such as Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), have expanded the geographic viability of geothermal power beyond volcanic regions. In the EU, approximately 43 GW of capacity could be developed at costs below 100 €/MWh, potentially generating 301 TWh of electricity annually. While Europe has a strong historical foundation in geothermal energy, the report warns that the EU risks losing its leadership to the US and Canada due to slow permitting and a lack of coordinated policy frameworks. It also notes geothermal's potential to meet the rising energy demands of AI data centres and its ability to provide firm, low-carbon power and mineral recovery, such as lithium.

The document reports that Europe experienced a November 2025 temperature 1.38°C above the 1991-2020 mean, with record highs in central western Russia and record low precipitation in Turkey. For the January-March 2026 period, forecasts project warmer-than-average temperatures across Europe, particularly in the northeast, and generally weakly positive precipitation anomalies, though soil moisture is expected to be weakly negative in Spain, Italy, central Europe, and Turkey.

The document outlines a five-step process for governments to identify and quantify fossil fuel subsidies: applying a whole-of-government approach, establishing a comprehensive scope based on WTO standards, choosing measurement methods (price-gap vs. inventory), evaluating socio-economic and environmental impacts, and ensuring regular public disclosure. It emphasizes the use of the WTO Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (ASCM) as a minimum baseline and highlights the role of effective carbon rates (ECRs) in improving cross-country comparability.

The report argues that the UK risks spending billions in public funds on unproven carbon removal technologies, such as power-BECCS and DACCS, which face significant delays and high costs. It highlights that a single project at Drax biomass power station could require £30 billion in subsidies, exceeding the entire national carbon capture and storage budget. The analysis notes that no commercial-scale project has yet begun construction or captured carbon, and warns that power-BECCS may not deliver genuine removals due to feedstock and supply chain emissions. The author recommends prioritising proven decarbonisation methods like renewables and heat pumps over these high-risk technologies.

A briefing on a workshop regarding the creation of a shared superhot rock geothermal testbed to bridge the gap between theory and deployment for high-capex geothermal innovation.

The document examines how trade tools like border carbon adjustments (BCAs) and deforestation-free regulations are being used to advance climate goals and prevent carbon leakage. It highlights the administrative challenges of BCAs, the risk of excluding smallholders in deforestation-free supply chains, and the potential for these measures to clash with the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC). The authors argue for greater transparency, support for developing countries, and harmonized standards to ensure the energy transition does not deepen global inequities.

The guide argues that fossil fuel subsidies (FFSs) are misaligned with climate and fiscal goals and proposes a three-step approach to phase them out: establishing a whole-of-government coordination mechanism, categorizing subsidies into three timelines based on risk and feasibility, and executing detailed implementation plans with clear accountability. It emphasizes that while developed countries should lead with faster reforms, developing countries may require longer timelines and more robust social protection measures to ensure a just transition.

The report outlines a structured path to commercialize superhot rock (SHR) geothermal energy—defined as rock hotter than 400°C—which could produce five to ten times more energy per well than conventional geothermal. It proposes a six-phase road map: establishing governance and a Steering Committee, identifying existing resources, filling technical gaps, iterative testing (modeling, lab, and field), deployment of pilot and commercial projects, and creating a continual improvement life cycle. The report identifies critical technology gaps in well construction, drilling, and heat extraction, noting that addressing these gaps independently would cost approximately $1.4 billion (USD), a figure that could be reduced through shared infrastructure and joint investment. It emphasizes the need for a global information-sharing platform and standardized protocols to avoid duplicating failures and accelerate the learning curve.

The document analyzes the shift in international trade from a focus on liberalization toward 'multipurpose' approaches driven by geopolitics and national security. It argues that this complexity provides opportunities to embed nature and climate goals into trade agendas. The author proposes a new paradigm that reframes trade as a strategic tool for sustainability, emphasizing a 'nature-positive' narrative and the integration of climate mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage. Key recommendations include reorienting trade rules to reward sustainable production, scaling the diffusion of green technologies, and ensuring that developing countries are not unfairly burdened by environmental requirements. The paper identifies multiple entry points for action, including WTO reform, regional agreements like AfCFTA, and the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

The report examines how technology transfer for climate change adaptation is handled within the UNFCCC and WTO frameworks, noting that these policy domains have largely evolved in isolation. It defines adaptation technology as comprising hardware, software, and orgware, and highlights that while trade is recognized as a driver for transfer, it is rarely explicitly integrated into national adaptation plans (NAPs) or technology needs assessments (TNAs). The author identifies significant divergences between developed and developing countries over intellectual property rights (IPRs) and the role of government incentives. Analysis of Small Island Developing States' BAEF reports reveals that high import duties and reliance on foreign imports are key barriers. The report recommends involving trade experts in the NAP process and developing actionable guidance to operationalize technology transfer.

The report advocates for a technology-inclusive energy strategy for Germany to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. It argues that relying solely on weather-dependent renewables leads to higher system costs, price volatility, and infrastructure bottlenecks. The author proposes an 'options-based portfolio' including nuclear energy, carbon capture and storage (CCS), clean hydrogen, fusion, and superhot rock geothermal energy. Key recommendations include restarting nuclear plants, prioritising clean hydrogen for hard-to-abate industrial sectors, and implementing the EU Methane Regulation to reduce potent greenhouse gas emissions.

The document reports that May 2025 saw colder than average temperatures in eastern Europe and extreme drought in the British Isles. For the July-September 2025 period, most of Europe is projected to be 1-2°C warmer than average, with expected increases in 'Warm Days' and projected negative soil moisture anomalies persisting in central Europe and the British Isles.

The briefing argues that the lack of comprehensive sharing arrangements for fish stocks shared between the EU, UK, and third countries often leads to catch levels exceeding scientific advice. It calls for the adoption of ecosystem-based fisheries management, the implementation of a genuine precautionary approach, and the avoidance of unilateral quota setting. Specifically, it urges the EU and UK to ensure total fishing limits do not exceed scientifically advised levels and to prioritize resolving allocation disputes for pelagic stocks like mackerel, herring, and blue whiting. The document also emphasizes the need for transparency under the Aarhus Convention and the use of ICES scientific advice as the primary basis for management decisions.

The report examines the November 29, 2024, draft text for 'Fish 2' negotiations at the WTO. It details a proposed hybrid approach combining a broad prohibition of subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing with a management-based exemption and special and differential treatment (SDT) for developing nations. Key provisions include a two-tiered system for demonstrating stock sustainability, specific rules for distant-water fishing, and a five-year review clause to potentially mandate quantitative subsidy reductions. The document highlights that while convergence is high, significant gaps remain regarding the duration of transition periods and the definition of artisanal fishing.

The document examines how wide-ranging tariffs, including those imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), increase the cost of essential materials like steel, aluminum, and copper, thereby raising prices for energy infrastructure and slowing the deployment of clean energy technologies. It highlights that while the administration seeks 'energy dominance,' these trade policies create investment uncertainty and risk ceding leadership in next-generation technologies—such as advanced nuclear, geothermal, and batteries—to competitors like China. The authors recommend replacing blunt tariffs with targeted, time-bound measures paired with robust industrial policy and strategic alliances to ensure long-term competitiveness.

The report establishes a methodology for mapping superhot rock (SHR) geothermal resources globally, defining SHR as heat from subsurface formations exceeding 374°C. Using the LithoRef18 global reference model and a 'hydrothermal proxy' to account for non-steady-state heat flow, the study estimates the un-risked global resource. For depths of 4-8 km ('today's resource'), the estimated potential is 3,272 GWe (13,895 GWth). For depths of 8-12.5 km ('tomorrow's resource'), the potential increases to 59,930 GWe (245,581 GWth). The analysis identifies 125 countries with SHR potential, with significant resources in the US, China, Indonesia, and others. The report also analyzes flow rate uncertainties using a database of 33 petrothermal projects, determining a P50 flow rate of 55 l/s for its calculations.