Search Climate Insights Directory

In 2025, solar and wind power expanded fast enough to outpace global electricity demand growth for the first time over a sustained period. Solar growth accelerated in Africa and Central Europe, while BRICS nations now generate over half of global solar power. The rise of 'electrotech'—led by China—and falling battery costs are enabling fossil-free baseload power and supporting the energy demands of AI and data centres.

The document challenges the narrative that wind and solar power drive up electricity costs, asserting that real-world data from multiple global markets often shows an inverse relationship. It highlights that in the US and EU, regions with higher-than-average renewable shares frequently have lower-than-average household power prices. While acknowledging that factors like transmission costs, wildfire mitigation, and market liquidity can influence prices, the briefing concludes that renewables generally lower wholesale costs by displacing expensive fossil fuels.

The briefing outlines a phased strategy for Jharkhand to transition from a mining-dependent economy to a green industrial base. It identifies four high-potential sectors—Clean Power, Green Molecules, Sustainable Mobility, and Green Equipment Manufacturing—which could generate USD 1.43 billion in annual state tax revenue. The transition requires a total cumulative investment of USD 41.4 billion, implemented across three phases from 2026 to 2070.

The report finds that while India has achieved a non-fossil electricity capacity share exceeding 50% in 2025, public finances remain heavily tied to fossil fuels. In FY 2024, fossil fuel revenues contributed nearly INR 9 lakh crore (USD 108 billion) to the exchequer, and 83% of central state-owned enterprise capital expenditures were directed toward fossils. Although clean energy subsidies grew by 31% year-on-year in FY 2024 and fossil fuel subsidies declined by 12%, the latter was attributed to cyclical price movements rather than structural policy. The study recommends improving the targeting of electricity subsidies, redirecting state-owned enterprise capital toward clean-tech, and diversifying government revenue through carbon pricing and green taxes.

The document analyzes the strategic role of BRICS+ countries in the global critical minerals market, focusing on the potential for African members to move up the value chain and the complex dynamics of their cooperation with the European Union.

As of October 2025, the all-in capex for large, long-duration utility-scale BESS projects outside China and the US is approximately $125/kWh, resulting in a Levelised Cost of Storage (LCOS) of $65/MWh. This cost reduction is driven by cheaper Chinese-manufactured equipment, longer battery lifetimes, and improved efficiencies. Consequently, dispatchable solar—storing 50% of daily generation—is estimated to cost $76/MWh, making it a highly competitive option for meeting global energy demand growth.

Ten years after its 2015 adoption, the Paris Agreement has shifted the projected global warming trajectory from 4.8 degrees C to between 2.3 and 2.9 degrees C, though it remains off track for the 1.5 degrees C goal. While clean technology growth has exceeded expectations—with electric vehicles now comprising a fifth of auto sales and solar and wind electricity generation tripling—current nationally determined contributions (NDCs) would deliver less than 14% of the emissions reductions needed by 2035. The author argues that the next decade requires a total economic transformation, a more aggressive approach to phasing out fossil fuels, and a remodeled multilateral process where COP decisions are not subject to a veto by a few nations. Key priorities include supporting the green transitions of large middle-income countries, which account for 60% of global emissions, and integrating climate commitments into national economic policies.

The report evaluates the viability of firm and dispatchable renewable energy (FDRE) in India, finding that its competitiveness against coal depends on the ability to sell surplus power and the inclusion of external costs like pollution. It highlights that FDRE can be deployed significantly faster than coal plants and provides net economic gains, including GDP growth and job creation, while reducing emissions.

Nepal's textiles and clothing sector, particularly readymade garments and hand-knotted woollen carpets, remains a key export earner despite structural constraints and a decline in manufacturing's share of GDP. While the sector leverages unique craftsmanship and LDC-based preferential market access, it faces high logistics costs, skilled labour shortages, and a 25% higher unit cost compared to competitors like Bangladesh and India. LDC graduation threatens this competitiveness through potential tariff increases and stricter rules of origin. The authors argue that the government should move away from ineffective ad-valorem subsidies and poorly located special economic zones, instead focusing on market intelligence, inter-agency coordination, and productivity improvements to adapt to a changing global trade landscape.

The paper contends that traditional industrial policy is overly focused on manufacturing and must be expanded to include services, which now account for roughly two-thirds of global GDP. It identifies five pillars for a services-led industrial policy: infrastructure, investment/FDI, skills and human capital, regulatory quality, and connectivity. The author highlights that services offer developing economies advantages in terms of lower capital intensity, smaller minimum scale, and environmental sustainability. Furthermore, the document notes that the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) provides governments with more policy space for experimentation than the rules governing manufacturing trade.

The report analyzes the transition of the steel industry toward net-zero emissions, highlighting the role of emerging technologies and startups. It identifies the dominance of coal-based blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) facilities, which contribute approximately 8 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and examines alternatives such as Hydrogen-Direct Reduced Iron (H2-DRI) and scrap-based electric arc furnaces (EAFs). The document categorizes innovations into three pathways: reducing demand ('Make Less'), improving existing processes ('Make Better'), and developing disruptive technologies ('Make New'). It emphasizes the need for strategic investor-offtakers in high-growth markets like Asia and Africa, the potential of modular furnace technologies, and the strategy of generating early revenue through high-margin, low-volume products to derisk commercial scaling.

The 2025 G20 presidency under South Africa served as a symbolic platform for African priorities, including debt sustainability and just energy transition, but faced significant challenges due to the absence of the US and a general lack of collective ambition on climate change. While the presidency successfully advanced discussions on critical minerals and disaster resilience, the Final Communiqué failed to mention transitioning away from fossil fuels, reflecting a broader trend of G20 paralysis on environmental leadership.

The report identifies Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, and China as the fastest adopters of electric vehicles by sales share. It highlights China's dominance in both total volume (11.3 million sales in 2024) and market share (48%), while noting Norway's lead in share (92%). The analysis emphasizes that rapid uptake is driven by government incentives, investment in charging infrastructure, and the availability of affordable models. It also notes a trend of 'leapfrogging' in developing nations like Ethiopia, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, fueled by affordable Chinese imports.

The author contends that while central bank independence must be protected from populist right-wing capture—citing attempts by Donald Trump in the US and leaders in Turkey and India—the current technocratic orthodoxy is failing. The text argues that the ECB's focus on price stability via interest rate hikes has been ineffective against 'cost-push' inflation and 'greedflation', and has actively hindered the green transition by increasing capital costs for renewables. To remedy this, the document proposes a 'whole-of-government approach' involving a coordination council and the definition of time-bound secondary objectives, such as 'green interest rate' policies, to align monetary policy with democratic goals without requiring treaty changes.

This research paper by Steven Haig of the International Institute for Sustainable Development argues that expanding liquefied natural gas (LNG) production in Canada will increase domestic and global emissions, hinder the transition to renewable energy, and divert public funds from climate solutions.

The COP30 summit in Belém concluded with the "Mutirão global" agreement, which maintained negotiations but postponed key decisions on fossil fuels and adaptation finance. While the summit saw record indigenous participation and significant funding commitments for tropical forests and energy infrastructure, it failed to establish a clear mechanism to limit warming to 1.5°C and lacked a process for reviewing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The document urges reporters to translate these diplomatic results into human-centric stories focusing on vulnerable communities and territorial rights.

The document argues that Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) will likely become a widespread requirement for Indian building product manufacturers by 2030. It outlines a 10-to-30-week process for EPD development, involving life-cycle assessments (LCA) and third-party verification, with estimated initial costs between ₹983,000 and ₹1,519,000. EPDs are presented as a tool for gaining competitive advantages in green building certifications (LEED, IGBC, GRIHA), complying with international regulations like the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), and improving operational efficiency through the identification of emissions hotspots.

Following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine and subsequent Western sanctions, Russia has pivoted its fossil fuel exports toward Asia. While this has partially offset revenue losses from the European market, the report argues that Russia remains locked in a hydrocarbon-centric model that is increasingly misaligned with the decarbonisation trajectories of its primary Asian customers. China and India have leveraged discounted Russian oil and coal to support economic growth while simultaneously diversifying their energy portfolios and expanding renewable capacity. Vietnam has seen modest growth in Russian coal and nascent LNG trade, balancing energy security with sustainability goals. The report highlights structural bottlenecks, such as limited rail capacity for coal and the risks of a 'shadow fleet' for oil, as significant constraints on Russia's long-term export viability.

The report assesses the economic impact of India's power sector decarbonization on Jharkhand, projecting significant losses in state revenue, PSU earnings, and employment. It proposes a three-phase strategic framework (Enabling, Scaling-up, and Viksit Bharat) to transition the state from a raw-material supplier to a cleantech manufacturing hub. The analysis identifies four priority investment areas—clean power, green molecules, sustainable mobility, and green equipment manufacturing—estimating a total capital requirement of USD 41.4 billion to substitute lost fossil fuel revenues and create new employment opportunities.

The report argues that India's iron and steel sector, which accounts for roughly 12% of the country's total greenhouse gas emissions, requires a coordinated Green Industrial Policy (GIP) to avoid high-carbon asset lock-ins and meet its 2070 net-zero target. Through plant-level and sectoral modelling, the analysis identifies hydrogen-based Direct Reduced Iron-Electric Arc Furnace (DRI-EAF) as the most viable long-term pathway. To make this technology investable, the report proposes a combination of time-bound capex and opex subsidies, a predictable carbon price trajectory rising from USD 10 in 2025 to USD 50 by 2050, and green public procurement. The study finds that with these interventions, hydrogen-based steel could achieve cost leadership and a 13.3% IRR by 2050, while conventional blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) pathways become financially unviable.