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143 results
Harnessing Data-Driven Accountability: How ‘Following the Money’ Can Track Fossil Fuels Across the Supply Chain
The report examines the implementation of the EU Methane Regulation, specifically focusing on the need for a 'trace-and-claim' system to track the origin and emissions intensity of imported oil, gas, and coal. It argues that traditional 'book-and-claim' systems are insufficient because they decouple environmental attributes from actual fuel volumes, which would undermine the regulation's goal of incentivizing emissions reductions at the source. The proposed trace-and-claim approach uses unique digital IDs and standardized sale and purchase agreements to 'follow the money' rather than the molecules. The document also proposes a future 'Emissions Reduction Trading' component to help producers meet the 0.2% emissions performance standard mandated for 2030.
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Document type: Report
Zeroing in on Steel Sector Emissions for Market Transformation
The briefing highlights that iron production accounts for over 80% of steel supply chain emissions and argues that a common 'near-zero emissions' iron definition is necessary to guide investment and trade. It proposes a threshold of 350 kgCO2e/t iron to exclude coal-based production and suggests that hydrogen-based direct reduction (DRI) is the primary commercial pathway to achieve this. To overcome supply chain complexities, the document advocates for direct procurement and 'book and claim' systems, announcing that RMI will design and test a climate-credible book and claim system for iron and steel in 2025.
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Document type: Briefing
A Gathering Storm: How Marine Geoengineering Threatens All Ocean Basins
The report analyzes marine geoengineering, dividing it into marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) and marine solar radiation modification (SRM). It argues that these speculative technologies pose irreversible risks to ocean ecosystems and human rights, while facing significant monitoring and verification challenges. The authors contend that proposed deployment zones span every ocean basin, making the impacts inherently transboundary and potentially violating international law, including the CBD moratorium and UNCLOS.
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Document type: Report
Researching Climate Obstruction in Authoritarian and non-Democratic Contexts
The document outlines the challenges of researching climate obstruction in restrictive political environments, focusing on participant safety, data security, and the navigation of political 'red lines'. It recommends flexible research designs, such as using snowball sampling and reframing sensitive topics, to mitigate risks associated with government surveillance and data manipulation in non-democratic states.
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Document type: Briefing
Harnessing and advancing Africa’s future demographic dividend
The document argues that Africa's potential for a demographic dividend depends on accelerating the demographic transition—reducing child mortality and fertility—and converting a larger working-age population into economic growth through job creation and governance. It contrasts the youthful population of Africa with the ageing populations of Europe and the Netherlands, suggesting strategic opportunities for labour mobility and trade. Using the International Futures (ifs) model, the author presents a 'Demographics and Health' scenario where targeted investments in contraceptives, maternal health, and WASH infrastructure lead to a smaller, wealthier, and better-educated population by 2050, reducing extreme poverty by 48 million people.
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Document type: Research paper
Computation of Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) in the Power Sector for African Countries and the Implications for Country-Specific Electricity Technology Cost
The study finds that WACC in Africa's power sector remains high compared to global benchmarks, driven primarily by a cost of equity that is on average double the cost of debt. While WACC is projected to decrease from 18% to 13% by 2070, significant regional disparities persist, with Eastern Africa facing the highest costs and Northern Africa the lowest. The authors argue that using uniform cost of capital assumptions leads to underestimation bias in energy costs and misguides policy, particularly for capital-intensive clean energy projects.
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Document type: Research paper
Methodology for the Landscape of Climate Finance in Africa
The methodology for the Landscape of Climate Finance in Africa 2024 describes the framework used to identify and categorize climate finance flows. It employs a taxonomy to distinguish between mitigation, adaptation, and dual-benefits finance across sectors such as energy, transport, and agriculture. The approach relies on a mix of public and proprietary data from sources like the OECD, BNEF, and the World Bank, while acknowledging significant gaps in domestic public expenditure tracking and private sector reporting. The document also details the classification of African countries by subregion and income status.
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Document type: Report
Risky Summer Heat Added by Climate Change
Analysis by Climate Central indicates that June-August 2024 was the hottest season on record, with carbon pollution significantly increasing the frequency and intensity of risky heat days globally and in the U.S. Approximately 2 billion people worldwide experienced 30 or more risky heat days made at least three times more likely by climate change. In the U.S., the average person experienced 20 additional risky heat days, with the highest impacts concentrated in the South, Southeast, and Southwest, particularly in Florida and Puerto Rico.
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Document type: Briefing
People Exposed to Climate Change: June-August 2024
The report finds that June through August 2024 was Earth's hottest season on record, with human-induced climate change significantly increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme heat worldwide. Using the Climate Shift Index (CSI), the analysis shows that one in four people experienced temperatures made at least three times more likely by climate change every day of the season. Global exposure peaked on August 13, 2024, affecting 4.1 billion people. The average person experienced 17 additional 'risky heat days' (temperatures above the 90th percentile) due to climate change. Over 2 billion people experienced 30 or more such days, with extreme concentrations in the Caribbean, Western Asia, Micronesia, Northern Africa, and Southern Europe. Additionally, 72 countries experienced their hottest June-August period since 1970, and 180 Northern Hemisphere cities faced dangerous extreme heat waves that were, on average, 21 times more likely due to human-caused warming.
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Document type: Report
Ecological Security Threats in North Africa for 2040: Water Scarcity and Desertification
North Africa faces critical ecological security threats from water scarcity and advancing desertification, which are expected to intensify by 2040 due to climate change and population growth. The region is experiencing declining rainfall, extreme heat waves, and sea-level rise, which threaten food security and socio-economic stability. Key vulnerabilities include the overexploitation of groundwater and a high dependence on food imports. The document recommends a transition to sustainable agriculture, including drip irrigation and drought-resistant crops, alongside wastewater recycling and community-based resilience initiatives.
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Document type: Policy brief
Climate Shift Index Alert
From June 11-13, 2024, over 290 million people in Northern Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East are forecast to experience extreme heat made at least five times more likely due to human-caused climate change. Maximum temperatures of 40°C or higher are expected in several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, and Egypt. The document highlights risks including wildfires in Greece, damage to Bulgaria's rose oil production, and increased vulnerability for refugees in Libya, Tunisia, and Algeria.
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Document type: Fact sheet
A Vision for the EU Net-Zero Transition
The report argues that the EU is not on track to meet its 2030 and 2050 climate goals and must shift to an 'option-based' approach that integrates a broad range of low- and zero-carbon technologies. Key recommendations include scaling up carbon capture and storage (CCS), diversifying the energy mix with small modular reactors (SMRs), superhot rock geothermal, and fusion energy, and implementing a rigorous methane import standard. It emphasizes the need for a comprehensive green industrial strategy, a dedicated climate fund to replace the Recovery and Resilience Facility, and international cooperation to set global clean-tech standards.
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Document type: Report
A solutions-based approach to the UK’s net-zero transition
The report argues that the UK is currently off track to meet its 2030 NDC and sixth carbon budget, necessitating a shift toward 'accountability and implementation'. It advocates for a systems-based approach that complements electrification with carbon capture and storage (CCS), low-carbon hydrogen, nuclear energy, and aggressive methane mitigation. Key recommendations include establishing a Methane Action Plan, creating a 'producer responsibility' policy for CO2 storage, and prioritising low-carbon hydrogen for 'no-regrets' industrial sectors like refining and ammonia production. The document also emphasises the need for international collaboration, particularly with the EU and emerging economies, to scale these technologies and maintain the UK's global climate leadership.
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Document type: Report
Emergence Strategy in Action: Danone and the Dairy Methane Action Alliance
Danone has pledged to reduce methane emissions from its fresh milk supply by 30 percent by 2030. To achieve this, the company employs a systems approach involving farmer training, research funding for feed additives, and policy advocacy. Danone is a member of the Dairy Methane Action Alliance and the First Movers Coalition for Food to drive industry-wide reporting and demand for low-emissions agricultural solutions.
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Document type: Case study
2023: Earth’s Hottest Year on Record
2023 was the hottest year on record, reaching 1.4°C above the 1881-1910 baseline. This warming is driven by unprecedented levels of carbon pollution from fossil fuels, leading to more frequent and intense extreme weather events globally.
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Document type: Fact sheet
A LOOK BACK 2024
WWF's 2024 review highlights efforts to combat climate change and biodiversity loss through targeted programs. Key achievements include expanding the Food Waste Warriors program to 15 new cities, enrolling 1 million acres in the Ranch Systems and Viability Planning network, and contributing to a global tiger population increase to 5,574. The report also details human-wildlife conflict mitigation in the KAZA region, elephant tracking in India, and the establishment of the Tribal Buffalo Lifeways Collaboration in North America.
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Document type: Report
Five Things to Know About Earth’s Hottest Year
The document highlights that 2023 is virtually certain to be the hottest year on record, driven by human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. It details the resulting increase in extreme weather events, the long-term trend of rapid warming since the industrial revolution, and the necessity of transitioning to clean energy to meet global climate targets.
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Document type: Fact sheet
List of resources on false climate solutions
The document is a curated list of resources published between 2005 and 2023 that challenge the validity and ethics of various climate mitigation strategies. It categorizes these resources into reports and briefings, blogs, articles, press releases, and other media. The listed materials focus on the perceived dangers of carbon markets, geoengineering, and corporate-led 'net zero' strategies, often framing them as 'false solutions' that may facilitate continued fossil fuel use or result in 'green colonialism'.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Illicit financial flows from migrant smuggling in Senegal and Sierra Leone
The report finds that despite having anti-money laundering and anti-smuggling laws, Senegal and Sierra Leone struggle to investigate the financial trails of migrant smugglers. This is due to a reliance on cash and informal payment systems like hawala, under-resourced financial intelligence units, and corruption within law enforcement. Smugglers often integrate their profits into the formal economy through real estate, travel agencies, and the hospitality sector.
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Document type: Policy brief
Unpacking the Pact: Winners and Losers of the New EU Migration Deal
The author argues that the EU's new Pact on Migration and Asylum represents a victory for immigration hardliners by expanding border procedures and reducing protection standards. The deal maintains the problematic Dublin rules and introduces a 'flexible' solidarity mechanism that allows member states to avoid relocating asylum seekers through financial contributions. The author contends that the pact increases the risk of detention and pushbacks at external borders, particularly impacting Mediterranean countries and refugees, while potentially benefiting smugglers.
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Document type: Research paper