Search Climate Insights Directory

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute and The Brookings Institution argues that North American carbon credit markets are currently fragmented and unreliable, calling for increased integration and a common infrastructure to support sustainable growth and private sector investment.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines how the US-Israel invasion of Iran on 28 February 2026 triggered an energy crisis that accelerated the transition to clean energy. It analyzes the outperformance of clean energy equity funds over oil and gas funds, shifts in investor sentiment regarding the necessity of natural gas, and the impact of regional cost-of-capital differences on renewable energy investments.

This research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the misalignment of global public finance, noting that in 2024, public support for fossil fuels exceeded USD 1.2 trillion, nearly five times the USD 254 billion provided to clean energy. The report examines fossil fuel subsidies, G20 renewable energy support, state-owned enterprise (SOE) capital expenditure, and international public finance, arguing that governments must shift from blanket subsidies to targeted social protection and clean energy investment to reduce fiscal exposure and energy vulnerability.

In 2025, record solar and wind growth met 99% of global electricity demand increases, causing fossil fuel generation to decline for the first time since 2020. Renewables surpassed coal as a share of global electricity generation for the first time in a century, reaching 33.8%.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the dispute settlement function within national investment laws, based on a review of 167 laws. It examines the prevalence of adjudicative mechanisms like national courts and arbitration, as well as non-adjudicative options such as administrative review and amicable settlement. The report warns against the risks of 'advance consent' to international arbitration and provides a framework for policy-makers to assess and reform their national investment laws to minimize legal and financial risks.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the dispute settlement functions within 167 national investment laws. It examines the prevalence of various mechanisms—including national courts, arbitration, administrative review, and amicable settlements—and provides a framework for policymakers to design or reform these laws to minimize legal and financial risks, specifically warning against the inclusion of prior consent to international arbitration.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies outlines the challenges Africa faces in transitioning to a low-carbon future, emphasizing that the region will suffer disproportionately from climate change despite its low contribution to the cause. It argues for a gradual energy transition, the necessity of climate finance, and the implementation of a fair global carbon tax to support sustainable development and resilience.

The 'Sustainable Finance Global Market Trends 2025' report by the Climate Bonds Initiative analyzes the scale and composition of the global GSS+ (Green, Social, Sustainability, and Sustainability-Linked) bond market as of December 31, 2025. It highlights a cumulative issuance of 8.1 trillion USD, with 6.8 trillion USD meeting the organization's strict criteria. The report emphasizes the continued dominance of green bonds, the growth of sustainability bonds, and the emergence of adaptation and resilience (A&R) finance as a new frontier.

The Climate Bonds Initiative's 2025 report details the state of the global aligned GSS+ (green, social, sustainability, and sustainability-linked) debt market, which reached a cumulative volume of USD 6.8 trillion by the end of 2025. The report highlights the continued dominance of green bonds, the growth of sustainability-labelled debt, and the emergence of adaptation and resilience (A&R) finance as a significant new frontier, exemplified by the launch of the Climate Bonds Resilience Taxonomy (CBRT).

This report summarizes the results of a 2025 public consultation conducted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) to identify pressing policy problems in international investment governance and determine the ideal tools—such as national laws or treaties—to address them.

The RMI Sustainable Steel Buyers Platform (SSBP) conducted its first request for proposal (RFP) for the North American market to aggregate demand for near-zero emission (NZE) steel. The process resulted in 13 commercial-scale project proposals targeting delivery by the early 2030s, demonstrating that both buyers and producers are ready to commit to low-emissions steel through innovative procurement models and diverse technology pathways.

This report analyzes the climate transition progress of 594 pension funds in OECD countries, representing USD 22.5 trillion in assets, using data from the Net Zero Finance Tracker (NZFT). It evaluates funds across targets, implementation, and impacts, finding that while target-setting is increasing, significant fossil fuel exposure remains, and progress is heavily dependent on mandatory regulatory frameworks.

The steel industry, responsible for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, faces a critical need for decarbonization as demand is projected to rise 39% by 2050. While integrated blast furnaces (BF-BOF) dominate production, the report identifies Hydrogen-DRI as the only current net-zero commercial technology, though it struggles with high costs and hydrogen availability. The authors propose a three-pronged innovation strategy: 'Make Less' (circularity and alternative materials), 'Make Better' (retrofitting and improving DRI), and 'Make New' (disruptive low-temperature and modular furnaces). To overcome capital intensity, the report suggests startups target high-margin niche products like high-purity iron and monetize industrial waste streams to gain commercial traction.

This research paper examines the drivers and consequences of youth emigration from West Africa, focusing on the 'japa' phenomenon in Nigeria. It identifies high unemployment, political exclusion, and insecurity as primary drivers of the exodus of people aged 15 to 35, which results in a significant brain drain in healthcare, technology, and education sectors.

The 'Tracking SDG7: The Energy Progress Report 2025' by Sustainable Energy for All provides a comprehensive analysis of global progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7). The report finds that the world is off-track to achieve universal electricity access, clean cooking, and energy efficiency targets by 2030, with significant regional disparities, particularly in Africa and Asia.

This report, published by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) in collaboration with the International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC), provides a comprehensive compilation of decisions, mandates, and conclusions adopted by the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that reference Indigenous Peoples and traditional knowledge up to 2025.

The Global Landscape of Climate Finance 2025 summary handout reports that global climate finance reached a record USD 1.9 trillion in 2023, driven largely by private sector growth. Despite this increase, a significant gap remains between current flows and the investment needed to meet global climate goals, with mitigation finance dominating the landscape while adaptation finance saw a decline in 2023.

A research paper by Zero Carbon Analytics (ZCA) examines the economic and health costs of red and processed meat consumption in high-income countries. The analysis finds that wealthy nations in Asia, Europe, North America, and Oceania face a substantial disease burden from meat consumption, with some countries spending heavily to treat preventable conditions rather than investing in primary prevention. The report argues that shifting toward dietary interventions could significantly reduce healthcare spending and improve public health outcomes.

The September 2025 edition of the Carbon Minefields Oil and Gas Exploration Monitor reports on global oil and gas licensing activity, highlighting a trend of continued expansion despite climate targets. The document tracks the awarding of new exploration licences, the associated capital expenditure by major energy companies, and the projected carbon emissions resulting from these activities.

This IISD report examines the challenges and opportunities for consumer protection in the e-commerce sector of developing countries. It highlights a significant gap in legislative frameworks and enforcement capacity, particularly in LDCs, and analyzes how regional and multilateral trade agreements (like the WTO JSI and AfCFTA) are attempting to standardize protections against fraud and data misuse. The report recommends that developing countries leverage digital technologies, trade agreement commitments, and international cooperation to modernize their consumer protection systems.