Search Climate Insights Directory

This research paper examines Morocco's strategic position as a supplier of green transition minerals (GTMs) and its bilateral relationships with China and the European Union. The authors argue that while Morocco benefits from the distinct strengths of both partners—China's industrial scale and speed versus the EU's regulatory standards and capacity building—its current engagement is fragmented. To overcome this, the paper proposes a five-step trilateral framework designed to transform geopolitical competition into pragmatic cooperation, aiming to establish Morocco as a regional hub for green value chains and industrial processing.

A report by Ember detailing the increasing dominance of BRICS nations in global solar power generation, highlighting that these countries accounted for over half of the world's solar electricity in 2024, led primarily by China, India, and Brazil.

A research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs analyzing the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran in June 2025 and the subsequent diplomatic response from BRICS members.

The Renewables Bulletin: BRICS Edition provides data on the energy transition across BRICS nations, highlighting the dominant role of China in renewable electricity generation and capacity, while noting varying levels of progress in solar and wind adoption across the bloc.

The 'China Sustainable Debt Market Report 2024' provides a comprehensive analysis of China's Green, Social, Sustainability, and Sustainability-Linked (GSS+) bond market. As of the end of 2024, China's cumulative issuance of CBI-defined GSS+ bonds exceeded $500 billion, making it the world's third-largest issuer. While green bonds remain dominant, the report notes a decline in financial institution issuance in 2024, offset by growth in non-financial sectors. The report highlights the rapid growth of social and sustainability bonds, the challenges facing the sustainability-linked bond (SLB) market regarding transparency and ambition, and the specific opportunities for GSS+ financing in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

The 'Sustainable Debt Global State of the Market 2024' report by the Climate Bonds Initiative provides a detailed analysis of aligned green, social, sustainability, and sustainability-linked (GSS+) debt as of the end of Q1 2025. It tracks cumulative volumes, quarterly trends, and the performance of various issuer types and sovereign nations, highlighting a total cumulative aligned volume of USD 5.9 trillion.

As of May 2025, China's installed solar and wind capacity reached 1.4 billion kilowatts, surpassing thermal power for the first time in Q1 2025. The country has over 1.3 billion kilowatts of additional projects planned or under construction, with significant concentrations in Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia. While offshore wind has grown rapidly to 42.7 million kilowatts (49% of global capacity), it faces challenges following the 2021 removal of national subsidies, prompting a shift toward provincial policies and technical innovation in deep-sea and floating wind platforms.

This July 2025 briefing by Global Energy Monitor details China's leadership in utility-scale solar and wind energy, highlighting a 1.3 TW pipeline of prospective capacity and the rapid growth of its offshore wind sector, which now accounts for 50% of global capacity.

This guide by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides a comprehensive overview of the negotiations for an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) to end plastic pollution. It details the scientific evidence of plastic's impact on human health and the environment, the history of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) process, the contested elements of the proposed treaty, and the diverse interests of national governments and non-state stakeholders.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that investment treaties should be reframed as public risk allocation tools rather than merely legal instruments. It contends that these treaties act as a form of 'unpriced public insurance' that transfers political and regulatory risks from private investors to host states, often without the safeguards or pricing mechanisms found in other de-risking tools.

This briefing note by the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS) examines the intersection of international trade and the sustainable bioeconomy. It provides a typology of trade-related policy instruments—including price-based measures, economic incentives, and regulatory requirements—that governments can use to promote nature-positive economic growth. The document emphasizes the need for international cooperation, particularly through the G20, to align these policies, avoid trade frictions, and support low- and middle-income countries in their transition to a sustainable bioeconomy.

This report by Global Energy Monitor (GEM) analyzes the potential for repurposing abandoned and soon-to-be-closed surface coal mines into solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants. It argues that these sites are ideal for solar development due to their existing proximity to grid infrastructure and the need for land reclamation, offering a pathway to align clean energy goals with local job creation and environmental restoration.

This report by RMI analyzes the global trajectory of electric vehicle (EV) adoption, noting that many markets have passed critical tipping points. It highlights that in the United States, the total cost of ownership for light-duty EVs is now lower than for gas-powered cars, while medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) electric trucks are trending toward cost parity with diesel. The document also discusses the role of battery recycling in potentially eliminating the need for additional mining by 2040.

This report by Ember analyzes the technical and economic feasibility of achieving 24-hour solar electricity generation using solar panels paired with battery storage. It demonstrates that in sunny regions, near-continuous solar power is now cost-competitive, often cheaper than new coal or nuclear power, due to rapid declines in battery costs and the adoption of Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) technology.

This policy brief summarizes a high-level roundtable hosted by Ember and the Clean Air Task Force during the 20th anniversary GLOBSEC Forum in Prague. The document argues that Europe must redefine energy security by transitioning from fossil fuel dependencies to clean firm power and electrification, while addressing new vulnerabilities in digital infrastructure and critical raw material supply chains.

The Hong Kong Sustainable Debt Market Briefing 2024, published by the Climate Bonds Initiative, provides a comprehensive analysis of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) green, social, sustainability, and sustainability-linked bond (GSS+) market as of the end of 2024. While overall aligned GSS+ debt volume declined by 41% year-on-year to USD 10.8bn, the report highlights growth in social and sustainability bonds and the HKSAR Government's continued leadership in the Asia-Pacific region through its Sustainable Bond Programme and the introduction of the Hong Kong Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance.

This research paper introduces the Adaptation Triple Dividend of Resilience (AdapTDR) database, evaluating 320 adaptation investments across 12 countries to demonstrate that climate adaptation yields high economic, social, and environmental returns beyond simple loss avoidance.

The 2025 'Pedal to the Metal' report by Global Energy Monitor evaluates the global iron and steel fleet's progress toward 2030 decarbonization goals, highlighting a gap between the planning of cleaner technologies and their actual construction.

This briefing analyzes public clean energy investments and climate policies from China, Japan, South Korea, and Australia within the ASEAN region, specifically focusing on Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam. It details the dominance of China in overall public funding and specific technologies like wind and hydropower, Japan's leadership in geothermal and solar, and the strategic approaches of South Korea and Australia to integrate into the region's green economy.

This report by Ember analyzes China's energy transition, noting that the country has surpassed its 2030 wind and solar capacity targets six years early. It argues that China is moving from an era of simultaneous renewable and coal growth to a phase where clean electricity can meet all demand growth, potentially locking in coal's decline. The report emphasizes that further progress now depends on breakthroughs in emerging technologies—such as smart grids, long-duration storage, and industrial electrification—to overcome the 'innovation valley of death' and sustain economic growth through 'New Quality Productive Forces'.