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The document highlights a commitment by the Caisse Centrale de Réassurance (CCR) in June 2026 to cease new investments in companies developing new oil and gas projects. It argues that this is a necessary preventive measure to avoid financing the drivers of global warming, which in turn increases the climate risks these entities underwrite. Reclaim Finance calls on other European public-private schemes—specifically Flood Re (UK), Consorcio de Compensacion de Seguros (CCS, Spain), and SACE (Italy)—to adopt similar investment policies and use their leverage with asset managers and insurance clients to combat fossil fuel expansion.

Reclaim Finance calls on European public reinsurers, specifically Flood Re (UK), CCS (Spain), and SACE (Italy), to follow the example of France's Caisse Centrale de Réassurance (CCR) by committing to cease new investments in companies developing new oil and gas projects. The document asserts that financing fossil fuel expansion contradicts the mandate of these entities to preserve the insurability of climate risks, noting that a world warming by 3°C would render such risks untransferable to the insurance sector. It highlights that bonds make up between 70% and 97% of the financial asset portfolios of these public reinsurers, providing a significant lever for change. Furthermore, the author urges these actors to demand alignment from their asset managers and to integrate financial incentives or strict conditions into reinsurance contracts for insurance clients that continue to support fossil fuel development.

The document evaluates the 2013 Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), noting that while the share of stocks exploited at or below Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) rose from 50% in 2014 to 63% in 2022, environmental and socio-economic progress remains uneven. It highlights a disparity in the fishing fleet where small-scale coastal fisheries saw net profits grow by 131.9% between 2013 and 2023, while large-scale and distant water fisheries saw profits fall by 244.5% and 90.6% respectively, despite receiving significantly higher operating subsidies. The authors argue that current failures are due to implementation gaps rather than framework flaws, calling for the prohibition of capacity-enhancing subsidies, the protection of 30% of EU seas via a proposed European Ocean Act, and a shift toward low-impact, decarbonised fishing gear.

The report models a hypothetical national EPR framework in the U.S. to evaluate the economic benefits of harmonization over fragmented state-level policies. Key findings indicate that such a framework could reduce municipal waste management costs by 49%–53%, generate $111 billion in economic value added over 10 years, and significantly lower producer compliance costs. The analysis also highlights job creation in recycling infrastructure and innovation, particularly in the food and beverage sector, and examines the potential for improved domestic rPET markets and rural recycling access.

The 2026 wildfire season has seen record-breaking burn areas, with roughly 579,000 square miles burned globally in the first four months. This trend is driven by a powerful El Niño, hydroclimate 'whiplash', and the expansion of fires into previously immune regions. These conditions have led to over 110 military deployments across 49 countries between January and July 2026, straining defense priorities and threatening critical infrastructure. The document analyzes different military response models—ranging from Spain's dedicated standing unit (UME) to Indonesia's integrated civilian-military approach—and recommends expanding collaborative models, investing in joint training, and building international interoperability to manage wildfires as a standing security challenge.

The document outlines the severe health risks associated with wildfire smoke, particularly fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which is linked to respiratory crises, cardiovascular events, and premature deaths. It highlights that these impacts are exacerbated by social inequalities and affect vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and pregnant women. Beyond immediate smoke, the guide warns of long-term mental health issues and toxic contamination of soil and water by lead and asbestos. It encourages journalists to connect these events to fossil fuel use and to utilize specific air quality monitoring tools and expert sources.

The document warns that a record-breaking El Niño event is being leveraged by disinformation campaigns to attribute extreme weather to natural cycles rather than fossil fuel emissions. It highlights the resulting food insecurity risks in Central America, Southern Africa, and South Asia, while arguing that the most effective defense against climate denial is not fact-checking, but the support of community-led information networks in places like Colombia, Nepal, and Nigeria.

The report analyzes the July 2026 wildfires in France and Spain, finding that anthropogenic warming significantly increased the probability and intensity of the fire-conducive weather. In central Spain, similar conditions are now at least 20 times more likely than in a pre-industrial climate, while in southwest France, they are at least twice as likely. The study highlights a 'weather whiplash' pattern where above-average winter rainfall promoted biomass growth, followed by extreme heatwaves and drought that dried fuels. The impact was exacerbated by high human exposure due to population growth in the wildland-urban interface and the presence of flammable maritime pine monocultures in France. The fires caused severe air quality degradation, with PM2.5 levels in Bordeaux exceeding 'fair' thresholds by a factor of 20, leading to the first-ever distribution of the French strategic national reserve of FFP2 masks during an ambient pollution episode.

The document outlines the limitations and complexities of reforestation as a climate strategy, emphasizing that avoiding deforestation is generally faster and cheaper than planting new trees. It highlights the importance of using native species, the role of indigenous peoples in carbon sequestration, and the physical limits of available reforestable land. The guide advises journalists to scrutinize survival rates and land ownership rather than relying on the number of trees planted.

The report analyzes the recurrence of climate disinformation during extreme weather events in 2026, specifically focusing on wildfires in Canada, the US, and the UK, and heatwaves in the EU, Spain, and Portugal. It highlights the role of 'participatory disinformation' and the failure of social media platforms to act on advance warnings from organizations like CAAD and EDMO.

The author analyzes the shift from a period of 'climate cultural hegemony' following the 2015 Paris Agreement to a current phase of 'ecological backlash' driven by fossil capital and reactionary politics. To counter this, the text proposes a strategic shift where the energy transition is viewed not only as an ethical necessity but as a matter of national and continental sovereignty. Key recommendations include accelerating large-scale renewable projects, relocalizing the extraction of critical raw materials within Europe to reduce dependence on third countries like China, and diversifying strategic alliances through multilateralism.

The European summer of 2026 has been marked by exceptional heat and widespread dryness, leading to severe agricultural and hydrological impacts. Analysis shows that while precipitation trends vary by region, human-induced climate change has significantly increased the likelihood and intensity of drought by driving higher potential evapotranspiration (PET). In the western region, soil drought is estimated to be 5 times more likely than in a climate 1.4°C cooler, while in the eastern region, it is about 11 times more probable. The study highlights a compound crisis where rainfall deficits that previously would not have caused drought now do so because of shifted thresholds driven by warming.

The document outlines how climate change affects mental health through acute impacts following disasters and chronic stress from environmental degradation. It highlights that these impacts are unevenly distributed, disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups in Latin America and Spain. The guide advises journalists to avoid pathologizing legitimate emotional responses, protect source dignity, and follow WHO/PAHO guidelines when reporting on suicide.

In June 2026, solar power provided 25% of the EU's electricity, generating a record 52 TWh and becoming the bloc's largest single power source for the third time ever. This follows a period of rapid growth where solar capacity increased by more than a fifth annually between 2021 and 2025, with 65.1 GW installed in 2025 alone. Individual member states also hit records, with Germany reaching a 36% solar share in June and Spain exceeding a third of its power from solar for the first time.

The document argues that the climate crisis in Latin America is a legal matter of human rights, supported by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the Escazú Agreement. It categorizes climate-related rights violations into three groups: those affected by extreme weather and environmental degradation, those harmed by extractive industries (including transition minerals like lithium and copper), and environmental defenders facing violence. It emphasizes that Latin America is the most dangerous region for environmental activists, with Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, and Brazil being particularly high-risk. The guide encourages investigative journalism to monitor the application of legal protections for indigenous communities and defenders.

The briefing reports that a majority of citizens in several EU member states support requiring heavy industry to pay for CO2 emissions and favor investing carbon revenues into industrial decarbonisation over the continuation of free allowances. It highlights a contrast between public opinion and lobbying efforts by industry giants and certain member states to weaken EU ETS rules.

The report proposes optimizing the limited supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by targeting its use at airports with the highest contrail and particulate matter (PM) impacts. Analysis of 16.6 million flights in 2024 reveals that 2% of flights generate 80% of contrail-related warming. In the U.S., JFK, LAX, and O'Hare are identified as primary targets, while Heathrow, Istanbul Airport, and Paris CDG are the top candidates in Europe. The study finds that a 50% SAF blend can reduce LTO particulate emissions by 26-28% and contrail-related warming by 30-40%. While airport-wide targeting is simplest, time-based and flight-based strategies are more fuel-efficient. Implementation faces logistical hurdles, particularly at airports using hydrant fuel systems, but the report suggests these can be overcome through policy incentives and infrastructure investment.

The June 2026 heatwave in Western Europe is the most severe ever recorded for the region, with temperatures 5–12°C above seasonal averages. Analysis shows that such an event would have been virtually impossible in 1976 and significantly rarer in 2003, indicating that extreme heat is increasing rapidly due to global warming. The event caused widespread disruption to transport, energy systems, and health services, with 45% of European cities breaking indoor Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) thresholds.

The report argues that clean flexibility solutions are ready to scale across the EU to replace fossil-based grid balancing. It projects a fourfold increase in battery capacity by 2030, which would allow batteries to deliver over 80% of the power that all EU gas plants combined can generate in a single hour. Additionally, the report highlights the role of smart EV charging and heat pumps in absorbing surplus renewable generation and reducing peak demand, provided that regulatory barriers are removed and smart meter rollout is accelerated.

The EU battery fleet is projected to grow fourfold from 37 GW in 2025 to 178 GW by 2030, significantly reducing the need for gas-based backup. By 2030, utility-scale batteries could provide short-term flexibility at 20% lower cost than new gas peakers. Additionally, the report highlights the role of demand flexibility: by 2030, 50% of electric vehicles (EVs) could use smart charging to absorb 7% of peak wind and solar generation, and 15% of heat pump demand could be shifted to high-renewable periods, reducing peak demand by 3%. The report recommends that policymakers avoid overbuilding gas capacity, set ambitious non-fossil flexibility targets by January 2027, and accelerate smart meter rollout to enable these technologies.