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The report argues that European security of supply planning and clean procurement policies have been uncoordinated, often resulting in capacity mechanisms that favor fossil fuels and contracts that distort short-term market signals. It proposes a shift toward 'market-aligned' contracting—such as index REC structures—and co-optimized multi-product markets that separately value energy, capacity, and clean attributes to attract clean investment without sacrificing operational efficiency.

The global pipeline for wind and utility-scale solar reached 4.9 TW in 2025, an 11% increase, though growth has slowed compared to 2024. China dominates the landscape, with over 1.6 TW of operating capacity and 1.5 TW in its prospective pipeline. In contrast, G7 countries account for only 11% of prospective capacity additions, with their pipeline remaining largely stagnant at approximately 520 GW since 2023. Distributed solar represents about 42% of global solar capacity but remains highly concentrated in a few countries, with China leading at 489 GW. The report concludes that current pipelines are insufficient to meet the COP28 goal of tripling renewable energy by 2030, with a projected deficit of 1 TW for wind and 1.6 TW for utility-scale solar.

The document outlines a comprehensive approach for Canada to track the socio-economic impacts of its energy transition. It analyzes 19 specific indicators across economic exposure, institutional preparedness, and employment quality, while providing case studies from Scotland, South Africa, and Ireland to illustrate effective monitoring and evaluation (MEL) strategies. The guide emphasizes the need for transparent data collection, the inclusion of qualitative lived experiences, and the use of existing data systems to avoid delaying progress.

The Savings and Investment Union (SIU) aims to bridge the gap between household savings and productive investments to address an annual financing gap of €750–800 billion by 2030. However, the author contends that the SIU lacks mechanisms to channel funds specifically toward EU priorities or the ecological transition, meaning it could facilitate lending to heavily polluting activities. The document highlights that the initiative is likely to benefit highly concentrated asset management firms, particularly US-based BlackRock and Vanguard, which are identified as major investors in fossil fuel bonds and supporters of fossil fuel company governance.

In 2025, EU wholesale electricity prices rose in 21 countries, driven by spikes during peak gas-use hours. Grid-scale battery capacity in the EU exceeded 10 GW in 2025, more than double the 4 GW recorded in 2023. A pipeline of projects in Germany, Poland, and Italy could push capacity beyond 40 GW, potentially displacing costly gas generation and reducing the waste of curtailed wind and solar power.

In 2025, the EU power sector reached a tipping point as wind and solar generated 30.1% of electricity, surpassing all fossil fuel sources at 29.0%. Solar generation hit a record 369 TWh, growing by 20.1% over 2024, while coal fell to a historic low of 9.2% of the mix. Despite a slight increase in gas power generation and associated import costs, renewables provided nearly half of the EU's electricity (47.7%), with solar output helping to offset low wind and hydro production caused by unusual weather in early 2025.

The report finds that while over 75% of NATO countries include climate change and nearly 70% include food security in their security strategies, these issues remain siloed. Most concrete actions focus on military emissions mitigation and direct adaptation rather than the indirect security implications of food and water insecurity. The author argues that climate-driven disasters create vulnerabilities that adversaries like Russia and China exploit through disinformation, weaponized migration, and food weaponization. The report recommends updating NATO's baseline resilience requirements and targeting investments toward "stability multipliers" that address the nexus of climate, food, and security both domestically and in the developing world.

The High Seas Treaty, formally the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ agreement), enters into force on January 17, 2026. It establishes a global framework to protect biodiversity in international waters, which cover roughly two-thirds of the ocean and previously lacked comprehensive governance. The treaty is built on four pillars: area-based management tools (including marine protected areas), rules for sharing benefits from marine genetic resources, capacity building and technology transfer for low-income countries, and standardized environmental impact assessments for activities like marine carbon dioxide removal. While it does not replace Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) for setting quotas, it aims to influence fisheries through ecosystem-based management. As of January 15, 2026, 83 parties have ratified the agreement. Implementation now depends on the BBNJ Preparatory Commission and the first Conference of Parties (BBNJ COP) to finalize governing structures, financial mechanisms, and operational logistics.

The document reports that Europe experienced a November 2025 temperature 1.38°C above the 1991-2020 mean, with record highs in central western Russia and record low precipitation in Turkey. For the January-March 2026 period, forecasts project warmer-than-average temperatures across Europe, particularly in the northeast, and generally weakly positive precipitation anomalies, though soil moisture is expected to be weakly negative in Spain, Italy, central Europe, and Turkey.

The report finds widespread concern about climate impacts across the political spectrum, with a strong public demand for government-led adaptation efforts. Respondents primarily link climate change to economic risks, such as the cost of living and job security, and view adaptation as a necessary complement to, rather than a replacement for, emissions reductions.

The document reviews Chile's evolution toward a Just Socioecological Transition (JSET), highlighting the shift from energy-focused policies to a multi-dimensional approach. It identifies critical gaps in monitoring, funding, and legislative alignment while suggesting international mechanisms to support the 2025-2035 National Strategy.

In 2025, the EU reached a milestone where wind and solar generated more electricity (30.1%) than all fossil fuel sources (29.0%) for the first time on record. Solar generation grew by 20.1% to reach a record 369 TWh, while coal fell to a historic low of 9.2% of the mix. Despite this, gas generation rose by 8% due to low hydro output, increasing the EU power sector's gas import bill by 16% to €32 billion. The report highlights the role of a growing battery pipeline—exceeding 10 GW of large batteries in 2025—in reducing reliance on expensive gas and mitigating the curtailment of clean power, particularly in Germany.

The document examines the 'greying' of Europe and the resulting political tensions, the failure of pronatalist policies in Hungary and Poland, the role of digital platforms in youth-led protests in Nepal and Africa, and the structural challenges of the kafala system in the Middle East. It advocates for institutional reforms to ensure intergenerational justice and a shift away from growth-oriented economics toward a model centered on care.

The analysis of 44 media channels across four countries identified 815 cases of climate disinformation, with 85% occurring in private media. France experienced the highest volume of disinformation (665 cases), while Spain had the lowest (20 cases). In Europe, disinformation focuses heavily on renewable energy, often linked to anti-EU sentiment and perceived industrial decline, particularly in Poland. In Brazil, disinformation is tied to pro-agribusiness narratives and climate change denial. Peaks in disinformation correlate with environmental policy debates, international events, extreme weather, and statements by influential figures like Donald Trump.

The analysis of 44 media channels across four countries identified 815 cases of climate disinformation, with 85% occurring in private media. France showed the highest volume of cases, while Spain had the lowest. The report finds a negative correlation between the volume of climate coverage and the prevalence of disinformation, noting that disinformation often aligns with specific national narratives: pro-agribusiness in Brazil, anti-EU sentiment and industrial decline in Poland, and renewable energy skepticism in France.

The document argues that Colombia's previous energy auctions, which focused exclusively on price, failed to account for social risks, leading to significant project delays and cancellations, particularly in La Guajira. It proposes a three-phase transition from a price-only model to a multi-criteria evaluation system. This transition includes introducing basic documentary requirements, then structured community relationship and capacity-building plans, and finally requiring verifiable territorial evidence and community co-ownership as eligibility criteria. The report emphasizes that these co-benefits should complement, not replace, existing legal obligations like prior consultation and environmental licensing.

Climate change is driving global wine production to historic lows, with sparkling wine facing specific threats to its quantity and quality. Extreme weather in France, Spain, and Italy has led to reduced yields and price increases for labels like Cava and Prosecco. Higher temperatures are accelerating ripening, which alters the balance of sugar and acid, potentially resulting in higher alcohol levels and less fizzy wines. Projections suggest that if global temperatures rise by 2°C, over half of suitable wine-growing regions could shrink, with up to 90% of traditional areas in southern Europe becoming economically unviable. Adaptation strategies, such as relocating vineyards or using protective technology, are costly and may fail to preserve the unique cultural and flavour characteristics of traditional sparkling wines.

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 report finds that the EU is not on track to meet its 2030 interconnection targets, with 80% of the power system expected to miss the goal. To reach an optimal grid by 2040, Europe needs to nearly double its interconnection capacity, adding 151 GW. This expansion requires an estimated €150 billion in investment, leaving a €30 billion public funding gap in the proposed 2028-2034 Connecting Europe Facility for Energy (CEF-E) budget.