Search Climate Insights Directory

The Climate Action Tracker estimates global warming by 2100 at 2.4°C, a 0.2°C improvement driven by recent announcements including those from the US Leaders Summit on Climate. While 131 countries covering 73% of global emissions have adopted or are considering net zero targets, the 2030 emissions gap remains significant, and current policies lead to a projected warming of 2.9°C.

The report assesses Turkmenistan's institutional capacity for climate change adaptation, highlighting the critical vulnerability of the water and agriculture sectors. It identifies the Inter-Sectoral Commission on environmental protection as a key driver for the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process and recommends formalizing institutional frameworks, harmonizing legislation, and improving cross-sectoral data exchange to mainstream adaptation into national planning.

In 2020, global coal power capacity grew by 12.5 GW for the first time since 2015, driven primarily by China, which accounted for 76% of new commissions. While the US and EU saw record retirements, China's new capacity of 38.4 GW offset these gains. Meanwhile, South and Southeast Asian nations, including Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, significantly reduced their planned coal pipelines due to financing difficulties and the falling cost of renewables. The report concludes that current global trajectories remain far from the IPCC 1.5C pathway, which would require the cancellation or retirement of an additional 1,350 GW by 2030.

In 2020, a significant increase in coal plant development in China offset a global retreat from coal, leading to the first increase in global coal capacity since 2015. While China commissioned 38.4 GW of new capacity, the rest of the world saw a decline of 17.2 GW, driven by record retirements in the U.S. and EU27. South and Southeast Asian nations, including Indonesia, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Vietnam, announced plans to cut up to 62 GW of planned coal power due to falling renewable costs and financing difficulties. Despite these regional shifts, the report finds that global coal capacity remains far above the levels required to meet the IPCC 1.5 degree pathway, with an estimated 1,350 GW needing to be cancelled or retired.

In 2020, global coal-fired power capacity increased by 12.5 GW, driven primarily by China, which operated 38.4 GW of new capacity. This offset record closures in the US (11.3 GW) and EU27 (10.1 GW). While China's development grew as an economic stimulus during the pandemic, other Asian nations like Indonesia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and the Philippines announced plans to cancel up to 62 GW of planned projects due to falling renewable costs and financing difficulties. The report concludes that current global trajectories remain far from the 1.5°C warming limit, with approximately 1,350 GW of capacity needing to be cancelled or closed to meet IPCC targets.

The report highlights a global divergence in coal energy: while most of the world is decommissioning coal plants due to financial pressures and climate goals, China significantly increased its capacity in 2020. In 2020, China's new coal capacity of 38.4 GW nearly offset the total global decommissioning of 37.8 GW. Meanwhile, Southeast Asian and South Asian nations like Indonesia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and the Philippines have moved to cancel or review plans for 62 GW of coal capacity. The US saw record decommissioning under Donald Trump, and the EU continues to phase out coal. However, the report warns that current trajectories, especially in China, make the IPCC's 1.5°C warming limit unattainable without massive cancellations of planned projects.

The report highlights a global divergence in coal power: while the US, EU, and parts of Asia are seeing record retirements and project cancellations, China's significant increase in new capacity in 2020 led to a net global growth of 12.5 GW. The document argues that current national trajectories remain far from the IPCC 1.5°C pathway, which would require the cancellation or retirement of 1,350 GW of capacity.

The report highlights a global divergence in coal power: while most of the world saw record closures and project cancellations, China experienced a significant boom in new capacity, offsetting global declines. In 2020, China's new coal capacity reached 38.4 GW, accounting for 76% of the global total. Conversely, the US and EU27 led in closures, with 11.3 GW and 10.1 GW retired respectively. In South and Southeast Asia, countries like Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Bangladesh announced plans to cut up to 62 GW of planned coal capacity due to funding difficulties and the falling cost of renewables. The report also notes that global coal capacity is far exceeding the levels required to meet the IPCC's 1.5°C warming limit, with a projected 2,400 GW by 2030 compared to the required 1,100 GW.

The briefing details the work of the WTO's Informal Working Group (IWG) on MSMEs, specifically the adoption of a six-part package of recommendations in December 2020 to address barriers like access to finance, information, and trade facilitation. It also analyzes the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on MSMEs, particularly women-led businesses, and outlines national and international policy responses. Future plans include the development of the 'Trade4MSMEs' web platform and further exploration of digitalization and e-commerce customs duties.

The document details the progress of the WTO's Informal Working Group (IWG) on MSMEs, highlighting a set of six recommendations adopted in December 2020 to improve transparency, trade facilitation, and access to finance. It extensively analyzes the disproportionate negative impact of COVID-19 on MSMEs, particularly those led by women, and outlines national and international policy responses. Future goals include the launch of the 'Trade4MSMEs' platform and further exploration of digitalization and cybersecurity.

The report finds that the 60 largest global banks provided $3.8 trillion in fossil fuel financing from 2016 to 2020. Despite a 9% drop in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, financing levels remained higher than in 2016. JPMorgan Chase is identified as the world's worst fossil fuel banker, with $317 billion provided over the five-year period. The analysis highlights a significant gap between banks' 'net zero by 2050' pledges and their continued funding of fossil fuel expansion, particularly in sectors like LNG, offshore oil and gas, and coal. The report also details the human rights and environmental impacts of specific projects, such as the East African Crude Oil Pipeline and the Line 3 pipeline, and argues that current bank policies are insufficient to align with the 1.5C goal of the Paris Agreement.

The Green Central Banking Scorecard evaluates G20 monetary and prudential authorities across four categories: Research and Advocacy, Monetary Policy, Financial Policy, and Leading by Example. The findings reveal a significant gap between rhetoric and action, with most institutions scoring high in research but failing to implement high-impact policies that restrict financial flows to fossil fuels. China, Brazil, and France are the top-ranked countries, though no G20 institution has implemented a 'high impact' policy as defined by the report's criteria.

The briefing examines how the IFC's Green Equity Approach (GEA) fails to prevent continued fossil fuel finance through financial intermediary clients. It highlights cases where GEA clients funded new coal plants and identifies significant IFC equity exposure to oil and gas projects globally. The authors call for a public review of the GEA and a total phase-out of fossil fuel finance in IFC's financial intermediary portfolio.

The paper proposes a tradable performance standard for the U.S. cement industry that sets an emissions intensity benchmark. Producers exceeding the benchmark must surrender credits, while those below it generate tradable credits, creating a financial incentive for decarbonization. The authors recommend a standard covering Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions per unit of clinker and mineral additives, with stringency increasing annually. To prevent carbon leakage, the standard would apply to both domestic production and imports. The paper emphasizes that this standard must be part of a broader policy suite, including innovation funding and market-demand policies, to address the high costs and technical barriers of deep decarbonization technologies like carbon capture, use, and storage (CCUS).

The policy brief proposes a shift from project-based infrastructure to a business-based model to achieve universal infrastructure coverage, particularly in developing countries. It highlights how technological disruptions in energy, transport, and water are reducing capital costs and enabling distributed infrastructure. The authors advocate for listing these infrastructure businesses on local stock exchanges to attract institutional investors and suggest implementing stewardship principles—such as master plans and impact management—to align business operations with community needs and sustainability goals.

The report examines the tension between Ethiopian nationalists and ethno-nationalists, noting that while most agree on federalism, they disagree on its purpose. It analyzes three primary constitutional frameworks—consociationalism, centripetalism, and integration—and proposes five hybrid models to balance inclusion, moderation, and national cohesion. The author concludes that no single design is sufficient and recommends a negotiated blend of these mechanisms to ensure stability and protect individual and minority rights.

The policy brief examines the 2021 UN Security Council agreement to keep the Bab al-Hawa border crossing open for humanitarian aid to Syria. It argues that Russia's support for the resolution, despite its preference for aid to flow through Damascus, was driven by a need to prevent the economic collapse of the al-Assad regime. The author highlights the role of a bilateral US-Russia deal and the diplomatic efforts of Ireland and Norway in securing the compromise. The brief also notes that while external stakeholders find the current fragile state of Syria acceptable, the lack of funding for reconstruction and regional instabilities—including COVID-19 and shifts in Iranian and US engagement—threaten long-term stability.

The report synthesizes findings from 49 peer-reviewed articles and 72 distinct analyses to determine what factors drive individuals to aspire to migrate. It employs a two-step model distinguishing between the formation of aspirations and their conversion into actual migration. The review identifies 32 determinants across demographic, socio-economic, individual, contextual, and migration-related domains. Key findings indicate that migration aspirations are most strongly and consistently driven by youth, male gender, the presence of migration networks, a history of international travel, and exposure to violence or insecurity. Conversely, aspirations are consistently lowered by increasing age, higher subjective well-being, and strong social attachment to the community of origin. The document also notes a significant research gap in the 'conversion' phase—how aspirations translate into actual movement—due to the logistical challenges of longitudinal panel data collection.

The January 6 Capitol attacks damaged the United States' reputation as a democratic leader, prompting various nations to reconsider their reliance on U.S. leadership. While the UK sees an opportunity for a values-based partnership under Joe Biden, Brazil's President Bolsonaro has aligned himself with Trumpism, potentially hindering cooperation on climate change. South Africa views the events as a cautionary tale regarding democratic fragility and a reinforcement of U.S. racial inequality. Turkey expects a return to predictable diplomacy but notes the need for humility in U.S. human rights advocacy. India and other Quad members may pursue more autonomous regional initiatives to counter authoritarianism, specifically from China, due to perceived U.S. domestic dysfunction.

The 2021 state of global environmental governance was characterized by a heavy reliance on voluntary commitments and a transition toward hybrid and virtual negotiation formats due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While some substantive outcomes were achieved—such as the finalization of the Paris Agreement rulebook at COP26 and the adoption of the Marseille Manifesto by the IUCN—many multilateral environmental agreements were limited to procedural decisions. The report highlights a growing gap between political promises and actual implementation, alongside increasing global inequalities in vaccine access and digital connectivity that hinder inclusive environmental governance.