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The document outlines the complex regulatory and permitting landscape for transmission in Colorado, contrasting the processes for public utilities and independent developers. It highlights the role of the Colorado Electric Transmission Authority (CETA) in addressing transmission gaps identified in a 2024 study, specifically through its ability to issue revenue bonds, exercise eminent domain, and facilitate public-private partnerships to advance complex projects that traditional utility planning might overlook.

The document analyzes the ICJ's advisory opinion to argue that States must prioritize reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the source over speculative technologies like geoengineering and carbon offsets. It outlines how the ICJ's standards of 'stringent due diligence' and the 'precautionary principle' can be used in litigation to hold States and corporations accountable for ineffective climate strategies that delay the phase-out of fossil fuels.

The document analyzes the implications of the ICJ's advisory opinion on States' obligations to prevent environmental harm, specifically focusing on the cessation of fossil fuel subsidies and the regulation of private finance. It argues that States may commit internationally wrongful acts by continuing to fund fossil fuel production or failing to regulate private financiers. Additionally, it outlines binding obligations for developed States to provide financial assistance to developing countries for climate adaptation and mitigation under the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement. The briefing concludes by categorizing various types of climate litigation—including cases against public agencies, central banks, and private financial institutions—where these legal findings are applicable.

The document analyzes how the 2025 ICJ Advisory Opinion (AO) establishes a 'stringent due diligence' standard for States to prevent significant harm to the climate system. It argues that regulatory rollbacks, such as easing emission standards or removing Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) requirements, may constitute internationally wrongful acts. The note provides specific legal excerpts from the AO and applies them to various categories of litigation, including challenges to diluted mitigation standards, weakened land-use protections, and procedural rollbacks. A detailed annex examines recent regulatory shifts in India—including thermal power emission norms, forest governance changes under the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act 2023, and EIA exemptions—as examples of conduct that may breach the ICJ's established standards.

The document provides a structured analysis of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion (AO) delivered on 23 July 2025, specifically focusing on how its findings can be applied to climate adaptation litigation. It details binding obligations under the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement, the intersection of adaptation with human rights law, and the ICJ's rejection of arguments that the cumulative nature of climate change exempts individual States from responsibility. The guide also categorizes types of litigation—including human rights-based cases, national planning challenges, corporate accountability, and infrastructure projects—where these legal excerpts are most applicable.

The report details how industrial actors employ strategies such as suppressing harmful data, funding biased research, and using front groups to avoid regulation of toxic chemicals. It provides case studies on PFAS, Bisphenol A (BPA), benzene, and neonicotinoids to illustrate these patterns of disinformation. The document concludes that to protect public health and the environment, companies producing hazardous substances should be prohibited from influencing the formulation of the policies that regulate them.

The document outlines a 'playbook' of industry tactics used to block chemical regulations, including the suppression of harmful data, the funding of biased research, and the use of front groups. It provides detailed case studies on PFAS, Bisphenol A (BPA), benzene, and pesticides to illustrate these patterns. The authors argue that because of this history of manipulation, chemical manufacturers and their trade associations should be prohibited from participating in the regulatory processes that govern their products, similar to the WHO's approach to the tobacco industry.

The document outlines a 'playbook' of corporate strategies used to avoid regulation of hazardous substances, including withholding data, undermining independent science, and using front groups. It provides case studies on PFAS, Bisphenol A (BPA), benzene, and neonicotinoids to illustrate these tactics and recommends banning industry participation in regulatory policymaking to protect human health and the environment.

The report identifies China as the world's largest methane emitter and explores how sustainable finance can bridge the investment gap for abatement. It highlights the 2025 NDC update as a critical window for action and recommends the integration of quantitative methane targets, expanded green taxonomies, and the inclusion of methane in the national emissions trading system to mobilise the estimated USD 7.7 billion in annual investment needed.

February 2026 was the fifth-warmest month globally on record, with the contiguous U.S. experiencing its second-warmest winter in 132 years. A critical 'snow drought' affected the western U.S., where snow-covered areas in January were only 34% of normal, threatening water supplies for agriculture and energy. Climate Central's analysis indicates that human-driven climate change significantly influenced winter temperatures, particularly in the Southwest, and is the primary cause of spring warming in 98% of 241 examined U.S. cities.

The report finds that most leading financial institutions (FIs) have only begun to integrate methane into their transition plans, with significant gaps in target setting and a near-total lack of action regarding agrifood systems. While some FIs show partial action in implementation—particularly in risk strategy and policy engagement—most fail to disclose specific financed methane emissions data. The study highlights a disparity between the oil and gas sector, where some risk management exists, and the agrifood sector, which remains largely unaddressed despite its high emissions potential.

The report analyzes how the shift from internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) to electric vehicles (EVs) will reshape India's automotive job market. It projects significant job creation in EV assembly, component manufacturing, service, and charging infrastructure, while highlighting the risk of obsolescence for ICE-specific roles. The document identifies critical skill gaps in battery engineering and power electronics and recommends a three-pronged strategy involving diverse financing, specialized courses, and supportive policies to ensure a just transition.

The report argues that fossil fuel supermajors use the voluntary carbon market (VCM) as a strategic pillar to maintain a green image while continuing carbon-intensive operations. It details how these companies and trade associations like IETA and API lobby for weaker credit quality standards and increased flexibility in offsetting Scope 3 emissions. The document specifically critiques the governance of the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) and the Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative (VCMI), alleging that the inclusion of industry representatives in decision-making roles creates significant conflicts of interest that risk diluting integrity standards.

The document explores how sunlight reflection methods (SRM), such as stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) and marine cloud brightening (MCB), interact with global security. While SRM could mitigate climate-driven security risks by lowering temperatures, it may introduce new tensions regarding its use and outcomes. The briefing distinguishes SRM from cloud seeding, noting that while the latter has a history of weaponisation (e.g., Operation Popeye), SAI and MCB are too imprecise for direct weapon use but could still be used for general disruption. It argues that large-scale deployment would be difficult to hide due to detectable infrastructure and atmospheric effects. Two hypothetical scenarios are presented: one involving military tensions in the Arctic over an SAI programme and another involving accusations of drought in South Asia. The authors recommend building trust, transparency, and using scenario gaming to manage these security challenges.

The policy brief advocates for a hierarchical approach to industrial decarbonization in the United States, prioritizing energy efficiency and electrification over carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS). It argues that CCUS should be limited to niche uses because it fails to address upstream emissions, captures only about 90 percent of CO2, and prolongs fossil fuel infrastructure. The document identifies six high-priority CCUS use cases, dividing them into long-term solutions for process emissions and bioenergy, and short-term solutions for blue hydrogen production, high-temperature heat, high-purity CO2 streams, and new efficient facilities.

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 report challenges the narrative of fossil gas as a necessary transition fuel for grid flexibility. It distinguishes between Open Cycle Gas Turbines (OCGT), which are agile but inefficient, and Combined Cycle Gas Turbines (CCGT), which are efficient for baseload power but suffer from premature aging, higher emissions, and reduced profitability when used for peak demand. The author highlights that CCGT viability often relies on costly government capacity mechanisms funded by consumers. Furthermore, a global shortage of gas turbines is delaying projects and increasing costs. The document advocates for replacing gas with sustainable flexibility solutions, including battery storage, pumped hydro, demand-side response, and improved interconnections, urging financial institutions to cease funding new gas power projects.

The report challenges the narrative of fossil gas as a necessary 'bridge fuel' for grid flexibility. It argues that Combined Cycle Gas Turbines (CCGTs), which dominate new developments, are designed for baseload rather than peakload, and using them for flexibility reduces their lifespan and increases emissions. The document highlights that gas plant profitability is often maintained through costly consumer-funded capacity mechanisms and notes a critical global shortage of gas turbines. It concludes that sustainable alternatives—such as battery storage, pumped hydro, demand-side response, and grid enhancements—provide more efficient and cheaper flexibility, urging financial institutions to cease support for new gas projects.

The report estimates that US farmers apply 30% to 50% more synthetic nitrogen fertilizer than crops can absorb, contributing to significant greenhouse gas emissions. It calculates total US fertilizer-related emissions at approximately 120 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent, with direct nitrous oxide emissions accounting for nearly 40% of this total. The document also analyzes the impact of USDA's Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), specifically Nutrient Management Practice 590, arguing that increased funding for these programs can reduce fertilizer dependency and generate economic benefits for farmers and the broader economy.

The report finds that US farmers apply 3.5 to 5.8 million metric tons of nitrogen fertilizer in excess of what crops can absorb, contributing to significant greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution. It highlights that nitrogen fertilizer use in 2023 was responsible for approximately 120 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions. The authors argue that voluntary USDA programs like EQIP and CSP are underfunded and that the next Farm Bill should prioritize soil health and agroecology to reduce chemical dependency and climate risks.