Search Climate Insights Directory

This report examines the state of global forest governance, highlighting the critical link between strong legal frameworks and the ability to curb deforestation. It evaluates progress across protected areas, national policy reforms, industrial logging practices in developed nations, trade regulations, and the legal recognition of Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' land rights.

This document provides the technical annexes for the 2023 Forest Declaration Assessment, detailing the definitions, regional aggregations, and methodologies used to track forest loss, degradation, restoration, and biodiversity. It includes a specific data table comparing 2022 deforestation levels against a 2018-2020 baseline for 30 high-impact countries.

The report 'Boom & Bust Coal 2023' analyzes the global state of coal-fired power plants in 2022, highlighting a stark divergence between China's surge in new capacity and a general decline in coal development elsewhere. While global operational capacity grew by 19.5 GW, the report notes that nearly one-third of global operational capacity (580 GW) is scheduled for phase-out, though the current pace of closures remains insufficient to meet Paris Agreement goals.

This report analyzes whether 67 countries integrated climate adaptation and resilience into their COVID-19 recovery measures between January 2020 and December 2021. The analysis reveals a paradox where a country's income level was a more significant determinant of climate-responsive recovery than its actual vulnerability to climate risks.

This fact sheet describes the Energy Policy Simulator (EPS), an open-source tool developed by RMI and Energy Innovation to help states estimate the impacts of climate and energy policies. It specifically outlines how the EPS can be used by state governments to meet the requirements of the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program, including GHG inventory, emissions projections, and benefits analysis.

The World Resources Institute's (WRI) 2023-2027 Strategic Plan outlines a transition from a period of global commitments to one of tangible impact on the ground. The strategy centers on three interconnected global goals—improving human well-being, protecting nature, and tackling climate change—and targets systemic change across three 'Human-Centered Systems' (Food, Land and Water; Energy; and Cities) supported by three 'Enabling Systems' (Economics, Finance, and Governance). WRI aims to operate as a centrally coordinated global network with a specific focus on 12 priority countries to drive just transitions.

The 2022 Climate, Environmental, and Energy Congressional Hearings Tracker is a fact sheet by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) that lists hearings held by various U.S. House and Senate committees during 2022. The document serves as a comprehensive index of legislative inquiries into climate change, energy transition, environmental protection, and infrastructure implementation.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that Canada is unlikely to be the last country to sell oil due to a combination of declining global demand, price volatility, and higher production costs compared to Middle Eastern competitors. While Canada's heavy reliance on U.S. refineries provides a temporary buffer, the document suggests that ESG credentials will not protect market share and that the sector faces an existential threat as the world moves toward a post-peak oil market around 2030.

This briefing by RMI analyzes the state of the global coal transition in 2022, highlighting a contradiction where coal emissions are poised to break records while retired and canceled coal capacity also hit record levels. The document focuses on the emergence of Coal Transition Mechanisms (CTMs) and Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs) as critical financial levers to accelerate the shift from coal to clean energy, particularly in South Africa, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

The report details the 54th meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Executive Council, held on 15 November 2022 in Montevideo, Uruguay, and via videoconference. The meeting focused on reviewing decisions from the 30th Conference of the Parties (CoP-30), discussing the IAI's core budget, and reviewing scientific and capacity-building activities for the 2022-2023 inter-sessional period.

The report details the 54th meeting of the Executive Council of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held on November 15, 2022, in Montevideo and via videoconference. The meeting focused on reviewing decisions from the 30th Conference of the Parties (CoP-30), discussing the operational budget, and reporting on scientific and capacity-building activities across the Americas.

An updated analysis by RMI comparing the economic and environmental impacts of all-electric versus mixed-fuel single-family new construction across nine US cities.

This discussion paper by the Climate Bonds Initiative proposes a framework for credible transition finance in the agri-food sector. It argues that current transition instruments, such as Sustainability-Linked Bonds (SLBs), often lack ambition and fail to account for scope 3 emissions. To address this, the paper applies five 'Credible Transition Principles' and five 'Hallmarks' for transforming companies to ensure alignment with 1.5°C climate targets, science-based pathways, and broader sustainability goals including biodiversity and just transition.

This report examines how open-source utility planning software and stakeholder-driven modeling can improve integrated resource planning (IRP) outcomes, using a case study of the 2021 resource plan from Louisville Gas and Electric and Kentucky Utilities.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) is facilitating collaboration with the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) regarding baseline studies on stratospheric conditions and solar radiation modification.

A notification from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) regarding potential collaboration with the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on baseline studies related to solar radiation modification and stratospheric conditions.

This report by the Climate Bonds Initiative analyzes the alignment of green, social, and sustainability bonds priced in the first nine months of 2022 with its database standards. While most issuance meets these criteria, a significant portion of labelled debt is excluded due to insufficient disclosure or a lack of ambition in the Use of Proceeds (UoP).

This policy brief explores the complex relationship between international trade and sustainable agriculture, highlighting that while agri-food systems contribute 31% of global GHG emissions and drive 80% of deforestation, trade is essential for the 80% of the world population relying on food imports. The author argues for a shift from production-enhancing subsidies to market-correcting ones and suggests utilizing WTO mechanisms—such as the SPS Committee and the Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions (TESSD)—to coordinate global efforts toward sustainable food systems.

This report argues that African nations should prioritize clean energy value chains over the development of gas resources to avoid long-term economic risks associated with the global energy transition and climate vulnerability.

This briefing by RMI outlines a phased framework for building decarbonization in the United States and argues that financial institutions can accelerate the shift to zero-carbon technologies by using targeted interventions to make green options the cheapest, default choice.