Search Climate Insights Directory

The Asia Pacific Regional Biomass Working Group urges the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to cease support for wood bioenergy and the 'repurposing' of coal plants, arguing that biomass co-firing extends the life of coal infrastructure and causes severe ecological and social harm. The group highlights that in Indonesia, PT PLN's co-firing strategy could require 2.33 million hectares of energy plantations, potentially leading to 2.1 million hectares of deforestation annually. The letter demands that ADB recognize bioenergy as contradictory to coal phase-out goals, divest from wood biomass projects, and identify the sector as high-risk.

The Green Climate Fund's Accreditation Panel recommends the re-accreditation of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for a second term, maintaining its scope for medium-sized projects and medium environmental and social risk (Category B). The assessment confirms FAO's strong technical expertise in adaptation, REDD+, and the blue economy, and its ability to implement GCF's gender and environmental and social policies. While generally compliant, the Panel identified a gap in explicit policy statements regarding Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT), making the re-accreditation conditional upon the formal approval of an AML/CFT policy or the inclusion of consistent statements within its prohibited practices policies.

The report by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) examines the status of Pterocarpus erinaceus (rosewood) trade in West Africa following a March 2022 CITES trade suspension. While international trafficking has slowed, the authors find that illegal logging persists in countries like Mali, Ghana, the Gambia, and Nigeria, often facilitated by corrupt officials. The report specifically criticizes Sierra Leone's request to export 160,000 cubic meters of stockpiled timber without a sustainable export quota and Mali's approved Non-Detriment Finding (NDF), which the authors claim is based on outdated or biased data and ignores critical environmental pressures. The document concludes that lifting the suspension for any country would undermine regional conservation efforts and risk a return to unsustainable 'boom and bust' logging cycles.

The Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) proposes a Global Credit Guarantee Facility (GCGF) to address the high cost of capital for renewable energy in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs), where debt costs are on average 7x higher than in developed economies. The GCGF would act as a trust fund providing partial guarantees to mitigate sovereign, off-taker, and average foreign exchange risks, while transferring political and residual FX risks to existing institutions like MIGA and TCX. CPI outlines three sizing approaches for the facility: a 'Conservative' model requiring USD 4.2 billion in funded capital, a 'Base Case' requiring USD 1.2 billion, and an 'Optimistic' model requiring USD 660 million. The paper estimates that an AAA-rated guarantor could reduce risk premiums by an average of 6% and improve credit ratings by 5-6 notches under its primary risk reduction approach.

The briefing finds that the global steel industry is not on track for net zero by 2050, as only a third of the top 50 producers have set 2050 targets. It highlights a critical gap in transparency regarding emission scopes and a concerning trend where planned capacity for coal-based blast furnaces significantly outweighs that of low-emissions projects.

The report analyzes the global transition of road transport to electric vehicles, noting that while passenger EV adoption is on an exponential growth trajectory, freight and emerging markets face significant hurdles. Key barriers include insufficient charging infrastructure, power grid limitations, and high total cost of ownership (TCO) for heavy-duty trucks. The document emphasizes the need for a shift from demand-side subsidies to supply-side policies, such as prioritized permitting for battery production and direct funding for charging networks, to sustain the transition toward net-zero emissions.

The report estimates the total quantifiable economic use value of water and freshwater ecosystems at US$58 trillion in 2021, representing 60% of global GDP. It argues that the world suffers from 'water blindness,' where direct use values (US$7.5 trillion) are prioritized over far more valuable indirect ecosystem services (US$50 trillion), such as water purification, flood regulation, and carbon sequestration. This undervaluation leads to overextraction, pollution, and habitat loss, with one-third of wetlands lost since 1970 and freshwater species populations declining by 83% on average. The document calls for a shift toward Nature-based Solutions, the implementation of the 'Freshwater Challenge' to restore 30% of degraded rivers and wetlands by 2030, and a fundamental change in how governments, businesses, and financial institutions value and manage water resources to build climate resilience.

The guide outlines strategies for engaging diverse stakeholders in just transition processes, emphasizing the need to tailor approaches to national contexts, build trust through personal relationships, and leverage existing networks. It draws on research from the South-to-South Just Transitions network in countries including Argentina, Vietnam, and Indonesia, highlighting both the effectiveness of virtual and in-person engagements and the challenges of securing high-level official participation.

The report estimates that annual climate finance needs will rise to USD 6.2 trillion by 2030 and USD 7.3 trillion by 2050 to achieve Net Zero, while tracked global finance only surpassed USD 1 trillion for the first time in 2022. Transport and energy systems represent the largest investment needs, requiring at least USD 3.2 trillion and USD 2.1 trillion annually, respectively. The study highlights a significant disparity in finance distribution, with 75% of global spend concentrated in East Asia and the Pacific, Europe, and North America. It argues that public finance must act as a catalyst to mobilize private capital, particularly in developing economies where the cost of capital is significantly higher. While private sector commitments are growing—such as the 30 largest banks pledging USD 870 billion annually—the report notes that asset managers and owners have been slower to set quantifiable targets. Key recommendations include aligning stakeholder policies, supporting non-commercially viable technologies like CCUS and green hydrogen, and implementing just transition frameworks.

The report finds that oil- and gas-fired power plants in development increased by 13% in the last year to 783 GW, with Asia accounting for nearly two-thirds of this capacity. If built, these projects would cost an estimated US$611 billion and generate 41,239 million tonnes of CO2e lifetime emissions. The analysis highlights that China leads global development, while the United States possesses the largest existing capacity. The report further challenges the reliability of fossil fuels during extreme weather and notes that renewables with storage are now cheaper than gas-fired power in many regions, including China.

The report analyzes the I-JETP's goal of mobilizing $20 billion for Indonesia's energy transition, framing it as an initial 'downpayment' for a much larger requirement potentially exceeding $200 billion over 15 years. It identifies a '3+1' funding strategy involving international public, international private, domestic private, and domestic public capital. Key challenges include rising global interest rates increasing the absolute cost of renewables, the need for significant grid/transmission upgrades, and the necessity of policy reforms regarding power purchase agreements and the role of the state utility PLN. The author argues that success depends on the Government of Indonesia's commitment to policy predictability and the international community's willingness to provide concessional financing that ensures electricity affordability.

The document argues that while harmonizing all border carbon adjustments (BCAs) is impossible due to diverse national carbon pricing methods, international cooperation is essential to manage the proliferation of these instruments. It highlights that a diversity of BCAs increases uncertainty and administrative burdens for traders in sectors like steel, aluminum, cement, and fertilizers, which are critical for the export revenues of many developing countries. The brief suggests that strategic international discussion is a necessary alternative to trade disputes within the World Trade Organization's dispute settlement system.

The submission argues that the draft SAREM over-relies on private investment and fails to sufficiently address the impact of the global supply chain crisis on renewable energy costs. It advocates for a state-led industrial policy, including the use of import tariffs and the central role of Eskom in renewable generation, to avoid 'boom-bust' cycles and ensure a just transition for workers. Key recommendations include establishing a 'decent work' framework, implementing aggressive local content requirements (suggesting 50% for future RFPs), and creating a technology transfer system to support local manufacturing.

The report analyzes Indonesia's power sector finance from 2015 to 2021, revealing a significant gap between current renewable energy investment and the USD 16 billion annually required for the NZE 2060 scenario. It highlights a projected annual financing gap of USD 13 billion for renewable generation, particularly in solar and hydro, and recommends policy reforms to divest from fossil fuels and scale up renewable energy infrastructure.

Reclaim Finance argues that GFANZ's guidance on coal managed phase-outs (MPOs) in Asia Pacific must be significantly strengthened to ensure alignment with a 1.5°C scenario, protect civil society, and avoid 'junk' carbon offsets. The organization recommends that financial institutions end all support for new coal infrastructure and that MPOs prioritize the closure of the oldest plants by 2040, without diverting funds toward retrofits or carbon-intensive alternatives like biomass and ammonia.

The report identifies livestock fermentation, rice cultivation, and land-use changes as primary drivers of agri-food methane emissions. It argues that transitioning to plant-rich diets, improving livestock management, and adopting sustainable rice farming can reduce greenhouse gases while improving public health by reducing air pollution and non-communicable diseases.

The report identifies livestock production, rice cultivation, and land use as primary methane sources in agriculture, highlighting that the sector accounts for approximately 42 percent of anthropogenic methane emissions. It argues that mitigating these emissions provides significant health co-benefits, such as reducing tropospheric ozone and respiratory illnesses caused by biomass burning and manure management. Proposed solutions include transitioning to plant-rich diets, implementing alternate wetting and drying (AWD) in rice farming, and adopting regenerative agricultural practices. The document emphasizes the need for systemic policy changes, including the reform of agricultural subsidies and the implementation of mandatory emissions regulations, while noting that livestock remains a critical nutritional and economic resource in the Global South.

The report analyzes South Africa's Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) using a 'two-level game' framework to examine the interaction between international diplomacy and domestic politics. While the JETP provided a country-led platform to articulate financial needs and accelerated conversations on NDC implementation, it has faced significant hurdles. These include a lack of transparency from the International Partners Group (IPG), a contested domestic political landscape characterized by ministerial 'turf wars', and a financial package heavily weighted toward loans rather than grants. The study highlights that the JETP's success depends on South Africa's ability to build institutional capacity and deliver on implementation to maintain international credibility, while the IPG must provide more transparent and justice-oriented funding.

The report examines Australia's exposure to illegally harvested timber, focusing on high-risk supply chains from East Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. It highlights the role of China and Vietnam as processing hubs that obscure the origin of timber from high-risk regions like the Congo Basin. The authors argue that current enforcement of the Illegal Logging Prohibition Act (ILPA) is limited and recommend increased transparency, scientific species testing, and a shift toward tracing timber back to the country of harvest rather than the country of export.

The document examines national investment laws as versatile policy instruments, tracing their shift from national development tools (1950-1979) to mechanisms for incorporating international treaty standards (1980-2010). It identifies seven primary functions of contemporary investment laws: regulating admission, administering incentives, facilitating investment, providing legal protection, managing disputes, specifying investor obligations, and supervising investments. The report argues against a 'one-size-fits-all' model, suggesting instead that laws be designed based on a country's specific policy objectives and regulatory capacity. It provides a detailed framework for policymakers to evaluate existing laws and design new ones, emphasizing the need to reduce legal risks associated with investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) and inefficient tax incentives.