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In 2025, global coal capacity increased by 3.5% while production fell by 0.6%, as coal is increasingly used as 'system insurance' rather than a primary energy source. This trend is most prominent in China and India, where renewables are meeting new demand despite record coal plant commissioning. Globally, the number of countries proposing new coal plants dropped to 32. In Indonesia, coal expansion continues through 'captive' plants for nickel and aluminium industries, reaching 20 GW, while national energy plans (RUKN and RUPTL) are criticized for maintaining fossil fuel dependency and lacking a clear phase-out roadmap despite official net-zero commitments.

In 2025, global coal power capacity increased by 3.5% while generation fell by 0.6%, reflecting a trend where coal plants act as 'system insurance' rather than primary power sources. This gap is most prominent in China and India, where record-high completions coexist with falling generation due to rapid wind and solar expansion. While the number of countries proposing new coal projects decreased from 38 in 2024 to 32 in 2025, and Latin America reached a state of no new proposals, some regions like the US and EU delayed planned closures due to energy security and political intervention. South Korea has committed to a 2040 coal phase-out, contrasting with Japan's more gradual approach focused on ammonia co-firing and efficiency improvements.

In 2025, global coal capacity increased by 3.5% while generation fell by 0.6%, driven largely by record additions in China and India. These countries are building coal plants for system reliability and energy security, even as renewables displace coal's role in meeting demand. The report notes a geographic narrowing of coal expansion, with only 32 countries proposing or building new plants, and highlights the specific challenges facing Ukraine's energy recovery following Russian attacks on its infrastructure.

In 2025, global coal capacity increased by 3.5% while production fell by 0.6%, as coal is increasingly used as 'system insurance' rather than a primary energy source. While the number of countries pursuing new coal projects dropped to 32, China and India continue massive expansions. In Indonesia, the growth of captive coal plants for nickel and aluminium processing contradicts national climate commitments, with the RUPTL 2025-2034 continuing to plan for on-grid coal investment despite a formal moratorium.

Climate Strategies' 2026-2029 strategy focuses on accelerating the science-policy nexus to deliver inclusive and effective climate action. The organisation operates as a neutral knowledge broker, connecting a network of over 120 members with policymakers to address systemic gaps in climate finance, adaptation, and fossil fuel phase-out. Its strategic framework is built around five impact areas: Prosperity Post Fossil Fuels, Nature and Resilient Food Systems, Global Majority-Powered Change, Equitable Carbon & Climate Innovation, and Building Evidence-Based Climate Narratives. The strategy emphasises the need for Just Transitions, the inclusion of Global Majority perspectives in policy recommendations, and the use of evidence-based narratives to counter climate obstruction and misinformation.

The report evaluates ten distinct indexes designed to diagnose the resilience or vulnerability of political information environments to mis- and disinformation. It develops a typology of these tools—categorizing them as advertising-oriented, policy-driven, academically oriented, or public outreach—and analyzes their conceptual foundations, data collection methods, and scoring architectures. The review finds that most indexes rely on proxy indicators (such as institutional trust or media freedom) rather than direct measurement of false content. Comparative case studies reveal that while some indexes converge on structural constants in advanced democracies, others diverge sharply due to different operational definitions of 'resilience,' such as distinguishing between reactive mobilization and long-term structural capacity. The document concludes that current measurement is fragmented and recommends a more unified architecture that integrates structural, behavioral, and platform-specific dynamics.

The report identifies 27 factors across four themes—EU internal dynamics, expected effects of enlargement, attitudes/norms/perceptions, and external factors—that influence EU accession decisions. It argues that while the process is formally merit-based, EU actors exercise significant discretion, with normative factors dominating early candidacy and economic or political interests predominating during later negotiations. The analysis highlights how these factors varied across the 'Big Bang' (2004), 'Coda' (2007), and Croatia (2013) rounds, and provides forecasts for the 'Trio' of Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia.

Albania has transitioned from foundational planning to active implementation of its National Adaptation Plan, with completed measures rising from 15% in the first cycle to 50% by 2025. Significant progress was noted in local adaptation planning, where seven of eight municipalities integrated plans into budgets, and in the establishment of a monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) system. However, the report identifies critical gaps in domestic financing, fragmented data collection, and uneven inclusivity, particularly in the health sector. While international funding from the EU, World Bank, and GCF provides essential support for agriculture, energy, and urban resilience, a substantial financing gap remains across most sectors, with total estimated needs reaching approximately USD 9.8 billion.

The policy brief examines the energy landscape of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, highlighting the region's struggle to balance immediate energy affordability with long-term decarbonisation. It identifies new security risks, specifically China's dominance in clean energy supply chains and conflicting policy signals from the US and EU. The author advocates for a technology-neutral approach—integrating nuclear, renewables, and emerging technologies like CCS—and suggests that CEE can become a clean-tech manufacturing hub. Furthermore, it emphasizes the strategic importance of integrating Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkans into the EU energy grid to enhance regional resilience.

The document outlines a new energy security framework for Central and Eastern Europe, emphasizing the transition to clean energy to reduce vulnerabilities associated with fossil fuel imports and geopolitical instability. It advocates for the removal of fossil fuel subsidies, the establishment of a grid security framework to counter hybrid warfare, and the expansion of the EU single energy market through harmonized permitting and increased interconnectivity. Additionally, it calls for the EU to adopt an incentive-based investment approach, similar to the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act, to maintain global competitiveness and avoid reliance on non-EU financing.

The document outlines a new energy security framework for Central and Eastern Europe, emphasizing the transition from fossil fuel imports to clean energy to mitigate geopolitical risks. It calls for the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies, the creation of a grid security framework to counter hybrid warfare, and the expansion of the EU single energy market through harmonized permitting and increased interconnector investment. Additionally, it advocates for an incentive-based investment approach similar to the US Inflation Reduction Act to maintain European competitiveness and prevent reliance on non-EU financing.

The report identifies that approximately 30% of global upstream coal and oil and gas infrastructure is located in regions where environmental conditions make satellite methane monitoring challenging. It details how factors such as persistent cloud cover in the tropics, low sun angles in high latitudes, and rugged terrain in mountainous regions limit data availability and accuracy. The authors argue for a multi-tiered observing system that combines satellite data with near-ground measurements to ensure comprehensive emissions monitoring across diverse geographies.

The report examines the 'geography factor' in satellite methane monitoring, identifying that approximately 30% of global coal, oil, and gas infrastructure is located in regions where environmental conditions hinder data collection. It details how factors like persistent tropical cloud cover, low winter sunlight in high latitudes, and mountainous terrain create 'difficult' observation zones. The authors argue for a multi-tiered observation system that integrates satellites with aircraft, drones, and ground-based sensors to overcome these geographic limitations and support the Global Methane Pledge's goal of reducing emissions by 30% by 2030.

The Western Balkans have over 23 GW of prospective utility-scale solar and wind projects, a 70% increase from the previous year. This capacity could render proposed gas-fired power plants obsolete, potentially averting 103 million tonnes of lifetime CO2 emissions and saving over €9 billion in energy costs and stranded assets. Currently, operating utility-scale solar and wind account for only 7% of the regional electricity mix (1.5 GW). Serbia leads the region in both operating (29%) and prospective (47%) capacity, though its construction rate is among the lowest. The report argues that the region should prioritize a just energy transition over gas-fired power, which is being promoted by EU, U.S., and Russian interests, to avoid carbon lock-in and import dependence.

The study identifies US$3.2 billion in energy development finance for five Western Balkan countries between 2008 and 2020, noting that approximately one-third of disbursed funds supported non-renewable energy sources. While disbursement ratios exceeded the global average, the total funding remained insufficient, ranging from 0.15% to 0.62% of the average GDP for the analyzed countries. The research found no established link between the 2016 Paris Agreement and an increase in finance flows for renewable energy projects.

The author argues that the EU's new Pact on Migration and Asylum represents a victory for immigration hardliners by expanding border procedures and reducing protection standards. The deal maintains the problematic Dublin rules and introduces a 'flexible' solidarity mechanism that allows member states to avoid relocating asylum seekers through financial contributions. The author contends that the pact increases the risk of detention and pushbacks at external borders, particularly impacting Mediterranean countries and refugees, while potentially benefiting smugglers.

The document analyzes plans for €3.5 billion in new gas-fired power plants, pipelines, and LNG terminals in the Western Balkans. It argues that these projects, promoted by EU and U.S. institutions, would create a dependency on volatile gas markets and risk creating stranded assets, contradicting the region's carbon-neutral goals and the EU's 2050 targets.

The October 2023 Polish parliamentary elections represent a critical juncture for the country's democratic governance and its relationship with the European Union. The contest pits the ruling nationalist coalition, led by the Law and Justice (PiS) party, against a fragmented but numerically stronger 'democratic opposition' including the Civic Coalition, Poland 2050, the Left, and the Polish People's Party. While PiS and its partner United Poland oppose EU decarbonisation and the Green Deal, the opposition generally supports the green transition and Eurozone accession. A victory for the opposition would necessitate extensive reforms to restore the rule of law and depoliticise state institutions, while a PiS victory would likely continue the undermining of European constitutional values.

The document analyzes how socio-economic vulnerabilities—including gender, age, disability, and minority status—increase the risk and impact of climate-related hazards in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It highlights that disadvantaged groups are more likely to live in hazard-prone areas and lack the resources to adapt. The brief argues for inclusive policymaking and warns that both adaptation and mitigation strategies can lead to 'maladaptation' or detrimental socio-economic effects if not carefully designed to protect the most vulnerable populations.

ClientEarth argues that EU competition policy must be reshaped to internalise environmental externalities and support the Green Deal. The organization calls for an end to state aid for fossil fuels, a more holistic 'consumer welfare' test in antitrust and merger assessments that includes future generations, and increased transparency in state aid decision-making. It specifically recommends prohibiting aid to forestry biomass and fossil-based hydrogen, while introducing a 'green bonus' to incentivize truly sustainable innovation.