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This guide provides an overview of the traditional centralized electricity grid architecture and the emerging shift toward distributed energy resources (DERs) to improve reliability and flexibility in the face of rising demand and extreme weather.

This report examines the governance challenges facing the development of cross-border subsea power cables in ASEAN. While technical feasibility is established, the report identifies gaps in regional planning, cost allocation, and maritime coordination. Drawing on Europe's experience with the Ten-Year Network Development Plan and Cross-Border Cost Allocation, it recommends a phased approach: first operationalising the ASEAN Power Grid Generation and Transmission Planning (AGTP) function, then piloting benefit-based cost allocation, and finally strengthening cross-sectoral maritime spatial planning.

A briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics detailing Japan's role as a major trader of US liquified natural gas (LNG) to other countries, particularly in Asia, and the associated lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions.

A report by Zero Carbon Analytics quantifies the economic risk to Europe-bound Brazilian soy exports caused by declining river levels in the Amazon. The analysis indicates that by mid-century, up to USD 1 billion in annual soy trade passing through the ports of Manaus and Santarém could be exposed to disruption due to critically low river flows driven by climate change and deforestation.

This report by Ember analyzes the declining role of gas in the global electricity mix as of 2025, noting that gas share has fallen for five consecutive years. The analysis highlights that while global gas generation has not yet peaked in absolute terms, its growth has slowed significantly as renewables increasingly meet new electricity demand, particularly in the G7 and large emerging economies.

The Climate Bonds Initiative's Q1 2026 report details the state of the global aligned GSS+ (Green, Social, Sustainability, and Sustainability-linked) debt market. As of March 2026, the cumulative aligned volume reached USD 6,986.0 billion, with green-labelled debt remaining the dominant theme. While the overall market saw a 9% decline in supply compared to Q1 2025 on a like-for-like basis, specific regions like France and Germany showed strong activity in social and green bonds, respectively.

This report by RMI examines the potential for integrating carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies into municipal and industrial wastewater treatment and biosolids management. It identifies two primary intervention categories: alkalinity management to store carbon as bicarbonates in water, and the processing of biosolids through methods like biochar production, biomass burial, and incineration with carbon capture. The report highlights synergies such as the safe disposal of hazardous contaminants like PFAS and the use of existing pumping infrastructure to reduce capital and energy costs.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes Africa's rapid population growth and its implications for the global labor market. It forecasts that Africa's population will reach 3.850 billion by 2100, driven by high fertility rates and population momentum, potentially making the continent the world's largest labor force by 2040.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines how the US-Israel invasion of Iran on 28 February 2026 triggered an energy crisis that accelerated the transition to clean energy. It analyzes the outperformance of clean energy equity funds over oil and gas funds, shifts in investor sentiment regarding the necessity of natural gas, and the impact of regional cost-of-capital differences on renewable energy investments.

This policy brief by RMI examines the critical shortages in the United States' electric grid supply chain, noting that demand for hardware has surged since 2019 due to load growth and grid modernization. The document details the risks of high import reliance and proposes a three-pronged federal strategy—easing near-term bottlenecks, expanding domestic production, and promoting innovation—to secure the supply chain, reduce costs, and foster economic growth.

In 2025, record solar and wind growth met 99% of global electricity demand increases, causing fossil fuel generation to decline for the first time since 2020. Renewables surpassed coal as a share of global electricity generation for the first time in a century, reaching 33.8%.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics explains the mechanisms of El Niño, its interaction with climate change, and its global socio-economic and environmental impacts. It highlights a 61% chance of an El Niño event emerging between May and July 2026, noting that human-caused warming is likely increasing the frequency and severity of such events, while simultaneously making them harder to predict.

The research paper 'The New Twin Fossil Shock' analyzes how two major energy crises in the 2020s—the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and the 2026 shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz—are accelerating the global transition to an 'electric age.' The authors argue that unlike the oil shocks of the 1970s, current alternatives such as solar, wind, and electric vehicles (EVs) are cost-competitive, scalable, and provide a permanent route out of fossil fuel dependency.

The US electric vehicle (EV) market is experiencing a slowdown in momentum due to federal policy shifts, including the expiration of purchase tax credits and the repeal of tailpipe emission limits. While EV sales fell 4% in 2025, charging infrastructure continues to expand through private investment. Automakers are pivoting away from all-electric targets toward a mix of hybrids and affordable models, while manufacturing investments in the Midwest and South have seen significant cancellations.

This briefing by RMI describes how financial institutions can use forward-looking, asset-level data to conduct corporate transition assessments. Using a case study of the steelmaker ArcelorMittal and data from Forward Analytics, the document demonstrates how analyzing investment pipelines against company targets and global or regional transition pathways can identify 'execution gaps,' transition risks, and financing opportunities across sustainability, risk, and front-office functions.

The Türkiye Electricity Review 2026 by Ember analyzes Türkiye's electricity generation in 2025, highlighting a rapid shift toward wind and solar energy, which reached a record 22% share. Despite this growth, coal remains the primary power source at 34%, with a significant reliance on imports. The report also details the economic impact of drought on hydropower and Türkiye's substantial battery storage project pipeline.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the dispute settlement function within national investment laws, based on a review of 167 laws. It examines the prevalence of adjudicative mechanisms like national courts and arbitration, as well as non-adjudicative options such as administrative review and amicable settlement. The report warns against the risks of 'advance consent' to international arbitration and provides a framework for policy-makers to assess and reform their national investment laws to minimize legal and financial risks.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the dispute settlement functions within 167 national investment laws. It examines the prevalence of various mechanisms—including national courts, arbitration, administrative review, and amicable settlements—and provides a framework for policymakers to design or reform these laws to minimize legal and financial risks, specifically warning against the inclusion of prior consent to international arbitration.

This research paper examines how slavery, imperialism, and colonialism fundamentally altered African agriculture by depleting the productive labour force, displacing indigenous crops with export commodities, and establishing land tenure systems that favoured European settlers and firms.

This research paper by Jakkie Cilliers outlines principles for reforming the UN Security Council (UNSC) to better reflect current global power dynamics and increase legitimacy. The author argues for an expanded Council that balances representation with functionality and realism, proposing the removal of the veto and the introduction of minimum capacity criteria for membership.