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This report by Ember analyzes the European Union's progress toward phasing out Russian gas by 2027. It finds that despite political commitments, Russian gas imports increased in 2024, and the EU is significantly over-investing in gas infrastructure that is likely to be underutilised by 2030. The report argues that the EU is risking a new dependency on volatile global LNG markets and recommends legally binding targets to end Russian gas imports.

This policy note examines the Compact with Africa (CwA), an initiative launched in 2017 to increase private investment and infrastructure in African countries through coordinated reform agendas and stakeholder cooperation.

This report by RMI examines the evolution and current state of the United States fertilizer market, focusing on the transition from carbon-intensive ammonia production to low-carbon alternatives. It details various technological pathways for green and blue ammonia, compares the properties of nitrogen-based fertilizers, and identifies systemic barriers to the adoption of sustainable production methods. The document also outlines state and national incentives in the U.S. designed to support the deployment of green fertilizer infrastructure.

The report argues that the European Union's 2020 hydrogen strategy was overly ambitious and requires recalibration to align with market realities. It advocates for a pragmatic, implementation-focused approach that prioritizes 'hard-to-electrify' sectors—such as steel, maritime, and fertilizers—while utilizing a combination of mandates ('sticks') and targeted funding ('carrots') to bridge the cost gap between renewable hydrogen and fossil-based alternatives.

A statement by Trend Asia and a global coalition of civil society organizations arguing that large-scale forest biomass combustion for energy is not carbon neutral, harms biodiversity, violates community rights, and obstructs the transition to clean energy. The signatories call for the cessation of forest biomass expansion and the removal of related subsidies.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law argues that a restrictive international governance framework for geoengineering already exists across environmental agreements and human rights law, but is being undermined by a proliferation of outdoor experiments and commercial carbon markets.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the systemic failures of carbon offsetting, arguing that these mechanisms often increase global emissions rather than reduce them. The document details how both compliance and voluntary carbon markets suffer from low environmental integrity, lack of additionality, and fraudulent practices, particularly in forestry projects. It concludes that carbon offsets are not a valid climate solution and that priority must be given to direct emission mitigation over offsetting or unproven large-scale carbon removal technologies.

This research paper evaluates the H2Global mechanism and the pilot auction funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), assessing how they address ecological and social risks and opportunities associated with green hydrogen production.

This research paper by the NewClimate Institute evaluates the H2Global mechanism and its pilot tender funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). The study finds that while the pilot tender incorporates some EU-aligned sustainability requirements, the overall mechanism lacks minimum standards, creating risks of variability in climate and sustainable development impacts. The analysis highlights gaps in safeguards regarding competing water and land use, the absence of incentives for surplus electricity sharing, and limited potential for sustainable local economic value creation due to the mechanism's export-focused design.

This guide by RMI explains the function, types, and potential of thermal batteries as a decarbonization tool for industrial heating and grid stability. It details how these systems convert renewable electricity into stored heat using abundant materials, offering a cheaper and less complex alternative to hydrogen for high-temperature industrial processes.

The Ember report '2024 at a glance' details the EU power sector's performance in 2024, highlighting a record decline in fossil fuel generation and a record high for clean energy sources, which reached 71% of the power mix.

This report by Ember details the record growth of solar energy in the European Union in 2024, noting increases in both generation and installed capacity across all member states. It argues that to sustain this growth and manage the resulting price volatility—SSS, the EU must accelerate the deployment of 'clean flexibility' solutions, including batteries, smart electrification, and grid modernization.

RMI proposes a 'whole-systems' approach to energy efficiency that combines electrification with 'energy end-use efficiency'—reducing the actual energy services required. By focusing on land-use, passive design, and material circularity, the report argues that overall energy demand can be reduced by 50-75% in some sectors, far exceeding the COP28 goal of a 4% annual improvement rate.

The 'Sustainable Debt Global State of the Market H1 2025' report by the Climate Bonds Initiative provides a comprehensive analysis of aligned green, social, sustainability, and sustainability-linked (GSS+) debt. As of the end of H1 2025, the cumulative aligned volume reached USD 6.2 trillion, with H1 2025 alone contributing USD 555.8 billion. The report details the dominance of green bonds, the resurgence of social debt, the stability of sustainability-labelled debt, and the specific alignment trends of sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs). It also highlights the introduction of the European Green Bond Standard, the rise of data-centre focused asset-backed securities, and the strategic priorities for COP30, including methane abatement and the Tropical Forest Forever Fund.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies and the Global Public Policy Institute argues that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is facing a profound legitimacy crisis following the January 2025 withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. The authors contend that to survive and restore stability, ECOWAS must move beyond its original economic mandate and the current intergovernmental status quo toward deeper political integration and supranationalism.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) synthesizes the climate, sustainability, energy, and climate finance commitments made by G20 member countries from 2008 to 2024. It tracks the evolution of these commitments through various summits, highlighting the shift from general statements to specific frameworks like the Paris Agreement and the challenges posed by inconsistent national policies, particularly those of the United States. The document also details the priority areas for South Africa's 2025 G20 presidency, which emphasizes solidarity, equality, and sustainability.

The Production Gap Report 2025 by the Stockholm Environment Institute finds that global fossil fuel production plans are increasingly divergent from the Paris Agreement's goals. Governments are collectively planning higher levels of production for coal, oil, and gas than in 2023, with projected 2030 production exceeding 1.5ºC-consistent levels by more than 120%.

This report by Ember explores the potential for an electricity interconnector between Europe and North America to enhance grid security and efficiency as both regions decarbonise. The analysis suggests that differences in time zones and weather patterns—specifically uncorrelated wind, temperature, and rainfall—could provide significant arbitrage opportunities and system resilience, potentially offering a more cost-effective solution than nuclear power or hydrogen.

This policy brief examines the potential for the South African G20 presidency to facilitate the rechannelling of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) to Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), specifically the African Development Bank (AfDB). It outlines the financial mechanisms for such a transfer, the political and legal hurdles preventing it, and the potential development impacts for African nations.

This briefing summarizes a high-level roundtable discussion hosted by Ember and partners during the PCI Energy Days in Brussels on November 4-5, 2024. The discussion focused on the necessity of an integrated power grid in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) to manage the rise of intermittent renewables, ensure energy security, and facilitate the transit of clean energy from coastal regions to landlocked countries.