Search Climate Insights Directory

The European Electricity Review 2022 by Ember analyzes EU-27 electricity generation data for 2021, highlighting a 'paradigm shift' where new renewable energy replaced expensive fossil gas instead of coal due to a price crisis. While wind and solar reached record generation, the report warns that the EU's power sector emissions are declining at less than half the rate required to meet 1.5°C targets, partly because renewables are replacing gas and declining nuclear capacity rather than coal.

This guide from the International Institute for Sustainable Development outlines strategies for governments to communicate the concept of net-zero emissions to the public to increase support for climate policies. It emphasizes moving away from technical, future-oriented descriptions toward tangible, local, and inclusive messaging supported by positive imagery.

The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2021 evaluates 57 of the world's highest greenhouse gas emitters, finding that no single country is currently on a path compliant with the Paris Agreement goals. While the European Union improved its ranking to 16th place, the report highlights a stark divide between leading nations and G20 members like the USA, Saudi Arabia, and Russia, who are rated 'very low'.

This report by Ember analyzes the National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) of EU countries to assess the trajectory of the EU power sector toward 2030. It finds that while renewable energy is expected to grow, the EU is not on track to meet the European Commission's recommended 55% emissions reduction target due to slow fossil fuel phase-outs and insufficient wind and solar deployment, particularly in seven specific member states.

This policy brief examines how the European Union (EU) Green Deal operationalizes the concept of 'just transition' through a territorial approach. It analyzes the use of the Just Transition Mechanism (JTM) to engage subnational carbon-intensive regions, aiming to bypass national-level political resistance to carbon neutrality by 2050. The author identifies several risks, including the potential for national governments to block funding, the lack of monitoring for vulnerable groups, and the need for the EU to address the global geopolitical impacts of decarbonization on fossil fuel-producing countries.

In the first half of 2020, renewable electricity generation exceeded fossil fuel generation for the first time in the EU-27, driven by new installations, favorable weather, and a COVID-19-related drop in electricity demand.

The 2020 Global Electricity Review by Ember analyzes global electricity generation changes in 2019, highlighting a record 3% fall in global coal-fired generation and a corresponding 2% drop in power sector CO2 emissions. While the EU and US saw significant coal collapses, China's coal generation rose, making it responsible for over half of global coal generation for the first time. Wind and solar generation grew by 15%, though the report notes that this growth rate is slowing and may be insufficient to meet Paris Agreement goals without concerted global effort.

This report by Sandbag analyzes how the disparity in carbon pricing between the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) and its non-EU neighbors leads to 'carbon leakage,' where high-carbon electricity, primarily from coal, is imported into the EU. The authors argue that this undermines EU climate goals and incentivizes the continued use of coal in neighboring states. To combat this, the report proposes the implementation of a border carbon adjustment (BCA) specifically for electricity imports.

This report by Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe and Sandbag analyzes the draft National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) of 21 EU Member States that use coal for electricity. It finds that the EU is on track to miss the goal of stopping coal use by 2030 to limit global warming to 1.5°C, with 60 GW of capacity projected to remain in 2030.

The 'People Power Now!' Energy Manifesto, published by Friends of the Earth International in November 2018, calls for a systemic overhaul of the global energy system to achieve climate justice and energy sovereignty. The document argues that the current economic model, driven by corporate profit and the commodification of nature, is unsustainable and must be replaced by a people-centered system based on 100% renewable energy, energy sufficiency, and social equity.

This manifesto by Friends of the Earth International calls for a systemic transformation of the global energy system to achieve energy sovereignty and climate justice. It argues that the current economic model, based on privatization and the commodification of nature, has led to ecological and social crises. The document outlines ten key demands, emphasizing that energy should be treated as a common good rather than a commodity, and advocating for a transition to 100% renewable energy that is decentralized, community-controlled, and socially just.

This manifesto by Friends of the Earth International calls for a radical transformation of the global energy system, moving away from a profit-driven model toward 'energy sovereignty' and climate justice. It advocates for energy to be treated as a common good, the universal right to energy sufficiency, and a transition to 100% renewable energy that is decentralized, community-controlled, and equitable between the Global North and South.

This report analyzes the effectiveness of peer learning and peer pressure within three Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives (MSIs): the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), the Open Government Partnership (OGP), and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). It evaluates how these initiatives use mutual dialogue, best practices, and sanctions to improve governance, transparency, and accountability among member states.

The 2018 Regulatory Indicators for Sustainable Energy (RISE) report provides a global inventory of policies and regulations supporting Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7), focusing on electricity access, clean cooking, energy efficiency, and renewable energy across 133 economies from 2010 to 2017.

This research paper analyzes the 2016 EU-Turkey migrant deal, arguing that while it has succeeded in its primary goal of deterring arrivals via the Aegean Sea, it has done so at a significant humanitarian and legal cost. The author contends that the deal, combined with border closures across Eastern and South Eastern Europe, has trapped refugees in squalid conditions and pushed migrants toward more dangerous smuggling routes, while potentially undermining the international principle of non-refoulement.

This directory, compiled by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) with financial support from Denmark, provides an inventory of assistance and capacity-building programmes available to African states in chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) areas. It details the offers of nearly 50 states, various international and regional organisations, and civil society entities, primarily within the framework of UN Security Council Resolution 1540 and other international non-proliferation treaties.

This briefing analyzes the UN Sustainable Development Summit, which focused on the adoption of the "2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It examines the successful negotiation process led by the Open Working Group (OWG), initial national commitments to implementation, and outstanding requirements such as the development of indicators and the outcome of the Paris Climate Change Conference.

This briefing note by the International Institute for Sustainable Development reviews the role, composition, and effectiveness of National Councils for Sustainable Development (NCSDs) over the past 25 years. It identifies success factors for these bodies as countries prepare to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development analyzes the potential role of National Sustainable Development Councils (NCSDs) in designing and delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Based on a survey of 12 countries, it examines existing national strategies, the challenges of monitoring progress, and the varying responsibilities of NCSDs in advising and implementing sustainable development policies.

This report documents a seminar held by the Institute for Security Studies on September 19, 2009, regarding the unionisation and democratisation of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). The discussions focus on the tension between constitutional labour rights and military discipline, the adversarial relationship between the Department of Defence (DOD) and military unions, and the systemic grievances of soldiers leading to protests.