Search Climate Insights Directory

The European Electricity Review 2023 by Ember analyzes EU-27 electricity generation and demand for 2022, highlighting a year of crisis-driven volatility. While a shortfall in nuclear and hydro generation led to a temporary 7% increase in coal power, wind and solar reached a record 22% share of the EU electricity mix. The report predicts a significant decline in fossil fuel generation for 2023 as nuclear and hydro capacities recover and renewable deployment accelerates.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes energy efficiency (EE) mechanisms for electricity-intensive consumers, comparing international experiences from the European Union, USA, China, and other nations with the current policy landscape in Brazil. It identifies direct and indirect benefits of EE, such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions and increased industrial competitiveness, and evaluates various regulatory, fiscal, and market-based instruments to provide recommendations for improving Brazil's energy efficiency framework.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law and the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights synthesizes the 2022 activities of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) regarding climate change. It details the CRC's review of State reporting, its focus on mitigation and adaptation, and the development of General Comment No. 26 on children's rights and the environment.

This briefing note by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the Global Initiative for Economic, Social & Cultural Rights (GIESCR) reviews the 2023 activities of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) regarding climate change. It details the Committee's focus on mitigation policies, adaptation strategies, and the transition away from fossil fuels across various State parties' Concluding Observations (COBs) and Lists of Issues (LOIs).

This document consists of annexes to the 2023 Forest Declaration Assessment, detailing sustainability schemes in the mining sector, sources and estimates of forest-related finance, and the implementation of green budgeting and risk assessment tools in the public sector.

This document consists of three annexes to the 2023 Forest Declaration Assessment. It details sustainability schemes in the mining sector, provides estimates for green and 'gray' forest finance, and discusses the implementation of green budgeting and risk assessment tools in the public sector.

This report analyzes whether Canada's international trade obligations, specifically under the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) and the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), act as barriers or opportunities for sustainable public procurement (SPP). It concludes that these agreements provide significant flexibility for implementing green, social, and strategic procurement, provided that requirements are not based on national origin.

WRI Europe's 2023-2027 strategy focuses on achieving systemic change across food, energy, and city systems to benefit people, nature, and climate. The plan emphasizes the implementation of the EU Green Deal, the establishment of the Systems Transformation Hub in Brussels, and a coordinated effort to support low-carbon transitions in focus countries including Brazil, China, India, and Indonesia.

The World Resources Institute's (WRI) 2023-2027 Strategic Plan outlines a transition from a period of global commitments to one of tangible impact on the ground. The strategy centers on three interconnected global goals—improving human well-being, protecting nature, and tackling climate change—and targets systemic change across three 'Human-Centered Systems' (Food, Land and Water; Energy; and Cities) supported by three 'Enabling Systems' (Economics, Finance, and Governance). WRI aims to operate as a centrally coordinated global network with a specific focus on 12 priority countries to drive just transitions.

An executive summary by the NewClimate Institute arguing that planned LNG import terminals in Germany are significantly oversized and conflict with national and international climate goals.

This policy brief explores the complex relationship between international trade and sustainable agriculture, highlighting that while agri-food systems contribute 31% of global GHG emissions and drive 80% of deforestation, trade is essential for the 80% of the world population relying on food imports. The author argues for a shift from production-enhancing subsidies to market-correcting ones and suggests utilizing WTO mechanisms—such as the SPS Committee and the Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions (TESSD)—to coordinate global efforts toward sustainable food systems.

The Climate Change Performance Index 2023 executive summary evaluates the climate mitigation efforts of the 60 largest emitters. It highlights that no country is currently on a 1.5°C pathway, leaving the top three ranks unoccupied. While Denmark leads in most categories, major emitters like China and the US are ranked in the 'very low' category. The report notes a wide disparity in performance among EU member states and identifies Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Kazakhstan as the worst overall performers.

A November 2022 briefing by Global Energy Monitor (GEM) identifies 30 fossil fuel companies responsible for 43% of the energy sector's global methane emissions. The analysis breaks down emissions by fuel sector (oil/gas and coal) and ownership type (national/state-owned vs. international/investor-owned), highlighting the disproportionate impact of a small number of large producers.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) analyzes the climate commitments of the 70 largest public financial institutions, representing USD 20.4 trillion in assets. It finds a significant gap in ambition, particularly among national and subnational development banks and institutions in non-OECD countries, where Paris-aligned and net-zero targets are rare. The report highlights a lack of specificity in climate finance goals, a deficiency in adaptation-focused commitments, and a general slow adoption of institutional climate strategies. CPI identifies insufficient accountability and a lack of government and global coalition guidance as primary barriers and provides recommendations to strengthen the integrity of public finance in the energy transition.

This document contains the independent auditors' reports and consolidated financial statements for the World Resources Institute (WRI) and its subsidiaries for the fiscal years ending September 30, 2022, and 2021. The reports, prepared by Grant Thornton LLP, provide an unmodified opinion on the financial statements and compliance with federal award requirements under the Uniform Guidance.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the current state and prospects of carbon capture and storage (CCS), describing it as an "integrated infrastructure" rather than a single technology. While the history of CCS is marked by high failure rates and limited impact on global emissions, the document notes a recent surge in investment and project announcements, particularly in North America and Europe. The author argues that CCS is most critical for the cement industry, where few alternatives exist, but is largely uncompetitive in the power sector compared to renewables.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that the modernized Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) text, released on September 12, 2022, fails to resolve critical issues regarding fossil fuel carveouts and entry timing, creating legal uncertainty for governments implementing climate measures aligned with the Paris Agreement.

This report by Ember analyses electricity generation data for the European Union from May to August 2022, highlighting a record share of solar power and its role in reducing the need for expensive fossil gas imports during an energy crisis.

This report analyzes the potential for subnational pension funds to increase investments in climate-smart urban infrastructure. It defines subnational pension funds as those limiting membership by location (province, region, state, city) or occupation. The document identifies structural and external barriers to these investments, evaluates the landscape across seven countries, and proposes financial instruments and policy recommendations to mobilize this untapped capital for the climate transition.

The report 'Ready, Set, Go: Europe’s Race for Wind and Solar' by Ember analyses the gap between current wind and solar deployment rates in the European Union and the capacities required to align with a 1.5C climate pathway by 2030. It finds that the EU is not on track, with annual additions forecast to reach only half of the required levels by 2026. The report identifies administrative permitting barriers as a primary cause of underperformance, noting that permitting times frequently exceed EU legislative limits.