Search Climate Insights Directory

The report introduces 'The Peaking Series', which examines historical and current peaks in fossil fuel demand across various countries and sectors to map their eventual decline.

This research paper by the NewClimate Institute compares 2021 greenhouse gas emission projections for G20 countries up to 2030 against projections made in 2015. While absolute projected emissions have decreased and growth rates have slowed, the G20 collectively remains off track to meet the Paris Agreement temperature goals, with emissions still expected to increase slightly by 2030.

This research paper by the Climate Policy Initiative serves as a foundational guide for the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance to analyze challenges and priorities for decarbonizing the buildings sector. It outlines the global investment needs, the role of different financial instruments, and the specific regulatory and environmental contexts of Nigeria and Indonesia.

This research paper argues that China is leveraging African dissatisfaction with Western paternalism and the current global order to strengthen its relations with African nations during the Ukraine conflict. The author suggests that the war is accelerating a shift toward multipolarity, allowing China to position itself as an alternative partner that respects national autonomy and non-interference, potentially boosting its Global Security Initiative and diplomatic influence across the continent.

The Hong Kong Green and Sustainable Debt Market Briefing 2021, published by the Climate Bonds Initiative, analyzes the growth and composition of the GSS+ (green, social, sustainability, transition, and sustainability-linked) debt market in Hong Kong for the year 2021. The report highlights a significant expansion in green debt instruments, the role of the HKSAR Government in driving market growth, and the city's efforts to establish itself as an international green finance hub through the adoption of the Common Ground Taxonomy (CGT).

This scoping paper by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the challenges and priorities for cities in decarbonizing the buildings sector to reach net zero carbon. It examines the drivers of building stock growth, technical mitigation solutions, and the financial instruments and policies required to scale these solutions, with specific deep dives into Nigeria and Indonesia.

This executive summary by the Climate Policy Initiative assesses global primary investment in methane abatement for 2019/2020. It finds that methane abatement is severely underfunded, receiving less than 2% of total climate finance, despite its high potential for rapid global warming reduction. The report highlights significant funding gaps in the fossil fuel and agriculture sectors and identifies barriers such as measurement uncertainties and a lack of standardized reporting.

This special report examines the factors influencing foreign direct investment (FDI) and remittances in Algeria, highlighting significant gaps in investment compared to other middle-income countries and the regulatory hurdles hindering growth.

This conclusion to a special report by the Institute for Security Studies outlines the systemic barriers to development in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and proposes a multi-sectoral strategy to achieve inclusive sustainable growth by 2050. The author argues that the country's reliance on volatile commodity markets and a history of poor governance have led to a significant decline in per capita income since independence.

This policy brief from the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the UK's reliance on soy imports, primarily for livestock feed, and the associated risks of deforestation and supply chain instability.

This research paper examines Russia's efforts to expand its diplomatic and security influence in Africa, arguing that while Moscow has increased its presence since the Cold War, its ambitions are severely limited by a lack of financial resources compared to rivals like China, the US, and the EU. The author contends that Russia's strategy relies heavily on security partnerships and 'non-interference' rhetoric, which cannot substitute for the large-scale infrastructure and financial aid provided by other global powers.

This report by Zero Carbon Analytics examines how G7 economies are exposed to cross-border climate risks due to the interconnected nature of global supply chains. It highlights that extreme weather events in production hubs—particularly in Asia, Africa, and Latin America—can cause global price spikes, industrial production declines, and threats to food security in industrialised nations. The document argues that because manufacturing is often offshored to lower-cost regions, G7 nations must cooperate internationally to fund climate adaptation in developing countries to secure their own supply chains.

The Net Zero Stocktake 2022 executive summary analyzes the status of net zero target setting across 4,000+ entities, including national governments, sub-national governments, and companies. While the report notes a surge in the quantity of targets and an increase in domestic legislation, it highlights a widespread lack of credibility and robustness in these pledges, particularly regarding the use of external offsets and the inclusion of Scope 3 emissions.

This research paper argues that African policymakers must proactively secure digital sovereignty to prevent the continent's digital economy from becoming a battleground for great-power competition. While Africa possesses significant digital potential with a market of over 1 billion people, it remains the least connected region globally and relies heavily on foreign infrastructure, leaving it vulnerable to the unilateral decisions of global tech giants and the geopolitical interests of major powers.

This research paper analyzes a draft World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement aimed at curbing fisheries subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing. It details the proposed prohibitions on subsidies for illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, overfished stocks, and overcapacity, while examining the balance between strict disciplines and special and differential treatment for developing countries.

This discussion paper by the Climate Bonds Initiative proposes the certification of short-term debt instruments—defined as those with a maturity at issuance of less than 365 days—to mobilize more capital for climate action. It argues that while green bond standards have historically focused on longer-term debt, the USD55tn short-term debt market represents a significant untapped source of green capital. The paper outlines how various instruments, including Commercial Paper and Green Repos, can be certified under the Climate Bonds Standard, primarily through the Use of Proceeds (UoP) principle, and recommends the development of a 'pure-play' entity definition to further scale the market.

This report by the Climate Bonds Initiative provides an overview of the global sustainable bond market in the first quarter of 2022, noting that cumulative issuance of GSS+ bonds surpassed $3 trillion despite a quarterly decline in issuance volume due to market volatility, rising interest rates, and the Russia-Ukraine war.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative argues that expanding phone and high-speed internet services in the Legal Amazon can reduce regional isolation and boost the economy without the socio-environmental risks associated with traditional logistics infrastructure like roads.

This report by Global Energy Monitor assesses the global iron and steel plant fleet, highlighting a critical lag in the transition from carbon-intensive Blast Furnace-Basic Oxygen Furnace (BF-BOF) technology to Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) steelmaking. It identifies significant stranded asset risks and underreported methane emissions from coal mining that exacerbate the sector's climate impact.

A June 2022 briefing by the Climate Action Tracker reporting that progress on updating 2030 climate targets has stalled following the Glasgow Climate Pact. The document warns that current targets and policies are insufficient to limit warming to 1.5°C, projecting end-of-century warming of 2.4°C based on 2030 targets and 2.7°C under current policies.