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This policy brief analyzes the EU Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) and the UK Critical Minerals Strategy (CMS), evaluating their potential to support African industrialization. It argues that both frameworks are primarily driven by domestic energy and economic priorities, focusing on reducing dependency on China and mitigating geopolitical risks. The author contends that current capital allocations and the emphasis on domestic processing capacity are insufficient to attract private investment for African value addition and beneficiation, suggesting a need for a shift in political and commercial relations to align with African industrialization goals.

This research paper, prepared for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality by the Stockholm Environment Institute, discusses the rationale and methodology for setting consumption-based greenhouse gas emission reduction goals. It argues that supplementing Oregon's existing sector-based targets with consumption-based goals would provide a more comprehensive and equitable approach to climate mitigation by accounting for the full carbon footprint of goods and services consumed within the state.

This research paper evaluates and refines the Tandem framework, a non-prescriptive guide for co-designing climate services. By applying the framework across diverse settings in Indonesia, Sweden, and Colombia, the authors demonstrate its ability to transform climate information from 'useful' to 'usable' and propose five specific enhancements to the original framework to better address vulnerability, equity, and governance.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the Global Initiative for Economic, Social & Cultural Rights (GI-ESCR) analyzes the 2023 activities of UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies (HRTBs) regarding states' human rights obligations in the context of climate change. It tracks the increasing frequency of climate-related references in state reporting procedures and examines specific themes such as fossil fuel extraction, the right to a healthy environment, loss and damage, and intergenerational equity.

In the first half of 2024, wind and solar power generated 30% of the European Union's electricity, surpassing fossil fuels (27%) for the first time. This shift occurred despite a 0.7% rebound in electricity demand, driven by structural capacity growth and favorable weather conditions, leading to a 17% decline in fossil fuel generation and a 31% drop in power sector emissions compared to the first half of 2022.

This report, produced by the Climate Bonds Initiative and Peking University, examines the role of transition finance in decarbonising China's power sector. It emphasizes the necessity of credible, science-based transition plans to attract capital and avoid greenwashing, while analyzing the use of sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs) and use-of-proceeds (UoP) instruments. The document provides a framework for electrical utilities to develop transition roadmaps and includes case studies of Vattenfall, Enel, and China Huaneng Group to illustrate varying levels of alignment with global standards.

The Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) 2020-2023 Synthesis Report details the organization's progress in advancing climate resilience through three primary pillars: innovation, knowledge, and policy. During this period (Phase II), GRP expanded its network to over 80 organizations and shifted toward a more diverse Secretariat spanning 14 countries. Key achievements include the incubation of the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA), the growth of the Resilience Evidence Coalition, and the establishment of the Resilience Hub at COP26, COP27, and COP28 to amplify Global South voices in climate policy.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the economic opportunity for Germany to rejuvenate its economy by expanding its manufacturing of clean technologies, specifically batteries and heat pumps, amidst global competition from China and the US.

This research paper by Ember analyzes draft National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) from EU Member States to determine if current national ambitions align with the REPowerEU plan and the Fit-for-55 package. The analysis finds that while renewable energy targets have increased significantly since 2019, the EU is still projected to fall short of its 2030 goals for renewable electricity share, solar capacity, and wind capacity.

This report by Ember analyzes global electricity generation trends in 2023 across solar, wind, coal, gas, hydro, nuclear, and bioenergy. It highlights record growth in solar and wind, a slight increase in coal generation driven by droughts in China, and the gap between current growth rates and the IEA Net Zero Emissions (NZE) scenario requirements.

The Boom and Bust Coal 2024 report by Global Energy Monitor analyzes global coal power capacity trends, highlighting a net increase in operating capacity in 2023 driven primarily by China, despite a general global decline in new construction starts outside of China.

This report finds that while CETP signatories have successfully restricted fossil fuel finance, they have failed to fully prioritize clean energy finance. Despite a potential for USD 28 billion in annual shifts, only USD 5.2 billion was moved into clean energy in the first year. The report notes that no high-income signatories have published fully aligned policies and recommends the adoption of quantitative targets and grant-based instruments to support a just energy transition.

The Stockholm Environment Institute argues that the proposed EU Critical Raw Materials Act risks exacerbating human rights breaches and 'green colonialism' against the Indigenous Sámi people in Northern Europe. While welcoming the inclusion of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) for 'strategic' projects, the authors identify critical weaknesses in the act's reliance on Member State bureaucracies, certification schemes, and the lack of resources for Indigenous participation. They propose three amendments: an EU-level oversight mechanism for grievances, mandatory FPIC standards for certification schemes, and a funding mechanism to support affected rights-holders during fast-tracked licensing processes.

This policy brief from the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the role of municipalities and regional governments in strengthening carbon sinks within the context of EU LULUCF regulations, specifically highlighting the challenges and opportunities in forested nations.

This guide by Zero Carbon Analytics explains the role of heat pumps in decarbonising buildings and industry, detailing their technical operation, economic viability, and the policy barriers to their global adoption.

This research paper by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) examines the disparity between solar energy potential and installed capacity in developing economies, attributing the gap to high costs of capital driven by sovereign and off-taker risks. The authors propose the establishment of a Global Credit Guarantee Facility (GCGF) to de-risk cross-border financing and lower risk premiums for renewable energy projects in Emerging Market & Development Economy (EMDE) countries.

This report by Ember proposes an ambitious wind and solar expansion plan for Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries to improve energy security and lower electricity prices. Using the PyPSA-CEE model, the study argues that accelerating renewables deployment could reduce wholesale power prices by 29% and make the region electricity self-sufficient by 2030.

This perspective piece by the Stockholm Environment Institute argues that UN Member States should adopt a systems-thinking approach to prioritize Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ahead of the SDG Summit in New York. The authors contend that because SDGs are interlinked, prioritizing specific 'accelerator' goals can boost progress across the entire 2030 Agenda, provided that trade-offs are managed and 'easy fixes' are avoided.

This report by Global Energy Monitor and its partners analyzes the global state of coal-fired power plants as of April 2023. It highlights a stark divergence between China, where coal capacity is expanding rapidly, and the rest of the world, where new projects are declining. While the report notes that the 'return of coal' in Europe due to the energy crisis was minimal, it emphasizes that current retirement rates are insufficient to meet Paris Agreement goals, particularly in non-OECD countries.

The Europe Gas Tracker Report 2023 by Global Energy Monitor analyzes the rapid expansion of gas infrastructure in the European Union following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The report argues that a 'gas panic' has led to uncoordinated buildouts of LNG terminals and pipelines that risk creating massive overcapacity and locking the region into fossil fuel dependency, potentially undermining the EU's climate goals under the European Climate Law and the Fit for 55 package.