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This report by Ember analyzes the trends in the EU-27 power sector for 2021, focusing on electricity demand, the shift in fuel sources, the growth of renewables, and the resulting impact on greenhouse gas emissions.

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 briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (GI-ESCR) synthesizes the activities of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) regarding climate change during 2020 and 2021. It details the CRC's increasing focus on state obligations to mitigate climate change, the role of financial and business actors in environmental harm, and the development of a forthcoming General Comment on children's rights and the environment.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (GI-ESCR) synthesizes the activities of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) regarding climate change during 2020 and 2021. It details the Committee's use of the State reporting procedure to address mitigation, adaptation, extractive activities, and climate finance, while also reviewing the Committee's General Comments on science and land rights.

This research paper presents preliminary findings from a social impact assessment in Umeå, Sweden, examining how stakeholders perceive the transition to a circular economy (CE). The authors argue that current circular city strategies are overly technocentric and neglect social dimensions, recommending a broader approach that considers job quality, accessibility, and personal and property rights to ensure a socially inclusive transition.

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) describes COP26 in Glasgow as a failure that prioritized 'false solutions' and corporate interests over the immediate action required to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The statement highlights the exclusion of civil society and Indigenous Peoples, the inadequacy of climate finance for the global South, and the failure of negotiated texts to commit to a full phase-out of fossil fuels, despite groundbreaking side-initiatives.

This briefing by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) proposes a methodology to track incremental energy efficiency investments in certified green buildings. Using a global database of over 16,000 certifications from 2019-2020, the report argues that current green certifications are often inconsistent indicators of actual energy performance and that energy efficiency investments represent only a small fraction of total building construction costs.

This policy brief by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) argues that the increasing import of fracked natural gas liquids (NGLs)—specifically ethane and propane—from the United States to Europe is undermining the European Union's climate and plastics reduction goals. The document details the supply chain from US fracking basins to European petrochemical plants and contends that current EU regulations, such as the Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), contain loopholes that allow the plastics industry to offshore emissions and avoid carbon pricing.

This policy brief examines the development and implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, a legally binding global treaty designed to protect human health and the environment from mercury emissions and releases. It details the transition from regional marine protections to a comprehensive global framework, the specific challenges posed by artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), and the reasons why mercury was addressed separately from other toxic heavy metals like lead and cadmium.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute analyses the decarbonization potential of the heavy-duty vehicle sector in the EU up to 2030. It evaluates three indicative pathways to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, comparing the EU's 'Fit for 55' plan, an adjusted IEA scenario, and a linear reduction pathway. The authors conclude that while individual measures like electrification, energy efficiency, and biofuels are available, they must be combined to achieve significant reductions, though even a combined approach falls short of the most aggressive linear pathway to zero.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) identifies perceived knowledge gaps and barriers hindering the adoption of 'gridless' (decentralized) water, sanitation, and energy services. Based on workshops with 48 global stakeholders, the report argues that project failures often stem from socio-technical and systemic issues—such as regulatory mismatches, lack of user-centric design, and unsustainable business models—rather than technical performance.

The 'Eesti Vesiniku Teekaart' (Estonian Hydrogen Roadmap 2021–2050) outlines a strategic framework to integrate green hydrogen into Estonia's industry, energy, and transport sectors to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. The roadmap is divided into three phases: immediate piloting (2021–2025), scaling (2025–2030), and wide-scale adoption (2030–2050), focusing on leveraging Estonia's offshore wind potential and strategic location to build a sustainable hydrogen value chain.

This research paper argues that South Africa should adopt Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies to transition toward a cashless economy, thereby reducing the risks associated with cash-in-transit (CIT) hijackings and enhancing its investment appeal despite high rates of cybercrime.

This fact sheet by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the potential for a digital transition within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process. It explores how moving activities online could serve as a catalyst to improve the effectiveness, inclusiveness, and transparency of climate diplomacy, while identifying significant barriers such as a lack of trust among Parties and concerns over structural inequities.

This policy brief examines the success of the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol in phasing out ozone-depleting substances (ODS). It highlights the synergy between science, diplomacy, and the private sector, noting that the regime has not only facilitated the recovery of the ozone layer but has also provided significant climate co-benefits by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) evaluates the feasibility and desirability of transitioning United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meetings to online formats. Based on stakeholder surveys and interviews, it argues that while the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that many UNFCCC activities can be held virtually, a meaningful transition requires addressing deep-seated issues of trust, power imbalances, and the digital divide to avoid exacerbating existing inequities.

This policy brief examines the history and effectiveness of United Nations 'mega-conferences' on sustainable development, from the 1972 Stockholm Conference to Rio+20 in 2012. It analyzes how these events have attempted to integrate economic development, social equity, and environmental protection, while highlighting the persistent tensions between industrialized and developing nations regarding financial responsibility and the right to development.

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.

This briefing from the Stockholm Environment Institute discusses the role of public-private partnerships and international collaboration in decarbonizing heavy industry, highlighting the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT) and various policy mechanisms to address hard-to-abate sectors.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines Environmental Fiscal Reform (EFR) in the Nordic countries, highlighting how the alignment of taxes, subsidies, and spending has decoupled economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions and provided a model for post-pandemic economic recovery.