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The U.S. chemical manufacturing sector accounts for 2.9% of total U.S. emissions, totaling 186 MMT CO2e. Decarbonization strategies include process electrification (such as electric steam crackers), replacing fossil-based feedstocks with clean hydrogen or bio-based inputs, and deploying carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS). To accelerate these transitions, the document recommends that states implement supplemental tax incentives for CCUS and hydrogen, establish public procurement commitments for low-carbon chemicals, and offer accelerated depreciation for low-carbon equipment.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) urges the European Commission to implement mandatory Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) programs and strict venting/flaring standards across the domestic oil and gas supply chain. CATF argues that the EU must not delay emission reductions while waiting for better measurement and reporting, citing successful precedents in North America. Furthermore, the document emphasizes that achieving carbon neutrality requires the EU to leverage its buying power to reduce methane emissions from imported oil and gas through legally binding import standards or economic structures.

The study evaluates 19 scenarios for decarbonising Poland's power system by 2050, concluding that a technology-inclusive strategy is essential for reliability and cost-effectiveness. It identifies wind and solar as cornerstones but emphasizes the need for 'clean firm power' to replace coal, which currently provides 70% of dispatchable generation. The report warns that excluding options like nuclear power or carbon capture could triple the required energy infrastructure and significantly increase costs. Key recommendations include expanding onshore wind to approximately 70 GW, establishing a nuclear fleet exceeding 8 GW, and implementing natural gas plants with carbon capture.

The report argues that Poland must adopt a technology-inclusive strategy to decarbonise its power system, as relying on a narrow set of technologies increases costs and infrastructure requirements. Modelling indicates that while wind and solar are cornerstones, 'clean firm power' from nuclear and gas with carbon capture and storage (CCS) is essential for reliability. The study warns that excluding nuclear or CCS could triple necessary transmission infrastructure and increase system costs. To meet 2050 targets, Poland needs to accelerate onshore wind deployment to a peak of 7 GW/year and establish a nuclear fleet exceeding 8 GW.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) advocates for the European Commission to prioritize next-generation geothermal technologies—such as Engineered Geothermal Systems (EGS), closed-loop systems (Advanced Geothermal Systems), and superhot rock systems—within the EU Action Plan on Geothermal Energy. These technologies, which access heat from deeper and hotter crustal layers (above 374°C), offer higher energy density and can be deployed more widely than traditional geothermal energy. CATF recommends a bold R&D agenda, the establishment of financial risk-sharing mechanisms via the European Investment Bank, the creation of a standardized permitting template based on Germany's Geothermal Acceleration Law, and the development of an EU-wide geothermal data repository to attract private capital and accelerate deployment by the early 2030s.

The Fossil Fuel Regulatory Programme (FFRP), run by the CCAC and CATF, provides technical and regulatory support to up to 20 governments eligible for official development assistance between 2024 and 2027. The programme focuses on closing policy gaps to reduce methane emissions from the energy sector, offering services such as national inventory development via the Country Methane Abatement Tool (CoMAT), remote sensing capacity building, and leak detection and repair (LDAR) demonstrations. The FFRP explicitly excludes funding for private sector stakeholders or projects that extend fossil fuel operations. The document highlights that abating methane in the fossil fuel sector could avoid up to 0.1 °C of warming by 2050 and generate $260 billion in direct economic benefits by preventing premature deaths and crop losses.

The document argues that for Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) to maintain industrial competitiveness and meet climate targets, it must rapidly deploy carbon capture and storage (CCS). A critical barrier is the current reliance on exporting CO2 to the North Sea, which increases costs; the report finds that developing domestic storage could reduce deployment costs by 23% to 48%. To bridge the funding gap between high deployment costs and the EU ETS price, the brief recommends a 'Coordinator' role for governments to align value chains, leverage EU funds like the Innovation Fund and Connecting Europe Facility, and implement de-risking tools such as carbon contracts for difference (CCfDs). Case studies of the Porthos (Netherlands) and Northern Lights (Norway) projects illustrate how layered public-private financing, including state-owned enterprise (SOE) participation and capital grants, can lead to final investment decisions.

The U.S. iron and steel sector accounts for 1.0% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, totaling 63 MMT CO2e. While 70% of U.S. steel is already produced via electric arc furnaces (EAFs), which emit 75–90% less CO2 than blast furnaces when using clean energy, the remaining 30% of production relies on coal-fired blast furnaces. Key decarbonization pathways include expanding EAF capacity, deploying carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) for existing blast furnaces, and scaling hydrogen-based direct reduced iron (H2-DRI). Recommended state-level policies include providing low-interest loans or grants for capital financing, setting low-carbon procurement standards for public projects, and supporting clean hydrogen hub development.

The petroleum refining sector accounts for 2.6% of total U.S. emissions, totaling 164 MMT CO2e, with 136 facilities classified as high-emitting. Decarbonization pathways include energy efficiency upgrades, fuel-switching to alternatives like renewable diesel and biogas, and the deployment of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), particularly at fluid catalytic crackers. To support these transitions, the document recommends that states implement supplemental tax incentives for CCUS and clean hydrogen, expand accelerated depreciation for low-carbon retrofits, and provide capacity-building support such as permitting assistance and workforce training.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) argues that while SMRs are critical for the EU's 2050 climate neutrality goal, current frameworks are inadequate. The proposed roadmap includes: (I) a dedicated EU SMR Strategy to ensure technology neutrality; (II) streamlining State Aid approvals to a six-month limit and adopting diverse financing models like Regulated Asset Base (RAB) and Mankala; and (III) coordinating international finance via the European Investment Bank (EIB). CATF emphasizes the need for 'fast mover' technology selection to achieve economies of scale, noting that factory-based construction could reduce costs by 20–25% and delivery times by 50%. The brief also highlights a significant workforce gap, estimating a need for 180,000–250,000 new professionals by 2050.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) advocates for the inclusion of 'blue' hydrogen in the UK's sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) mandate, arguing that biofuels and 'green' hydrogen alone cannot meet the sector's energy demands or the 2030 target of 10% SAF. CATF asserts that 'blue' hydrogen is more scalable and cost-effective than 'green' hydrogen and can achieve comparable lifecycle emissions if high carbon capture rates and strict methane leakage controls are implemented. The document provides cost comparisons and estimates the significant renewable energy capacity that would be required if the mandate were met solely through 'green' hydrogen.

The document outlines the necessity of shared CO2 transport and storage 'hubs' to enable the decarbonization of emissions-intensive industries and the deployment of Direct Air Capture in the U.S. It identifies critical barriers—including high costs, a 'chicken-and-egg' challenge between capture and transport, and the need for future-proof capacity—and proposes the SCALE Act as a solution. The Act includes programs for cost-sharing storage hubs, increased EPA permitting funding, FEED grants, and low-interest loans via the CO2 Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (CIFIA). The text notes that while the U.S. has 5,000 miles of existing CO2 pipelines, it lacks the comprehensive federal policy support seen in Canada, the EU, Norway, the UK, and Australia.

The guide establishes a four-stage methodology (planning, design, field, and analysis) for municipalities to collect reliable data on waste generation, density, and composition. It categorizes municipalities by population size and distinguishes between household and non-household generators. The framework was piloted in Cayambe and Puerto López, providing data on per capita generation and organic content to inform national sustainable waste management policies.

The document critiques the over-reliance on Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCOE) in EU energy policy, noting that while it provides a project-level cost snapshot, it fails to account for system-wide needs, dispatchability, and the full cost to ratepayers. It advocates for a systems-level approach that integrates diverse generation, storage, and demand-response technologies to ensure a reliable, low-carbon grid.

The report argues that Poland requires a stable, enduring regulatory framework and a diversified technology portfolio to achieve a resilient and socially responsible energy transition. It proposes four guiding principles: technology optionality, proactive long-term infrastructure planning, public participation to ensure social fairness, and cross-regional and international cooperation. Specific policy recommendations include accelerating the departure from coal by combining onshore wind with nuclear energy and gas equipped with carbon capture and storage (CCS), advancing first CCS projects to Final Investment Decision, and exploring Small Modular Reactors (SMR) and superhot rock geothermal energy (above 400 degrees Celsius) for firm power and heat.

The document outlines the established safety protocols for transporting ammonia by sea and the necessary developments for its adoption as a marine fuel, emphasizing the management of its toxicity.

The US Renewable Fuel Standard increases demand for ethanol and biodiesel, leading to a higher proportion of US farmland being used for biofuel crops like corn and soybeans. Because global food demand remains constant, this displacement causes farmers in countries such as Brazil to convert grazing land to cropland, which in turn pushes ranchers to clear and burn forested land for livestock, releasing large volumes of CO2.

The Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376) allocates $555 billion to climate change and clean energy to reduce emissions by over one billion metric tons by 2030. The legislation employs a sector-wide approach, providing tax credits and grants for zero-emission vehicles, clean hydrogen, carbon capture (via enhanced 45Q credits), and renewable energy. It specifically targets the decarbonization of heavy industry, the power sector—including support for existing nuclear plants—and agricultural and forestry sequestration, while directing 40% of investment benefits to disadvantaged communities.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) seeks $20 million over three years to accelerate the global deployment of carbon management technologies by 2050. The organization focuses on establishing government-funded innovation and commercialization programs in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia. CATF argues that carbon capture is essential for decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors like cement, steel, and aviation, and for achieving negative emissions. Current deployment is hindered by cost barriers, technology risks, and a lack of infrastructure and pollution standards. In the U.S., CATF leverages the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, while in Europe, it advocates for a comprehensive EU policy framework to scale up the approximately 70 planned projects. The strategy involves using first-mover nations to drive cost reductions and learning, which will then facilitate technology transfer to emerging markets in Asia and other regions.

The analysis identifies a significant gap between announced CO2 capture ambitions and the development of geological storage capacity in Europe, particularly in the short term. While Europe possesses a theoretical storage potential of approximately 507 Gt, the time required to develop storage sites (5 to 15 years) lags behind the faster implementation of capture projects. By 2025, a shortage of around 15 Mt/year is expected, and by 2030, the gap widens to approximately 40 Mt/year, with available capacity meeting only half of the 82 Mt/year demand. The report notes that many capture projects are concentrated in industrial clusters, but several countries—including Belgium, France, Germany, Poland, and Sweden—have no announced storage projects despite capture ambitions, necessitating cross-border storage solutions.