Search Climate Insights Directory

The report analyzes India's energy subsidy landscape in FY 2025 and FY 2026, highlighting a significant imbalance where fossil fuel subsidies are three times higher than clean energy subsidies. It details the fiscal strain on state governments due to rising electricity subsidies and the vulnerability of the national budget to global LPG and crude oil price volatility caused by conflict in the Gulf. The analysis argues for a strategic shift from recurring fossil fuel subsidies to one-time capital investments in renewable energy, electric cooking, and electric mobility to enhance energy security and fiscal sustainability.

The report evaluates a pilot project by Oorja Development Solutions that integrated solar milling services with existing solar irrigation infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh. Findings indicate that while solar mills reduce costs and travel distances for households, sustained adoption is hindered by operational issues such as operator unavailability and inconsistent grinding quality. The study highlights positive shifts in women's mobility and autonomy due to the proximity of the mills, as well as dietary improvements from more frequent, small-batch processing. It recommends that Indian policy frameworks, specifically PM-KUSUM, be expanded to incentivize multi-use solar systems and gender-inclusive designs.

The evaluation of solar-powered community mills in Uttar Pradesh shows that utilizing idle solar irrigation capacity for milling reduces costs and travel distances for smallholders while improving food freshness. While the project yielded modest gains in women's autonomy and mobility, sustained adoption was hindered by operational challenges such as operator unavailability and infrastructure issues. The document recommends integrating secondary-use models into India's PM-KUSUM scheme to optimize solar asset utilization.

The document argues that while India has expanded clean cooking via LPG subsidies, this pathway creates fiscal burdens and import dependencies. It advocates for a shift toward biogas in rural regions and e-cooking in urban areas, noting that both are more cost-effective over their lifecycles than LPG. The brief provides evidence from fieldwork in several Indian states and cities, highlighting that e-cooking could save the government over INR 2 trillion in subsidies by 2050. Key barriers identified include high upfront costs and inadequate maintenance services, which the authors suggest addressing through redirected subsidies and decentralized service centers.

The report details a randomized control trial (RCT) involving 242 SunCulture customers in Kenya to test whether providing free electric pressure cookers (EPCs) powered by solar irrigation batteries could reduce reliance on polluting fuels. The pilot found that while EPCs are feasible and generally liked, their adoption is hindered by intra-household gender dynamics—where men typically control battery use while women control cooking—and competition with other appliances like televisions. Although the intervention increased EPC usage by 49 percentage points, the impact on displacing traditional fuels like firewood and charcoal was not statistically significant, likely due to the availability of LPG among the relatively wealthier study participants. The authors recommend integrating secondary-use mechanisms into solar irrigation programs, redirecting LPG subsidies toward e-cooking, and developing 'priority ports' to ensure energy is allocated to cooking.

The study found that using solar irrigation systems for secondary cooking purposes is feasible, with 63% of treated households using EPCs at least once weekly. While EPCs modestly reduced reliance on traditional fuels and increased battery electricity consumption by up to 26% among active users, adoption was constrained by limited battery capacity, competing energy needs for entertainment, and gendered disparities in energy control. Education was the strongest predictor of adoption, and high price sensitivity suggests a need for targeted subsidies or financing to scale the technology.

The report argues that India's reliance on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and piped natural gas (PNG) creates energy security risks and fiscal burdens due to high import dependence and subsidies. It advocates for a shift toward decentralized biogas for rural households and e-cooking for urban areas to align with net-zero goals. Fieldwork in Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand shows that biogas is highly satisfactory and reduces firewood use by 70%, though high upfront costs remain a barrier. In urban centers like Delhi and Bengaluru, e-cooking is found to be cheaper in operational expenditure than LPG or PNG, with the potential to save the government up to INR 2.4 trillion in subsidies by 2050 under a high-growth scenario.

The report inventories 130 support measures across six energy types in Indonesia: oil and gas, coal, electricity, renewable energy, biofuels, and electric vehicles (EVs). It details various mechanisms including direct financial transfers, tax exemptions, and price regulations. For the period FY 2021 to FY 2024, 27% of these measures were quantified using official government data, while 64% remained unquantified due to data limitations. The annex provides specific legislative references and nominal values in IDR and USD for each measure.

The document outlines the transition of the EU CBAM from a reporting-only phase to a mandatory financial compliance phase starting January 1, 2026. It details the obligations for 'Authorised CBAM Declarants', the calculation of embedded emissions using either actual verified data or punitive default values, and the requirement to purchase CBAM certificates linked to EU ETS prices. The guide emphasizes the competitive advantage for low-carbon producers and provides a three-stage implementation checklist for exporters to minimize costs and ensure market access to the EU.

The document outlines a comprehensive approach for Canada to track the socio-economic impacts of its energy transition. It analyzes 19 specific indicators across economic exposure, institutional preparedness, and employment quality, while providing case studies from Scotland, South Africa, and Ireland to illustrate effective monitoring and evaluation (MEL) strategies. The guide emphasizes the need for transparent data collection, the inclusion of qualitative lived experiences, and the use of existing data systems to avoid delaying progress.

Laos has updated its Investment Promotion Law to reform the design and administration of tax incentives, moving away from overly generous and broad benefits that led to revenue leakage. With support from the IISD, the government introduced narrower eligibility criteria, capped incentive durations, and strengthened monitoring and screening processes to ensure investments align with sustainable development priorities and fiscal stability.

The Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) assessment of the SUNCASA project in Kigali finds that nature-based solutions—including afforestation, reforestation, agroforestry, riparian restoration, and urban tree planting—are highly cost-effective for climate adaptation. Over a 25-year period, these interventions yield a benefit-cost ratio of 2.09, with a payback period of 7 years. The primary benefits derive from reduced flood damage to urban infrastructure, alongside significant public health savings and a projected 30% increase in carbon storage (approximately 600,000 tons of carbon dioxide). The project targets 2,500 hectares across six micro-catchments and includes the planting of 85,000 urban trees to mitigate risks from extreme rainfall, heat, and soil erosion.

The document highlights the decline of natural water storage in the Canadian Prairies due to drainage and land conversion, which increases vulnerability to climate-driven extremes. It advocates for a combination of wetland conservation and constructed water retention projects to improve water security, reduce flood peaks, and enhance water quality. The brief provides specific examples of successful projects in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, while outlining a strategic framework for future expansion, including prioritized conservation and increased funding.

The assessment finds that nature-based solutions (NbS) in Kigali—including afforestation, reforestation, agroforestry, and urban tree planting—are economically viable, with a discounted benefit-to-cost ratio (BCR) of 2.09 and cumulative net benefits of RWF 17,039 million from 2025 to 2050. The primary economic driver is the avoidance of flood damage to infrastructure, valued at RWF 17,311 million, alongside significant intangible benefits from reduced water pollution and carbon sequestration. Sensitivity analyses indicate that higher valuations for carbon and water pollution further increase the project's economic viability, with BCRs reaching up to 2.94.

The document examines the risks of incorporating arbitration, specifically investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS), into the UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation (UN FCITC). It contrasts ISDS with mandatory binding arbitration (MBA) and the mutual agreement procedure (MAP), highlighting structural flaws in ISDS such as high costs, inconsistent decision-making, and 'regulatory chill'. Drawing on the prolonged reform efforts of UNCITRAL Working Group III, the brief warns that adopting complex arbitration mechanisms can lead to institutional lock-in and asymmetric influence in negotiations. It recommends that the UN FCITC include safeguards, such as carve-out clauses, to protect fiscal sovereignty and discourage the use of ISDS for tax disputes.

The report examines how mining-producer countries use local content policies to translate extractive activities into domestic economic development. Key findings indicate a primary focus on local employment and contracting, with a significant emphasis on benefits for communities near mine sites. While many governments employ mandatory requirements and incentives, the report identifies critical gaps in the use of 'rules of origin' and data-based monitoring tools. Despite challenges such as limited technical capacity and infrastructure deficits, the report concludes that these policies are generally successful when they balance local community benefits with national development and avoid unrealistic industry burdens.

The document details the global copper market, highlighting Chile as the top producer and China's dominance in refining and consumption. It examines the transition to electric vehicles as a demand driver, the challenges of end-of-life recycling, and the environmental risks associated with copper production, particularly water scarcity in producing regions.

The document details Canada's mining landscape, highlighting its significant reserves of potash, gold, and iron ore, and its strategic focus on critical minerals for the green and digital economies. It examines the sector's economic impact, where mining contributes 5% to GDP, and its environmental efforts to reduce GHG emissions. The report also outlines the regulatory environment, noting the shared jurisdiction between federal and provincial authorities and the importance of trade with the United States.

The document outlines a framework for the ethical application of Indigenous Knowledge in nature-based solutions and climate adaptation. It emphasizes the necessity of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), the recognition of Indigenous women's leadership, and the shift toward direct funding for Indigenous-led initiatives. The brief draws on global frameworks like the Rio Conventions and specific regional protocols to bridge the gap between policy principles and the practice of engaging Indigenous Knowledge Holders.

The document outlines a framework for the ethical mobilization of Indigenous knowledge in climate and nature projects, emphasizing rights-based approaches, the necessity of free, prior, and informed consent, and the importance of direct funding and leadership for Indigenous peoples, particularly women and youth.