Search Climate Insights Directory

The report examines the role of the Global Stocktake (GST) in enhancing national climate action and international cooperation, specifically focusing on the alignment of finance flows under Articles 2.1c and 9 of the Paris Agreement. It highlights a significant shortfall in international climate finance for developing countries, particularly for adaptation and loss and damage. The study suggests that the GST could improve progress by standardising reporting metrics, bridging the gap between long-term strategies (LT-LEDS) and near-term Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and developing a registry for the demand and supply of climate finance. However, it notes that countries have not yet initiated preparations for the GST, indicating a need for better communication regarding its relevance.

Comparing 2021 and 2015 projections, G20 absolute emissions for 2030 are now expected to be 15% lower, with average annual growth rates slowing from 1.2% to 0.3%. Despite these improvements, collective emissions are still projected to increase until 2030, leaving the G20 off track to meet the 1.5 °C warming limit of the Paris Agreement.

An assessment of 29 Dutch companies and financial institutions reveals that none achieved a high or reasonable integrity rating for their climate targets. The 21 'real economy' businesses commit to an average emission reduction of only 19% by 2030, failing to meet the 50% reduction needed for a 1.5°C pathway. None of the assessed companies provided concrete, publicly accessible plans aligned with the Paris Agreement, and all eight financial institutions continue to finance fossil fuel value chains.

The report finds that updated NDCs from 156 countries provide an additional global emission reduction of approximately 3.8 to 3.9 GtCO2eq by 2030 compared to previous submissions. However, these reductions are insufficient to meet Paris Agreement temperature goals, needing to be three to seven times greater to align with 2 °C or 1.5 °C targets. If unconditional NDCs are implemented, global emissions are projected to peak by 2025 and remain about 3% above 2015 levels by 2030.

The Net Zero Stocktake 2022 finds that while net zero target setting has expanded significantly—particularly among national governments and large companies—there is an 'alarming lack of credibility' across the landscape. Fewer than one-fifth of national and sub-national targets meet minimum procedural robustness standards, and 65% of corporate targets similarly fail these standards. The report highlights a widespread lack of transparency regarding the use of external offset credits and a deficiency in covering Scope 3 emissions among companies.

The NewClimate Institute suggests that the first Global Stocktake (GST) adopt performance distributions to visualise greenhouse gas emissions and other indicators. This method allows for the assessment of collective progress without singling out individual countries, while still enabling national-level benchmarking and public scrutiny. Using PRIMAP-hist data as an example, the briefing shows that while 54 countries have seen emissions decline over the past five years, others continue to increase emissions at rates of nearly 10% per year.

A briefing by the NewClimate Institute analyzing how government responses to the energy crisis caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine may jeopardize the 1.5°C temperature limit of the Paris Agreement.

The briefing reports that 2030 climate target updates have stalled since COP26, leaving the world on track for 2.4°C of warming based on current targets and 2.7°C based on current policies. Despite the Glasgow Climate Pact's request for governments to strengthen their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by the end of 2022, no major emitter has updated its target. The report highlights a significant emissions gap, noting that global emissions in 2030 would be twice as high as the 1.5°C limit allows without increased action. It suggests four pathways for governments to update targets: full NDC updates, expanding NDC coverage (specifically for China regarding non-CO2 gases), participating in new sectoral initiatives, or implementing policies to overachieve existing targets.

The report argues that governments are reacting to the energy crisis by prioritizing short-term fossil fuel security over long-term decarbonization, risking a 'gold rush' for new gas infrastructure and domestic production. While some progress in renewables and green hydrogen is noted, the authors highlight a prevalence of 'bad practices' such as fossil fuel subsidies, tax cuts for petrol, and the expansion of LNG facilities. The document provides a framework of 'do's and don'ts', urging governments to instead focus on energy efficiency, electrification, behavioral changes, and the reinvestment of fossil fuel windfall profits into clean energy to avoid stranded assets and irreversible warming.

A fact sheet by the NewClimate Institute arguing that natural gas cannot sustainably meet Africa's energy demands and that the continent should instead transition to renewable energy to avoid stranded assets and economic risks.

The report contends that natural gas expansion in Africa contradicts the Paris Agreement and poses significant economic and environmental risks. It argues that renewable energy is more cost-effective and creates more sustainable employment than the fossil fuel industry. Through case studies of Egypt, Nigeria, and Senegal, the document demonstrates that shifting from gas-based power to high-renewable scenarios would increase job creation and, in the case of Egypt, significantly reduce premature deaths from air pollution. It concludes that developed nations must stop financing fossil fuels and increase climate finance to support Africa's transition to zero-emissions energy systems.

The report identifies a range of urban mobility mitigation measures for Georgia, categorising them by mitigation potential, cost, and readiness. While 'low-hanging fruit' options exist in public transport and demand reduction, the report highlights significant financing barriers for municipalities, particularly smaller ones. It argues that the absence of a national transport coordinating entity hinders the flow of international finance and the development of necessary project appraisals.

The report evaluates Georgia's greenhouse gas (GHG) emission strategies, specifically analyzing the 2030 National Climate Strategy and 2021-2023 Action Plan (CSAP). It identifies policy gaps across various sectors and proposes up to three priority mitigation areas per sector, supported by international examples, cost estimates, and technical analysis needs to guide policymakers and climate finance donors.

The report identifies various low-cost mitigation measures for Georgia's agriculture sector, noting that cropland actions like low tillage and organic production are hindered by land-tenure regulation, while livestock measures are limited by the small scale of farming.

The analysis examines the replacement of 3.4GW of coal capacity at Suralaya with solar PV, noting that while a four-year replacement is possible, a lack of concerted effort could cause delays of 7-10 years. The document emphasizes that the scale of benefits depends on the speed of implementation and requires coordinated action from the government, PLN, and banks, alongside international support aligned with domestic efforts.

The document argues that the rapid clean energy transition creates winners and losers, necessitating a granular benefits analysis to ensure social and political buy-in. It proposes a practical approach with five entry points for scenario modelling to identify who bears costs and who benefits, aiming to avoid new injustices and alleviate existing ones to support more ambitious national climate targets.

The analysis of nearly 2,500 measures from 26 key emitters reveals that only 22% of fiscal stimulus spending was allocated to low-carbon measures, while 35% supported the status quo and 4% supported high-carbon measures. The report concludes that collective recovery actions are inadequate relative to climate urgency and long-term commitments, noting that most low-carbon spending will likely only yield emission reductions after 2030.

The document analyzes the landscape of non-state and subnational climate action in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting the role of cities, companies, and international cooperative initiatives in mitigating deforestation in the Amazon.

The Corporate Climate Responsibility Monitor 2022 finds that most of the 25 major global companies assessed have net-zero pledges that lack integrity, with aggregate emissions targeted for reduction by only 40% at most. While 15 companies report interim targets for 2030, the average reduction commitment for full value chain emissions is only 23%. Scope 3 emissions average 87% of total emissions, yet only 8 companies provide moderate detail on addressing them. The report notes a heavy reliance on unbundled renewable energy certificates (RECs) and contentious offsetting plans, particularly nature-based solutions, while suggesting that 'climate contributions' without neutrality claims are an emerging alternative.

The document outlines a framework for sector-level climate planning, arguing that such processes are essential for achieving the Paris Agreement and providing the necessary data for Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Long-Term Strategies (LTSs). It emphasizes that aligning planning across sectoral, national, and international levels creates synergies and enables more informed decision-making.