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The report argues that Concentrating Solar Thermal power (CST) is a viable large-scale, zero-carbon alternative to coal-fired power, particularly when combined with thermal storage to meet baseload demand. While currently more expensive than coal, costs are expected to decline through technology learning, R&D in materials and optical design, and economies of scale from larger plants. The document highlights that a carbon price of approximately $115 per ton of CO2 would make CST with 6 hours of storage economically competitive with coal. It emphasizes the need for stable policy support, such as feed-in tariffs, to bridge the current cost gap and calls for increased deployment in rapidly developing economies like China and India to alter their emissions trajectories. Additionally, the report notes that widespread CST adoption requires improved transmission infrastructure, specifically federal coordination in the U.S. and links between the EU and North Africa.

An analysis of Hanoi's transport master plan indicates that emissions could have been stabilized at 2005 levels by 2020 through increased public transportation and stricter emission standards. Conversely, the study warns that failing to restrain individual vehicle growth, specifically the shift from two-wheelers to cars, would lead to significant increases in fuel use and severe urban congestion.

The paper examines three state-level solar irrigation schemes in India to identify lessons for Tamil Nadu's implementation of PM KUSUM Component C. It highlights challenges in farmer financing, trust in solar technology, and the impact of feed-in tariffs on water conservation, while recommending robust monitoring and adequate tariff assessments.

The document analyzes 15 different funds to identify best practices for the Green Climate Fund (GCF) as it develops its formal allocation system. It argues that while no universal model exists, the GCF should balance bottom-up country ownership with top-down global climate benefit tests, prioritize long-term transformational impacts over immediate low-cost reductions, and use ex-post adjustments to ensure equity for low-capacity countries. Additionally, it suggests a balanced approach to flexibility, potentially offering more predictability for adaptation and more flexibility for mitigation.

The document identifies that Integrated Resource Plans (IRPs) are critical for solar development and customer clean energy targets, but are often hindered by outdated technology assumptions and unfair modeling practices. It aims to inform large-scale customers, utilities, and regulators about these barriers to increase solar energy in the grid mix.

The research examines renewable energy (RE) procurement among 101 corporate and 185 SME consumers across five Indian states. It finds a dominant preference for on-site solutions, with large corporations favoring open access off-site projects due to higher capital and energy needs. Green Tariffs (GTs) face low awareness—up to 82% of corporate consumers and 94% of SMEs are unaware of them—and poor acceptability, as 62% of corporate and 55% of SME consumers are unwilling to pay a premium for GTs. The paper recommends that state energy departments restructure GT models with lower premiums and fiscal incentives, while utilities should act as information disseminators to prevent C&I consumers from migrating from the grid.

The document presents a framework for aggregating localized water-risk scores into national and river basin-level rankings to support administrative decision-making and financial portfolio evaluation. It focuses on five objective physical indicators: baseline water stress, inter-annual variability, seasonal variability, flood occurrence (1985-2011), and drought severity (1901-2008). The rankings exclude subjective factors such as water governance, investment, or conservation efforts.

The document outlines a 'great balancing act' consisting of three simultaneous needs: closing the food calorie gap, ensuring agriculture drives inclusive economic development, and reducing the environmental impact of food production. It proposes a 'menu' of combined solutions, such as reducing food waste and restoring degraded lands, to achieve a sustainable food future.

The document examines how water risks—driven by population growth, economic expansion, and climate change—contribute to political instability and food insecurity. It identifies three primary pathways to water insecurity: diminished supply or quality, increased demand, and extreme flood events. The text emphasizes that water crises are contributing factors rather than sole causes of conflict, with outcomes heavily dependent on a community's governance capacity and resilience. Proposed mitigation strategies include improving irrigation efficiency, implementing water demand caps, and strengthening governance systems.

The paper examines the challenges of channeling adaptation finance to vulnerable communities, noting a disconnect between national priorities and local needs. It recommends enhancing coordination, clarifying adaptation tagging criteria, and building local capacity to improve the transparency and effectiveness of fund disbursement.

The document examines the difficulties of ensuring adaptation finance reaches the local level and the most vulnerable people. It introduces a framework for assessing finance delivery and notes that the Adaptation Finance Accountability Initiative (AFAI) analyzes specific finance flows in Nepal, the Philippines, Uganda, and Zambia to determine how funds are used and who receives them.

The analysis of 22 Indian companies with science-based targets (SBTs) indicates that full implementation could reduce India's total 2030 GHG emissions by 0.51% to 0.62% and industry sector emissions by 1.89% to 2.4%. Between 2021 and 2030, achieving these SBTs would result in cumulative reductions of 165.9 million MtCO2e in Scope 1 and 15.8 million MtCO2e in Scope 2, slowing the average annual emissions growth rate from a business-as-usual 3.89% to 3.07%. The paper also finds that companies with prior sustainability goals, such as energy efficiency or renewable energy targets, are more likely to adopt absolute-emissions-based SBTs.

The document assesses the liability and financial responsibility frameworks for carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), noting that significant jurisdictional differences at the state level are likely to impact the siting, construction, and operation of these projects.

The research examines how contractual frameworks for coal-fired power plants in Indonesia, Pakistan, and Vietnam create financial barriers to early retirement, noting that host countries risk onerous fines from arbitration courts if they break contracts to meet climate targets.

The document outlines a strategy for Guangdong Province to implement a reporting scheme for enterprise energy consumption and GHG emissions to inform government decision-making on low-carbon development. It suggests a three-step policy roadmap and identifies existing tools, such as the WRI GHG Protocol Tool and the Guangdong GHG Information Management Platform, as means to implement the first stage.

The document identifies six critical ecosystem challenges—water scarcity, climate change, habitat change, biodiversity loss and invasive species, overexploitation of oceans, and nutrient overloading—that threaten the integrity of ecosystems and the services they provide to businesses. It references the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA), which found that human activity has altered ecosystems faster and more extensively than ever before in the last 50 years and that the majority of the 24 assessed ecosystem services are degraded. The MA categorizes these services into provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting services.

The document examines next-generation geothermal technologies—including enhanced geothermal systems, closed-loop, and superhot systems—which differ from conventional methods by drilling into hot rocks lacking natural fluid or permeability. While these technologies offer potential for 24/7 clean electricity globally and in the United States, their commercialization requires cost reductions, the mitigation of environmental risks, and the resolution of financing and permitting barriers.

The document identifies a significant global trend toward expanding coal-fired power capacity, with 1,199 new plants proposed across 59 countries. China and India are the primary drivers of this expansion, accounting for 76% of proposed new capacities. The analysis also highlights a shift in the global coal trade from Atlantic to Pacific markets, prompting infrastructure expansions in countries like Australia.

The document outlines a roadmap for expanding trees outside forests (ToF) in India, highlighting the potential for 80 million hectares of such trees to sequester 3.4 Gt CO2e by 2040. By analyzing policy incentives in Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, and Telangana, the paper identifies barriers and enabling conditions for agroforestry and other ToF approaches. It recommends landscape-level restoration strategies, the protection of traditional ToF systems, targeted support for women and marginalized groups, and an improved enabling environment to motivate practitioners.

The document analyzes China's domestic monitoring of climate policies, specifically those aimed at reducing energy use growth and fossil fuel dependence, to inform the international community's approach to measuring, reporting, and verifying (MRV) Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) under the Bali Action Plan.