Search Climate Insights Directory

A coalition of organisations calls on the European Council and EU Member States to protect the integrity of the EU ETS against short-term political intervention. The letter argues that stable carbon pricing is essential for low-carbon industrial investment and warns that weakening the system would increase regulatory risks and financing costs. The signatories demand the maintenance of the agreed cap trajectory for 2030 and 2040 targets, the upholding of the polluter pays principle regarding the phase-out of free allocations, and the strategic use of auction revenues and the Innovation Fund to avoid fossil-based lock-in.

The IEJ argues that the Just Transition Mechanism must be equity-oriented, grant-based, and non-prescriptive to support developing countries' national priorities. It emphasizes the need for technical assistance that covers labour markets and social protection, and calls for governance that ensures the participation of affected stakeholders and avoids exacerbating debt burdens.

The report assesses how the African Organization for Standardisation (ARSO) can align its regional agriculture and forestry standards with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) to protect market access for African producers. While ARSO possesses a strong governance framework and chain-of-custody requirements, it lacks mandatory forest conversion cut-off dates, plot-level geolocation mapping, and public transparency regarding audit methods. The document argues that updating these standards to match EUDR's strict no-exemption rules and data requirements is essential for African exporters to meet compliance deadlines by late 2026 for large companies and mid-2027 for smaller enterprises.

The Dominican Republic faces high electricity costs and grid instability due to a heavy reliance on imported fossil fuels, which account for nearly 83% of generation. While rooftop solar exists, it is concentrated among the wealthiest 4.5% of the population, creating an unequal transition that erodes utility revenues and increases government subsidy burdens. To address this, the Convite Solar initiative uses a community-led model based on standardized, modular systems installed through collective labor and local training. A pilot in Nizao has demonstrated success in reducing household bills and increasing resilience during blackouts. The model proposes redirecting a portion of the $2 billion annual government electricity subsidies toward equipment costs and cooperative financing to scale distributed generation across the Caribbean.

In February 2026, intense rainfall in Minas Gerais, Brazil, caused over 70 deaths and displaced nearly 10,000 people, with Juiz de Fora being the most affected city. While climate models project a 7% increase in February rainfall with future warming, the immediate severity of the disaster was driven by high social vulnerability and unplanned urban expansion on steep slopes. Risk assessments had previously identified 130,000 residents in high-risk zones in Juiz de Fora. The study found that while early warnings were issued, topographical constraints and a lack of evacuation options hindered their effectiveness.

The report examines Africa's green technology transition in 2025, highlighting how tightening global trade rules, such as the EU's CBAM and the uncertainty surrounding AGOA, alongside the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, have created economic pressures. It details multilateral outcomes from COP30, including the Belém Package's goal to triple adaptation finance by 2035, and continental efforts like the African Single Electricity Market and the goal to mobilise $50 billion annually for climate solutions. The text emphasizes the critical need for affordable decarbonisation finance and measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) capacity to prevent the marginalisation of African firms.

The report examines Africa's green tech transition in 2025, highlighting the challenges posed by the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, and the expiration of AGOA. It details continental efforts to mobilize $50 billion annually for climate solutions and the progress toward an African Single Electricity Market, while noting the emerging role of AI in climate action and the need for a just transition to prevent the marginalization of smaller firms.

Analysis of USA National Phenology Network data shows that first spring leaves now emerge earlier in 88% of 242 major U.S. cities, shifting by an average of six days since 1981. This trend, combined with a freeze-free growing season that has stretched 21 days longer on average across 173 cities between 1970 and 2025, extends allergy seasons and increases the risk of 'false spring' crop losses. Ecological disruptions include potential mismatches between bird migration and the peak abundance of food sources.

Europe experienced its coldest January since 2010, with temperatures 1.63°C above the 1991-2020 mean, though regional variations were significant. Forecasts for March-May 2026 project warmer-than-average temperatures across the continent, particularly in eastern and southeastern Europe, and generally weakly positive precipitation anomalies.

The author contends that the Trump administration's approval of BP's Kaskida project, an ultra-deepwater drilling venture in the Gulf, risks a disaster similar to Deepwater Horizon and exacerbates toxic air pollution in refinery hubs like Port Arthur, Texas. The text highlights that Kaskida could access 10 billion barrels of oil but carries a six-fold increase in incident risk compared to other deepwater projects, with a potential worst-case spill of 4.5 million barrels. The author criticizes the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management for a limited 10-day public comment period and argues against new drilling given that the U.S. is already producing record levels of oil.

In 2025, renewable energy reduced annual household electricity bills in Türkiye by an average of 9%, with some monthly savings reaching 17%. While renewables lowered wholesale prices by up to 45%, the full benefit is not passed to consumers due to regulated tariff structures and the lack of hourly demand-side management for residential users. The report suggests that implementing demand-side management could double annual household savings to 15.7%, and removing the zero-price floor to allow negative pricing would further lower costs.

In 2025, renewable energy reduced annual electricity bills for households in Türkiye by an average of 9%, with some monthly savings reaching 17%. While renewables lowered wholesale electricity prices by up to 45%, the benefit to end-consumers is limited by a regulated tariff structure. The report highlights that 2.5 million households are expected to transition to the non-subsidized Last Resort Supply Tariff (LRST) in 2026, potentially doubling their bills, though renewable growth may mitigate this. Additionally, implementing hourly demand-side management could increase annual household savings to 15.7%, equivalent to two months of bills.

The document explains how a warming atmosphere and oceans fuel more powerful thunderstorms, leading to stronger straight-line winds and a shift in 'Tornado Alley' toward the Eastern US. It highlights the economic toll, noting that severe weather accounted for 91% of billion-dollar disasters in the US in 2025, and encourages newsrooms to use attribution studies and local data to illustrate these climate connections.

As part of the SUNCASA project, AVEGA Agahozo implemented a childcare program at tree nurseries in Kigali, Rwanda, for children aged 9 to 35 months. The initiative addresses barriers to women's participation in nature-based solutions (NbS) by providing safe, on-site care through a rotation of parents and caregivers. The program includes early childhood development training for parents and the creation of toys from recycled materials, aiming to increase the productivity of mothers and ensure the safety and development of their children.

The report argues that rural Canadian communities face disproportionate challenges in climate adaptation due to limited financial and human resources, a lack of technical expertise in nature-based solutions, and gaps in vulnerability data. It highlights that while adaptation planning has increased, implementation often stalls after consultancy phases. To address this, the authors advocate for tailored financing, the integration of climate resilience into all new infrastructure investments, and a 'multi-solving' approach that addresses climate, biodiversity, and housing crises simultaneously.

The statement argues that the Alberta government's $46 million investment in tailings remediation is inadequate given the 1.7 trillion litres of tailings and billions in toxic liabilities. The signatories claim the funding is used to justify industry expansion and express concern that treated tailings may be released into watersheds, potentially harming downstream Indigenous communities. They further highlight discrepancies in water use data and reports of significant underreporting of toxic pollution from dried tailings.

The IEJ argues that the 2026 Budget fails to reverse a decade of austerity, instead implementing further cuts to non-interest spending and underinvesting in infrastructure and social services. The report criticizes the National Treasury's reliance on private sector investment and 'trickle-down economics,' noting that projected growth of 1.8% is insufficient to keep pace with labour force growth. The IEJ proposes increasing revenue through a net wealth tax and redirecting tax breaks for high-income earners, while calling for the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) to provide concessional debt for strategic industries, including green industrialisation. Additionally, the document critiques the Targeted and Responsible Savings (TARS) initiative and the Gender Budget Statement for failing to address structural inequalities and food insecurity.

The document outlines a framework for transitioning away from fossil fuels (TAFF), emphasizing that roadmaps must be anchored in scientific alignment, the CBDR-RC principle, and national ownership. It argues that national plans should integrate energy access, subsidy reform, and economic diversification, while international efforts require structured producer-consumer coordination and reform of global finance systems. The guide aims to support 2026 initiatives, including the Brazilian COP 30 Presidency's global roadmap, to address the misalignment between current fossil fuel production plans and climate science.

The statement asserts that gender inequality is reinforced by patriarchy, colonialism, and corporate power, which exacerbate the impacts of environmental destruction on women. It calls for global action to protect environmental defenders, end militarization, and invest in universal care systems to achieve a just transition and systemic change.

The statement asserts that gender injustice is deeply linked to environmental destruction and systemic oppression rooted in patriarchy, colonialism, and corporate power. It highlights that women and gender-diverse people are disproportionately affected by ecosystem collapse and militarisation but are also leading resistance efforts. The document calls for governments to protect environmental defenders, end militarisation, and invest in universal care services.