Biden’s Climate Outlook – Year One
A review of the climate and energy actions the Biden administration can pursue in the first year of his term. After accumulating climate wins during his First 100 Days we covered in our last blog, President-elect Biden will want to build off of this momentum throughout the rest of 2021, before policymakers in Congress look […]
Biden’s Climate Path Through the 2022 Midterms
Joe Biden ran on a climate change agenda and has laid out his plans for early action, but what might the ‘medium-term’ for climate action and the 2022 midterms look like? Beyond 2021 Although the configuration of the current Senate is not yet decided, political operatives are already looking forward to the 2022 mid-term election. […]
The New Supreme Court and Climate
Although much of the national attention has been focused on the election, a change with long-term ramifications has occurred at the top level of America’s government in the Supreme Court. After a contentious process in the Judiciary Committee and an unsuccessful Democratic filibuster attempt on the Senate floor, the Senate voted 52-48 on October 26 […]
Could Biden Complete the Natural Gas Bridge?
Natural gas in the United States has become king. Might Biden end that? Natural gas has become king of the U.S. electrical grid. The fossil fuel’s ability to pair with the growing outputs from intermittent renewables and to beat coal on price has allowed natural gas to grow significantly over the past two decades. During […]
Sustainability Lessons Learned From Palm Oil
The palm oil industry has recently made progress on sustainability issues, but as producers emerge in Latin America, how can they use past lessons to continue improving the industry? This report reviews past lessons and the current state of the industry to provide clear recommendations for producers and civil society to protect forests.
A New Tool to Protect Forests: Strategic Litigation
A new approach to holding practitioners of illegal deforestation and other crimes accountable. Forests are the lungs of the Earth – nearly a third of all land is covered by them. Tropical forests are especially important as they support millions of species, trap carbon dioxide that would otherwise contribute to climate change, provide vital oxygen for […]
JPMorgan’s Opportunity to Address Deforestation
Where can JPMorgan find opportunities to address its exposure to deforestation? Climate campaigners have heightened awareness in recent years over the role of agricultural commodities in deforestation, which accounts for 15 percent of annual global emissions. This pressure from NGOs will only increase in the coming years. Companies operating in Brazil’s soy and beef industries […]
Spotlight on JPMorgan’s Deforestation Risk Exposure
U.S.-based investment bank JPMorgan has become increasingly vocal about its growing ambition to reduce exposure to climate change risks and foster positive change among its customers, investees, and peers. The bank has warned of widespread, destructive droughts, wildfires, and higher sea levels, along with negative impacts on economic growth. But what are its plans for […]
Tropical Commodity Risks Concern Latin American Banks. They Need Tools to Navigate Climate Transitions.
Originally published on the Orbitas website: COVID and climate will challenge tropical country sovereign bondholders. For the financial sector, tropical commodities are often attractive because of their importance to so many sectors of the economy providing a multitude of opportunities to capture returns. Consumers rely on their production for food, fuel, and materials. For farmers, […]
Can cooperation on REDD+ under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement start now, or is further guidance needed?
What can countries achieve now on REDD+ under the “cooperative approaches” envisaged under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement? This paper was authored by Robert O’Sullivan for the Forest Solutions Dialogue led by Climate Advisers and the Environmental Defense Fund. This paper analyses Article 5 and Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and examines whether current REDD+ decisions are […]