Documents Stockholm Environment Institute 8 results

"In a world of global poverty and the threat of climate change – what action would be required to deliver human development, economic opportunity and dignity to poor people? The now published and updated Greenhouse Development Rights Framework argues that the best way to break the impasse between the climate and the development crisis is simply by expanding the climate protection agenda to include the protection of development dignity. The Greenhouse Development Rights Framework provides an interesting approach towards combining sustainability goals and development equity."

"A European Eco-efficient Economy has been prepared as a background report for the 2009 Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. It forms a common basis for discussions at the informal ministerial meetings of the Council dealing with energy, environment and competitiveness . The objective is to facilitate the alignment and coordination of these meetings' policy agendas, which range from climate change and energy efficiency, to innovation, competitiveness and employment. As will be shown, these agendas are highly connected and the European eco-efficient economy is an attempt to encapsulate them in an integrated way. This report describes the opportunities for Europe to become a leader in the global transformation to an eco-efficient economy. It discusses the imperative for this transformation, examines achievements and on-going efforts, and advances a set of agenda items for political discussion."

"There is a significant misalignment between governments' energy production plans and climate goals, with governments planning to extract 60% more oil, 70% more gas and 280% more coal by 2030 than would be consistent with a 1.5°C pathway.

Production dipped in 2020, as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns, but it may rebound if governments revert to these pre-pandemic production plans in their efforts to rebuild. Meanwhile, COVID-19 recovery assessments suggest that public investments in low-carbon energy and infrastructure can better support economic growth and job creation than investments in fossil fuels and related infrastructure.

Transforming energy systems requires careful planning and cooperation across multiple sectors. Two ongoing processes under the Paris Agreement can facilitate this: countries are currently submitting updates to their nationally determined contributions (NDCs), as well as long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies (LT-LEDS).

These documents are important tools for governments to communicate their medium-term (5–10 year) and long-term (mid-century) plans to address the climate crisis to the international community. The current confluence of COVID-19 recovery plans, NDC updates and development of LT-LEDS presents a unique opportunity to “build back better” from the pandemic.

This brief explains how countries can utilise their NDCs and LT-LEDS to promote measures that support a just and equitable transition away from fossil fuel production."

"The Production Gap Report — first launched in 2019 — tracks the discrepancy between governments' planned fossil fuel production and global production levels consistent with limiting warming to 1.5°C or 2°C. The report represents a collaboration of several researchers and academic institutions, including input from more than 40 experts. UNEP staff provided guidance and insights from their experience leading other gap reports.
This year's report presents the first comprehensive update of the production gap analysis since our 2019 assessment. The report also tracks how governments worldwide are supporting fossil fuel production through their policies, investments, and other measures, as well as how some are beginning to discuss and enact policies towards a managed and equitable transition away from fossil fuel production. This year's report features individual country profiles for 15 major fossil fuel-producing countries and a special chapter on the role of transparency in helping to address the production gap.

Assessment of the production gap is based on recent and publicly accessible plans and projections for fossil fuel production published by governments and affiliated institutions. For other elements of the report, such as the magnitude of producer subsidies or the status of policies to limit production, the report draws from a mix of publicly available government, intergovernmental, and research sources as cited and listed in the references. "

"Reducing and phasing out oil and gas production is a global imperative, yet Inefficient subsidies, lack of international cooperation, jobs and geopolitical factors have all combined to create barriers and resistance to change. This report examines the state of transition in Denmark, Norway and the UK.
The three North Sea oil and gas producing nations – Denmark, Norway and the UK – have the necessary finance, economic diversity, technical knowledge and ample renewable energy potential to break their dependency on oil and gas industries. However, they all have gaps in policies aimed at ensuring a just transition. The countries especially lack policies to support people, communities and regions most affected by the transition.
Only Denmark has clear renewable energy targets and a phase-out date for oil and gas production. Not having clear targets to end production is making it difficult for Norway and the UK to properly plan for a transition.
To manage the impacts of a transition away from oil and gas, governments should increase support for an orderly phase-out and managed reorientation as part of programmes for just transition. In particular, this support should include clear phase-out targets, reskilling programmes and solutions for repurposing or decommissioning oil and gas infrastructure."

"In this report, the Oil and Gas Transitions initiative documents how policy makers and representatives of businesses and civil society organisations (including trade unions and environmental groups) have outlined pathway scenarios towards net-zero carbon emissions and a phase-out vision for the Norwegian oil and gas industry. They have developed these two scenarios participating in a focus group based on a so-called ‘backcasting' exercise. There is perceived acceptance for the notion of net-zero emissions by 2050 from social actors involved in the Norwegian oil and gas industry. If this goal is to be reached with a science-based approach, however, deep-seated transformations in the global energy system will be needed, as well as concerted efforts by the Norwegian government and from other social actors."