How climate policies accelerate green transition

🌍 "Reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases may be almost impossible without a green transition—a substantial transformation of consumption and production patterns." This powerful opening from Prof. Timothy Besley and Prof. Torsten Persson’s latest QJE paper sets the stage for a bold, fresh look at climate policy. In "The Political Economics of Green Transitions", they move beyond the usual focus on carbon taxes, exploring how societal values, political cycles, and market forces combine to either support or hinder a greener future. Their model offers actionable insights on why some green policies fall short—and what it takes to overcome those barriers. 🔍 Their policy recommendations? Flexible, adaptive policies that go beyond financial incentives. Public campaigns to nurture green values. Bipartisan commitments to prevent policy reversals. And importantly, reducing lobbying power from high-polluting industries to keep policy aligned with public interest. For a deep dive into how these insights can shape sustainable policymaking, check out the full article 👇 #GreenTransition 🌱 #ClimatePolicy #SustainabilityMatters #PoliticalEconomy

“Over 90% of new renewables worldwide produced electricity for less than the cheapest new fossil fuel alternative. This is not just a shift in power. This is a shift in possibility... We have the tools to power the future for humanity. Let’s make the most of them. This is our moment of opportunity.” - António Guterres     The clean energy future is no longer a promise, it’s a fact. The latest Unitednations secretarygeneral synthesis report, Supercharging the New Energy Era - with contributions from UNDP and partners - captures this global momentum and sets out what’s needed to turn it into lasting, inclusive progress. The full report is available here: 👉 https://lnkd.in/e_HHrGzg    In 2024, renewables accounted for over 90% of new power capacity. Solar and wind are now the most affordable options in many markets. Battery storage has increased more than 40 times since 2015. Clean energy jobs now outnumber those in fossil fuels. These are not isolated achievements; they’re signs of growing global readiness to scale sustainable energy solutions that support the SDGs.    Yet we face a dual challenge: “The energy transition is unstoppable. But the transition is not yet fast enough or fair enough.” Fossil fuels still dominate supply. Less than 20% of clean energy investment reaches the Global South - where it’s needed most. To turn momentum into inclusive, sustained progress, the report outlines six priority actions to keep the 1.5°C target within reach and ensure no one is left behind.    1️⃣ Align policies: Ensure coherence, clarity, and certainty by integrating energy, climate, and economic policies to accelerate a just transition.     2️⃣ Build infrastructure: Modernize grids, expand storage, and develop digital and physical systems to support a 21st century clean energy economy.     3️⃣ Power growth with renewables: Meet rising electricity demand - especially from AI and data centers - with clean, affordable renewable energy.     4️⃣ Center people and equity for a just transition: Put communities first by ensuring fair access, job creation and inclusive development in all transition efforts.     5️⃣ Expand global cooperation: Strengthen trade, investment and innovation partnerships to supercharge deployment and reduce costs worldwide.     6️⃣ Unlock finance for the Global South: Dismantle barriers to affordable capital and scale energy-transition investments to $1.4–1.9 trillion annually in EMDEs.    This is not only an energy imperative - it’s a development opportunity. @UNDP stands ready to help scale solutions, unlock investment, and ensure the energy transition powers progress for everyone, everywhere.    #EnergyForDevelopment #JustTransition #ClimateAction #DevelopmentFinance

A $500 B opportunity: Here’s how India's FY26 budget can fast-track Net-Zero! Despite significant progress in renewable energy generation capacity, we are still falling short of where we would like to be. According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, our installed capacity of 203.18 GW is far from the ambitious 500 GW target set for 2030. However, it’s a journey and we can continue to leverage innovation in technology and policy to demonstrate our commitment to targets. The current gap between ambition and current levels identifies several areas that can be prioritized and focused on. For example, as per a January 2025 article by The Hindu ... 📍Our domestic solar manufacturing meets only 40% of the requirements, with costs running 65% higher than imports. 📍The European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, effective January 2026, could impact $8.22 billion of our annual exports with carbon levies of 20-50%. I believe the focus areas for meaningful impact should be highly strategic ... ➡️ Harnessing railway land banks and corridors: India’s vast railway network holds the potential for up to 5 GW of solar and wind installations. ➡️ Concerted shift to a circular economy: The recent Council on Energy study estimates annual profits of ₹40 lakh crore by 2050, with a 44% emission reduction. ➡️ Supporting climate-resilient agriculture: Cotton imports could rise by 42%, and exports might drop by 37% (The Cotton Association of India). Prioritizing climate-resilient seed varieties can help mitigate risks. ➡️ Tax and GST levers: The government could encourage climate-linked insurance penetration through tax deductions and lower GST rates. In my experience in working with sustainability initiatives, success lies in balancing ambitious targets with practical implementation frameworks and industry support mechanisms. P.S. What policy measures do you think could help accelerate India's transition while ensuring economic competitiveness? #Sustainability #NetZero #UnionBudget #CircularEconomy

Brazil knows what it takes to stand out in the race for energy transition: regulating climate and environmental policies, ensuring a functional carbon market, and reshaping energy financing. Here are three key factors driving this transformation: The recently approved PATEN law, which establishes the Energy Transition Acceleration Program, facilitates access to credit for sustainable projects, promoting the modernization of Brazil’s energy infrastructure and strengthening its role in the fight against climate change. The Fuel of the Future Law introduces a series of initiatives to advance decarbonization, sustainable mobility, and energy transition in Brazil. It encourages the expansion of biofuels in the energy matrix and the use of SAF to decarbonize the airline industry, among other measures. The sector is expected to receive R$ 260 billion in investments by 2037, leading to the neutralization of 705 million tons of CO₂ during this period. With the regulatory framework for a structured carbon market, Brazil is poised to attract US$ 120 billion in foreign investment and stimulate the voluntary carbon credit market. In its first decade, from 2030 to 2040, this could boost Brazil’s GDP by up to 5.8%, reaching 8.5% by 2050. As the host of COP 30, Brazil has a significant opportunity to showcase its potential to global investors in energy transition. Strengthening legal certainty will make the country even more attractive while fostering diplomatic negotiations to fight climate change. We are stepping onto the global stage with strength. #AcelenRenewables #Energy #EnergyTransition #CarbonMarket #Business #Regulation #Brazil