Global Scans · Energy Transition · Weekly Summary

• [New] With extreme weather now a structural feature of global trade, proactive planning and rapid response capabilities are essential to protect service continuity through 2026. Metro
• [New] Australia's 2035 climate target must be as strong as possible to limit global warming to well below 2 °C. Australian Conservation Foundation
• [New] An annual progress report by the Climate Change Authority, a government agency, warned the pace of renewable energy growth over the past five years would need to more than double over the next five years to reach the 2030 goal. The Guardian
• [New] Supporting insurability through investments in resilience to physical risks from climate change would be beneficial to UK financial stability. EIN Presswire
• [New] In the physical risk-focused scenario, losses are driven by the increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events as global temperatures rise, which would have a severe negative impact on GDP and corporate earnings. EIN Presswire
• [New] The global production of 460 million tonnes of plastic annually, with 20 million leaking into the environment, is expected to grow sharply by 2040, causing climate change and loss of biodiversity, and ecosystems. ET Edge Insights
• [New] Extreme weather events, storms, heatwaves, floods and drought cycles, will increase in frequency as global temperatures rise. Metro
• [New] Europe has to face the stark reality that it is a resource-poor continent in a world where geopolitics and climate change will drive up the cost of materials in future. InterEconomics
• [New] During COP 30, the UN Climate Change Conference held in Brazil in November, countries pledged to triple adaptation resources and set a target of mobilizing $1.3 trillion annually in climate finance by 2035. Ediciones EL PAIS S.L.
• [New] Responsible: NE Implement climate change adaptive delivery plans for at least 10% of SSSIs identified as being at high risk by 2030. GOV.UK
• [New] Adopting a strong 2035 target and more equitable and inclusive climate change policies is crucial. / Australia Australian Conservation Foundation
• [New] Placing climate change on the back burner will not stop the world from warming. The Nation
• [New] Showing some progress, the UN Paris Agreement has reduced the projected maximum global warming to less than 3 °C degrees by the end of the century, which is down from prior projections of about 5 °C. Augusta Free Press
• Hydrogen, Industrial Energy Costs and Decarbonization Electricity used for electrolysis in hydrogen production and natural gas used for CO2 in sodium bicarbonate production to be exempt from the Climate Change Levy by Spring 2026, subject to approval. Cogent Skills
• 2026 will see banks come under renewed pressure from governing bodies, such as the European Central Bank, to hit their goals around sustainability and inclusivity, with some shifting their portfolios to make balanced decisions around climate change. FinExtra
• Microgrids double as Big Tech's workaround - and a CRE hedge A recent Reuters deep-dive finds U.S. microgrid capacity could hit 10 GW by the end of 2025, up from 4.4 GW in 2022, as data centers, manufacturers, and utilities race to secure reliable power amid AI load growth and extreme weather. ChargedUp!
• There needs to be a stronger understanding of insurers' role in addressing climate risk. InsuranceERM
• Geopolitical disruptions, a volatile policy environment, increasing climate change impacts, and trade disputes are some of the key challenges that global companies will navigate in the year ahead. Erm
• In 2025, climate change remains the top risk overall for both experts and the general population. AXA.com
• Activists and analysts anticipate a major stall in progress, for example in terms of cuts to emissions and financial support from the U.S. to other countries trying to increase their clean energy output and adapt to climate change. Statista Daily Data
• Ultimately collaboration is key: Engagement with public-private partnerships and participation in global health and climate initiatives on the professional level will position pharmacists to be a part of the shared decision-making that must go into addressing climate change in health care. Drug Topics
• 90% of disasters in the last decade were water-related, and with increasing disruption of the hydrological cycle by both climate change and human activity, floods, storms and droughts are increasingly affecting water management, economic development and natural ecosystems. Devpolicy Blog from the Development Policy Centre
• The global water crisis, driven partly by climate change, could leave two-thirds of humanity facing water stress by 2026, with water scarcity becoming a critical issue for an increasing number of countries. NewsBreak

Last updated: 13 December 2025