In 2022, for the first time in many decades, the number of people in the world without access to electricity increased. The effects of the coronavirus pandemic coupled with high energy prices have taken their toll, and globally the number of people without access to electricity has increased by about 20 million to a total of 774 million people. Africa is still among the hardest hit continents in terms of access to energy. Could renewable energy be the solution to wider energy access in Africa?

China profiles itself as a country with an ambitious climate and environmental policy. In 2020, President Xi Jinping announced his intention to make China a carbon-neutral country by 2060, while adding that China’s total emissions should reach an absolute peak before 2030. To honor these commitments, China needs to step up ambitions on its emission trading system to contribute to global decarbonization efforts. China launched its national carbon market in 2021, and it immediately became the world’s largest in terms of covered emissions.

At a time when few would contest that climate change presents the great existential challenge of our era, it is remarkable that globally, carbon pricing remains marginal. Carbon taxes and carbon markets (or emissions trading schemes), of different sorts cover less than a fifth of global carbon emissions as of 2022. Nevertheless, the number has been on the rise and it is no stretch to claim that the European Union with its ETS launched in 2005 has played a pivotal role in the proliferation of carbon pricing. Now, the introduction of CBAM should serve as a reminder that the Union is serious about the need for global climate action.

Czechia, like other member states of the European Union, must increasingly deal with the socio-economic effects of Russian aggression in Ukraine and also with its dependence on fossil fuels. Against the background of the ongoing energy crisis, the burning issue of energy poverty is therefore coming to the fore, which traditionally adds a human dimension to the traditionally rather security and technical issue of energy.

Deployment of renewable energy can provide enormous benefits for local populations and economies, creating value for both the natural environment and society. This is especially true when compared to fossil energy sources and the traditional use of biomass. Research on the impacts of renewables emphasises their multiple socio-economic benefits, far beyond their potential to mitigate climate change. Deployment of renewables creates employment opportunities and contributes to growth in gross domestic product. The energy transition is projected to result in a global net gain in employment, with more jobs created by ramping up renewable capacity than lost by phasing out fossil energy.

Jordan is among the most dependent countries on the import of energy resources (mainly oil and natural gas) from abroad in the MENA region. Therefore, the import of energy represents a large burden on the state budget. Energy demand associated with rapid population growth is increasing by 3% every year. Booming population also adversely impacts the already strained water resources. Jordan is among the world's most water scarce countries. To address these challenges, Jordan needs to increase investment in renewable energy sources while reducing overall energy and water consumption through measures to increase efficiency. When it comes to electro-mobility, Jordan is considered a pioneer in the region.

The energy crisis, high energy prices and associated negative social impacts led to the initiation of considerations on the future of the internal market for electricity and natural gas and its ability to provide for the needs of households and companies in the European Union in the long term and at acceptable costs. Russia's invasion of Ukraine gave new momentum to the already ongoing discussions. The issue of energy security is coming to the fore, understood increasingly as independence from fossil fuel supplies from potentially unstable or outright hostile countries and regions.

Climate dividend is a redistributive tool through which people can be compensated for the increased costs of carbon taxation in the form of a blanket payment. How could the tool work in the environment of emissions trading in Czechia? Could the EU ETS, the EU's carbon market work for the benefit of Czech citizens?

The price of the emission allowance has more than doubled in the last year to the current almost EUR 90 per ton of CO2. However, carbon allowances contribute only 10 - 20 % to the increase in electricity prices for households and companies. The critical situation on the natural gas market is much more to blame. How are carbon revenues going to evolve in the future and how can the EU's carbon market help households in Czechia?

The Kingdom of Morocco's approach to renewable energy sources (RES) is exemplary, especially thanks to its solar projects, some of which are among the largest in the world. Renewables account for about two-fifths of all installed electricity generation capacity, and the kingdom is globally lauded for its steps towards decarbonisation. At the same time, Morocco covers up to 90% of its energy needs by importing fossil fuels, mainly coal and oil, from third countries, which ranks it first in North Africa. In order to ensure the country's energy security and reduce dependence on imports, Morocco plans to continue investing in renewable sources, planning to be the leader of renewable energy deployment in the MENA region.

Increasing auctioning revenues from the EU ETS, the EU's carbon market, provides a great opportunity to fund the green transition and help the EU achieve its ambitious climate targets. Evidence has shown that carbon taxes are often directly passed on to consumers especially when it comes to transport and heating fuels. As people’s living costs will surely increase as a result of carbon taxation, it is crucial they will get something in return. Otherwise, green policies in Europe can be severely undermined. Carbon dividend serves as a great policy tool to protect vulnerable households while being a fair, practical and an “elegant solution in its simplicity, transparent in its accessibility to public scrutiny and clear in its signals and benefits.” This research study showed that significant revenues from the Union's carbon market will be generated because of the increasing EUA price. The proposed scheme of returning at least 40% of auctioning proceeds to households would assure that most vulnerable families are protected from increasing prices related to carbon taxation while incentivizing low-carbon investment.

Evidence of the Covid-19 pandemic is to be found reflected in figures recording the total amount of carbon dioxide emissions, but the “positive” impact has been short-lived. Even by December 2020 emissions associated with energy use were 2% higher than in December 2019. The year 2020 was also one of the three hottest years since measurements began, whilst at the same time rounding off the hottest ever decade. Measured concentrations of emissions indicate that the world is on track to warm by more than 3°C by the end of the century, far exceeding the safe temperature target set in the Paris Agreement (PA). Clearly, it is not desirable to wait for disasters or crises to prompt concerted action on climate change mitigation, but rather to employ well-thought-out decarbonization strategies sooner rather than later. The purpose of this publication is to provide an expert assessment of the Czechia's foreign policy and to make recommendations to its relevant actors for the future.

Climate change affects almost every country in the world, and the MENA region, which includes the Middle East and North Africa, is no exception. On the contrary, the states in this region are among the driest in the world. More than 60% of their population lives in areas with high or very high surface water scarcity. According to Ferid Belhaj, the World Bank's vice president for the MENA region, by 2050 water scarcity in the region, mainly related to climate change, will be responsible for economic losses equivalent to 6 to 14% of GNP. What does it take to solve the water crisis in the region?

In April 2021, after a contentious process, the Czech government presented a new version of its draft Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), with significant changes relative to previously released drafts. Throughout the process, civil society actors have criticized the lack of opportunities for effective participation. Overall, we find that the measures included in the draft plan, which should go hand in hand with Czechia's overarching climate policy, with investments of €7bn, equaling 3.3% of Czechia’s GDP (2020), can make a positive contribution to the green transition, though there are several specific shortfalls.