Publications

Public development banks have a major role to play in the fight against climate change. Ian Cochran and Alice Pauthier from I4CE explain in this blogpost the principal technical and political challenges those finance institutions will need to overcome in aligning with the Paris Agreement objectives.

For too long climate change has remained confined to the green silos of our public institutions: it was onyl the business of Environment Ministries. The situation seems to have improved over the last ten years, but we are still a long way from “climate mainstreaming”. For Benoit Leguet, Director of I4CE, 2020 will offer multiple opportunities to test commitments, in France and internationally.

Aligning with the Paris Agreement: what does it mean for the International Development Finance Club?   International Development Finance Club Pavilion Saturday 7 December, 2-3:30 pm   The Paris Agreement has reframed climate action from a focus on the near-term incremental increase of adaptation and mitigation actions to emphasize the importance of the long-term transformation […]

On 25 October, a conference was held in Paris to “replenish” the resources of the Green Climate Fund. 27 countries have made pledges, for a total amount of nearly $10 billion. Good news? Insufficient? For Alice Pauthier of [i4ce], the impact of the Green Climate Fund should not only be assessed against this figure. The Fund also has a transformational effect, particularly on the many financial institutions that, in order to access its resources, must follow an accreditation process. A process that may well become more and more demanding.

In September 2019 in New York City, the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres convened a “United Nations Climate Action Summit” to increase the ambition and momentum of global climate action. While the outcomes of the Summit itself – particularly from country Parties – are seen as deeply disappointing, there are nevertheless a number of ‘silver linings’ to keep in mind on the road to Santiago. Alice Pauthier and Ian Cochran share four key ideas to focus efforts moving forward.

I4CE has just released a “framework for Alignment with the Paris Agreement”, Ian Cochran discusses here what “Alignment” simply means.

Ahead of the Climate Summit, Alice Pauthier from I4CE discuss the major issues of the Summit and related events happening in New York: beyond raising ambition, finance will be on the agenda. She will be in New York with Ian Cochran to present and discuss outcomes of I4CE’s latest report on Paris Alignment, a subject that everyone talks about… without sharing a common understanding of what it is and implies.

The fires in the Amazon have put the challenge of deforestation back on the political and media agenda, responsible for about 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions (IPCC, 2014). I4CE’s Clothilde Tronquet discusses the causes of deforestation and measures that could slow it down and avoid reaching a point of no return.

The recent proliferation of carbon pricing schemes and the increase in associated prices have led to a significant increase in carbon-related revenues.  As of May 1, 2019, 25 carbon taxes and 26 emissions trading schemes (ETS) were in operation around the world. Jurisdictions covered by one or more explicit carbon prices account for about 60% of global GDP.

Le Groupe d'experts intergouvernemental sur l'évolution du climat (GIEC) (en anglais Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC) vient de publier son dernier « rapport spécial sur le changement climatique et secteur des terres », préparé par 107 experts de 52 pays et qui s’appuie sur 7 000 études scientifiques. I4CE, l’Institut de l’Économie pour le Climat, vous livre ici une synthèse des éléments majeurs de ce document.

June 2019, the heat wave that affects France and part of Europe takes centre stage. However, we should be less and less surprised by this type of weather event which, with climate change, is becoming more and more common. To see this, take a look at the ClimatHD portal put online by Météo France to disseminate the main climate projections in France.

Since 2016, I4CE is the Secretariat of the Climate Action in Financial Institutions Initiative. Launched at COP21 in 2015, the Initiative brings together 44 public and private financial institutions to make climate change an essential component of their strategies & operations. Leveraging its expertise and network, I4CE assists the Initiative in fostering exchanges between the so-called “Supporting Institutions” on emerging practice and approaches to mainstream climate change.

The idea of creating a European Climate Bank is gaining ground. After being put on the table by the Climate Finance Pact and its many supporters, it is now included in French President Emmanuel Macron's "Letter to Europeans". With the European elections coming up soon, it is excellent news that financing the fight against climate change is on Europe's political agenda. However, is the best solution a new European financial institution?

The One Planet Lab meets for the first time on Monday, March 4, in Paris. But what is this Lab? I4CE, which together with IDDRI is in charge of the scientific secretariat of the Lab, provides some basic answers.

I4CE begins the new year by highlighting its 2018 activities that you have preferred. After dedicating our last newsletter/news to the five most read I4CE publications, we continue this week with the most popular I4CE tweets. Throughout the second half of 2018, we selected the most viewed tweet each month. A way to remember and take stock of the past year.

Before immersing themselves in the New Year, the I4CE team wanted to take the time to look in the mirror. And rather than telling you what we at I4CE have learned from our 2018 activity, we have preferred to highlight what you have preferred. Here are the five most viewed publications in 2018 on our website.

COP24 in Katowice just ended and was marked by the difficult adoption of a package of practical rules - the Katowice Climate Package - on transparency, the content of national contributions or their revision. It was also a COP marked by deep concerns about the willingness of Signatory Countries to increase their climate ambition in the coming years. Currently, countries' commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will lead to global warming well above 2°C, the threshold above which our climate would jump into the unknown.

The I4CE team will be present throughout the two weeks of negotiations, in order to present its latest achievements in about ten side-events, whether on carbon pricing, climate investment tracking, climate action by financial actors or carbon certification of innovative practices in the land sector. Please see below the full list of events organized by I4CE - or where I4CE will be participating.

This week, the finance community gathered in Paris for a series of events focusing on climate change and sustainable development. With more than 1500 participants and 100 speakers from the financial community, the week was marked by major events of this week were the UNEP FI’s Global Roundtable and the 4th Climate Finance Day.

On November 27th, French President Emmanuel Macron installed a High Council for Climate Action. Composed of around ten scientists, economists and engineers, this High Council will evaluate France's climate policies: are they sufficient to respond to the climate emergency? Do they provide concrete solutions for all households to get out of their dependence on fossil fuels?