Our Scans · (LF.13) Climate Action · Weekly Summary

In September 2015, 193 world leaders agreed to 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development. If these Goals are completed, it would mean an end to extreme poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030.
Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

• [New] In energy and climate action, breakthroughs such as nighttime solar panels and solid state batteries will enable 24/7 clean power, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and supporting global decarbonization goals. UKAuthority
• [New] 2025's United Nations annual climate summit ended with a new agreement to triple financing for adaptation measures to $120 billion per year by 2035. Insurance Journal
• [New] In 2025, advancements in technology, such as AI-driven carbon tracking and renewable energy grids, will make climate action more accessible and effective than ever before. Success Knocks | The Business Magazine
• [New] Experts from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change emphasize that 2025 is a critical year, with projections indicating that global temperatures could exceed 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels without immediate intervention. Success Knocks | The Business Magazine
• [New] Global GHG emissions in 2050 could be 10% higher than they would be under Current Trends if regional rivalries triggered by U.S. tariff policy prompt other regions to weaken their climate regulations. MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• [New] Hawaii is generating climate resilience funding through a green tourism tax and expects to raise $100 million annually for projects such as firebreaks, erosion control, and infrastructure upgrades. Governing
• [New] The insurance crisis in key investment states like Florida and California - where premiums have tripled due to climate risk - is eroding Net Operating Income at an alarming rate. Frank Ruiz Realty Group
• [New] Year-to-date, 18 billion-dollar weather events, including severe convective storms causing more than $61 billion in damage, underscored the ongoing impact of climate risk on insurance portfolios. Insurance Business
• [New] UNESCO has launched a new free online course to tackle the surge in climate change disinformation, which continues to undermine public understanding of one of the world's most urgent threats. EU DisinfoLab
• [New] CBAM has the potential to accelerate EM industrial climate transition, aligning sectors like steel with global efficiency standards and encouraging adoption of cleaner technologies. Osmosis Investment Management
• [New] Governments around the world have recognized the potential of e-bikes in combating climate change. Tesevo
• [New] Climate change poses an existential threat to our planet, making it more urgent than ever for societies to implement meaningful actions that can mitigate its effects. Brightpath Associates
• [New] The economic toll from climate-related disasters is expected to reach US$ 220 billion by the end of the year. Eco-business
• [New] As 2025 draws to a close, sustainability remains firmly on the investor agenda, with climate, nature, and social risks converging to create complex challenges - and opportunities - across global food systems. FAIRR Initiative
• [New] Climate change, left unchecked, will expose about 1.1 billion more people to heavy rains and an additional 900 million people to intense drought by 2050. United Nations Environment Programme
• [New] Climate change alone is expected to shave 4% off global gross domestic product annually by 2050. United Nations Environment Programme
• [New] The success of China's climate goals will depend on the coherence of its next Five-Year Plan and the ability to balance energy security with long-term decarbonization. Ainvest
• Achieving long-term climate stabilization goals will require more ambitious policy measures that reduce fossil-fuel dependence and accelerate the energy transition toward low-carbon sources in all regions of the world. MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• The White House plans to break up a key weather and climate research center in Colorado, a move experts say could jeopardize the accuracy of forecasting and prediction systems. NPR
• Global temperatures rising well above 4 C by 2100 could happen if climate action collapses or if there are strong feedback loops such as the Amazon rainforest dying and releasing its enormous store of carbon. The Guardian
• The potential for climate interdependency risks to increase in the 2050s was noted as decarbonization, electrification and changes in climate hazards lead to greater impacts from upstream interdependencies with the power sector. GOV.UK
• Climate change and weather extremes will drive down global caloric yields by about 24% under high future emissions. The Guardian
• AI could transform the process of discovering new materials-innovation that could be especially useful in the world of climate tech, which needs new batteries, semiconductors, magnets, and more. MIT Technology Review

Last updated: 29 December 2025