How we win on climate: 2024 impact highlights

2024 was a year of ups and downs. On the upside, we saw record deployment of clean energy, climate-friendly policy progress around the world, and growing support for having more energy options on the table. However, we also saw conflict, war, inflation, geopolitical tensions, and a changed political landscape as more than half the world headed to the polls to vote in elections. All the while, global greenhouse gas emissions continued to rise, with little expectation for a decline this decade.   

As uncertainty takes hold and the traditional path forward gets obstructed, the value of CATF’s unique approach once again rises to the fore.  

CATF has long called for a more honest reckoning with the climate challenge and different approach to addressing it, acknowledging that climate action can only advance alongside efforts to increase energy security, boost competitiveness, improve health, and drive economic growth. We also know that when you acknowledge those realities and begin to work within them, you quickly realize a few things:  

• We’re going to need more energy, not less  

• We’re going to need more climate solutions, not fewer  

• We need regional flexibility because one size will not fit all   

• We must design climate policy that is durable, and resilient to shifting political winds 

These principles stand firm, and in fact are reinforced, in moments of uncertainty and obstacle — such as the recent U.S. election results. Now, more than ever, CATF’s pragmatic approach shines through.   

The climate challenge is a century long one, and a climate strategy that only works every four or eight years is no strategy at all. CATF is set up to vigorously defend the gains we’ve made, while assessing an ever-changing landscape and finding new ways of moving progress forward, with allies across the political and business spectrum.

Read on to explore our impact highlights in 2024 and how we’ll continue this progress into 2025.

Driving down pollution: Defending standards in U.S. courts to reduce emissions 

Why it matters: CATF’s legal advocacy is critical to uphold regulations that reduce pollution from industry. In 2024, we:  

• Successfully defended EPA’s protective limits on methane and smog-forming volatile organic compound pollution from new and existing oil and gas sources in the U.S. Appeals Court for the D.C. Circuit in July. In October, CATF continued its defense, and the Supreme Court rejected two requests to halt the oil and gas methane standards.  

• After the EPA finalized strong carbon pollution standards for existing coal- and new gas-fired power plants, reflecting CATF policy architecture, CATF successfully defended the rules in court. In July, the D.C. Circuit declined to stall the carbon pollution standards for power plants. In October, the Supreme Court rejected an initial attempt to block carbon pollution standards for power plants.  

• Successfully defended attempts to delay the EPA’s stricter regulations for hazardous air pollutants, including mercury, from existing coal-fired power plants in front of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in August. In October, the Supreme Court denied applications for a stay in EPA’s Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) Technology Review rule, which updates limits on hazardous air pollutant (also known as air toxics) emissions from power plants and requires more robust monitoring to ensure compliance.   

What’s next: Pollution controls under the Clean Air Act and other rules that keep our air clean and our climate stable are rooted in law, science, and economics. These protections are vital for all – and our legal team stands ready to defend them.  

The heat beneath our feet: Tapping into the potential of superhot rock geothermal  

Why it matters: Superhot rock geothermal energy (SHR) could unlock terawatts of clean, firm, always-on power worldwide. That’s why CATF is focused on moving this potential groundbreaking energy source from research and development to deployment: 

• In 2022, the CATF team set a goal: Five superhot rock geothermal projects in five years. Less than halfway through that time period, we are more than halfway to that goal, with projects initiated in the U.S., Iceland, and New Zealand. Two of these three projects (those in the U.S. and Iceland) can be directly attributed to CATF’s advocacy and convening work. 

• Our first-of-its-kind modeling, released this year, explores the case for commercializing superhot rock geothermal energy by estimating the technology’s energy potential around the world. 

• CATF convened leaders in October from across the geothermal innovation space at the first-ever Superhot Rock Energy Summit. We dove into the details of five CATF-commissioned reports outlining relevant technical advancements and remaining challenges for superhot rock geothermal deployment – information that will be invaluable in informing public and private funding. 

• CATF’s expertise also informed the Supercritical Research and Development Act, aimed at advancing critical R&D for superhot rock geothermal. Introduced in June, the bipartisan bill swiftly passed two House committees, with backing from figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Paul Gosar. CATF’s SHR Program Director, Terra Rogers, testified about the bill at a House Natural Resources Subcommittee hearing in July. 

• In December, IEA launched its first-ever special report on geothermal energy, crediting CATF for the peer review we provided on an early draft. IEA finds that geothermal energy could meet up to 15% of global electricity demand growth by 2050 and emphasizes on the potential of innovative geothermal solutions. As a direct result of CATF’s work to raise awareness of the hottest, highest-potential geothermal, the report specifically notes the potential of superhot rock geothermal. 

What’s next? CATF has committed to advancing SHR development through updated Bridging the Gaps materials, a comprehensive synthesis report, and building a technology roadmap based on the learnings of this summit. These tools will support the SHR community in navigating technical, logistical, and funding priorities, and the relationships built at this summit will accelerate SHR’s timeline and enable growth within the community. 

Nuclear energy momentum: Advancing clean, firm power 

Why it matters: Nuclear energy is critical for global decarbonization – and can play a key role in supporting energy security and economic development. 

• This year, CATF, EFI Foundation, and the Nuclear Threat Initiative established the Nuclear Scaling Initiative, an effort to catalyze and build a new nuclear energy ecosystem to scale to 50 or more gigawatts of clean, safe, and secure nuclear power per year by the 2030s, a tenfold increase of the current deployment rate. 

• At COP29, an additional 6 countries signed on to a pledge to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050. We gathered stakeholders across industry, civil society, government and media to discuss the challenges and opportunities to enable the rapid, safe, and secure scale up of nuclear energy – addressing both cost and regulatory obstacles. 

What’s next? Governments, industrial consumers, and the nuclear industry must collaborate to develop detailed implementation strategies to ensure the timely and efficient execution of nuclear energy projects – and CATF is hard at work to ensure they do just that. 

Implementation is key: Cutting methane pollution from energy, agriculture, and waste 

Why it matters: We know methane emissions have 80 times the warming power of CO2 over a 20-year period, which means cutting methane pollution today is the fastest way to slow the pace of global warming. At CATF, we’re focused on reducing methane from energy, agriculture, and waste:  

• We launched the Fossil Fuel Regulatory Programme in collaboration with the UN’s Climate and Clean Air Coalition to provide tailored support to low- and middle- income countries to cut methane emissions from oil, gas, and coal.  

• We released a new report that reveals the true impact of flaring from 10 major international oil companies – a wasteful and polluting practice that’s driving up methane emissions around the world.  

• Working with the European Commission and International Energy Agency, we provided recommendations on how the EU’s “You Collect We Buy” initiative can be implemented effectively, resulting in severe reductions of methane emissions from oil and gas globally.  

• Through the Waste Methane Assessment Platform (WasteMAP), we hosted workshops in Mexico and Colombia to build better waste management systems and develop policy and regulations to support them and abate methane from their waste sectors.  

• We’re continuing our work with governments and the livestock industry worldwide to prioritize actions that aim to reduce methane emissions from agriculture.  

What’s next: CATF has long championed methane mitigation as one of the most cost-effective and impactful ways to slow near-term warming. That work continues as we push for real progress to reduce methane pollution.  

Building our clean energy future: Simplifying energy siting in the U.S. 

Why it matters: Before large-scale solar or wind projects can be built in a particular state or region, developers face the complicated process of siting and permitting the new infrastructure. Over the past year, CATF has developed a number of resources on renewable energy siting and electric transmission permitting:  

• An inventory of state renewable energy siting policies, permitting authorities, and an interactive map that profiles all 50 states plus Puerto Rico.  

• A series of reports that find public-private financing for transmission infrastructure could save Californians $3 billion per year.  

• A report that explores why improved community engagement for clean infrastructure projects is critical to New England’s energy transition.  

• Evidence-based recommendations for overcoming barriers to federal transmission permitting.  

What’s next: This research and analysis can help inform decisions as states receive an influx of federal funds for clean energy projects and can help lawmakers design policy to site more projects and modernize grid infrastructure in a way that is beneficial to communities.

Getting real about climate solutions: Reining in the hydrogen hype and cutting through the noise on carbon capture 

Why it matters: A key part of CATF’s DNA is taking a hard look at where certain climate technologies make sense, where they don’t, and when we need to revisit our earlier assumptions. This honest broker role is central to our work to advance the technologies that will power a zero-carbon, high-energy planet at an affordable cost.  

• Interest in using hydrogen to decarbonize power systems has skyrocketed, but CATF’s report finds that dedicated clean hydrogen production and use in the power sector is costly and inefficient in many cases. The report ultimately makes the case for focusing precious clean hydrogen supplies in the sectors where it makes the most sense – industry and transport.  

• Another report from CATF evaluates the performance of carbon capture and storage projects around the world – and finds that the technology is working but has not yet been harnessed for maximum climate benefit. When combined with innovation and thoughtful policy, carbon capture projects can establish a high standard for climate performance. 

What’s next: This research helps inform CATF’s policy advocacy around the world – and we’ll continue to push for pragmatic, durable solutions that help advance these climate technologies to provide the most benefit.  

Could the future be fusion? How AI and high-performance computing can accelerate fusion commercialization 

Why it matters: Fusion energy, once a distant dream, is on the precipice of breaking through to transform our energy system and meet the demand for clean, firm power. With over $7 billion invested in private fusion companies – more than $6 billion raised since 2020 – the sector has seen significant growth, expanding from 10 companies in 2017 to over 40 today. 

• A report from CATF explores how AI and high-performance computing are accelerating fusion energy development in key areas, including materials selection, high-temperature superconductors, inertial fusion energy, tritium breeding, and advanced diagnostics.  

What’s next: CATF will continue its efforts to advance fusion energy, working to facilitate international collaboration, forge early commercial connections, and advocate for policy to streamline fusion commercialization. 

Cost matters: High capital costs are stalling clean energy investment across Africa 

Why it matters: High capital costs mean clean energy projects face much higher financing costs, slowing progress on expanding energy access – vital for fueling economic growth and meeting climate goals.  African nations are striving to balance economic growth with the urgent need to decarbonize. Tackling the high cost of capital is essential to unlocking the continent’s clean energy potential. 

• CATF’s report shows that the weighted average cost of capital in Africa is a staggering 15.6% – that’s over three times higher than in developed regions like Western Europe and the U.S. where the range is typically 2% – 5%. 

What’s next: CATF is making sure that policymakers, bilateral organizations, and multilateral institutions have access to localized, accessible data to inform their decisions with relevant, region-specific insights. 

An options-based approach: Driving climate action in Europe 

Why it matters: Despite its history of global climate leadership, Europe is still off track in meeting its own climate targets. This year, EU policymakers announced major priorities that reflect what CATF has long called for – climate policy cannot exist in a vacuum and must be paired with considerations for economic prosperity and energy security.  

• The European Commission published its recommendations for the EU 2040 climate targets, which sets the stage for bold legislative action in 2025. These recommendations include core features CATF has long advocated for, including in its submission to the public consultation, highlighting the roles carbon capture and storage, hydrogen, nuclear energy, and geothermal will play in decarbonization. CATF has embarked on extensive engagement with the Commission and the Member States to ensure that these recommendations are translated into concrete measures and implemented in practice, to ensure the EU can achieve this ambitious climate target. 

• The European Commission also published its Industrial Carbon Management Strategy, which outlines next steps for the deployment of new, bold carbon management strategies across Europe – and includes a number of CATF’s priorities.  As the first NGO to call on the Commission to release such a strategy over two years ago with our flagship report,’A Policy Framework for Carbon Capture and Storage in Europe’, CATF has long been the leading voice in Brussels, building a coalition of NGOs across Europe to call for an EU carbon capture and storage strategy. CATF was also tapped by the Commission to draft ‘A Vision for Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage in the EU’ based on input from hundreds of stakeholders across Europe. The Industrial Carbon Management Strategy caps the success of CATF’s work over the past three years by pushing policymakers to now recognize the need for carbon management as part of the EU’s pathway to a net-zero future.  

• Finally, the EU reached an agreement on its landmark Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA) – which will now require the bloc to reach an annual 50 Mt CO₂ injection capacity by 2030, oil and gas producers to develop projects to deliver on this target, and a comprehensive effort to develop the CO2 transport infrastructure (including cross-border infrastructure) necessary to meet these goals. Each of these key pillars, among others, were called for by CATF and mark  the culmination of a successful advocacy strategy. 

What’s next: As the new EU government ramps up, CATF provided recommendations for the new Commissioners (including Energy and Housing and Climate), as well as for the Executive Vice Presidents for the Clean, Just and Competitive Transition and Prosperity and Industrial Strategy. In 2025, CATF will continue its successful advocacy track record to push for multiple technology options within EU climate policy.  

A historic investment: Building on climate funding in U.S. states 

Why it matters: With unprecedented funding flowing to states from the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CATF is working on the ground in states to help them use the funding effectively – and advocating for policies that will make a difference for the climate.  

• Our Implementation Resource Hub helps stakeholders take advantage of federal investments by providing technical research, calculators and other tools, and community benefit guides, spanning a variety of technologies. The hub also tracks progress on the ground to show where benefits are moving into communities and to share information about developing projects.  

• In Louisiana, CATF was appointed to the newly established Clean Hydrogen Task Force and the Community Air Monitoring and Notification Task Force, serving as a leading voice in the development of clean hydrogen and air monitoring standards.   

• In Pennsylvania, CATF advocated for a landmark bill that will strengthen frameworks, infrastructure, and monitoring for the deployment of carbon capture and storage technologies in the state.   

• And in California, CATF successfully advocated for limits on vegetable-oil-based fuels in California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard and advanced programmatic work via AB 3264, a new law that requires the California Public Utilities Commission and other agencies to evaluate public financing and different ownership models that could reduce the cost of expanding California’s transmission grid. 

What’s next: Clean energy and clean air are broadly popular across the country, and state action can progress climate initiatives regardless of who sits in the White House or in the halls of Congress. CATF will continue its critical work in U.S. states to push for progress and to keep growing the American clean energy boom.