2025 mid-year impact in a chaotic world

Climate is not the top of the world agenda, to put it mildly. The headlines are war, economic chaos, and political disruption. 

But the atmosphere rolls on and keeps score, reminding us we can’t pause our work. 

For climate action to be effective, it must be resilient to political shifts and purpose built for our messy reality. That means it must take into account a range of hard reality checks, and it must aim to benefit both the climate and real people – accelerating innovation and spurring economic development while boosting security, safety, and public health.  

The big theme of the moment is energy security. In the U.S., that means enough energy to power rapid electric demand growth. In Europe, it means new energy to wean off Russian gas. In the developing world, it means reliability to power wealth. That’s not a clean sweep for clean energy – it means more gas in the short term – but it improves the economics and politics for many of the low-carbon technologies CATF works on: faster siting of renewables, advanced nuclear energy, and next-generation geothermal, to take a few examples. 

In this mid-year impact update, find the latest on our progress in an upside-down world. Learn about our work in the first half of 2025 to defend key climate policies, forge new and powerful partnerships, and conduct fresh and challenging research into the hard questions we’ll need to answer to achieve a low-carbon, high-energy planet at an affordable cost.

Our impact

• Why it matters: Superhot rock geothermal has the potential to meet long-term demands for zero-carbon, always-on power – which is why CATF has invested in moving this groundbreaking energy source from research and development to deployment. 
• CATF’s role: Our advocacy on superhot rock geothermal and our first-of-a-kind research analyzing the remaining technological gaps to developing superhot rock geothermal provided the foundation for advancements across the globe:
  • The International Energy Agency released its first special report on geothermal, highlighting the significant promise of superhot rock geothermal and crediting CATF for the peer review provided on early drafts.
  • The U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E) announced the creation of a dedicated research and development program for superhot rock geothermal, which will be critical to accelerating the commercialization of this innovative clean firm energy source.
  • In Europe, the EU Council called for a dedicated action plan to accelerate the deployment of geothermal energy, including new innovative technologies like superhot rock geothermal.
  • A groundbreaking international collaboration with the International Energy Agency (IEA) will help accelerate superhot rock geothermal innovation around the world. Proposed by CATF, the collaboration will link existing global efforts on superhot rock to help participant projects move faster and more effectively.
• What’s next? CATF’s commissioned reports provide recommendations on where future research, development, and testing efforts should be concentrated to deploy and commercialize superhot rock geothermal. Through our global convenings, we’re bringing together the next-generation geothermal experts to dig into the findings and seize the opportunities to drive this technological innovation forward.

• Why it matters: A leading provider of clean, firm power, nuclear energy has a critical role to play in global decarbonization, energy security, and economic development. CATF has long advocated for its inclusion in the clean energy mix, and our decades of work is bearing fruit as the rest of the world begins to come around.
• CATF’s role: In 2024, 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. This year, the Nuclear Scaling Initiative published a new roadmap that outlines how it will get it done:
  • Forming durable demand signals: NSI will bring together demand-side stakeholders to form a series of buyers clubs – regional coalitions of project sponsors that will generate durable demand for nuclear energy.
  • Assembling orderbooks: NSI will work with buyers clubs to secure firm commitments for building multiple units of a particular reactor design. These orderbooks will drive cost reductions through supply chain readiness, regulatory consistency, and a skilled workforce.
  • Informing technology selection: NSI will develop tools to help project stakeholders select reactor designs based on deployment timescales, regulatory readiness, supply chain maturity, and strong nonproliferation and security standards.
  • Advocating for cohesive and efficient regulatory frameworks: NSI will collaborate with regulators and competent authorities worldwide to develop coherent licensing frameworks and streamlined approval processes for new nuclear energy projects to expedite progress without compromising safety.
  • Enabling a vibrant nuclear energy delivery system: NSI will work with public and private sector partners to facilitate workforce development, strengthen supply chains, and apply lessons from past projects to improve efficiency and reduce costs for future deployments.
• Where we’re working: NSI’s work is underway with a focus on Central and Eastern Europe and the Southeastern United States, where policy momentum and market conditions offer near-term opportunities for success – and where we’ve noted a critical gap in the current ecosystem.

• Why it matters: The EU Methane Regulation is an impactful policy with huge potential to hold major polluters accountable and cut methane emissions across the globe – a climate-warming gas that traps 80x more heat than CO₂.
• CATF’s role: With the new rules kicking in this year, some are pushing to weaken and delay the rules – falsely arguing that they’re either too hard to put in place or a threat to energy security. That’s why CATF is producing the research, gathering key stakeholders, and providing political pressure to defend the EU Methane Regulation:
  • The EU is the world’s biggest buyer of oil and gas, and producing that oil and gas emits huge amounts of methane. Some producers take action to cut methane, while others do nothing and emit dozens of times more pollution than producers who have taken action. Today, we have no real way of knowing how dirty the fuel is. Without accurate emissions data, governments and investors can’t reward lower-emitting producers or hold polluters accountable. CATF’s research shows that we have the tools to track these fossil fuels through trace-and-claim – a new, more secure approach that traces fuels by following the money. 
  • In May, CATF, STX Group, and IEA convened representatives from EU Member States, international organizations, and major energy industry stakeholders for a workshop focused on the implementation of the EU Methane Regulation’s provisions on imported fossil fuels. The roundtable aimed to foster a shared understanding of the Regulation’s requirements and help build alignment around practical tools and frameworks for compliance. 
  • This month, CATF sent a letter to EU Energy Ministers strongly encouraging them to protect the EU Methane Regulation and its import standard, and discourage against its inclusion in the energy omnibus package. This letter came on the heels of our campaign highlighting the benefits of the regulation and what’s at risk if it’s weakened.
• Status update: This month’s Council presidency conclusions invite the European Commission to assess whether the newly adopted EU Methane Regulation should be included in the next omnibus package, prompting concerns that this could undermine one of the EU’s most impactful new climate laws. The European Commission is expected to assess the Council’s request later this year. In the meantime, CATF will continue to push Member States and EU institutions to stay the course – prioritizing implementation support, advancing technical readiness, and upholding the Regulation’s climate integrity.

• Why it matters: Energy infrastructure technologies like nuclear energy, geothermal, and carbon capture and storage can revive American manufacturing, create jobs, support energy security, reduce emissions, and improve public health. But these technologies won’t commercialize through market forces alone – they need federal support to overcome structural investment gaps. 
• CATF’s role: With proposed cuts from Congress threatening progress, CATF pulled together a series of resources highlighting the impact on communities, states, and American innovation if clean energy tax credits are eliminated:
  • An interactive map highlighting the clean energy investments in communities across the country. Tracking where federal investment is going and for what projects is critical to understanding how these policies are benefiting communities and strengthening America’s energy system – and what is at stake should they be disrupted.
  • A policy brief that details how federal policies can help unleash carbon capture and storage, sources of nuclear energy (both fission and fusion), and next-generation geothermal technology. Plus, deep dives into how federal investment supports:
    • Next-generation geothermal 
    • Fusion energy 
    • Nuclear energy 
    • Carbon capture and storage 
  • A blog on how federal support advances clean energy by bridging the investment gap faced by many new technologies.  
• What’s next? The Senate is expected to vote on the budget reconciliation package impacting clean energy tax credits this week. The legislation will then return to the House of Representatives for a vote. CATF will continue its advocacy to protect these critical investments.

Dive deeper into our research, analysis, and interactive tools

Over the past six months, CATF has provided policymakers, industry stakeholders, NGO partners, academics, and others with technical tools to better make sense of the complexity of the decarbonization challenge. 

• Clean electricity standards: Many states have taken steps to support clean energy through clean electricity standards – an effective, dynamic way for states to protect electricity reliability and affordability while reducing emissions. CATF’s report and interactive map highlight opportunities for states to create and implement these standards. 
• Unearthing the reality of “Zombie Energy Systems” in Africa’s energy transition: Zombie Energy Systems are a critical barrier to Africa’s energy transition – with poorly maintained and aging systems draining resources and stalling economic and climate goals. CATF’s analysis identifies several examples of Zombie Energy Systems in Africa and provides recommendations to address them. Without action, Africa risks significant delays in achieving reliable, sustainable, and equitable energy systems. 
• Strategies for minimizing contrail climate impact: As aviation’s impact on the climate grows with increased greenhouse gas emissions, there’s another major driver of warming that is often overlooked: contrails. While short-lived, contrails can trap heat and contribute significantly to warming. Analysis from CATF finds that reducing CO₂ emissions alone from aviation will not be enough to mitigate the industry’s climate footprint. A comprehensive approach is needed to mitigate warming from contrails, and policy to reduce emissions from aviation must include contrail mitigation. 
• Fusion on the grid: Fusion energy has the potential to transform our energy landscape by providing a zero-carbon, firm power source that complements renewables. However, the U.S. needs a well-structured policy framework to unlock this potential. CATF’s policy brief outlines the critical steps policymakers must take to accelerate fusion energy deployment, from regulatory clarity to federal investment in research and development. 
• Deaths by dirty diesel: For the first time, see how many lives can be saved if U.S. states adopt and implement the Advanced Clean Trucks Rule – a powerful tool to improve air quality and protect public health. CATF’s updated map shows the death and severe health impacts of diesel pollution on communities across the U.S. It also highlights how the Advanced Clean Trucks Rule can clean up the air and save lives.
• Can forest carbon protocols ensure high-quality credits? Forest carbon credits are a way to finance projects that protect or restore forests, usually to offset emissions elsewhere. But using forest carbon credits with inadequate guardrails risks slowing down climate action instead of accelerating it. An evaluation and scorecard of 20 forest carbon credit protocols by a team of forest scientists demonstrates that most protocols are not strong enough to ensure that certified credits are high-quality.
• The waste methane toolbox: The waste sector is responsible for almost 20% of global methane emissions – and governments have an opportunity to cut methane from waste through policy action. CATF’s report presents a menu of options and case studies for governments to consider for solid waste methane mitigation based on research and evaluation of national-level approaches from around the world.
• Decarbonization pathways and policy recommendations for the United States steel sector: Steel is fundamental to economic development, but is a significant greenhouse gas emitter, responsible for 2% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. CATF’s report explores how to realistically decarbonize this critical sector, keeping economics in mind to not inhibit manufacturing activity.  
• Recasting the future – Policy approaches to drive cement decarbonization: Cement is a crucial element of infrastructure development and economic vitality in the United States. Production of cement in the United States employs approximately 14,000 workers and generates 91 million metric tons of cement annually, but is responsible for a substantial share of greenhouse gas emissions. CATF’s report presents key technological pathways, adoption strategies, and policy recommendations for transitioning to a low-carbon cement industry while preserving economic growth and infrastructure resilience. 
• Beyond LCOE: Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) is a widely used metric for comparing power generation technologies – but it only tells part of the story. While useful for tracking individual project costs, CATF’s report finds that LCOE fails to reflect the full complexity of electricity systems, and relying on it alone can lead to decisions that fall short on reliability, affordability, and emissions goals.  
• A fusion engine for growth: Despite decades of leadership in fusion energy R&D, Europe risks losing its edge as the U.S. and China accelerate their push toward commercial fusion energy. In a policy brief, CATF calls on the EU to align its fusion energy ambitions with broader economic and geopolitical goals, including restoring industrial competitiveness and reducing strategic dependencies.