At the COP28 climate summit in Dubai in 2023, the international community agreed to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030, to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius. Renewables are already the fastest-growing source of power worldwide, but we need to expand the sector rapidly to meet the 2030 goal.

This year presents a valuable opportunity to implement laws and policies that can unleash rapid growth in renewables. Countries are required to submit Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement by 2025, outlining the domestic measures they plan to take to support international climate goals, including the tripling renewables target. Businesses and governments must therefore work together to define NDC commitments that will expedite the implementation of renewables, while ensuring appropriate safeguards are in place.

Our work on enabling the transition

Corporate Leaders Network #MoreRenewables
campaign

We're calling on governments to implement laws that will rapidly advance the energy transition, while also safeguarding nature and local communities.

Find out more about the campaign

Global perspectives on the energy transition

Hear from our experts on the challenges and opportunities presented globally in the transition to renewables.

How to take action on renewables

Coming in November Renewable Energy Foundations for Business

This course will be for you and your organisation if you are looking to
understand the renewable energy transition and how you can effectively contribute to it.

Find out more and register your interest

Business and Climate Change: Towards Net Zero Emissions

This online short course gives you a
holistic business understanding of how
best to mitigate the business risks of
climate change, including the transition to renewables.

Find out more and register your interest

Accelerator to Net Zero

Our Virtual Accelerator programme for startups with high impact potential for enabling the net zero transition will focus on carbon market solutions this year.

CISL Insight

Africa’s Gas Road to Nowhere: South Africa’s Policy Debate on Using Gas to Accelerate the Energy Transition

Our new policy briefing assesses the opportunities and risks in
South Africa’s uptake of natural gas as a transition fuel as it
builds up renewables.

Aviation Impact Accelerator (AIA)

Using institutional policy expertise, CISL works to convene the AIA to have an impact on global aviation policy, with a focus on switching to renewable fuel.

Raising the ambition in Net Zero flight

Our new report proposes an ambitious five-year plan to set the aviation sector on the path to true net zero by 2050.

Read the Five Years to Chart a New Future for Aviation report

Rewiring energy at the University of Cambridge

CISL is contributing to the University's focus on energy, and development of policy and pricing strategies.

Phasing out fossil fuels

Our position on phasing out fossil fuels.

Convening to activate change

CISL at New York Climate Week

This year we are convening and hosting a range of events,
including the launch of our #MoreRenewables campaign and a
focus on industrial electrification.

Energy sector attends CLG UK’s partnership event

The Business of Leading the Energy Transition summit brought together industry leaders to hear from Head of Mission Control, Chris Stark, and Energy Minister, Michael Shanks MP, among others.

Resources and research

One female and one man working in a wind farm, engaged in discussion.

What is the energy transition?

25 September 2024—In this blog, CISL International Policy lead Katherine Quinn and Policy Analyst Anum Sheikh discuss the energy transition, why moving away from fossil fuels is important, and outline possible steps for a fair and resilient transition to renewable energy.

Risk sharing for Loss and Damage: Scaling up protection for the Global South

21 November 2023 - The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) launches a Loss and Damage action plan to scale up protection for the Global South.

Everything, everywhere, all at once: how can private finance be unlocked for nature and climate in the international financial architecture

13 November 2023 – CISL’s Centre for Sustainable Finance has published a new policy brief that dives deep into how the private sector can scale up finance for both climate and nature.

Bank Action Guide: Towards a just transition for small–medium enterprises (SMEs)

30 October 2023 - CISL’s Banking Environment Initiative has published a new Bank Action Guide to help banks begin to facilitate a just transition for acutely vulnerable SMEs and assert their role as key partners to communities and civil society, contributing to a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable global economy.

CISL’s Business Transformation Framework Preliminary Diagnostic

October 2023 – This report introduces a diagnostic tool that sets out 12 enablers presented onto four organisational typologies, distinguished by different levels of alignment to sustainability and purpose, against which businesses can self-assess.

Let’s Discuss Nature with Climate: Engagement Guide

9 October 2023 – Building on the nature-related finance collaboration between the Banking Environment Initiative (BEI) and Investment Leaders Group (ILG), CISL has published a new Engagement Guide to support the market-wide transformation towards a net-zero and nature-positive economy by evolving the interaction between banks and investment managers and their portfolio clients and investee companies.

Unleashing the sustainable business

2 October 2023 – This working paper explores the meaning and influence of organisational culture and proposes some key principles and associated behaviours that may underpin a purpose-driven organisational culture that delivers a sustainable future.

Climate and Nature: A Route to Mutual Acceleration

28 September 2023 - A new briefing from CISL sets out the rationale for joint action between climate and nature. It offers six critical actions for business, government and financial institutions to transform our societies and economies towards a nature positive future.

Future of Boards

27 September 2023 - Part 4 – The last in a series of four reports, from Phase 1 of “The Future of Boards” research study by the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), in partnership with the global law firm DLA Piper. The report provides both a synthesis of the detailed findings from Reports 1, 2, 3 and a summary of the key facts, and their potential implications for boards. To help boards better understand the landscape and navigate future shifts we have created a set of 20 pivotal questions for boards to use as a tool to facilitate discussion and prepare strategically.

Leadership capabilities for the 21st century

21 July 2023 - Report presenting the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership’s new Leadership capabilities for the 21st century Framework. The framework is focused on developing and expanding leadership capacity and is designed to help individuals and collectives reflect on their own and others’ leadership practice.

Energy Transition hub