The Regulatory Energy Transition Accelerator (RETA, https://retatheaccelerator.org/), launched at COP26, is an initiative to build capacity for energy regulators as they work to advance toward a clean energy transition. Serving as a resource hub for regulators, RETA’s flagship project, Elevating the Priority of Decarbonization in Energy Regulators’ Decision Making, focuses on capturing and sharing insights from regulators’ experiences in elevating the priority of decarbonization in their decision making.

The two main products of the project are this report and accompanying webpage. The report covers the rationale for the acceleration of the clean energy transition, highlights of the interviews with 25 regulators and five experts and offers an in-depth look at nine examples of creative prioritization of decarbonization in regulatory decision making. The report’s nine examples are complemented by 28 more on the report’s webpage, to provide a more global perspective of regulatory decarbonization implementation experiences. The report concludes with findings and recommendations for policymakers, regulators and RETA to support the elevation of decarbonization in regulatory decision making.

Published March 19, 2024

Empowering Regulators to Tackle Decarbonisation

A policymakers’ guide

In surveying regulators for the 2023 RETA flagship project, Elevating the Priority of Decarbonization in Energy Regulators’ Decision Making, the Regulatory Assistance Project found that of the 25 regulatory entities interviewed, only two had explicit decarbonization mandates. This did not, however, deter regulators from innovating and deploying creative solutions to decarbonization. Regulators’ ability to respond, though, was hampered by lack of tools, resources and mandates. In response to this finding, RETA set a priority to elevate this message to policymakers and to identify strategies to empower regulators and accelerate decarbonization.

In 2024, RAP and RETA, in collaboration with the 21st Century Power Partnership, published a follow-up policymakers’ guide, Empowering Regulators to Tackle Decarbonisation. This brief was published in conjunction with the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) campaign of the same name. The aim of this campaign prompts dialogues between governments and regulators across the world, working proactively toward international decarbonization objectives. This campaign recognizes that regulators must act within their ascribed mandate to maintain impartiality and independence in their decision-making processes. The policymakers’ guide proposes five priorities to empower regulators as a launching point.

Published October 1, 2024