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This policy brief from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) outlines the economic, health, and security benefits of transitioning Canada to a net-zero electricity grid by 2050. It argues that electrification across all sectors will require doubling or tripling electricity generation, which can be achieved through renewables to lower household costs, improve public health, and enhance energy independence.

This research paper examines Brazil's efforts to foster low-carbon agriculture through public policies and rural credit. It details the transition from the ABC Plan (2011) to the more ambitious ABC+ Plan/RenovAgro (2021), which targets 72.68 million hectares of sustainable land use by 2030. While Brazil has seen massive productivity gains, the paper highlights a gap between total rural credit and the amount specifically dedicated to low-carbon investments. It also discusses 2023 regulatory changes that tie credit access to strict environmental compliance, including the Rural Environmental Registry and the absence of environmental embargoes across all biomes.

This research paper examines India's agricultural subsidy regime, focusing on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and input subsidies for fertilizer, power, and irrigation. While these tools have been critical for food security and farmer livelihoods, they face criticism for inequity and environmental impacts. The author argues that subsidies are essential for small farmers and cannot be easily replaced by direct income transfers due to infrastructure gaps.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the drivers of deforestation in Colombia and the coherence of the policies designed to combat it. Using a framework based on ideas, institutions, and interests, the authors analyze how conflicting economic goals, institutional weaknesses, and the influence of powerful mining and agricultural interests hinder environmental progress. The brief highlights a significant gap between national conservation goals and the rights of local peasant communities, specifically citing the negative impacts of military-led enforcement strategies.

This research paper examines the financial feasibility and requirements of a model green hydrogen-based ironmaking project located in a developing country, designed to export green iron to developed nations for steel production.

The 58th IAI Executive Council meeting report details the successful relocation of the IAI headquarters to Panama, a 20% increase in voluntary contributions for FY 2024-2025, and the launch of a Collaborative Research Action on Tropical Forests. Key future initiatives include a June 2025 CRA on Oceans, the establishment of an Indigenous Peoples Advisory Committee, and the rollout of a scientific diplomacy curriculum in early 2025. The report also confirms that the 33rd Conference of the Parties (CoP-33) will be held in Paraguay in May 2025.

The Center for International Environmental Law reports that COP29 failed to deliver on climate ambition, human rights, and finance. Key failures include an insufficient New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) of 300 billion USD, the operationalization of carbon markets without strong human rights safeguards, and a lack of agreement on the Just Transition Work Programme. The report also highlights the restrictive civic space in Azerbaijan and the continued underfunding of the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) provides a guide for developing financial instruments for climate adaptation, drawing on a decade of experience from the Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance (The Lab). It identifies key barriers to adaptation finance—such as high perceived risk, limited investor awareness, and a lack of bankable pipelines—and outlines a five-step framework for structuring successful instruments: defining a resilience thesis, building robust pipelines, strategic funder engagement, cultivating collaborations, and measuring impact.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes the relationship between subsidized rural credit and deforestation in Brazil between 2020 and 2024. It finds that a significant portion of public funds is directed toward properties with a history of deforestation, highlighting a gap between the sustainability policies of financial institutions and their actual lending portfolios.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) and Amazônia 2030 analyzes legal partnership models for restoring degraded public lands in the Brazilian Amazon. It evaluates the current standard of forest concessions against alternatives such as common tenders, common public service concessions, and Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to improve risk distribution and attract private investment through carbon markets.

This report defines "energy parks" as large-scale microgrids that co-locate renewable energy generation, storage, and electricity consumers (loads) behind a single point of interconnection (POI) to the bulk power grid. The authors argue that this model reduces equipment costs, accelerates the "time to power" for industrial loads, and provides flexible grid services. The document outlines the evolution of these parks from simple solar farms with high inverter-loading ratios to complex hybrids involving thermal batteries and hydrogen electrolysis. It identifies significant regulatory hurdles, including interconnection queue delays, wholesale market participation rules, and state-level utility monopolies, and proposes a shift toward treating energy parks as "digital resources" with a universal participation model.

A Global Energy Monitor (GEM) report identifies 23 methane 'super-emitter' events at eight coal mines across Australia, China, Colombia, and Mexico between January 1, 2023, and April 1, 2024. Using NASA EMIT sensor data, the analysis links satellite-detected plumes to specific mine operators, highlighting a lack of global incentives for methane mitigation.

This research paper analyzes agricultural subsidies in Uganda, noting that while initiatives like NAADS and insurance subsidies have increased productivity and coverage, they often benefit large-scale farmers over smallholders. The authors highlight critical failures in delivery timing, a severe shortage of extension services, and negative environmental impacts due to the promotion of agrochemicals and hybrid seeds. They recommend a bottom-up redesign of subsidies that supports the entire value chain and increases the participation of small-scale farmers.

This research paper by Jane Nalunga and Jonathan Lubega analyzes agricultural subsidies in Uganda, examining their impact on the economy, livelihoods, and the environment. While initiatives like NAADS and insurance subsidies have increased production and protected some farmers, the authors argue that subsidies are often poorly managed, underfunded, and biased toward large-scale operators, while contributing to environmental degradation through the promotion of agrochemicals and monoculture.

This research paper by Ranja Sengupta analyzes the role and impact of agricultural subsidies in India, specifically focusing on price support and input subsidies. It argues that while these mechanisms face criticism for inefficiency and environmental impact, they remain essential for rural livelihoods, food security, and protecting small farmers against global market volatility and the effects of developed nations' agricultural subsidies.

This research paper, authored by Marco V. Sánchez of the FAO and published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development, argues that low-income and lower-middle-income countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, can achieve significant gains in food security and economic growth by optimizing their existing public spending on agriculture rather than relying solely on budget increases.

This research paper analyzes the policies and financial mechanisms used to promote low-carbon agriculture in Brazil, focusing on the transition from the original ABC Plan to the more ambitious ABC+ Plan (RenovAgro). It examines the role of rural credit, the impact of new sustainability requirements introduced in 2023, and the challenges of monitoring technology adoption to ensure climate resilience.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines carbon leakage—the displacement of production and emissions to countries with lower climate ambition—and evaluates a toolkit of policy responses including Border Carbon Adjustments (BCAs), cost-containment measures, subsidies, and product standards.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) outlines ambition benchmarks for the third generation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) due in 2025. It argues that to align with the 1.5 °C target, countries must commit to tripling renewable energy capacity, phasing out fossil fuel production, and eliminating fossil fuel subsidies, while ensuring a just and equitable transition.

This special edition of the Peace & Security Council Report focuses on the 2025 African Union (AU) senior leadership election process, detailing the procedural rules, the candidates for the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson positions, and the institutional challenges facing the incoming leadership.