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This legal memorandum by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) analyzes the May 21, 2024, advisory opinion (AO) from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) regarding States' obligations to protect oceans from climate change. The document details how the ITLOS AO defines anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as marine pollution under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and discusses the implications of this ruling for ongoing climate advisory proceedings before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) analyzes historical negotiation timelines of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) to provide pathways for the development of a future international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. It argues that the current ambition to complete the plastics treaty by the end of 2024 is tight and suggests that previous treaties, such as the Rotterdam, Minamata, and BBNJ agreements, demonstrate that negotiations can legally and practically extend beyond initial deadlines without requiring new mandates from governing bodies.

This report, co-authored by the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) and Peking University's Institute of Energy, examines the role of transition plans in scaling credible transition finance for the power sector, with a specific focus on the Chinese market and the use of Sustainability-Linked Bonds (SLBs).

This report, produced by the Climate Bonds Initiative and Peking University, examines the role of transition finance in decarbonising China's power sector. It emphasizes the necessity of credible, science-based transition plans to attract capital and avoid greenwashing, while analyzing the use of sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs) and use-of-proceeds (UoP) instruments. The document provides a framework for electrical utilities to develop transition roadmaps and includes case studies of Vattenfall, Enel, and China Huaneng Group to illustrate varying levels of alignment with global standards.

This input paper for the G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group, prepared by the India Initiative on Climate Risks and Sustainable Finance (led by Climate Bonds Initiative), examines the role of policymakers in mobilising private finance for the decarbonisation of the steel and cement sectors. It emphasizes the critical nature of the current decade for transition, particularly in emerging markets, and argues that credible corporate transition plans are essential for unlocking private capital through instruments like sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs). The report also highlights a significant gap in the integration of 'just transition' principles within corporate planning.

A policy brief by CPI/PUC-Rio reveals that 15% of Brazil's subsidized rural credit (R$ 14 billion annually) between 2020 and 2022 went to properties that deforested. This deforestation is heavily concentrated in large estates, with the top 5% of recipients responsible for 74% of the loss. The Cerrado biome is the most affected. The report argues that current restrictions, such as environmental embargos, are insufficient as they cover less than 5% of new deforestation, and recommends that subsidies be granted exclusively to properties with no deforestation.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) analyzes the regulatory framework of the Central Bank of Brazil (BCB) aimed at combating deforestation and ecosystem conversion. It details the BCB's transition toward sustainable finance through the 'Agenda BC#', specifically focusing on the integration of social, environmental, and climate risks into the National Financial System (SFN) and the implementation of strict environmental requirements for rural credit.

The 'Assessing National Enabling Framework Conditions for Urban Climate Finance' is a guide and tool developed by the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance (CCFLA) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). It provides a standardized framework for national governments to evaluate and improve the regulatory, institutional, and financial conditions—referred to as Enabling Framework Conditions (EFCs)—that facilitate subnational governments' access to climate finance.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) and the Institute for Climate Economics (I4CE) examines how public development banks (PDBs) can align their operations with the Paris Agreement. It distinguishes between 'project-level alignment,' which focuses on consistency with national low-emission climate-resilient development pathways, and the 'portfolio-level net-zero' approach common in the private sector. The document evaluates 11 operational benchmarks—such as inclusion/exclusion lists and scenario modeling—and provides recommendations for PDBs to integrate these tools to maximize climate impact while maintaining their development mandates.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) analyzes the regulatory efforts of the Central Bank of Brazil (BCB) to combat deforestation and ecosystem conversion. It details the BCB's integration of sustainability into its 'BC# Agenda', the implementation of social, environmental, and climate risk management for financial institutions, and specific restrictions on rural credit for non-compliant producers. The document also provides context on the drivers of land-use change in the Amazon and Cerrado biomes and offers policy recommendations to further align the national financial system with environmental conservation goals.

The 'Assessing Subnational Enabling Framework Conditions for Urban Climate Finance' guide, developed by the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance (CCFLA) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), provides a tool for subnational governments to evaluate and improve the regulatory, institutional, and financial environments necessary to scale urban climate finance.

This policy design brief by Energy Innovation proposes a Production Tax Credit (PTC) to accelerate the transition to zero-emissions industrial heat. The author argues that because industrial facilities emit approximately a quarter of global greenhouse gases—primarily from burning fossil fuels for processes like melting metals and cooking food—a targeted PTC can drive decarbonization while supporting manufacturing jobs and national security.

This policy design brief by Energy Innovation proposes a technology-neutral emissions standard for industrial heat to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and conventional pollutants. The author outlines specific design considerations for lawmakers to ensure the standard is simple to administer, incentivizes efficiency, and provides long-term certainty for industrial investment.

Energy Innovation has released version 4.0 of the United States Energy Policy Simulator (EPS), an open-source model updated to incorporate the impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The updated model features a rebuilt electricity sector with hourly dispatch and expanded power plant types to better analyze the financial incentives and emissions trajectories of the U.S. energy system through 2050.

This research note by Energy Innovation argues that the U.S. Treasury Department must maintain the "three pillars" (incremental, deliverable, and hourly-matched clean electricity) in the final rules for the Section 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit. The author contends that weakening these rules would undermine climate goals, increase electricity costs for consumers, and stifle the development of a flexible, domestic electrolyzer industry.

This report by FSD Africa provides a pan-African forecast of direct green job creation by 2030 across 12 material value chains. It identifies a significant near-term opportunity for 1.5 to 3.3 million new direct jobs, primarily driven by the energy and power sector. The analysis emphasizes that while long-term potential is vast, immediate investment in human capital and skilling is required to realize these gains.

This report by FSD Africa and McKinsey Sustainability presents a nature stress test for the banking systems of Ghana, Mauritius, Morocco, Rwanda, and Zambia. It evaluates how nature-related physical and transition risks impact real economy profits and subsequent credit losses for financial institutions across three scenarios: current policies, a disorderly transition, and an orderly transition aligned with the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). The findings highlight that while portfolio-level risks may appear moderate, they are heavily concentrated in priority sectors like agriculture and mining, where unweighted losses can be severe. The report argues that a coordinated, orderly transition can significantly mitigate these financial risks and provide macroeconomic benefits.

A July 2024 briefing by Global Energy Monitor (GEM) detailing China's leadership in wind and solar energy deployment, highlighting its massive pipeline of projects under construction and the systemic challenges related to grid integration and power transmission.

The Western Balkans have seen a 70% increase in prospective utility-scale solar and wind capacity over the past year, reaching 23 GW. This capacity could potentially displace planned gas-fired power plants and avert 103 million tonnes of lifetime CO2 emissions. However, only 6% of this prospective capacity is currently under construction, and the region remains heavily dependent on coal and hydropower.

This report details a series of national dialogues in Brazil regarding Border Carbon Adjustments (BCAs), specifically focusing on the impacts of the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). While the immediate economic impact of the EU CBAM on Brazil is estimated to be limited, the report highlights significant risks if such mechanisms proliferate to other major trading partners like the United States and Japan. The document synthesizes the concerns of the Brazilian government and industrial sectors, emphasizing the need for standardized emissions reporting, the recognition of non-price-based climate efforts, and the provision of financial support for technological adaptation in developing countries.