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This technical note by Climate Policy Initiative analyzes 56 bills in the Brazilian Congress that seek to modify the 2012 Forest Code. It highlights seven bills that could significantly reduce native vegetation protection, grant amnesty for illegal deforestation, or disrupt the implementation of the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and Environmental Regularization Programs (PRA). The document warns against 'jabuti' amendments and urges public monitoring of the legislative process to prevent environmental setbacks.

This report summarizes a 2020 workshop on the barriers to electric vehicle (EV) charging access in California's multi-unit dwellings (MUDs). It identifies key obstacles such as outdated electrical infrastructure, split incentives between landlords and tenants, and restrictive parking zoning. Proposed solutions include 'make-ready' utility investments, updated building codes, and the adoption of lower-cost Level 1 charging to ensure equitable access for low- and moderate-income residents.

This briefing by Energy Innovation compares 2019 securitization legislation passed in Colorado, Montana, and New Mexico. These laws allow utilities to issue ratepayer-backed bonds to refinance investments in early-retired electric generation plants, primarily coal, to reduce consumer costs by replacing high-cost corporate finance with low-cost debt.

This report by the Green Economy Coalition (GEC) and Fundação Amazonas Sustentável (FAS) argues that the Amazon is 'too big to fail' and must transition from a 'deforestation economy' to an inclusive green economy. It details the systemic risks of an ecological tipping point and proposes the creation of the Amazon Green Economy Hub in Manaus to coordinate multi-stakeholder efforts, scale bioeconomy enterprises, and reform economic policies to value standing forests over land liquidation.

This policy brief examines the risk of Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) claims against governments arising from national investment laws, particularly in the context of emergency COVID-19 measures. It highlights how domestic laws providing consent to international arbitration can expose states to costly claims and suggests mitigation strategies.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the risk of Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) claims based on national investment laws, particularly in the context of government emergency measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights how domestic laws can provide a legal basis for international arbitration, potentially bypassing national courts and exposing states to significant financial liabilities.

This briefing describes the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, Sweden, as the foundational event for modern environmental diplomacy. It details the conference's origins, the tensions between developed and developing nations, the resulting Stockholm Declaration and Action Plan, and the subsequent establishment of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The September 2020 Peace & Security Council Report examines the African Union's (AU) operational challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, the precarious state of peace agreements in Sudan and Libya, the root causes of coups in Africa with a focus on Mali, and the potential for national dialogue in Ethiopia.

This policy brief argues that regional integration via the AfCFTA and a strategic partnership with the European Union are essential to overcoming Africa's energy deficit and financing gaps. It highlights that while Africa has vast renewable potential, the transition is stalled by a lack of technical capacity, fossil fuel subsidies, and fragmented markets. The authors recommend shifting EU aid from bilateral to regional modalities and prioritizing the local adaptation of green technologies.

This policy brief examines the role of green financing in scaling renewable energy investments across Africa, using Kenya as a primary case study. It argues that while Africa has vast renewable potential, public funds are insufficient to meet the estimated $120 billion annual investment requirement through 2040. The document highlights how blended finance, risk mitigation instruments, and strategic partnerships between governments, development finance institutions, and the private sector can unlock the capital necessary for universal energy access and a low-carbon transition.

This briefing outlines strategic priorities for a green transition and energy access partnership between Africa and Europe. It highlights Africa's severe energy deficits and the potential of its solar resources, while warning against the contradiction of simultaneous fossil fuel expansion in countries like Kenya and South Africa. The document recommends focusing on 'nexus issues' (agriculture, digital economy, trade), de-risking private investment, and ensuring a 'just transition' through reskilling and gender mainstreaming, all while navigating the socio-economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute argues that sanitation is a critical but neglected component of climate action. It highlights the gap between the potential of sanitation to reduce climate vulnerability and the actual lack of integration in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and climate finance. The document outlines how sanitation services contribute to greenhouse gas emissions through anaerobic decomposition and energy-intensive treatment, while proposing a framework for better policy coherence through research, planning, and capacity development.

This report presents the results of a country-wide sorting study conducted in Estonia between 2019 and 2020. It analyzes the composition and quantities of mixed municipal waste, separately collected paper and packaging waste, and Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE). The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of waste collection systems and provide a basis for future waste management planning.

This guide from Earthjustice introduces the Better Lead Policy toolkit, which provides community advocates with resources to implement primary prevention practices to identify and remediate lead hazards before children are poisoned.

This report documents a Civil Society Training Workshop held via Zoom on 31 August 2020, organized by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA). The workshop focused on the South African APRM Popular Sensitisation (SAPS) Project, aiming to empower youth organizations and civil society to co-create a written submission for South Africa's second African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) review.

The Life After Coal campaign, comprising the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), groundWork (gW), and Earthlife Africa (ELA), submitted formal objections on 28 August 2020 against Eskom's applications for alternative emission limits at the Medupi and Matimba power stations. The campaign argues that these requests are an unlawful attempt to circumvent South Africa's Minimum Emission Standards (MES) and violate constitutional rights to a healthy environment.

This briefing proposes the creation of Solar Investment Trusts (SEITs) as a mechanism to overcome financing barriers for small-scale industrial and commercial rooftop solar developers in India. By structuring SEITs as Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) under SEBI guidelines, the model aims to lower the cost of equity, increase capital mobilization, and enable capital recycling to help India reach its rooftop solar capacity targets.

This research paper by the International Labour Organization (ILO) provides a rapid assessment of the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on South Africa's economy and labour market, emphasizing the disproportionate effect on disadvantaged groups and the need for a sequenced policy response based on the ILO's four-pillar framework.

This case study describes the installation of a 12kW solar mini-grid in Mthembanji, Dedza District, Malawi, developed by SustainSolar in collaboration with the University of Strathclyde, United Purpose, BNG Electrical, and Steamaco. The project provides 220 V power to 60 domestic and commercial customers, utilizing a containerised system with lithium-ion batteries and remote monitoring to address energy access gaps in a region where less than 12% of the population is connected to the national grid.

This research paper by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the efficacy of low-cost modifications to open wood fires in marginalized communities in the Global South to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.