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The document examines how the lack of harmonised digital identification and health information exchange systems in West Africa hindered the ECOWAS free movement regime during the Ebola epidemic and COVID-19 pandemic. It proposes integrating vaccine certification with foundational digital IDs—such as the ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card (ENBIC) and the West Africa Unique Identification for Regional Integration and Inclusion (WURI) initiative—to create a 'health passport'. Drawing on examples from the EU's Digital COVID Certificate and ASEAN's Universal Verification Mechanism, the author recommends that the ECOWAS Commission and the West African Health Organization (WAHO) develop a regional digital health certification framework that includes members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) to ensure comprehensive regional health security.

The document highlights the rapid global growth of solar energy, noting a 31% jump in generation in the first half of 2025 and its cost-effectiveness compared to fossil fuels. It advises journalists to move past 'alternative energy' framing, treat intermittency as a manageable issue rather than a fundamental obstacle, and be skeptical of 'weird solar' innovations that cannot compete with mass-produced panels. The guide also provides specific examples of solar applications, from agrivoltaics in Illinois to mini-grids in Nigeria and resilience hubs in Houston.

The authors argue that the UN climate process is outdated and allows powerful countries and polluting industries to block ambition. They propose four key reforms: implementing majority voting when consensus fails, enforcing strict conflict-of-interest rules to exclude fossil fuel lobbyists, establishing meaningful accountability and compliance mechanisms for state commitments, and guaranteeing human rights and transparency in negotiations.

COP30 in Belém, Brazil, is positioned as a critical inflection point for the global climate regime, occurring ten years after the Paris Agreement. The briefing highlights a tension between the summit's goals and local environmental degradation, such as the construction of the Avenida Liberdade expressway through a rainforest protection area and Brazil's pursuit of oil exploration in the Equatorial Margin. Key negotiation priorities include updated NDCs, the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund, and a new collective quantified goal for climate finance estimated at USD 1.3 trillion per year by 2035. The document also underscores the influence of non-state actors, such as YOUNGO and the Women and Gender Constituency, and argues that recent advisory opinions from the ICJ and IACHR have transformed climate action from a political choice into a binding legal responsibility for states.

The document details the three main priorities for COP30 in Belém: closing the ambition gap for 2035 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to limit warming to 1.5ºC, mobilizing $1.3 trillion annually for developing countries by 2035, and concluding the global adaptation indicators program. It also highlights the launch of the Tropical Forest Forever Fund (TFFF) led by Brazil to protect forests through innovative financing, and a broader global action agenda focusing on renewable energy, just transition, and urban resilience.

The study finds significant priority divergence between African climate plans (NDCs) and development plans (NDPs), noting that NDCs are often externally driven by international financing and environment ministries, while NDPs are domestically coordinated by economic planning ministries. This disconnect leads to energy transition strategies that may lack pragmatism and overlook economic performance metrics like reliability and affordability. The report recommends establishing inter-ministerial committees and increasing local technical capacity to integrate these frameworks, ensuring climate action supports poverty reduction and economic growth.

The document identifies a significant divergence between climate and development policy in Africa, noting that NDCs focus on sectoral mitigation while NDPs prioritize economic growth and poverty alleviation. It warns that aggressive energy transitions to reach net-zero by 2050 could reduce cropland availability by 31%, potentially undermining the agricultural sector which employs 60% of the continent's workforce. Financially, the brief highlights a massive gap, with climate finance requirements for Africa projected at $2.7 trillion by 2030, nearly equaling the continental GDP.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) opposes the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) proposal to rescind the Conservation and Landscape Health Rule. CATF argues that the rule aligns with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and provides critical tools, such as mitigation leases, that streamline the permitting of energy infrastructure, including high-voltage transmission and geothermal projects. The document claims the BLM's justification for rescission is legally insufficient and ignores the rule's role in promoting ecosystem resilience and carbon storage.

Carbon Market Watch and Fern call for the rejection of the CRCF Delegated Act for permanent removals, citing four primary flaws in BioCCS and biochar methodologies: insufficient consideration of biomass extraction's climate effects on land, lack of minimum capture rates for BioCCS, the use of zero baselines that ignore regulatory progress, and the failure to evaluate biomass feedstocks by carbon payback times. The authors warn that these deficiencies risk certifying projects that add emissions rather than removing them, potentially compromising the integrity of the EU ETS if these credits are integrated. They further criticize the vague rules and the potential for a 'race to the bottom' among certification bodies and auditors paid by operators.

The policy brief examines how water scarcity empowers non-state armed groups, delegitimizes state authority, and fuels transboundary disputes, while proposing that the US utilize its technological leadership and mediation experience to maintain geopolitical stability.

The statement calls for COP30 in Belem to establish an action plan for a just transition to 100% renewable energy, specifically targeting the reform of multilateral development banks (MDBs). It argues that current MDB models prioritise private profit and increase debt in the Global South, citing examples of harmful green hydrogen and hydropower projects. The authors propose three shifts: an immediate end to fossil fuel and 'false solution' finance, the provision of grants instead of debt-creating instruments, and a move toward small-scale, community-owned renewable energy projects to ensure energy sovereignty.

The Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF) has launched with an initial $5 billion to reward countries and Indigenous communities for forest protection, with a long-term goal of reaching $125 billion to generate $4 billion in annual funding. Additionally, the Forest and Land Tenure Pledge secured $1.8 billion from four governments and various foundations to support Indigenous land protection. In Indonesia, the government committed to quadrupling the recognition of Indigenous lands to 1.4 million hectares of customary forests. Despite these gains, the document notes that nature receives less than 3% of total climate finance, despite representing 37% of the climate solution.

Clean Air Task Force (CATF) outlines its priorities for COP30, advocating for 'pragmatic climate action' that integrates decarbonization with socioeconomic development. The statement highlights a disconnect between African nations' climate commitments and their development plans, while urging immediate action on methane emissions from agriculture, fossil fuels, and waste. CATF promotes a diverse technology suite, including nuclear and geothermal energy, to ensure energy security and economic viability across different regional contexts.

Carbon Market Watch asserts that the EU's Sustainable Transport Investment Plan (STIP) is insufficient without expanding the EU ETS to cover all aviation and shipping emissions. The organization estimates that covering all flights leaving the EEA would generate an additional €9 billion annually, rising to €58 billion if non-CO2 effects and private aviation are included. While the STIP utilizes the EU Innovation Fund and European Hydrogen Bank for cleaner fuels, the author argues that funding should shift away from biofuels toward e-kerosene and railway infrastructure, such as the Trans European Transport Network (TEN-T), to adhere to the 'polluter pays' principle.

Reclaim Finance reports that the vast majority of TotalEnergies' top shareholders voted in favor of management resolutions at the 2025 general assembly, including the re-election of directors and CEO remuneration. This support persists despite the company's decision to stop 'Say on Climate' votes and its increased investment in oil and gas projects, which Reclaim Finance describes as a 'climaticide' strategy that ignores IPCC and IEA recommendations for a 1.5°C trajectory.

Reclaim Finance reports that the vast majority of TotalEnergies' top global, European, and French shareholders approved management resolutions at the 2025 annual meeting, including CEO remuneration and director re-election. The analysis highlights a disconnect between these votes and science-based climate recommendations, noting that TotalEnergies remains the 6th largest oil and gas field developer globally as of 2024 and has increased planned oil and gas production. While a few shareholders like Union Investment and Ofi Invest AM voted against specific strategic resolutions, the overall average approval rate for management proposals was 94.8%. Reclaim Finance criticizes shareholders for prioritizing short-term financial returns, such as dividends and share buybacks, over the energy transition.

The document examines how four countries—Germany, the UK, Japan, and Australia—successfully reduced waste sector methane emissions through a combination of legislation, market-based tools, public education, and voluntary agreements. It highlights a general trend of diverting waste from landfills toward recycling, composting, and incineration, while noting that high-income countries in Europe, Asia, and Oceania have seen the most significant progress.

The document outlines three positive framing strategies for COP30: highlighting the unstoppable momentum of renewable energy, depicting a cleaner and fairer future for children, and emphasizing the protection of natural environments. It advises against using politicized or intangible terms like 'net-zero' and 'growth', suggesting instead a focus on tangible benefits such as job creation, cheaper energy bills, and cleaner air. The guide also provides specific UK-based case studies and public opinion statistics to support these narratives.

The report evaluates the climate transition progress of global private financial institutions (FIs) using the Net Zero Finance Tracker (NZFT). While target adoption has expanded, the quality of these targets remains weak, particularly regarding fossil fuel phase-outs. Implementation has improved in areas like climate risk disclosure, but real-world impact is limited: financed emissions have decreased only slightly since 2019, and credit financing remains heavily skewed toward fossil fuels. Direct finance for clean and transition energy projects grew by 18% annually from 2019 to 2024, reaching nearly USD 126 billion, though this investment is concentrated in advanced economies.

The report argues that temporary CRCF units from carbon farming are currently of low quality due to insufficient management of non-permanence and additionality risks, making them unsuitable for offsetting emissions. It assesses proposed EU agri-food policies—including an Agricultural Emissions Trading System (AgETS) and Mandatory Climate Standards (MCS)—concluding that allowing these units as offsets would undermine environmental integrity. The authors recommend shifting toward activity-based payments, either through a reformed Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) or other public funding mechanisms, to promote carbon farming without the integrity risks associated with result-based crediting.