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The document details a multi-phase initiative in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, to combat pollution caused by the use of raw coal in 'ger' settlements. It highlights the role of the Economic Policy and Competitiveness Research Centre (EPCRC) in transitioning the community toward fuel-efficient briquettes, improving sanitation to prevent soil contamination, and influencing national green economy policies and legislation for women entrepreneurs.

The document analyzes the implementation of just transition policies in European regions, emphasizing the role of subnational authorities in tailoring climate policies to local contexts. It identifies best practices in economic diversification, worker retraining, the application of the Polluter Pays Principle in environmental restoration, and the necessity of multi-level governance and inclusive funding to ensure a climate-neutral economy that leaves no one behind.

The 2025 Climate Litigation Lab, hosted by Surge Africa and partners, addressed the systemic use of SLAPP suits by corporations and governments to intimidate climate activists in Africa. The event resulted in the launch of an Africa-specific SLAPP Toolkit and the development of strategies for legal advocacy, strategic communications, and regional solidarity to protect environmental defenders.

The case of Fridays for Future Estonia v. Eesti Energia involved a legal battle led by the NGO MTÜ Loodusvõlu to stop the construction of the ENEFIT282 shale oil plant in Narva-Jõesuu. The claimants argued that the plant violated the Paris Agreement, EU climate neutrality goals, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, while also posing risks to Natura 2000 conservation areas. After several rounds of litigation and rejected requests for interim relief, the Supreme Court of Estonia cancelled the construction permit in October 2023. The Court found that the project's environmental assessments failed to identify impacts on climate change and the conservation of the Puhatu bird, necessitating the cancellation under the precautionary principle.

The report examines the impact of clean industrial hubs in California and Texas on first-of-a-kind projects, noting that 50% of supported projects reached a final investment decision compared to a 20% global average. It argues that these hubs mobilize investment and reduce emissions by creating enabling ecosystems for innovative first movers across sectors such as hydrogen, sustainable aviation fuel, and low-emissions steel.

The CEO of Mighty Earth reports on rewilding successes, including the planned restoration of grizzly bears to Washington state and a feasibility study for their return to California. The note also celebrates the creation of the 729,000-acre Patagonia Azul Provincial Park in Argentina and calls for Indonesia to shift its 'food and energy estates' project from intact forests to degraded lands to protect biodiversity and climate goals.

The document examines UNI2, a Colombian microfinance institution, to determine how financial intermediaries can support responsible investment in agricultural value chains. By applying an adapted RAI Tool methodology involving self-assessments and interviews, the study explores UNI2's role in influencing sustainable practices and providing feedback to improve the RAI Tool's scoring and filtering mechanisms. The analysis demonstrates that financial institutions contribute to responsible agricultural investment by providing capital, influencing behaviors, and sharing knowledge within rural economies.

The report details RMI's engagement in a transition credit pilot for the SLTEC coal plant in the Philippines, proposing a structured four-phase approach—Project Screening, Defining Evaluation Scope, Pre-Feasibility Analysis, and Recommendations—to ensure project integrity and financial viability. It highlights the role of transition credits in filling financing gaps for early coal retirement and the necessity of rigorous baseline setting and clean energy replacement planning to avoid moral hazard and leakage.

The document argues that health organizations should lead the effort to revoke the 'social license' of the fossil fuel industry by refusing to work with PR agencies linked to it. It draws a parallel between the current fossil fuel industry and the historical tobacco industry, citing CVS Health's 2014 decision to stop selling tobacco as a model for corporate responsibility. The guide outlines a 'Fossil Fuel Free Health Communications Pledge' and a three-step screening process for agencies: requesting full client disclosure, seeking a commitment to avoid future fossil fuel clients, and demanding public accountability. It also provides a list of specific questions for organizations to ask potential agencies to ensure alignment with public health and climate goals.

The document argues that fossil fuel companies use disinformation campaigns, similar to the tobacco industry's historical tactics, to obstruct climate action and harm public health. It urges health organizations to leverage their credibility and market influence—noting a healthcare advertising market valued at USD 42.28 billion in 2024—to revoke the industry's 'social license' by refusing to hire agencies with fossil fuel ties. The guide outlines a 'Commitment for Fossil-Free Health Communications' and a three-step screening process: requesting full client disclosure (specifically for the past 3 years), seeking a fossil-free commitment (such as the Clean Creatives pledge), and verifying public accountability. It cites the 2014 decision by CVS Health to stop selling tobacco products as a precedent for how health-focused entities can catalyze broader industry change by aligning business practices with health missions.

The report advocates for the use of spatial targeting to maximize the water quality and climate adaptation benefits of water retention projects, such as wetlands and naturalized dams, in the Canadian Prairies. It highlights the PTMApp model and the necessity of high-resolution LiDAR-based digital elevation models (DEMs) to accurately map phosphorus loading and identify non-contributing areas. Using the Swan Lake study area as a demonstration, the document argues that strategic site selection improves cost-effectiveness and phosphorus interception, particularly during high-magnitude spring runoff events.

The report details a spatial targeting strategy for phosphorus reduction in the Canadian Prairies, using the Swan Lake study area as a pilot. It integrates the PTMApp model with HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS to account for regional hydrological specifics, such as spring runoff and non-contributing areas. Key findings highlight that default PTMApp settings may overestimate BMP efficiency during spring runoff and that high-quality land-use data is critical to avoid significant errors in nutrient load estimates. The report also discusses the practical application of these models for government and First Nations stakeholders, emphasizing the value of local knowledge and the need for compensation programs to encourage BMP adoption on high-value cropland.

The report examines the 'Centennial Yards' (formerly the Gulch) redevelopment project in Atlanta, where the City provided nearly $2 billion in tax breaks to the LA-based private equity firm CIM Group. It highlights CIM's decision in October 2024 to renege on affordable housing promises by paying an $8.5 million 'in-lieu' fee, which critics argue is based on outdated 2017 data. The document further details CIM's controversial track record in other cities, including allegations of predatory behavior at Southern Towers in Alexandria, Virginia, and driving gentrification in the West Adams neighborhood of Los Angeles.

The report argues that the private equity business model, characterized by high debt and a focus on short-term returns, is incompatible with the goals of value-based care (VBC). It details how three VBC companies—CareMax, Cano Health, and Clinical Care Medical Centers (CCMC)—filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2024 due to unsustainable debt levels. The document highlights that these companies served vulnerable dual-eligible Medicare and Medicaid populations and that their failures accelerated healthcare consolidation, as assets were bought by vertically integrated insurers like Humana. It concludes with policy recommendations to limit debt in leveraged buyouts and increase antitrust enforcement.

The document argues that while African governments have set ambitious adaptation targets, governance and financial constraints hinder the effectiveness of these efforts. It advocates for locally led adaptation (LLA) as a participatory strategy to ensure resilience is context-specific and inclusive. Key barriers identified include a disconnect between national policies and local needs, limited direct access to climate finance for local actors, and weak monitoring systems. The brief recommends integrating Indigenous knowledge, devolving decision-making, and expanding decentralized finance to empower local communities.

Malawi is leveraging carbon markets to attract climate finance, protect ecosystems, and support its 2063 Vision. While the country has historically faced transparency issues and a lack of regulation, the government is now implementing a Carbon Trading Regulatory Framework and the Malawi Carbon Markets Initiative to oversee trade and ensure benefit-sharing. The Kulera Landscape REDD+ Program serves as a model for integrating local communities as partners rather than just beneficiaries. However, significant barriers remain, including technical capacity gaps in government, limited finance for smallholder farmers, and gender inequality in leadership.

The document highlights the rapid degradation of wetlands in Myanmar, noting a 25% loss in the Upper Chindwin River basin between 2000 and 2020. It critiques existing government-led initiatives for being tokenistic and limited primarily to Ramsar sites, leaving smaller wetlands vulnerable. Based on a project in the Hkamti region, the authors demonstrate that community leadership—through village working committees and alternative livelihood planning—enhances resource management and monitoring. The brief recommends establishing a community-led management framework, diversifying funding, and integrating wetland conservation across sectoral policies like agriculture and tourism.

The paper argues that Colombia's previous price-based renewable energy auctions failed to consider socio-economic factors, leading to social conflict and project cancellations, particularly in La Guajira. It recommends two main pathways for the new framework: enhancing community engagement and benefit sharing for large-scale projects through stricter qualification requirements and multicriteria award mechanisms, and scaling up energy communities via a reserved auction quota (adhesion process) and a dedicated support agency to prevent 'community washing'.

The document examines how rapidly growing cities in India and Kenya rely on informal, decentralized water solutions—termed 'gridless water configurations'—to bridge gaps in failing or insufficient centralized infrastructure. It highlights the risks of unregulated groundwater extraction and social inequality, while proposing that water authorities formally recognize and co-design these systems with local communities to create more resilient and equitable urban water governance.

RMI's GridUp tool analyzes EV load growth in New York State, specifically within the service territories of Consolidated Edison and National Grid. The analysis indicates that unmanaged EV charging could overload several substation banks by 2035, but managed charging could reduce the EV contribution to system peak load by approximately 33 percent, potentially deferring costly infrastructure investments.