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The document analyzes the global landscape of fossil fuel subsidies (FFS), noting that they typically total around $600 billion annually and double during price crises. It argues that FFS drive greenhouse gas emissions and market distortions, and that the WTO is uniquely positioned to facilitate reform through transparency, capacity building, and the development of international disciplines. The author prioritizes the reform of subsidies for transport consumers, residential consumers, and oil and gas producers, while emphasizing the need for just transition principles to protect vulnerable populations, particularly in developing countries.

The report analyzes the challenges of scaling up forest and native vegetation restoration in Brazil, arguing that current public policies are designed for individual rural properties rather than landscape-scale initiatives. It identifies three essential factors for success: the adoption of multiple complementary restoration typologies, the integration of both public and private lands, and the synergy between mandatory legal restoration and voluntary initiatives. The authors highlight the potential of carbon markets and payment for environmental services to drive these efforts, while noting that regulatory contradictions—particularly regarding environmental licensing for native silviculture—remain significant hurdles.

The report examines how developing countries can capture a fair share of financial benefits from critical minerals, highlighting risks such as price volatility, oversupply, and opaque markets. It suggests opportunities for these nations to increase state participation, develop downstream processing capabilities, and reform fiscal incentives to maximize economic gains from the energy transition.

The report analyzes the fiscal risks and opportunities for developing countries producing critical minerals essential for the energy transition. It highlights the potential for significant additional revenues—estimated up to USD 25 billion annually in taxes and royalties by 2040—while warning of risks such as price volatility, lack of transparency in markets like cobalt and lithium, and the potential for oversupply due to substitutes. The document argues that producer countries can increase their economic benefits by enhancing domestic processing (adding value), re-evaluating state participation, and reforming overly generous tax incentives. It also addresses the impact of alternative financing like 'metal streaming' and the potential costs associated with carbon pricing mechanisms such as the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

The report analyzes how developing countries can maximize financial gains from critical minerals during the energy transition. It identifies risks such as price volatility, opaque markets, and the impact of alternative financing like metal streaming. Opportunities include increasing state participation, developing downstream processing to add value, and reforming tax incentives. The document emphasizes that while significant additional revenues are possible—potentially between 98 billion and 259 billion USD annually by 2040—the window of opportunity is limited by potential oversupply and the development of substitute materials.

The document analyzes Russia's strategic pivot toward Africa as a means to diversify partners and evade Western sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine. It argues that while Africa is not a central priority for the Kremlin, it serves as a critical 'theater' for projecting power, securing natural resources, and challenging US-led unipolarity. The paper details Russia's approach across several sectors, including arms sales, nuclear energy, and mining, while highlighting the role of the Wagner Group in providing security in exchange for resource access. It concludes that Russia leverages African support at the UN to maintain its status as a global power and to promote a multipolar international system.

The author examines the "end of development" narrative—the idea that income gaps between developed and developing nations may never close—and its implications for Africa. The text highlights a decline in traditional aid from the UK, EU, and Canada, alongside a drop in Chinese infrastructure loans. It identifies critical gaps in infrastructure ($68-$108 billion annually) and climate adaptation ($453 billion this decade). To counter this, the author urges the African Union to reduce aid dependency, prioritize the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and improve the bankability of projects to attract investment rather than relying on dwindling global generosity.

The report examines how grid-enhancing technologies (GETs) can address interconnection bottlenecks in the PJM region, potentially enabling 6.6 GW of new solar, wind, and storage projects by 2027 and providing approximately $1 billion in annual production cost savings.

The Green Economy Coalition advocates for a fair green industrial strategy in the UK, criticizing the Labour Party for abandoning its £28 billion green investment pledge. The document highlights the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) as a successful example of structural policymaking that leverages private investment—estimated by Goldman Sachs at $3 trillion—into renewable energy. It argues that government leadership through clear, long-term commitments and mandatory net zero targets is essential to attract business investment, ensure energy security, and protect vulnerable workers during the transition from fossil fuels.

The document argues that carbon capture and storage (CCS) is essential for Europe to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, particularly for hard-to-abate industrial sectors like cement and steel. It details the technical processes of capture and geological storage, asserts that leakage risks are extremely low, and outlines current project developments in the North Sea region and across the EU. The text also addresses the economic viability of CCS, noting that while costs vary by industry, the technology is often the lowest-cost path for specific industrial decarbonisation and carbon dioxide removal (CDR).

The document explores the transition from electronic money to CBDCs, focusing on China's e-CNY as a tool for renminbi internationalisation and its potential impact on Africa. It details the technical differences between cryptocurrencies and CBDCs, the specific two-tier design of the e-CNY, and the risks associated with privacy and financial disintermediation. For Africa, the paper highlights opportunities for financial inclusion and more efficient remittances, while cautioning against the risks of digital divide and state surveillance. It concludes with recommendations for African civil society and policymakers to engage in the design and standard-setting of digital currency frameworks to maintain monetary autonomy.

The 2023 wildfire season in Canada, which burned 19 million hectares, highlighted the vulnerability of the forestry industry, which represents 1.7% of Canada's GDP. Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of fires, potentially leading to a loss of 4 billion dollars in export revenues and 32,000 jobs by the end of the century if no action is taken. The document recommends a coordinated approach involving government and industry to enhance resilience through diversified reforestation, active forest management—including Indigenous-led controlled burning—and the expansion of bioenergy to reduce forest fuel loads.

The report advocates for a strategic shift in US state transportation policy, moving away from highway expansion toward the reduction of vehicle miles traveled (VMT). It highlights that while vehicle electrification is progress, it is insufficient on its own to meet climate goals. RMI analysis suggests that a 20% reduction in per-capita VMT by 2050 could prevent 6,000 annual fatalities, save $259 billion in annual costs, and avoid 2.3 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent. The document urges states to utilize funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) for transit, micro-mobility, and 'complete streets' rather than projects that induce more traffic.

The Republic of Cyprus joined the EU on 1 May 2004 and the eurozone on 1 January 2008. Unlike other 2004 enlargement states, its primary motivations were national security and gaining leverage to resolve the Cyprus dispute rather than economic development. While the political goal of resolving the island's division remains unfulfilled, membership provided critical financial stability during the 2012-2013 sovereign debt crisis via the European Stability Mechanism. The authors argue that Cyprus's 'partial' model of integration, where the EU acquis is suspended in areas without government control, serves as a potential blueprint for future EU enlargements involving divided territories.

The 2024 Global State of the Mini-Grid Market report highlights a significant expansion in mini-grid installations, with a marked shift from diesel to solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity. It identifies a substantial funding gap despite an increase in total authorized funding to over 3.1 billion USD. The document emphasizes the transition toward integrated energy planning, the importance of Productive Use of Energy (PUE) for financial viability, and the role of digital tools in reducing operational and development costs. It provides detailed case studies on Sierra Leone, India, and Kenya to illustrate diverse regulatory and economic approaches.

The report argues that China's industrial sector, which accounted for 65 percent of total electricity consumption in 2022, offers significant potential for demand-side flexibility (DSF). Developing this flexibility across seven major industries could reduce annual peak load by 3-10 percent and avoid 40–130 GW of new coal power investment.

The report analyzes the state of fossil fuel subsidies in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting their regressive nature and economic inefficiency. It provides a framework for a just transition, recommending transparent measurement, participatory planning, and the use of saved funds for social protection and renewable energy.

The report examines the intersection of Africa's industrialization goals under the AfCFTA and the global shift toward sustainability. It highlights that while Africa contributes minimally to global emissions, adopting green practices early can provide a competitive advantage and safeguard market access against regulations like the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. However, the continent faces massive financial shortfalls, including an annual trade finance gap of USD 81 billion and a USD 90 billion gap for energy transition. The author proposes a synergy of climate and trade finance through Green Bonds, Public-Private Partnerships, and a 'Sustainable Trade and Investment Code' to guide the transition without creating punitive barriers for SMEs.

The briefing assesses the health and economic co-benefits of a 45% emissions cap on Canada's oil and gas sector. It projects that such a cap would avoid approximately 4,860 premature deaths between 2030 and 2040, resulting in an economic benefit of CAD $45.1 billion. The document highlights the link between oil and gas emissions and pollutants like NO2, PM2.5, and ozone, which contribute to respiratory and cardiac diseases. It also criticizes the federal government for failing to conduct a promised independent health study on communities near the oil sands and calls for a national study on the health costs of oil and gas production, similar to research conducted in the U.S.

The report evaluates the technical and economic viability of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), contrasting them with large-scale nuclear power plants (NPPs) and variable renewable energy (VRE). It specifically analyzes the Romanian nuclear landscape, including the planned NuScale SMR in Doicești and the expansion of the Cernavodă plant. The authors argue that SMRs' modularity and standardization can mitigate the cost overruns typical of large NPPs. They recommend EU-level harmonization of licensing, the creation of a Joint Platform for SMR Procurements to achieve economies of scale, and improved public transparency in Romania.