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The 'Recover Better with Sustainable Energy Guide for Caribbean Countries' outlines how sustainable energy investments can drive long-term development, economic resilience, and adherence to the Paris Agreement in the Caribbean region.

RMI urges the California Energy Commission (CEC) to implement a statewide all-electric new building code in the 2022 cycle. The document asserts that delaying this requirement until the 2025 cycle would result in 3 million additional metric tons of carbon emissions by 2030 and over $1 billion in unnecessary spending on gas infrastructure. It highlights that buildings are the primary source of premature deaths from air pollution in California, causing over 6,000 deaths annually, and that an all-electric code would support public health, especially in disadvantaged communities.

The document examines how COVID-19 transitioned from a health crisis to a systemic human development crisis in Africa, highlighting the severe economic contraction faced by energy exporters and tourism-dependent nations. It notes that while developed economies initially bore a higher infection burden, the economic downturn is universal, potentially triggering debt crises and defaults. However, the report suggests the pandemic could accelerate digitisation and a transition toward a sustainable economy powered by renewable energy.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) evaluates South Africa's R500 billion COVID-19 rescue package, concluding that the government's support measures have largely failed due to poor uptake, bureaucratic hurdles, and insufficient funding. The report highlights significant underspending, with an estimated R375 billion remaining unspent by June 2020. Key failures include the Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS), which reached only 8% of employers, and the Social Relief of Distress Grant, where only 1.2 million of 6.2 million applicants had been paid by June 18, 2020. Business support, including tax deferrals and the Credit Guarantee Scheme, suffered from low uptake and stringent eligibility criteria. Health and municipal support were described as patchy or underspent, with critical gaps in ICU bed capacity and water infrastructure in informal settlements.

The brief outlines a pathway for the U.S. to reach 90 percent zero carbon electricity by 2035, leveraging falling costs of solar, wind, and batteries. It projects that this transition could support 530,000 net new energy jobs annually and reduce economy-wide emissions by 27 percent without increasing customer bills. The document provides a set of policy recommendations for state-level officials, including the adoption of Clean Energy Standards, prohibitions on new natural gas investment, and the creation of ratepayer-backed bonds to securitize uneconomic fossil fuel assets.

The document examines how COVID-19 disrupted mining employment through lockdowns, supply chain failures, and commodity price volatility. It highlights the vulnerability of contractual and migrant workers, the risk of insolvency for local SMEs, and the potential for accelerated automation. The author argues that recovery requires shifting from blanket stimulus to targeted support, redesigning workplaces for health safety, and diversifying local industrial bases to reduce dependency on mining jobs.

The document highlights the vulnerability of the global mining labour market during the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that up to 305 million workers across all sectors were at risk of job loss in Q2 2020. It emphasizes that large-scale mining is often the primary job creator in remote regions and can contribute up to 15% of a country's national income. The brief argues for targeted relief packages conditional on job retention, the inclusion of non-permanent and migrant workers in social protection schemes, and the retraining of displaced workers to build future resilience. It also calls for strengthening local supply chains and industrial bases to reduce dependency on a few emerging markets.

The document investigates the integration of the private sector into Vietnam's National Adaptation Plan (NAP). It highlights that while the private sector is a critical source of funding and innovation, current policies often view businesses as entities to be managed rather than partners. The report identifies significant gaps in climate risk awareness and financial resilience among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and proposes specific strategies, including public-private partnerships (PPPs), green bonds, and tailored insurance products, to incentivize private investment in climate adaptation across various economic sectors.

RMI proposes a green stimulus strategy for the United States focused on four pillars: a national building retrofit program, the electrification and diversification of mobility, debt forgiveness linked to emissions reductions, and the creation of a federal Economic Recovery Facility to finance clean projects.

The report analyzes the link between synthetic nitrogen fertilizer use in the Midwest and the formation of a hypoxic 'dead zone' in the Gulf of Mexico. It estimates that agricultural nitrogen losses have caused between $552 million and $2.4 billion in annual damages to Gulf fisheries and marine habitat ecosystem services since 1980. The authors argue that shifting to sustainable agricultural practices—such as cover cropping and conservation tillage—can reduce these losses, providing a significant return on investment by restoring marine productivity and improving soil resilience for farmers.

The report finds that the German government's proposed emission limits for coal power plants would lead to 26,000 attributable deaths and €73 billion in economic costs between 2022 and 2038. Implementing the best available techniques (BAT) for all plants would reduce deaths to 5,800 and costs to approximately €15.8 billion. The study also highlights significant mercury emissions under the government's plan, which would cause 1,100 deaths and 400,000 IQ points of neurological damage in children.

The document examines how COVID-19 disrupted African extractive industries through reduced global demand, supply chain failures, and operational shutdowns. It highlights the vulnerability of oil-dependent economies like Nigeria and the specific challenges facing South Africa's mining sector. Conversely, it identifies a 'silver lining' in the increased demand for gold due to its role in rapid antibody tests. The report argues that the crisis provides a governance opportunity for African nations to diversify their economies, reduce reliance on Chinese demand, and implement structural reforms to protect property rights and broaden tax bases.

The Institute for Economic Justice argues that the South African government's R41 billion rescue package is insufficient to counter a projected GDP fall of 6% to 8%. The brief proposes a total intervention of R411.5 billion, comprising R310 billion for direct economic injection and R100 billion for tax and payment deferrals. Key recommendations include a once-off Universal Basic Income (UBI) of R4,500 for all adults, expanded social grants, and a scaled-up wage support scheme (TERS) to prevent mass unemployment. To stabilize the macroeconomy, the brief suggests the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) continue purchasing bonds, implement capital flow management, and secure dollar swap lines with the US Federal Reserve. Financing options include special COVID-19 bonds, solidarity taxes on high earners, and the deployment of UIF surpluses. The document also advocates for South Africa to lead a G20 coalition to secure better financing terms and debt relief for emerging markets and least developed countries.

The report finds that kerosene subsidies in Bangladesh are largely ineffective, as official price cuts are not passed to consumers and many poor households remain unaware of the subsidies. While women are primarily exposed to the health risks of kerosene and biomass cooking, men dominate energy purchasing and decision-making. The study suggests that instead of reforming the kerosene subsidy, the government should shift support toward clean energy alternatives like solar PV and grid electricity, which 69% of households believe would most benefit women.

The report examines the nascent electric vehicle market in South Africa, highlighting a strong existing automotive manufacturing base that faces risks from global shifts toward EVs. While South Africa lacks specific EV subsidies, the report identifies key opportunities in electric bus manufacturing, lithium-ion battery production, and passenger vehicle exports. It notes significant barriers, including high import duties (averaging 42% total taxes) and a lack of policy certainty, while suggesting that the Western Cape is a primary hub for greentech investment.

The report argues that a political solution to the Cyprus problem would significantly boost the island's economy by creating a unified market, improving productivity, and opening access to the EU and Turkish markets. Using sectoral and Total Factor Productivity (TFP) methodologies, the authors estimate that a solution could increase the total GDP by between 11 billion and 17.4 billion Euros by 2040 compared to the status quo. Key growth drivers include tourism, construction, shipping, and professional services, with wholesale and retail trade expected to benefit most from chain effects. The report also emphasizes that maximizing this dividend requires strong institutions, gender equality, and a sustainable financing model for property compensation.

The report examines how WTO rules targeting illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, overfished stocks, and overcapacity would affect the Southern Longline (SLL) tuna fishery. While target stocks like South Pacific albacore are healthy, the fishery suffers from 'economic overfishing' characterized by falling catch per unit effort (CPUE). Analysis suggests that vessels from China and Chinese Taipei may be heavily dependent on subsidies to remain viable, whereas Fijian-flagged vessels appear marginally profitable without them. The report argues that while subsidy prohibitions could reduce overall effort and improve CPUE, they must be balanced with the development aspirations of Pacific Island countries (PICs), who rely on tuna for GDP and employment.

The document assesses how WTO subsidy disciplines regarding illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, overfished stocks, and overcapacity would affect the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) southern longline (SLL) fishery. It focuses on six fleets (China, Chinese Taipei, Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, and French Polynesia) and finds that vessels from China and Chinese Taipei are most likely to be impacted by prohibitions on operating cost subsidies, as their revenues may not cover costs without financial assistance. While target stocks like South Pacific albacore are healthy, the fishery faces economic overfishing characterized by falling catch per unit effort (CPUE). The report suggests that while subsidy rules could reduce overall effort and potentially improve profitability for remaining vessels, they may also create short-term revenue losses for Pacific Island countries (PICs) and disadvantage their domestic fleets due to higher local fuel costs.

The report analyzes how WTO rules targeting illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, overexploited stocks, and overcapacity would affect the sardinella fishery in West Africa. It finds that most industrial and artisanal fleets in the region, particularly those from Senegal, Mauritania, and the EU, rely on subsidies—especially fuel and access subsidies—to remain economically viable. The document argues that while removing these subsidies would likely lead to stock recovery and long-term profitability, it could cause short-term socio-economic hardship for artisanal fishers. It recommends a phased approach, prioritizing the removal of industrial subsidies first, and emphasizes the need for improved monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) to prevent a shift toward IUU fishing.

The report argues that Kellogg's has prioritised short-term financial gains over public health in Mexico by reducing essential micronutrients in its cereals. It estimates that while the company saved approximately $85 million over five years, the resulting social cost to Mexico exceeds $250 million, meaning every dollar saved by the company destroys roughly three dollars in social value.