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This report, curated by the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS), is a compilation of 34 expert views exploring how the international trading system can support the Paris Agreement and climate-resilient development. It identifies critical synergies and tensions at the nexus of trade, climate, and sustainable development, focusing on clean energy transitions, green industrial policies, and the specific vulnerabilities of developing nations.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics explores how decarbonisation can provide a competitive advantage for Polish businesses by reducing energy costs, improving productivity, and appealing to climate-conscious consumers. It highlights the financial risks associated with Poland's high-carbon energy mix, specifically the costs of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), and suggests that transitioning to renewables and energy efficiency can enhance national GDP and corporate profitability.

This research paper argues that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) must align its pursuit of economic structural transformation with economic sovereignty to regain credibility among its citizens. It highlights the region's potential to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) in critical minerals and renewable energy while warning that overdependence on external funding and fragmented infrastructure hinder sustainable growth.

This report by Ember analyzes the economic and environmental consequences of Indonesia's coal over-expansion. It finds that while production hit record highs in 2024, shrinking demand from major importers like China and India, coupled with rising production costs, is eroding company profits and state revenues. Additionally, the report highlights a significant underreporting of coal mine methane (CMM) emissions, which are projected to increase by 25% by 2030 due to the expansion of underground mining.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics argues that decarbonization is a strategic pathway for Polish enterprises to gain a competitive advantage by reducing energy costs, increasing productivity, and improving market positioning. It highlights the economic risks of Poland's high-emission energy mix, including high electricity and gas prices and significant EU ETS costs, while presenting opportunities through energy efficiency, renewable energy, and transparency in emissions reporting.

This research paper analyzes the evolution of Nigeria's climate policy and governance, highlighting a persistent struggle with institutional fragmentation and the misalignment of petroleum policies with climate goals. It examines the transition through four 'policy moments,' the impact of International Oil Company (IOC) divestments, and the recent centralization of climate authority under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through the creation of the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate (OSPEC) and the Presidential Climate Action Committee (PCAC).

This report by Ember analyzes the rising effective costs of coal power in India due to declining Plant Load Factors (PLFs). It argues that underutilisation is driving up both fixed and variable costs, making new coal capacity economically inferior to Firm and Dispatchable Renewable Energy (FDRE).

A report by Ember analyzing electricity generation costs in Türkiye, finding that solar energy is now the cheapest source of electricity in the country, with costs significantly lower than those of domestic coal power plants.

This report by Ember argues that smart grids are essential for ASEAN to integrate increasing shares of renewable energy, maintain industrial competitiveness, and reduce economic losses from power outages. It estimates that investments between $4 billion and $10.7 billion are required to modernize the region's power systems, which could in turn create up to 649,000 jobs and unlock $2.3 billion in annual economic value by 2040.

This report provides a comprehensive overview of the commercial agricultural sector in the Western Cape, South Africa, detailing its climatic conditions, production statistics, investment trends, and trade dynamics. It specifically examines the impact of extreme weather events, the shift toward digital agricultural investments, and the implications of new European Union sustainability directives on South African exports.

This research paper by RMI proposes the establishment of a government-led Advance Market Commitment (AMC) to scale carbon removal technologies. It argues that current voluntary and compliance markets are insufficient to meet the gigaton-scale requirements needed by midcentury and provides a framework for governments to coordinate demand, harmonize standards, and catalyze private investment to bridge the funding and deployment gap.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute (WRI) presents a financial case for climate adaptation, arguing that such investments are highly profitable and synergistic with general development goals. Based on an analysis of 320 projects, WRI finds that adaptation investments can yield significant returns through a 'triple dividend' of avoided losses, induced economic development, and additional social and environmental benefits.

This report by Ember analyzes Mexico's technical and economic potential to transition its electricity sector toward solar power and battery storage to reduce dependence on imported US gas. It argues that while Mexico possesses world-class solar resources capable of meeting the vast majority of its electricity demand, high local installation costs and regulatory barriers currently hinder this potential.

The China Energy Transition Review 2025 by Ember analyzes China's rapid shift toward clean energy and electrification, detailing how its domestic policies and manufacturing scale are driving down global costs and pushing global fossil fuel demand toward a structural decline.

This policy brief from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) outlines the economic and social imperatives for decarbonizing Canada's building sector. It emphasizes the need for deep energy retrofits (DERs), the adoption of higher building code standards, and innovative financing to reach net-zero targets while addressing housing affordability and public health.

The report proposes a worker-centred alternative financing framework for South Africa's just transition to a low-carbon economy. It argues that the existing Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP) over-relies on private funding and profit-driven models, which may fail to deliver social justice or sufficient green industrialisation. The proposed framework integrates worker demands with promotional fiscal and monetary policies and the reform of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) to ensure the transition is treated as a public good.

This report by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) proposes a worker-centred alternative financing framework for South Africa's just transition to a low-carbon economy. It argues that existing mechanisms, such as the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP), rely too heavily on private sector funding and profit-driven models, which risk neglecting socioeconomic rights and worker protections. The IEJ advocates for a holistic macroeconomic shift involving promotional fiscal and monetary policies, the creation of a Climate Response Fund (CRF), and the realignment of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) to prioritise public goods and job creation over profit.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs argues for the 'ring-fencing' of development expenditures in Africa to protect long-term investments from short-term fiscal and political pressures. It identifies a 'perfect storm' of challenges—including trade fragmentation, the 'securitisation' of economic policy, high debt burdens, and technological disruption—that threaten development financing. The document proposes five specific policy mechanisms to institutionalise this protection and suggests that development finance should be framed as complementary to security priorities to leverage international funding.

This report analyzes how Southwestern Pennsylvania can leverage its industrial legacy in steel and glass, alongside its current strengths in robotics and AI, to develop cleantech clusters. It identifies battery manufacturing, solar component manufacturing, and green buildings as high-potential sectors that could diversify the regional economy and create jobs, provided the region improves coordination and addresses specific workforce gaps.

This research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that expanding liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports is a risky economic and environmental strategy for Canada. The authors contend that LNG fails to provide energy security for importers or economic resilience for exporters due to extreme price volatility, high infrastructure costs, and a global shift toward cheaper renewable energy. The document highlights that Canadian projects face significant competitiveness challenges against producers like the United States and Qatar, while importing regions in Europe and Asia are actively reducing their LNG demand.