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The document outlines the economic and environmental benefits of energy efficiency in Utah, stating that specific policies could save residents $5.8 billion on utility bills and avoid 4 million tons of CO2 by 2030.

The report identifies 67 planned coal-to-biomass projects in the EU that could increase biomass consumption by 607 PJ per year, potentially tripling the current levels of biomass burnt in coal power plants. This expansion would require approximately 36 million tonnes of wood pellets annually, which is similar to current global production. The authors argue that these projects are expensive, rely on public subsidies, and risk accelerating climate change because the CO2 emitted during combustion is not reabsorbed quickly enough to meet Paris Agreement targets. The report highlights that five countries—Finland, Germany, Ireland, Spain, and the Netherlands—are responsible for most of this potential growth, with the Netherlands accounting for 25%.

The document discusses how shifting rainfall patterns and rising carbon dioxide levels are increasing the frequency of extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods, leading to significant economic losses and threats to global food security. It attributes 90 percent of global warming to human activity and advocates for the deployment of emissions-reduction technologies and climate adaptation measures to minimize future risks.

The document outlines how data centers can increase electricity demand flexibility by shifting workloads, reducing operations, or using onsite storage. It highlights that without policy changes, data center growth could lead to 25-50 GW of additional fossil generation by 2030. Conversely, curtailing just 0.5 percent of annual electricity use could allow 100 GW of load to be added nationwide without new peak resources. Proposed policy tools include tying tax incentives to demand response participation, enabling faster interconnection for flexible facilities, and implementing utility rates that align costs with system impact.

The report asserts that fossil fuels are the primary driver of climate change and air pollution, negatively impacting every UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). It highlights specific failures, such as the $5.9 trillion spent on fossil fuel subsidies in 2020 and the 8.7 million premature deaths caused by fossil fuel pollution annually between 2012 and 2018. To address these issues, the authors propose a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty based on three pillars: a worldwide moratorium on new exploration, an equitable phase-down of existing projects, and financial and technological assistance for a just transition.

The document examines the link between agrofuels and rising food prices, asserting that biofuel production diverts crops from food use and increases market volatility. It highlights the resulting impact on the world's poorest populations, including increased chronic hunger and 'land grabbing' in Africa and Asia. The briefing refutes industry claims that agrofuels are benign, noting that they compete for land and water regardless of whether the crops are edible. It concludes by recommending the scrapping of agrofuel mandates, such as the EU's 10 per cent renewable transport fuel target, and the protection of community land rights to ensure food sovereignty.

The report advocates for climate justice, asserting that wealthy nations bear a historical responsibility for emissions and must provide financial and technological support to developing regions. It critiques market-based mechanisms like carbon credits and biofuels, labeling them as 'false solutions' that protect corporate profits while harming local communities and ecosystems. The text provides specific examples of climate impacts in Nigeria, Kiribati, and the Himalayas, and proposes a transition for Europe toward a low-carbon society based on drastic emission reductions and lifestyle changes.

The report examines the EIB's operations in the Global South, specifically in Zambia, Chad, Cameroon, Laos, Philippines, Indonesia, Mexico, and Brazil. It contends that the EIB functions as a demand-driven institution that finances high-yield projects for European firms rather than prioritizing social or environmental goals. Key criticisms include a lack of transparency, failure to adhere to EU environmental and social standards, and the promotion of harmful projects such as large dams and extractive industries. The document concludes with recommendations for a fundamental review of the EIB's project selection, accountability, and monitoring processes.

The report argues that ArcelorMittal's operations in Liberia have failed to deliver promised development benefits due to systemic corruption and mismanagement of the County Social Development Fund (CSDF). It highlights how funds intended for affected communities were diverted to political projects in Gbarnga and criticises the company for complicity in this mismanagement. The document also details environmental risks to the Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve and reports poor labour conditions and health services. Finally, it concludes that ArcelorMittal violated OECD guidelines by donating 100 pick-up trucks that were used by legislators rather than for agricultural purposes.

The Financial Inclusion for Refugees (FI4R) project, launched in 2019 by FSD Africa, FSD Uganda, and Access to Finance Rwanda, aims to provide financial services to forcibly displaced people (FDPs). In Uganda, the project supported Equity Bank Uganda Limited, Vision Fund Uganda, and the Rural Finance Initiative, resulting in over 93,300 households registering on a digital platform and 65,484 households receiving digital payments. In Rwanda, Equity Bank Rwanda opened 57,000 accounts for refugees. The project has helped overcome barriers such as insufficient documentation and lack of financial history, with updated regulations now allowing over 600,000 refugees with attestation letters to access mobile-enabled services in Uganda.

FSD Africa's Climate Finance Training Programme aims to close the green funding gap in Africa by training policymakers, regulators, and financial professionals. The program focuses on building the skills necessary to access the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and other climate funds, specifically through the accreditation of direct access entities (DAEs). To date, the training has reached 70 officials and 31 students from 13 institutions across 11 countries. The program expects to drive a sixteen-fold increase in investments in sub-Saharan Africa, with a projected funding split of 40% from climate funds and 60% from private sector financing tools. In Ethiopia, the training targeted staff from the Ministry of Finance, the National Bank of Ethiopia, and the Ethiopia Roads Authority to foster policy change and the potential issuance of green bonds.

The Nigerian Green Bond Market Development Programme aims to broaden investment in green projects to alleviate a severe energy crisis where 86 million people lack electricity. The programme supports sovereign and corporate issuances, including a demonstration green bond and a specific NGN 3 billion bond for OneWattSolar to deploy 750 off-grid solar systems. Nigeria's enhanced Nationally Determined Contributions target a 20% emission reduction, with a further 47% conditional on securing an estimated USD 177 billion in investment.

FSD Africa invested US$4.5 million into Nithio FI, an AI-driven climate finance platform that provides receivables-backed financing to off-grid solar companies. As of June 2023, Nithio had committed $26.5 million in total capital and extended $19.8 million in loan commitments across ten investments. The initiative has improved energy access for nearly 244,000 people, supported 5,636 entrepreneurs, and deployed nearly 80,000 energy systems, resulting in a reduction of 665,654 metric tons of CO2 emissions. Nithio specifically targets 'tier 3' local firms—smaller companies that have grown through bootstrapping—and utilizes a Risk Analytics Engine for credit risk assessment and gender-disaggregated impact tracking.

Persistent Energy Capital provides equity and venture-building support to small, under-resourced green companies in Sub-Saharan Africa, starting with investments as low as $50,000. To date, the fund has invested $23 million across 23 companies in 22 countries, contributing to the elimination of 1.4 million tons of CO2 and the creation of over 21,700 jobs. With support from FSD Africa Investments (FSDAi), Persistent is currently raising a US$100 million Africa Climate Venture Builder Fund to expand its reach into sectors such as agritech, circular economy, waste management, and water and sanitation.

The FSD Africa and FSDAi venture finance portfolio consists of numerous funds and platforms targeting climate action, gender-lens investing, and financial inclusion across the African continent. Key climate-focused initiatives include Africa Climate Ventures, which aims to reduce 100 million tonnes of carbon emissions by 2030, and the Catalyst Fund, which targets 40 pre-seed climate resilience start-ups. Gender-focused funds such as Aruwa Capital and RiTA Fund I specifically address capital imbalances for female-led businesses. The portfolio also includes sector-specific vehicles for fintech (First Circle Capital), insurance (Inclusive Insurance Investment Fund), and renewable energy (Nithio, Spark Energy), utilizing a mix of equity, grants, and debt to catalyze private investment and drive sustainable economic growth.

FSD Africa co-funded the Digital Frontiers Institute (DFI) from 2016 to 2021 to train digital finance professionals in low-middle income countries. The partnership established the Certified Digital Finance Practitioner (CDFP) qualification and reached over 15,000 professionals. Key achievements include the creation of 22 Communities of Practice across 20 countries and the development of 47 DFS regulations, policies, or directives.

The Nigerian Green Bond Market Development Programme (NGBMDP) aimed to develop a non-sovereign green bond market in Nigeria between 2018 and 2021. The programme successfully facilitated the issuance of 4 corporate green bonds and 2 sovereign green bonds, raising a total of ₦58.51 billion in sovereign issuances and ₦32.83 billion in corporate issuances. Key achievements include the training of over 500 capital market professionals, the development of mandatory Nigeria Green Bond Guidelines by the SEC in December 2018, and the certification of local verifiers such as Rubicola Consulting Limited and Agusto & Co. Limited. The programme also supported the launch of the FMDQ Green Exchange in November 2021 to improve transparency and ESG reporting. Despite these gains, the report notes that the market remains in its infancy, with a heavy reliance on public sector financing and a need for a larger pipeline of bankable green projects.

The document assesses how the COVID-19 pandemic strained sovereign debt management offices (DMOs) in the MEFMI region, highlighting a general lack of comprehensive business continuity plans and procedure manuals. While most countries maintained legal debt limits and audit frequencies, the crisis forced a shift toward remote work and virtual coordination, which increased operational risks and compromised the segregation of duties. The report recommends strengthening operational risk frameworks, investing in digital infrastructure, and introducing 'escape clauses' in regional debt convergence criteria to better handle future crises.

The study examines how COVID-19 affected the fiscal positions and debt sustainability of MEFMI member countries, noting a sharp increase in average debt-to-GDP ratios from 63.6% in 2019 to 70.6% in 2020. It highlights the critical role of Local Currency Bond Markets (LCBMs) and international initiatives like the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) in maintaining stability. The report identifies significant gaps in operational risk management, specifically the absence of business continuity plans in most member states, and recommends strengthening institutional capacity, technology investment, and the development of transparent debt management strategies to build future resilience.

The RRI programme, a partnership between Cenfri and FSD Africa, worked to remove barriers to inclusive finance for an estimated 5.6 million people in sub-Saharan Africa. The initiative focused on regulatory reform, capacity building for 750 regulators, and providing advice to 530 financial service providers to foster innovation in payments, insurance, and remittances. Key findings highlight that simple adaptations to supervisory processes are often more effective than complex regulatory sandboxes and that regional payment and data infrastructure are critical for the success of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA).