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The report examines the bioeconomy in Brazil and the Amazon through three conceptual lenses: biotechnology, bioresources, and bioecology. It finds that while Brazil possesses a broad set of regulations covering these areas, it lacks a unified national strategy and coordinated governance. The analysis highlights that the 'various Amazons'—conserved, deforested, under pressure, and urban—require different bioeconomy approaches. Key regulatory tensions exist within the Biodiversity Law, which is viewed as too bureaucratic by the biotechnology sector and insufficient in protecting traditional knowledge by bioecology advocates. The report concludes that effective governance must integrate multiple ministries and prioritize land tenure regularization to ensure sustainability and legal security.

The ALBAdapt project seeks to transform Albania's climate services value chain to address high disaster risks from floods, droughts, and heat waves. The project focuses on three components: establishing a National Framework for Climate Services (NFCS) to improve hydrometeorological data and coordination; implementing a multi-hazard impact-based early warning system (MHIEWS) to enable early action; and fostering climate-informed investments, specifically through Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) in the coastal zone. With a total indicative cost of EUR 49.95 million, the project targets the entire population of 2.8 million for early warning services and 400,000 people in the coastal zone for specific adaptation innovations.

The policy brief examines the role of science-policy interfaces (SPIs) in identifying environmental risks and informing global policy since the 1972 Stockholm Conference. It analyzes successful models like the IPCC and IPBES, while evaluating current proposals for new SPIs focused on chemicals and waste and food systems. The author highlights the challenges of power imbalances and the need for credibility, inclusivity, and transparency in SPI design.

The briefing argues that while multilateral development banks (MDBs) have made some progress in aligning direct investments with the Paris Agreement, they remain far from fulfilling their overall commitment. Key deficiencies include a lack of standardized fossil fuel exclusion policies, inconsistent greenhouse gas accounting, and a failure to align indirect investments and policy-based loans. The author emphasizes that MDBs must reform their financial instruments and engage in debt relief to ensure developing countries do not sacrifice climate action due to COVID-19 related debt burdens.

The document outlines the EU's complex decision-making process, detailing the roles of the European Commission, European Parliament, European Council, and the Court of Justice of the European Union. It describes the 'codecision' procedure required for law adoption and traces the evolution of EU environmental policy from the Single European Act of 1987 to the Treaty of Lisbon (2009), noting that while the EU has broad legal authority in environmental matters, its practical scope is often limited by national sovereignty and the requirement for unanimous voting in the Council on key issues like energy sources.

The document examines the opportunities and barriers to moving UNFCCC climate negotiations online. While digital tools could disrupt outdated and opaque practices, the transition is hindered by a lack of trust among Parties and concerns that virtual formats might exacerbate structural inequities or reduce transparency for media and NGOs. The author recommends the creation of a taskforce to design future session formats and calls for leadership from the UN Secretary-General and the UNFCCC Secretariat to modernize multilateral diplomacy.

Commercial banks in Africa face significant climate-related credit risks, with 49 banks across 14 countries exposed to USD 218 billion in risks. While these institutions lack developed climate strategies and remain risk-averse due to fiduciary duties, they possess the networks and capacity to mainstream resilience through partnerships with development banks and the adoption of adaptation taxonomies. Pan African Banks (PABs), such as Ecobank Transnational and Standard Bank, offer further potential for financial innovation and capital mobilization, despite a current lack of specific climate commitments.

The text examines the governance of fossil fuel subsidies, noting that while institutional fragmentation across climate, trade, and economic regimes creates coordination challenges, it allows for multiple rationales to drive reform. It argues that because legally binding disciplines have largely failed to capture these subsidies, a system of informal international law—based on voluntary commitments and transparency efforts—has become significant. To increase the effectiveness of this governance complex, the author suggests clarifying the definition and measurement of subsidies and expanding transparency to more countries.

The essay asserts that the dominant philosophy and institutional structures of global conservation are rooted in colonialism and racism. It highlights the rise of "militarized conservation" and the appropriation of indigenous rights arguments to support exclusionary protected-area models, concluding that systemic institutional reform and NGO accountability are necessary.

The report examines Ghana's progress in localising the SDGs, highlighting the use of its decentralised planning system to align global goals with local development plans. While it finds robust institutional and legal frameworks, it identifies significant challenges in funding and data collection.

The report assesses Turkmenistan's institutional capacity for climate change adaptation, highlighting the critical vulnerability of the water and agriculture sectors. It identifies the Inter-Sectoral Commission on environmental protection as a key driver for the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process and recommends formalizing institutional frameworks, harmonizing legislation, and improving cross-sectoral data exchange to mainstream adaptation into national planning.

The policy brief argues that South Africa's state deterioration is rooted in the politicisation of public administration, where political office-bearers use unchecked appointment and removal powers to install allies and sideline competent officials. To counter this, the author proposes a system of 'segregation of duties' where independent bodies, specifically the Public Service Commission (PSC), manage the process planning and short-listing stages to ensure technical merit, while political leaders retain the final appointment power. For municipalities, the brief suggests involving the PSC or professional associations in selection committees. Because patronage is central to current power structures, the document recommends a 'covering in' mechanism—a strategically incremental implementation via presidential proclamation—to transition departments and municipalities into the new system gradually.

The document examines the regulatory landscape of air quality in Thailand, noting that despite the existence of various Plans and Acts, enforcement remains a critical challenge. It highlights the impact of PM2.5, which caused an estimated 32,200 premature deaths in 2019, and identifies primary pollution sources as industrial emissions, vehicular pollution, and the seasonal burning of crop fields for sugarcane harvesting or biomass removal.

The document assesses Thailand's air quality regulatory framework, noting that while some pollutants have decreased, national standards remain weaker than WHO guidelines. It identifies a 'siloed approach' to policymaking across different ministries as a primary barrier to enforcement and recommends the establishment of a single, national regulatory body to coordinate multi-sectoral air pollution mitigation.

The paper examines the GCF's 'direct access' modality, which allows developing country institutions to receive funding without international intermediaries. While 62 such entities were accredited by November 2020, 42 (67%) had not yet received project approval. The authors analyze four support mechanisms—the Readiness Programme, Project Preparation Facility (PPF), Simplified Approval Process (SAP), and Enhancing Direct Access pilot—finding that high costs, complex application processes, and restrictive funding rules create significant bottlenecks. The paper recommends automating 'kick-off' funding upon accreditation, streamlining the SAP, and allowing preparatory funds to cover internal staff time.

The document describes a sophisticated 'denial machine' in the United States composed of ten key player types—including corporations, think tanks, and conservative media—that use a multi-tiered 'playbook' of long, medium, and short-term strategies to disseminate misinformation and block climate mitigation policies.

The document assesses Turkmenistan's institutional capacity for climate adaptation, highlighting the vulnerability of its water and agricultural sectors. It recommends the development of a National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and the use of the Inter-Sectoral Commission on Environmental Protection to coordinate cross-sectoral integration. The report also identifies key drivers for success, including high-level political support and the need for a National Clean Climate Fund, while drawing lessons from adaptation processes in Turkey, Poland, and the Czech Republic.

The paper examines the persistent failure of South African municipalities to comply with financial and operational regulations despite increased oversight. It critiques the dominant 'capacity' and 'ethics' explanations for non-compliance, arguing instead that officials often follow 'uncodified rules'—such as political pressure, community loyalty, and personal survival—which they perceive as more appropriate or necessary than formal laws. Using ethnographic research, the author proposes the 'logics of appropriateness' framework to understand how institutional norms and multiple identities shape bureaucratic behaviour.

Reclaim Finance criticizes the International Energy Agency (IEA) for a lack of transparency regarding its budget, staffing, and internal procedures, highlighting significant influence from fossil fuel companies through seconded employees, peer reviews, and voluntary contributions.

The policy brief proposes restructuring South African governance by establishing a National Strategy and Development Council (NSDC) in the presidency. This body would transform existing cabinet clusters into directorates to ensure policy continuity and prevent ministers from making uncoordinated, sector-specific decisions. Specifically, it suggests an International Relations Trade and Security (IRTS) directorate supported by an independent, non-governmental Council on International Relations and Cooperation (CIRC) to provide expert advice and research, moving away from a 'party-state' model toward a disciplined 'developmental state'.