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The report examines the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) 95 million USD equity investment in Clifford Capital, a Singapore-based financial intermediary. It argues that ADB's use of financial intermediaries (FIs) creates a transparency gap that allows continued support for fossil gas projects, contradicting the bank's stated goals of Paris Agreement alignment. The document highlights specific projects in Indonesia and Bangladesh as examples of environmental and social harm resulting from such investments and calls for a phased exit from fossil gas funding.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) warns that Louisiana's current regulatory trajectory could lead to up to $26 billion in electricity system costs and $3 billion in public health damages between 2026 and 2041 due to data center growth. The report highlights a systemic overreliance on fossil gas, which is projected to peak in 2038, and criticizes the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) for a lack of transparency and inadequate ratepayer protections, specifically citing the 'Lightning Amendment' and the Entergy/Meta project as examples of risky policy. UCS recommends reforming the Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) process, implementing standardized tariffs for data centers, and expanding wind, solar, and grid connectivity to reduce costs and emissions.

The report details how the EU's strategy to diversify energy supplies has led to an increased reliance on US LNG, which is expected to reach up to 80% of European imports by 2030. This demand fuels infrastructure expansion in the US Gulf Coast and Permian Basin, resulting in ecosystem destruction, hazardous living conditions for residents, and significant methane emissions. The text highlights the role of Italian entities, including the bank Intesa Sanpaolo and energy companies like Eni and Edison, in financing and purchasing this gas, while noting legal disputes over delivery obligations and the environmental 'sacrifice zones' created by relentless extraction.

Carbon Market Watch asserts that CORSIA is a "phantom scheme" due to patchy enforcement and reliance on low-quality offsets. The author highlights that US airlines, including United, Delta, and American Airlines, are unlikely to pay for their emissions under CORSIA, especially under the Trump administration. Consequently, the document urges the EU to expand the EU ETS to all departing EEA flights to generate revenue for transport decarbonisation and ensure airlines are held accountable for their carbon pollution.

The author contends that while international cooperation is essential, traditional multilateralism is currently too slow to address the plastic pollution crisis. The text advocates for a treaty design that prioritizes effectiveness and economic compulsion over procedural purity, noting that 'System Transformation' could reduce annual plastic pollution by 83% by 2040. It calls for leadership from the new INC chair, Ambassador Julio Cordano of Chile, to secure a legally binding agreement or to develop alternative economic and political realities to end plastic pollution.

The document argues that Africa's economic underperformance is linked to a failure to maximize globalization and a heavy reliance on primary exports. It forecasts that full implementation of the AfCFTA would increase Africa's share of world exports to 4.4% and raise GDP per capita to US$6,602 by 2043, compared to 3.5% of exports and US$6,197 GDP per capita under a 'Current Path' scenario. Additionally, the AfCFTA is identified as a tool to reduce African countries' exposure to the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) by diversifying export markets.

The report highlights how Africa's infrastructure deficit, particularly in roads and aviation, increases transport costs and hinders investment. It notes a significant funding gap and a failure to implement regional air transport agreements, while acknowledging the role of China's Belt and Road Initiative in recent infrastructure development.

The AfCFTA faces significant implementation hurdles due to the extreme economic disparity between member states, which may lead to 'winners and losers' where advanced economies benefit while least developed countries (LDCs) face initial welfare losses. Key challenges include the loss of critical tariff revenues for some governments, weak institutional capacities in LDCs, and limited commitment to the free movement of labour. To mitigate these risks, the agreement employs special and differential treatment, granting LDCs and a specific 'Group of 6' (G6) longer phase-out periods for tariff liberalisation, though the authors argue that additional support from the AU Secretariat and private finance is necessary to bridge the development gap.

The report identifies the lack of formal land documentation as a primary barrier to agricultural productivity in Africa, preventing smallholder farmers from accessing the credit needed for technological advancements like irrigation and mechanisation. It highlights the risks of 'land grabbing', particularly in the Nile River Basin, and advocates for a policy shift that prioritises domestic food production and the cultivation of indigenous crops over cash crops for export to ensure national food security.

The document outlines the challenges of industrialisation in Africa, including rising income inequality, fiscal strain from upfront capital investments, and environmental degradation. It emphasizes the need for social safety nets, green infrastructure, and strategic navigation of global trade rules to mitigate these costs, arguing that the cost of inaction—continued poverty and import dependence—is higher than the costs of transition.

Non-tariff barriers, including regulatory procedures, corruption, and technical standards, significantly constrain African trade. While reforms like the One-Stop Border Framework at the Beitbridge border post and East African Community initiatives have drastically reduced processing times, overall progress in eliminating these barriers remains slow due to entrenched local practices and vested interests.

The document examines the necessity of the AfCFTA for overcoming Africa's fragmented markets and limited intra-continental trade. It highlights that success depends on regional value chains, infrastructure investment, and the removal of non-tariff barriers. The authors emphasize that while the AfCFTA is crucial for long-term growth, national governments must manage the short-term political and economic pain of tariff losses and address the challenges of integrating unequal economies.

The AfCFTA agreement, effective since January 2021, is being implemented in three phases covering trade in goods, services, investment, and digital trade. While 47 of 55 countries had ratified the agreement by January 2024, progress varies across specific instruments, such as the Pan African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) and the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons.

The NewClimate Institute argues that while the second draft of the SBTi Automotive Net-Zero Standard shows improvement, it requires mandatory volume targets for procured materials and mandatory zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) sales share targets to prevent uneven ambition. It also recommends maintaining disaggregated ZEV sales targets by geography and vehicle type to avoid masking slow progress in specific markets.

The report argues that rising geopolitical instability and the military occupation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant have exposed gaps in nuclear safety norms. It suggests that the Pelindaba Treaty may be insufficient for contemporary armed conflicts and recommends strengthening international regulations, expanding the IAEA's mandate, and protecting nuclear personnel and infrastructure to safeguard nuclear energy in Africa and globally.

The policy brief advocates for a farmer-centric approach to reducing livestock methane emissions within the EU, emphasizing that productivity improvements can create synergies between climate goals and rural development. It highlights that livestock account for approximately 66% of EU agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, with enteric fermentation being the primary source. The author proposes a combination of technical solutions—such as improved feed, genetic selection, and smarter manure management—and policy levers, including the revision of the Industrial Emissions Directive and the optimization of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to reward methane performance.

The CC Asia Climate Fund (CC-ACF) has developed a Gender Assessment and Action Plan (GAAP) to address systemic gender inequalities in Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Uzbekistan. The report identifies significant barriers to women's participation in climate-vulnerable sectors, including limited land ownership, a gendered digital divide, and underrepresentation in STEM and leadership roles. To mitigate these, the Fund implements a Gender Action Plan (GAP) that embeds gender-responsive criteria into its ESG due diligence, mandates Gender Action Plans for portfolio companies, and establishes SEAH-safe grievance mechanisms. The goal is to foster transformational change by promoting women's leadership in the energy and agriculture sectors and reducing the gender pay gap within its investee companies.

The report identifies systemic gender inequalities in Armenia that amplify climate vulnerability, particularly for rural women who face limited access to land, financial resources, and early warning information. It establishes a Gender Action Plan to ensure inclusive participation in disaster risk management, gender-responsive communication strategies, and the mitigation of gender-based violence risks during climate-related emergencies.

The document reports that carbon pricing now covers over 23% of global greenhouse gas emissions through 43 carbon taxes and 38 emissions trading systems. It highlights the vulnerability of specific industrial sectors in Southeast Asia to the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which entered its definitive phase in January 2026, noting that over 20% of Viet Nam’s iron and steel exports and nearly 20% of Indonesia’s aluminum exports are destined for the EU. The briefing also details the expansion of Article 6.2 bilateral agreements, with over 100 announced or formalized, led by purchasing countries such as Japan and Singapore. Regionally, Indonesia is identified as the only Southeast Asian nation with an operational ETS, having aligned its framework with Article 6 via Regulation 110/2025, although its carbon tax under Law 7/2021 remains postponed. Other updates include the Philippines moving toward formal carbon pricing legislation and Viet Nam postponing carbon market trading until the end of 2026.

The report advocates for reconductoring as a primary solution to the U.S. energy grid's capacity crisis, which currently stalls 2,500 GW of clean energy projects. By replacing traditional steel-core cables with advanced composite conductors, the grid can double its transfer capacity at less than half the cost of building new lines, with installation times of 18-36 months compared to 10-15 years for new construction. The document highlights the potential for $180 billion in system savings by 2050 and a 3-4% reduction in wholesale electricity costs. It details technical improvements, such as trapezoidal wires and carbon-fiber cores, and cites successful implementations in Texas, Nevada, California, and Minnesota, as well as international adoption in Europe and Asia. The report concludes by urging policymakers to support legislation like the High-Capacity Grid Act and the REWIRE Act to incentivize the adoption of these technologies.