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The report finds that the EU failed to meet its 2020 deadline to end overfishing, with over half of the assessed TACs for 2019 still exceeding scientific advice. It highlights a particular lack of consistency in following advice for data-limited stocks and identifies several Member States that actively pushed for unsustainable catch limits, while noting that all involved states benefited from TACs exceeding scientific recommendations.

The document argues that while Europe leads in near-zero emission steel innovation, it faces increasing competition from China and the MENA region. It calls for urgent policy action in 2024, specifically recommending the phase-out of coal-fired blast furnaces and the advancement of hydrogen-based green steel to secure jobs and industrial resilience. The text also critiques the Commission's Steel and Metals Action Plan (SMAP) for lacking input from environmental NGOs.

The document examines the limited integration of health and climate policies in Germany, identifying systemic barriers such as financial constraints, federal governance complexities, and a weak science-to-policy interface. It highlights opportunities for synergy within health sector reforms and the untapped potential of climate-health co-benefits. Stakeholders recommend strengthening intersectoral collaboration, implementing binding legislative requirements, and improving the evidence base to achieve socially just and effective climate-health policies.

Carbon Market Watch evaluates the ICVCM's recent decisions on cookstove methodologies, praising the rejection of legacy Kyoto Protocol methodologies and the conditional approval of the Gold Standard Metered methodology, while arguing that other approved methodologies like GS-TPDDTEC and VM0050 still contain loopholes regarding adoption and usage rates.

In 2024, wind and solar combined to generate 17% of US electricity, surpassing coal (15%) for the first time. While solar generation grew by a record 27% and battery storage expanded rapidly, overall power sector CO2 emissions rose slightly by 0.7% because a 3% increase in electricity demand drove higher gas generation. Despite this, carbon intensity reached a record low of 384 gCO2/kWh.

The document outlines a 24-month readiness project implemented by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) to operationalize a national MRV system in Guyana. It focuses on filling data gaps in the Waste and IPPU sectors, strengthening institutional arrangements, and building technical capacity for government and private sector stakeholders. The project aims to align Guyana's reporting with IPCC and Paris Agreement standards, develop a pipeline of bankable mitigation projects, and implement a system for tracking internal and external climate finance flows.

The report finds that the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan will reduce gas imports for power generation by 57% by 2030, but notes that the UK remains vulnerable to price shocks due to continued import reliance in heating, transport, and biomass power. It argues that transitioning to heat pumps and electric vehicles would significantly lower import dependence and household costs, as a 2030 heat pump is forecast to be 85% less reliant on imports than a gas boiler.

The report identifies systemic failures in the global financial architecture that drive deforestation and proposes five priority actions: reforming multilateral public finance, overhauling sovereign debt, scaling high-impact funding mechanisms like the Tropical Forest Forever Facility, repurposing harmful agricultural subsidies, and embedding nature-related risks into financial regulatory frameworks.

Global Witness conducted a global survey of 204 land and environmental defenders, finding that 92% have experienced online abuse or harassment. The report highlights a strong link between online attacks—such as doxxing and cyberattacks—and offline harms, including physical violence and criminalisation. Meta's platforms (Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram) are identified as the most common sites of abuse. The report argues that profit-driven business models, polarising algorithms, and inadequate content moderation resourcing exacerbate these threats, creating a chilling effect on climate activism.

The assessment finds that while Bhutan has a strong commitment to sustainability and environmental protection, its mining legal framework is fragmented and outdated. Key strengths include the integration of Gross National Happiness (GNH) and strict forest conservation. However, significant gaps exist in community consultation, fiscal transparency, and the adequacy of mine restoration financial assurances. The report recommends updating the Mines and Minerals Management Act 1995, improving geological data generation, and streamlining the permitting process.

The document highlights a critical gap between the estimated loss and damage (L&D) finance needs of developing countries (USD 400 billion to 1.6 trillion per year by 2030) and current pledges to the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage (USD 745 million as of December 2024). It proposes a variety of innovative instruments to generate revenue, categorized by their funding potential and alignment with the 'polluters pay' and historical responsibility principles. High-potential instruments include wealth taxes (up to USD 2 trillion per year) and windfall taxes (up to USD 1 trillion per year). The brief recommends that high-income countries implement these instruments nationally or advocate for global frameworks through forums like the G20, IMF, and the UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation to ensure equitable climate finance.

The report argues that Indonesia's promotion of natural gas as a 'transitional fuel' and the continued financing of gas projects by Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) lock the country into fossil fuel dependence and hinder its climate commitments. It highlights significant environmental, social, and governance risks associated with gas infrastructure, including methane emissions, corruption, and human rights violations, while calling for an immediate shift toward renewable energy.

The report argues that promoting LNG as a 'transition fuel' in Indonesia creates a long-term dependency on fossil fuels and contradicts climate commitments. It highlights that Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), including the World Bank Group and ADB, continue to support gas infrastructure through technical assistance and policy loans despite their public Paris Alignment pledges. The document details numerous negative impacts of gas projects, including corruption in LNG procurement, human rights violations in Aceh, and environmental disasters such as the PHE ONWJ oil spill in Karawang. It concludes that gas is not a clean alternative due to high methane emissions and calls for an immediate shift to truly renewable energy.

The authors welcome the Church of Sweden's forest inquiry for its ambition to integrate ecological, social, and spiritual considerations and its potential adoption of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) for forestry affecting reindeer husbandry. However, they argue that the Church, as Sweden's fifth largest forest manager, must do more to align its land management in Sápmi with international indigenous rights frameworks to avoid sacrificing indigenous rights for short-term economic gain.

The briefing discusses the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on U.S. clean manufacturing, noting over $123 billion in announced investments and the potential for 67,000 rural jobs. It explores the role of domestic production of solar panels, batteries, computer chips, and wind turbines in supporting the clean energy transition and community reinvestment.

The World Resources Institute evaluates the EU's Clean Industrial Deal, praising its focus on clean-tech and the mobilization of 100 billion Euros for manufacturing, but warns that potential delays to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and a lack of specific resource efficiency targets could undermine its effectiveness.

The document examines the systemic failures of carbon offsetting, highlighting that most credits—particularly those for forestry and renewable energy—lack additionality and environmental integrity. It argues that offsetting often leads to an overall increase in emissions by delaying necessary mitigation and allowing continued investment in high-emitting technologies. The briefing concludes that carbon avoidance and reduction offsets have no place in ambitious climate policies, recommending that priority be given to direct emissions cuts and non-market-based climate finance.

Agricultural methane emissions in the UK reached 996 thousand tonnes in 2021, representing 49% of all UK methane emissions in 2022. While emissions have fallen by 14% since 1990, they have remained constant since 2009. The document identifies enteric emissions from ruminants as the primary source (85%) and manure as the secondary source (15%). It evaluates several mitigation tools, including feed additives like 3-NOP, selective breeding for low methane emissions, anaerobic digesters (AD), and improved manure management. Key recommendations for the UK Government include investing in research for pasture-based feed additives, developing a breeding value for methane efficiency, creating a Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) system for rural anaerobic digesters, and updating the Slurry Infrastructure Grant to specifically target greenhouse gas reductions.

An analysis of Southern California's heating equipment shows that heat pumps can be cheaper than gas alternatives due to incentives, potentially saving low-income households over $10,000 with federal rebates. However, fragmented application processes and insufficient funding levels hinder widespread adoption.

The U.S. clean energy sector saw record solar and battery storage installations in 2024, with renewables accounting for approximately 90% of new capacity. However, progress is hindered by grid interconnection backlogs, rising local opposition, high interest rates, and supply chain shortages. The report also notes a slowdown in EV sales growth and warns that the Trump administration's policies may create further roadblocks to decarbonization.