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The report finds that international public finance disproportionately supports natural gas over renewables in the Global South, creating risks of stranded assets and carbon lock-in. It argues that renewables are now cost-competitive for most gas uses and recommends that public financial institutions cease support for gas infrastructure to prioritize clean energy transitions.

The report finds that 41 of 54 African UN member states have subscribed to the HCoC, with the highest participation in ECOWAS (93%) and the lowest in SADC (56%). While ballistic missile threats within Africa are generally low—with only Algeria and Egypt maintaining active programmes—the report highlights the growing importance of the HCoC as African states expand their civilian space agencies and the AU aims to establish an African Space Agency by 2023. Key challenges include the exclusion of cruise missiles from the HCoC scope, administrative burdens for resource-constrained states, and a lack of institutional memory. The authors argue that the HCoC supports a 'nexus between security and development' by facilitating peaceful space exploration and improving a state's non-proliferation credentials for technology exports.

The document examines the role of nuclear science and technology in Africa, highlighting the use of 10 research reactors for education and medical/environmental research. It emphasizes the critical need for radiotherapy machines to combat rising cancer rates and the use of nuclear techniques in agriculture to ensure food security and manage zoonotic diseases. The brief outlines the legal framework for peaceful use, including the Pelindaba Treaty and the NPT, and identifies challenges such as public skepticism, financial instability, and safety risks. It recommends expanded continental training and continued cooperation with the IAEA and AFCONE.

The document examines the impacts of Cyclone Idai, Tropical Storm Chalane, and Cyclone Eloise on Mozambique, specifically the city of Beira. It analyzes the role of green and grey infrastructure in disaster mitigation, evaluates the 'Building Beira Back Better' (BBBB) strategy, and highlights the critical need for improved early warning systems and sustainable waste management to maintain urban drainage functionality.

The document examines South Africa's service sector, which contributes approximately 61% to national GDP and employs over 5.5 million workers. While the sector is large, the authors argue that growth must shift toward exports, particularly within Africa, as the domestic market is overdeveloped. The brief concludes that the AfCFTA is unlikely to provide a short-term boost due to a lack of specific service sector commitments and persistent regulatory hurdles, such as visa restrictions and inadequate ICT infrastructure. It recommends establishing a unified coalition of service providers and updating digital infrastructure to enhance South Africa's role as a regional gateway.

Cooking poverty affects 3.83 billion people across 71 countries, causing over four million deaths annually. The report argues that the current 'clean cooking' sector is fragmented and underfunded, with an annual funding gap of approximately $10 billion. It proposes a shift toward the term 'cooking poverty' to better reflect the scale of the crisis and suggests a 'Playbook' to centralize sector knowledge. Key recommendations include merging electrification and cooking efforts, utilizing carbon markets for small business finance, and adopting an incremental approach to transition households from unimproved to modern cooking.

The analysis of 29 long-term climate strategies reveals a general commitment to Paris Agreement goals and a growing trend toward 'net-zero' targets regardless of a country's economic development. While these strategies typically include mitigation modeling, near-term targets, and considerations for a just transition, the paper notes that many nations still need to submit strategies or require support for implementation.

Reclaim Finance criticizes Natixis for continuing to support oil and gas majors and shale energy infrastructure despite overall reductions in fossil fuel financing. The statement highlights gaps in the bank's exclusion policies, its role as a top French investor in high-production shale companies, and the lack of fossil fuel policies across several of its investment management subsidiaries.

Finland is currently led by a female-led coalition government that has implemented progressive policies on parental leave and sexual violence legislation. However, the document highlights persistent structural failures, including a 16 per cent gender pay gap, high rates of domestic violence, and a gender-segregated labour market. It also notes a rise in coordinated online harassment against female politicians and the threat of a populist backlash in future elections.

A small number of countries, primarily Turkey, Ukraine, and those in the Western Balkans, are responsible for the majority of coal power air pollution in Europe. Ukraine dominates PM10 emissions, while Turkey leads in NOx pollution. The report highlights that most of the most polluting plants are over 30 years old, though Turkey is an exception with some young plants among the top polluters. Many Energy Community countries failed to meet 2019 emission ceilings, and the report argues that subsidies and rehabilitation costs should instead be redirected toward the region's significant renewable energy potential.

Reclaim Finance criticizes Lloyd’s of London for maintaining a coal policy that allows new insurance cover for coal plants and thermal coal mines until January 2022, potentially enabling projects like the Whitehaven mine in England and Adani’s Carmichael project in Australia. The author highlights gaps in the policy, specifically the lack of exclusions for coal transport infrastructure and coal developers, and argues that the 30% revenue threshold for phasing out thermal coal by 2030 is too high and too slow compared to other European insurers.

The document highlights the elevation of climate security at the Leaders Summit on Climate, noting the US target to reduce greenhouse gas pollution by 50 to 52 percent by 2030. It emphasizes a 'whole-of-government' US approach involving military, intelligence, and diplomatic strategies, while noting the concrete security strategies of the UK and NATO. The text also observes varying levels of climate security expertise among participating nations, such as Kenya and Japan compared to the Philippines, suggesting an opportunity for the US to provide capacity-building tools.

Reclaim Finance argues that Barclays is a leading global financier of coal and fossil fuels, providing over $27 billion to coal companies between 2018 and 2020. The statement criticizes the bank's current policies for allowing the funding of companies with coal expansion plans and calls for a full exit from coal by 2030 in EU/OECD countries and 2040 worldwide.

The Climate Action Tracker estimates global warming by 2100 at 2.4°C, a 0.2°C improvement driven by recent announcements including those from the US Leaders Summit on Climate. While 131 countries covering 73% of global emissions have adopted or are considering net zero targets, the 2030 emissions gap remains significant, and current policies lead to a projected warming of 2.9°C.

The document examines the gap between legal design and operational reality regarding how logging companies share benefits with forest communities in four West and Central African nations. It highlights that while laws may exist, a lack of implementing regulations, low payment amounts, and limited community negotiation capacity often lead to poor outcomes. ClientEarth has responded by developing guidance tools, templates, and training to empower communities to negotiate more effective and enforceable agreements.

The report analyzes the Zona Franca de Manaus (ZFM), noting that while it is named a 'free trade zone', it functions more like an 'enterprise zone' by focusing on regional development and local employment rather than international trade. The authors argue that current tax incentives have not significantly improved productivity or wages, with 59% of employees earning up to two minimum wages in 2019. The document recommends redefining the ZFM's identity and linking tax benefits to local hiring quotas, education, infrastructure reinvestment, and sustainable activities that leverage the Amazon biome's comparative advantages.

The report identifies a rural credit market in the Amazon characterized by low competition, limited access for producers, and a heavy concentration on livestock, which is strongly linked to illegal deforestation. It highlights that agricultural activity in the region is less entrepreneurial than in the rest of Brazil, with a predominance of public banks and a historical reliance on the Fundo Constitucional do Norte (FNO), though private resources like Letras de Crédito Agrícola (LCA) are increasing. The authors argue that aligning credit access with compliance with the Forest Code and utilizing tools like the Central Bank's Bureau Verde are essential to incentivize sustainable land use.

The report examines Results-Based Financing (RBF) as a mechanism to link financial rewards to verified climate outcomes, reducing risk for public funders and attracting private investment. It identifies key opportunities in urban development and transition sectors, such as energy and transport, while highlighting implementation challenges like high upfront costs and the risk of perverse incentives. The document provides a blueprint for RBF preparation and execution, supported by case studies from Peru and the United States.

Ember analyzes the German Ministry of Economics (BMWi) formula for lignite compensation, arguing that three key assumptions lead to a systematic overvaluation of payments. By adjusting power and CO2 prices to more recent data, accounting for avoidable fixed costs, and reducing the compensation period to three years, Ember suggests the total payment could be reduced from €4.4 billion to as low as €343 million.

The Climate Action Tracker reports that recent Paris Agreement pledges and targets have reduced the estimated end-of-century warming to 2.4°C, down by 0.2°C. While the 2030 emissions gap for a 1.5°C pathway has narrowed by 11-14%, current policies still project a warming of 2.9°C. The most optimistic scenario, assuming full implementation of net zero targets, suggests warming could be as low as 2.0°C, though this remains above the Paris Agreement limit. The report emphasizes that stronger near-term 2030 targets are more critical for reducing warming than the addition of new net zero targets.