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This executive summary previews a forthcoming book on the economic valuation of ocean services and the consequences of global environmental change. It identifies six primary threats to the ocean—acidification, warming, hypoxia, sea level rise, pollution, and overuse of resources—and argues that these stressors often interact synergistically, accelerating ecosystem degradation. The document advocates for a shift from traditional cost-benefit analysis to insurance-based risk models to account for catastrophic tipping points and recommends the appointment of a UN High Commissioner for Oceans to coordinate global governance.

This briefing note from the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs provides recommendations for integrating human health protections into the development of a global instrument to end plastic pollution, specifically referencing the draft text in NP3.

This informal briefing note from the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs provides recommendations for the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to ensure the protection of human health is integrated into a future international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. It argues that plastic pollution constitutes a public health crisis affecting every stage of the plastic life cycle and proposes three structural options for the treaty: an integrated approach, a standalone article on health, or a combination of both. The document details specific opportunities to embed health protections across various treaty articles, focusing on the elimination of harmful chemicals, sustainable product design, and the establishment of a science-policy interface to allow the treaty to evolve with emerging evidence.

This briefing note by the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs outlines strategies for integrating human health protection into the development of an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. It proposes a cross-cutting approach involving product design, information availability, implementation support, and a dedicated article on health to address adverse health impacts across the full plastic life cycle.

The Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS) provided a pre-plenary statement on September 21, 2023, regarding the WTO Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade (DPP). TESS offers feedback on the first draft of a proposed statement for the Thirteenth WTO Ministerial Conference (MC13), urging members to increase ambition in the annexes, ensure environmental credibility, and align the WTO's work with the ongoing plastics treaty process and the Basel Convention.

The Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS) provided a statement at the WTO Dialogue on Plastic Pollution (DPP) pre-plenary meeting on 13 June 2024. TESS advocates for narrowing the DPP's scope to achieve concrete, actionable outcomes, specifically focusing on harmonizing definitions of single-use plastics, reforming HS nomenclature for better visibility of problematic plastics, and promoting trade in environmentally sound waste management technologies.

The Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS) issued a statement on 25 January 2024 regarding the Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions (TESSD). TESS advocates for transitioning TESSD from a diagnostic phase of presentations to an 'inclusive incubator' focused on concrete outcomes, collective action, and recommendations to be delivered by the WTO's 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14).

This policy brief by Transforma (CCADI) provides guidelines for creating a roadmap to develop a climate-smart financial sector in Colombia. It argues that while Colombia has addressed acute physical risks and the redirection of capital toward mitigation, it lacks a systemic governance framework to manage chronic physical risks and transition risks. The document proposes a four-component framework—institutional coordination, risk management, financial instruments, and monitoring—to align the financial sector with Colombia's 2050 carbon neutrality goal.

A statement from 82 civil society organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean providing strategic recommendations to the COP30 Presidency to ensure the conference delivers concrete implementation outcomes regarding climate ambition, finance, adaptation, and just transition.

This policy brief analyzes the economic dependence of Paipa, Colombia, on coal mining and coal-fired power generation. It evaluates the risks posed by the energy transition and proposes a productive reconversion strategy focused on tourism, traditional manufactures, and the agricultural sector to diversify the local economy.

This policy brief by Transforma analyzes the economic dependence of Barrancabermeja, Colombia, on the hydrocarbon sector, specifically the Ecopetrol refinery. Using an input-output model, the document evaluates the risks of the energy transition and proposes a diversification strategy focusing on agro-industry, bio-energy from oil palm, and ecotourism to avoid a structural crisis after 2035.

This policy brief by Transforma outlines strategies to integrate the forestry sector into Colombia's economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic. It identifies critical systemic failures in information management, institutional coordination, and financing, while highlighting the sector's potential for greenhouse gas mitigation and rural poverty reduction. The document provides specific recommendations to formalize the sector, combat illegal logging, and optimize commercial plantations to increase the forestry sector's contribution to the national GDP.

This policy brief by Transforma provides recommendations for the recovery of Colombia's agri-food production sector following the COVID-19 pandemic. It argues that the pandemic exacerbated historical vulnerabilities, such as low rural associativity and inefficient resource use, and advocates for a transition toward sustainable production systems, improved rural digitalization, and more inclusive financial mechanisms to ensure long-term food sovereignty and resilience.

This fact sheet outlines the challenges and opportunities for a just energy transition (TEJ) in Barrancabermeja, Colombia, a city heavily dependent on the petroleum industry. It proposes diversifying the local economy through regenerative agriculture, nature tourism, renewable energy, and sustainable fuels to mitigate the impact of moving away from fossil fuels.

This policy brief by Transforma analyzes the impact of phasing out coal and gas-fired thermal power plants on Colombia's electricity supply-demand balance between 2025 and 2038. While average energy balances remain positive, the study identifies significant risks to 'firm energy' (guaranteed capacity during critical conditions like droughts), projecting deficits in all phase-out scenarios. The document emphasizes that current planned renewable projects are insufficient to offset the loss of thermal backup and suggests a combination of increased renewable capacity, improved transmission infrastructure, and demand-side management to maintain system stability.

This research paper by the World Resources Institute and its partners evaluates the achievements and challenges of independent forest monitoring (IFM) in the Congo Basin from 2001 to 2020, offering recommendations to institutionalize the practice and expand its scope to agricultural commodities.

This policy brief examines the potential impacts of scaling up commercial switchgrass production in the United States, focusing on land-use changes, commodity prices, and environmental consequences.

This research paper analyzes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on climate finance and action implementation across 17 developing countries, finding that the pandemic has widened the gap between available resources and the funding required to meet Paris Agreement goals.

This policy brief examines whether industrialized nations should use development assistance funds to directly finance Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects, ultimately recommending a prohibition on aid-funded credit-earning projects.

This research paper by the World Resources Institute and the University of Pennsylvania examines the environmental and social impacts of deploying Direct Air Capture (DAC) plants in the United States, emphasizing the need for equitable siting and inclusive decision-making to ensure responsible scaling.