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This briefing by RMI estimates the climate impacts of the transmission provisions within the draft Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024 (EPRA). The analysis finds that the EPRA, in conjunction with FERC Order 1920, would significantly accelerate the expansion of regional and interregional transmission, enabling the deployment of clean energy to meet growing load and displace fossil fuel generation. In a central scenario, the EPRA is estimated to reduce cumulative US grid emissions by 6.5 Gt CO2 equivalent through 2050.

This briefing by the Stockholm Environment Institute outlines strategies for a just transition to a fossil-free transport system in Sweden. It identifies the socio-economic and geographic groups most at risk of negative impacts—particularly those in low-population density areas—and proposes a policy framework to ensure equity and political acceptance.

This briefing note by the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS) analyzes contributions from Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) members regarding the protection of human health within a proposed international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. It focuses on the work of two ad hoc intersessional open-ended expert groups meeting in Bangkok in August 2024 to inform the final negotiation session (INC-5) in Busan, South Korea, in November 2024.

This report by the Africa Policy Research Institute maps the methane mitigation landscape in Nigeria's oil and gas sector. It identifies a funding gap of US$1.5 billion needed by 2030, analyzes the alignment of national policies with global goals, and outlines the roles of various stakeholders and the challenges hindering emission reductions.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative examines the role of community-based renewable energy (RE) mini-grids in providing electricity to remote areas of Eastern Indonesia. Through four case studies in East Nusa Tenggara and East Kalimantan, the report identifies community ownership and consensus as critical factors for the success and sustainability of decentralized RE projects, contrasting these with the significant lack of private sector interest due to high costs and perceived risks.

This report analyzes the proposed United Kingdom Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), comparing its design and implementation to the European Union's CBAM and evaluating its potential impacts on industries, trading partners, and developing nations.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the gap between Africa's vast renewable energy potential and its current capacity. It highlights the continent's critical role in the global energy transition due to its abundance of solar, wind, and hydro resources, as well as essential critical minerals. The document outlines systemic barriers to progress, including insufficient financing, a heavy reliance on imported technology, and a lack of local manufacturing. It proposes strategic interventions for the African Union and G20 to enhance technology transfer, mobilize climate finance, and integrate African nations into green value chains beyond the supply of raw materials.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the current state of loss and damage (L&D) finance within the UNFCCC framework, evaluating the outcomes of COP28 and outlining strategic priorities for the Global South ahead of COP29 and COP30. It advocates for L&D to be treated as a distinct third pillar of climate action, emphasizing the need for grant-based financing, equitable distribution, and a unified negotiating front to ensure climate justice for the most vulnerable communities.

This policy brief examines China's role in transferring green technology to the Global South, highlighting its leadership in renewable energy and the mechanisms used to disseminate this technology. It analyzes the achievements of initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative and the South–South Climate Cooperation Fund, while identifying critical challenges including gaps between environmental commitments and actual impacts, limited local operational capacity, and geopolitical tensions.

This research paper by the Center for International Environmental Law examines how climate-induced extreme weather is driving an insurance crisis in the United States, which in turn threatens housing affordability and financial stability. The authors argue that insurance companies are exacerbating the crisis by raising premiums to recoup losses while simultaneously reinvesting profits into fossil fuel companies.

A statement by the Institute for Economic Justice criticizing the South African National Treasury's continued dominance over policymaking under the new Government of National Unity (GNU), arguing that its commitment to austerity and neoliberal fiscal strategies hinders economic growth and the provision of essential public services.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines trade frictions arising from national plastic pollution measures implemented by World Trade Organization (WTO) members. It aims to provide recommendations for policy-makers to design regulations that reduce plastic pollution while avoiding trade disputes, particularly as UN member states work toward a legally binding international agreement on the full life cycle of plastics.

This research paper analyzes the formation and policy implications of South Africa's new coalition government, termed a 'government of national unity' (GNU), following the 2024 elections. It examines the ideological tensions between the African National Congress (ANC) and its partners, specifically the Democratic Alliance (DA), and how these frictions may impact domestic social and economic priorities as well as foreign policy regarding BRICS, Russia, and Israel.

This working paper, developed by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) and the East Cape Agricultural Research Project (ECARP), examines the beef industry in South Africa as a case study for a just transition in the food system. It analyzes how the industry's structure—characterized by a dichotomy between large-scale commercial production and smallholder farming—perpetuates socio-economic inequalities and ecological degradation, arguing that a market-led growth strategy is insufficient to address these systemic issues.

The UK is currently off track to meet its 2030 offshore wind targets, facing a capacity shortfall of approximately 20-22 GW. While a sufficient pipeline of potential projects exists, the report argues that policy failures—specifically low strike prices in recent Contracts for Difference (CfD) auctions—have stalled development. To course-correct, the report recommends increasing the budget for the AR6 auction, shifting the CfD focus from price competition to delivery scale, and implementing strategic industrial growth plans to support the supply chain.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-RIO) examines the link between subsidized rural credit and deforestation in Brazil between 2020 and 2022. The analysis reveals that a small number of large properties receive a disproportionate share of subsidized funds while being responsible for significant deforestation, suggesting that current economic incentives are misaligned with Brazil's environmental and climate goals.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs argues that African policymakers must integrate social protection policies into national climate responses to protect vulnerable populations. It examines both contributory mechanisms, such as weather-based index insurance via the African Risk Capacity, and non-contributory measures, such as Ethiopia's Productive Safety Net Program, while emphasizing the need for increased financing from global funds to address climate-induced loss and damage.

This input paper for the G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group, prepared by the India Initiative on Climate Risks and Sustainable Finance (led by Climate Bonds Initiative), examines the role of policymakers in mobilising private finance for the decarbonisation of the steel and cement sectors. It emphasizes the critical nature of the current decade for transition, particularly in emerging markets, and argues that credible corporate transition plans are essential for unlocking private capital through instruments like sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs). The report also highlights a significant gap in the integration of 'just transition' principles within corporate planning.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) analyzes the regulatory framework of the Central Bank of Brazil (BCB) aimed at combating deforestation and ecosystem conversion. It details the BCB's transition toward sustainable finance through the 'Agenda BC#', specifically focusing on the integration of social, environmental, and climate risks into the National Financial System (SFN) and the implementation of strict environmental requirements for rural credit.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) and the Institute for Climate Economics (I4CE) examines how public development banks (PDBs) can align their operations with the Paris Agreement. It distinguishes between 'project-level alignment,' which focuses on consistency with national low-emission climate-resilient development pathways, and the 'portfolio-level net-zero' approach common in the private sector. The document evaluates 11 operational benchmarks—such as inclusion/exclusion lists and scenario modeling—and provides recommendations for PDBs to integrate these tools to maximize climate impact while maintaining their development mandates.