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This policy brief by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) argues that the increasing import of fracked natural gas liquids (NGLs)—specifically ethane and propane—from the United States to Europe is undermining the European Union's climate and plastics reduction goals. The document details the supply chain from US fracking basins to European petrochemical plants and contends that current EU regulations, such as the Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), contain loopholes that allow the plastics industry to offshore emissions and avoid carbon pricing.

This research paper explores the intersection of trade policy and the transition to a low-carbon circular economy, arguing that circular solutions are indispensable for achieving global decarbonization goals. The authors advocate for government incentives to prioritize secondary materials over primary resources, the scaling of business models focused on product longevity and reuse, and the use of bilateral and regional trade agreements to eliminate barriers to circular goods and services.

An analysis by Carolyn Deere Birkbeck of the Forum on Trade, Environment and the SDGs regarding opportunities for the World Trade Organization (WTO) to address environmental crises and sustainable development during its 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12).

This report examines the policy landscape required to enable a transition to net zero emissions in Argentina, Brazil, and Peru, focusing on the factors that influence international climate finance and the necessity of long-term policy frameworks to mobilize private capital.

This report analyzes the role of Brazil's Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) in the prior oversight of federal railway and highway concessions under the Investment Partnership Program (PPI). It examines how the TCU manages socio-environmental risks and the impact of its timing in the project life cycle, specifically regarding the approval of Technical, Economical and Environmental Feasibility Studies (EVTEA).

This report examines the intersection of climate change and agriculture in the Canadian Prairies, detailing the risks to productivity, the sector's contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, and the role of beneficial management practices (BMPs) and policy support in increasing resilience.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute analyzes the alignment of G20 COVID-19 recovery spending with the Paris Agreement. It argues that G20 nations have largely ignored the climate crisis in their recovery packages, favoring carbon-intensive solutions over clean energy, and proposes a typology of five policy levers—monetary, financial/real-economy, fiscal, public finance, and information instruments—that governments can use to align finance flows with climate goals.

This case study by the Climate Policy Initiative tracks public and private urban climate investment flows in Jakarta between 2015 and 2019, identifying a heavy reliance on public funding and a significant underutilization of private finance.

This research paper argues that African countries must strategically and collectively mobilize climate finance both within and outside the UNFCCC system, as developed nations have failed to meet their financial commitments and are increasingly providing support through debt-increasing loans.

This policy brief by RMI argues that the Build Back Better Act could be made more effective by allowing regulated utilities to opt out of 'tax normalization' requirements for stand-alone battery storage and transmission projects eligible for the Investment Tax Credit (ITC). While the bill introduces positive changes such as direct pay and the option for solar developers to use the Production Tax Credit (PTC), the author contends that current normalization rules force utilities to retain some ITC benefits for shareholders rather than passing them to customers, thereby increasing costs and disincentivizing the deployment of critical grid infrastructure.

This policy brief examines the necessity and feasibility of decarbonising the global steel sector by 2050 to align with climate goals, noting that while the industry is a major emitter, technological advances make net zero achievable with appropriate policy and investment.

Friends of the Earth International criticizes the COP26 commitment to end deforestation, characterizing it as a superficial effort that allows major polluters to continue emitting carbon through carbon offsets and market-based mechanisms rather than implementing regulatory action and protecting indigenous rights.

The NDC Update Report 2021, based on a survey of 97 policy makers and experts across 92 countries, evaluates progress on Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) planning. While 95% of respondents report strengthened greenhouse gas emissions targets and improved sector-level grounding, the report concludes that collective ambition remains insufficient, progress is too slow, and financial barriers continue to hinder implementation. It highlights a significant gap in long-term strategies (LTSs), with only 17% of Parties having communicated one to the UNFCCC as of October 2021. The report emphasizes the critical role of subnational governments, noting that 80% of respondents view them as important for NDC implementation, and calls for a shift from narratives of 'green recovery' to concrete actions and the management of trade-offs to ensure a just transition.

This research paper by the NewClimate Institute analyzes the adoption of climate change mitigation policies within the G20 from 2000 to 2019, identifying significant policy gaps across all sectors that leave a portion of emissions uncovered.

This report examines the role of indigenous knowledge systems in enhancing climate change adaptation and disaster management in Africa. It argues that integrating traditional knowledge with scientific forecasting can bridge critical data gaps, improve the accuracy of early warning systems, and increase the resilience of vulnerable farming communities.

This report by RMI explores the potential for state and local governments in the United States to develop solar energy projects on closed and inactive landfills to advance clean energy and community revitalization.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute evaluates the progress of multilateral development banks (MDBs) in aligning their financial flows with the Paris Agreement. It argues that while some progress has been made in direct investments, MDBs are lagging in standardizing fossil fuel exclusions, greenhouse gas accounting, and the alignment of indirect investments and policy-based loans.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes the role of the Brazilian Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) in the prior control of socio-environmental risks for federal railway and highway concessions. It argues that the TCU has become the primary, albeit late, instance for approving Technical, Economic, and Environmental Viability Studies (EVTEA), often filling a governance gap left by the Executive branch. The document examines specific cases to illustrate how the TCU manages environmental liabilities and the risks associated with the 'Manifestation of Interest' (PMI) procurement model.

This policy brief by Energy Innovation analyzes the electric vehicle (EV) incentives proposed in the Build Back Better Act (BBB), arguing that these provisions are essential for decarbonizing the transportation sector, boosting domestic manufacturing, and improving public health.

This knowledge brief by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) and ESMAP advocates for a shift from traditional equipment-ownership models to private sector-led, performance-based service models to ensure the sustainable electrification of public health and education facilities in low- and middle-income countries.