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RMI and TERI convened waste management officials from Uttar Pradesh, India, for a 'waste clinic' designed to facilitate peer-to-peer exchange and expert guidance. The clinic focused on four priority areas: data collection, source segregation and collection of organic waste, organic waste treatment, and disposal. For each area, the clinic identified systemic challenges—such as resource constraints, lack of standardized data, and inadequate infrastructure—and proposed specific 'treatments' including the adoption of standardized KPI templates, graded user fees, and the use of biomining for dumpsite remediation. The goal is to provide a replicable model to help Indian cities meet national 'Garbage Free Cities' goals and reduce landfill gas emissions.

CAPE supports the PMRA's effort to update fees but argues the proposed increases are inadequate for full cost recovery. The organization advocates for a fee structure based on the polluter-pays principle that incorporates health, environmental, and social costs, while opposing 'niche' product exemptions and discounts for high-volume registrants.

In 2024, extreme heatwaves in China, the US, and India drove record air conditioning use, significantly increasing electricity demand and forcing a surge in coal and gas generation to meet the shortfall. The report highlights that cooling demand accounted for 37% of the US demand increase (April-September), 31% in China, and 19% in India for the same period. In China, coal generation grew by 10% in September 2024, while in the US, coal rose by 6.4% in June. The authors argue that relying on fossil fuels to meet cooling needs creates a feedback loop that accelerates climate change, recommending a transition to energy-efficient ACs, rooftop solar, and improved retail pricing to enhance grid resilience.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development calls for the inclusion of natural resource taxation in the FfD4 outcome document, noting that the current zero draft overlooks this critical revenue source. The author highlights that resource rents are vital for many lower- and middle-income countries but are often undermined by tax avoidance and weak governance. The statement proposes specific amendments to the FfD4 draft to ensure fair fiscal terms and better benefit-sharing, particularly regarding critical energy transition minerals.

The document argues that the adoption of zero-emission trucks (ZETs) in India is hindered by a lack of affordable financing and the risk-aversion of private capital. It recommends that public-sector actors, including government officials and multilateral development banks, utilize concessional debt, risk-sharing mechanisms, and policy-driven incentives to de-risk investments and stimulate private-sector participation to meet net-zero goals.

The report identifies a severe funding gap in urban adaptation and resilience (A&R), noting that only 1% of tracked urban climate finance in 2021/22 was allocated to adaptation. It prioritizes 12 key challenges across demand-side, supply-side, and enabling environment domains, and maps 37 existing CCFLA member programs. The document highlights critical gaps in late-stage project preparation, private investment mobilization, and the integration of city needs into National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). It recommends matchmaking between project preparation facilities and financiers, the creation of business model blueprints, and the alignment of A&R taxonomies to unlock private capital.

The document outlines a comprehensive approach to electrifying rural health centers in sub-Saharan Africa using solar PV. It emphasizes the necessity of professional technical consultancy to avoid project failure, provides detailed mathematical formulas for dimensioning components (panels, inverters, and batteries), and compares different system architectures (Off-Grid, On-Grid Backup, and On-Grid). The guide also details various financing models, including Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), and stresses the importance of a two-level maintenance strategy and the appointment of an energy manager ('Monsieur/Madame Energie') to ensure long-term system viability.

The briefing outlines Brazil's updated NDC targets for 2035 and argues that the successful implementation of these goals depends on a strong 'Plano Clima' and a collaborative relationship with the private sector. It identifies key opportunities and barriers across land use, agriculture, energy, transport, and industry, while proposing mechanisms to increase transparency and corporate transition planning ahead of COP30.

This research paper by the Climate Policy Initiative outlines a framework and recommendations for scaling transition finance to decarbonize India's iron and steel sector, which is the country's largest carbon-emitting industrial sector.

The paper proposes a state-led fiscal strategy for South Africa's energy transition, centered on a climate response fund. It recommends mobilizing domestic resources through carbon taxes, fuel levies, and mineral royalties, alongside the issuance of climate bonds. The goal is to protect vulnerable workers, particularly in coal-dependent regions like Mpumalanga, and provide an estimated R100 billion annually for climate priorities.

C-PACE programs have provided $9 billion in financing for energy efficiency in 25 US states and cities, but most were established before embodied carbon data was available. The briefing proposes that C-PACE administrators update guidelines to classify low-embodied-carbon materials as "energy improvements," utilizing tools like Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and Whole Building Life Cycle Assessments. To incentivize this shift, the author suggests increasing financing limits for projects that demonstrate embodied carbon reduction. RMI is facilitating a working group through 2025 to develop nationwide best practices for integrating embodied carbon into C-PACE guidelines.

In 2024, the Private Equity Stakeholder Project (PESP) tracked 1,049 private equity-backed healthcare deals in the US, a 7.6% decrease from 2023. While overall activity was subdued due to high interest rates and regulatory scrutiny, dental care saw a 10.3% increase in deals. The report highlights the prevalence of 'add-on acquisitions'—which accounted for nearly 60% of deals—as a strategy to avoid antitrust scrutiny. PESP notes risks associated with this model, including higher prices, reduced quality of care, and increased bankruptcies in physician practice management. The document also identifies a growing trend of private equity firms using joint ventures with nonprofit health systems to expand market access. It concludes by urging state and federal policymakers to lower reporting thresholds for mergers and acquisitions and implement robust change-of-ownership regulations.

The Institute for Policy Integrity recommends that the EEA-C ITWG align environmental-economic accounting classifications with practical stakeholder use cases and increase transparency regarding data, code, and methods to encourage business adoption. Specific technical suggestions include expanding Forest accounts to distinguish between native and non-native forests and monoculture versus diverse plantations, adding plastic pollution to Water accounts, and incorporating measures of uncertainty to avoid misleading estimates.

The report outlines a strategic framework for India to secure critical energy transition minerals (CETMs) through domestic exploration, international cooperation, regular sector assessments, and the promotion of circular economy practices.

Natural Justice argues that South Africa's proposed 2024 EIA regulation amendments must ensure full environmental impact assessments for high-impact activities, including hydraulic fracturing, seismic surveys, and coastal industrial construction, to protect ecological integrity and community livelihoods.

The briefing outlines how international agreements and industry pressure maintain fossil fuel subsidies in aviation and shipping, leading to higher emissions and market distortions. It recommends that countries tax domestic aviation and shipping fuels, reform legal barriers like the Energy Taxation Directive and air service agreements, and advocate for stringent international emissions levies through the ICAO and IMO, specifically suggesting a shipping levy exceeding USD 100 per tonne of CO2.

The Council on Strategic Risks outlines a strategic roadmap for the US government to bolster biodefense, focusing on a 'deterrence by denial' framework. The recommendations are divided into immediate actions for the first month, the first 100 days, and the first year, emphasizing the need for expert leadership, increased budgetary investment, and the integration of AI safety. Key priorities include updating the National Biodefense Strategy, enhancing pathogen early warning systems, and strengthening international partnerships to counter biological weapons programs in countries such as North Korea and Russia.

ClientEarth urges the European Commission to use the European Oceans Pact to move beyond 'paper parks' and policy silos. The organization calls for a systemic approach to enforcement of the Common Fisheries Policy and Habitats Directive, the creation of an EU Ocean Fund to replace the EMFAF, and the phasing out of fossil fuel subsidies in the maritime sector. It advocates for legally binding targets to protect 30% of EU seas by 2030 and a ban on destructive activities like bottom trawling in all Marine Protected Areas.

The report argues that South Africa's economic growth is contingent upon strengthening political institutions and accountability. It recommends a ten-point plan focusing on electoral reform, the professionalization of the public service, and the governance redesign of state-owned enterprises like Eskom and Transnet. Regionally, it urges a more proactive role in SADC to defend electoral integrity and improve security mechanisms. On climate, it advocates for the operationalization of the Climate Change Act and a just energy transition through public-private partnerships.

The report evaluates federal funding programs in Canada, finding that while most allow for natural infrastructure, few incorporate the full range of criteria needed to make it a mainstream alternative to grey infrastructure. It recommends integrating specific enabling criteria, improving access for rural communities, and increasing funding for proactive adaptation.