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The document advocates for reforming the Competition Act to address greenwashing, which it describes as a market distortion that prevents consumers from making informed choices and hinders firms investing in environmental quality. The authors propose several amendments, including updating the Act's purpose clause to include environmental and climate considerations, establishing clear substantiation standards for environmental claims, and requiring public disclosure of the data used to support such claims. They also suggest introducing enhanced penalties for environmental harm, expanding private rights of action for consumers, and allocating penalties to the Environmental Damages Fund. The statement highlights that while other jurisdictions like the EU, France, and California have implemented mandatory disclosures or bans on generic claims, Canada lacks dedicated statutes for regulating environmental claims to the general public.

The document examines the ubiquity of airborne micro- and nanoplastics, detailing how they originate from diverse sources, travel long distances via the atmosphere, and enter the human body through inhalation and ingestion. It highlights the 'Trojan Horse' effect, where these particles carry toxic chemicals and pathogens into internal organs, potentially causing respiratory diseases, endocrine disruption, and developmental issues. The briefing concludes that current voluntary measures are insufficient and calls for legally binding global regulations to reduce plastic production and phase out hazardous chemicals.

The report argues that the World Bank Group must shift from project-by-project 'greening' to a systemic transformation of its portfolio to support 1.5°C alignment. It proposes a strict taxonomy that excludes fossil gas and 'false solutions' like CCUS and nuclear power, while emphasizing a rights-based approach to ensure the energy transition does not burden marginalized communities or increase debt in low-income countries.

ClientEarth proposes that REACH reform should introduce a clear objective to eliminate the most harmful chemicals, specifically suggesting a 2030 target for consumer products to be free of such substances. The document argues that current REACH processes lack a guiding goal for restrictions, creating a gap in implementation and predictability for investors. It further asserts that preventing toxic exposure is a legally binding human rights obligation and calls for a new regulatory mechanism to discourage the registration of new harmful substances.

The document outlines specific demands for the 'REACH 2' reform to address systemic data gaps in the EU chemical market. It argues that the original 'no data, no market' principle failed because registration requirements were too vague and did not cover all substances, such as polymers and low-tonnage chemicals. ClientEarth proposes expanding registration obligations, introducing new reporting duties for downstream users, and increasing transparency for investors and consumers regarding substances of very high concern (SVHCs).

ClientEarth asserts that current REACH enforcement is insufficient and inconsistent across EU Member States, creating an uneven playing field and failing to protect human health and the environment. The document details high non-compliance rates across registration, supply chain, downstream user, restriction, and authorisation obligations. It proposes a comprehensive reform package including a Commission-led EU audit system, the power for ECHA to revoke registration numbers ('no data, no market'), 'name and shame' transparency measures, and turnover-based fines of at least 8% for serious breaches of authorisation and restriction decisions.

The report asserts that access to healthy and sustainable food is a fundamental human right embedded within the right to a healthy environment. It highlights that while food availability in the EU is currently stable, intensive agri-food models, biodiversity loss, and climate change threaten future food security. The authors argue that the EU has a legal responsibility to protect this right through its legislative frameworks, specifically recommending that the proposed Legislative Framework for Sustainable Food Systems (FSFS) adopt a rights-based approach, phase out harmful subsidies, and ensure public procurement of sustainable food.

The document analyzes the 'demographic departure' between China, whose population peaked in 2022 and is declining, and Africa, whose population is projected to grow significantly. It examines China's 'getting old before getting rich' strategy—a two-tier approach focusing on capturing a low-wage demographic dividend while preparing for an aged society through education and healthcare investments. The author argues that African nations should adopt similar cointegrated economic-demography strategies to avoid productivity stagnation and leverage new market opportunities created by ageing global populations.

The document examines how African nations have navigated the Russia-Ukraine war, highlighting a preference for non-alignment driven by historical grievances with Western leadership and strategic national interests. It details the varied voting patterns of African states at the UN General Assembly, the potential for Africa to fill Europe's energy gap through gas and critical minerals, and the risks posed by great-power competition to regional security, particularly in the Sahel.

The signatories support the European Commission's Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF) but argue that the current legislative proposal contains critical shortcomings. They demand a clear distinction between carbon removal and emissions reductions, aligned with IPCC definitions, to prevent the misclassification of activities that merely reduce carbon release. Additionally, the authors call for strict guardrails on the use of removal certificates to prevent greenwashing and 'mitigation deterrence,' suggesting that different types of removals be labeled and regulated based on the duration and reliability of their carbon storage.

A congratulatory letter from the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD) and the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) to the President of Zimbabwe and other high-level officials following the 2nd High-Level Structured Dialogue Platform Meeting on February 23, 2023. The letter expresses support for the Arrears Clearance Programme and provides recommendations on economic reforms, debt transparency, creditor responsibility, and civil society participation to address Zimbabwe's debt crisis.

A coalition of organizations argues that weak guidelines for the 45V clean hydrogen tax credit could lead to increased net emissions and wasteful subsidies. They advocate for a 'three-pillar' system—additionality, deliverability, and hourly matching—to ensure hydrogen is truly low-carbon. The authors assert that these requirements are technically and economically feasible, citing existing tools like M-RETS and EnergyTag, as well as similar standards already adopted in the EU and UK.

The document calls on financial institutions to address the steel industry's reliance on metallurgical coal, which accounts for 70% of global steel production and contributes 11% of global CO2 emissions. It argues that because steel plants have long lifetimes, investment decisions made in the 2020s are critical for achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The author urges financial institutions to stop funding new metallurgical coal mines and coal-based steel projects, while pushing companies to avoid 'two-speed decarbonization' strategies where green projects are developed in Europe and Canada while coal-based facilities continue in India.

The steel industry is a major emitter of greenhouse gases due to its reliance on metallurgical coal, which accounts for 70% of global steel production. While many financial institutions have policies against thermal coal, they often exclude metallurgical coal. The document asserts that the 2020s are a critical decade for investment decisions, as existing plants reach the end of their lives and new capacity is needed. Transitioning the global industry to carbon-neutral technologies would require an additional annual investment of US$8 to US$11 billion, totaling US$235 to US$335 billion by 2050. The author urges financial institutions to stop funding new metallurgical coal mines and coal-based steel infrastructure, and to discourage the use of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), which is viewed as a limited solution that perpetuates fossil fuel dependence. Furthermore, the document warns against 'two-speed' decarbonization strategies, citing ArcelorMittal's development of green hydrogen projects in Europe and Canada while continuing coal-based installations in India.

RMI outlines how inclusive Solarize campaigns—community bulk-purchasing programs—can help low- and moderate-income (LMI) households overcome financial and outreach barriers to solar adoption. Drawing on support provided to over 20 US local governments in 2021 and 2022, the briefing highlights the importance of partnering with community-based organizations, securing dedicated LMI funding, and using trusted messengers to ensure equitable access to residential solar.

The document outlines a human rights-based framework for the loss and damage fund, emphasizing the need for inclusive public participation, non-discriminatory access to finance, and the use of grants rather than loans to avoid increasing debt in developing nations. It proposes that funding be based on the 'polluter pays' principle and that the fund provide comprehensive reparations, including restitution and compensation, while ensuring strong social and environmental safeguards.

The document outlines a human rights-based framework for the Loss and Damage Fund, emphasizing the need for inclusive governance, grants-based funding from historic polluters, and the provision of substantive redress for marginalized communities.

The WHO-Civil Society Working Group to Advance Action on Climate Change and Health calls on universities, accrediting bodies, and educators to ensure health professionals are equipped to handle the health impacts of climate change. The letter highlights a global lack of institutional support and formal educational programs, urging the integration of climate competencies into curricula and the pursuit of multi-sectoral collaborations to build resilient, low-carbon health systems.

The document argues that the current ecological crisis—characterized by climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution—is rooted in overconsumption and fossil-fuel-based economic systems. It calls for a transition toward circular economies, regenerative agriculture, and a 'just transition' that prioritizes the rights of the poor, indigenous peoples, and future generations.

The text examines the intersection of the cost-of-living crisis, energy insecurity, and climate change in Europe, arguing that these shocks reveal the failure of the current socioeconomic model. It suggests that Green parties must move beyond austerity or simple redistribution to advocate for public investments in the green transition, decentralized renewable energy cooperatives, and a Green New Deal to ensure social protections and ecological resilience.