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The document reviews digital policies across Africa, finding that while most countries have strategies focusing on infrastructure, e-government, and cybersecurity, there is a lack of continental harmonization. It highlights the significant role of external actors, noting that China provides much of the physical infrastructure (e.g., 70% of 4G base stations via Huawei) while the EU exerts regulatory influence through development assistance and agreements like the EU-ACP, which incorporates GDPR standards. The authors argue for an Africa-led, harmonized digital strategy to avoid fragmented standards and better leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The report evaluates three primary responses to the plastics crisis: chemical recycling, separate collection, and reuse/refill. It concludes that chemical recycling is technically and financially unviable, often serving as a 'smokescreen' for the petrochemical industry. In contrast, it identifies high growth potential in separate collection infrastructure, specifically reverse vending machines (RVMs), and long-term equity opportunities in refillable packaging systems, both of which are being driven by increasing global regulation and consumer pressure.

In 2020, China's green bond market saw a 21% decrease in total issuance to 289.5 billion RMB, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of pandemic-related bonds. Despite the decline, the market showed progress in aligning domestic standards with international ones, notably through the 2020 draft Green Bond Endorsed Project Catalogue which removed clean coal projects. Non-financial enterprises and government-supported institutions showed strong growth, while financial enterprise issuance declined. A significant gap remains between domestic and Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) definitions, primarily because some domestic bonds allow funds to be used for general corporate operating capital. The report also highlights a massive stock of unlabelled climate-related bonds, totaling 325 billion USD, primarily in the transport sector, presenting a major opportunity for future green labelling and refinancing.

The report provides a comprehensive overview of China's green asset-backed securities (ABS) market as of 2020, detailing the regulatory environment, market trends, and specific case studies. It highlights that while the market has grown significantly, it remains a small portion of the overall green bond market and is dominated by state-owned enterprises. The document suggests improvements in data transparency, standardization of contracts, and the expansion of green residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities to attract more international investors.

The report provides a comprehensive overview of China's green securitisation market, noting its growth to 85 deals totalling RMB115bn by the end of 2020. It details the regulatory landscape involving the PBoC, CBIRC, CSRC, and NAFMII, and identifies state-owned enterprises as the primary originators. The analysis highlights renewable energy and low-carbon transport as the dominant collateral themes and suggests improvements in transparency, standardisation of green loans, and credit rating soundness to attract more international investors.

The Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) sustainable finance market grew significantly between 2019 and 2021, with total GSS issuance reaching USD 48.6 billion by June 2021. Green bonds remain the dominant instrument, though social and sustainability bonds have expanded rapidly, partly driven by COVID-19 relief efforts. Chile, Brazil, and Mexico are the primary markets, together accounting for 77% of all GSS issuance. While energy is the most funded sector, there is increasing diversification into low-carbon transport and sustainable agriculture. The region is also seeing a rise in sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs) and the development of national green taxonomies to standardize climate-aligned investments.

The sustainable finance market in Latin America and the Caribbean grew significantly between 2019 and 2021, with total VSS emissions reaching USD 48.6 billion by June 2021. Chile, Brazil, and Mexico dominate the market, accounting for 77% of all VSS emissions. Green bonds remain the largest segment (USD 30.2 billion), while social and sustainability bonds have seen rapid growth, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. Energy is the most funded sector, though transport and land use are significant. The report also highlights the emergence of sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs) and the ongoing development of national green taxonomies in countries like Chile, Colombia, and Mexico.

The Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) sustainable finance market grew significantly between 2019 and 2021, with total VSS emissions reaching USD 48.6 billion by June 2021. Chile, Brazil, and Mexico dominate the region, accounting for 77% of all VSS emissions. Green bonds are the largest segment (USD 30.2 billion), primarily driven by energy projects and sovereign issuances in Chile. The report also highlights the rise of social and sustainable bonds, the emergence of sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs), and the ongoing development of national green taxonomies in countries like Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic.

The document analyzes coal finance in 18 high-impact countries (HICs) with significant electricity access gaps. It finds that while global coal investment is declining, finance persists in HICs, largely driven by Chinese state-owned institutions and a few South Asian nations. The report argues that coal is misaligned with Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) due to long development timelines and high infrastructure costs, contrasting this with the efficiency of distributed renewable energy. It highlights the risk of stranded assets in Bangladesh and Pakistan and the operational hurdles facing coal in Africa, concluding that a shift toward renewables and finance-based carbon accounting is necessary to achieve net-zero goals.

The report examines gender inequality in the African maritime sector, highlighting that current frameworks often equate gender equality solely with women's inclusion. It advocates for an intersectional analysis—considering race, age, and class—to address the systemic exclusion of youth and other marginalised groups. The document reviews African Union maritime instruments, finds a lack of implementation and data, and provides examples of gender-sensitive initiatives in fisheries and coastal management.

The document examines the viability of nuclear energy in Africa, noting that the continent provides 14% of global uranium supply. It identifies Russia and China as leading international vendors due to their state-owned models and willingness to provide financing. The paper highlights significant barriers to deployment, including high costs, corruption, unstable electrical grids, and a lack of local expertise. It also discusses the potential of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) to mitigate some of these infrastructure and financial challenges.

The report examines the environmental platforms of seven political parties and one electoral alliance for the 2021 Estonian local elections. It finds a significant increase in the volume and specificity of environmental promises compared to 2017, with a shift in focus toward climate, energy, and mobility. In Tallinn, mobility dominated the discourse, while Tartu platforms emphasized nature and parks. The analysis highlights that Eestimaa Rohelised (Greens) provided the most comprehensive environmental programs across all levels, while EKRE's platforms were the most modest and occasionally opposed the 'green transition'. The document also assesses the alignment of these promises with the UN SDGs and the criteria for Tallinn's bid as a European Green Capital.

The paper surveys 29 long-term climate strategies (LTSs) submitted to the UNFCCC, representing 42 countries and 28% of global emissions. It finds a growing trend toward net-zero targets, an increasing focus on the fundamental economic and societal shifts required for transition, and a reliance on both natural and technological carbon removals. The analysis highlights that while most strategies include midcentury goals and modeling, the level of detail regarding adaptation and just transition varies, and some parties acknowledge gaps between their most ambitious scenarios and their final targets.

As of August 2021, fewer than 1% of U.S. school buses are electric, with adoption heavily concentrated in California and suburban areas. While 33 states have committed to electric buses, the report emphasizes that targeted public funding is essential to ensure these benefits reach vulnerable communities and rural areas, which currently lag in deployment despite the health risks posed by diesel emissions to students.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative and PUC-Rio analyzes federal and state legislation regarding forest compensation for legal deforestation in Brazil. It examines how the 2012 Forest Code regulates conservation on private lands and identifies significant gaps in state-level implementation, technical criteria, and monitoring systems.

The report analyzes the legal landscape of mandatory forest replacement in Brazil, finding that only nine states have legislation fully aligned with current federal rules. It argues that most regulations still focus on raw material supply rather than biodiversity conservation, often allowing replacement areas to be significantly smaller than the suppressed areas. The authors recommend adopting 'no net loss' principles, ecological equivalence, and improved geospatial monitoring systems.

The report examines the mechanisms used to ensure mining companies provide sufficient funds for environmental rehabilitation if they fail to meet closure obligations. It details various financial instruments, cost estimation methodologies, and policy requirements from leading jurisdictions including Australia, Canada, Germany, South Africa, and the United States.

The document examines how socio-economic factors and gender norms in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) create disproportionate exposure to chemical and noise pollution. It highlights that while men are more exposed in heavy industry, women face higher risks in healthcare, cleaning, and agriculture. It notes a critical lack of official data on environmental health in BiH and recommends gender-sensitive risk assessments, poverty reduction, and targeted awareness campaigns to protect marginalized groups, including Roma communities.

The document examines waste management in Bosnia and Herzegovina through the lens of social equity, highlighting that while collection coverage has expanded, rural areas and Roma communities remain underserved. It identifies a strong reliance of Roma populations on informal waste collection for income and notes that the formal waste sector is heavily male-dominated. The brief argues for the integration of informal collectors into formal systems and the use of gender-based quotas and targeted training to diversify the workforce.

The report inventories fisheries support in Indonesia, noting that central government support ranges from USD 140 to 210 million annually, with 50% allocated to fuel subsidies. It warns that these subsidies may benefit boat owners over low-income fishers and encourage overfishing, while provincial support for vessel modernization often targets already unsustainable pelagic fisheries.