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In 2019, IDFC members committed $197 billion in green finance, a 47% increase from 2018. Climate finance dominated this total at 95% ($187 billion), with mitigation projects receiving the largest share ($163.5 billion), primarily in transport and renewable energy. Adaptation finance grew for the third consecutive year to $19 billion. The majority of finance (74%) originated from non-OECD institutions and was largely deployed domestically, with the East Asia and Pacific region receiving the largest geographic share (69%). Loans remained the primary instrument, accounting for 95% of commitments.

The report finds that electricity subsidies in India are the largest form of energy support, with direct tariff subsidies totaling INR 110,391 crore in FY 2019. Despite the UDAY bailout scheme, DISCOM finances have generally worsened, characterized by increasing average costs of supply (ACoS) and persistent revenue gaps. The analysis reveals significant transparency issues, with discrepancies between Power Finance Corporation (PFC) reports and state regulatory orders. Subsidies are heavily skewed toward agricultural (75%) and domestic (20%) consumers, often without clear consumption limits, leading to regressive distribution where higher-income households capture a disproportionate share of benefits. The report recommends improving data standardization, exploring targeted subsidies via Direct Benefit Transfer for Power (DBT-P), and prioritizing billing and collection efficiency to reduce aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses.

The 'Energizing Finance: Understanding the Landscape' report analyzes financial commitments for electrification and clean cooking in 20 high-impact countries (HICs) across Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia for the year 2018. It finds that current investment levels are significantly below the requirements to meet Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) by 2030, with a notable misalignment between where funds are allocated and where the greatest energy needs exist.

In October 2020, zero-carbon electricity sources in Europe, particularly wind and nuclear, outperformed fossil fuels, leading to a reduction in fossil fuel generation despite recovering electricity demand.

The 2020 Goal 1 assessment concludes that the world is failing to halve natural forest loss and associated greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and is not on track to stop them by 2030. Using data from Global Forest Watch and the FAO, the report finds that global annual gross tree cover loss has increased by 40% since the NYDF was signed in 2014 compared to the 2001-2013 baseline. Humid tropical primary forest loss has increased by 41% on average since the baseline period. While net natural forest loss decreased slightly from 10.4 million hectares per year (2000-2010) to 7.8 million hectares per year (2010-2020), this is insufficient to meet targets. Tropical Africa is identified as an emerging frontier of forest loss, while Latin America remains the region with the highest absolute area of primary forest loss. Greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and primary forest loss are also moving away from 2030 targets, with primary forest emissions 45% higher since the NYDF signing than before.

The report identifies a rapid increase in net-zero pledges globally, noting that as of October 2020, these targets cover 826 cities, 103 regions, and 1,565 companies. It argues that the actual ambition of these pledges is often obscured by ambiguous implementation approaches—specifically regarding emission reductions, offsetting, and carbon dioxide removal—and advocates for greater transparency to ensure targets lead to deep decarbonisation.

The document examines the impact of the 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak on Official Development Assistance (ODA) in Sierra Leone, finding that energy sector financing declined sharply as funds were redirected to emergency health responses. It argues that the interlinkages between energy access (SDG7) and healthcare (SDG3) must be recognized to avoid repeating these mistakes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The brief recommends integrated planning, increased public-private cooperation, and the use of renewable energy for economic recovery.

The document reports that while the total number of hurricanes is not increasing, the probability of storms reaching major hurricane status (Category 3-5) has risen significantly, particularly in the North Atlantic. It attributes this trend to rising sea surface temperatures and atmospheric warming, which also contribute to heavier rainfall, slower storm speeds, and deeper coastal flooding due to sea level rise.

The report analyzes Canadian infrastructure investment flows and stocks from 2009 to 2019, noting significant growth in hydroelectric power and pollution abatement but a sharp decline in wind and solar investments. It highlights a total infrastructure value of 250 billion dollars in 2019, dominated by electricity assets. The author argues that current data is incomplete, lacking coverage of energy efficiency, natural infrastructure, and building renovations, and proposes a new classification system to better align investments with long-term climate goals and avoid 'path dependency' where current projects fail to meet future resilience needs.

Climate Central's analysis of 242 U.S. cities shows that 96% have experienced an increase in cooling degree days since the 1970s, with the most significant rises in the South and Southwest. This trend is driving a projected 59% increase in residential air conditioning consumption by 2050, which contributes to carbon emissions, the urban heat island effect, and the release of heat-trapping gases from improper disposal.

The report concludes that the prolonged regional heat in Siberia from January to June 2020 was effectively impossible without human influence, with a best estimate probability ratio of 99,000 compared to a 1900 climate. Such events would have been at least 2°C cooler without anthropogenic influence. For the specific record of 38°C at Verkhoyansk, the study found a confident anthropogenic shift in intensity of 1.5°C, although the probability ratio for this specific station event is of lower confidence. By 2050, the regional heat is expected to be further intensified, with a synthesis change in intensity of 4.85°C compared to 1900.

In 2019, the global green bond market reached a record USD258.9 billion in issuance, a 51% increase over 2018. The market saw significant growth in non-financial corporate issuance and the entry of eight new countries. Europe led in cumulative volume, while the USA, China, and France remained the top individual countries by amount issued. Energy, buildings, and transport dominated the use of proceeds, accounting for 82% of the total. The report also notes a rise in green sukuk and the increasing importance of external reviews and Climate Bonds Standard certification.

The Stockholm Environment Institute developed Aid Atlas to address the complexity of tracking global development finance. While the OECD's Creditor Reporting System provides the most comprehensive data, its design makes it difficult for the public and smaller recipient countries to use. Aid Atlas transforms this data into an intuitive, visual tool to help decision-makers in developing countries understand aid flows and focus on whether funding generates lasting positive impacts.

Between January 1 and June 15, 2020, China saw a significant increase in coal plant development, with 249.6 GW of capacity under development, a 21% increase over end-2019. This boom is driven by economic stimulus efforts to offset COVID-19 impacts and a relaxation of the central government's 'traffic light policy', despite an existing estimated 400 GW of excess coal-fired capacity. While some new plants are intended for long-distance transmission to the coast, the majority risk exacerbating the country's overcapacity crisis and hindering global climate targets.

The document highlights significant gaps in development finance, noting that general environment protection receives only 2% of total disbursements. It examines how the European refugee crisis impacted donor budgets, the difficulty of tracking finance for specific agendas like sustainable oceans, and the lack of data disaggregation by some donors. Additionally, it identifies a notably lower disbursement ratio for climate finance compared to general development aid, suggesting systemic implementation challenges.

The document reports that 94% of 242 analyzed U.S. cities saw an increase in average summer temperatures since 1970, with summer nights warming faster than days. It highlights that 74% of cities experienced at least one additional week of above-normal temperatures, with the most significant increases concentrated in the Southeast and Texas.

The study finds that FDI in the SADC region is heavily concentrated in South Africa and primarily flows into service sectors, while many countries remain locked in primary value chain stages. While secondary activities like manufacturing and construction drive job creation, there is a mismatch between FDI levels and export potential in sectors such as aquaculture and meat. The report suggests that the region can leverage growth in agro-processing and sustainable services through targeted policies, skills development, and local content incentives to align with the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap (SISR).

The Hong Kong green bond market in 2019 saw a slight decrease in issuance by domestic entities to USD 2.6 billion, but achieved greater issuer diversity and the launch of the first government green bond. Low-carbon buildings dominated proceed allocations at 61%. The market is increasingly characterized by local currency denomination and a strong connection to the Greater Bay Area, with total GBA-domiciled issuance reaching USD 6.4 billion. Regulatory bodies like the HKMA and SFC have introduced measures to enhance ESG disclosures and sustainable banking frameworks to bolster the city's status as a regional sustainable finance hub.

Between 1989 and 2019, Africa experienced a complex conflict landscape. While battle-related deaths have remained relatively low and stable since the early 2000s, the number of state-based conflicts reached a record high in 2019. There is a concerning increase in the involvement of the Islamic State and a rise in non-state communal conflicts. UN peacekeeping operations in the region saw a significant increase in troop size from 1999 to 2010.

The report analyzes agricultural domestic support in twelve WTO members, finding that trade-distorting support is heavily concentrated in China, India, the United States, and the European Union. It argues that existing WTO rules are outdated, failing to address the growth of support in emerging economies or the inequities inherited from the Uruguay Round. The authors propose simplifying rules by tying domestic support limits to a percentage of the value of production (VoP) and increasing transparency requirements.