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The Middle East experienced an 11.2% increase in renewable energy capacity in 2022, driven primarily by solar PV. The UAE and Saudi Arabia have some of the world's lowest installation costs, while Gulf sovereign wealth funds are increasingly financing global and regional projects. Oman is leading in projected capacity additions, and Jordan is among the top eight countries globally for the growth rate of renewables in its energy mix.

The MENA region increased its operational utility-scale solar and wind capacity by 57% since May 2022, adding 6.9 GW. While prospective capacity has grown by 400% to 361 GW, 60% of these projects are earmarked for green hydrogen production or export rather than domestic decarbonization. Oil and gas power plants still provide over 90% of the region's electricity, and replacing them would require approximately 500 GW of additional solar and wind capacity. The report highlights a disparity in progress, noting that South America operationalized at least four times more capacity in the same period. Additionally, sovereign wealth funds from the UAE and Saudi Arabia are investing more heavily in renewables abroad (46 GW) than domestically (14 GW).

The document assesses the impact of gender analyses on National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes in nine countries, identifying how these tools influence policy, knowledge, collaboration, and investment. It highlights that while gender analyses often lead to the creation of specific gender-climate strategies and the integration of gender-disaggregated data into NAPs, their effectiveness depends on high-level political ownership, inclusive stakeholder participation, and continuous dissemination of results.

The document argues that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of floods, which leads to damp buildings and the growth of mold. This process degrades indoor air quality and poses significant respiratory and mental health risks, particularly for vulnerable populations. It highlights that mold can grow on absorbent materials within two to three days after a flood and notes that in the U.S., up to 20% of common respiratory infections may be attributed to dampness and mold.

The document argues that the 'polycrisis'—a state of complex, compounding environmental risks—requires a new category of leadership capable of managing chaotic conditions. Based on research with approximately thirty senior UK defense personnel, the authors identify three core strengths of military leadership: baseline capabilities (physical/mental resilience, values-based leadership, and storytelling), constant rehearsal (simulations and wargaming), and the 'Mission Command' operational concept. The briefing suggests that civilian leaders can adopt these methods to close the 'imagination gap' and maintain agency during environmental destabilization, while also calling for the defense sector to better integrate sustainability into its own doctrine.

The document outlines 12 key policy interventions to accelerate the transition of hard-to-abate sectors, categorised into simplifying pathways, steering risk and opportunity, derisking green investments, and facilitating essential resource flows.

The proposed Donlin Gold Mine in Southwest Alaska, described as the world's largest pure gold mine, faces significant opposition from Indigenous Tribes and legal challenges from Earthjustice. The project involves a massive open-pit mine and a 316-mile gas pipeline, which opponents argue threatens critical subsistence resources, including salmon and rainbow smelt, and risks tailings dam failure. Legal actions are currently targeting state permits and a federal environmental impact statement to potentially vacate authorizations and force a project redesign.

The Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA) proposal introduces a target of 50 million tonnes of annual CO2 injection capacity by 2030 to address storage bottlenecks in Europe. It mandates Member States to map suitable storage areas and requires oil and gas producers to share geological data and contribute to the storage target based on their production shares from 2020-2023. To accelerate deployment, the NZIA allows CO2 storage projects to seek 'Net-Zero Strategic Project' status, potentially reducing permitting times to 18 months. However, the document notes that success depends on overcoming coordination failures between Member States, establishing consistent transport network regulations, and implementing bankable funding mechanisms.

The document highlights a shift in African gas extraction toward countries that have not historically exploited fossil fuels, noting that 84 percent of new pre-production reserves are located in recent entrants. It argues that these developments, largely destined for export, will increase gas production by a third by 2030 but will fail to address local electrification needs while exacerbating climate change and environmental risks.

The Eswatini Outreach Programme, supported by the NAP Global Network, conducted workshops and case studies across Eswatini's four administrative regions to integrate traditional knowledge into climate adaptation. The programme found that while traditional early warning systems remain prominent in rural areas, they are declining due to modern living and a lack of coordination in documentation. It highlighted the extreme vulnerability of peri-urban areas like KaKhoza, which are often overlooked by adaptation programmes, and called for a nationwide outreach strategy, a formal monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) system, and the archiving of indigenous knowledge to inform scientific climate observations.

The document analyzes the momentum behind the 30x30 goal to protect 30% of the world's land and marine areas by 2030, noting the roles of the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People and the Global Ocean Alliance. It highlights the influence of the UN Ocean Conference and the upcoming CBD COP15 on COP27, suggesting that while the 30x30 framework will be settled after COP27, the summit may see new country commitments and policies regarding forests and marine resources.

The briefing outlines the scientific consensus that human activities, primarily fossil fuel combustion, are unequivocally causing climate change, leading to unprecedented warming and extreme weather. It warns that current national commitments are insufficient to limit warming to 1.5°C, potentially leading to 2.8°C by 2100, which would severely threaten food security, health, and biodiversity. To avoid this, the document argues for urgent, transformative changes, including widespread electrification, a rapid phase-out of fossil fuels, and significant methane reductions by 2030. While noting that investment in fossil fuels still outweighs adaptation and mitigation funding, it highlights progress in the falling costs of solar, wind, and battery technologies, as well as the increasing adoption of electric vehicles and climate legislation.

The Supreme Court ruled to restrict the federal government's power to limit greenhouse gas emissions in West Virginia v. EPA, a case initiated by coal companies and Republican-led states. The briefing urges journalists to focus on the global climate consequences of this decision rather than political conflicts and provides a list of legal and public health experts for commentary.

The briefing outlines the complexities of establishing the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) for climate finance, emphasizing the need for a science- and equity-based approach over purely political targets. It highlights the lack of a common definition for climate finance and the necessity of aligning the NCQG with the Paris Agreement's articles and the actual needs of developing countries. The text argues for a more balanced allocation between mitigation and adaptation, the inclusion of loss and damage, and a focus on fair access to finance that avoids increasing the debt burden of vulnerable nations.

The livestock sector's growth poses a significant risk to climate goals, potentially consuming 80% of the remaining GHG budget by 2050 if current trends continue. While global meat production is rising—projected to reach 374 million tonnes by 2030—there is a growing market for Alternative Protein (AP) products, valued at USD 14 bn and expected to exceed USD 162 bn within a decade. However, the transition is hindered by substantial government subsidies, with nearly 90% of global farming subsidies (USD 540 bn annually) supporting beef, milk, and rice. The document emphasizes that while total veganism offers the highest emission reductions, flexitarian and vegetarian diets can also significantly lower emissions. It calls for government policy reforms to redirect subsidies away from industrial agriculture and for businesses to move beyond 'meaningless' net zero targets toward actual reductions in animal numbers in supply chains.

The document details the priorities for the second week of COP26, highlighting the critical role of nature-based solutions, the need for a functional Enhanced Transparency Framework, and the funding gap for adaptation and loss and damage. It emphasizes the necessity of integrating science and gender equity into climate action, the decarbonization of the built environment and transport sectors, and the urgent need for tangible financial commitments and representation for Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and Indigenous peoples.

The success of COP26 is heavily dependent on resolving climate finance disputes, specifically the fulfillment of the $100 billion annual goal for developing countries. Beyond this, the agenda includes establishing a post-2025 quantified finance goal, increasing adaptation funding, and addressing loss and damage. Parallel to formal UNFCCC negotiations, private sector initiatives like the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero and political signals regarding the cessation of fossil fuel investments are expected to influence the outcome.

The briefing advocates for the inclusion of long-term strategies in the first global stocktake (2021-2023) to ensure a comprehensive assessment of global ambition. It details how these strategies can enrich the information collection, technical assessment, and high-level output phases, ultimately guiding the evolution of future Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and supporting developing countries in overcoming barriers to long-term planning.

The briefing outlines five critical areas for success at COP26: increasing the ambition of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), mobilizing international climate finance for developing nations, prioritizing global climate adaptation, finalizing rules for international carbon markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, and aligning private investments with climate goals through standardized financial reporting.

The document critiques the negotiations surrounding Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, specifically the market-based approaches in paragraphs 6.2 and 6.4. It argues that these mechanisms allow developed nations to avoid direct emission reductions and fail to provide necessary public finance to the global South. The author highlights risks such as double counting, lack of environmental integrity, and human rights abuses, including land grabbing and displacement of Indigenous Peoples. Friends of the Earth International advocates for the rejection of carbon markets in favor of non-market approaches (Article 6.8) and direct, grant-based public finance from Northern governments to Southern countries.