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The Ember 2022 Global Electricity Review analyzes global power trends for 2021, highlighting a record-breaking year where wind and solar power reached a historic share of global electricity, yet were offset by record-high coal generation and carbon emissions driven by a surge in global electricity demand.

This policy brief synthesises case studies from six sub-Saharan African countries to analyse government responses to trade and employment shocks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It evaluates these responses against long-term goals of social inclusivity and climate resilience, highlighting how economic structure and financial depth influenced the capacity to implement fiscal, financial, and monetary stimuli.

This research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the differences between the European Commission's proposal for a carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) and the draft report released by the rapporteur of the EU Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI). The author, Aaron Cosbey, identifies six primary areas of divergence, noting that the rapporteur generally advocates for greater speed and ambition than the Commission.

This report by Global Energy Monitor (GEM) provides a mine-level assessment of global coal mine methane emissions, finding that operating mines emit 52.3 million tonnes of methane per year. This volume rivals emissions from the oil and gas sectors and is significantly higher than many national inventories report. The analysis identifies China, specifically Shanxi province, as the primary source of these emissions and warns that proposed new mine projects could add another 11.3 million tonnes annually, potentially locking in emissions equivalent to the coal-based CO2 emissions of the United States.

This report by the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI), funded by UK PACT, examines the development, unification, and implementation of green taxonomies globally. It focuses on the methodologies used to define green economic activities, compares the frameworks of the European Union and China, and discusses the 'Common Ground Taxonomy' designed to improve interoperability between these two major markets to facilitate cross-border green capital flows.

The Turkey Electricity Review 2022 by Ember analyzes trends in Turkey's power generation, noting a three-year decline in coal generation and a record increase in wind and solar, though overall carbon intensity remains stagnant due to a rise in gas generation compensating for drought-impacted hydropower.

The Turkey Electricity Review 2022 report by Ember analyzes the trends in Turkey's power generation, noting a three-year decline in coal generation and a record increase in wind and solar power. However, it highlights that renewable growth has not kept pace with surging power demand, and carbon intensity has not significantly improved since 1990, leaving Turkey lagging behind several European peers.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law and the Environmental Investigation Agency provides a textual comparison of two draft resolutions on plastic pollution submitted for UNEA 5.2: one led by Rwanda and Peru (RP) and one led by Japan (JP). The document analyzes convergences and divergences in mandate, scope, and institutional structure to support the potential merging of the resolutions.

This 2021 update from RMI analyzes the economic, health, and jobs impacts of 'clean energy portfolios' (CEPs)—which combine solar, wind, storage, demand flexibility, and energy efficiency—as alternatives to the more than 88 gigawatts of gas power plants proposed across the United States in 2021.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs compares the implementation of environmental, socioeconomic, and governance (ESG) standards in two Chinese-funded hydropower projects: the Bui Dam in Ghana and the Stung Tatay project in Cambodia. It examines China's domestic regulatory framework for hydropower and analyzes how local government capacity and transparency in the recipient countries influenced the success of ESG mitigation efforts.

This research paper compares the growth of green bond markets in Sweden and Norway between 2013 and 2019 to identify drivers of market uptake and transferable success factors for other countries.

This special report by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) analyzes the first and second African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) reports for Kenya, Mozambique, and Uganda. It examines patterns of progress and regression in democracy, political governance, and socio-economic development, noting that while legislative improvements are evident, practical implementation often lags, particularly regarding corruption, poverty, and gender inequality.

This case study describes a World Bank-supported model in Cambodia using performance-based contracts to increase private sector engagement in climate-resilient road rehabilitation, and evaluates the potential for scaling this Public-Private Partnership (PPP) structure within African markets.

This case study compares the energy matrices of Colombia and Argentina, analyzing their reliance on fossil fuels versus low-carbon sources and their respective commitments to energy transition and emission reductions.

This report analyzes the environmental promises made by political parties in their election platforms for the 2021 Estonian local government council elections. It focuses on national platforms as well as specific programs for Tallinn and Tartu, comparing them to the 2017 elections and assessing their alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the European Green Capital (EGC) criteria.

This research paper analyzes the first 29 long-term low greenhouse gas (GHG) emission development strategies (LTSs) submitted to the UNFCCC by June 2021. The authors identify common trends in midcentury targets, mitigation modeling, sectoral transitions, and governance frameworks, noting a significant shift toward net-zero goals and a broader focus on societal transformation beyond simple mitigation modeling.

This guide, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in August 2021, provides a framework for establishing financial assurance for mine closure in Argentina. It aims to ensure that funds are available for environmental rehabilitation and physical stability if a mining company is unable to execute its closure plan. The document details best practices for calculating closure costs, selecting financial instruments, and managing these guarantees throughout a mine's life cycle, drawing on regional examples from Chile and Peru.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes the socio-environmental components of feasibility and impact studies for federal highway and railroad concessions in the Legal Amazon. The researchers found significant gaps in the coverage of biotic environments, a lack of coordination between Technical, Economic and Environmental Feasibility Studies (EVTEA) and Environmental Assessment Studies (EIA), and a general failure to comply with both international guidelines and national sectoral manuals.

This report provides guidance for the Canadian federal government in developing its first-ever national adaptation strategy (NAS). By analyzing 12 adaptation policy instruments from 11 countries and conducting informant interviews, the report identifies global trends in adaptation planning and proposes 13 considerations across four main aspects to ensure Canada's strategy is ambitious, inclusive, and effective.

This policy brief by Climate Policy Initiative/Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes the socio-environmental components of Technical, Economic and Environmental Feasibility Studies (EVTEA) and Environmental Assessment Studies (EIA) for federal land infrastructure concessions in the Legal Amazon. The analysis reveals significant gaps in the coverage of biotic environments, a lack of coordination between the two types of studies, and inconsistent compliance with sectoral manuals and terms of reference (TRs).