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The document examines the intersection of trade and the bioeconomy, arguing that while international trade can exacerbate biodiversity loss, it can also be leveraged through price-based, support, and regulatory measures to promote sustainability. It highlights the economic significance of biodiversity-based trade and calls for enhanced international cooperation, particularly through the G20, to align policies, remove harmful subsidies, and support low- and middle-income countries in their transition.

The document analyzes the impact of the Ghana cedi's 24.5% appreciation against the U.S. dollar in early 2025 on electricity costs. While macroeconomic indicators have improved, the power sector remains burdened by 80 billion cedis in debt, high transmission and distribution losses of 35.26%, and a projected US$2.23 billion financing gap. The brief examines potential outcomes for the September 2025 tariff review, including modest reductions, tariff freezes, performance-linked adjustments, or debt-for-efficiency swaps, arguing that currency strength alone cannot resolve deep-rooted structural weaknesses.

Electric vehicle adoption is accelerating globally, with many markets passing critical tipping points. In the United States, the total cost of ownership for light-duty EVs is now lower than for gas-powered cars, despite a projected reduction in savings after September 30, 2025, due to the removal of the federal tax credit. Electric medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) trucks are trending toward cost parity with diesel, with some segments expected to reach it by 2028. Furthermore, advancements in battery recycling could potentially eliminate the need for additional mining by 2040 as minerals enter a circular supply chain.

The Canadian Climate Institute responds to claims that its 'Close to Home' report relies on 'guesswork,' asserting that its risk modelling uses data from The Co-operators and SwissRe and focuses on near-term risks. The Institute argues that failing to account for flood and wildfire exposure in housing development could increase private and public costs by $3 billion annually. It emphasizes that better land-use planning and risk information empower market participants to make informed decisions, addressing a market failure where insurance and property values misprice risk. The document notes that 2024 saw record insured losses of over $8.9 billion in Canada due to severe weather, including events in Quebec, Toronto, and Jasper, and maintains that climate change is increasing the area burned by wildfires.

The report argues that proactive grid planning is essential for Europe to meet its goal of tripling data centre capacity and capturing the economic benefits of AI. It highlights a shift in investment from traditional hubs (FLAP-D markets) to regions with lower grid congestion, such as the Nordics and Southern Europe. The analysis suggests that innovative connection agreements, data centre flexibility, and strategic spatial planning can significantly reduce connection wait times and infrastructure costs.

The report argues that mining tax incentives in Africa are often poorly designed and overly generous, resulting in significant revenue losses. It challenges the assumption that such incentives are the primary drivers of investment, suggesting that deposit quality and political stability are more critical. The authors recommend that governments eliminate harmful incentives, implement time-bound and transparent frameworks backed by cost-benefit analyses, and enhance regional coordination to prevent tax competition. Furthermore, it suggests aligning tax policies with the Africa Mining Vision to promote local industrial development and value addition.

The document examines how wide-ranging tariffs, including those imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), increase the cost of essential materials like steel, aluminum, and copper, thereby raising prices for energy infrastructure and slowing the deployment of clean energy technologies. It highlights that while the administration seeks 'energy dominance,' these trade policies create investment uncertainty and risk ceding leadership in next-generation technologies—such as advanced nuclear, geothermal, and batteries—to competitors like China. The authors recommend replacing blunt tariffs with targeted, time-bound measures paired with robust industrial policy and strategic alliances to ensure long-term competitiveness.

Brazil is positioned to lead in green iron production due to its abundant renewable energy resources, which can make H2-DRI production up to 65% cheaper than in other steelmaking countries. The document argues that a green iron export agenda would drive domestic economic growth and jobs while reducing global steel emissions.

The document examines the critical role of African IFIs in bridging the continent's infrastructure gap to enable the AfCFTA. It highlights a significant annual financing need of $130–$170 billion, with transport being the most deficient sector. While IFIs like the AfDB, AFC, and Afreximbank have invested billions, the author argues that financing still relies too heavily on governments with limited fiscal space. The brief recommends establishing a results-oriented coordination model and a dedicated agency to improve project bankability to better attract private institutional investors.

The document argues that while Africa holds approximately 30% of the world's critical mineral reserves, the surge in demand for green minerals risks exacerbating inequalities and environmental degradation without strong governance. It advocates for a transition from rigid to progressive taxation, the development of domestic value chains (such as battery and EV component manufacturing), and the strategic reinvestment of mineral rents into climate resilience initiatives and local community development to ensure a just transition.

The author contends that while the U.S. has retreated from climate policy, global momentum toward a low-carbon economy continues, posing a risk to Canada's oil-dependent economy if it does not keep pace. The text highlights the rapid growth of electric vehicles in China, the expansion of carbon markets in China and India, and the implementation of carbon tariffs in the EU and UK. It recommends that the Canadian federal government prioritize industrial carbon pricing, methane regulations, and a national climate taxonomy to ensure competitiveness in non-U.S. markets.

The Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs program is designed to demonstrate localized hydrogen production and end-use to create a synergistic national hydrogen economy. The author warns that planned funding cuts by the Trump administration would jeopardize an estimated 334,280 jobs and tens of billions of dollars in private sector investment. The document emphasizes that a network of hubs is necessary to create a viable market for hydrogen-fueled equipment and to maintain U.S. leadership in low-carbon hydrogen production and technology exports.

Over 10 million US homes still rely on delivered fuels like oil and propane, which are expensive and polluting. Transitioning these households to air-source heat pumps (ASHPs) and heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) could save US customers nearly $8 billion annually in energy bills and significantly reduce carbon and air pollution. The document advocates for state-level policy changes, such as allowing fuel switching in utility energy efficiency programs and implementing clean heat standards, alongside targeted outreach and contractor training to support rural and low-income households.

The Lobito Corridor is positioned as a transformative route for critical raw materials (CRMs) from the Copperbelt of the DRC and Zambia to the port of Lobito in Angola, aimed at supporting the global green energy transition. While it promises significant reductions in transport time and costs, and has attracted up to USD 6 billion in funding from the US, EU, and other institutions, the project faces substantial risks. These include geopolitical competition with China, which dominates regional mining and infrastructure, and concerns over 'modern plundering' where raw materials are exported without local value addition. Furthermore, the project faces sustainability challenges regarding human rights in cobalt mines, land tenure disputes, and the regulation of artisanal and small-scale mining. The re-election of Donald Trump is identified as a major risk factor that could lead to the freezing of US federal and USAID funding, potentially shifting the project's control toward Chinese interests.

Enhanced rock weathering is identified as a scientifically sound carbon removal method that accelerates the natural breakdown of rocks like basalt and olivine to capture CO2. While it offers potential for large-scale deployment and soil improvement, it is currently deemed not ready for large-scale use due to high costs, unpredictable effectiveness, and complex monitoring requirements.

The document proposes an "energy park" model that co-locates renewable generation with flexible industrial loads and long-duration storage to replace retiring coal capacity. Using Pueblo, Colorado, as a case study, the authors model a system combining 2,000 MW of solar, 1,600 MW of wind, short-duration batteries, and flexible loads (thermal batteries and electrolyzers). The findings indicate that such a park can achieve 99% reliability in mimicking the dispatch of the Comanche Unit 3 plant while providing significant local economic benefits, including over $40 million in annual property taxes and 350 permanent jobs. Financially, the energy park is estimated to be at least 50% cheaper for electricity ratepayers than a comparable small modular nuclear reactor.

The report examines how rising external debt service costs in Africa are crowding out essential spending on health, education, and climate adaptation. It critiques the G20's Common Framework as slow and insufficient, proposing reforms such as automatic debt standstills, enhanced Debt Sustainability Analyses (DSAs) that include climate risks, and a 'fair' comparability of treatment rule for creditors.

The document outlines the economic, health, and social benefits of transitioning Canada's passenger transport sector to net-zero. It highlights that while ZEV sales are increasing, Canada remains heavily dependent on personal vehicles due to zoning laws and a preference for light-duty trucks. The brief proposes a shift toward active transport, public transit, and ZEVs to reduce emissions, lower household costs, and create jobs in battery manufacturing and transit infrastructure.

The G20 Compact with Africa (CwA), initiated in 2017, aims to boost private investment and infrastructure in Africa through reform agendas in macroeconomic, business, and financing frameworks. While CwA countries often show stronger growth and trade performance, a direct causal link to investment flows remains unproven, and foreign direct investment to Africa rose only by $4.5 billion between 2017 and 2023. To enhance the initiative, the author recommends that South Africa's G20 presidency facilitate the admission of interested countries such as Angola, Kenya, and Zambia, and elevate the African Advisory Group (AAG) to a permanent G20 working group. Additionally, the note suggests spotlighting critical minerals and energy investment, improving investment grades to reduce Africa's $75 billion risk premium, and implementing 'country platforms' to increase private sector engagement in reform agendas.

The U.S. may need to triple its transmission capacity by 2050, requiring over $40 billion in annual investment by 2031. Relying on private, for-profit utility financing risks increasing consumer rates and reducing political support for the energy transition. Research commissioned by the Clean Air Task Force (CATF) in California suggests that public or public-private financing using low-cost public debt could save ratepayers up to $3 billion annually, or $123 billion over 40 years. To achieve these savings, the document recommends that policymakers employ new institutional models, such as dedicated transmission authorities, and utilize low-cost public debt like bonds and loans. It highlights the roles of existing authorities in New Mexico and Colorado as examples. Key recommendations for state transmission authorities include using planning processes to test alternative financing, appointing coordinators to speed up implementation, utilizing credit enhancements, and issuing general obligation or revenue bonds to alleviate costs for ratepayers.