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The paper explores using revenues from the sale of Bulgaria's surplus Assigned Amount Units (AAUs) to fund a Green Investment Scheme (GIS). It focuses on bioenergy, arguing that Bulgaria's underutilized biomass resources could support large-scale fuel switching from electricity and oil to wood-based heating. The authors propose a 'programmatic approach' to overcome the high transaction costs that hindered similar projects under Joint Implementation (JI). Financial assessments suggest mitigation costs for municipal building fuel switches could be as low as 12.7 Euro per tonne of CO2 reduced, while household switches would cost between 24.9 and 30.2 Euro per tonne.

The report examines how Romania can use a Green Investment Scheme (GIS) to invest proceeds from the sale of approximately 100 million surplus Assigned Amount Units (AAUs) into climate-related projects. It specifically evaluates land-use activities, such as the reforestation of 'cut-not-regenerated' forests and fast-growing woody crops, and bioenergy projects, including the rehabilitation of district heating systems. The analysis compares GIS with Joint Implementation (JI), arguing that GIS is better suited for land-use projects due to lower transaction costs, more flexible monitoring, and the ability to address high upfront investments and delayed returns.

The document analyzes Hungary's implementation of a Green Investment Scheme (GIS) to utilize revenues from the sale of Assigned Amount Units (AAUs) for greenhouse gas mitigation. It details the legal framework established by Act LX of 2007 and Government Decree 323/2007, emphasizing a 'hard greening' approach where funds are invested in projects with measurable emission reductions. The paper focuses heavily on the buildings sector, proposing a programmatic approach to bundle small-scale energy efficiency projects that are typically ineligible for Joint Implementation (JI) due to high transaction costs. It outlines a subsidy system based on energy labeling (Categories C to A++) and provides financial assessments for retrofits and new constructions, while comparing energy efficiency experiences across Central and Eastern European countries.

The report assesses the potential for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, NOx, and fuel consumption in California's heavy-duty truck fleet through retrofit technologies. It evaluates six technology packages across different vehicle types and duty cycles, concluding that a combination of high-technology retrofits for new vehicles and moderate-technology retrofits for in-use vehicles is the most cost-effective strategy. The analysis suggests that focusing on tractor-trailers and straight trucks over 14,000 pounds could reduce state heavy-duty fleet GHG emissions by 14.9 to 22.2 million metric tons of CO2-equivalent between 2010 and 2020.

The briefing identifies three primary financing categories for REDD: direct carbon markets, market-linked approaches, and voluntary sources. Direct carbon markets offer the highest funding potential (tens of billions of dollars annually) but risk a zero-sum effect on global emissions if offsets are not real and verifiable. Market-linked approaches, such as using auction revenues or dual markets, provide additional reductions and can fund capacity building and stabilization. Voluntary sources, including official development assistance, provide the fastest way to build initial capacity but offer the least reliable and smallest funding scale (hundreds of millions of dollars annually). The author proposes a phased timing strategy: utilizing voluntary funding in the short term, increasing market-linked funding toward 2020, and transitioning to direct carbon markets as the primary source in the 2020s once capacity and verification systems are established.

The document argues that adaptation is essential because some climate impacts are already unavoidable, regardless of mitigation efforts. It highlights a critical funding gap for developing countries, where current financial flows may need to increase by two orders of magnitude. The authors emphasize that adaptation is an iterative process linked to broader development goals, such as poverty reduction and good governance. To improve effectiveness, the paper recommends 'mainstreaming' adaptation into national planning and creating transparent, principle-based funding mechanisms, such as levies on carbon market transactions, to ensure that support for developing nations is new and additional rather than absorbed into existing official development assistance.

The document examines the shift toward 'vertical deepening' of peacekeeping, where the UN relies more on regional organisations like the African Union (AU) and its 'building blocks' (SADC, ECOWAS, IGAD, ECCAS/CEEAC, and EAC). It highlights a critical gap between Africa's political will and its financial capacity, noting that while the AU can provide troops, it cannot fund large-scale missions. The author analyzes the EU Peace Facility as a model for external support and proposes seven funding options for regional operations, ranging from UN assessed contributions to bilateral arrangements. The paper concludes that African peacekeeping should be a 'bridging force' for UN deployments rather than a total replacement, requiring sustained international investment in capacity-building and DDR (disarmament, demobilization, and resettlement).

The report argues that Poland should adopt a technology-neutral, long-term energy strategy that includes nuclear power to achieve a zero-carbon economy by 2050. It emphasizes that because the cost of capital is a primary driver of final electricity costs, the Polish government must play a central role in de-risking projects. The document specifically analyzes Contracts for Difference (CfDs) as a primary state aid mechanism to stabilize revenues, while cautioning that CfDs do not address construction risks. Drawing on UK case studies, it contrasts the Hinkley Point C project, which suffered from cost overruns and lack of construction risk-sharing, with the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model used for Sizewell C, which lowers the weighted average cost of capital (WACC) by sharing risks with consumers. The report concludes that Poland must ensure high transparency in financial governance to maintain public support.

The document argues that achieving water security in Africa requires tens of billions of dollars annually, with climate resilience adding an additional US$10–15 billion. It suggests a blended financing approach combining traditional water finance, official development assistance, and specialized climate finance to bridge the funding gap. While most climate finance currently targets mitigation, the briefing emphasizes the need for adaptation funding and the role of the Green Climate Fund in supporting African water infrastructure.

The report highlights a significant gap between current EU agricultural emissions trends and the 2030 and 2050 climate targets. It identifies the absence of agriculture from the EU Taxonomy as a major barrier to defining sustainable activities. The author proposes repurposing the CAP, which accounts for approximately 30% of the EU budget, to fund a transition that requires an estimated annual public investment of EUR 155bn to reduce emissions by 53% by 2050. Key recommendations include adopting science-based sectoral criteria, reforming payment structures to reward green practices, and potentially extending the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to agrifood products to prevent carbon leakage.

The document highlights a significant financing gap for climate-resilient health systems, noting that adaptation finance for developing countries fell to US$26 billion in 2023. It argues that climate and health financing currently operate in siloes, with fewer than half of costed National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) quantifying health adaptation estimates. The briefing recommends increasing grant-based public finance, integrating health strengthening into climate frameworks, and expanding fiscal space through debt relief and fossil fuel subsidy reform.

The document provides a landscape analysis of the global bioeconomy, estimated at US$4-5 trillion with potential growth to US$30 trillion by 2050. It categorizes the bioeconomy into a spectrum—Nature Intensive, Advanced, and High-Tech—and identifies specific financing gaps and risks for each. The report argues that scaling the bioeconomy requires an 'integrated' approach combining national strategies, international cooperation (particularly through the G20), and a mix of sustainable finance instruments such as nature credits, blended finance, and performance-linked sovereign debt.

The Global Renewable Independent Power Supplier (Grips) is a proposed renewable energy service company designed to replace carbon-intensive diesel generators for industrial anchor clients in remote areas of developing countries. By utilizing an all-equity financing model and a diversified portfolio of hybrid energy plants, Grips aims to attract private-sector investment and offer shorter-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) that align with industrial planning horizons. The instrument targets a global off-grid diesel market estimated at 29 GW and seeks an initial USD 5 million for corporate governance and pilot project identification, with further requirements of USD 20-60 million for the first pilot location. Successful implementation is projected to avoid up to 2.5 million tonnes of CO2 per year through 2030.

The Social Climate Fund (SCF) is an EU initiative designed to mitigate the social impacts of the new Emissions Trading System (ETS2), which applies carbon pricing to fuels used in buildings and road transport. Operating from 2026 to 2032, the fund will provide approximately €86.7 billion in targeted support for lower-income groups and micro-enterprises. Member states must submit Social Climate Plans (SCPs) by June 2025 to access funding, which is allocated based on need. While the SCF supports investments in energy-saving renovations and zero-emission transport, it is limited to alleviating new poverty risks and is deemed insufficient to address the root causes of existing energy and transport poverty in Europe. The document recommends increasing available funds, avoiding fossil fuel lock-in by prohibiting 'low-emission' fossil-based investments, and ensuring earlier fund availability through loans.

The document details the transformation of Portland's Pearl District from an industrial area into a high-density, mixed-use neighborhood. It highlights the 'Brewery Blocks' as a model for sustainable development, featuring LEED-certified buildings and a district-wide chilled water plant. The analysis emphasizes the role of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and Local Improvement Districts (LIDs) in funding infrastructure and the Portland Streetcar. It also tracks demographic shifts, noting a significant increase in population and college attainment rates between 1990 and 2015, while discussing the resulting challenges of gentrification and housing affordability.

The document argues that the financialization of nature allows companies to bypass strict environmental regulations through biodiversity offsets and carbon credits. It details the emergence of a 'conservation industry' comprising specialized NGOs, think tanks, and financial institutions that create the standards and accounting methods necessary for this system. The report highlights how extractive industries, aviation, and agribusiness use these mechanisms to access protected areas and 'greenwash' their activities, while noting that actual private investment in conservation remains a small fraction of global financial flows.

The document advocates for financial sector deepening in Africa to align local systems with global investor expectations and unlock vast domestic assets. It highlights that Africa's private institutional assets under management (AUM) were estimated at USD 2.4 trillion in 2020 and are projected to reach USD 6.4 trillion by 2040. The briefing emphasizes that public investment in capital market development can achieve high leverage ratios, sometimes as high as 35:1, to crowd in private capital. By improving regulation, transparency, and the use of local currency instruments, the document argues that Africa can shift from aid dependence toward a self-sustaining financial ecosystem that supports high-impact sectors such as green infrastructure, MSMEs, and climate-resilient agriculture.

The document outlines the challenges and opportunities in financing climate resilience, particularly in conflict-affected and fragile regions. It highlights the mismatch between private sector short-term return expectations and the long-term nature of resilience projects, suggesting de-risking tools like mega guarantees and parametric insurance. The report emphasizes the need for governments to address data scarcity in the Global South and the importance of supporting locally led, indigenous initiatives. Examples of successful interventions include resilience bonds in the Philippines and bundled insurance and seeds in Mozambique.

The document outlines a framework for energy management in South African wastewater treatment works (WWTWs), emphasizing the role of level 1 energy audits to identify high-demand areas. It details specific optimisation strategies for aeration, pumping, and sludge management, noting that these interventions can yield energy savings up to 75%. Additionally, it provides a menu of financing mechanisms, including grants and energy performance contracts, to support the adoption of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.

The document outlines how mini-hydro and wind energy can be integrated into South African municipal wastewater treatment works (WWTWs) to lower energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions. Mini-hydro is presented as highly compatible with WWTW infrastructure, utilizing water flow and elevation drops to generate electricity, with a typical payback period of 5 to 10 years. Small-scale wind is described as a supplementary option to offset grid use, though it is less common due to cost and the need for multi-year wind studies. The factsheet also provides a framework for financing these projects through municipal budgets, grants, concessional loans, and energy performance contracts.