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ClientEarth submits that the German Coal Exit Law (KAG) provides incompatible State aid through the Steinkohlezuschlag (hard coal closure compensations) and CHP conversion bonuses. The document argues that older hard coal plants (over 25 years) lack residual value, meaning compensations would result in overcompensation and lack an incentive effect. Furthermore, it claims that CHP funding—specifically the Coal Substitute and South Bonuses—may discourage rapid coal phase-out by offering more attractive financial terms than closure auctions and by promoting unsustainable fuels like natural gas and biomass. ClientEarth calls for a formal Commission investigation into these measures, citing potential violations of Articles 7, 9, and 11 TFEU regarding environmental protection and sustainable development.

The document asserts that CAP National Strategic Plans fall under the scope of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive, meaning Member States must conduct scoping, public consultation, and reporting regardless of whether the specific CAP SP Regulation has been formally adopted. It provides a legal framework for environmental NGOs to demand meaningful participation, including early access to draft plans and environmental reports, and the requirement that stakeholder opinions be integrated or justified if rejected.

The report argues that the EU Commission should integrate climate and environmental protection objectives into its State aid decision-making process to ensure that national economic recovery programmes are consistent with the European Green Deal and the goal of climate neutrality by 2050.

The document identifies critical gaps in the EU's approach to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), noting that current laws fail to account for non-monotonic dose responses and the irreversibility of EDC effects. It argues that the EU has a legal and moral obligation under the precautionary principle to prevent harm, particularly to vulnerable populations like children. To address these failures, the brief proposes three primary actions: launching a broad REACH restriction for already identified EDCs based on existing lists, updating chemical screening systems through implementing acts and guidance to eliminate 'blind spots', and adopting a new legislative act to create a coordinated, continuously updated EU list of EDCs that automatically triggers regulatory consequences across all sectors.

The briefing examines a draft contract for Germany's lignite phase-out, specifically focusing on a waiver clause designed to stop operators from using international investment arbitration. While the clause allows the government to stop compensation payments if violated, it cannot bind foreign shareholders, who may still initiate claims under the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) or bilateral investment treaties.

The document examines how national investment laws can provide a pathway for foreign investors to initiate ISDS claims, potentially challenging government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights that while treaty-based claims are more common, domestic laws—often influenced by international organization 'best practice' advice—can grant unequivocal consent to international arbitration. This creates risks of unpredictable, costly awards and a dichotomy between how domestic and foreign investors are treated. The brief suggests that governments review and potentially amend or suspend these provisions to preserve policy space during the crisis.

The document warns that national investment laws can act as a mechanism for foreign investors to initiate international arbitration against states, potentially challenging COVID-19 emergency measures. It highlights that many developing countries included ISDS consent in their laws following World Bank 'best practice' advice, creating a broad exposure to costly claims. The authors suggest that governments review and potentially suspend these provisions to maintain policy space during the pandemic.

The report examines the technical and legal implications of the proposed Multilateral Framework on Investment Facilitation (MFIF) within the WTO. It identifies significant overlaps between the MFIF and the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), as well as potential conflicts with the existing regime of International Investment Agreements (IIAs). The analysis warns that despite explicit exclusions of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) from the MFIF, the framework's disciplines could still be invoked in ISDS tribunals through 'umbrella clauses,' Fair and Equitable Treatment (FET) standards, and Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) clauses found in IIAs.

ClientEarth argues that the German coal phase-out law (KVBG) and its implementing contract provide excessive state aid to lignite operators, specifically LEAG and RWE. The organization claims that the lack of a transparent calculation formula masks overcompensation totaling nearly €2 billion. Furthermore, ClientEarth asserts that using these funds to cover the recultivation of opencast mines violates the polluter pays principle, as such costs are already legal obligations of the mine operators under German mining law.

Friends of the Earth International expresses indignation over the July 18 kidnapping of four members of the Black Fraternal Organization of Honduras (OFRANEH) from the Triunfo de la Cruz community. The statement links these disappearances to a broader pattern of systematic aggression against the Garifuna people by banana companies, oil palm plantations, and the real estate and tourism industries. It specifically highlights land usurpation by the Indura hotel complex, Punta Izopo national park, and the companies Macerica and Idetrisa. The document emphasizes that the Honduran state has failed to execute a 2015 Inter-American Court of Human Rights sentence requiring the restitution of 2,840 hectares of ancestral territory and other specific land parcels. The organization calls for the immediate return of the kidnapped individuals and an end to the neoliberal model of land privatization.

ClientEarth urges the European Commission to implement strict, mandatory regulations on methane emissions across the fossil fuel and agriculture sectors. The organization argues that the EU, as the world's largest importer of fossil gas, has the commercial power to mandate low-emission supply chains. Key recommendations include expanding the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) to cover methane, introducing a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) for methane-emitting imports, and reforming the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to end subsidies for intensive livestock production. ClientEarth also highlights the health risks of indoor gas appliances and the need to counter industry misinformation by replacing the term 'natural gas' with 'fossil gas'.

The document examines the complex legal landscape of tree and forest ownership in Côte d'Ivoire, primarily focusing on the 2019 Forestry Code, the rural land law, and the Civil Code. It distinguishes between natural and planted vegetation and details how ownership is attributed to individuals, legal entities, and rural communities, while noting that ownership does not grant an automatic right to exploit timber without state authorization.

ClientEarth argues that the FCA's proposals in CP20/3 are inadequate to protect consumers and ensure market integrity. The organization recommends making TCFD-aligned disclosures mandatory for all listed issuers by 2022, requiring a 'Paris-aligned' strategy for net zero by 2050, and clarifying materiality tests to align with investor expectations. It also calls for consistency with EU disclosure laws and stronger enforcement to close existing accountability gaps.

The report examines the proposed Multilateral Framework on Investment Facilitation (MFIF) being developed through a Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) among WTO Members. It identifies significant overlaps between the MFIF and existing WTO agreements, particularly the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and the JSI on Services Domestic Regulation (SDR), noting that the MFIF often imposes 'GATS-extra' obligations. The analysis warns that despite the MFIF's explicit exclusion of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS), its disciplines could still be enforced through IIAs via umbrella clauses, fair and equitable treatment (FET) standards, and most-favoured-nation (MFN) provisions, potentially exposing states to monetary compensation claims in investor-state tribunals.

The document outlines the legal framework provided by UNCLOS for landlocked states to access the sea through transit states. It emphasizes that while UNCLOS grants general rights of transit and access to living resources in Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), the practical implementation depends on negotiated agreements. The brief provides recommendations for African policymakers to ensure these agreements are mutually beneficial, citing the Djibouti–Addis Ababa transport corridor and the Walvis Bay Corridor Group as successful examples of such cooperation.

The author highlights several 2020 court rulings that overturned Trump Administration environmental rollbacks, emphasizing that the U.S. EPA and Bureau of Land Management must prioritize science and public health over industry costs. The text argues these legal wins are critical for protecting marginalized communities, particularly Black and brown people and Tribal lands, from pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

The document critiques the European Commission's (DG MARE) use of a 99% sustainability figure for fish landings, arguing it masks ongoing overfishing by excluding shared stocks and those without specific scientific advice. It contends that focusing on landing volumes rather than the number of individual stocks ignores depleted species and fails to meet the legal requirements of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). The author recommends shifting reporting to stock numbers and including all harvested stocks to ensure transparency and ecosystem-based management.

The paper argues that the TSD Chapter of the EU-Mercosur Association Agreement is not fit for purpose, citing its inability to reinforce Paris Agreement commitments, a weak dispute settlement mechanism lacking sanctions, and insufficient monitoring of environmental and social impacts. It highlights gaps in the agreement's scope regarding human rights and supply chain responsibility, and recommends fundamental reforms to monitoring, enforcement, and the role of civil society.

The document argues that the World Heritage Committee should not defer climate mitigation issues to the UNFCCC, as state parties have independent obligations under the World Heritage Convention to protect properties from climate change. It asserts that site-level mitigation and adaptation are insufficient for highly vulnerable sites like coral reefs and glaciers, which require warming to be limited to well below 1.5°C. The briefing recommends using the List of World Heritage in Danger to enforce corrective measures based on a state's alignment with global emissions pathways.

The Clean Air Task Force, Earthjustice, and Western Resource Advocates recommend that Colorado move away from a "single-basket" approach—which measures all greenhouse gas reductions in CO2 equivalence (CO2e)—toward a "two-basket" framework. This proposed system would require both short-lived pollutants (methane) and long-lived pollutants (CO2 and N2O) to decline on their own steady trajectories, such as both being reduced by 50% below 2005 levels by 2030. The authors argue that a single-basket approach creates problematic trade-offs, where high Global Warming Potential (GWP) values for methane could incentivize polluters to prioritize low-cost methane reductions over the long-term CO2 reductions necessary to stabilize the climate. The document asserts that the AQCC has the legal authority under HB 19-1261 to implement this separate tracking to ensure the state meets its targets of 26% reduction by 2025, 50% by 2030, and 90% by 2050.