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The report estimates that approximately CAD 98.4 million in combined federal and provincial grant funding was directed toward natural infrastructure in the Canadian Prairies in 2022. Nationally, 16 analyzed funds provide an estimated CAD 346.6 million annually. The analysis highlights that ecosystem restoration receives the most funding, while the Natural Infrastructure Fund is the only program specifically dedicated to natural infrastructure.

The document evaluates civil society engagement during the 2020-2021 NDC revision process in Mozambique, South Africa, and Zambia. It identifies significant barriers to inclusivity, including the digital divide during COVID-19, technical complexity of climate policy, and inadequate government communication. To improve the 2025 revisions, the briefing recommends diversifying engagement methods (such as 'imbizo' gatherings), enhancing technical capacity for civil society organisations (CSOs), and fostering regional peer learning to protect the livelihoods of marginalised communities.

An analysis by Reclaim Finance and RIFT finds that most French life insurers continue to fund fossil fuel expansion through 'fonds euro' and 'unités de compte', with over 55% of 'responsible' or 'ESG' labeled funds exposed to fossil fuel developers.

The document argues that relying on soil carbon sequestration to offset livestock emissions is risky due to finite storage capacity, the reversibility of carbon storage, and the significant warming potential of methane and nitrous oxide, which can outweigh sequestration gains.

In 2023, Hong Kong's aligned GSS+ debt volume grew by 236% to USD 18.2 billion, driven primarily by the HKSAR Government's green bond issuance. The market is characterized by a strong preference for green-themed debt, with low-carbon buildings and land use as the primary use-of-proceeds categories. While the HKSAR Government dominates the local market, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange remains a key hub for offshore Chinese green bonds. The report also highlights the emergence of transition finance frameworks in mainland China and the introduction of the Hong Kong Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance to improve interoperability with international standards.

The report argues that fiscal policies—including roadmaps, tax incentives, guarantees, and subsidies—are essential to bridge the net-zero investment gap in the ASEAN+3 region. It identifies critical barriers such as a lack of suitable project pipelines, regulatory uncertainty, and the predominance of MSMEs. The document recommends a holistic approach combining these fiscal tools with non-fiscal policies like green taxonomies and mandatory climate disclosures to steer the financial sector toward sustainable development goals.

The document argues that achieving cost-effective net-zero emissions in Canada's building sector requires a significant shift toward electrification and a cessation of gas network expansion. It highlights a misalignment between current utility regulations—which continue to incentivize gas infrastructure growth—and the necessary transition to clean energy. The briefing recommends that provincial governments legally mandate net-zero targets for regulators, prioritize electrification over gas for new developments, and develop managed contraction plans for existing gas networks to avoid stranded assets and protect taxpayers.

The report highlights a surplus of approximately 829 million carbon credits in the voluntary carbon market (VCM), with renewable energy (RE) projects accounting for 35% of all project types. It argues that large-scale, grid-connected RE projects are generally non-additional because they are economically feasible without carbon credit revenues. The document traces this issue back to lax methodologies from the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), specifically methodology ACM0002, which has been adopted by VCM standards like Verra and Gold Standard. The report also notes human rights concerns, including forced displacements linked to large hydroelectric dams. Furthermore, it observes a trend of anonymous retirement for 89.9% of RE credits, suggesting buyers are aware of their low quality but purchase them due to low cost. The report warns that the transition of CDM projects to the Paris Agreement's Article 6 mechanism risks flooding new markets with low-quality credits.

The report finds that most voluntary carbon market standards have inadequate or non-existent grievance mechanisms, leaving local communities vulnerable. While Gold Standard and the Green Climate Fund's Independent Redress Mechanism are identified as best practices, others like the Global Carbon Council lack any mechanism, and standards such as Verra, CAR, ACR, and ART suffer from shortcomings in accessibility, transparency, and independence.

Spain is a European leader in commercial-scale solar energy, with the highest operational capacity (29.5 GW) and a massive pipeline of projects. However, to meet its 2030 targets of 81 GW of solar and 62 GW of wind, the country must overcome permitting bottlenecks, low adoption of small-scale rooftop solar, and infrastructure limitations. While solar targets are achievable given the current pipeline, wind energy requires a significant acceleration in deployment rates.

The report highlights a significant funding gap in the Canadian Prairies, where grey water infrastructure depreciation exceeded investments by nearly CAD 3 billion between 2017 and 2021. It argues that private capital can supplement government funding through outcome-based financing models and government incentives, provided that ethical considerations regarding land rights and Indigenous values are prioritized.

The paper examines the role of civil society organisations (CSOs) in the NDC revision processes of Mozambique, South Africa, and Zambia, identifying barriers to participation and proposing strategies to enhance inclusivity for the 2025 revisions.

The report highlights that the EU is a net importer of CO2 emissions, with consumption-based emissions (CBEs) significantly exceeding territorial emissions. While the EU has focused on territorial targets, the authors argue that addressing CBEs is essential for global climate goals. Through case studies of Sweden, Denmark, and France, the report identifies a lack of standardized monitoring and binding targets as primary barriers. It recommends that the EU establish binding CBE targets, standardize carbon accounting, and expand policies like the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the EcoDesign Regulation to drive sustainable consumption and production globally.

A Union of Concerned Scientists analysis of non-transportation BIL awards in California from fiscal years 2022 and 2023 indicates that local investments are likely falling short of Justice40 goals. Depending on the screening tool used, only 9.4% to 18.2% of analyzed local funding is flowing to designated disadvantaged communities. The report highlights significant data gaps, particularly regarding statewide formula funding, and recommends a transparent, unified tracking system and a clear definition of 'benefits' to ensure equitable infrastructure spending.

The document describes a spatial and recipient-based analysis of federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding in California from October 1, 2021, to September 30, 2023. It compares two environmental justice screening tools—the federal Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) and California's SB 535—to identify disadvantaged communities. The analysis focuses on non-transportation grants, as transportation spending accounted for over 88 percent of the total obligated spending ($16.07 billion) and is tracked separately by the state. The authors highlight significant data limitations in USASpending.gov, including agency non-reporting and inaccuracies in 'place of performance' fields, which may hinder the tracking of Justice40 goals.

The Universal Basic Income Coalition (UBIC) reports that its election scorecard prompted several South African political parties, including the ANC, UDM, and GOOD, to clarify or expand their commitments to a universal basic income grant (UBIG). The ANC specifically committed to finalizing a policy for a universal BIG within two years, rejecting conditionalities, and ensuring the grant does not replace existing social security. However, UBIC notes that achieving these goals requires a shift away from austerity measures that currently exclude approximately 6 million eligible people from the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant monthly.

Analysis of draft NECPs indicates that while EU member states have significantly increased wind and solar targets since 2019, the current trajectory falls short of REPowerEU goals. Renewables are projected to generate 66% of EU electricity by 2030, missing the 72% target. The report highlights a lack of data transparency in the drafts, particularly regarding power system flexibility and post-2030 decarbonisation pathways.

The document reports that natural capital in Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Trinidad and Tobago is poorly managed, with per capita market natural capital stocks stagnating or declining after 2008. It highlights a dangerous concentration of market natural capital in agricultural land for Ethiopia, and in oil, gas, and minerals for Indonesia and Trinidad and Tobago, while noting that non-market natural capital is threatened by climate change and population growth.

The EU has deployed various climate partnerships, including the Global Gateway and Just Energy Transition Partnerships, to bolster its climate diplomacy and counter global influences like China's Belt and Road Initiative. However, the report finds these efforts are hindered by fragmented communication, a lack of coherent vision across EU institutions and Member States, and insufficient resource allocation. To improve effectiveness, the report recommends aligning EU and Member State priorities, developing a long-term strategic vision, and securing high-level political leadership to ensure sustained commitment and resources.

In 2023, the world's top six electricity sector emitters—China, the US, India, the EU, Russia, and Japan—accounted for approximately 72% of global emissions from this sector. China remains the largest emitter, though it leads the world in wind and solar growth. The US and EU have seen long-term emissions declines driven by the replacement of coal with gas and renewables. India's emissions continue to rise as demand growth outpaces clean energy additions. Russia's electricity mix remains largely unchanged over two decades, while Japan is seeing a recovery in nuclear generation and a significant increase in solar share, despite very low wind deployment.