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This technical noteC note by Climate Policy Initiative/PUC-Rio analyzes a February 11, 2026, decision by the Tribunal Regional Federal da 4ª Região (TRF-4) regarding a legal conflict between the Atlantic Forest Law (LMA) and the Forest Code. The TRF-4 extinguished a public civil action without judging the merits, effectively maintaining the application of the Forest Code's 'consolidated areas' regime in Paraná and avoiding the immediate imposition of the more restrictive 1990 temporal milestone for environmental regularization.

This policy brief by Transforma and Diorama Initiative analyzes the macroeconomic, financial, and social risks of Colombia's energy transition. It warns that a disordered transition could lead to significant job losses and fiscal instability due to the country's high dependence on fossil fuels. The document proposes an integrated policy framework consisting of macro-fiscal, labor, and productive-territorial packages to transform the energy transition into a broader strategy for just economic diversification.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs argues that democracy in Africa often exists as a procedural ritual that masks enduring colonial socio-economic structures and elite control. Using foresight methods and a case study of the South African National Dialogue, the document proposes a shift toward 'transformative solidarity economics' and structural reforms in education, governance, and constitutional frameworks to move from procedural survival to substantive democratic resilience.

This policy brief by RMI argues that PJM's slow interconnection process and high network upgrade costs are driving a capacity crisis in the mid-Atlantic grid. The document highlights how the time required to bring new generation online has increased to eight years, causing capacity auction prices to skyrocket and increasing costs for ratepayers. RMI proposes four primary solutions: implementing third-party automation software, reforming Energy Resource Interconnection Service (ERIS), utilizing advanced transmission technologies (ATTs), and prioritizing proactive regional transmission planning.

This policy brief by the Africa Policy Research Institute examines how the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) can be leveraged to combat youth unemployment by promoting greentech and Indigenous environmental practices. It argues that shifting from importing green goods to local manufacturing and trading within Africa can create millions of sustainable jobs, particularly in renewable energy, while integrating traditional knowledge to ensure inclusive development.

This policy brief from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) outlines the economic and social imperatives for decarbonizing Canada's building sector. It emphasizes the need for deep energy retrofits (DERs), the adoption of higher building code standards, and innovative financing to reach net-zero targets while addressing housing affordability and public health.

This policy brief discusses the evolution and expansion of Climate Field Schools (CFS) in Indonesia, specifically highlighting the EECCLiRe project's integration of ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) principles to support Arabica coffee growers. It argues for expanding the CFS curriculum beyond climate information to include agroforestry, biodigesters, and the role of cooperatives in achieving sustainability certifications and market access.

This document is a policy brief from the International Energy Agency (IEA) regarding the role of the energy transition in the European Union (EU) and its global implications. It focuses on the EU's strategy to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, specifically examining the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, the role of critical minerals, and the geopolitical shifts resulting from the moveS transition. The brief highlights the need for diversified supply chains forS for critical minerals to reduce dependency on single sources, particularly China, and the importance of integrating energy security with climate goals. It also discusses the impact of the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) on international trade and the transition of energy-intensive industries. The documentS document emphasizes that while the EU is making progress, significant acceleration in deployment of wind and solar power is required to meet its 2030 targets. It also addresses the challenge of balancing economic competitiveness with the transition to a low-carbon economy, noting the role of the EU's Green Deal laS Deal Industrial Plan as a response to the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that international investment treaties should be reframed as public risk allocation instruments rather than merely legal tools. The authors contend that these treaties function as unpriced public insurance, shifting political and regulatory risks from private investors to host states, often without the safeguards or pricing mechanisms found in other de-risking tools. The brief recommends a systemic evaluation of treaties alongside other risk-transfer mechanisms to better align investment governance with public interest goals, particularly regarding climate transitions and sustainable development.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that investment treaties should be reframed as public risk-allocation tools rather than mere legal instruments. The authors contend that these treaties function as a form of unpriced public insurance that transfers political and regulatory risks from foreign investors to host states, often without the conditions, pricing, or performance requirements found in other risk-reduction instruments.

This policy brief outlines the critical role of Distribution companies (DISCOMs) in expanding India's electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure to meet national penetration goals, detailing the estimated infrastructure requirements by 2040 and priority actions for DISCOMs to facilitate this growth.

This policy brief examines the rising sovereign debt crisis in developing countries, noting that debt levels reached 55 percent of GDP following the COVID-19 pandemic. It argues that debt servicing costs now exceed spending on health, education, and climate action combined, driven by structural weaknesses and a shift toward non-concessional and non-Paris Club creditors. The document proposes four reform areas: short-term debt relief, prevention of debt accumulation, responsible lending, and domestic fiscal consolidation.

This policy brief examines the intersection of green industrialisation, digitalisation, and artificial intelligence (AI) within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It argues that current education and training systems face critical gaps in access, relevance, and applicability, necessitating a shift toward 'skills foresight' and 'anticipatory governance' to prepare the region's workforce for sustainable, inclusive, and future-ready economies.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines the role of trade and investment agreements in the critical minerals boom, highlighting the tension between importing countries' desire for stable raw material access and exporting countries' goals for domestic value addition and sustainability.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) examines the role of green guarantees in mobilizing private capital for the climate transition in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs). It identifies key structural barriers—including complexity, lack of technical assistance, high costs, and time horizon misalignments—and presents case studies of innovative solutions from organizations such as the World Bank Group, Green Guarantee Company, TCX, GuarantCo, and a partnership between Sida and IFU.

This policy brief argues that market concentration and weak competition regimes in African agrifood systems inflate food prices, marginalize smallholder farmers, and hinder climate change adaptation. It recommends strengthening national and regional competition authorities, improving market intelligence through tools like the African Market Observatory, and securing international donor support to dismantle cartels and regulate multinational firms.

This industry brief by GreenCape explores how Alternative Service Delivery (ASD) can support South Africa's Just Energy Transition (JET). It argues that decentralised, community-driven models can bridge service delivery gaps in energy, water, sanitation, and waste management, particularly in underserved areas and coal-dependent regions like Mpumalanga, to ensure a more inclusive transition to a low-carbon economy.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies and the Global Public Policy Institute argues that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is facing a profound legitimacy crisis following the January 2025 withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. The authors contend that to survive and restore stability, ECOWAS must move beyond its original economic mandate and the current intergovernmental status quo toward deeper political integration and supranationalism.

This policy brief from the Climate and Development Knowledge Network argues that low-carbon, climate-resilient businesses, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in agriculture and aquaculture, require a 'gender lens' approach to maximize their economic sustainability and climate impact.

This briefing by the Stockholm Environment Institute analyzes the oil and gas production narratives used by the governments of Colombia and Nigeria between December 2015 and May 2022. It examines how these narratives—focused on development, energy security, and energy transitions—are used to justify continued fossil fuel expansion despite the Paris Agreement, and provides strategies for civil society and researchers to challenge these frameworks to enable a more equitable energy transition.