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The document clarifies that while COPs are often mandated to take 'any action necessary' to achieve treaty objectives, their power to act via decisions is limited. Decisions are typically suitable for guidance, budgeting, and coordination, but cannot fundamentally alter Party rights or obligations. Modifying obligations, creating new ones, or changing annexes generally requires formal amendments, which are subject to higher voting thresholds and lengthy ratification processes. The brief argues that relying on a general framework to be strengthened later via COP decisions is often ineffective, urging negotiators to secure strong provisions during the initial treaty adoption.

The document argues that the well-being of forests and biodiversity depends on the recognition and enforcement of the collective rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs). It focuses on the role of Indigenous and Community-Conserved Territories and Areas (ICCAs) and Community Forest Management (CFM) as essential tools for stopping deforestation and protecting biodiversity. The brief outlines key rights—including self-determination, free, prior and informed consent (FPIC), land tenure, and gender justice—and provides specific policy recommendations to prevent the displacement of IPLCs by extractive industries or state-led conservation schemes.

The document examines the socio-economic and political challenges of phasing out coal in Indonesia, highlighting the role of artificial price caps, political 'revolving doors', and limited government planning capacity. It proposes the creation of a Just Energy Transition Support Facility under Bappenas to coordinate governance, finance, and economic diversification, while advocating for the removal of coal subsidies and the reform of the electricity market to favor renewable energy.

The document analyzes Colombia's electricity balance through 2038, finding that while average energy supply remains sufficient, 'firm energy' (reliable capacity) faces deficits as early as 2029 depending on the coal phase-out scenario. To avoid these deficits, the report argues for significantly accelerating renewable energy deployment, improving transmission infrastructure, and implementing energy storage to replace the high reliability of coal plants.

The document argues that the current OECD-led international tax framework is inadequate for African nations, which lose significant revenue to illicit financial flows (IFFs) and base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS). It proposes that South Africa, during its G20 presidency, should promote the UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation as a more inclusive and democratic alternative. The author suggests several levers for the G20 to support African development, including strengthening tax rules for digital economies, enhancing financial information exchange, investing in digital infrastructure and AI for tax administration, and promoting quality infrastructure to expand the tax base.

The policy brief outlines three core principles for the implementation of the EU's Social Climate Fund (SCF): ensuring meaningful public participation, prioritising structural solutions over temporary relief to avoid fossil fuel lock-ins, and mobilising additional financing beyond the mandatory 25% contribution. It argues that the SCF's budget of EUR 65 billion is insufficient to tackle the root causes of energy and transport poverty and calls for the redirection of ETS revenues and the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies to support vulnerable households.

The document examines Zambia's water security challenges, noting that despite abundant freshwater resources, the country faces crises driven by climate change, population growth, and poor governance. It highlights the severe impact of contaminated water on public health, the vulnerability of rain-fed agriculture to droughts, and environmental degradation caused by mining pollution and deforestation. The brief argues that current legal frameworks, such as the Water Act 198, are insufficient, particularly regarding groundwater and shared watercourses. Key recommendations include establishing a National Water Resources Authority, investing in irrigation and infrastructure maintenance, and addressing gender inequalities in water access.

The policy brief advocates for the issuance of $650 billion in Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) via the G20 to provide liquidity to developing nations without increasing debt. It highlights the role of SDRs in funding climate adaptation and social protection, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. The author calls for the IMF to reform SDR accounting—treating them as equity rather than liabilities—to unlock fiscal space and encourage donations from wealthy nations to the Global South.

The policy brief contends that despite France's diplomatic leadership and the Paris Place's 2019 commitment to phase out coal, French financial institutions continue to fund coal development. It highlights the severe health and climate impacts of coal, the failure of voluntary commitments—specifically among four major French banks—and calls for a national legal ban on financial services for coal projects to ensure a credible transition.

The US electric school bus (ESB) market is expanding rapidly, with 12,167 commitments across 1,514 districts as of June 2024. While upfront costs remain three to four times higher than diesel buses, federal programs like the EPA's Clean School Bus Program and the Inflation Reduction Act provide significant subsidies. The market now offers 26 models across Types A, C, and D, with nameplate ranges between 100 and 300 miles. The transition involves complex integration of high-voltage vehicle systems, charging hardware (Level 2 and Level 3 DCFC), and charge management software to optimize costs and grid impact. Emerging solutions like repowering existing diesel buses offer a lower-cost alternative, typically ranging from $110,000 to $180,000.

The document argues that loss and damage (L&D) finance is a matter of climate justice and that the Global South must maintain a unified negotiating position to secure grants-based funding. It reviews the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund and the Santiago Network, while warning against the use of loans that increase external debt. The brief highlights the strategic role of Brazil's G20 presidency and COP30 in advancing a holistic development and environment agenda, and calls for the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance to include separate sub-goals for adaptation and L&D to prevent double counting.

North Africa faces critical ecological security threats from water scarcity and advancing desertification, which are expected to intensify by 2040 due to climate change and population growth. The region is experiencing declining rainfall, extreme heat waves, and sea-level rise, which threaten food security and socio-economic stability. Key vulnerabilities include the overexploitation of groundwater and a high dependence on food imports. The document recommends a transition to sustainable agriculture, including drip irrigation and drought-resistant crops, alongside wastewater recycling and community-based resilience initiatives.

The document examines the risk of 'sleeper species'—non-native species that remain inconspicuous until environmental shifts, often driven by climate change, trigger rapid population growth. Focusing on the Laurentian Great Lakes, it details how vectors like ballast water and recreational boating introduce these species and highlights the economic and ecological damage caused by examples like zebra mussels and spiny water fleas. The brief advocates for a shift toward prevention and early detection through international collaboration, unified regulatory frameworks for shipping, and citizen science engagement to mitigate the rising costs of biological invasions.

The document argues that while current US export controls focus on the physical synthesis of pathogens, the rise of AI-enabled Biological Design Tools (BDTs) and Large Language Models (LLMs) creates a gap in the 'design' phase of pathogen creation. It recommends that the US Department of Commerce amend the Commerce Control List to restrict software capable of designing controlled biological agents and de novo pathogens with equivalent virulence. The author suggests narrowing the 'publicly available' carve-out to prevent the open-sourcing of high-risk BDTs and calls for international harmonization through the Australia Group. The brief also identifies challenges in current Export Administration Regulations (EAR), such as the 'specially designed' terminology and the Fundamental Research Exclusion, which could create loopholes for dual-use AI software developed in academic settings.

The document argues that while green taxonomies are not a standalone solution for financing the energy transition, they serve as a critical 'building block' for establishing credibility and standardising green definitions to attract international investment. It highlights the tension between 'interoperability'—the ability for taxonomies to work across borders—and 'usability'—the practical application within local contexts where data may be limited. The brief recommends a phased approach, starting with climate mitigation and incorporating adaptation and resilience objectives using international guidance to avoid fragmentation. It emphasizes that taxonomies must be integrated into broader policy frameworks, including de-risking tools and currency hedging, to effectively steer capital toward sustainable activities in emerging economies.

The document argues that the OECD's Pillar Two GloBE rules undermine the effectiveness of traditional SEZ fiscal incentives, such as corporate income tax exemptions, by requiring a minimum effective tax rate (ETR) of 15%. It suggests that countries should shift from profit-based incentives to cost-based incentives and non-fiscal improvements to maintain competitiveness without sacrificing tax revenue. The brief also warns of legal risks associated with reforming these incentives due to investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanisms and bilateral investment treaties.

The policy brief outlines ten key developments bringing the ocean to the forefront of global priorities, including the 2025 UN Ocean Conference, the BBNJ Agreement, and the role of ocean-based climate solutions. It highlights the increasing need for marine spatial planning to manage competing interests like energy production and deep-sea mining, and notes how climate change is creating new security risks and geopolitical tensions, particularly in the Arctic. The text also emphasizes the importance of 'source-to-sea' approaches in biodiversity and plastic pollution treaties, and the legal victories of small island states in recognizing greenhouse gases as marine pollutants.

The document explores the application of Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JET-P) in Colombia, analyzing international experiences from South Africa, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Senegal. It identifies a significant financing gap, noting that public investment currently represents only 0.01% of required resources. The brief proposes a country platform to attract international public and private capital, while emphasizing the need for grants over loans to avoid increasing public debt. It prioritizes strategic projects such as energy communities and the phase-out of coal plants, while arguing against financing fossil fuel infrastructure or inefficient subsidies.

The policy brief identifies critical gaps in how commercial DNA and RNA synthesis providers conduct follow-up screening when orders are flagged for sequences of concern. It highlights a lack of specialized software tools, the absence of verifiable standards for customer legitimacy, and poor information-sharing infrastructure between providers and law enforcement. To mitigate biosecurity risks, the authors propose that the US government support third-party 'Know Your Customer' (KYC) services, develop decision-support software, standardize data formats for flagged orders, mandate secure information sharing, and require a second institutional approver for high-risk orders.

The brief defends the EPA's use of the 'best system of emission reduction' (BSER) to mandate carbon capture and storage (CCS) for certain fossil-fuel-fired power plants. It argues that the phrase 'adequately demonstrated' in Section 111 of the Clean Air Act does not require a technology to be widely deployed, citing federal court precedents and legislative history to support the 'technology-forcing' nature of the Act. The document further asserts that this interpretation would remain valid regardless of potential changes to Chevron deference.