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The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is calling for public engagement in the consultation of a draft Instrument on International Investment Contracts developed by UNIDROIT and the ICC. The consultation period runs from June 24 to September 15, 2026. IISD emphasizes that the final text must move beyond aspirational language to make sustainability a core operational objective and ensure that investor protections do not undermine the right of states to regulate.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) calls for broad stakeholder engagement in the public consultation of the draft UNIDROIT–ICC Instrument on International Investment Contracts, running from June 24 to September 15, 2026. IISD argues that the final instrument must prioritize sustainable development over traditional investor protections, transforming aspirational sustainability commitments into binding obligations and avoiding open-ended protection standards typical of old-generation investment treaties.

The document outlines the technical processes of hydraulic fracturing and its associated risks, including greenhouse gas emissions during drilling and the release of carcinogens and radioactive materials in 'produce-water'. It synthesizes literature linking UOGD to adverse birth outcomes, childhood cancers, and increased mortality. Additionally, it criticizes the Nova Scotia government's Subsurface Energy Research and Development Investment Program (SERDIP), managed by Dalhousie University, for lacking a clear health research plan and allowing the government to control the publication of findings.

The global ocean economy reached USD 2.6 trillion in gross value added in 2020, yet investment in its sustainable transition remains critically low. While tracked ocean finance flows grew to USD 9.18 billion in 2023, this represents less than 2% of the estimated USD 550 billion needed annually by 2030. Financing is heavily reliant on official development assistance (ODA), which accounted for 55% of flows in 2023, but recent ODA cuts by major donors like Germany, the US, the UK, Japan, and France threaten progress. Most funding has historically targeted maritime transport, fisheries, and marine protection, while decarbonisation and adaptation sectors, such as offshore energy and disaster preparedness, remain underfunded. Despite this, investing in the ocean-climate nexus could reduce the 2050 emissions gap by 35% on a 1.5°C pathway and yield global benefits five times the value of the investment.

The briefing documents the severe ecological and health crises on Kabaena island, Indonesia, caused by nickel mining. It highlights the contamination of water and food sources affecting the Bajau people and the failure of global automotive companies to ensure their supply chains are free from these abuses. The document calls for an immediate end to mining on small islands, the enforcement of Indonesian constitutional bans, and the implementation of rigorous sourcing standards by downstream manufacturers.

The Gulf Coast is a primary hub for U.S. hydrogen due to its concentration of petroleum refining and chemical production. With Texas and Louisiana leading in refining and ammonia capacities, the region is well-positioned to transition to clean hydrogen to meet domestic needs and international demand from markets like Japan, South Korea, and the European Union.

The briefing proposes a 'new carbon economy' to manage carbon as a valuable resource rather than just a waste product. It identifies five core activities—point source capture, carbon dioxide removal, utilization, storage, and transportation—and argues that a lack of coordination between these sectors is currently delaying infrastructure investment and risking the misallocation of resources. The author asserts that a broad coalition of experts and civil society is needed to define a strategic vision for this system to ensure it supports decarbonization without extending the life of fossil fuel power plants.

The document advocates for legislative bans on advertising for fossil fuel-intensive goods and services, arguing that such measures are essential for demand reduction and public health. It frames the current energy crisis—caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz—as a critical window for governments to remove contradictory messaging that stimulates fossil fuel consumption while citizens are asked to reduce use.

The briefing asserts that shrinking civic space globally threatens the effectiveness and legitimacy of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). While EITI possesses a framework of tools—including the 'Protocol: Participation of civil society' and Requirement 1.3 of the 2023 Standard—the document argues these are often underutilized due to a lack of political will or knowledge. It calls for making the monitoring of civic space mandatory for multi-stakeholder groups (MSGs) and urges the EITI International Board and Secretariat to move from general commitments to concrete, time-bound actions, specifically targeting the June 2026 Global Conference in the Philippines.

The document examines how the ICJ's 2025 advisory opinion shifts climate adaptation from a voluntary national choice to a binding international legal obligation. It details the procedural and substantive requirements for states, the application of the 'due diligence' standard to evaluate compliance, and the mandatory role of developed countries in providing financial and technical support to developing nations. The briefing also highlights the intersection of adaptation with human rights and other multilateral environmental agreements.

The briefing examines the legal implications of the 2025 ICJ Advisory Opinion on climate change, arguing that the provision of fossil fuel subsidies may constitute an internationally wrongful act. It extends this reasoning to other harmful subsidies, such as those in agriculture and plastics, and provides recommendations for states to reduce legal risk through transparent, phased reforms and international coordination via the Coalition on Phasing Out Fossil Fuel Incentives Including Subsidies (COFFIS).

The document argues that the ICJ's 2025 advisory opinion transforms the legal landscape for investment disputes by establishing that climate action is a binding legal obligation rather than a discretionary policy choice. This shift undermines investor claims based on 'legitimate expectations' for fossil fuel activities and provides states with stronger defenses against claims of unfair and inequitable treatment (FET) or indirect expropriation. The author recommends that states reform investment treaties to exclude climate measures from compensation claims, limit prospective damages based on future fossil fuel revenues, and negotiate agreements to neutralize survival clauses in treaties like the Energy Charter Treaty.

The document examines the 2025 ICJ advisory opinion, which establishes that climate obligations are not isolated to the UN climate regime but are reinforced by other multilateral environmental agreements and human rights law. It argues that states must implement these obligations in an integrated manner to demonstrate due diligence and avoid legal consequences for inaction.

The document argues that the UK government's decision on the Rosebank oil field is a critical test of climate leadership. It highlights public support for clean energy and a desire for strong leadership against polluting businesses, while noting a lingering sense of identity and pride tied to the fossil fuel industry. In Scotland, there is a specific demand for the Scottish Government's perspective to be incorporated into the decision-making process.

The document examines the legal tension between the restrictive Atlantic Forest Law (LMA) and the more flexible Forest Code (Lei nº 12.651/2012) regarding 'consolidated rural areas'. It focuses on a specific case in Paraná where the TRF-4 decided on February 11, 2026, to extinguish a lawsuit without judging the merits, thereby maintaining the current application of the Forest Code for environmental regularization. The briefing highlights that while this provides short-term stability for the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA), the fundamental legal controversy over which law prevails remains unresolved.

Carbon Market Watch argues that Verra's VM0052 methodology for coal transition credits is flawed and risks issuing low-quality credits that do not represent real emission reductions. The briefing identifies critical failures in additionality testing, baseline setting, leakage prevention, and just transition safeguards, specifically highlighting risks in the Philippines' energy context. It recommends a total suspension of the methodology until significant revisions are made to prevent overissuance and carbon leakage.

Carbon Market Watch argues that Verra’s VM0052 methodology for coal transition credits is significantly flawed and should be put on hold. The briefing identifies critical risks of carbon leakage due to low renewable energy pairing requirements, weaknesses in baseline-setting and additionality tests, and inadequate safeguards against double issuance. It also finds that just transition provisions are unreliable, particularly regarding benefit-sharing and stakeholder mediation. Using a case study of the South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation (SLTEC) in the Philippines, the document illustrates how the methodology could allow for the overissuance of credits that do not represent real emission reductions.

The briefing examines the grid constraints facing electric truck charging depots, which often require 5–10 MW per site and have shorter development timelines than traditional large loads. It proposes 'flexible service connections'—agreements where utilities provide higher power capacity during off-peak periods in exchange for managed consumption—as a solution to avoid costly and slow infrastructure upgrades. RMI analysis indicates that many fleets in California and New York can shift charging to overnight or solar-peak hours without altering operations, potentially reducing capital costs by 40% to 70%. The document highlights pilots by National Grid, Southern California Edison, and PG&E, noting that PG&E's Flex Connect program enabled PepsiCo to expand its electric fleet 18 months faster than conventional planning, saving an estimated $1 million in fuel costs.

The briefing presents an economic case for investing in natural capital, asserting that nature-based solutions can provide over 50% of the cost-effective global mitigation needed for a 2°C pathway. It highlights that wetlands and forests generate trillions in annual ecosystem services, far exceeding the costs of their protection and the adaptation finance needs of developing countries. The text notes that while rehabilitating nature and transforming food systems can yield returns between 6.8 and 51 times the investment, current financial flows remain misaligned, with significant funding still directed toward harmful environmental subsidies.

The briefing highlights a dangerous pattern of missing or inconsistent data on oil accidents across the Americas, noting that only Brazil, Canada, and the United States maintain regularly updated open datasets. Even in these countries, critical information such as ecological damage, human health impacts, and the responsible companies is often omitted. The document emphasizes that this lack of transparency violates international norms and obscures the systemic vulnerabilities of an interconnected petroleum supply chain, particularly in sensitive regions like the Amazon where ageing infrastructure poses significant risks.