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Earthjustice criticizes a proposed EPA rule that would dismantle protections established by the 2015 and 2024 coal ash regulations. The organization asserts that the proposal would allow coal power companies to avoid cleaning up contaminated groundwater, exempt hundreds of legacy dump sites from regulation, and permit the use of toxic ash as structural fill in residential areas. According to the text, industry data shows coal ash is already contaminating water above federal safe drinking water standards at 91 percent of U.S. coal plants.

A coalition of environmental organizations demands that the South Korean government stop the expansion of LNG power generation in the upcoming 12th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand, citing price volatility, carbon lock-in risks, and the economic viability of renewable energy alternatives.

The document examines the debate over South Africa's economic trajectory. While Treasury and business argue that structural reforms in electricity and transport, along with modest growth increases from 0.6% in 2024 to 1.1% in 2025, signal a recovery, critics argue that growth remains below population growth (1.33%) and is insufficient to address unemployment. The briefing highlights a decline in the investment-to-GDP ratio to approximately 14% and warns that fiscal austerity and contractionary monetary policies may stifle growth. Additionally, it notes that an emerging international crisis involving the war on Iran and rising oil prices threatens the economy with stagflation, potentially exacerbated by a hawkish Reserve Bank and a lack of a major fiscal stimulus package.

The report argues that LAUSD has significantly increased its reliance on private vendors under Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, with a high concentration of contracts going to venture capital and private equity-backed firms. It highlights risks including lack of oversight, potential data privacy violations, and the prioritization of profit over student outcomes, citing specific examples like the failed AllHere AI chatbot and the consolidation of edtech by Veritas Capital.

The report examines the impact of geothermal energy development in Indonesia, highlighting a contradiction between its role as a climate solution and the resulting socio-environmental risks. It details how funding from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB) has accelerated projects that lead to water depletion, pollution, and the displacement of local livelihoods. The document documents specific cases of environmental degradation, such as mudflows and gas leaks, as well as the criminalization of dissent and the marginalization of women and Indigenous peoples. It concludes that the current financial model transfers risk to local communities and calls for a transition based on equity, justice, and the explicit consent of affected populations.

The Canadian Climate Institute challenges a Fraser Institute study on industrial carbon pricing, noting that its projected 1.3% GDP decline by 2030 significantly exceeds estimates from Environment and Climate Change Canada (0.2%) and the Parliamentary Budget Officer (0.8% combined impact). The Institute identifies several inconsistencies in the Fraser study, including disproportionate negative impacts on exempt sectors like agriculture and services, a failure to account for sector-specific emission thresholds in petrochemicals and cement, and a likely overestimation of costs due to inadequate modeling of low-carbon technology adoption.

A coalition of NGOs argues that the European Commission's plan to modify the EU ETS Market Stability Reserve (MSR) is premature and risks undermining the carbon price signal. They highlight that the MSR has invalidated 3.4 billion allowances since its inception and is essential for managing structural oversupply of allowances, which is expected to persist until 2031. The authors contend that weakening the MSR could increase greenhouse gas emissions after 2030 and hinder the EU's 2040 climate target.

The CEO of Mighty Earth critiques the continued sale of internal combustion engines and the scaling back of EV investments by US automakers, contrasting this with China's aggressive expansion in EV production, supply chain decarbonization, and market share.

A coalition of NGOs, including Reclaim Finance, asserts that TotalEnergies' response to their complaint about the Papua LNG project is insufficient. They highlight critical gaps in transparency regarding climate risk assessments, human rights impacts, and biodiversity studies. The authors argue that the project risks emitting 220 million tonnes of CO2, threatening endangered species and indigenous rights, while failing to provide clear information to local communities or adhere to the Equator Principles and IFC standards.

The Just Transition in the Food System network supports the SAHRC's inquiry into South Africa's food system but raises concerns regarding the absence of corporate testimony and the lack of provincial or local hearings to ensure the participation of those most affected by hunger.

The author contends that the Trump administration's approval of BP's Kaskida project, an ultra-deepwater drilling venture in the Gulf, risks a disaster similar to Deepwater Horizon and exacerbates toxic air pollution in refinery hubs like Port Arthur, Texas. The text highlights that Kaskida could access 10 billion barrels of oil but carries a six-fold increase in incident risk compared to other deepwater projects, with a potential worst-case spill of 4.5 million barrels. The author criticizes the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management for a limited 10-day public comment period and argues against new drilling given that the U.S. is already producing record levels of oil.

The IEJ argues that the 2026 Budget fails to reverse a decade of austerity, instead implementing further cuts to non-interest spending and underinvesting in infrastructure and social services. The report criticizes the National Treasury's reliance on private sector investment and 'trickle-down economics,' noting that projected growth of 1.8% is insufficient to keep pace with labour force growth. The IEJ proposes increasing revenue through a net wealth tax and redirecting tax breaks for high-income earners, while calling for the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) to provide concessional debt for strategic industries, including green industrialisation. Additionally, the document critiques the Targeted and Responsible Savings (TARS) initiative and the Gender Budget Statement for failing to address structural inequalities and food insecurity.

The Universal Basic Income Coalition (UBIC) argues that the 2026 Budget prioritises the wealthy and middle class over the vulnerable, leaving critical social grants like the Child Support Grant (CSG) and the Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant below the food poverty line. The coalition specifically warns that National Treasury's Targeted and Responsible Savings (TARS) programme, which aims for R3 billion in savings through intensified grant reviews, is based on flawed assumptions about beneficiary fraud and risks excluding millions of eligible people due to SASSA's capacity constraints.

The Centre for Environmental Rights and Natural Justice, representing several community and environmental networks, submitted formal objections to the Scoping Report for the Motuoane Production Right application. The project proposes hydrocarbon exploration and extraction over approximately 14,400 hectares in the Free State Province, involving up to 43 production wells and associated infrastructure. The objectors argue that the Scoping Report is deficient in its assessments of air quality, climate change, hydrogeology, and social impacts, and that the public participation process was not meaningful.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) and Natural Justice (NJ) argue that the proposed MIR for onshore exploration in South Africa lacks the specificity, enforceable standards, and climate integration necessary to protect environmental integrity and community interests. They recommend mandatory greenhouse gas accounting, a regional cumulative impact assessment, and a comprehensive public health baseline. Technical experts in the document highlight critical gaps in groundwater monitoring, the absence of a risk-based 'traffic light protocol' for induced seismicity, and the need for transparent chemical disclosure of fracturing fluids. The authors ultimately argue that hydraulic fracturing is incompatible with South Africa's climate commitments and water scarcity, suggesting it should be prohibited.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) argues that the South African President's State of the Nation Address (SONA) acknowledges systemic challenges like hunger and unemployment but fails to provide the necessary developmental state interventions to solve them. The IEJ criticizes the shift toward a 'regulatory, competitive, and derisking state' that relies on private sector investment and 'trickle down' effects, asserting that such an approach cannot achieve the structural transformation or mass job creation required. The IEJ calls for increased public investment in sectors such as manufacturing and agriculture, the urgent transformation of the Social Relief of Distress grant into basic income support, and engagement with global development experts to shift the country's economic trajectory.

The document analyzes how the 2026 Omnibus directive weakened the CSDDD by significantly reducing the number of companies in scope, removing mandatory climate transition plans, and fragmenting the civil liability regime. It argues that these changes undermine the directive's original intent to foster responsible corporate behavior and increase legal uncertainty for both companies and victims of human rights and environmental abuses.

The report challenges the narrative of fossil gas as a necessary transition fuel for grid flexibility. It distinguishes between Open Cycle Gas Turbines (OCGT), which are agile but inefficient, and Combined Cycle Gas Turbines (CCGT), which are efficient for baseload power but suffer from premature aging, higher emissions, and reduced profitability when used for peak demand. The author highlights that CCGT viability often relies on costly government capacity mechanisms funded by consumers. Furthermore, a global shortage of gas turbines is delaying projects and increasing costs. The document advocates for replacing gas with sustainable flexibility solutions, including battery storage, pumped hydro, demand-side response, and improved interconnections, urging financial institutions to cease funding new gas power projects.

The report challenges the narrative of fossil gas as a necessary 'bridge fuel' for grid flexibility. It argues that Combined Cycle Gas Turbines (CCGTs), which dominate new developments, are designed for baseload rather than peakload, and using them for flexibility reduces their lifespan and increases emissions. The document highlights that gas plant profitability is often maintained through costly consumer-funded capacity mechanisms and notes a critical global shortage of gas turbines. It concludes that sustainable alternatives—such as battery storage, pumped hydro, demand-side response, and grid enhancements—provide more efficient and cheaper flexibility, urging financial institutions to cease support for new gas projects.

The European Savings and Investment Union (UEI), proposed by the European Commission to fund EU priorities, is criticized for failing to direct investments toward climate goals. The document asserts that the initiative may primarily benefit large asset managers, specifically naming Blackrock and Vanguard, who are described as having highly damaging climate practices.