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The report finds that BlackRock continues to invest heavily in coal and other fossil fuels despite public pledges to invest sustainably. It highlights significant loopholes in BlackRock's coal policy and a systemic issue where passively managed assets—comprising the majority of its portfolio—are exempt from exclusion criteria.

The report finds that while most informal sector workers and traditional leaders in Ghana observe clear climate change signals, they are largely excluded from the development of national climate policies and have minimal knowledge of 'just transition' strategies. It highlights that COVID-19 restrictions severely impacted informal businesses, with many unable to access government stimulus packages due to lack of documentation or political patronage. The study recommends formalizing the role of Traditional Councils and worker associations in climate policy to ensure a more inclusive and sustainable transition.

The document evaluates the Eyethu Soccer League, a gender-tailored intervention for young men in Cape Town designed to reduce violence, HIV risk, and substance use. Despite being well-resourced and based on cognitive-behavioural therapy, a cluster randomised controlled trial involving 1,200 participants found few effects on risk behaviours, with no reported changes in violence perpetration or mental health. The brief concludes that social skills-based programmes are often unable to disrupt the structural factors shaping negative outcomes and recommends that public safety policies avoid 'easy wins' in favour of evidence-based, structurally integrated, and early-childhood interventions.

The ENHANCE project (2017-2020) focused on integrating the EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) into regional policies to drive the transition to a circular economy. By collaborating across six European regions, the project identified 24 good practices and implemented 31 actions, primarily focusing on regulatory reliefs and promotional incentives. Key achievements include the reduction of financial guarantees for waste companies in Estonia, tax reductions for EMAS organizations in Catalonia, and the integration of EMAS as an award criterion in Austrian green public procurement. The project engaged 375 stakeholders and concluded that stakeholder involvement and clear financial incentives are critical for the successful implementation of environmental policy instruments.

Direct tariff electricity subsidies in India rose 32% between FY 2016 and FY 2019, reaching INR 110,391 crore in FY 2019. The report finds that the Ujjwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) scheme has largely failed to improve the financial health of distribution companies (DISCOMs), as 24 of 31 states and union territories reported revenue gaps in FY 2019 and only 6 met the target of reducing aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses to 15%. Furthermore, no state adhered to the National Tariff Policy's target range for billing consumers relative to the average cost of supply. Subsidy allocation is heavily skewed, with agricultural consumers receiving 75% of total subsidies, while transparency remains low, with only 13 states and union territories clearly reporting subsidy data.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development evaluates Canada's new climate plan, highlighting the carbon pricing trajectory, the commitment to a national adaptation plan, and CAD 15 billion in low-carbon economy investments. While acknowledging the plan as a 'good start', the statement emphasizes the need for further just transition policies, increased provincial ambition, and private sector investment to ensure national competitiveness in the global race to net zero.

The report analyzes Brazil's rural credit system, highlighting its complexity and fragmentation. It provides empirical evidence that rural credit, particularly when directed at small farmers, increases land and labor productivity and reduces deforestation by promoting the conversion of degraded pastures into cropland. The document argues for simplifying the credit system, increasing private sector participation, and strengthening the link between credit access and compliance with the Forest Code to ensure sustainable agricultural growth.

ClientEarth argues that while the EUTR and FLEGT Regulation have improved transparency in timber supply chains, significant gaps in enforcement, funding, and scope persist. The organization highlights a critical lack of staff and financial resources in EU Member States, uneven implementation that disrupts the market, and a low volume of compliance checks relative to the number of operators. It recommends expanding the EUTR's product scope, introducing stricter responsibilities for traders, and harmonizing penalties to ensure they are 'effective, proportionate and dissuasive'. Regarding FLEGT, ClientEarth notes its success in driving systemic law reform and civil society participation in producer countries but warns that the EU's reduced market weight and the technical complexity of Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) may hinder progress. Finally, it calls for new mandatory due diligence legislation to address forest conversion driven by commodities like soy, cocoa, palm oil, and beef.

The report finds that the rate of natural forest cover loss has increased since 2014, failing to meet NYDF Goal 1. Progress on Goals 3 and 4 is slow, hampered by a lack of transparency in the extractive and infrastructure sectors, weak government enforcement of environmental laws, and a systemic failure to integrate the rights of indigenous peoples and smallholders into development planning. While some governments have established protected areas and REDD+ strategies, implementation is often undermined by political instability and the prioritization of resource extraction over forest conservation.

The 2020 NYDF progress assessment finds that deforestation rates have increased since 2014, contrary to the goal of halving them. The report highlights significant risks from accelerating infrastructure development and extractive industries in tropical forests, noting a lack of transparency and accountability among governments, corporations, and financial institutions. While some grassroots movements and community-led management models show promise, systemic barriers—including political instability, power imbalances, and insufficient funding for REDD+ and poverty alleviation—hinder progress toward sustainable development and forest conservation.

The 2020 NYDF progress assessment finds that natural forest loss has increased since 2014, with infrastructure and extractive industries posing growing threats. While some governments and companies have adopted sustainability policies, implementation is slow, transparency is limited, and environmental protections are being reversed in some regions. The report highlights a significant power imbalance that marginalizes indigenous peoples and local communities, and notes that financial flows for poverty reduction and deforestation prevention remain minimal compared to non-forest-aligned investments.

The 2020 NYDF assessment finds that natural forest loss has increased since 2014, failing the goal to halve the rate by 2020. The report highlights growing threats from large-scale infrastructure and extractive industries, noting a significant lack of transparency among companies and governments. While some progress has been made in designating protected areas and developing national forest strategies, implementation remains slow, and environmental protections are often weakened. The document emphasizes the need for a paradigm shift in valuing forests and the adoption of four specific strategies to align macroeconomic planning and project implementation with forest conservation and sustainable development.

Using a survey of over 900 households in Jharkhand, the report finds that residential electricity subsidies are poorly targeted, with the richest 40% of households receiving approximately 60% of the benefits. It suggests that adjusting tariffs—specifically restricting subsidies for consumption over 300 kWh per month and incrementally decreasing subsidies for blocks between 50 kWh and 200 kWh—could generate at least USD 44 million in fiscal savings to support the poor or address the COVID-19 crisis.

The document analyzes the crisis facing Eskom, South Africa's state-owned energy monopoly, attributing it to a combination of historical reliance on the 'minerals-energy complex', financial mismanagement, and costly, corruption-mired power station projects. It evaluates the proposal to 'unbundle' the utility into generation, transmission, and distribution entities, drawing on cautionary examples from Kenya and Uganda. The paper argues for a 'Just Transition' that protects workers and communities while transitioning to renewables, suggesting the use of international climate finance or public pension funds to alleviate Eskom's unsustainable debt.

The report argues that the plastic industry employs a 'corporate playbook' of delaying, distracting, and derailing progressive legislation to protect profits and maintain a linear economy. It analyzes the voluntary commitments of ten major polluters, including Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and PepsiCo, finding them largely non-binding and lacking transparency. The document details how industry groups use 'greenwashing' tactics—such as promoting chemical recycling and bioplastics—to divert attention from the need for mandatory collection systems like Deposit Return Schemes (DRS). Case studies across 15 countries, including the US, EU, China, and Kenya, illustrate how corporations lobby against bans on single-use plastics and shift responsibility to consumers. The report concludes that voluntary initiatives have failed and calls for mandatory legislation, including high collection targets, virgin plastic taxes, and a global treaty on plastic pollution.

The report argues that the plastics industry employs a 'corporate playbook' of delay, distraction, and derailment to protect its business model. It analyzes voluntary commitments from major polluters, finding them lacking in accountability and ambition. Through case studies in 15 countries, it demonstrates how companies lobby against mandatory collection systems like Deposit Return Systems (DRS) and promote 'false solutions' such as chemical recycling and bioplastics to shift responsibility onto consumers.

The report finds that electricity subsidies in Jharkhand are regressive, with a significant portion of benefits accruing to wealthier households. Using survey data from over 900 households, the authors analyze the current subsidy incidence and simulate three targeting options: using poverty ration cards, revising volumetric consumption slabs, and implementing a proxy means test (PMT). The analysis suggests that revising volumetric slabs offers the most significant potential for fiscal savings and improved targeting without excluding the most vulnerable, while the PMT approach based on existing SECC variables shows high inclusion and exclusion errors.

The document argues that Brazil's air conditioning sector suffers from low energy efficiency compared to international standards, partly due to industrial policies in the Zona Franca de Manaus (ZFM) that create distortions. It finds that the Basic Productive Process (PPB) requirements, such as the use of outdated national compressors, hinder the adoption of inverter technology and overall efficiency. Despite significant tax exemptions, the sector's productive and energy efficiency deteriorated between 2003 and 2015, contrasting with the stability of the broader Brazilian manufacturing industry. The authors recommend aligning industrial and energy policies to promote competitiveness and higher efficiency standards.

The report finds that the air-conditioning sector in Brazil suffers from low energy efficiency compared to international standards, with a deterioration in both productive and energy efficiency between 2003 and 2015. Despite significant tax exemptions provided by the Zona Franca de Manaus (ZFM), which accounted for approximately R$ 285 million in 2015 for the AC sector, these incentives have not translated into improved efficiency or higher wages for workers. The authors argue that the Basic Productive Process (PPB) requirements, particularly those mandating the use of outdated national compressors, create distortions that hinder the adoption of modern technologies like inverter compressors and suppress competition. Consequently, rising sales of inefficient AC units, driven by heatwaves and increased income, have led to a 237% increase in residential electricity consumption for ACs between 2005 and 2017.

The report analyzes Brazil's agricultural risk management landscape, highlighting a significant gap in insurance coverage compared to global peers like the US and China. It examines key programs such as the PSR, Proagro, Garantia-Safra, and PGPM, noting high market concentration and a heavy reliance on credit over insurance. The authors argue that inadequate risk management leads to underinvestment and inefficient land use, recommending a shift in public funding from rural credit to insurance subsidies and the expansion of the Agricultural Climate Risk Zoning (ZARC) system.