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The SDG16DI 2020 Global Report argues that official data from National Statistical Offices (NSOs) are often insufficient, unreliable, or unavailable for monitoring SDG16 targets, particularly regarding conflict-related deaths, corruption, and press freedom. It highlights the critical role of 'non-official data'—produced by NGOs and academic institutions—in filling these gaps. The report provides case studies on sex-disaggregated data for violent deaths, trade-related illicit financial flows in developing nations, corruption and vote-buying in Latin America and the Caribbean, and the use of expert-based indices to measure representative decision-making. It also notes that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated governance challenges while simultaneously reducing the capacity of NSOs to collect data.

The report finds that while energy financing disbursements in High-Impact Countries grew by over 61% between 2013 and 2018, they still lag significantly behind commitments, with $32 billion disbursed against $52 billion committed. These delays affect 49% of energy projects in HICs, driven by administrative burdens and poor project design. The document argues that an annual increase of $45 billion in disbursements is needed by 2030 to meet SDG7 goals.

The report identifies 24 'deforestation fronts' across Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Oceania where over 43 million hectares of forest were lost between 2004 and 2017. It argues that while commercial agriculture, tree plantations, and extractive activities are primary drivers, responses must be tailored to local contexts and integrated across area-based and sector-specific approaches to be effective.

The report finds that while India's clean cooking schemes improve energy access and save women an average of one hour per day, current LPG subsidies are inefficiently targeted, with nearly half of beneficiaries not belonging to the poorest households. It recommends refining subsidy targeting to better support poor households and adopting a holistic strategy that promotes non-fossil-fuel cooking technologies, such as electricity.

The report assesses how India's LPG subsidy schemes, specifically PAHAL (DBTL) and Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), affect poor women. It finds that while PMUY has increased LPG access and reduced drudgery—saving women an average of one hour per day—significant inefficiencies remain. Many poor households are still left behind due to affordability and distribution barriers, while a large share of consumption subsidies benefit wealthier households. The report recommends improving targeting, reviewing the PMUY loan system to ensure affordability for the poorest, and adopting a more holistic clean cooking strategy.

ClientEarth identifies systemic failures in the implementation of the IED's 'Aarhus rights' across the EU. It argues that the IED's wording is too narrow to comply with the Aarhus Convention, particularly regarding public participation during permit updates. National implementation is further hindered by limited online information, high litigation costs in the UK, and a tendency for judges in Bulgaria and the UK to defer to regulators due to the technical complexity of the IED. Case studies from Bulgaria, Spain, and the UK illustrate these deficits, including the withholding of baseline reports in Spain and the lack of electronic access to permit applications in Bulgaria.

The 2019 executive summary reports that the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) is unlikely to meet its 2020 targets, as tropical deforestation continues at an unsustainable rate. While political will for restoration has increased, implementation is slow and often occurs outside natural forests. The report highlights that agricultural expansion remains the primary driver of forest loss, and that current financial and policy interventions are insufficient to catalyze systemic change.

The 2019 five-year assessment of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) concludes that the 2020 targets for halving tropical deforestation and restoring 150 million hectares of land are likely impossible to achieve. Tropical deforestation continues at an unsustainable pace, with a 44% increase in the loss of humid tropical primary forests compared to the 2002–2013 baseline. While Indonesia saw a reduction in deforestation in 2017–2018, Latin America remains the region with the highest annual tree cover loss. Forest restoration efforts have been slow, with only 18% of the 2020 goal realized as of April 2019, and most gains occurring outside of natural forests. The report highlights a critical lack of 'green' finance, noting that development finance for agriculture is 15 times higher than climate mitigation finance for forestry. It argues that systemic change is hindered by inadequate corporate commitments, slow governance improvements, and the continued prioritization of short-term commercial profits over long-term conservation.

The 2019 five-year assessment of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) concludes that the 2020 goals to halve tropical deforestation and restore millions of hectares of forest are likely unattainable. Despite political will and some private sector commitments, tropical deforestation continues at an unsustainable rate, driven primarily by agricultural expansion. The report highlights a critical gap in 'green' financing, noting that investments in forests are dwarfed by those in renewable energy. It emphasizes that while some progress has been made in specific regions like Indonesia, systemic changes in land use, governance, and the recognition of indigenous land rights are necessary to meet 2030 targets and limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius.

The 2019 five-year assessment of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) concludes that achieving the 2020 goals of halving tropical deforestation and restoring 150 million hectares of degraded landscapes is likely impossible. Despite political commitments, tropical deforestation continues at an unsustainable rate, driven primarily by agricultural commodity expansion. While some progress is noted in Indonesia, significant losses persist in Latin America and the Brazilian Amazon. Restoration efforts have largely occurred outside natural forests, and financial investments in forest protection remain critically low compared to other climate mitigation efforts. The report emphasizes that systemic change requires coordinated action across supply chains, increased 'green' financing, stronger governance, and the recognition of indigenous land rights.

The 2019 five-year assessment of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) concludes that the 2020 goals for reducing tropical deforestation and restoring landscapes are likely unattainable. Despite high political will, tropical deforestation continues at an unsustainable rate, driven primarily by agricultural commodity expansion. Restoration efforts have been slow and largely occur outside natural forests. The report highlights a critical lack of 'green' financing, inadequate corporate commitment implementation, and the need for stronger governance and recognition of indigenous land rights to achieve the 2030 targets.

The 2019 NYDF Progress Assessment finds that the world is not on track to meet its 2020 targets to halve tropical deforestation and restore 150 million hectares of degraded land. While some regional successes exist, such as a reduction in primary forest loss in Indonesia, global gross tree cover loss has increased by 43% since 2014. The report highlights a critical gap in finance, noting that 'green' finance for forests is dwarfed by 'grey' finance for agriculture, and argues that current corporate and government actions are too isolated and lack the ambition needed for systemic change.

The paper argues that Zambia is caught in a 'commodity trap' and 'quiescence trap', where over-reliance on copper exports and a lack of economic complexity hinder broad-based growth. While copper production has improved social indicators like the Human Development Index since 2000, the country faces a severe fiscal crisis with government debt projected to reach nearly 150% of GDP by 2020. The author identifies policy volatility, specifically frequent changes to the Mineral Royalty Tax (MRT), as a primary deterrent to long-term investment and exploration. To overcome these barriers, the paper suggests replicating 'islands of effectiveness'—local-level collaborative governance models—such as the town of Kalumbila, which integrates mining with upstream and downstream linkages. Key recommendations include securing property rights, reducing the cost of doing business, and reversing the 5% concentrate import tax to fully utilise smelting capacity.

The report analyzes the transition toward electric vehicles (EVs), shared mobility, and autonomous vehicles (AVs) in China, India, and the United States. It argues that while battery costs will likely lead to price parity with combustion vehicles within 5–10 years, coordinated policies—such as China's mix of rewards and punishments or India's focus on high-utilization vehicles—are necessary to accelerate adoption. The authors emphasize that shared mobility and AVs must be electrified and pooled to avoid increasing congestion and pollution, and suggest that China and India may leapfrog the US model of private car ownership due to rapid urbanization.

The document analyzes the fiscal dynamics of fossil fuels in Mexico, noting a decline in extraction revenues and an increase in consumption revenues. It argues for a cost-benefit analysis of continued fossil fuel reliance versus renewable alternatives and calls for increased transparency in hydrocarbon and coal revenues. The report warns against regressive generalized subsidies and highlights the tension between the administration of Andrés Manuel López Obrador's goal to increase oil extraction for energy security and the resulting environmental and social challenges.

The document examines Spain's dual-track legal system for combating IUU fishing, highlighting the success of administrative sanctions—such as the 25 million euro penalties from Operations Sparrow I and II—while contrasting this with the failure of criminal prosecutions in external waters, specifically the Supreme Court's dismissal of charges against Vidal Armadores due to jurisdictional limits.

The assessment found that while small and mid-sized privately owned biodigesters provide health, environmental, and economic benefits, the 'community biodigester' model envisioned by Bangladesh's ILMM policy is not currently operational due to a lack of social capital and group financing. Adoption depends on access to finance, technical knowledge, livestock, and land.

The report argues that the plastic lifecycle is a significant and growing driver of climate change, potentially consuming 1013 percent of the remaining carbon budget by 2050. It details emissions from fracking, steam cracking, and incineration, while highlighting the emerging threat of microplastics interfering with the ocean's carbon sink. The authors conclude that only a dramatic reduction in plastic production and a transition to zero-waste systems can mitigate these impacts.

The study finds that adaptation finance is not consistently aligned with the Paris Agreement's goal of prioritising the most vulnerable nations. For bilateral donors, the relationship between vulnerability and both the probability of selection and the amount of finance allocated is concave, meaning that while vulnerability increases funding up to a point, the most vulnerable countries actually receive smaller allocations than their less vulnerable counterparts. Multilateral donors are found to be even less responsive to recipient need, although they do prioritise members of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) in the allocation stage and the most vulnerable states specifically when providing 'principal-classified' finance.

The analysis finds that Germany's current climate targets, including the Climate Mitigation Plan 2050, are insufficient to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C, potentially resulting in 20% to 130% more emissions by mid-century than allowed. To be unambiguously compatible with the 1.5°C limit and fulfill its historical responsibility, the document argues Germany must reach zero emissions by 2030. It further notes that failing to meet the original -40% target for 2020 has already consumed 10% of Germany's 1.5°C budget for 2010-2050, necessitating steeper future reductions.