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The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) allocated $12.1 billion to advance carbon management technologies in the United States. Two years into implementation, the Department of Energy (DOE) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have launched several key programs. The Carbon Capture Demonstration Projects Program has selected nine FEED study projects and three demonstration projects, including the Baytown, Project Tundra, and Sutter projects. The Carbon Storage Validation and Testing Program has awarded funding to projects across multiple states, including Texas, Louisiana, and Wyoming, to develop large-scale sequestration and transport infrastructure. Additionally, the EPA has allotted $48 million to 25 state and Tribal recipients to support the regulation of UIC Class VI wells. In the realm of carbon removal, the Regional Direct Air Capture (DAC) Hubs Program has selected two commercial-scale hubs in Texas and Louisiana for award negotiations. The document notes that while progress is underway, agencies have until 2026 to allocate remaining funds, and future success depends on shared transport networks and community engagement.

The report estimates that the U.S. requires $5.6 trillion in investment through 2035 across GGRF priority categories, with 31% needed in low-income and disadvantaged communities (LIDCs). It identifies significant gaps between current climate finance flows and these needs, citing barriers such as lack of lender capacity, low homeownership rates in minority communities, and distrust of external developers. The authors argue that the GGRF must act as a catalyst for private capital and recommend that philanthropic foundations provide early-stage technical assistance and funding for complementary services, such as home remediation, to ensure the fund's success.

The report evaluates South Africa's progress on governance themes identified by the APRM, noting that while institutional frameworks exist, implementation is often lacking. Key areas of concern include corruption, party-state blurring through 'cadre deployment', and high levels of poverty and unemployment. While elections are rated highly, the report highlights significant challenges in the justice system, service delivery, and the protection of media freedom.

The report finds that despite commitments by the Retail Soy Group (RSG) to cease sourcing meat linked to deforestation after August 2020, major soy traders continue to purchase from suppliers engaged in land conversion in the Brazilian Cerrado. Analysis of 10 farms revealed at least 27,000 hectares of deforestation since the cut-off date, with Cargill identified as the poorest performer. The document argues that supermarkets are at risk of selling non-compliant products and calls for stricter enforcement of the 2020 cut-off date, improved traceability, and a shift toward alternative proteins.