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This policy brief examines the intersection of municipal and traditional authority land management in South Africa, specifically focusing on case studies from the Vhembe District Municipality in Limpopo Province. It analyzes the hierarchical structures of traditional councils, the complex process of land development applications, and proposes innovations like the RECA model to mitigate land invasions and improve cooperative governance.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the proposal to expand the contributor base for climate finance to include emerging economies. It argues that while some emerging countries already contribute voluntarily, mandating their contributions at the current rate of developed countries would only provide an additional USD 51.19 billion, which is approximately 5.12% of the estimated USD 1 trillion annual need for developing countries. The document emphasizes that developed countries must maintain primary responsibility and calls for clearer definitions of 'developed countries' and 'climate finance' during the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) negotiations at COP29.

This report by Ember evaluates the feasibility of three clean flexibility proposals put forward by the COP29 Presidency in Azerbaijan: achieving 1,500 GW of global energy storage by 2030, expanding grid infrastructure by 25 million kilometres by 2030, and unlocking a global clean hydrogen market. The analysis concludes that while the storage goal is highly achievable due to surging battery manufacturing capacity and falling prices, the grid expansion goal requires a significant increase in build rates and faces substantial regulatory and supply chain hurdles. The report also notes that the deployment of hydrogen electrolysers remains highly uncertain despite large-scale announced projects.

This report, prepared by an Independent High-Level Expert Group (IHLEG) for the Brazilian G20 Presidency and the G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group, reviews the Vertical Climate and Environmental Funds (VCEFs). It assesses the current climate finance gap in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) and provides a strategic framework to optimize VCEF operations and enhance their ability to mobilize sustainable finance.

This research paper examines the efforts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Zambia to establish a regional battery industry by leveraging their copper and cobalt resources. It analyzes the geopolitical competition between the USA, China, and the EU for critical minerals, the historical shift from nationalized to privatized mining, and the governance challenges hindering local value addition.

This executive summary from the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes international development funding for outdoor air quality projects from 2018 to 2022. It highlights a chronic underfunding of clean air efforts, which represent only 1% of total international development funding, and notes a significant imbalance in funding distribution and a reliance on loans over grants.

This report, prepared by an Independent High-Level Expert Group (IHLEG) for the Brazilian G20 Presidency and the G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group, reviews the operations of the Vertical Climate and Environmental Funds (VCEFs)—the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Adaptation Fund (AF), the Climate Investment Funds (CIF), and the Green Climate Fund (GCF). The review identifies a fragmented global climate finance landscape and recommends a 'process integration' approach to enhance the Funds' collective impact. Key proposals include harmonizing accreditation and reporting, shifting from individual projects to country-driven investment platforms, and expanding the use of diverse financial instruments to mobilize more private and public capital for emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) and least-developed countries (LDCs).

The report 'Panorama de Financiamento Climático para Uso da Terra no Brasil 2021-2023' by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes financial flows directed toward agriculture and forests aligned with climate goals in Brazil. It finds a significant increase in annual climate finance for land use, reaching an average of R$ 88.1 billion between 2021 and 2023, driven largely by rural credit and domestic private sources. The document details the instruments used, the sectors benefited, and the specific climate uses (mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage), while highlighting gaps in transparency and the need for more rigorous verification of sustainable practices.

This briefing by the Stockholm Environment Institute provides a policy overview of solar and wind energy in Mongolia as of June 2024. It details the country's renewable energy potential, current installed capacity, legislative frameworks, financing from international partners, and gender disparities within the sector.

This briefing note by the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS) examines the expansion and dynamics of global carbon markets, categorizing them into compliance-based, voluntary, and multilateral systems under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. It analyzes the trade implications of these markets, including competitiveness concerns and the use of mechanisms like the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), while highlighting the specific opportunities and financial challenges facing developing countries in adopting these tools.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the link between fossil fuel emissions and extreme weather events in the United States, detailing the role of the oil and gas industry in climate damages and the current state of the US energy transition.

This briefing by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute examines the prevalence, health impacts, and regulatory landscape of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the United States as of 2024. It details the contamination of drinking water and soil, the associated cancer and endocrine risks, and the multi-level government efforts—including the EPA's 2024 National Primary Drinking Water Regulation—to mitigate these 'forever chemicals'.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines how climate change, poverty, and marginalization drive labour migration and affect children in Southeast Asia, specifically focusing on those who migrate or are left behind.

This factsheet provides an overview of methane mitigation strategies, initiatives, and policy frameworks within Nigeria's oil and gas sector, based on a landscape mapping report by the Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI).

This report by the Centre for Environmental Rights examines the risks and financing of onshore gas extraction in South Africa, focusing on the Mpumalanga Gas Project and the Virginia gas field. It critiques the government's positioning of gas as a 'transition fuel' and highlights significant environmental, financial, and transparency concerns.

This legal memorandum analyzes the potential for company directors in South Africa to be held personally liable for failing to address, disclose, and prepare for climate-related financial risks. It examines the intersection of the Companies Act 71 of 2008, common law, the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), and the recently enacted Climate Change Act 22 of 2024, arguing that climate risk is a material financial risk that falls under existing directors' duties of care, skill, and fiduciary loyalty.

A retrospective report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) detailing ten years of the Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance (the Lab). The document analyzes the Lab's role as a market-builder and pipeline incubator, sharing lessons on balancing financial innovation with actionability to mobilize private capital for climate mitigation and adaptation in emerging markets.

The report "Financiando uma Bioeconomia Global Sustentável" (September 2024) analyzes the current and future interaction between finance and the bioeconomy. It advocates for a sustainable, equitable, and nature-positive bioeconomy as a cornerstone for a low-carbon global economy, emphasizing the role of the G20, international cooperation, and innovative financial instruments to bridge investment gaps and protect biodiversity.

This report summarizes stakeholder dialogues from Brazil, Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam regarding the design, implementation, and impacts of border carbon adjustments (BCAs). It examines BCAs as a tool to prevent carbon leakage, compares the emerging systems in the EU and UK, and details stakeholder concerns regarding emissions measurement, equity for developing nations, and the potential for trade frictions.

This report examines the potential for scaling up deep energy retrofits (DERs) in Manitoba, specifically within Winnipeg's residential building stock, to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. It argues that while upfront costs are high, public leadership through a green public bank, updated building codes, and a coordinated workforce strategy can drive significant economic growth and social equity.