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The document advocates for redefining youth engagement in African climate policy, moving beyond 'tick-box' exercises to treat young people as key stakeholders. It emphasizes the importance of intersectional approaches, the role of youth networks, and the need for comprehensive curriculum reform to build climate-conscious citizens.

The report examines past experiences with sustainable development in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), voluntary markets, and non-UNFCCC multilateral institutions to inform the operationalisation of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. It analyses draft texts from SBSTA 50 and CMA2 to propose three scenarios for incorporating sustainable development into the guidance and rules of Article 6, concluding with specific text amendments and suggestions for a potential work programme to ensure safeguarding provisions are anchored in the final rules.

The policy brief contends that relying on carbon offsets to meet climate targets is risky and unsustainable due to issues with environmental integrity and the risk of 'double counting' under the Paris Agreement. It argues that offsets can displace domestic climate action and mask the scale of the climate crisis by offering a cheap alternative to deep sectoral transformation. To address these failures, the document proposes shifting from a 'compensation' model to a 'contribution' model, where companies fund host country climate efforts without claiming carbon neutrality. Additionally, it suggests 'practice-based credits' that reward the implementation of sustainable practices rather than quantified results, which is particularly useful for land-use projects where permanence is difficult to guarantee. The brief emphasizes that these alternatives better align with sustainable development goals and protect companies from reputational risks associated with fraudulent offsetting claims.

The Clean Air Task Force proposes a federal policy platform to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 through the deployment of zero-carbon technologies, strong regulatory standards, increased RD&D funding, and targeted financial incentives. Key priorities include achieving 100 percent zero-carbon electricity, reducing oil and gas methane emissions by 65%, and transitioning away from unabated fossil fuels while supporting vulnerable and fossil-fuel-dependent communities.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative and Inter.B analyzes infrastructure planning in Brazil, specifically within the land transport sector. It argues that current processes fail to integrate socio-environmental factors and recommends the introduction of a 'pre-viability' phase to improve project selection and prioritization, alongside a planning strategy that prioritizes sustainable development and the protection of the Amazon.

The document highlights a significant misalignment between government energy production plans and Paris Agreement goals, noting that governments planned to extract 60% more oil, 70% more gas, and 280% more coal by 2030 than is consistent with a 1.5°C pathway. It suggests that NDCs and LT-LEDS can be used to communicate pathways, targets, and policy measures to manage the transition away from fossil fuels while ensuring a just transition for affected workers and communities.

The Clean Air Task Force supports the European Commission's methane strategy but urges the transition from a strategy to mandatory legislative commitments. It specifically advocates for mandatory quarterly leak detection and repair (LDAR), a firm ban on routine venting and flaring by 2021, and the implementation of a methane performance standard for all gas imported into Europe to ensure the EU meets its climate neutrality goals.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) argues that the European Commission's draft methane strategy is a positive starting point but requires stronger mandatory commitments to be effective. CATF recommends mandatory quarterly leak detection and repair (LDAR), a ban on routine venting and flaring by 2021, and the creation of a mandatory Methane Performance Standard for both domestic and imported gas to ensure the EU meets its climate neutrality goals.

The document analyzes the Government of India's economic recovery package (~INR 20.90 lakh crore), arguing that it is primarily supply-side focused and largely 'sector-neutral' or 'brown', with only about 1.5% directly supporting green projects. It proposes specific modifications to existing fiscal and monetary measures—such as credit guarantees for MSME solar adoption, prioritizing renewable energy (RE) payments in DISCOM liquidity support, and greening the MGNREGA scheme—to generate immediate employment while advancing India's decarbonization goals.

The Union of Concerned Scientists identifies systemic barriers to public participation in US federal rulemaking, noting that industry interests often have disproportionate influence and that marginalized communities are frequently excluded. The document recommends earlier community involvement, the use of plain language, increased transparency regarding funding and meetings, and improvements to digital accessibility on platforms like regulations.gov.

The document argues that the USDA's scientific integrity and research capacity were damaged between 2017 and 2020 through political suppression of research and the relocation of key agencies. It proposes a roadmap for recovery, including returning leadership to Washington, DC, implementing a suppressed climate resilience plan, and strengthening protections for scientists' communication with the public.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) argues that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) must strengthen its scientific integrity to protect public health, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The document details instances of political interference, such as the suppression of reports and restrictions on scientist communications, and recommends systemic reforms. These include improving whistleblower protections, dismantling systemic racism within the agency, ensuring independent science in decisionmaking, and making scientific integrity policies more accessible and transparent.

The Union of Concerned Scientists argues that the US Department of the Interior has seen a spike in the marginalization and politicization of science since 2017. The report outlines a roadmap to strengthen scientific integrity by increasing scientific capacity, protecting communication rights, amending formal integrity policies, and addressing conflicts of interest among political appointees.

The Union of Concerned Scientists reports that safeguards for independent government science in the US have broken down, particularly under the Trump administration, leading to the suppression of research and retaliation against scientists. The report recommends that Congress codify scientific integrity (SI) policies into law and that agencies appoint non-political SI officials, implement transparent peer review, and establish safe whistleblower protections.

The document outlines the role of blended finance in mobilizing commercial capital for sustainable development goals, emphasizing the need for DFOs to anchor these activities in local contexts. It recommends that DFOs develop explicit local context policies, align investments with national development strategies, and deepen partnerships with local financial institutions. Additionally, it highlights the critical need to increase local currency financing and develop cost-effective foreign exchange solutions to mitigate risks for international investors.

The document examines the European Commission's Industrial Strategy and Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) as tools for achieving climate neutrality and maintaining industrial competitiveness. It advocates for a policy framework that targets net-zero emissions by 2050, promotes a circular economy for low carbon materials, and accelerates clean innovation.

The report analyzes climate accountability frameworks—systems that break long-term greenhouse gas targets into interim milestones—using case studies from jurisdictions like the UK, Aotearoa/New Zealand, British Columbia, and Manitoba. It identifies six common elements and associated best practices, such as legislating targets, ensuring independent expert advice, and using cumulative carbon budgets. For Canada, the authors recommend a national framework with legally binding milestones set only at the national level to avoid regional burden-sharing conflicts, while encouraging subnational governments to implement their own complementary frameworks. The report emphasizes a collaborative approach where the federal government provides policy backstops and financial incentives to ensure a resilient, multi-jurisdictional response to climate change.

The authors identify limitations in restoration ecology that hinder the recovery of ecosystem biodiversity and functions, proposing four specific improvements: implementing measures before land use changes occur, utilizing multiple reference sites in planning, adopting indicators that reflect ecosystem complexity, and increasing scientific communication with practitioners.

Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) have established a framework for Paris alignment but face criticism for slow implementation timelines, vague mitigation criteria, and insufficient guidance on adaptation and resilience. The authors argue that MDBs must set firm dates for ending unaligned financing, publish clear positive and negative investment lists based on science, and adopt standardized reporting metrics to ensure transparency and effectiveness.

The document argues that the energy transition requires a participatory governance approach to ensure public acceptance and the effective integration of prosumers and energy communities. It advocates for the full implementation of the Aarhus Convention and Maastricht Recommendations, highlighting that current public consultation processes, such as those for National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs), have often been ineffective. The brief provides a detailed framework for future consultations, including specific timelines and the recognition of prosumers as a distinct stakeholder group.