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The report examines how Vertical Climate and Environment Funds (VCEFs)—specifically the Green Climate Fund (GCF), Global Environment Facility (GEF), Climate Investment Funds (CIF), and Adaptation Fund (AF)—can better mobilize private climate finance for emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs). It identifies three primary opportunities: implementing sequential financing to move projects from ideation to scale, increasing collaboration with the global network of public development banks (PDBs), and aligning funding with country-driven investment plans. The document emphasizes the need to address the high cost of capital in EMDEs to enable greater real-economy transformation as public climate finance becomes more constrained.

The report argues that while mining companies are increasingly adopting renewable energy for operational decarbonization, these investments should be leveraged through policy to benefit host communities. It provides a framework for integrating renewable energy into local content policies, emphasizing shared infrastructure, skills development, and long-term planning for post-closure transitions to ensure sustainable local development.

The report argues that Africa's health and WaSH sectors require a shift from donor dependency to domestic investment and institutional reform. It emphasizes the role of the Africa CDC in health sovereignty and the goal of producing 60% of vaccines locally by 2040. The document advocates for tailored strategies based on a typology of state capacities and the adoption of decentralized, solar-powered WaSH solutions to improve outcomes across the continent.

The UK has reduced emissions by 50.4% since 1990 while growing its economy by nearly 80%, with the net zero economy contributing £83.1 billion to GDP in 2024. However, the report identifies a 'policy implementation gap,' noting that as of June 2025, credible plans existed for only 38% of the reductions needed for the 2030 NDC. The document calls for a holistic approach to electrification, the creation of lead markets for green technologies, a national retrofit strategy for housing, and a comprehensive plan to close a green skills gap of up to 400,000 workers. It also emphasizes the need to align climate goals with nature recovery and to overcome political polarization by communicating the economic benefits of the transition to the public.

The policy brief distinguishes between incremental and transformational adaptation, highlighting that the latter is necessary when climate impacts cross viability thresholds. It identifies significant barriers to transformational adaptation in Africa, including financial gaps, weak legal frameworks, and a lack of standardized metrics. The authors recommend that South Africa's G20 presidency champion the development of adaptation scenarios, the enactment of climate change laws, and the creation of an Africa-based framework for measuring systemic impact to move beyond reactive, short-term climate responses.

The document analyzes the current state of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) in Africa, identifying systemic barriers such as fragmented policies, significant funding gaps, and the exclusion of smallholder farmers. It highlights opportunities in digital technology, indigenous knowledge, and private sector engagement. To address these, it recommends that the South African G20 Presidency champion blended finance mechanisms, strengthen regional collaboration through Regional Economic Communities (RECs), integrate traditional knowledge into policy, improve monitoring and evaluation systems, and accelerate the adoption of agri-tech.

The policy brief argues that while crop insurance can enhance climate resilience and food security by protecting livelihoods and encouraging investment, adoption in Africa remains low due to design flaws and affordability. It reviews lessons from multi-peril and index-based insurance, highlighting the need to reduce basis risk through AI and digital innovations. The authors recommend that South Africa's G20 presidency promote high-quality, inclusive insurance products, integrate them into holistic risk management strategies alongside social protection, and develop 'smart subsidy' approaches tailored to different farmer profiles.

The document identifies significant variability in the quality of Estonian school meals and highlights systemic issues including insufficient funding, low professional prestige for school cooks, and regulatory barriers to using local, seasonal produce. It advocates for a national vision of sustainable school meals based on ten elements—including health, affordability, and planetary boundaries—and introduces the 'Whole School Food Culture' framework to integrate nutrition into education. Key recommendations include increasing state funding in line with inflation, establishing national minimum criteria for procurement to reduce regional inequality, and ensuring daily plant-based options for all students.

The EU agriculture sector is a primary source of methane emissions, yet progress in reduction has stalled, with only a 4% decline between 2005 and 2022. The report identifies a critical 'definition gap' where the lack of clear net-zero aligned agricultural practices and transition pathways prevents banks and investors from identifying green activities. This is compounded by the exclusion of agriculture from the EU Taxonomy and the Green Asset Ratio (GAR). The report argues for repurposing the EUR 57.5bn annual Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) budget, introducing livestock emissions taxes, and implementing demand-side policies to reduce herd sizes. It emphasizes a 'just transition' to protect small farms and high-emission regions, particularly in France, Germany, and Ireland.

The report argues for a 'hybrid market model' in Europe that combines proactive procurement for the market with competition in the market to ensure a reliable, 24/7 decarbonised power system. It identifies significant gaps in current National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs), noting that many Member States are not on track to meet 2030 EU targets. To address this, the authors recommend expanding system needs assessments to include flexibility and resilience (including climate and cyber risks) and extending their time horizon to 2050. On the contracting side, the report suggests enhancing Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) through standardisation and public demand, and improving Contracts for Difference (CfDs) by embedding dispatch incentives to avoid distorting market signals. It also proposes a tripartite contracting framework involving a central public entity to hedge risks for both the state and industrial consumers, thereby fostering industrial electrification and competitiveness.

The policy brief outlines federal leadership opportunities to bolster U.S. energy security and global competitiveness through the deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS), advanced nuclear fission and fusion, and superhot rock geothermal energy. It emphasizes the need to bridge the "missing middle" investment gap—where projects are too large for venture capital but too risky for institutional investors—by utilizing a combination of R&D funding, demonstration grants, and extended tax credits. Key recommendations include increasing the 45Q tax credit to $120, extending tech-neutral credits (48E and 45Y) through 2040, and streamlining permitting for CO2 pipelines and Class VI wells. The brief also calls for scaling the nuclear supply chain, modernizing spent fuel policy, and establishing a Geothermal Center for Excellence to ensure the U.S. maintains a competitive edge against international mechanisms like the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

The 2030 Global Forest Vision provides a framework for governments to accelerate progress toward 2030 forest goals through actions in national planning, trade, finance, land rights, and governance. It emphasizes the need for integrated climate and biodiversity plans, the scaling of finance via mechanisms like the Tropical Forest Finance Facility (TFFF) and REDD+, and the recognition of Indigenous and local community land rights. The report also calls for financial regulators to address forest-related risks, the repurposing of harmful agricultural subsidies, and the restructuring of sovereign debt to value natural capital.

Brazil has announced a new NDC targeting a greenhouse gas emissions reduction of 59–67% by 2035 relative to 2005 levels. To achieve this, the government is developing a 2024-2035 Climate Plan consisting of an Adaptation Plan and a Mitigation Plan. The document argues that private sector investment is essential for success and recommends harmonizing sectoral policies, promoting corporate transition plans, and strengthening public-private dialogue. Key focus areas include halting illegal deforestation, decarbonizing agriculture, transitioning energy and industry away from fossil fuels, and implementing a national Emissions Trading System (ETS).

The document examines the intersection of trade policy and food systems transformation in Africa, specifically advocating for the alignment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) with agroecological principles. It identifies significant hurdles to this transition, including high intra-continental tariffs, complex non-tariff barriers, and the dominance of industrial agriculture. The briefing emphasizes the role of territorial markets in supporting smallholder farmers and calls for philanthropic investment to bridge funding gaps, as agroecology currently receives less than 10% of total agricultural funding in Africa. It provides specific recommendations for philanthropies to support local food trade, advocate for policy changes that recognize ecological services, and invest in capacity-building for agroecological communities.

The report argues that Africa must transition from a principled but often fragmented approach to a pragmatic diplomatic strategy to avoid becoming a 'rule-taker' in a fracturing multilateral system. It identifies critical weaknesses in African coordination, specifically within the A3+ bloc and the African Union's (AU) financial sustainability, and proposes concrete reforms for UN Security Council (UNSC) representation, peace and security financing, and the professionalization of diplomatic missions through think-tank partnerships.

The report advocates for a 'system of systems' approach to biomanufacturing in the US, integrating pathogen early warning, regulatory agility, and public-private partnerships to rapidly produce medical countermeasures (MCMs). It identifies critical gaps in supply chain resilience, workforce development, and business models, specifically noting a dangerous dependency on foreign sources like the People's Republic of China. The authors recommend that the US government de-risk private sector investment through sustained demand signals, establish 'pivot' contracts similar to the Civil Reserve Air Fleet, and create an interagency working group to coordinate biomanufacturing efforts across federal departments.

Manitoba's transition to a net-zero economy requires expanding its electricity grid to accommodate significant load growth from the electrification of space heating, transportation, and industry. While the province currently generates 99% of its electricity from non-emitting sources, projections suggest installed capacity may need to double by mid-century. The report compares modelling from Manitoba Hydro and Navius Research, noting a divergence in the projected role of natural gas; Manitoba Hydro's aggressive electrification scenario relies heavily on gas for winter peak demand, whereas Navius suggests a greater role for intermittent renewables and storage. To ensure a cost-effective transition, the report recommends establishing a permanent electricity task force, creating a detailed energy roadmap, expanding the mandate of Efficiency Manitoba, and ensuring meaningful Indigenous participation and ownership in clean energy projects.

The document analyzes the electrification needs of Manitoba, comparing Hydro-Manitoba's Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) with Navius Research modeling. It concludes that while electricity demand is expected to nearly double by 2050, the pace and method of electrification—particularly in heating—will determine the grid's cost and carbon intensity. The authors recommend a coordinated governance approach, including a permanent decision-level task force and a comprehensive carbon-neutral energy roadmap, to ensure the transition is affordable and inclusive of Indigenous peoples.

The document argues that Poland, as Europe's third largest hydrogen producer, must transition from carbon-intensive production to a clean hydrogen economy to decarbonise its industrial and transportation sectors. It recommends prioritising 'no regrets' sectors, adopting a technology-neutral production approach, and carefully planning imports via pipelines or ammonia to manage limited domestic resources.

The document examines the integration of clean electrolytic hydrogen into the U.S. electric system, emphasizing its potential as long-duration energy storage for 'last mile' decarbonization. It analyzes how the design of the Section 45V tax credit—specifically the 'three pillars' of incrementality, temporal matching, and deliverability—will determine whether hydrogen production increases net greenhouse gas emissions or supports grid reliability. The authors warn that without these pillars, electrolysis could drive significant load growth (up to 32% by 2032) and potentially increase emissions. The brief also highlights risks related to NOx emissions, water consumption, and public safety, urging developers to engage early with host communities to ensure an equitable transition.