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The World Resources Institute evaluates the EU's Clean Industrial Deal, praising its focus on clean-tech and the mobilization of 100 billion Euros for manufacturing, but warns that potential delays to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and a lack of specific resource efficiency targets could undermine its effectiveness.

A group of French environmental and human rights organizations warns that the European Commission's proposed 'Omnibus' legislation threatens to undermine the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) by limiting corporate vigilance to direct partners, removing mandatory climate transition plans, and rolling back civil liability for failures.

Reclaim Finance criticizes the Fédération bancaire française (FBF) for seeking to weaken European directives on corporate sustainability due diligence and extra-financial reporting through a proposed 'omnibus' deregulation law. The FBF is accused of attempting to shield banks from legal risks associated with financing companies that violate human rights or environmental standards, while also seeking to eliminate requirements for climate transition plans. Reclaim Finance notes that while the FBF has lobbied European Commission officials, the 320 member banks have remained largely silent, creating a contradiction with their public images as supporters of ambitious climate regulation.

The report examines the role of public development banks (PDBs) in supporting the adoption of domestic carbon markets in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs). It identifies key benefits of these markets, such as directing private finance to emission reduction projects and helping countries retain carbon revenues locally to avoid paying full fees under mechanisms like the European Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). However, adoption is hindered by a lack of strategic integration, technical capacity gaps, and reputational risks associated with credit integrity. PDBs are positioned to address these barriers by providing strategic guidance, technical assistance for monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems, and innovative financial tools—such as minimum price floors and carbon-linked bonds—to manage risk and frontload finance. The report recommends increased coordination between national and multilateral PDBs, the sharing of best practices, and the development of comprehensive climate strategies to ensure carbon markets are embedded within national development goals.

The report argues that the EU ETS continues to reward heavy polluters through free allowances, which in 2023 alone amounted to approximately 40 billion euros. It highlights that sectors like steel, cement, and chemicals often receive more allowances than they emit, reducing the incentive for decarbonisation. The authors critique the Innovation Fund for over-financing carbon capture technologies (CCS/CCU) rather than scalable zero-emission technologies. To accelerate the transition, the report recommends phasing out free allowances by 2030, fully implementing the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), and reforming the Innovation Fund to prioritise material savings and renewable energy solutions.

The report examines the implementation of the EU and UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAMs) and the preliminary findings of Australia's Carbon Leakage Review. It highlights the shift from free allocation of emissions permits to border adjustments to prevent carbon leakage, where emissions reductions in one country are offset by increases elsewhere. The EU CBAM is set for full implementation by 2026, and the UK CBAM by 2027. Australia is considering a BCA as a 'robust underpinning' to its Safeguard Mechanism. The document also analyzes WTO discussions from 2020 to 2024, noting a transition from general concerns about protectionism and WTO compliance toward specific discussions on cooperation and interoperability.

The report provides a detailed analysis of the implementation of Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAMs) in the EU, UK, and Australia. It examines the transition from free allocations to border adjustments in the EU, the UK's planned 2027 launch, and Australia's ongoing carbon leakage review. Additionally, it tracks the evolution of multilateral discussions at the WTO, noting a shift from general concerns about protectionism toward specific technical cooperation and interoperability.

The report provides a comprehensive overview of carbon border adjustment mechanisms (CBAMs) as tools to prevent carbon leakage. It details the operational timelines and design features of the EU and UK mechanisms, analyzes a proposed Australian framework, and tracks legislative efforts in the US, Canada, and Taiwan. Additionally, it examines the evolving nature of CBAM discussions at the WTO, noting a shift from general concern toward specific design cooperation and interoperability.

The document argues that while the energy transition is accelerating, current efforts are insufficient to limit warming to 1.5°C, and the shift in energy demand will fundamentally reshape global trade and geopolitics. It highlights a significant investment gap, noting that emerging markets and developing economies outside China account for only about 15% of global clean energy spending. The report identifies several trade-related barriers, including protectionist tariffs on electric vehicles, divergent technical standards, and the persistence of fossil fuel subsidies, which reached $7 trillion globally in 2023. It specifically warns that Border Carbon Adjustment Mechanisms (BCAs) and Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions in investment treaties may disproportionately burden developing nations. To achieve an equitable transition, the authors recommend reforming WTO subsidy rules, increasing financial support for local value addition in critical minerals, and coordinating the phase-out of fossil fuel production.

The briefing highlights that iron production accounts for over 80% of steel supply chain emissions and argues that a common 'near-zero emissions' iron definition is necessary to guide investment and trade. It proposes a threshold of 350 kgCO2e/t iron to exclude coal-based production and suggests that hydrogen-based direct reduction (DRI) is the primary commercial pathway to achieve this. To overcome supply chain complexities, the document advocates for direct procurement and 'book and claim' systems, announcing that RMI will design and test a climate-credible book and claim system for iron and steel in 2025.

The document argues that Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries are heavily reliant on carbon-intensive heavy industries but possess significant potential for clean industry due to renewable energy resources and carbon dioxide storage. It calls for EU industrial policy to shift toward a place-based approach that supports countries with high deployment potential regardless of their current innovation track record. Key recommendations for the EU include revising the Public Procurement Directive to include lifecycle emissions and redesigning the Innovation Fund for first-of-a-kind national deployments. For CEE national governments, the statement recommends earmarking EU ETS revenues for climate action, implementing Carbon Contracts for Difference, and conducting integrated infrastructure planning for hydrogen and carbon dioxide transport.

The report assesses Japan's second NDC, which targets a 60% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2035 and 73% by 2040 compared to 2013 levels. The authors argue these targets are insufficient compared to the global average required to limit warming to 1.5°C and risk Japan losing market share in the global clean energy transition. Key recommendations include accelerating the deployment of solar and wind power, implementing a more effective carbon pricing mechanism with a binding cap, and establishing a clear roadmap for the phase-out of coal-fired power plants.

The report examines the intersection of trade and climate sustainability from an African perspective, focusing on the economic impacts of energy transitions, the risks and opportunities of voluntary carbon markets, and the challenges of transition mineral value chains. It critically analyzes the role of the WTO in green trade and provides specific policy recommendations to ensure that climate-related trade measures, such as Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAM), do not disproportionately harm developing nations.

The report identifies three core pillars for scaling transition finance in China's steel sector: robust identification frameworks, financial incentives, and multi-party coordination. It highlights that while pilot regions like Hebei have made progress with specific standards and templates, the broader industry faces high costs, a lack of precise incentives for financial institutions and downstream buyers, and a gap between funding needs and available high-quality transition assets.

The report provides a comprehensive roadmap for industrial decarbonization in East Asia, focusing on China, Indonesia, and Viet Nam. It proposes a six-tier technical strategy ranging from energy efficiency to green hydrogen and clean feedstocks. The analysis highlights that while efficiency and 'easy electrification' are cost-effective, deeper decarbonization requires massive investments—USD 1.7 trillion cumulatively through 2050 for industry alone across the three nations—and a fully decarbonized power grid. It recommends a policy package centered on carbon pricing, renewable energy procurement, and workforce reskilling to overcome high upfront costs and technical barriers.

The report outlines three primary investment opportunities in the Western Cape's renewable energy sector: embedded solar PV for C&I and agricultural users, large-scale wind and solar projects, and behind-the-meter (BTM) lithium-ion storage. While the market is driven by rising electricity costs, decarbonisation pressures from export markets (such as the EU's CBAM), and a liberalising regulatory framework (Electricity Regulation Amendment Act of 2024), it faces significant barriers. These include severe grid constraints, administrative backlogs in municipalities, a shortage of specialised technical skills, and a high reliance on imported battery components, particularly from China.

The South African EV market is in an early growth phase, with significant investment potential across four key sectors: passenger vehicles, public buses, freight and logistics, and last-mile delivery. While annual passenger EV sales have surpassed 1,000 units for the first time, the market is currently dominated by luxury models. Growth is supported by innovative financing like Electric-Vehicle-as-a-Service (EVaaS), rising fuel costs, and corporate ESG targets. However, adoption is hindered by high import duties, a lack of affordable models, and electricity grid constraints. The government is introducing manufacturing incentives in 2026 to stimulate local production.

The report highlights a growing energy services market in South Africa, shifting from a primary reliance on mitigating loadshedding to goals of cost stability and decarbonisation. Embedded solar PV for the commercial, industrial, and agricultural (CI&A) sectors is projected to grow by 3.8 GW (estimated at R53.2 billion) by 2030. Behind-the-meter (BTM) Li-ion storage is expected to reach 2GWh (estimated at R10 billion) by 2030, driven by value-stacking use cases like peak shaving and tariff arbitrage. Key barriers include ageing municipal distribution infrastructure, administrative capacity constraints in municipalities, and a heavy reliance on imported battery components, particularly from China.

The report outlines a shift in South Africa's renewable energy sector from public procurement to private off-taker agreements, driven by electricity market liberalisation and corporate decarbonisation needs. It estimates a total investment potential of R132 billion for private renewable energy development and R16 billion for local component manufacturing by 2030. Key barriers include severe grid capacity constraints in high-resource provinces and policy uncertainty regarding the future of public procurement programmes.

The document argues that the COP29 finance goal of US$300 billion is insufficient, covering less than 4.3% of projected global needs, and that Africa receives less than 3% of total global finance for developing countries. It highlights a critical imbalance where only 36% of Africa's climate finance is dedicated to adaptation. The brief calls for African nations to transition from passive actors to co-creators at COP30, advocating for the 'Baku to Belém Roadmap' to reach US$1.3 trillion and demanding that finance be grant-based, accessible, and channeled through African institutions. It also notes the negative impact of the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and the need for more inclusive participation for least developed countries in UN negotiations.