Search Climate Insights Directory

This document consists of two annexes. Annex 2 lists sustainability schemes for the mining and processing sectors, such as the ICMM Mining Principles and the ResponsibleSteel Standard, focusing on their requirements for biodiversity and ecosystem services. Annex 3 analyzes forest finance, estimating global needs between USD 45 billion and 460 billion annually to meet Paris Agreement goals, while contrasting 'green finance' (e.g., REDD+ funding) with 'gray finance,' including agricultural subsidies estimated between USD 378 billion and 635 billion per year and private finance to forest-risk commodity supply chains totaling USD 343 billion from 2010-2022.

The report argues that trade policy can either exacerbate or support biodiversity conservation. It identifies specific entry points within the WTO—including existing rules on subsidies and intellectual property, and new member-led initiatives—that can be aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The document proposes a 'nature-positive trade' approach involving the promotion of environmental goods and services, sustainable supply chain drivers, and the reform of harmful subsidies.

The 2023 Forest Pathways Report by WWF International highlights that the world is off track to meet 2030 goals to halt deforestation, with a 21% divergence from targets in 2022. It identifies a massive funding gap, where approximately US$2.2 billion in annual public forest-positive finance is dwarfed by up to US$1 trillion in environmentally harmful subsidies. The report emphasizes the critical role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, noting that their territories often have lower deforestation rates. It advocates for a shift from single-value carbon offsets to a 'contributions approach' and the repurposing of agricultural subsidies. Case studies from Brazil, Colombia, Gabon, and Australia illustrate specific challenges and successful interventions in forest conservation and restoration.

The document examines the tension between global agricultural trade and environmental sustainability, noting that agri-food systems contributed 31% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2019. It analyzes how current trade distortions, such as high subsidies for emission-intensive commodities like beef and rice, undermine sustainability. The author proposes a framework of trade-related policy tools—including border measures, economic incentives, and regulatory standards—to transition toward sustainable food systems. It specifically evaluates the role of the WTO, suggesting that while existing rules provide some policy space, more coordinated multilateral cooperation through platforms like the Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions (TESSD) is necessary to align trade with climate and biodiversity goals.

The document argues for an urgent shift toward plant-based diets and away from industrial meat production due to environmental and health impacts. It emphasizes that because meat supply chains support numerous livelihoods and cultural traditions, policies to reduce production must be inclusive and carefully planned to ensure costs and benefits are distributed equitably and vulnerable stakeholders are protected.

The report argues that transitioning away from industrial meat production is essential for climate and health goals but requires a 'just transition' framework to protect vulnerable stakeholders. It identifies five key stakeholder groups—consumers, farmers, workers, communities, and companies—and outlines five guiding principles for policy-makers: phasing down industrial meat support, increasing support for sustainable alternatives, ensuring inclusive planning, providing offset support for adverse impacts, and addressing root causes of injustice.

A memo from a coalition of organizations urging the U.S. government to link human health outcomes to the transformation of the agricultural system, emphasizing the need to align subsidies with nutritious food production, support sustainable farming practices, and integrate racial equity into food policy.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is facing a critical need for reform across its negotiating function, dispute settlement system, committee transparency, and Secretariat role. While members generally agree on the need for change, they are divided on the approach: some advocate for 'coalitions of the willing' to modernize the agenda, while others, particularly developing countries, prioritize the Doha Development Agenda and the preservation of special and differential treatment (SDT). The dispute settlement system remains crippled by the United States' refusal to appoint new Appellate Body members since 2019. Divergent priorities exist between the EU, US, African Group, India, and LDCs, with disagreements extending to whether reform should proceed via working groups or General Council review processes.

The report examines the marginalization of agricultural biodiversity within the CBD and argues that industrial agriculture is a primary driver of biodiversity loss. It contrasts the 'peasant food web' with the 'agro-industrial chain,' highlighting the superior ecological and social outcomes of small-scale farming. The document criticizes 'false solutions' such as carbon offsets, sustainable intensification, and Nature-based Solutions (NbS), which it claims mask corporate interests. It calls for the new Global Biodiversity Framework to explicitly promote agroecology, protect the rights of indigenous peoples and small-scale farmers, and phase out industrial agricultural practices and harmful subsidies.

The policy brief examines the long-standing tension between the World Trade Organization's (WTO) focus on trade liberalization and the need for environmental protection. It highlights the failure of the Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE) to produce recommendations and the persistence of harmful subsidies in agriculture, fisheries, and fossil fuels. The author argues that the WTO must integrate science-policy interfaces and prioritize sustainable development to support the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, noting recent member-led initiatives on plastics and climate as potential paths forward.

The livestock sector's growth poses a significant risk to climate goals, potentially consuming 80% of the remaining GHG budget by 2050 if current trends continue. While global meat production is rising—projected to reach 374 million tonnes by 2030—there is a growing market for Alternative Protein (AP) products, valued at USD 14 bn and expected to exceed USD 162 bn within a decade. However, the transition is hindered by substantial government subsidies, with nearly 90% of global farming subsidies (USD 540 bn annually) supporting beef, milk, and rice. The document emphasizes that while total veganism offers the highest emission reductions, flexitarian and vegetarian diets can also significantly lower emissions. It calls for government policy reforms to redirect subsidies away from industrial agriculture and for businesses to move beyond 'meaningless' net zero targets toward actual reductions in animal numbers in supply chains.

The report highlights a critical failure by major livestock-producing nations and corporations to address methane emissions, despite the gas's high potency and short atmospheric lifespan. It finds that most assessed countries lack absolute methane reduction targets and that the largest meat and dairy companies fail to report methane emissions separately or implement concrete abatement plans. The document advocates for a systemic transition toward plant-rich diets and the implementation of both technical and behavioral mitigation measures to meet Paris Agreement goals.

The report examines the conflict between WTO farm subsidy rules and public stockholding programs used by developing countries for food security. It analyzes the impact of outdated reference prices and proposes five potential paths toward a permanent solution, concluding that a modified version of the 2013 Bali Decision is the most viable approach.

The report analyzes the challenges developing countries face when purchasing food at administered prices for public stockholding, which often exceeds WTO Aggregate Measure of Support (AMS) limits. It evaluates the 2013 Bali 'peace clause' and proposes five options for a permanent solution: updating reference periods for AMS calculations, redefining eligible production, exempting support when administered prices are below international levels, exempting Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and small economies, and expanding the Bali decision framework. The authors conclude that a modified Bali decision, combined with technical corrections to reference prices and production calculations, is the most promising path forward, provided transparency and anti-circumvention measures are maintained.

The document argues that agroecology, a science-based set of practices and social movement, offers a sustainable alternative to industrial agriculture, which accounts for up to 37% of global greenhouse gas emissions. It highlights that approximately 30% of global farms have already adopted agroecological principles, leading to increased crop yields, higher farmer incomes, and improved biodiversity. However, the briefing notes that scaling up these practices is hindered by governance and finance systems that heavily subsidize industrial agriculture, with only 1%-1.5% of agricultural and aid budgets currently supporting agroecological approaches. To overcome these barriers, the document recommends reorienting public funding, integrating agroecology into research and education, and increasing the participation of small-scale producers in food governance.

The report analyzes three types of food system shocks—the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2015–2016 Southern African drought, and the US-China trade war—to argue that existing WTO rules are insufficient to prevent harmful trade measures during crises. It highlights how climate change will increase the frequency of extreme weather events, further destabilizing food markets. The authors propose 13 recommendations centered on four objectives: ensuring food access for the poor, safeguarding farmer livelihoods, improving market functions through sustainable resource allocation, and restoring multilateral trust. Key proposals include banning export restrictions on humanitarian aid, cutting high tariff peaks, and establishing a special safeguard mechanism for low-income countries.

The report analyzes the role of trade policy in managing food system shocks, using the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2015-2016 Southern Africa drought, and the US-China trade war as case studies. It argues that current WTO rules have gaps regarding export restrictions, high tariffs, and harmful agricultural subsidies. To enhance resilience, the authors propose four policy goals: ensuring food access for the poor, protecting farmer livelihoods, improving market functioning through equitable resource distribution, and restoring trust in multilateral institutions. Key recommendations include exempting humanitarian food purchases from export bans, reducing 'tariff peaks' in major importing countries, and establishing a special safeguard mechanism for low-income producers.

The document examines how proposed changes to the CAP and EU budget threaten the green transition of agriculture. It highlights the risk of making direct payment capping voluntary, the potential for diverting rural development funds to hectare-based payments, and the use of flawed climate expenditure tracking. It also warns that NGEU recovery funds may be distributed without green conditionality. ClientEarth calls for mandatory capping, ring-fencing at least 50% of the EAGF for qualitative eco-schemes, and a science-based methodology for tracking climate spending.

The document analyzes the conflict between trade liberalisation, supported by developed nations, and food sovereignty, advocated by developing nations. It argues that while trade can increase food availability, it often sidelines smallholder farmers and creates dependencies. The author recommends that the G20 synchronise domestic policies and implement the 2008 L’Aquila Food Security Initiative (AFSI) to support local food systems. For the UN World Food Systems Summit, the brief suggests creating a framework for private sector participation and transforming food systems to be more inclusive and sustainable, particularly in the wake of COVID-19 and the US-China trade war.

The policy brief argues that the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates the critical link between ecosystem health and human health, asserting that ecological degradation and wildlife trade are root causes of zoonotic spillover. It proposes a five-part framework for policymakers: halting ecosystem loss, reforming livestock production, regulating commercial wildlife trade, safeguarding existing conservation investments, and implementing cross-cutting 'nature-positive' economic recovery strategies. The authors emphasize that protecting nature is a cost-effective tool for both public health and financial recovery, potentially creating millions of jobs by 2030.