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The authors contend that while international UNFCCC negotiations move slowly, rapid progress in domestic climate legislation—particularly in emerging economies—is shifting the center of gravity of the climate debate. They argue that national actions driven by self-interest and co-benefits, such as energy security and resource efficiency, are prerequisites for an effective international treaty.

The document provides a matrix of how different climate mitigation policies impact developing countries. It highlights that while mechanisms like the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), REDD+, and technology transfer generally offer positive outcomes for growth and investment, other policies like border tax adjustments can lead to reduced trade and lower global growth. The effects of carbon taxes and emission trading schemes are mixed, depending on factors such as carbon leakage and the allocation of revenues.

The report identifies the current state of Colombia's bond market, which is underdeveloped and dominated by the National Government. It outlines a two-phase road map: Phase I focuses on laying foundations through capacity building, defining green investments, and establishing governance; Phase II focuses on market expansion by diversifying issuers, reducing costs, and mitigating currency risks. The document highlights significant potential in green portfolios across the real sector, cities, and development banks, while noting barriers such as a lack of domestic verifier expertise and a concentrated demand for high-credit-rated securities.

The report presents ten propositions on the intersection of climate change and economic growth, emphasizing that while growth is essential for poverty reduction in developing nations, it must be decoupled from carbon emissions. It advocates for 'climate compatible development'—a framework that minimizes climate harm while maximizing human development opportunities. The author argues that low-carbon growth is feasible and can act as an industrial policy to create jobs and competitive advantages. The document highlights the need for national strategies that move from 'blueprint planning' to 'process planning,' the importance of leveraging private finance through 'investment-grade' policy frameworks, and the necessity of building political consensus to ensure long-term stability in climate policy.

The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) of South Africa responded to concerns raised by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) regarding the interpretation and implementation of the National Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reporting Regulations and the National Pollution Prevention Plan (PPP) Regulations.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) has released a toolkit to guide citizens in submitting feedback on South Africa's Climate Change Bill. The guide outlines the lawmaking process, explains the role of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and identifies critical gaps in the Bill, such as the lack of urgent timeframes for emissions targets, weak transparency provisions, and the use of an outdated 2015 NDC as an interim trajectory. It urges the public to demand stronger penalties for exceeding carbon budgets and more meaningful public participation hearings.

A letter from Sasol to the South African Department of Energy dated 20 April 2012, detailing concerns that compliance with the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (AQA) may negatively impact national energy security and increase operational costs for the energy industry.

The 'Technical Guidelines for Validation and Verification of Greenhouse Gas Emissions' is a draft document issued by the South African Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF). It establishes the framework for verifying greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions data submitted by Data Providers under the National Greenhouse Gas Emission Reporting Regulations, 2016 (NGERs). The guidelines detail a phased verification programme, the internal review processes of the Competent Authority, the requirements for independent third-party verification, and the accreditation and competence standards for verifiers.

The report examines the carbon-intensive nature of steel production, highlighting ArcelorMittal South Africa's (AMSA) increasing emissions and its impact on local communities in the Vaal triangle. It argues that ArcelorMittal Group maintains a double standard by prioritizing decarbonization in Europe over the Global South. The document identifies financial institutions (such as ABSA and the IFC) and the automobile industry (including Ford and Toyota) as key stakeholders with the leverage to push for a fossil-free transition. It recommends that ArcelorMittal end coal use by 2040 and provide verifiable asset-by-asset transformation plans by 2025.

The report details a bottom-up integrated model developed in Analytica to project greenhouse gas emissions in South Africa to 2050. It incorporates a Mitigation Potential Analysis (MPA), GHG emission pathways, and a socio-economic model linked via a Social Accounting Matrix (SAM). The model assesses various sectors—including energy, industry, transport, waste, and AFOLU—applying specific mitigation measures and policies such as the Carbon Tax Act of 2019 and the IRP 2023. It provides a framework for evaluating the socio-economic impacts of decarbonisation pathways on employment, output, and household consumption across different income deciles.

The document examines why border adjustment (BA) measures are largely absent from Japanese climate policy despite concerns over international competitiveness. It finds that Japan's reliance on voluntary emission reduction plans is inconsistent with BA, and stakeholders view such measures as technically infeasible and incompatible with WTO rules. Instead, Japan advocates for multilateral agreements that include emission commitments for major emerging economies to address carbon leakage.

The document examines how carbon pricing affects different household income levels across developed and developing countries. It argues that while carbon pricing can be regressive—disproportionately impacting low-income households who spend more of their income on energy—these effects can be neutralized or turned into net benefits through strategic revenue recycling, such as lump-sum rebates or targeted subsidies. The briefing highlights that in very low-income countries, carbon pricing can actually be progressive due to limited fossil fuel access among the poorest. It provides case studies from the EU ETS, the US Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), South Africa, and Iran to illustrate various implementation and mitigation strategies.

The document analyzes Brazil's unique energy landscape, where a predominantly renewable electricity mix coexists with a significant reliance on petroleum for transport and a growing oil production sector. It highlights the tension between the government's climate commitments and its plans to expand oil production, particularly in the Equatorial Margin. The briefing suggests that Brazil can leverage its G20 and COP30 leadership to promote the reduction of fossil fuel subsidies and use oil revenues to fund green innovation and forest conservation, while recommending the introduction of an upstream carbon tax to manage environmental externalities.

The document analyzes Nigeria's struggle to balance its economic reliance on oil and gas with climate ambitions. It highlights the risk of 'carbon lock-in' through policies like the Petroleum Industry Act and the fiscal vulnerability of sub-national governments. It proposes shifting from a natural-resource-dependent model to one based on high-value manufacturing and services, leveraging renewable energy and critical minerals like lithium. Key recommendations include developing multi-sectoral transition policies, securing international climate finance, and implementing social protections for displaced workers and the Niger Delta region.

The document outlines the history, current state, and future challenges of the Russian coal sector, highlighting its economic significance and climate impact. It details a research project aimed at exploring just transition pathways for coal regions in the context of the Paris Agreement and shifting global demand. Key data points include coal's 17.5% share of Russia's domestic electricity generation at the end of 2019 and the sector's 22% contribution to Russia's total greenhouse gas emissions in 2018.

The document provides a comprehensive overview of carbon finance, detailing instruments such as carbon taxes, credits, and cap-and-trade systems. It analyzes the operational requirements for implementing these mechanisms, the differences between shallow and mature markets, and the specific impacts on sectors like industrial decarbonization and AFOLU. The briefing also highlights the role of the EU ETS and CBAM, as well as the challenges related to monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) and the policy uncertainty surrounding Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

Carbon Market Watch outlines ten key elements for effective carbon pricing, arguing that such systems must be integrated into a broader policy mix, utilize absolute declining caps, and eliminate free allocations and offsets. The briefing emphasizes the need for transparency, the reinvestment of revenues into climate action and vulnerable communities, and the use of carbon border levies to prevent leakage without protecting polluting industries. It concludes that carbon pricing is a tool to be used alongside regulations and democratic engagement, rather than a standalone solution for decarbonization.

The report examines the uneven progress of carbon pricing in Asia, contrasting the advanced emissions trading systems (ETS) in Japan and South Korea with the early-stage designs in Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines. It argues that while the EU CBAM poses a financial risk to exporters—particularly in the steel sector—the overall impact is limited and can be mitigated by implementing effective domestic carbon pricing and transitioning to cleaner production technologies. The document provides specific fee estimates for each country and recommends phasing out carbon offsets, implementing absolute emission caps, and shifting toward the auctioning of allowances to drive genuine decarbonisation.

The report argues that carbon pricing is a vital but insufficient tool for climate action and must be integrated into a broader policy mix. It advocates for absolute emission caps, the elimination of free allowances, and the reinvestment of revenues into public climate benefits. The document strongly warns against the use of carbon offsets and credits, which it claims undermine environmental integrity and allow polluters to avoid real reductions. It also addresses the 'carbon leakage' myth, suggesting that the risks are often overestimated and used to justify policies that lock in polluting industries.

The report by Carbon Market Watch outlines a framework for 'carbon pricing done right,' arguing that such systems must be integrated into broader policy packages and based on strict emission caps to be effective. It emphasizes the 'polluter pays principle,' warning against free allocations and offsets, which it claims can weaken price signals and lead to greenwashing. The document advocates for transparency, the reinvestment of revenues into climate action and vulnerable communities, and a cautious approach to carbon leakage and border adjustment mechanisms to avoid protectionism while ensuring climate justice.