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The document identifies decentralised renewable energy (DRE) as the most cost-effective option for over half of the electricity connections needed by 2030 in emerging markets. To scale this, it proposes three 'building blocks': increasing public investment to leverage private capital, establishing stable political and regulatory frameworks to mitigate investment risks, and creating an enabling environment through capacity building and innovation. The author highlights a partnership with AISER Benin as an example of concrete market development activity.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) and a coalition of 800 health professionals criticize Prime Minister Trudeau's commitment to reduce emissions by at least 40% below 2005 levels by 2030. They argue this target is inadequate compared to a proposed minimum of 60% reduction and falls behind the goals of other wealthy nations like the US and UK. The statement calls for a strengthened Bill C-12 and the reallocation of fossil fuel subsidies to ensure a healthy future for children and global climate stability.

Reclaim Finance asserts that the EU sustainable taxonomy's climate mitigation and adaptation criteria have been watered down due to pressure from Member states and industry lobbies. The author claims the current proposal allows for the burning of all forest biomass and creates pathways for fossil gas and nuclear energy to be labeled as sustainable, thereby undermining the EU Sustainable Finance Strategy and contradicting scientific research.

A February 2021 international survey of Facebook users across more than 30 countries and territories reveals overwhelming public support for the Paris Climate Agreement and a widespread desire for governments to prioritize climate action, with the strongest support found in Central and South America.

A September 2021 survey of 898 registered U.S. voters shows broad support for international climate action, including a 73% approval rate for the U.S. pledge to reduce carbon pollution by 50% by 2030. While 66% of voters believe the U.S. should reduce emissions regardless of other countries' actions, there is even stronger consensus that developing countries (81%) and other industrialized nations (74%) should do more to address global warming. Support for providing financial and technical aid to developing countries for mitigation (66%) and adaptation (61%) has increased since March 2021, though significant partisan divides remain, particularly among conservative Republicans.

The document examines the potential for "debt-for-climate" swaps as a mechanism to provide budgetary relief to developing countries while funding climate mitigation and adaptation. It argues that while these swaps are not a universal solution and must supplement general macroeconomic stabilisation, they offer mutual benefits for debtors and creditors. The authors propose a selection framework based on economic need, emissions potential, climate ambition, and governance capacity. Applying these criteria, the paper identifies several Small Island Developing States (SIDS)—including Dominica, Granada, Samoa, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Tonga—as well as Bhutan and Rwanda, as promising candidates for such initiatives. However, the authors note a trade-off: while these countries are highly suitable, their low emissions mean the global impact on emissions would be smaller compared to including larger emerging economies.

The document details the response to the 2017 closure of the 1.6 GW coal-fired Hazelwood Power Station, which resulted in a net loss of approximately 500 jobs. It highlights a multi-sectoral approach involving federal and state funding, the creation of the Latrobe Valley Authority, and the innovative Latrobe Valley Worker Transfer Partnership Scheme, which redeployed younger workers to other power plants by offering early retirement to older employees. By November 2019, 74% of former Hazelwood employees were re-employed or retired.

The document argues that U.S. nuclear policy is currently operating in an "information vacuum," with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) often prioritizing licensee cost-savings over public safety and environmental data. It highlights systemic risks in "fast-track" decommissioning, the vulnerability of thin-walled spent fuel canisters to corrosion and failure, and the lack of scientific evidence supporting 80-year license extensions for aging plants. The authors further caution against the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) and the establishment of consolidated interim storage facilities (CISFs) without comprehensive risk and cost analyses. The briefing concludes with ten recommendations to policymakers, including mandating ASME N3 standards for waste containers, requiring "hot cells" for repackaging damaged fuel, and reforming NRC oversight to reduce regulatory capture.

The Hydropower Criteria define the mitigation and adaptation requirements for hydropower facilities—including run-of-river, impoundment, and pumped storage—to qualify for Climate Bond certification. Mitigation eligibility is based on power density or GHG emissions intensity thresholds, which vary depending on whether the facility became operational before or after 2020. Pumped storage must additionally demonstrate a link to intermittent renewables or grid decarbonisation. Adaptation and resilience are assessed via the ESG Gap Analysis Tool, with strict limits on the number and nature of 'significant gaps' allowed. Issuers must provide evidence of these metrics and publicly disclose ESG assessments and any associated Environmental and Social Action Plans.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research is seeking nominations for two vacancies on its Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), to be filled during the 29th Conference of the Parties meeting on June 22-23, 2021. The SAC emphasizes the need for internationally recognized scientists with expertise in global change in the Americas, specifically highlighting a need for geographic balance in Central America, the Caribbean, and the tropical Andes, as well as gender and ethnic balance. Preferred areas of expertise include social sciences, traditional and indigenous knowledge, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and planetary health.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research is seeking nominations for two seats on its Science Advisory Committee (SAC) to be filled at the 29th meeting of the Conference of the Parties in June 2021. The SAC emphasizes the need for candidates with international recognition in global change science in the Americas, specifically calling for geographic, gender, and ethnic balance, with a particular focus on underrepresented regions such as Central America, the Caribbean, and the tropical Andes. Desired expertise includes social sciences, indigenous knowledge, climate change adaptation and mitigation, planetary health, and informatics.

The Independent Evaluation Unit (IEU) finds that the GCF's accreditation function is overburdened by contradictory goals and lacks a formal strategy, leading to protracted processing times and a project portfolio heavily skewed toward international entities. While the GCF prioritizes direct access, many direct access entities (DAEs) struggle with capacity and have not successfully accessed funds. The report recommends strengthening the governance of the Accreditation Committee and Panel, establishing clear business standards for processing, and implementing a project-specific assessment approach (PSAA) to improve efficiency.

The report details the Green Climate Fund (GCF) pipeline, which consists of 467 total projects with a combined total value of $82,847M (including co-financing). The pipeline is divided into funding proposals and concept notes, with significant concentrations in mitigation and adaptation across Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

Peru has integrated gender perspectives into its climate action through a four-stage process involving multiple ministries, resulting in 58% of adaptation measures now including gender perspectives. Key achievements include the 2016 Gender and Climate Change Action Plan and the 'Dialoguemos' participatory process. However, challenges remain regarding the institutionalisation of these approaches, limited technical knowledge, and the need for gender-sensitive implementation at regional and local levels.

The Hydropower Criteria establish eligibility for Climate Bonds Certification by screening projects for GHG emissions intensity, power density, and adherence to environmental and social standards via an ESG Gap Analysis Tool.

The document establishes a two-component eligibility framework for hydropower certification: a Mitigation Component and an Adaptation & Resilience (A&R) Component. The Mitigation Component uses a 'predictive screen' based on power density to identify low-risk assets, while others must undergo a GHG assessment using the G-res tool or on-site studies to meet emissions intensity thresholds of 100g CO2e/kWh (pre-2020) or 50g CO2e/kWh (post-2020). The A&R Component requires assets to be assessed via the ESG Gap Analysis Tool, with strict limits on the number of 'significant gaps' allowed and a requirement for an Environmental and Social Action Plan (ESAP) to close those gaps within 24 months. Additionally, the criteria mandate Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) for indigenous peoples and public disclosure of compliance data.

The policy brief argues that National Development Banks (NDBs) are ideal intermediaries for scaling climate-smart urban infrastructure due to their local knowledge, yet few are currently mandated to finance local governments or green projects. The research introduces an NDB Maturity Model consisting of 12 dimensions across strategic, financial, business, and operational parameters to standardize the assessment of NDB capacity. It identifies key barriers including unspecific mandates, lack of sectoral expertise, and insufficient capitalization. The document recommends that International Financial Institutions (IFIs) support NDBs by providing project preparation facilities, technical assistance, and access to innovative capital and de-risking instruments to catalyze private investment.

The document argues that National Development Banks (NDBs) are ideally positioned to bridge the financing gap for climate-smart urban infrastructure due to their local knowledge and proximity to cities. However, it notes that only 4% of Public Development Banks are specifically mandated to finance local governments. The research identifies barriers across policy, institutional, and financial levels—such as restrictive legal structures, lack of bankable project pipelines, and insufficient capitalization. To address these, the authors introduce an 'NDB Maturity Model' consisting of twelve dimensions across strategic, financial, business, and operational parameters. The brief recommends that national ministers update NDB mandates to include climate focus, reassess legal structures to allow for higher risk and longer tenors, and integrate NDBs into national climate goals and infrastructure strategies. A case study on Indonesia's PT SMI and the 'SDG Indonesia One' platform is provided as an example of using blended finance to implement SDG-oriented infrastructure projects.

This policy brief examines the supply and demand barriers preventing National Development Banks (NDBs) from financing green urban infrastructure. It introduces a 12-dimension 'maturity model' across strategic, financial, business, and operational parameters to help NDBs optimize their capacity. The brief argues that while NDBs are ideally positioned as intermediaries, few have the specific mandates or capitalization required to support local governments, necessitating coordinated action from national governments and development finance institutions.

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted Indonesia's energy efficiency sector, leading to postponed projects and reduced revenue for facility managers. While business managers and facility managers remain optimistic about long-term recovery, they maintain conservative revenue projections for 2021-2022 due to economic uncertainty. The report highlights a critical need for government intervention, specifically through bank loan interest reductions, tax deductions, and the use of National Economic Recovery (PEN) funds to stimulate demand for energy efficiency projects in both public and private sectors.