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The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) conducted a briefing series on transportation sector climate mitigation, covering ports, aviation, and public transit. A specific focus was placed on commercial aviation's recovery from COVID-19, highlighting sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and aircraft technology improvements, including gas-electric propulsion and efficient engine and airframe designs, as key strategies for reducing emissions.

The Council on Strategic Risks (CSR) examines how climate change and nuclear trends—including the expansion of civil nuclear energy and the modernization of nuclear arsenals—interact to reshape the international order. The briefing highlights specific regional vulnerabilities, such as water stress in South Asia and sea-level rise affecting nuclear sites in Egypt and Nigeria. It concludes with a set of policy recommendations for the U.S. government, including the creation of a National Security Council director for the climate-nuclear-security nexus and the elimination of low-yield nuclear weapons to restore international trust.

The proposal outlines a 24-month program implemented by the FAO to support the Republic of Tajikistan in enhancing its climate finance infrastructure. Key objectives include developing a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system for climate projects, updating the national Country Work Programme for 2022-2025, and identifying and supporting the accreditation of national Direct Access Entities (DAEs). The project also aims to develop two project concept notes and analyze regulatory barriers to private sector investment in climate mitigation.

The We Mean Business Coalition welcomes the United States' intention to rejoin the Paris Agreement, arguing that the framework provides the necessary clarity for businesses to make long-term investments in a zero-carbon economy. The coalition emphasizes that green recovery plans following the COVID-19 pandemic can outperform traditional stimulus measures in boosting GDP and employment while addressing the intersection of climate and racial justice.

The document argues that existing village-level evaluation tools in Indonesia, such as the IDM and IPD, are inadequate for measuring environmental performance and mainstreaming Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To address this, the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) proposes the Sustainable Village Development Index (IDM+), which adds 10 ecological indicators covering land-use, natural resource management, and climate actions to the existing index. Using Berau District in East Kalimantan as a case study, the paper demonstrates how IDM+ can be linked to fiscal instruments like Village Fund Allocation (ADD) and Financial Assistance (Bantuan Keuangan Kabupaten) to reward high-performing villages while providing affirmative support to low-performing ones. The author recommends that the central government incorporate IDM+ into the national IDM and that local governments ensure transparent implementation and capacity building.

The proposal seeks USD 427,375 over 24 months to address coordination gaps among Myanmar's natural resource institutions. It aims to create a national NRCMS and a specific action plan for the Sagaing region, focusing on scaling up Ecosystem-based Approaches (EbA) and Natural Climate Solutions (NCS). The project, implemented by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Environmental Conservation Department (ECD), includes capacity building through international exchange visits to China and Indonesia and the establishment of a multi-stakeholder task team to align natural resource management with Myanmar's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).

The document examines the intersection of climate change and human rights, detailing how environmental degradation threatens rights to life, food, health, water, and housing. It outlines the obligations of states to respect, protect, and fulfil these rights, and the responsibilities of businesses to reduce emissions and provide remedies. The handbook specifically focuses on the role of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), presenting case studies of their work in monitoring impacts, handling complaints, providing policy advice, and engaging in international mechanisms like the UNFCCC and the Universal Periodic Review. It highlights that nearly half of Paris Principles-compliant NHRIs have engaged in climate change work, using tools ranging from digital mapping to formal inquiries into 'carbon majors'.

The report argues that existing village-level evaluation tools in Indonesia, such as the Village Development Index (IDM), are inadequate for measuring and rewarding environmental sustainability. To address this, the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) proposes the 'IDM+', which adds 10 ecological indicators covering land-use, natural resource management, and climate actions. Using Berau Regency in East Kalimantan as a case study, the report demonstrates how this index can underpin Ecological Fiscal Transfers (EFTs) to reward high-performing villages. It recommends a mixed fiscal approach—combining reformulated Village Fund Allocations (ADD) with targeted financial assistance—to incentivize green growth while supporting low-performing villages.

The report finds that climate finance for small-scale agriculture is disproportionately low, averaging USD 10 billion annually in 2017/2018, which represents only 1.7% of total tracked global climate finance. This funding is overwhelmingly public (95%) and primarily delivered via grants (50%). The analysis highlights a significant gap between these flows and the estimated annual financial needs of small-scale farmers, which are approximately USD 240 billion. The report identifies critical barriers, including limited land tenure, high transaction costs for dispersed customers, and a lack of private sector investment. It recommends enhancing public-private collaboration through blended finance, implementing weather-indexed insurance, and improving data collection on domestic and private financial flows to better target climate-smart agricultural investments.

The 2020 assessment of Goal 10 of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) finds that global progress in forest governance remains slow, with weak legal frameworks and limited enforcement continuing to drive deforestation. While some countries have implemented positive measures—such as Indonesia's permanent Forest and Peatland Moratorium and the regional Pacto de Leticia in the Amazon—these are offset by deregulation in countries like Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru. The report highlights a critical gap in land tenure, noting that only about half of the lands customarily held by Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) are legally recognized. Furthermore, violence against environmental defenders reached a record high in 2019, with 212 killings reported globally.

The document examines the role of climate finance in Mexico, highlighting the risks posed by the elimination of the Fondo para el Cambio Climático (FCC) and the heavy concentration of public funds in the energy sector via the Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE). It provides specific recommendations for the public sector to strengthen governance and technical capacity, and for the private sector to adopt green taxonomies and innovative financing mechanisms like impact investing and carbon bonds to meet Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

The document argues that Mexico's food systems can drive a just recovery by integrating sustainable practices in the primary sector, shortening distribution chains, and improving public nutrition. It highlights the vulnerability of the sector to the climate crisis and the exacerbation of food insecurity and malnutrition caused by the pandemic. Key recommendations include reorienting agricultural subsidies toward crop diversification, implementing sustainability certifications for exporters, supporting small and medium producers with organic fertilizers and digital commerce, and aligning public food procurement with nutritional health standards.

The document outlines a readiness project implemented by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) to support 13 accredited and applicant Direct Access Entities (DAEs) within the International Development Finance Club (IDFC). The project aims to remove barriers to GCF accreditation and funding by providing technical assistance for fiduciary, environmental, social, and gender policies, and by developing climate finance tools for risk and impact assessment. Key deliverables include an IDFC-GCF Toolkit, a joint DAE-IDFC Work Program, and the development of multi-country concept notes focusing on climate-resilient recovery post-COVID-19, specifically targeting MSMEs and vulnerable populations in sectors like renewable energy and sustainable land use.

The briefing describes a 'new abnormal' characterized by continuous climate escalation, citing extreme wildfires in Colorado and the US West, as well as hurricanes on the East and Gulf Coasts. It identifies five primary challenges: mass migration, health threats from air pollution and 'threat multipliers', financial instability due to asset loss and insurance costs, the need for resilient urban rebuilding, and the requirement to update the electric grid with localized resources and microgrids. The author calls for a 50 percent reduction in emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2050 to limit global heating to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The paper catalogues 49 articles (containing 56 studies) and 18 literature reviews to identify research clusters and gaps in demand-side climate policies. It finds a concentration of research in the Anglo-Saxon world, a focus on animal protein and its substitutes, and a surge in publications since 2016. The authors identify specific behavioral intervention clusters—such as priming, defaults, and social norms—that are ready for systematic review, while noting a relative lack of research on food waste compared to consumption.

The document argues that the transition to low-carbon energy systems does not inherently improve social fairness or inclusivity. It finds that renewable energy projects often fail to address structural inequalities and power asymmetries regarding resource distribution, meaning that without early intervention, existing socio-cultural and socio-economic inequalities are likely to be replicated in new energy regimes.

An open letter from Bellona Europa, Carbon Market Watch, and Fern arguing against the European Commission's proposal to combine emission reductions and carbon removals in the EU's 2030 climate target. The authors contend that such a 'net target' approach risks diluting mitigation efforts, lacks democratic legitimacy, and ignores the inherent uncertainties and reversibility of carbon removals, particularly from natural sinks.

The document argues that Sub-Saharan Africa's high dependence on traditional biomass, such as fuelwood and charcoal, leads to negative sustainability outcomes, including increased vulnerability to climate change and poverty. To transition toward modern bioenergy, the text proposes four strategies: strengthening linkages between Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and bioenergy across sectors, developing context-specific markets rather than importing external models, increasing land productivity through integrated landscape approaches, and better integrating climate change mitigation with adaptation strategies.

The report assesses the nascent green bonds market in Africa, noting that while it is gaining traction as a tool for climate mitigation and adaptation, it remains underdeveloped. The market is currently dominated by a few states and represents less than 1% of global issuance volumes. Key barriers to growth include institutional incapacity, a lack of national frameworks, and low awareness, although prospects for expansion are high as more states plan issuances or develop national guidelines.

The document introduces the LEAP-IBC tool, which quantifies the co-benefits of reducing greenhouse gases and short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) on public health and air quality. Applying this framework to Bangladesh's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and National Action Plan to reduce SLCPs, the study finds that full implementation by 2030 would significantly reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, black carbon, and PM2.5, leading to a decrease in ambient PM2.5 concentrations and the avoidance of approximately 112,000 premature deaths.