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Analysis of data from the Global Trade Alert database indicates that climate-related industrial policies in major trading economies often trigger 'echo' effects, where subsidy awards and import restrictions by one nation lead to similar responses from others within 6 to 24 months. The study finds that the EU-27 reacts almost every time to Chinese and US moves in net-zero sectors, while Chinese industrial policy support most frequently elicits import curb reactions from both the EU-27 and the USA. These patterns raise concerns regarding tit-for-tat trade conflicts and market access risks, suggesting a need for greater international alignment and transparency in supply-side interventions for the low-carbon transition.

The Republic of Slovenia has agreed to provide a supplemental grant contribution of EUR 1,500,000 to the Green Climate Fund Trust Fund, to be paid in two installments by December 31, 2024, and December 31, 2025.

A coalition of non-profits calls on the European Commission to maintain leadership of the Global Methane Pledge (GMP) amid uncertainty regarding U.S. commitment. The letter advocates for the EU to implement its Methane Regulation, transition away from industrial animal agriculture, include a methane target in its NDC, and mobilise public grants for developing countries, noting that 111 of the 159 GMP signatories are official development assistance recipients.

The EU and UK have withdrawn from the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), but a 'sunset clause' in Article 47(3) may extend fossil fuel investment protections for up to 20 years, potentially until 2043. The author contends that the ECT is part of a systemic global issue involving over 2,800 bilateral investment treaties (BITs) and 450 treaties with investment provisions (TIPs) that facilitate investor-State dispute settlement (ISDS) claims against climate policies. Current reform efforts by UNCITRAL, UNCTAD, the WTO, and the OECD are described as fragmented or focused on procedural rather than substantive changes. The document proposes the use of 'inter se' agreements to neutralize sunset clauses and the creation of a legally binding multilateral or plurilateral agreement to immediately remove investment benefits for fossil fuels and align financial flows with Article 2.1(c) of the Paris Agreement.

The document recommends that the European Commission set binding sectoral gross emission reduction targets for the agri-food sector, avoiding carbon offsets and technical fixes in favour of agroecological and organic farming. It calls for a strategy to transition away from intensive livestock rearing, including a reduction in farm animal numbers and a corresponding dietary shift. Finally, it proposes the establishment of an Agri-Food Just Transition Fund to de-risk business transformation and a reform of the Common Agricultural Policy to remunerate farmers for ecosystem services.

The document outlines a strategy for South Africa's 2025 G20 presidency to address the deepening financial crisis in Africa, where debt servicing often exceeds spending on health or education. It critiques the current global governance architecture, noting the IMF's diminished bargaining power and the complexity of modern bondholder-led debt. The author proposes three priorities: establishing general principles for holistic debt restructuring based on norms like 'optimality' and 'responsibility'; utilizing the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable (GSDR) to study the failures of the Common Framework and Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI); and addressing the debate between whether African debt is primarily a liquidity or solvency issue to restore access to finance.

The Commission on Nuclear Energy and American Leadership argues that reliable nuclear energy is essential for the US energy future, particularly to meet surging electricity demands from artificial intelligence and to reduce emissions. The report outlines a comprehensive 'game plan' for the next presidential administration, including a 'Day One' mandate to coordinate an all-of-government approach and a detailed set of actions for the first 100 days and first year. Key recommendations include increasing domestic uranium enrichment to end reliance on Russia, deploying advanced reactors for military and government sites, expanding nuclear exports to counter Chinese and Russian influence, and reforming multilateral development banks to support nuclear financing.

The report outlines a strategic framework for the EU's external partnerships, proposing four core principles—mutual benefit and just transition, inclusivity, robust financial commitment, and transparency—alongside five operational considerations: scope, partner selection, governance, support mechanisms, and monitoring and evaluation. These guidelines are intended to be applied to initiatives such as the Clean Trade and Investment Partnerships.

The document examines the potential for rechannelling Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) from wealthy IMF member states to Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), specifically the African Development Bank (AfDB), to address Africa's annual financing gap of over $400 billion. It details a proposal where SDRs would serve as hybrid capital, allowing the AfDB to leverage funds up to four times on capital markets. The brief identifies significant political and legal barriers, including the European Central Bank's (ECB) monetary financing prohibition and the lack of formal commitment from major holders like China, Japan, and the US. It recommends that South Africa's G20 presidency use diplomacy to seek ECB clarification, coordinate a Liquidity Support Agreement (LSA) with bilateral partners, and explore innovative fiscal tools such as SDR bonds or direct allocations to prescribed holders.

The research finds that 36% of subsidized rural credit in Brazil from 2020 to 2024 went to properties that deforested after 2009, with public banks and cooperatives providing 91% of this volume. It highlights a recurring pattern of deforestation both before and after credit is granted and argues for a complete dissociation of public financial incentives from any form of deforestation to meet Brazil's 2030 zero-deforestation target.

The Center for Climate and Security (CCS) has submitted comments on the Zero Order Draft of the First National Nature Assessment (NNA1), prepared by the US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP). CCS supports the draft's inclusion of anthropogenic ecosystems, biotic eruptions, and the link between global nature loss and U.S. security. However, CCS recommends that the NNA1 expand its analysis to include unprotected, privately owned nature as a source of hazard aversion and incorporate benefit-cost analyses comparing nature-based solutions with synthetic alternatives. Additionally, CCS urges the inclusion of maladaptation risks to human and national security, citing examples from São Tomé and Príncipe and Vanuatu where climate finance projects failed to account for social inequalities and power dynamics.

An open letter from over 30 environmental civil society organisations to the European Commission defending the role and funding of EU LIFE operating grants. The authors assert that civil society engagement is a legal requirement under the EU Treaties and the Aarhus Convention, essential for a balanced democratic dialogue against resource-rich corporate actors. They highlight that LIFE operating grants for environmental NGOs represent only EUR 15.5 million per year (0.006% of the EU budget) but provide critical support for climate action, nature conservation, and the energy transition. The letter emphasizes that these grants are awarded through competitive processes and subject to strict accountability and transparency standards.

The report provides a snapshot of the implementation of Brazil's Forest Code in 2024, focusing on the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and the Environmental Compliance Program (PRA). It highlights a steady increase in CAR registrations, reaching 7.65 million by November 2024, and notes that all states have now initiated the analysis stage, though this remains a significant bottleneck. While some states like São Paulo and Mato Grosso have made substantial progress through automation and legislative changes, only about 3.3% of all registrations nationwide have completed analysis. The report also details the expansion of the PRA, with 19 states and the Federal District having regulated it, and notes the increasing use of Terms of Commitment (ToC) for environmental recovery in states such as Mato Grosso and Pará.

African countries face a deepening financial crisis where debt servicing obligations constrain the policy space needed for climate and development goals. The document highlights that total public debt in Africa reached $1.8 trillion in 2022, with 23 countries spending more on debt service than on health or education. To address this, the author suggests that South Africa's G20 presidency should advocate for negotiations that integrate a debtor's financial obligations with its environmental and social commitments, noting that Africa requires $1.3 trillion annually for SDGs and $1.3–1.6 trillion annually until 2030 for climate change impacts.

The report identifies a massive boom in LNG infrastructure, with 156 new terminals planned by 2030, supported by hundreds of billions of dollars from global banks and investors. Despite IEA guidance that new export terminals are unnecessary for net zero, financing has increased, led primarily by US and Japanese banks and US-based investors, with almost no financial institutions effectively restricting services for LNG expansion.

Reclaim Finance identifies banks and investors funding the expansion of LNG terminals, noting that 400 banks provided $213 billion and 400 investors held $252 billion in exposure between 2021 and May 2024. The report highlights that US and Japanese banks, as well as major US asset managers like BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street, are primary drivers of this growth, which contradicts IEA Net Zero scenarios.

The document outlines a three-phase framework for states to maximize federal clean energy funding: Identification, Collaboration, and Implementation. It details a wide array of available federal grants, loans, and tax credits across generation, transmission, energy efficiency, and workforce development, emphasizing the role of the DOE, EPA, and USDA in supporting the transition to a clean power system.

Advanced geothermal energy, including enhanced, closed-loop, and deep geothermal technologies, offers a potential source of emissions-free, dispatchable power and heat. While it faces high upfront costs and a lack of commercial scale, recent innovations and investments—such as the Canadian government's $90 million investment in Eavor Technologies—are moving the sector toward market readiness. The Canadian Climate Institute classifies it as a 'wild card' due to uncertainties regarding performance, reliability, and replicability at scale.

Small modular reactors (SMRs) are emerging nuclear energy technologies producing 300 MW or less, offering a potential source of reliable, emission-free electricity for Canada's energy transition. While Canada possesses a strong nuclear industry and uranium reserves, SMRs are currently classified as a 'wild-card' technology due to high costs, regulatory hurdles, and a lack of commercial viability. Despite these challenges, several Canadian provinces and the federal government are investing in SMR development, with projects planned for Ontario, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick.

The document describes onshore wind energy as a mature, cost-effective technology essential for the decarbonization of Canada's electrical grid. It highlights Canada's position as a global leader in installed capacity and identifies regulatory hurdles and social acceptance as the primary barriers to faster deployment.