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The report details how Koch, Inc. and its executives had access to scientific warnings about global warming as early as 1972 but spent decades financing a network of nonprofits and think tanks to obstruct climate action. This was achieved by contesting climate science, running public relations campaigns to shift cultural understanding, and lobbying political elites. The document tracks this effort from early API and National Petroleum Council reports through the funding of the Competitive Enterprise Institute's 'global warming project' and the activities of Americans for Prosperity, culminating in significant policy victories during the Trump administration and continued opposition to Biden-era climate legislation.

The report highlights that G20 fossil fuel reserves contain over a trillion tons of CO2 equivalent, which would exceed the 2ºC carbon budget if fully extracted. It notes that emissions from G20 fossil fuel extraction nearly doubled between the 1992 Rio Summit and 2020. Despite this, the document argues that G20 economies have become less dependent on fossil fuel rents over the last three decades, making them better equipped to transition. It specifically identifies the USA, Canada, Australia, the UK, Germany, and Italy as being best placed to transition first and fastest.

The report argues that a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty can catalyze the financing necessary for a global just transition by establishing new funding regimes, creating state obligations, and supporting parallel financial reforms. It categorizes potential solutions into three clusters: debt management, new forms of finance and investment, and the replacement of fossil fuel revenues. The authors emphasize that wealthy nations must assume historical responsibility by ending extraction first and providing financial support to low and middle-income countries (LMICs) to diversify their economies.

FSD Africa is working to deepen African capital markets to reduce reliance on banks and external debt, leveraging an estimated $2 trillion in domestic assets. The organization employs a four-pronged strategy: policy and regulatory development, market infrastructure creation, product development (specifically GSSS bonds), and stakeholder convening. Key achievements include mobilising over $1.2 billion through 21 thematic bond transactions and establishing critical infrastructure like the Ethiopian Securities Exchange. Future priorities include carbon markets, sovereign debt management, and financing the energy transition.

The GCF Water Project Design Guidelines Part 3 outlines a framework for creating climate-resilient sanitation (CRS) projects. It defines CRS as systems that can survive and function despite climate shocks while minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. The guide provides a detailed methodology for conducting climate risk assessments (analyzing hazards, exposure, and vulnerability) and identifies specific technical and management interventions for the sanitation service chain, including containment, conveyance, and treatment. It emphasizes a 'paradigm shift' toward circular economy principles—such as nutrient recovery and wastewater reuse—and provides a step-by-step process for aligning proposals with GCF investment criteria, including impact potential and country ownership.

The project successfully enhanced the climate resilience of vulnerable coastal communities in Viet Nam by exceeding targets for storm-resilient housing and mangrove restoration. It constructed 4,966 houses (target: 4,000) and restored 4,028 hectares of mangroves, sequestering approximately 1.12 million tons of CO2 equivalent. The project also established early warning systems in 24 high-risk communes and developed a risk data repository for 28 coastal provinces. While highly effective and aligned with national strategies, the evaluation noted limitations in women's participation in technical leadership roles and a need for more robust long-term environmental impact monitoring.

The Gender Action Plan for the Green Climate Finance Facility in Senegal aims to increase the participation of women and youth in climate-smart agriculture (CSA). It establishes targets for lending ratios, develops gender-inclusive credit products, and provides technical assistance to overcome barriers to finance. The plan includes a budget of €560,000 to implement gender mainstreaming, capacity building, and the monitoring of gender-disaggregated data to enhance resilience and reduce GHG emissions.

The report finds that in the Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA) region, fossil fuel capacity under construction is more than three times that of wind and utility-scale solar. While non-fossil projects (including hydropower and nuclear) have a larger total pipeline, they suffer from long lead times and lower construction rates. Most CCA countries are failing to meet their renewable energy targets, with a 13 GW deficit in development across six countries. COP29 host Azerbaijan is highlighted for having a limited pipeline of renewables beyond 2027, calling into question its climate leadership.

The document examines the 2024 Climate Change Act in South Africa, highlighting the critical role of local governments as front-end responders to climate impacts. It identifies significant barriers to implementation, including poor financial management, administrative capacity constraints, and a disconnect between political governance and the economy. To address these, the author recommends professionalising the public service through the Public Service Commission and strengthening the use of the Local Government Climate Change Support Programme to ensure municipalities can meet their legal mandate of submitting climate response assessments every five years.

The report provides qualitative insights from farmers, company executives, and other stakeholders in Ghana's cocoa sector. It highlights the financial pressures on licensed buying companies (LBCs), the impact of climate change on cocoa yields, the role of sustainability certifications like Rainforest Alliance, and the implementation of digital tools for traceability and theft prevention. It also addresses social issues, including the eradication of child labour and the need for targeted policies to increase female employment in the industry.

Namibia is developing a sectoral MEL system for agriculture as a pilot for its broader National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process. The approach involved establishing indicator baselines in 2023, revising indicators for adaptation specificity in 2024, and conducting capacity building for national and regional stakeholders. The system relies on a data flow from regional extension officers to national ministries, with the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) providing oversight and the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MAWLR) handling implementation and reporting. Key challenges identified include skills gaps, budgetary constraints, and data fragmentation, while the document emphasizes the necessity of mainstreaming gender-specific indicators to address systemic inequalities.

This analysis of 108 GCF readiness proposals reveals that funding is primarily directed toward governance and institutional coordination (37.1%) and evidence-based planning (32%), with significantly less investment in private sector engagement (2.6%). While most countries use these grants to draft or update National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and develop investment pipelines, the report highlights a need for more national delivery partners and a stronger focus on domestic financing and concrete implementation steps, such as climate adaptation investment plans.

The report finds that the 20 largest European banks provided US$200.3 billion to companies expanding upstream and midstream oil and gas between 2021 and 2023, with Barclays and HSBC as the largest supporters. Despite net zero pledges, most banks lack robust policies to end corporate financing for fossil fuel expansion, and financing to diversified oil and gas companies remains overwhelmingly directed toward fossil fuel activities rather than sustainable transitions.

Japan is the only G7 country without a clear coal phaseout deadline, with coal accounting for nearly one-third of its electricity generation as of 2023. The Japanese government is promoting 'next-generation' technologies, specifically carbon capture and storage (CCS) and ammonia co-firing, which the report characterizes as 'false solutions' due to their high cost and limited effectiveness. These policies are supported by market mechanisms like the Capacity Market and the Long-Term Decarbonization Power Source Auction, which incentivize the continued operation of coal plants. Furthermore, Japan's three megabanks—Mizuho, MUFG, and SMBC—provided US$23.5 billion in coal financing between 2021 and 2023, often utilizing loopholes that exclude only new clients. The report also highlights the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) initiative, noting that 35% of its 158 agreements involve fossil fuels, potentially locking Southeast Asian nations into outdated energy systems.

The Nigeria Energy Transition & Investment Plan Update (ETIP 2.0) outlines a pathway to net-zero emissions by 2060, requiring a total installed power capacity of 277 GW and an additional capital investment of approximately $500 billion USD above business-as-usual levels. The plan emphasizes a massive shift toward solar PV, which is projected to reach 209 GW by 2050, and the phasing out of diesel decentralized generators by 2030. In the transport sector, the plan envisions a transition where electric vehicles make up at least 80% of the fleet by 2050, while the cooking sector aims for universal access by 2030, eventually transitioning to e-cooking. Despite the high upfront costs, the transition is projected to result in fuel savings of $686 billion USD. Key barriers identified include high initial costs for EVs and e-cooking, unreliable grid supply, and a skills gap in green technologies.

South Africa is transitioning from a coal-dependent economy to a low-carbon one, utilizing frameworks like the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). However, the implementation phase reveals a significant disconnect between national/international actors—who prioritize emission reductions and energy security—and local communities, who prioritize employment, basic services, and poverty alleviation. Key barriers include insufficient subnational institutional capacity, rigid financial mechanisms unsuitable for high-risk systemic change, and a lack of transparency in selecting project beneficiaries. The document specifically highlights green hydrogen as a potential new value chain, though its viability is currently hindered by high costs and the perception of just transition elements as additional financial burdens rather than core objectives.

South Africa is transitioning from just transition planning to implementation, facing a misalignment between national ambitions and local priorities. Key obstacles include limited subnational institutional capacity, inadequate financing mechanisms for transformative projects, and a lack of transparent decision-making in resource allocation. The document emphasizes that failing to address these gaps and local developmental needs may undermine public support for the energy transition.

The SEI strategy 2025–29 focuses on accelerating the implementation of climate and environmental goals through three primary impact areas: climate transitions, nature and resources, and health and wellbeing. The institute aims to move beyond goal-setting to action by boosting research on implementation, exploring emerging topics like critical raw materials and AI, and strengthening research-to-policy networks. Operationally, SEI seeks to enhance its 'One SEI' approach to integrate its distributed regional centres and diversify its funding to ensure financial resilience.

The document examines South Africa's transition from coal, noting that while the country is a global leader in planning, it faces significant implementation hurdles. Key issues include a misalignment between the low ambitions of national government and foreign funders versus the high expectations of local communities and unions. The brief identifies limited local institutional capacity and inadequate conventional financing as major barriers. It specifically discusses green hydrogen projects, where social goals are often treated as secondary to cost and technical feasibility. The authors argue that transparent decision-making and addressing local priorities—such as basic services and food security—are essential to maintain public legitimacy and ensure the transition's success.

The report finds a significant disconnect between sanitation and climate policy, with only 2% of activities in analyzed NDCs addressing sanitation. While some countries like Jordan, Bolivia, and Uganda show detailed integration, many national sanitation policies are outdated and ignore climate risks. The authors argue that integrating these frameworks can unlock climate finance, reduce greenhouse gas emissions (which currently account for approximately 1.3% of global totals), and enhance community and ecosystem resilience.