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The document criticizes the current Eurosystem Collateral Framework (ESCF) for its 'carbon bias,' which allows assets from high-carbon companies to be disproportionately eligible and benefit from lower haircuts. It argues that the ECB's risk-focused approach is insufficient for addressing long-term climate risks and advocates for a precautionary approach. Specifically, it calls for the exclusion of assets from fossil fuel developers and the use of climate metrics and activity-based assessments to determine haircuts, asserting that these measures would not impair the ECB's ability to provide credit to banks.

ClientEarth brought a derivative action against Shell's Board of Directors in the High Court of England and Wales, arguing that the company's Energy Transition Strategy was inadequate and breached sections 172 and 174 of the Companies Act 2006. The claim alleged failures in setting Scope 3 targets, over-reliance on carbon capture and nature-based solutions, and non-compliance with a Dutch court order. Despite support from institutional investors managing over half a trillion USD in assets, the High Court refused permission to continue the claim, citing a lack of formal expert evidence and the wide discretion afforded to directors in management decisions. The Court of Appeal subsequently refused permission to appeal this decision.

The manual establishes a framework for mainstreaming Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) within Ethiopia's national development and climate change projects. It provides facilitators with a structured eight-session module covering basic GESI concepts, analysis tools, and gender-responsive budgeting. A significant portion of the document focuses on the intersection of climate change and GESI, arguing that climate impacts are distributed unequally and can amplify existing social disparities. The manual advocates for a transition from 'GESI blind' or 'sensitive' approaches toward 'GESI transformative' initiatives that challenge structural power dynamics and norms. It includes practical tools for gender analysis at the household and community levels, such as activity profiles and decision-making matrices, and offers strategies for achieving gender parity within government institutions.

The Fall 2024 report on 'Climate Change in the American Mind' reveals that 73% of Americans believe global warming is happening, with 60% attributing it primarily to human activity. While 64% express worry about global warming and 49% claim to have personally experienced its effects, social engagement remains low, with 62% rarely or never discussing the issue with family and friends. The report also highlights significant concerns regarding local environmental risks, particularly extreme heat, air pollution, and power outages.

The study explores a mechanism to transfer non-sovereign MDB loans to African institutional investors, particularly pension funds, in East and West Africa. It identifies a potential pool of eligible assets from the IFC and AfDB and estimates that up to US$8.69 billion in pension assets could be allocated to such a vehicle if locally domiciled. The report proposes a phased implementation starting with a pilot, managed by a dedicated Fund Manager, using an umbrella fund structure with local currency sub-funds to mitigate foreign exchange risks.

The Eurosystem Collateral Framework (ESCF) currently exhibits a 'carbon bias' by granting eligibility and low haircuts to assets from high-carbon companies, including fossil fuel developers, which creates favorable financing conditions for these entities. While the European Central Bank (ECB) announced in July 2022 that it would integrate climate considerations, the document notes that the ECB returned haircut valuations to pre-pandemic levels in December 2022 without climate adjustments. The brief argues that a risk-focused approach is insufficient due to 'radical uncertainty' and unknown climate tipping points. It recommends that the ECB adopt a 'precautionary' approach—such as the 'Paris decarbonization benchmark'—to link haircuts directly to greenhouse gas emissions and exclude assets from companies developing new fossil fuel projects.

The report examines the high climate vulnerability of the Caatinga biome in Brazil, highlighting that family farmers—who manage 79% of rural properties in the region—suffer the most significant productivity losses during drought events. Using an aridity index, the study demonstrates that the Caatinga faces more frequent and intense droughts than other Brazilian biomes, leading to relative productivity drops of 16% for beans and 35% for corn. Beyond agriculture, the report establishes a correlation between increased aridity and severe socioeconomic declines, including a 13% increase in poverty, a 10% increase in child mortality, and a 19% increase in school delay rates for a one-unit increase in the aridity index. The authors argue that a rural just transition in the region requires integrating social development policies with low-carbon agricultural technologies to increase the resilience of the most exposed producers.

The document advocates for the integration of environmental, economic, and social impact governance within corporate supply chains to manage the risks associated with the transition to net-zero economies. It defines a just transition as promoting sustainable economies in a fair and inclusive manner that ensures decent work and leaves no one behind. To achieve this, the authors provide five recommendations for businesses: increasing awareness of social and climate risks, enhancing supply chain transparency, integrating just transition principles into risk management, leveraging public sector market demand, and supporting SMEs through capacity building and finance.

The report identifies the Caatinga biome in Northeast Brazil as highly vulnerable to climate change, with family farmers facing the greatest risks. Using an aridity index, the study demonstrates that increased drought leads to significant relative productivity losses in beans, corn, and cattle compared to other Brazilian biomes. These climate shocks are correlated with severe socioeconomic declines, including increased poverty, child mortality, school delay, and unemployment. The authors argue that a 'rural just transition' in the region must integrate social development policies with the adoption of low-carbon agricultural technologies to increase the resilience of the most exposed producers.

The guide argues that banks should move beyond siloed engagement to a coordinated 'multi-level' approach involving clients, sectors, and policy makers. It highlights the need for internal coordination led by sustainability teams, refined escalation processes for non-compliant clients, and scaled sector-level engagement through platforms like the Poseidon Principles.

The report analyzes the high climate vulnerability of the Caatinga biome, highlighting that family farmers—who manage 79% of rural properties in the region—are the most exposed to drought. Using an aridity index, the study demonstrates that increased aridity leads to significant relative losses in the productivity of beans, maize, and livestock compared to other Brazilian biomes. Beyond immediate agricultural losses, the report establishes correlations between increased aridity and worsening socio-economic outcomes, including higher poverty rates, increased infant mortality, higher school delay rates in primary education, and increased unemployment. It argues that a 'just rural transition' in the region requires integrating social policies with low-carbon agricultural technologies to build resilience among the most vulnerable producers.

The document argues that MDBs must shift from a project-by-project approach to a systemic, program-based model to address the climate crisis in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs). It recommends scaling country sector platforms, deploying risk-sharing instruments like guarantees and local currency financing, and overhauling MDB business models through standardization and an 'originate-to-distribute' balance sheet strategy. The authors emphasize the need for better integration of domestic financial institutions and increased transparency in data sharing to mobilize private capital at scale.

The report finds that 30 major asset managers invested at least $3.5 billion in newly issued bonds from fossil fuel developers, with Vanguard and BlackRock as the top investors. It argues that existing engagement activities are insufficient, noting that only 20% of coal and oil and gas companies engaged by the CA100+ initiative have set net-zero ambitions by 2050. The analysis reveals a lack of robust sector policies, with only one manager (Ostrum) having measures to induce oil and gas companies to stop expansion plans. The report concludes that asset managers often prioritize short-term gains over the long-term interests of asset owners and recommends immediate cessation of support for coal and oil and gas expansion.

ClientEarth has issued a letter to the Global Public Policy Committee (GPPC) detailing the GPPC's stance on climate-related financial reporting. ClientEarth argues that most companies on the Climate Action 100+ (CA100+) focus list and their auditors fail to fully consider or explain climate-related matters in financial statements. While the GPPC maintains that its member networks (including the 'Big Four') comply with existing standards and that reporting has improved since 2020, ClientEarth disputes these claims and calls for greater transparency and reform of accounting and audit standards to better reflect material climate risks.

The World Resources Institute analyzes CEJST 1.0, finding that while it identifies more disadvantaged populations than the beta version, it lacks a mechanism to prioritize communities facing multiple overlapping burdens. The analysis reveals that non-white populations are disproportionately exposed to higher cumulative burdens, yet the tool treats all disadvantaged communities as equal for funding purposes. The authors recommend incorporating cumulative burden metrics, adjusting low-income eligibility for severely burdened areas, and establishing a rigorous monitoring framework for the Justice40 Initiative.

The report analyzes the Brazilian sustainable securitization market, highlighting the dominance of green labels and the potential for asset-backed securities (ABS) to fund small-scale sustainable projects in agriculture and energy.

The toolkit compiles various resources for the financial sector to address deforestation and climate change. It highlights reporting frameworks like the TCFD and TNFD, data tools such as TRASE and Forest 500, and investor-led initiatives like Climate Action 100+ and the Financial Sector Deforestation Action (FSDA) to help institutions achieve deforestation-free portfolios and align with sustainability goals.

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) 2022 Annual Results Report details the organization's progress across three impact areas: reducing climate risk, promoting sustainable resource use and resilient ecosystems, and improving health and well-being. Key achievements include contributing to the COP27 decision to establish a loss and damage fund, developing the Global Environmental Impacts of Consumption (GEIC) indicator adopted at COP15, and implementing water management master plans in Bolivia. The report highlights the use of digital tools like LEAP, WEAP, and Trase to inform policy in various regions, including Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Organizationally, SEI reports an increase in scientific publications, a diversification of funding sources, and the implementation of a global monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) procedure.

The document argues that current debt management frameworks used by the IMF and World Bank are insufficient and often counterproductive, contributing to a 'New Debt Crisis' in Africa. It highlights that Africa's total debt reached US$1.13 trillion by 2024, with a shift toward costlier non-concessional loans from private creditors and China. The analysis finds that tools like the Debt Sustainability Framework (DSF) rely on faulty premises, ignoring national assets and human rights obligations while promoting austerity. The brief concludes with recommendations for a UN-led debt workout mechanism, improved transparency, and the establishment of an African Financial Stability Mechanism.

The report details a survey of 1,011 US adults, finding that 74% believe global warming is happening and 61% attribute it primarily to human activity. While 66% express worry and 62% feel a personal responsibility to help, social engagement remains low, with 66% rarely or never discussing the issue with family and friends. A majority of respondents perceive global warming as already affecting US weather and various environmental problems, such as extreme heat and rising sea levels, though only 20% recognize the high level of scientific consensus (over 90%) on human-caused warming.