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The guide is designed for investors, particularly those new to deforestation risk, to help them identify drivers of risk based on industries, geographies, and sourcing patterns. It outlines expectations for corporate commitments, provides example engagement questions, and suggests concrete steps for investors to address deforestation risk.

The document discusses the California Air Resources Board's (CARB) Advanced Clean Trucks regulation, which mandates that 50% of trucks in the state be zero-emission by 2035 and 100% by 2045. It suggests prioritizing battery electric vehicles (BEV) for short-haul and regional routes, while utilizing hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (HFCEV) for long-haul trucking due to range and fueling speed requirements. The author emphasizes that the transition requires massive infrastructure investment, specifically DC fast charging up to 1 MW, which can cost $100,000 per vehicle. The text advocates for collaboration between government, utilities, and industry, highlighting California's 'make ready' infrastructure support as a model for other states.

The report identifies five major barriers to climate-aligned finance: structural challenges to influencing the real economy, competitive disadvantage, varying alignment methodologies, multiple decarbonization pathways, and inadequate data. It argues that while divestment alone is insufficient, financial institutions can use levers such as sustainability-linked loans, transition finance, and collective action initiatives (e.g., Climate Action 100+, Poseidon Principles) to drive decarbonization. The document emphasizes the need for harmonized assessment methodologies, industry-informed decarbonization pathways, and standardized reporting to move the financial sector from a reactive to a proactive role in the low-carbon transition.

Carbon Market Watch calls for the European Commission to revise non-financial reporting directives for companies with over 500 employees. The organization advocates for mandatory disclosures on climate risks, decarbonization pathways, state aid, 'Just transition' efforts, and lobbying expenditures. Additionally, it seeks greater transparency on the use of the EU emission trading scheme (EU ETS), including internal CO2 pricing and the use of carbon offsetting, to ensure investments align with the European Green Deal.

The document examines the need for strategic alignment between Nepal's national policy frameworks—specifically those concerning sustainable development, climate change, and disaster risk reduction—following the country's 2015 constitutional change. It highlights the ongoing review of the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and the relaunch of the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process as key opportunities to improve the coherence and efficiency of climate action.

India faces significant climate vulnerability, with nearly 3% of its GDP at risk annually. To meet its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) goals, India requires $2.5 trillion in investments between 2016 and 2030, yet it is currently mobilizing less than 25% of this requirement. A primary barrier to scaling these investments is the lack of an agreed-upon definition of 'green finance,' leading to confusion and inconsistent reporting across the financial sector. The document proposes a combination of international practices, a principles-based approach (aligning with national goals and net carbon reduction), and a sectoral taxonomy to create a formal definition. Such a framework would enable better tracking of capital flows, mitigate greenwashing, and allow financial institutions to better assess climate-related physical and transition risks. The authors recommend forming a stakeholder task force to develop a comprehensive green finance roadmap that includes a common taxonomy, mandatory climate risk disclosures, and regulatory incentives to divert capital from carbon-intensive sectors.

The report details how COVID-19 caused operational disruptions, reduced premium income, and accelerated digitalization within the insurance sector in Eastern and Southern Africa. While life and health products provided some coverage, business interruption insurance largely failed to support business resilience. Insurers face prudential stability concerns and liquidity challenges, though 50% expect premium income to recover within a year.

Reclaim Finance supports the Financial Stability Institute's call for restrictions on bank dividends and bonuses and increased transparency during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, it argues that these measures are insufficient unless they also include lower credit rates for small businesses and households, and a systemic integration of climate-related risks. The author proposes adjusting countercyclical buffers and capital requirements to reflect exposure to carbon-intensive assets and fossil fuels, alongside 'green' recovery plans that exclude fossil fuels.

The document highlights the shared origins of the Covid-19 pandemic and climate risks, both stemming from the degradation of the natural environment. It argues that traditional financial risk models cannot capture future climate risks and that delaying climate action while addressing the pandemic would be a 'double erreur'. The text advocates for green recovery plans, the integration of ESG criteria into central bank portfolios, and the exclusion of fossil fuels—specifically coal and unconventional oil and gas—from monetary and prudential crisis responses.

The document frames the COVID-19 pandemic as a harbinger of future climate-driven crises, noting that both involve unpredictable, compounding risks and systemic failures in political and economic management. It argues that traditional financial risk models are inadequate for the 'new normal' of climate change and calls for collective action from the financial sector to drive decarbonization. The author suggests that mitigation and resilience can be mutually reinforcing, citing examples such as solar-powered microgrids and green recovery programs, while emphasizing the need to limit global temperature rise to below 1.5°C.

The April 2020 survey indicates that public engagement with climate change in the U.S. remains at historic highs, with 73% of Americans believing global warming is happening and 62% attributing it to human causes. Despite high levels of personal concern and a sense of responsibility, social norms for action remain weak, and most Americans rarely discuss the issue with family and friends. The report also highlights a significant gap in understanding the strength of the scientific consensus, with only 21% recognizing that over 90% of climate scientists agree on human-caused warming.

The document criticizes the European Central Bank (ECB) for implementing coronavirus relief measures that primarily benefit large, polluting companies and banks rather than small businesses and households. It highlights that quantitative easing and loan facilities lack criteria to target the most vulnerable and fail to account for carbon impacts or climate risks in collateral. Additionally, the author argues that the relaxation of prudential rules and the postponement of European stress tests weaken financial risk prevention and increase the systemic risk posed by carbon assets.

The World Resources Institute criticizes Japan's decision to maintain its 2030 emissions reduction target of 26% from 2013 levels, stating the plan is 'no stronger than the one it submitted five years ago'. The author contends that Japan could strengthen its target to 42% using affordable low-carbon technologies and warns of financial risks from stranded fossil fuel assets. The document recommends that Japan increase its renewable energy target to 50% of the electricity mix by 2030, phase out domestic coal and overseas coal finance, and end fossil fuel subsidies.

Reclaim Finance argues that the ECB's emergency measures to combat the coronavirus crisis—specifically quantitative easing, targeted loans, and the easing of prudential rules—primarily benefit large, polluting companies and banks. The organization contends that these measures lack mechanisms to support small businesses and households and fail to account for carbon risks in collateral or capital requirements, thereby increasing the risk of a systemic financial crisis linked to climate change.

The document argues that while India's current internal security challenges—such as terrorism in Kashmir and Maoist insurgencies—are primarily driven by non-climate factors, future climate change will likely act as a risk multiplier. By 2050, increased temperature volatility, erratic monsoon patterns, and sea-level rise are projected to heighten human vulnerability. The authors identify three primary security pathways: rural unrest driven by agricultural distress and crop failure; tensions within India's federal structure caused by inter-state migration and river water disputes; and urban violence magnified by heat-induced aggression and food price hikes. The report emphasizes that at a 1.5°C global temperature rise, large portions of India enter a high-risk zone, potentially translating environmental stress into state security threats.

Sustainable investing is transitioning from a niche approach to a mainstream financial practice, with global assets under sustainable mandates projected to reach USD 160 trillion by 2036. While adoption is increasing in developed countries, the sector faces challenges regarding capacity at financial institutions and the integration of sustainability into passively managed portfolios. Key future drivers include the centrality of climate risk, the guidance provided by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the development of innovative financial instruments.

The document reviews the state of adaptation finance as of early 2020, highlighting the Adaptation Committee's projections of rising costs and the Adaptation Fund's operational milestones. It addresses the difficulty of tracking adaptation flows, noting that while finance increased by 35% in 2017-2018, it represents only 5% of tracked climate finance. The brief also contrasts the massive business opportunities in adaptation solutions with the urgent needs of vulnerable populations, arguing that adaptation requires a rethinking of production and equity.

The report frames the climate as a critical infrastructure asset, asserting that the economic costs of inaction—comprising direct physical losses, indirect growth reductions, and market uncertainty—are significantly higher than the costs of preventive climate action. It provides specific financial projections for the United States, noting that value-at-risk for all assets could reach $5.2 trillion under a 4.5°C warming scenario and $17 trillion under a 6.0°C scenario. Conversely, it highlights that targeted investments, such as building retrofits and grid upgrades, offer positive financial returns, and a $50/ton carbon tax could generate $180 billion in annual revenue from 2020-2029 while helping avoid trillions in climate-related costs.

The We Mean Business coalition calls for an 'ambition loop' where government policy and private sector leadership reinforce each other to tackle climate change. It highlights that over 1,140 companies, representing US$20.1 trillion in market cap, have joined coalition initiatives, while 17 countries have already established net-zero 2050 targets. The text emphasizes the need for governments to set policies aligned with a 1.5°C trajectory to provide businesses the confidence to invest in the transition.

The document highlights Mushroom Guru (Pty) Ltd as a practical example of urban agriculture in Cape Town, using indoor vertical farming and aeroponics to cultivate medicinal and gourmet mushrooms. It argues that green technology enables intensive, resource-efficient production that reduces water use and utilizes agricultural waste, contributing to a circular economy. The study also emphasizes the role of training and cooperative platforms, like Fungkifriend, in securing market access for small-scale growers and creating economic opportunities within the urban food value chain.