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The Canadian Climate Institute asserts that climate policy and economic growth are not mutually exclusive, arguing that Canada's long-term prosperity depends on a robust energy transition plan. The document highlights the global growth of clean energy technologies, noting that the US and China are leading in this sector. It advocates for investments in clean electricity networks, critical minerals, and a clean innovation strategy in the 2026 federal budget to prevent long-term GDP reduction caused by climate change.

The Canadian Climate Institute asserts that climate policy should not be viewed as a trade-off against economic growth, but as a necessity for it. The author argues that Canada must leverage its competitive advantages in critical minerals and clean electricity to capture a share of the global clean energy market, which reached nearly US$1.2 trillion in 2025. The document emphasizes that the costs of climate-related damage—including infrastructure repairs and health costs—are rising faster than the costs of solutions, and warns that climate change could reduce Canada's long-term annual economic growth rate by almost half. It calls for the 2026 federal budget to translate the proposed National Electricity Strategy into action and prioritize best-in-class clean technologies for all major infrastructure investments.

The report advocates for a 'New Security Agenda' that treats clean energy and ecosystem health as critical national security infrastructure. It argues that breaching planetary boundaries and relying on volatile fossil fuel markets create systemic risks to food security, public health, and economic stability. The authors call for binding legislative measures to phase out fossil fuels, the adoption of national restoration plans for biodiversity, and the alignment of public budgets to eliminate environmentally harmful subsidies.

The report argues that the period from 2026 to 2028 is a critical window to shape global digital governance before norms become entrenched. It focuses on the operationalisation of the Global Digital Compact (GDC) and the WSIS+20 outcome document, urging a shift toward 'digital justice' to address structural inequalities, 'compute deserts' in Africa and the Pacific, and the environmental costs of AI. The author outlines specific advocacy pathways within the UN General Assembly, OHCHR, ITU, and UNESCO, while highlighting the unique role of faith-based organisations as trusted intermediaries in restricted civic spaces. It also assesses regional dynamics across Africa, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, the Caribbean, and the MENA region, noting the tension between security-driven policies and human rights.

In Q1 2026, U.S. clean energy investments were heavily influenced by executive branch implementation and policy certainty. While electric power investments increased—driven by a massive nuclear project in Texas—manufacturing investments declined for the sixth consecutive quarter. Federal support strongly favored critical minerals and battery storage, while sectors like hydrogen, solar, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) faced mixed outcomes due to fragile policy support and tightened tax credit eligibility windows.

Small island nations face unique hurdles in managing end-of-life (EOL) electric vehicle batteries, including a lack of specialized workforces, space constraints, and the inability to achieve economies of scale. The report highlights that while large markets benefit from established recycling networks, islands must navigate complex international regulations, such as the Basel Convention and IMO's IMDG Code, to export waste. It suggests a phased approach—utilizing off-island export in the short term and investing in local shredding infrastructure as volumes grow—citing Bermuda's proactive national strategy as a viable model for other remote regions.

The briefing advocates for a "soft energy path" based on efficiency and design rather than increasing energy supply. It argues that current anxieties over AI electricity demand and critical mineral shortages can be addressed through demand flexibility, efficiency, and system optimization rather than building more power plants and mines.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute describes the role of lithium in the energy transition, its global supply chain, extraction methods, and the environmental and social impacts associated with its production.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute describes the role of cobalt as a critical mineral for the clean energy transition, detailing its applications in lithium-ion batteries, global distribution of reserves and production, and the significant human rights and environmental impacts associated with its extraction, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The document examines the intersection of trade, climate change, and industrial policy in Africa, warning that the emerging green economy risks confining the continent to a role as a raw material supplier. It highlights a 'credibility gap' where advanced economies use industrial subsidies and carbon regulations while developing nations are historically discouraged from doing so. The author advocates for a development-centered reform of the multilateral trading system, the utilization of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) for regional value chains, and the application of the principle of 'common but differentiated responsibilities' to ensure climate governance supports African industrial sovereignty and economic diversification.

The report outlines a framework for federal agencies to optimize the delivery of energy incentives through three core principles: strategic planning, resource management, and communications. It suggests that agencies narrow their priorities, delegate decision-making, and involve industry early in program design to accelerate the commercialization of energy technologies. Specific recommendations include streamlining the application process for grants and loans, tailoring community benefit models to local needs, and providing transparent, phased guidance for tax credits to increase investor certainty.

The report argues that renewable energy infrastructure for mining can serve as 'horizontal linkage' to provide energy access and economic benefits to surrounding communities. It recommends that governments integrate these investments into local content policies and plan for long-term resilience through skills development, inclusive training, and mine closure planning to ensure benefits persist beyond the life of the mine.

The report argues that a just energy transition in Africa requires the concurrent development of non-fossil fuel revenue sources and employment to avoid destabilising public finances. Focusing on Angola, Senegal, and Tanzania, it identifies alternative sectors such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, mining of critical minerals, and tourism. It recommends the adoption of Just Transition Investment Plans (JTIPs), the implementation of 'sunset policies' to end new fossil fuel licensing, and the use of fossil revenues as a temporary financing mechanism for green industrialisation. The report specifically advocates for strict conditions on any remaining gas use, including a ban on export-oriented LNG and a requirement to ringfence 50% of revenues for renewable energy.

The report argues that reliance on fossil fuels creates unstable government revenues, locks countries into outdated infrastructure, and exposes them to stranded asset risks as global energy systems shift. It categorizes African economies into export-dominant, import-dependent, and dual-role types, noting that no single transition pathway fits all. To mitigate these risks, the document advocates for diversification into manufacturing, agro-processing, digital services, and the domestic processing of transition minerals. It outlines a phased transition timeline from 2026 to beyond 2045, emphasizing that domestic governance reforms must be supported by international cooperation to reduce the 'African premium' on borrowing costs and improve technology access.

The report outlines a framework for the mining sector to mitigate its impact on forests, emphasizing a 'nature-positive' approach. It details cross-cutting principles for all companies and specific mandates for upstream operators (e.g., protecting restricted areas and ensuring FPIC), midstream processors (e.g., implementing traceability), and downstream manufacturers (e.g., mandating mine-of-origin disclosure and designing for circularity). The goal is to align the mineral value chain with the 2030 Global Forest Vision to protect high-integrity ecosystems and Indigenous rights.

Global Witness reports that conflict coltan from the DRC's Rubaya mines is being smuggled into Rwanda and laundered into global supply chains through failed due diligence systems like ITSCI and Better Mining. The investigation identifies seven Rwandan companies responsible for 85% of exports, five of which are directly linked to conflict coltan. This material is processed by smelters in China, Kazakhstan, and Thailand, eventually reaching global brands such as Apple, Microsoft, and Toyota via tantalum capacitors.

The document details the global lithium landscape, highlighting the dominance of Australia, Chile, and China in mining and refining. It analyzes the shift in demand toward battery manufacturing, which now accounts for 87% of total lithium use, and examines the technical pathways for extraction, including brine-based, hard-rock, and emerging clay-based methods. The report also addresses geopolitical risks, such as export bans in Zimbabwe, and environmental concerns, specifically water scarcity in producing regions and the GHG emissions intensity of different processing routes.

Chile's mining sector, dominated by copper and lithium, contributes up to 14% of the national GDP and 58% of total exports. While the country is a global leader in copper production via the state-owned Codelco, it faces significant environmental challenges, particularly extreme water scarcity in the Antofagasta region where mining accounts for 50%–65% of regional water withdrawals. The sector is increasingly relying on desalination to meet demand. Socially, women's participation in the mining workforce remains low at 10%. Economically, Chile is pursuing a National Lithium Strategy to increase domestic value addition and public partnerships, while maintaining strong export ties, particularly with China.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo's economy is heavily reliant on mining, particularly copper and cobalt, which generate over 90% of mining revenues. While the country possesses vast hydropower potential, electricity access remains limited to 19% of the population. The sector is characterized by a mix of large-scale mining and significant artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), the latter of which is linked to conflict minerals (3TG) in the east. Infrastructure development is currently focused on strategic corridors like the Lobito Corridor and the TAZARA rehabilitation to improve export logistics.

This roadmap, developed by civil society organizations, provides a strategic framework for Latin America and the Caribbean to transition away from fossil fuels while ensuring climate justice and economic diversification. It categorizes countries by their fossil fuel production profiles—booming, mature, or importers—and sets specific milestones for the supply, demand, and electricity sectors. The document emphasizes the need to move beyond a primary-export economic model, proposing the development of regional value chains, labor reconversion, and a legal shift toward recognizing the nature as a subject of rights. It also calls for a reform of international climate finance to avoid further indebtedness and the implementation of binding participatory governance based on human and environmental rights.