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The document outlines the eligibility criteria for federal electric vehicle (EV) tax credits. For new EVs, the full $7,500 credit requires the vehicle to be assembled in North America, meet MSRP caps ($55,000 for sedans; $80,000 for SUVs, vans, or pickups), and satisfy buyer income limits ($150,000 individual; $225,000 head of household; $300,000 joint). New EV eligibility also depends on escalating annual requirements for North American battery component production (50% in 2023, rising to 100% by 2029+) and critical mineral sourcing (40% in 2023, rising to 80% by 2027+). Vehicles with components or minerals from a 'foreign entity of concern' become ineligible starting in 2024 and 2025, respectively. For used EVs, a credit of 30% up to $4,000 is available if the sale price is at or below $25,000 and the buyer's adjusted gross income is at or below $75,000 (individual), $112,000 (head of household), or $150,000 (joint).

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provides tax credits for passenger and commercial electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, and domestic supply chain manufacturing to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. While these incentives support the growth of the medium- and heavy-duty EV markets and improve accessibility for low-income households, modeling by Energy Innovation Policy & Analysis LLC indicates they are insufficient to align with a 1.5 degree Celsius climate scenario. The document argues that the U.S. must implement more stringent tailpipe standards, state-level clean vehicle mandates, and grid investments to accelerate the transition.

The statement urges the Spanish government to join the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, highlighting Spain's vulnerability to extreme weather and its existing domestic progress in renewable energy. It argues that joining the treaty would align Spain with international legal duties to limit fossil fuel extraction and provide a model for other EU nations. The document emphasizes that a just transition could create up to 560,000 jobs in five years and prevent 25,000 annual deaths caused by air pollution.

The document details the third pillar of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, focusing on a global just transition. It advocates for decentralized, people-centered renewable energy systems and the economic diversification of fossil-fuel-dependent nations. The text emphasizes that a successful transition requires wealthy nations to provide financial support and a 'fair share' of effort, while rejecting 'dangerous distractions' like carbon offsets and geoengineering. It calls for a fundamental shift from GDP-driven growth to 'well-being economies' to address the systemic root causes of the climate crisis.

The report examines the complex security landscape in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, where large-scale investments in LNG, rubies, and graphite coexist with a violent insurgency. It identifies a 'hybrid security environment' comprising the Mozambican Republican Police (PRM), Mozambique Defense Armed Forces (FADM), community-based Força Locale, Rwandan Security Forces (RSF), and Private Security Companies (PSCs). The analysis highlights systemic human rights abuses by national forces, the relative effectiveness and trust associated with Rwandan forces, and the governance risks inherent in the private security sector. It concludes that uneven security provision—prioritising commercial assets over rural populations—fuels local grievances and instability, recommending standardised human rights due diligence and formalised public-private coordination.

Global Witness calls for CBD COP16 to transition the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) into actionable plans. The organization advocates for the protection and participation of land and environmental defenders, the implementation of mandatory regulations to end harmful financial flows driving deforestation, and the establishment of responsible mining standards and 'no-go zones' in biodiversity hotspots to ensure the energy transition does not undermine nature.

Global Witness is calling for COP30 to address the climate and human rights impacts of the 'transition minerals' boom. The organization argues that the extraction of copper, cobalt, lithium, and rare earths is currently causing deforestation and destroying carbon sinks, which undermines net-zero goals. They propose that the UNFCCC formally endorse the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Expert Advisory Group (HLEAG) to develop binding international guidelines for responsible sourcing, protect vital carbon-storage ecosystems as 'no-go zones', and ensure the Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) of Indigenous peoples.

A Global Witness investigation warns that the rehabilitation of the Lobito Corridor railway in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) threatens low-income residents of Kolwezi with forced evictions. The report highlights a critical gap in legal protections, as the project is governed by the 1977 Law of Expropriation for Public Utility—which only requires compensation—rather than the more stringent 2002 Mining Code. Legal ambiguities regarding land titles, particularly those involving the national rail company (SNCC), and disputes over the width of the railway's buffer zone further expose residents to displacement. The report argues that the EU's Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) could provide a mechanism for accountability for companies like Trafigura and Mota-Engil, provided the law is not weakened by proposed amendments. It concludes with recommendations for the EU, the DRC government, and investors to implement meaningful consultations, independent monitoring, and higher resettlement standards.

A Global Witness investigation alleges that Canadian mining company First Quantum Minerals (FQM) has engaged in a decades-long covert influence campaign in Zambia, including the alleged funding of President Hakainde Hichilema's party (UPND). The report claims this relationship resulted in significant tax breaks for FQM and other mining firms, totaling an estimated $771 million in savings for FQM between 2022 and 2025. The investigation further details the role of the Brenthurst Foundation and SABI Strategy in shaping economic policy and managing disinformation campaigns to support Hichilema's political rise and retention of power.

The report details how nickel mining by companies like Marcventures in Surigao del Sur, Philippines, has led to severe environmental degradation, including the pollution of critical watersheds and the destruction of livelihoods for farmers and fisherfolk. It argues that these operations are enabled by 'political capture' and corruption involving powerful dynasties, specifically naming Martin Romualdez as a beneficial owner of Marcventures. The document further links this local destruction to the global demand for electric vehicle (EV) batteries, suggesting that nickel from these mines likely enters the supply chains of major manufacturers such as Tesla and Volkswagen. It concludes by advocating for mandatory due diligence legislation in the EU to hold multinational corporations accountable for human rights and environmental harms in their value chains.

In 2022, Global Witness documented at least 177 killings of land and environmental defenders, bringing the total since 2012 to 1,910. Latin America remains the most dangerous region, accounting for 88% of 2022 deaths, with Colombia, Brazil, and Mexico as the most lethal countries. The report highlights a critical pattern of violence in the Amazon, where 22% of global killings occurred, often linked to illegal mining and agribusiness. Indigenous peoples are disproportionately targeted, representing over one-third of the victims. Beyond lethal attacks, the report details the increasing use of criminalization and harassment to silence activists, particularly in Asia and Africa. It calls for stronger corporate accountability, specifically urging the European Union to implement the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) to hold companies responsible for human rights abuses in their global supply chains.

Global Witness reports that while the US and UK have banned Russian-origin nickel, the EU has not, creating a loophole where Russian nickel is refined in Finland and then legally exported to the US. The report highlights the environmental degradation and human rights abuses linked to Norilsk Nickel's operations in the Arctic, the company's ties to the Russian military-industrial complex, and the challenges of conducting corporate due diligence in a repressive political environment. It recommends that the EU implement targeted sanctions on Russian nickel, maintain strict thresholds for the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), and prioritize circular economy strategies to reduce dependency on Russian minerals.

The transition to renewable energy is expected to reduce dependencies on fossil fuel importers and lower energy prices, but it introduces new geopolitical challenges. The author argues that 'pipeline politics' will be replaced by 'grid politics', where control over interconnectors, hubs, and storage facilities becomes central. For Europe, while the transition offers a path away from reliance on Russia and the Gulf region, success depends on the EU's ability to manage internal divergences in national energy priorities and compete with Asia and the US in the clean tech market and for rare minerals.

The document analyzes the impact of the Trump administration's 'reciprocal tariffs' on the Global South, specifically Africa, and argues that these policies signal the end of preferential market access under AGOA. It suggests that African nations should respond by rerouting trade through the AfCFTA and BRICS, implementing targeted import substitution industrialisation, and creating collective bargaining platforms to negotiate with external powers.

The document analyzes the responses of ASEAN nations to US tariffs imposed in April 2025. Most members, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, have prioritized negotiation over retaliation due to high export dependence on the US market. Strategies include individual bilateral discussions, a coordinated regional response led by Malaysia (the 2025 ASEAN chair), diversification via the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and BRICS, and internal economic support packages, such as Thailand's 15 billion USD stimulus.

The document analyzes how contemporary industrial policies—focused on green transformation, digital transition, and strategic autonomy—conflict with WTO rules established in the 1990s. It details specific frictions regarding subsidies, local content requirements, export restrictions, import duties, and technology transfer. The authors highlight that while no formal mandate for new rules exists, informal dialogues and structured discussions on trade and environmental sustainability are serving as venues for members to explore reforms. The text emphasizes the need for the WTO's evolution to account for positive externalities of green subsidies and the specific constraints faced by developing countries and least-developed countries.

The document analyzes how modern industrial policies—focused on the green transition, digital transformation, and supply chain security—often conflict with WTO rules established in the 1990s. It details specific frictions regarding subsidies, local content requirements, export restrictions, tariffs, and technology transfer. The authors highlight that while formal mandates for new rules are absent, informal dialogues and the Structured Dialogues on Trade and Environmental Sustainability (SDTES) are serving as critical forums for members to share experiences and test ideas. The text argues that the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) represents a key opportunity to address these systemic misalignments and ensure that the future of the multilateral trading system reflects the priorities of both developed and developing nations.

The report examines the limitations of traditional mining taxation—primarily corporate income tax and royalties—and suggests ten alternative policy mechanisms to improve revenue mobilization. These include minimum profit shares, production sharing contracts, state equity participation, commercial state-owned enterprises, variable royalties, the 'Sixth Method' for related-party pricing, carbon pricing to mitigate EU CBAM impacts, development turnover taxes for communities, competitive bidding for licenses, and remote monitoring for quarry production. It emphasizes the need for these tools to be adapted to local administrative capacities and the evolving demand for critical minerals.

The document argues that the US is facing a potential transition from relative to absolute demographic decline as net migration trends toward negative values. This shift, combined with projected negative 'natural' population growth by 2030, is expected to accelerate the decline of US national power (measured via DIME factors) and create a geopolitical vacuum in Africa. The author suggests that China is already positioning itself to fill this void through more collaborative engagement with African partners, while the EU faces a similar risk of power decline unless it treats migration as an opportunity to offset its own aging population.

Trinitan Green Energy Metals (TGEM) utilizes patented Step Temperature Acid Leach (STAL) technology to refine high-purity Class I nickel from laterite ores in Indonesia. Unlike High-Pressure Acid Leach (HPAL), STAL operates at atmospheric pressure and is designed for small to medium-scale mines, offering a lower carbon and water footprint. TGEM is developing two closed-loop ecosystems—STAL One Ecopark in Bogor and IGNITE in Southwest Papua—to integrate waste management and resource sharing, aiming for net-zero emissions and compliance with international sustainability regulations, such as those in the European Union.