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The report analyzes the Zona Franca de Manaus (ZFM) as a public policy tool for industrial development in Brazil. It details the complex system of tax incentives—including exemptions and reductions in IPI, PIS/PASEP, and COFINS—and evaluates their distribution across key sectors such as two-wheelers, audio/video, and non-alcoholic beverages. The study compares the ZFM's industrial performance and workforce concentration against national Brazilian averages and provides a brief comparative overview of free trade zones in other countries including Argentina, Chile, Colombia, the US, Canada, and China.

The 2020 Global Electricity Review reports a record 3% fall in global coal-fired electricity generation and a 2% drop in power sector CO2 emissions in 2019. While coal collapsed in the EU and US, generation rose in China, which now accounts for over 50% of global coal generation. Wind and solar generation grew by 15%, providing 8% of the world's electricity. However, the report argues that these declines are largely due to one-off factors and that current progress is insufficient to meet the IPCC's 1.5°C scenario, which would require coal generation to collapse by 11% annually until 2030.

The document establishes the framework for a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) of Estonia's Transport and Mobility Development Plan for 2021-2030. It defines the SEA's purpose as identifying significant environmental effects, exploring alternatives, and finding mitigation measures to ensure the transport plan aligns with EU and Estonian environmental policies. The assessment covers a 10-to-15-year horizon and focuses on key environmental elements including greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity, water quality, and human health. The methodology involves a compliance analysis, an external effects analysis, and the proposal of mitigation measures. The document also lists the stakeholders involved and provides a timeline for the SEA process, which includes public consultation and inter-agency coordination.

The document argues that climate neutrality in Estonia by 2050 is feasible and likely profitable, provided the government implements early, ambitious investments and supportive regulatory frameworks. Key priorities include decarbonizing the energy supply by shifting away from oil shale, increasing energy efficiency in buildings, industry, and transport, and leveraging natural assets for carbon sequestration in the LULUCF sector. The transition is estimated to cost EUR 17.3 billion between 2021 and 2050, with 76% of funding expected from the private sector. To ensure a just transition, the report emphasizes the need for targeted support in the oil-shale dependent North-East region and workforce retraining.

ClientEarth argues that Poland's market reform plan is insufficient and should be expanded to address distortions in the capacity market, illegal subsidies for high-emission power, and the lack of legal frameworks for energy storage and onshore wind development.

The CLEAN Future Act proposes a national goal of a 100 percent clean economy by 2050, targeting the power, building, and transportation sectors. Key mechanisms include a national Clean Electricity Standard, zero energy ready building codes by 2030, and the establishment of a National Climate Bank. The act emphasizes environmental justice, state-level climate planning, and workforce development through renewable energy job training.

The policy brief contends that the proposed $1 billion Northeast Supply Enhancement Project (NESE) gas pipeline is incompatible with New York's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). It argues that a 'no infrastructure' approach—combining energy efficiency, electrification (specifically heat pumps), and demand response—is a more cost-effective and reliable path to meeting energy needs while reducing emissions. The author asserts that National Grid's cost analysis underestimates the benefits of customer-focused solutions by ignoring air conditioner cost savings, externality costs of pollution, and the long-term savings beyond a 15-year net present value calculation.

The author advocates for the EU to integrate shipping into its carbon market through the EU ETS, combined with a dedicated decarbonization fund and a binding carbon intensity target. While acknowledging that the EU ETS alone is insufficient, the document suggests these combined measures would stimulate innovation and provide a global example for carbon pricing in shipping. The author warns against free pollution permits, offsetting, and funding for fuels that cannot be produced in climate-friendly ways, urging the EU to lead despite the slow pace of the International Maritime Organisation.

A coalition of European civil society organisations urges the EU to align its Industrial Strategy with the 1.5°C Paris Agreement target, advocating for climate neutrality by 2040 and a 65% emissions reduction by 2030. The recommendations emphasize a transition to a circular economy, the phase-out of fossil fuel subsidies, and the prioritisation of renewable electrification over hydrogen and CCS. The authors call for a 'just transition' that protects vulnerable communities and workers through retraining and the exclusion of fossil fuel investments from the Just Transition Mechanism.

Carbon Market Watch argues that while the proposed EU state aid guidelines for indirect cost compensation under the EU ETS show improvement by reducing eligible sectors and requiring energy efficiency investments, they remain insufficient. The author contends that there is no evidence of carbon leakage to justify these subsidies, which cost nearly 1.2 billion Euros between 2017 and 2018, and argues that EU ETS auctioning revenues should be used entirely for carbon neutrality rather than being returned to industry.

The report evaluates emission pathways and technology options for Kenya's electricity sector to ensure alignment with the Paris Agreement and sustainable development goals. It argues that avoiding coal and limiting natural gas in favor of geothermal, mini-grids, and energy efficiency is essential for a Paris-compatible trajectory. The document highlights a misalignment between previous climate documents and actual sector planning, recommending integrated planning processes and the creation of a Long-term Strategy to provide transparency and a clear economic vision.

The document examines Ukraine's pursuit of EU and NATO integration, contrasting the assertive rhetoric of the Poroshenko administration (2014-2019) with the more pragmatic, technocratic approach of the Zelensky administration (2019-present). It details the 'three pillars' of Poroshenko's strategy—pro-integration rhetoric, technical harmonisation with EU/NATO standards, and expanding third-country partnerships—and notes that Zelensky has shifted priority toward sectoral integration in digital, energy, and customs markets. The text also discusses the challenges of the war in Donbas, the Normandy Four diplomatic framework, and the potential for the European Green Deal to serve as a framework for future Ukraine-EU cooperation.

The document proposes the 'hours of safety' metric to measure building resilience during power outages in extreme cold weather, comparing various housing standards from 1950s builds to Passive House standards.

The report examines performance incentive mechanisms (PIMs) designed to motivate US utilities to implement strategic demand reduction (SDR)—a combination of energy efficiency and demand response that optimizes the electricity system. Analyzing seven state case studies, the authors find that while PIMs are effective, the potential for cost-effective load flexibility remains largely untapped. Most current PIMs focus on 'shape' (long-term demand adaptation) and 'shed' (peak demand reduction) services, with limited focus on 'shift' (moving demand between times of day) or 'shimmy' (real-time grid balancing). The report argues that durable, long-term incentives with periodic updates, supported by complementary policies like decoupling and time-varying rates, are most effective at aligning utility business models with public interest and decarbonization goals.

The briefing introduces 'hours of safety' to measure building resilience during extreme cold events. Simulations in Duluth, Minnesota, show that high-performance envelopes, such as Passive House standards, maintain safe temperatures significantly longer than older or code-compliant homes, highlighting the potential for this metric to guide resilience planning and weatherization efforts.

Minnesota's electric cooperatives, serving 30% of the state's customers, remain tied to coal-fired power plants in North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming through Generation & Transmission (G&T) co-ops. While investor-owned utilities in Minnesota are phasing out coal, these co-ops face 'all-requirements' contracts and long-term fuel agreements that restrict their ability to adopt renewables. Many of these out-of-state plants operate uneconomically, costing customers over $93 million between 2015 and 2017.

The NewClimate Institute explored the construction of Net-Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs) in Cartagena, Colombia, as a virtual Article 6 pilot. The study found that NZEBs are currently non-existent or uncommon in Colombia and Latin America, with a price premium of approximately 15% over standard buildings. Due to underdeveloped supply chains for solar PV and dehumidification systems, as well as insufficient domestic regulations, the project is considered additional and inaccessible without foreign support, meaning Colombia could likely export mitigation outcomes via Article 6 without endangering its own Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).

The document analyzes the energy transition in North Africa, noting that electricity generation must nearly double by 2030 to meet growing demand. While the region is expanding renewable energy capacity and implementing efficiency regulations, natural gas is projected to remain the dominant power source by 2030 unless international financial support and technology transfer accelerate. The author highlights a tension between the region's low historical emissions and its high vulnerability to climate change, warning that insufficient climate finance from developed countries risks the region's ability to meet its Paris Agreement commitments.

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.

Class B and C office buildings can achieve significant energy cost savings and value increases through energy efficiency and green leasing, though adoption is hindered by information, resource, and funding constraints.