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This report analyzes global access to cooling in 2021, focusing on 54 high-impact countries. It details how the combined effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and rising global temperatures have increased the number of people at risk due to a lack of sustainable cooling, particularly among the rural and urban poor.

The SEforALL 3-Year Business Plan 2021-2023 outlines a strategic framework to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) by 2030, focusing on energy transitions aligned with the Paris Agreement through a model of committing, connecting, and creating.

This guide, published by the Stockholm Environment Institute in 2021, provides a framework for the integrated development of small islands near cities into 'eco-islands'—sustainable tourism destinations. Based on projects on Aegna and Vasikkasaari, it outlines a strategic planning process involving visioning, sustainability assessment, and the implementation of 'smart solutions' such as digital monitoring and citizen science to balance tourism with environmental preservation.

This policy brief analyzes the fiscal implications of the gradual phase-out of coal production in Colombia, focusing on the role of royalties and the economic vulnerability of producing regions like Cesar and La Guajira. It examines production trends, international trade dynamics, and the impact of the General Royalties System (SGR) reform, concluding that current policy measures are insufficient to offset the projected decline in coal demand and revenue.

This policy brief by Transforma argues for a planned, inclusive phase-out of coal mining in Colombia using a 'just transition' framework. It highlights the vulnerability of the national and regional economies to declining global coal demand and recommends diversifying the economy toward low-carbon assets, addressing historical socio-environmental liabilities, and expanding social protections beyond simple employment metrics to include regional development and climate justice.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to environmental protection and sustainable development. For the 2021 tax year, WRI reported total revenue of $193,968,394 and total expenses of $183,476,237, focusing its efforts on global challenges including climate, energy, food, forests, water, oceans, and sustainable cities.

The Sustainable Landscape Finance Coalition, a partnership between WWF South Africa and Wilderness Foundation Africa, implements a four-stage 'Finance Solution Approach©' to develop innovative funding for conservation. Key achievements include the scaling of the Section 37D biodiversity tax incentive (projected to reach R1.4 billion by 2026), the launch of the Green Outcomes Fund for green SMMEs, and the investigation of carbon payments and green bonds. The Coalition operates through a Council of decision-makers and an Innovation Hub to mainstream sustainable finance across South African landscapes.

Karnataka holds 22% of India's total installed electricity capacity and the highest solar capacity in the country (7.3GW as of 2019). However, the document asserts that capacity growth alone is insufficient; market reforms are needed to increase supply and demand flexibility to ensure a low-carbon system is more cost-effective than the current energy mix.

This RMI briefing outlines recent US federal legislative activity and executive appointments at the end of 2020 that signal an increase in climate action for 2021. It highlights the passage of an energy package within coronavirus relief legislation, the introduction of bipartisan and renewable energy bills, and the strategic appointment of climate-focused personnel to the incoming Biden administration's cabinet.

This research paper by the Public Affairs Research Institute identifies two critical gaps in South Africa's just transition discourse: an over-emphasis on energy generation at the expense of energy distribution, and a reactive focus on future transition-induced inequalities rather than existing systemic drivers of poverty.

This policy brief examines how COVID-19 macroeconomic responses in Nigeria and Uganda have inadvertently increased inequalities. It finds that cash transfers are underfunded and poorly targeted, excluding the urban poor; monetary easing has not lowered commercial loan rates for high-risk borrowers; and budget restructuring has prioritized formal sectors and government suppliers over health, education, and social protection. The brief recommends using electronic platforms for cash distribution and promoting renewable energy investments for low-income households.

The Recover Better with Sustainable Energy Guide for South Asian Countries outlines the energy access challenges and economic risks facing South Asian nations during the pandemic, urging leaders to utilize recovery efforts to transition toward sustainable development and updated Nationally Determined Contributions.

This report analyzes electricity subsidies in India from FY 2016 to FY 2019, evaluating the impact of the Ujjwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) scheme. It finds that direct tariff subsidies increased by 32% during this period, reaching INR 110,391 crore in FY 2019, while most electricity distribution companies (DISCOMs) failed to meet financial performance targets regarding revenue recovery and loss reduction.

An analysis by Ember reveals that the first German national auction to accelerate the hard coal phase-out awarded €317 million in compensation to 11 plants, many of which were already economically unviable. The report argues that the German government is using public funds to close plants that would likely shut down due to market forces, while potentially accelerating the closure of newer, more efficient units over older ones.

The 2020 Special Report on the Production Gap by the International Institute for Sustainable Development analyzes the discrepancy between planned fossil fuel production and the levels required to meet the Paris Agreement temperature goals of 1.5°C or 2°C.

This executive summary by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) evaluates the alignment of global power sector investment with the Paris Agreement goals for 2018. Using a new science-based methodology, CPI finds that significant investment continues to flow into fossil fuel power, putting the world on a temperature trajectory exceeding 3.2°C. The document highlights a critical gap in asset-level transaction data and provides recommendations for public and private actors to halt carbon-intensive investments and accelerate the decommissioning of fossil fuel plants.

The 'Manual de Educación Popular feminista' is a guide published by Friends of the Earth International in December 2020. It provides a pedagogical framework and practical tools for feminist popular education aimed at dismantling patriarchy and achieving gender justice. The manual integrates an anti-capitalist and ecofeminist perspective, linking the exploitation of nature and territories with the oppression of women's bodies and labor.

The 'Feminist Popular Education Manual: Sowing Gender Justice to Dismantle Patriarchy' is a guide published by Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) in December 2020. It provides a pedagogical framework and practical tools for facilitators to conduct inclusive workshops aimed at dismantling systemic oppressions—including patriarchy, capitalism, racism, and neocolonialism—through the lens of anti-capitalist and grassroots feminism.

This report evaluates Panama's readiness to implement the Mining Policy Framework (MPM) of the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF). The assessment, conducted between December 2019 and April 2020, identifies a sector in a developmental phase with a significant large-scale operation (Cobre Panamá) and a smaller non-metallic sector. While Panama has strengths in environmental awareness and indigenous rights recognition, it faces critical gaps in its outdated legal framework, lack of a cohesive national mining policy, weak fiscal oversight, and a near-total absence of specific regulations for mine closure and artisanal mining.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the lack of transparency in reporting tax subsidies for fossil fuels in Canada. It argues that current reporting is incomplete and advocates for the adoption of international best practices, specifically the WTO definition of subsidies and the UN's SDG methodology, to accurately quantify foregone government revenue.