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The document highlights a critical gap between global SDG indicators and the lived experiences of Indigenous peoples and local communities affected by lithium extraction in Argentina. Through a case study in Catamarca, Salta, and Jujuy, the authors identify socio-environmental impacts—such as limited childcare and educational setbacks—that are often missing from academic literature. The brief recommends implementing free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC), mandatory benefit-sharing agreements, and the co-creation of SDG indicators with Indigenous peoples to improve accountability and sustainability in the energy transition.

The document examines the gap between global SDG indicators and the lived experiences of Indigenous Peoples and local communities affected by lithium mining in Argentina. It highlights that while lithium is essential for the global energy transition, extraction processes often ignore local perspectives and reinforce historical inequalities. The authors recommend implementing free, prior and informed consent (FPIC), mandatory benefit-sharing, and the co-creation of SDG indicators with Indigenous Peoples to ensure a socially just and environmentally responsible transition.

The BBNJ Agreement, or High Seas Treaty, aims to regulate 64% of the ocean's surface through four pillars: marine genetic resources, area-based management, environmental impact assessments, and capacity building. While the African Group of Negotiators helped shape the treaty, ratification among African states remains low, with only seven of 55 countries having completed the process. Non-ratifying states risk exclusion from the Conference of the Parties (COP) decision-making and benefit-sharing arrangements for marine genetic resources. The document highlights the potential for designating marine protected areas near Africa, such as the Walvis Ridge and Saya de Malha Bank, and suggests that African states coordinate ministries and adopt cost-effective surveillance technologies, like uncrewed vessels, to manage these areas.

The ICJ issued a unanimous advisory opinion establishing that States have binding international legal obligations to prevent climate harm, including a duty to phase out fossil fuels and provide reparations for damages. The ruling affirms the right to a healthy environment as a binding norm and clarifies that sea level rise does not terminate a State's legal statehood or maritime borders.

The report details the expansion of 'Big Oil' companies like Shell and BP into the solar energy sector in Southern Europe. It highlights a pattern of using intermediary shell companies to acquire agricultural land and bypass environmental scrutiny and community participation. The authors argue that this 'extractive' model of the energy transition prioritizes corporate profit over food sovereignty and democratic engagement, while noting that Italy could meet its solar targets using rooftops and degraded land rather than fertile fields.

The report argues that legal gold garimpo in the Amazon has evolved from an artisanal practice into an industrial-scale business, yet it remains subject to anachronistic regulations that lack necessary socio-environmental safeguards. Analysis of National Mining Agency (ANM) data shows a significant increase in authorized areas between 2016 and 2023, with cooperatives dominating the landscape. The authors highlight critical gaps, such as the lack of a 'prior discovery' requirement for garimpo and the undue simplification of environmental licensing in Pará, which delegates authority to municipalities despite the high-impact nature of the activity. The document recommends extending industrial mining requirements to cooperatives, shelving lenient legislative bills in Congress, and implementing a rigorous three-stage licensing process with mandatory Environmental Impact Studies (EIA/RIMA) in Pará.

A community guide regarding a gas exploration application by Motuoane Energy (Pty) Ltd in the Free State province of South Africa.

The document examines Quw’utsun Kw’atl’kwa Enterprises (QKE), a commercial fishing business owned by the Cowichan Tribes in British Columbia. It analyzes how the enterprise navigates the intersection of global warming, industrial pressures, and regulatory restrictions using the Nuu-chah-nulth principle of Tsawalk (interconnectedness). The study finds that while some salmon species are recovering, others like chum have reached lows not seen since the 1960s, threatening the economic and cultural viability of the community. QKE is adapting by diversifying its catch to include crab and ground fish and integrating Indigenous knowledge with Western science. The report recommends comprehensive environmental impact assessments, ecosystem mapping, and the establishment of climate-resilient partnership programs involving government and Indigenous stakeholders.

The document examines the intersection of commercial fishing, climate change, and Indigenous cultural practices through a case study of Quw’utsun Kw’atl’kwa Enterprises (QKE) in Cowichan, British Columbia. It argues that the depletion of fish stocks—particularly sockeye and rainbow trout—is driven by a combination of global warming, industrial pollution, and overfishing. Using the Nuu-chah-nulth principle of 'tsawalk' (interconnectedness), the study highlights how fishing is central to Cowichan identity and suggests that economic viability now requires diversifying into aquaculture, ecotourism, and renewable energy. The report concludes with recommendations for comprehensive environmental impact assessments, ecosystem mapping, and multi-stakeholder partnerships to ensure the long-term resilience of Indigenous commercial fisheries.

The document analyzes the legal requirements of Article 9 of the Nature Restoration Law (NRL), which mandates the restoration of at least 25,000km of free-flowing rivers in the EU by 2030. It details the process for creating barrier inventories, prioritizing the removal of obsolete structures, and ensuring these actions align with other EU frameworks like the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and the Habitats Directive. The briefing emphasizes the need for longitudinal, lateral, and vertical connectivity and warns against using the Renewable Energy Directive to justify the retention of obsolete barriers.

The guide outlines a framework for sustainable linear infrastructure (LI) development in snow leopard habitats, emphasizing the mitigation hierarchy—avoid, minimize, mitigate, restore, and offset. It details strategies across the project life cycle, from policy development and spatial planning to construction and maintenance, to reduce habitat fragmentation, wildlife-vehicle collisions, and other ecological disturbances. The document highlights critical knowledge gaps regarding snow leopard-specific crossing structures and calls for multidisciplinary collaboration and inclusive community consultation to protect biodiversity and ecosystem services.

The case of Fridays for Future Estonia v. Eesti Energia involved a legal battle led by the NGO MTÜ Loodusvõlu to stop the construction of the ENEFIT282 shale oil plant in Narva-Jõesuu. The claimants argued that the plant violated the Paris Agreement, EU climate neutrality goals, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, while also posing risks to Natura 2000 conservation areas. After several rounds of litigation and rejected requests for interim relief, the Supreme Court of Estonia cancelled the construction permit in October 2023. The Court found that the project's environmental assessments failed to identify impacts on climate change and the conservation of the Puhatu bird, necessitating the cancellation under the precautionary principle.

The document examines the gap between legal frameworks and the actual implementation of environmental procedural rights in Southeast Asia. It identifies challenges such as ambiguous disclosure requirements, lack of enforcement in public participation during Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), and barriers to judicial remedies. The brief highlights community-driven alternatives like counter-EIAs and the role of legal networks in strengthening the judiciary to protect vulnerable groups and environmental defenders.

The document examines the legal framework for cocoa production in Côte d’Ivoire to guide EU companies in conducting due diligence under the EUDR. It highlights a significant gap between formal laws and the informal reality of smallholder farming, where 90% of cocoa is produced. Key risks include the widespread production of cocoa in protected "classified" forests, the use of unregistered pesticides, and high levels of child labour. The report notes that while trade and export are well-regulated by the Conseil Café-Cacao, production-level compliance is difficult to verify due to a lack of centralized land-use maps and the informality of land tenure and labour contracts.

The report assesses Colombia's solar and wind energy landscape, noting a rise in solar capacity to 9% of the electrical matrix by 2024 but significant challenges for wind energy. It details the government's goal of 20,000 energy communities by 2026 and highlights a 70% drop in renewable investment between 2022 and 2023. The document outlines the legal incentives, financing mechanisms, and the socio-environmental challenges related to equity and community benefits in the energy transition.

The document identifies significant gaps in the implementation of procedural rights necessary to uphold the right to a healthy environment (RtHE) in Southeast Asia. It highlights how ambiguous disclosure requirements, lack of enforcement in environmental impact assessments (EIAs), and resource-constrained judicial bodies hinder environmental justice. The brief showcases emerging community-led assessments and judicial capacity-building efforts as potential solutions, while noting the ASEAN Declaration on the Right to a Safe, Clean, Healthy, and Sustainable Environment as a key regional entry point for improvement.

The assessment finds that while Bhutan has a strong commitment to sustainability and environmental protection, its mining legal framework is fragmented and outdated. Key strengths include the integration of Gross National Happiness (GNH) and strict forest conservation. However, significant gaps exist in community consultation, fiscal transparency, and the adequacy of mine restoration financial assurances. The report recommends updating the Mines and Minerals Management Act 1995, improving geological data generation, and streamlining the permitting process.

Main Street 1549 (Pty) Ltd proposes 'downscaled and non-intrusive' surveys in Blocks 9 and 11B/12B, located between Mossel Bay and Gqeberha, to support potential oil and gas development in the Outeniqua region. The activities include seabed mapping, sampling, and the use of underwater robots, requiring a 500 m2 exclusion zone around survey vessels. The document warns of potential negative impacts on marine life, including whales and dolphins, and the livelihoods of local fishing and tourism sectors. It also notes that the project is unlikely to create significant local employment. Public comments on the Draft Scoping Report are requested by 3 April 2025, as part of an Environmental Impact Assessment process managed by SLR Consulting (South Africa).

Main Street 1549 (Pty) Ltd proposes 'downscaled and non-invasive' surveys in Licence Blocks 9 and 11B/12B in the Outeniqua Basin to inform future oil and gas production infrastructure. The surveys involve seafloor mapping, sampling, and the use of Remote Operated Vehicles (ROVs), with a 500-metre exclusion zone around vessels. Potential impacts include disruption to marine life (specifically whales, dolphins, and migratory fish), noise and water pollution from vessel discharges, and negative effects on local livelihoods tied to fishing and tourism. The document also highlights risks to the cultural and spiritual heritage of indigenous groups who view the area as 'living' waters. Public comments on the Draft Scoping Report are requested by 3 April 2025.

TotalEnergies (TEEPSA) plans to drill up to seven exploration wells for oil and gas in the southern Deep Water Orange Basin (DWOB), approximately 211 km off the South African coast at depths between 500m and 3,900m. The project is currently in the second stage of its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), with the public invited to submit comments on the ESIA draft report by 10 March 2025. Potential risks identified include noise and pollution affecting marine life—such as whales, dolphins, and African penguins—as well as negative impacts on local fishing livelihoods and the cultural and spiritual significance of the coastline from Port Nolloth to Cape Town. Additionally, fishers and environmental groups are expected to challenge TEEPSA's existing environmental authorisation for the western DWOB in the Cape High Court in February 2025.