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Friends of the Earth warns that the appointment of Ben Black, a former private equity executive, as CEO of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) may shift the agency's focus from sustainable development toward profit-driven investments. The organization expresses concern that this leadership change could lead to increased financing for extractive projects and a weakening of environmental and social safeguards.

Air pollution is the second deadliest risk for children under five globally, causing over 709,000 deaths in 2021. Children are more vulnerable due to developing immune systems and higher breathing rates. The burden is heavily skewed by economic disparity, with children in the least-developed countries facing death rates 94 times higher than those in the most-developed nations. The document highlights how structural lock-ins to fossil fuels and polluting land-use practices drive this crisis, noting that less than 1% of fossil fuel subsidies were spent on outdoor air quality between 2018 and 2022. Case studies in South Africa, Brazil, Nigeria, and Bangladesh illustrate the specific drivers—such as coal power, biomass burning, brick kilns, and oil extraction—that contribute to high child mortality and lifelong developmental impairments.

The authors propose integrating ecological citizenship (EC) principles—including stewardship, accountability, and environmental justice—into digital governance and education to mitigate the environmental consequences of digital innovation.

The report argues that transnational corporations (TNCs) like Chevron, Total, and Shell maintain a 'global architecture of impunity' through sophisticated lobbying networks that capture international governance. It specifically highlights the role of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) in influencing the UN Human Rights Council's negotiations for a binding treaty on TNCs and human rights. The document details environmental and human rights violations in the Global South, including oil pollution in Ecuador and Nigeria, and fossil fuel projects in Uganda and Mozambique, while demanding the exclusion of corporate lobbyists from treaty negotiations to ensure accountability.

The report argues that TNCs like Chevron, Total, and Shell maintain a 'system of impunity' by leveraging powerful lobbying organizations, such as the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the International Organisation of Employers (IOE), to shape international law. It documents severe human rights and environmental abuses linked to these companies in Ecuador, Mozambique, Uganda, Nigeria, and Palestine. The document specifically critiques the current UN negotiation process for the Binding Treaty, claiming that the inclusion of corporate lobbyists as 'stakeholders' creates a conflict of interest that dilutes accountability mechanisms and prioritizes corporate profit over human rights and planetary health.

The report argues that multinational corporations use lobbying networks like the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) to undermine the creation of a legally binding UN treaty on business and human rights. It documents environmental and human rights abuses by Chevron in Ecuador, Total in Uganda and Mozambique, and Shell in Nigeria, illustrating a systemic 'architecture of impunity'. The authors call for the exclusion of corporate lobbyists from UN negotiations to ensure the treaty prioritizes human rights over corporate profit.

CAPE identifies a public health crisis linked to plastics and PFAS, noting that 98.5% of Canadians have detectable PFAS in their blood. The document highlights severe health risks including cancer and endocrine disruption, emphasizes the disproportionate burden on vulnerable populations and communities like Sarnia's Chemical Valley, and urges the Canadian federal government to phase out non-essential PFAS and stop fossil fuel subsidies.

A solidarity letter from 154 civil society and Indigenous Peoples organizations across 28 countries in Latin America, Asia, and Africa calling on New York Governor Kathy Hochul to sign the TREES Act. The signatories argue that the bill would use New York's economic leverage to combat global deforestation and climate change, which they link to the displacement of people from the global South to New York cities.

The document criticizes the US government for granting 'licenses to pollute' to chemical and coal companies, which exposes children to hazardous substances like PFAS, lead, and pesticides. It argues that children are uniquely vulnerable to these toxins and demands the immediate phase-out of organophosphate pesticides, stricter air and water quality standards, and the prohibition of phthalates in consumer products.

The briefing paper advocates for a legally binding international instrument to end corporate impunity regarding environmental and human rights abuses. It highlights the insufficiency of voluntary frameworks and argues that the LBI can operationalize the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment by establishing mandatory due diligence, extraterritorial jurisdiction, and strict liability for parent companies across global value chains.

The report finds that while a majority of registered U.S. voters support various clean energy policies and prefer candidates who take action on global warming, the issue remains low in priority for most voters when deciding on congressional candidates. There is strong bipartisan support for policies like soil restoration and renewable energy research, but significant polarization exists regarding the transition from fossil fuels and the Paris Climate Agreement.

The report argues that expanding I-270 will not solve long-term congestion due to induced demand and will further burden marginalized communities. It proposes a shift toward a 'Garden City' model featuring green buffers, freight-prioritized corridors with smart technology, expanded transit, and robust anti-displacement strategies. The authors criticize CDOT's current public engagement as insufficient and recommend a more deliberative, data-driven approach to rebuild community trust.

The report examines climate litigation in the oil and gas sectors of Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting a strong reliance on human rights and constitutional frameworks. While the region leads the Global South in climate cases, it faces significant barriers including institutional weaknesses, violence against environmental defenders, and a gap in scientific evidence. The study contrasts these with Global North trends, such as 'climate washing' and corporate-focused lawsuits, and discusses the potential for transnational litigation to hold Northern companies accountable for Southern impacts.

The document analyzes the shift in international trade from a focus on liberalization toward 'multipurpose' approaches driven by geopolitics and national security. It argues that this complexity provides opportunities to embed nature and climate goals into trade agendas. The author proposes a new paradigm that reframes trade as a strategic tool for sustainability, emphasizing a 'nature-positive' narrative and the integration of climate mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage. Key recommendations include reorienting trade rules to reward sustainable production, scaling the diffusion of green technologies, and ensuring that developing countries are not unfairly burdened by environmental requirements. The paper identifies multiple entry points for action, including WTO reform, regional agreements like AfCFTA, and the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

The report advocates for the transition of California's agricultural landscapes from resource-intensive practices to nature-based solutions (NbS). It details specific strategies such as multibenefit managed aquifer recharge, floodplain restoration, and agrivoltaics to tackle groundwater depletion, flooding, and energy insecurity. Through case studies in Okieville, Dos Rios, Fairmead, and Allensworth, the document demonstrates how these interventions can simultaneously improve water security, restore biodiversity, and provide economic opportunities for disadvantaged communities. It further provides implementation guidance on community engagement, permitting, and funding sources to support the state's climate and water goals.

In June 2024, a group of communities and environmental organizations filed petitions with the Constitutional Court of South Africa to appeal a Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) order that permits Shell to perform seismic testing on the Wild Coast.

The document warns that intensifying hurricanes, fueled by fossil fuel-driven climate change, are posing an escalating threat to US communities, especially those near petrochemical facilities. It highlights a systemic failure where the US government is dismantling essential safety agencies and forecasting tools, while insurance companies profit from fossil fuel investments while withdrawing coverage from vulnerable homeowners. The authors call on state and local leaders to implement safety rules and halt fossil fuel expansion to protect residents from toxic releases and financial ruin.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) warns that the Department of Energy (DOE), Department of the Interior (DOI), and Department of Agriculture (USDA) have issued nonbinding procedural guidance that replaces binding NEPA regulations. CATF asserts that these changes create project uncertainty for developers and communities by making requirements readily changeable without public input. Key concerns include the removal of requirements for draft environmental reviews, the weakening of safeguards for categorical exclusions, and the elimination of mandates to analyze environmental justice and cumulative effects. CATF argues that these rollbacks will increase the risk of litigation and community backlash, thereby slowing the deployment of clean energy infrastructure rather than accelerating it.

The briefing examines how the prevalence of outdoor work correlates with worry about extreme heat in the U.S., finding a modest positive correlation at the county level and a stronger one at the state level, though results vary significantly by region.

The analysis finds a modest positive correlation between the proportion of outdoor workers and worry about extreme heat at the county level, though this relationship varies by region. While the South and West show positive correlations, the Midwest and Northeast show negative correlations. At the state level, a stronger positive correlation exists. The document also notes a gap between heat worry and the implementation of worker protections, highlighting that some high-worry states like Texas and Florida have blocked local heat safety standards, while California's 2005 standards are linked to a 30% reduction in heat-related injuries.