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The Russian economy is undergoing a fundamental shift characterized by a surge in military spending, the loss of European energy markets, and a growing dependency on China and India. While short-term stability is maintained through state control and the '3P factor' (Power, Passiveness, Propaganda), long-term prospects are marred by severe capital asset depreciation, a shrinking and aging population, and a lack of incentive for green transition or sustainability.

The document analyzes the ascent of the far right, highlighting its use of 'metapolitics' to shift cultural norms and its ability to capitalize on economic and social insecurities. It examines specific national contexts, such as Italy's media capture under Giorgia Meloni and the rise of Vlaams Belang in Flanders, while warning against 'conservative socialism' where left-wing parties adopt far-right rhetoric. The report concludes that defeating the far right requires a positive, inclusive vision of the future rather than mere imitation or moral condemnation.

The briefing examines carbon mineralization as a carbon dioxide removal (CDR) strategy, highlighting its potential to remove up to 10 gigatons of CO2 annually by 2050. It argues that while some federal funding exists, mineralization lacks the dedicated support given to direct air capture. The author calls for expanded R&D funding, demonstration projects, and updated tax credits (specifically 45Q) to scale the technology. Additionally, the document emphasizes the need for robust measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) standards and regulations to manage hazardous materials in feedstocks to ensure responsible deployment.

Natural Justice argues that nuclear energy is an economically unviable and environmentally dangerous alternative to renewable energy in South Africa. The commentary contends that the National Nuclear Regulator Amendment Bill encourages investment in a sector characterized by high costs, long lead times, and significant waste management risks. It specifically criticizes the extensive powers granted to the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, citing the Department's poor track record in rehabilitating abandoned mines as evidence that it cannot be trusted to manage nuclear decommissioning and waste. The authors advocate for decentralized renewable energy solutions, such as solar and wind, to address load shedding and rural energy access.

The author argues that the EPA must authorize the California Air Resources Board's 2020 At-Berth Rule to stop ships from burning toxic bunker fuel while docking. The document highlights a spike in pollution during the pandemic, noting that cancer-causing diesel pollution at the Port of Los Angeles rose by over 50 percent in 2021. It criticizes a 'backdoor deal' that allows outdated 2007 rules to persist, claiming that EPA approval could eliminate 3,000 pounds of deadly air pollution daily in the region.

The document examines national investment laws as versatile policy instruments, tracing their shift from national development tools (1950-1979) to mechanisms for incorporating international treaty standards (1980-2010). It identifies seven primary functions of contemporary investment laws: regulating admission, administering incentives, facilitating investment, providing legal protection, managing disputes, specifying investor obligations, and supervising investments. The report argues against a 'one-size-fits-all' model, suggesting instead that laws be designed based on a country's specific policy objectives and regulatory capacity. It provides a detailed framework for policymakers to evaluate existing laws and design new ones, emphasizing the need to reduce legal risks associated with investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) and inefficient tax incentives.

The report examines national investment laws as versatile policy tools, tracing their evolution from 1950s development-focused laws to the 1980-2010 trend of aligning national legislation with international investment treaties. It identifies seven primary functions of contemporary investment laws: governing admission, managing incentives, facilitating investment, providing legal protection, managing disputes, specifying investor obligations, and supervising investments. The document argues against a 'one-size-fits-all' model, instead offering a framework for policymakers to align the functions and content of their laws with specific national objectives and sustainable development goals, while warning against the legal and financial risks of incorporating treaty-style protections and prior consent to international arbitration.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) issued a statement to the Petroleum Agency of South Africa (PASA) expressing concerns over transparency, environmental monitoring, and the lack of Climate Change Impact Assessments (CCIAs) for upstream gas and petroleum activities.

The policy brief highlights a legal victory in Illinois where a court ordered the removal of 3 million cubic yards of coal ash near the Vermilion River. It argues that this case demonstrates the need for the EPA to close loopholes in its 2015 coal ash regulations, which excluded numerous sites often located in low-income communities and communities of color. While a May 2023 draft rule extends regulations to some previously excluded sites, the document asserts that all toxic coal ash dumps must be regulated to prevent groundwater contamination and health risks.

The document argues that the Senate's version of MP nº 1150/2022 undermines efforts to link rural credit to environmental compliance. By potentially guaranteeing financing to producers who sign a commitment term under the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA) regardless of further law violations, and by requiring banks to rely solely on official government data, the measure threatens the autonomy of financial institutions and the use of precise monitoring tools like MapBiomas. This contradicts recent trends and regulations from the Central Bank of Brazil and BNDES aimed at blocking credit for illegal deforestation.

The document details the environmental impact of 56 TVA coal ash dumpsites, noting that groundwater monitoring data indicates significant contamination at both regulated and unregulated sites. It calls for the EPA to strengthen the 2015 Coal Ash Rule to eliminate exemptions for legacy ponds and inactive landfills.

The submission by Ecojustice and the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) proposes comprehensive amendments to the Competition Act to align it with Canada's net-zero and environmental commitments. The authors argue that current laws fail to address 'greenwashing'—deceptive environmental claims—which distorts the market, penalizes genuinely sustainable businesses, and misleads consumers. Key recommendations include amending the Act's purpose clause to recognize sustainability, legislating specific prohibitions against common forms of greenwashing (such as misleading carbon offset claims and generic 'eco-friendly' labels), and expanding the public's ability to challenge deceptive marketing through the Tribunal without needing to prove specific damages. Additionally, the document suggests establishing a sustainability taskforce within the Competition Bureau, allowing for 'public benefit' considerations in merger assessments, and creating exemptions for competitor collaborations that advance environmental protection.

The Gauteng High Court dismissed an application to review the granting and transfer of mining rights to Aquila Steel and Motjoli Iron Ore, ruling that the initial award under the previous regulatory regime was lawful and that the court lacked the technical expertise to override executive decisions on environmental impacts.

A survey of 296 EPA scientists conducted by the Union of Concerned Scientists and the University of New Hampshire Survey Center found that a majority of respondents believe the agency adheres to its scientific integrity policy and that office effectiveness has increased under President Biden compared to the Trump administration. However, the findings also highlight significant issues with staff burnout and concerns over limited workforce capacity and the quality of scientific reviews in specific offices.

The report examines the trend of incorporating GRP and IRC provisions into regional trade agreements (RTAs), with a detailed analysis of the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA). It highlights how the USMCA differs from other agreements like the CPTPP and CETA by making GRP provisions binding, prescriptive, and wide-ranging. The document specifically explores the USMCA's approach to stakeholder engagement and transparency, while warning developing countries about potential 'regulatory chill,' administrative strain, and the disproportionate influence of private sector lobbying.

The report argues that corporate interests have systematically captured CBD processes to avoid stringent regulation and protect profits. It details how business lobby groups, such as Business for Nature and the WBCSD, use tactics like 'multistakeholderism', the promotion of vague terms like 'Nature Positive', and the advocacy for voluntary reporting over mandatory impact reductions to shape the Global Biodiversity Framework. The document highlights the role of the CBD Secretariat in facilitating this access and warns that the resulting framework fails to address the underlying economic drivers of biodiversity loss.

ClientEarth argues that the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill creates a 'cliff-edge' by providing for the automatic revocation of all retained EU law (REUL) by the end of 2023. The briefing identifies five fundamental flaws: the potential loss of critical protections for species, air, and water quality due to administrative neglect; legislative chaos and business uncertainty; the undermining of the rule of law through the use of secondary legislation without parliamentary oversight; the politicization of the judiciary; and a built-in deregulatory bias that may breach international obligations like the Aarhus Convention and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

The report details how the Radford Army Ammunition Plant (RAAP) uses open burn and open detonation (OB/OD) to destroy military munitions, releasing millions of pounds of toxins into the environment. It highlights a lack of transparency from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) and the facility's failure to assess cumulative health impacts, resulting in elevated risks of asthma and cancer for nearby residents. The document recommends ending open burning, implementing third-party alternatives assessments, and conducting community health assessments.

The document examines the intersectional impacts of air pollution on informal workers in three craft villages in Hanoi, Viet Nam. It finds that gender norms, age, and migrant status create unequal exposure to pollutants, with women often confined to indoor facilities and young men undertaking the most hazardous tasks. The brief highlights a lack of specific national and local regulations for craft villages and recommends holistic policy amendments, the formalization of labor contracts, and the establishment of specific occupational hygiene criteria to protect vulnerable informal workers.

A lawsuit led by six federally recognized Indian tribes and Earthjustice resulted in a 2021 U.S. District Court ruling to vacate the Navigable Waters Protection Rule. The court found the rule contained "serious errors" and posed a risk of "significant harm to the nation’s waters." This ruling restored water protections that had been in place since 1986, specifically benefiting wetlands, headwater streams, and desert washes in the West, Southwest, and Great Lakes regions that had been excluded from Clean Water Act safeguards.