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This research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the misalignment of global public finance, noting that in 2024, public support for fossil fuels exceeded USD 1.2 trillion, nearly five times the USD 254 billion provided to clean energy. The report examines fossil fuel subsidies, G20 renewable energy support, state-owned enterprise (SOE) capital expenditure, and international public finance, arguing that governments must shift from blanket subsidies to targeted social protection and clean energy investment to reduce fiscal exposure and energy vulnerability.

This synthesis report discusses the role of South Africa's 2025 G20 presidency in advancing the 'just transition' agenda, building upon a Ministerial Statement from October 2024 that emphasizes structural actions in national economies and the international financial system to scale up climate action.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs outlines priorities for Africa's adaptation finance under the South African G20 presidency. It highlights a severe funding gap, where Africa requires $187–359 billion annually but faces an 80% shortfall in adaptation investment. The document advocates for a shift from debt-creating loans to grant-based and concessional finance, leveraging G20 working groups and MDB reforms to support National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and locally led adaptation.

This policy brief argues that climate finance is significantly misaligned with the needs of livestock systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). It advocates for reframing livestock as multifunctional assets capable of delivering 'triple wins'—simultaneous climate mitigation, adaptation, and socio-economic benefits—and provides specific policy recommendations for the G20 to unlock targeted funding.

A policy brief by the Institute for Economic Justice arguing that G20 nations, which produce 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions, must coordinate to phase out oil and gas. It highlights South Africa's 2025 G20 presidency as a critical opportunity to lead on subsidy reform and financing for the Global South ahead of COP30.

This fact sheet by the Institute for Economic Justice examines the inequities of global climate finance, arguing that current G20-led mechanisms often exacerbate debt vulnerability in developing nations through a reliance on loans and 'de-risking' strategies that prioritize private profit over public welfare.

This policy brief by the Institute for Economic Justice argues that G20 countries must establish a coordinated, finance-backed roadmap to phase out oil and gas. While G20 nations have expanded renewable capacity, they continue to provide massive subsidies to fossil fuels, creating economic and political barriers to transition. The document highlights the specific role of South Africa's 2025 G20 presidency in leading equitable discussions on subsidy reform and financing for the Global South.

This briefing note by the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS) examines the intersection of international trade and the sustainable bioeconomy. It provides a typology of trade-related policy instruments—including price-based measures, economic incentives, and regulatory requirements—that governments can use to promote nature-positive economic growth. The document emphasizes the need for international cooperation, particularly through the G20, to align these policies, avoid trade frictions, and support low- and middle-income countries in their transition to a sustainable bioeconomy.

This research paper outlines the priorities of South Africa's 2025 G20 presidency regarding climate finance, emphasizing the mobilization of resources for just energy transitions and the elevation of African concerns within the G20 framework, building upon the foundations laid during Brazil's 2024 presidency.

This policy brief examines whether South Africa's 2025 G20 presidency, occurring alongside Brazil's hosting of COP30, can re-energise the global climate action agenda. It argues that while the G20 is a powerful 'minilateral' platform capable of driving climate finance and policy, its effectiveness is threatened by rising nationalism, geopolitical tensions, and the potential for a diluted climate focus under the subsequent 2026 US presidency.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) synthesizes the climate, sustainability, energy, and climate finance commitments made by G20 member countries from 2008 to 2024. It tracks the evolution of these commitments through various summits, highlighting the shift from general statements to specific frameworks like the Paris Agreement and the challenges posed by inconsistent national policies, particularly those of the United States. The document also details the priority areas for South Africa's 2025 G20 presidency, which emphasizes solidarity, equality, and sustainability.

This policy note by Daniel Bradlow of the South African Institute of International Affairs outlines priorities for South Africa's 2025 G20 presidency to address the sovereign debt crisis in Africa. The author argues that current global governance mechanisms, including the IMF and G20 frameworks, are insufficient to meet the combined debt, climate, and development needs of African nations. The document proposes a 'holistic approach' to debt restructuring that integrates financial obligations with social and environmental commitments, suggests using the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable (GSDR) for reform, and discusses the tension between liquidity and solvency perspectives on restoring financial access.

A statement from the Stockholm Environment Institute arguing that the G20's green transition requires the protection of Indigenous rights and the implementation of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) to avoid legal, financial, and reputational risks.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) argues for the integration of natural capital accounting (NCA) into global economic models and national systems of accounting. It highlights the critical importance of natural assets for low-income countries and Africa, and provides specific recommendations for the 2025 South African G20 presidency to champion the natural capital agenda, build conceptual consensus, address data gaps, and implement bioeconomy initiatives.

This policy note by Daniel Bradlow of the South African Institute of International Affairs outlines how South Africa can leverage its 2025 G20 presidency to advance reforms in International Monetary Fund (IMF) governance and sovereign debt restructuring. The author argues that while South Africa inherits a complex portfolio of existing G20 issues, it has a realistic opportunity to push for more transparent IMF operating procedures regarding 'new' issues like climate change and to address the inefficiencies of the G20's Common Framework for Debt Treatment.

The report "Financiando uma Bioeconomia Global Sustentável" (September 2024) analyzes the current and future interaction between finance and the bioeconomy. It advocates for a sustainable, equitable, and nature-positive bioeconomy as a cornerstone for a low-carbon global economy, emphasizing the role of the G20, international cooperation, and innovative financial instruments to bridge investment gaps and protect biodiversity.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics, produced with Strategic Perspectives, proposes principles and frameworks for a just and equitable global phase-out of oil and gas production. It argues that current production trajectories are incompatible with the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement and calls for leadership from the G7 and G20 to coordinate a managed decline of fossil fuels to avoid stranded assets and minimize social costs.

This executive summary details a high-level roundtable convened on March 1, 2024, to establish a climate finance dialogue agenda during Brazil's G20 presidency. The document outlines a roadmap for Brazil to leverage its leadership in the G20, BRICS, and COP30 to reform the international financial architecture, promote 'country platforms' for investment, and address gaps in adaptation and nature finance to support Emerging Markets and Developing Economies (EMDEs).

This report, published by the Climate Policy Initiative in April 2024, outlines a strategic agenda for Brazil to lead global climate finance discussions during its G20 presidency and leading up to COP30. It identifies systemic gaps in climate funding for emerging markets and proposes specific reforms to the international financial architecture, the implementation of national platforms for investment, and the integration of social justice and nature-based financing into the global economic discourse.

This briefing by RMI outlines how G20 nations can reduce the environmental impact of the logistics sector, which currently accounts for 10 percent of global emissions. It advocates for a four-pronged strategy involving operational reimagining, policy frameworks, infrastructure redevelopment, and the mobilization of finance to transition the sector toward sustainability.