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The 2020 State of Global Environmental Governance report details the shift of international environmental negotiations to virtual platforms due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It analyzes the adoption of the 'silence procedure' for decision-making, the delays in scientific advice from bodies like the IPCC, and the temporary nature of pandemic-related emission dips. The document argues that the pandemic highlighted the interconnectedness of human health, biodiversity loss, and climate change, while warning that structural inequalities and nationalist responses to the pandemic could hinder the global cooperation necessary for a green and inclusive recovery.

The 2020 report by Sustainable Energy for All highlights a significant and growing gap between the investment needed and the actual funding provided for universal energy access. In 2018, only 16 billion USD was recorded for electrification in high-impact countries (HIC), far below the 41 billion USD annual requirement. Clean cooking funding, while tripling to 131 million USD in 2018, remains drastically lower than the 4.53 billion USD needed annually. The report notes a concerning trend where fossil fuel investments have grown, while renewable energy and off-grid solutions remain underfunded. It calls for coordinated action between development finance institutions and governments, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, to reduce risks for private investors and shift away from carbon-intensive energy sources.

The guide outlines opportunities for Southeast Asian nations to 'recover better' from the COVID-19 pandemic by shifting economic stimulus toward sustainable energy. It identifies significant untapped potential in energy efficiency, particularly in buildings and cooling, and advocates for increasing the share of renewable energy in the power mix. The document highlights macroeconomic benefits, including GDP growth and job creation, while proposing eight enablers for a successful transition, such as eliminating fossil fuel subsidies and declaring a moratorium on new coal-fired power plants.

The Harare Declaration calls for a 'New Debt movement' to reform the global debt architecture, citing the risks of a debt crisis similar to the 1980s and 1990s. It criticizes current IMF debt sustainability frameworks and private credit ratings for ignoring social and environmental tradeoffs. The document advocates for an African Accountability Mechanism, the creation of regional financial institutions like an African Monetary Fund, and considers measures such as debt cancellation or collective default to break the cycle of indebtedness.

The Harare Declaration, adopted during the first African Conference on Debt and Development (AfCoDD) in August 2021, calls for a systemic overhaul of the global debt architecture to address the vulnerabilities of African nations. It highlights how the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated poverty and debt burdens, potentially pushing 39 million Africans into extreme poverty. The document criticizes the current system for prioritizing creditor interests over social and environmental justice, noting a shift toward commercial bonds and a lack of transparency in debt contraction. To counter this, the declaration proposes the creation of an African Monitoring and Control Mechanism, a Monetary Fund, and an African Bank. It further advocates for a feminist approach to macroeconomics, a green recovery aligned with the AU's Agenda 2063, and the possibility of collective debt default to break the cycle of neoliberal dependency.

The document evaluates how fiscal, budgetary, monetary, and trade policies in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic integrated or ignored natural capital in the Legal Amazon. It finds that the vast majority of economic stimulus measures had a negative impact on natural capital, with 87.2% categorized as 'high negative'. While some positive measures exist in bioeconomy and low-carbon agriculture, the report argues that nature was not central to economic decision-making and recommends a shift toward a 'green recovery' that values standing forests.

Global Witness criticizes a draft US-Ukraine deal proposed by Donald Trump, which would grant the US control over half of Ukraine's revenues from new oil, gas, and mining projects via a US-controlled 'Reconstruction Investment Fund'. The analysis suggests this puts $353 billion of oil and gas revenue at risk and allows the US to restrict Ukraine's mineral exports to other countries. The document argues that such an arrangement prioritizes US 'war debt' recovery over Ukrainian public services and pushes the country toward fossil fuel dependency instead of a sustainable, green reconstruction.

The document examines the intersection of Tanzania's COVID-19 recovery strategy and its climate commitments under the NDC. It argues that the pandemic's recovery phase provides a strategic opportunity to implement 'green recovery' by leveraging investment complementarities across sectors such as agriculture, health, tourism, and water. The paper highlights a significant financing gap, noting that 96% of NDC funding is expected from development partners, and advocates for innovative climate financing and public-private partnerships to de-risk investments, particularly for smallholder farmers.

The document finds that most African countries failed to maximize the opportunity for a green recovery following COVID-19, primarily due to a massive financing gap and a lack of mainstreaming climate action into national economic planning. While South Africa and Nigeria adopted recovery plans with green components, others like Senegal, Uganda, and Benin showed little overlap between their pandemic responses and NDCs. The author argues for reforming global development finance, implementing carbon taxes, and creating green sovereign wealth funds to bridge the gap between climate ambitions and available resources.

The document analyzes Nigeria's economic contraction and subsequent recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the role of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and fiscal stimulus. It identifies critical gaps in social protection, gender-responsive policy, and fiscal buffers, while advocating for central bank independence and digital economy integration for long-term stability.

The report evaluates the fiscal responses of six African nations to the COVID-19 pandemic through a climate lens, categorising policies as green, red (unfriendly), or grey (neutral). It finds that most stimulus packages were climate neutral, with Nigeria being the only country to implement an overall green package. In contrast, Uganda's response was deemed 'red' due to investments in carbon-intensive industrial parks, and South Africa's package was neutral despite its high emissions profile. The author argues that green spending is more effective for job creation than fossil fuel investments and recommends that African governments utilise Pigouvian taxes and green financing to achieve a sustainable economic recovery.

South Africa has increased its climate ambition by lowering its 2030 emission target upper limit from 614 Mt CO2-eq to 420 Mt CO2-eq. While the country leads Africa in green finance and has established a carbon tax, implementation of climate strategies remains slow. The COVID-19 pandemic initially diverted focus toward immediate socioeconomic needs, but later spurred the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan. Conversely, the Ukraine war has increased global demand for South African coal, potentially incentivizing a rollback of decarbonization. The Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) provides critical financial support, but the transition is hindered by ongoing power shortages, reliance on new coal plants like Medupi and Kusile, and political sensitivity regarding job losses in the coal sector.

The document warns that post-pandemic recovery efforts risk entrenching carbon-intensive pathways through technological, political, and societal lock-in if governments prioritize a return to the pre-pandemic status quo. It identifies a narrow window of opportunity in 2020 to align economic stimulus with the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. To achieve a sustainable transition, the authors propose five policy levers: conditional bailouts, environmental tax reform, green public procurement and finance, expanded social welfare, and just transition measures to support workers. The briefing highlights that while some regions like South Korea and the EU are pursuing green recovery plans, others, such as the US and China, are implementing measures that may reinforce fossil fuel dependency.

The We Mean Business Coalition calls on COP26 governments to commit to a 1.5°C trajectory, finalize robust Article 6 market rules, and ensure the delivery of $100 billion in climate finance for developing countries. The coalition emphasizes the need for a transparent Global Stocktake that includes private sector data and a clear process for establishing a Global Goal for Adaptation to build resilience across global supply chains.

The We Mean Business Coalition presents a series of policy asks across key sectors—including energy, transport, industry, and the built environment—to align global economies with a 1.5°C trajectory. The document highlights existing corporate commitments, such as the 900+ companies aligning with 1.5°C targets, and calls for government action on carbon pricing, the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies, and the implementation of just transition plans. It emphasizes that a green recovery from COVID-19 can boost GDP and employment while addressing the climate and biodiversity crises.

The document evaluates the COVID-19 recovery packages of G20 nations, finding a prevalence of business-as-usual (BAU) investments that risk undermining Paris Agreement goals. It argues that the lack of pre-existing Paris-compatible project planning hindered green recovery efforts and suggests a multifaceted approach using monetary, fiscal, and regulatory levers to align financial flows with climate commitments.

The ACT2025 Alliance Statement outlines a comprehensive 'Ambition, Solidarity, and Prosperity' package for COP26. It calls for major emitters to align NDCs with the 1.5°C goal, demands that developed countries meet and exceed the $100 billion annual climate finance pledge, and advocates for the operationalization of the Global Goal on Adaptation and the establishment of Loss and Damage as a permanent agenda item. The consortium emphasizes the need for a reformed financial system that prioritizes grants over loans and the adoption of a common five-year time frame for NDCs to ensure near-term accountability.