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The report contends that Canadian LNG projects are high-risk investments due to capital intensity, market volatility, and declining global demand. It highlights that importers in Europe and Asia are shifting toward renewables to avoid the price spikes and supply shocks associated with LNG. The authors argue that new LNG infrastructure threatens to become stranded assets, potentially requiring further taxpayer subsidies, while simultaneously increasing global greenhouse gas emissions and delaying the energy transition.

The analysis of Ford, General Motors, Stellantis, Toyota, and Volkswagen reveals a general failure to set credible decarbonisation targets or address key transitions. Most companies lack ambition in emission reductions, and current battery electric vehicle sales trajectories are insufficient for 1.5°C alignment. While some progress exists in near-zero steel and aluminium procurement by Ford and General Motors, other critical areas like battery production emissions remain neglected.

The briefing outlines principles for quantifying and valuing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions when conducting societal benefit-cost analyses for non-pipeline alternative (NPA) utility projects. It argues that these analyses must account for all upstream and downstream emissions changes and utilize the social cost of GHGs rather than environmental policy compliance costs to determine monetary value, thereby ensuring an accurate comparison between divergent project types.

The Livable Caferağa project, part of WRI's Deep Dive Cities Initiative, uses a community-led approach to transform a high-traffic district in Istanbul into a more sustainable urban environment. Following a successful pilot at Mehmet Ayvalıtaş Square in September 2023, the project is implementing five core strategies: prioritizing pedestrian space with wider sidewalks and greenery, expanding bike lane networks from 18 km to 58 km by 2050, launching the 'ModaBüs' local shuttle service in late 2025, implementing sustainable parking management, and transitioning delivery services toward cargo bikes. These efforts align with Kadıköy's goals of a 40% GHG emission reduction by 2030 and full climate neutrality by 2050.

The report finds that expanding the World Cup to 48 teams will significantly increase GHG emissions, with air transport emissions estimated to rise by 160% to 325% for the 2026, 2030, and 2034 tournaments. It estimates the 2026 World Cup in North America will produce at least 9.0 million tCO2e, while the FIFA-Aramco sponsorship deal could induce an additional 30 million tCO2e. Furthermore, a risk assessment of the 16 stadiums for the 2026 event reveals that half require immediate environmental intervention, with six facing extreme heat stress.

The BRICS bloc generated over half of the world's electricity in 2024, with China dominating renewable energy production. While solar and wind capacity have grown exponentially in China, India, and Brazil since 2015, progress has stalled in Russia and South Africa. Hydropower's share of BRICS renewable generation fell from 82% in 2015 to 45% in 2023 as solar and wind expanded. China leads the bloc in total renewable energy jobs, though Brazil has the highest proportion of such jobs relative to its population.

The report analyzes the 2024 Chinese GSS+ bond market, noting that while cumulative issuance has exceeded $500 billion, annual growth in 2024 slowed due to a decline in financial institution activity. Green bonds remain dominant, though social and sustainable bonds saw significant growth. The report highlights a gap between domestic issuance and international CBI standards, particularly in sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs), and examines the potential for GSS+ financing in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

By the end of 2024, China's cumulative aligned GSS+ volume reached USD 555.5 billion, making it the fourth largest source globally. While green bonds continue to dominate, representing 80% of cumulative aligned volume, the market saw a 4% decrease in total aligned volume in 2024 to USD 84.6 billion, largely due to a 33% drop in issuance from financial corporates. The report highlights a significant growth in aligned social and sustainability (S&S) volumes, which rose 316% year-on-year to USD 15.7 billion. However, sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs) face severe integrity challenges, with only three Chinese deals achieving alignment with Climate Bonds methodology. The document also spotlights the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area as a key region for GSS+ growth and details recent policy shifts, including the February 2025 Sovereign Green Bond Framework and the Multi-Jurisdiction Common Ground Taxonomy.

The Corporate Climate Responsibility Monitor 2025 finds that none of the 20 assessed companies demonstrate a climate strategy of 'reasonable' or 'high' integrity. The report highlights that 2030 emission reduction targets are increasingly 'unfit for purpose' due to structural obstacles, including incomplete emissions disclosures and sector-specific accounting malpractices. In the tech sector, soaring energy demand from AI and a reliance on outdated market-based accounting for electricity undermine target credibility. The automotive sector shows inadequate progress in phasing out internal combustion engines, while the fashion sector lacks commitments to reduce overproduction. The agrifood sector is criticised for relying on undefined land-based carbon removals to obscure a lack of structural emission reductions. The report argues for the adoption of transition-specific alignment targets to complement general GHG targets.

The report finds that the five largest incumbent light-duty vehicle manufacturers are making inadequate progress in transitioning to electric mobility. Most assessed companies have 2030 emission reduction targets that are critically insufficient and long-term net-zero pledges that lack concrete substantiation. While some companies have committed to procuring near-zero emission steel and aluminium, other critical transitions, such as reducing battery production emissions and improving electric vehicle efficiency, are largely neglected. The analysis highlights a significant gap between corporate pledges and the 1.5°C-compatible pathways required for the passenger transport sector.

The briefing reports that while new coal mine capacity additions declined by 46% in 2024, approximately 2,270 Mtpa of new capacity remains under development globally. This pipeline is heavily concentrated in China, India, Australia, and Russia, which together account for nearly 90% of proposed developments. The document highlights that if fully realized, these projects could emit 15.7 million tonnes of methane annually, significantly hindering the achievement of the Paris Agreement and IEA Net Zero scenarios. It emphasizes the prevalence of 'greenfield' projects and the high methane intensity of underground and metallurgical coal mines.

The policy brief examines the barriers to phasing out oil and gas within G20 nations, noting that while renewable capacity has grown, fossil fuel subsidies and deep industrial integration persist. It advocates for measurable phase-out targets, subsidy reform, and increased concessional financing for the Global South to ensure a just energy transition.

This report presents guidelines for designing Border Carbon Adjustment (BCA) mechanisms, based on global stakeholder dialogues. It offers specific recommendations on measuring embodied GHG emissions, determining sectoral coverage, managing revenues, and crediting foreign carbon prices. The guidance emphasizes 'parallel treatment' between domestic and foreign producers and suggests mechanisms to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and developing countries in their low-carbon transition, while cautioning against blanket country exemptions to maintain the effectiveness of leakage prevention.

The document outlines the global effort to create a legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution. It details the environmental and health risks of plastics, the history of the UN-led INC process, and the contentious treaty elements currently under debate, such as production caps and chemicals of concern. It also identifies the divergent positions of major plastic producers, high-ambition coalitions, and developing nations, while suggesting synergies with existing international conventions.

The document outlines a strategic framework for negotiating protocols under the UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation (UN FCITC). It identifies two 'early protocols'—cross-border services and tax dispute resolution—and several 'possible protocols' including the digital economy, illicit financial flows, high-net-worth individuals, and environmental challenges. The report argues that the UN FCITC can provide a more inclusive and effective alternative to OECD-led frameworks, particularly for developing countries, by establishing global standards for taxing the digital economy, combating tax evasion, and coordinating climate-related fiscal policies.

The report outlines a strategic framework for negotiating protocols under the UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation (UN FCITC). It identifies two 'early protocols'—taxation of cross-border services and the resolution of tax disputes—and several 'potential protocols' covering the digital economy, illicit financial flows, high-net-worth individuals, environmental taxation, information exchange, mutual assistance, and harmful tax practices. The document argues that the UN FCITC can provide a more inclusive and effective alternative to OECD-led initiatives, which often disadvantage developing nations. Key recommendations include establishing a global digital services tax, creating a global asset register for beneficial ownership, implementing a global minimum tax on the super-rich, and developing a coordinated multilateral environmental tax architecture to support net-zero goals.

The report outlines a strategic framework for negotiating protocols under the UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation, focusing on enhancing tax revenue and fairness for developing countries. It details two preliminary protocols—cross-border services and tax dispute resolution—and several potential protocols covering the digital economy, illicit financial flows, high-net-worth individuals, environmental taxation, information exchange, mutual administrative assistance, and harmful tax practices. The document argues for a shift away from OECD-led standards, which it claims often disadvantage developing nations, toward a more inclusive UN-led multilateral architecture.

The report introduces the National Integrated Clean Cooking Planning (NICCP) for Rwanda, utilizing the Integrated Clean Cooking Planning Tool (ICCPT) and a financial model to assess paths toward clean cooking access. It compares two scenarios: the 'Aligned' plan, which follows current government ambitions, and the 'CleanStep' plan, which prioritizes rapid adoption by 2029 followed by economic recovery. Key findings indicate that while infrastructure deployment is necessary, affordability gaps—particularly in rural areas—remain a primary barrier. The CleanStep plan achieves higher adoption and better environmental outcomes by 2029, while the Aligned plan shows better health outcomes and lower long-term funding requirements by 2034. Both plans emphasize the potential of carbon credits and the need for combined pricing measures (subsidies on both appliances and fuels) to ensure sustainable transitions.

The report examines how unreliable electricity and the use of medical equipment designed for high-income countries undermine healthcare in Sub-Saharan Africa. Based on data from 29 facilities in Kisumu County, Kenya, it finds that many essential devices are underutilized or non-functional due to power instability, high energy consumption, and a lack of maintenance. It argues for the adoption of energy-efficient, context-aware medical appliances and decentralized renewable energy systems to improve health outcomes and reduce operational costs.

The document examines the challenges of expanding active mobility in Indonesia, highlighting how fragmented infrastructure, safety risks, and weak enforcement hinder the transition from motor vehicles to walking and cycling. Using Medan as a case study, it identifies specific gaps in accessibility for people with disabilities and suggests a multi-faceted approach involving infrastructure upgrades, financial incentives, and public awareness campaigns to reduce urban congestion and air pollution.