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Kenya faces significant cooling gaps, with millions of people in hot regions at risk due to poverty and lack of electricity. While the country has a high share of renewable energy, the growth of refrigeration and air-conditioning (RAC) threatens to increase emissions, necessitating a transition to sustainable cooling to align with Net Zero 2050 goals.

The IISD welcomes Canada's draft regulations for an oil and gas pollution cap, noting that the sector accounts for 31% of Canada's total emissions. While supporting the cap-and-trade system to drive decarbonization and net-zero goals by 2050, the IISD warns that a proposed 'decarbonization program' could lead to double-counting of emissions reductions. The organization advocates for the continued exclusion of international carbon offsets and the use of only real, additional, and verifiable domestic offsets.

The document examines how ISDS allows foreign investors, particularly in the fossil fuel industry, to sue governments over climate regulations, leading to a 'chilling effect' where states delay or weaken policies to avoid costly awards. It argues that these protections act as a subsidy for GHG-intensive industries, contradicting Article 2.1(c) of the Paris Agreement. The brief concludes that fragmented procedural reforms are insufficient and advocates for a unified global approach, including the use of COP29 and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to coordinate ISDS withdrawals or carve-outs.

The report details how Koch, Inc. and its executives had access to scientific warnings about global warming as early as 1972 but spent decades financing a network of nonprofits and think tanks to obstruct climate action. This was achieved by contesting climate science, running public relations campaigns to shift cultural understanding, and lobbying political elites. The document tracks this effort from early API and National Petroleum Council reports through the funding of the Competitive Enterprise Institute's 'global warming project' and the activities of Americans for Prosperity, culminating in significant policy victories during the Trump administration and continued opposition to Biden-era climate legislation.

The report highlights that G20 fossil fuel reserves contain over a trillion tons of CO2 equivalent, which would exceed the 2ºC carbon budget if fully extracted. It notes that emissions from G20 fossil fuel extraction nearly doubled between the 1992 Rio Summit and 2020. Despite this, the document argues that G20 economies have become less dependent on fossil fuel rents over the last three decades, making them better equipped to transition. It specifically identifies the USA, Canada, Australia, the UK, Germany, and Italy as being best placed to transition first and fastest.

FSD Africa is working to deepen African capital markets to reduce reliance on banks and external debt, leveraging an estimated $2 trillion in domestic assets. The organization employs a four-pronged strategy: policy and regulatory development, market infrastructure creation, product development (specifically GSSS bonds), and stakeholder convening. Key achievements include mobilising over $1.2 billion through 21 thematic bond transactions and establishing critical infrastructure like the Ethiopian Securities Exchange. Future priorities include carbon markets, sovereign debt management, and financing the energy transition.

The GCF Water Project Design Guidelines Part 3 outlines a framework for creating climate-resilient sanitation (CRS) projects. It defines CRS as systems that can survive and function despite climate shocks while minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. The guide provides a detailed methodology for conducting climate risk assessments (analyzing hazards, exposure, and vulnerability) and identifies specific technical and management interventions for the sanitation service chain, including containment, conveyance, and treatment. It emphasizes a 'paradigm shift' toward circular economy principles—such as nutrient recovery and wastewater reuse—and provides a step-by-step process for aligning proposals with GCF investment criteria, including impact potential and country ownership.

The Gender Action Plan for the Green Climate Finance Facility in Senegal aims to increase the participation of women and youth in climate-smart agriculture (CSA). It establishes targets for lending ratios, develops gender-inclusive credit products, and provides technical assistance to overcome barriers to finance. The plan includes a budget of €560,000 to implement gender mainstreaming, capacity building, and the monitoring of gender-disaggregated data to enhance resilience and reduce GHG emissions.

The document examines the 2024 Climate Change Act in South Africa, highlighting the critical role of local governments as front-end responders to climate impacts. It identifies significant barriers to implementation, including poor financial management, administrative capacity constraints, and a disconnect between political governance and the economy. To address these, the author recommends professionalising the public service through the Public Service Commission and strengthening the use of the Local Government Climate Change Support Programme to ensure municipalities can meet their legal mandate of submitting climate response assessments every five years.

The document analyzes the role of voluntary sustainability standards in the mining sector, categorizing them by focus (supply chain, performance, and principle-based) and scope. It argues that while these standards cannot replace robust regulation, they can complement it by filling regulatory gaps, providing a foundation for new laws, or serving as proof of compliance. The briefing highlights a trend toward harmonization, exemplified by the Consolidated Mining Standard Initiative (CMSI), and emphasizes the importance of third-party certification and multistakeholder governance for credibility. It concludes with recommendations for governments to engage in standards development and align national regulations with emerging sustainability issues to attract investment.

The report finds a significant disconnect between sanitation and climate policy, with only 2% of activities in analyzed NDCs addressing sanitation. While some countries like Jordan, Bolivia, and Uganda show detailed integration, many national sanitation policies are outdated and ignore climate risks. The authors argue that integrating these frameworks can unlock climate finance, reduce greenhouse gas emissions (which currently account for approximately 1.3% of global totals), and enhance community and ecosystem resilience.

The report identifies several climate-smart water technologies for rice cultivation in the Mekong Region, such as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) and Modern Irrigation Systems (MIS), which can significantly reduce water consumption. It analyzes the policy landscapes of Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, noting that while national strategies exist, adoption is hindered by financial barriers, technical gaps, and insecure land tenure. The document recommends strengthening policy frameworks, increasing access to credit, and fostering public-private partnerships to enhance agricultural resilience and food security.

The document examines how the climate crisis and overfishing mutually exacerbate marine ecosystem degradation and how these factors disrupt global fisheries trade. It highlights that tropical developing regions are projected to suffer the most severe reductions in fish catches, while the Global North is better positioned to capture new economic opportunities. The author argues for a transition toward low-emission technologies, the removal of harmful subsidies, and the adoption of value-added processing and digital traceability to support developing countries in maintaining food security and economic stability.

The textile and garment sector is a major global emitter, with estimates ranging from 2% to 10% of annual global GHG emissions. Developing countries are particularly vulnerable to both the physical impacts of climate change—risking millions of jobs in hubs like Bangladesh and Vietnam—and the transition risks posed by new sustainability regulations in consumer markets. The document highlights the potential for border carbon adjustments (BCAs) and the EU's Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) to create non-tariff trade barriers. It also addresses the environmental crisis of textile waste dumping in Africa and South America. To ensure a just transition, the author argues for the inclusion of the sector in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), increased international financial and technical support, and a coordinated approach via the WTO to prevent protectionism.

Mighty Earth argues that a new law in Mato Grosso, Brazil, which penalizes companies participating in the Soy Moratorium by restricting tax benefits, undermines efforts to prevent deforestation in the Amazon and Cerrado. The organization highlights that the Soy Moratorium, established in 2006, contributed to a 69% reduction in deforestation across 76 monitored municipalities between 2009 and 2022. The statement warns that this legislative move threatens corporate deforestation-free commitments and conflicts with international regulations like the EUDR.

The document details the operational and structural differences between Article 6.2 (bilateral/multilateral agreements), Article 6.4 (a UN-overseen global carbon market), and Article 6.8 (non-market approaches). It highlights the role of 'corresponding adjustments' in preventing double-counting and the specific financial contributions required under Article 6.4, such as the Share of Proceeds for the Adaptation Fund and the Overall Mitigation of Global Emissions. The author emphasizes that establishing high standards for credit quality and transparency is essential for the success of these markets at COP29.

The European Union is finalizing its COP29 position, focusing on securing a new global climate finance target to replace the expiring $100 billion annual commitment and advocating for a 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. The EU intends to push for increased funding for developing countries, encourage contributions from highly polluting nations like China, and seek specific phase-out dates for coal, gas, and oil.

The document refutes the claim that Canada can obtain internationally transferred mitigation outcomes (ITMOs) under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement by exporting LNG. It asserts that such exports likely do not reduce global emissions and that foreign buyers would not provide credits for free. The brief further notes that using Article 6.2 for coal-to-LNG switching would be a costly subsidy for domestic gas producers and would violate commitments against subsidizing fossil fuels abroad.

Thermal batteries can abate up to 99% of heat emissions in US chemical and refining plants by storing renewable electricity as heat in materials like graphite or bricks. These systems can provide heat up to 1800°C for reactions and distillation, with a levelized cost of heat between $20 and $87 per MWh. Integration involves assessing heating needs, retrofitting steam systems, and implementing automated charging based on electricity prices. While heat pumps are suitable for processes up to 200°C, thermal batteries address higher temperature needs. The guide advocates for policy reforms, including wholesale electricity rate access and permitting reform for non-adjacent parcels, to enhance the viability of industrial electrification.

The proposal seeks USD 999,998.93 to create a centralized Secretariat for the Brazil Climate and Ecological Transformation Investment Platform (BIP), hosted by the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES). The BIP aims to bridge the gap between climate-positive projects and investors to help Brazil meet its NDC target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 53.1% by 2030. The project focuses on three priority areas: Nature-based Climate Solutions, Industry and Mobility, and Energy. Key activities include developing a project pipeline, creating innovative financial mechanisms, and establishing ICT infrastructure to facilitate public-private collaboration.