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Reclaim Finance is calling for shareholders to vote against the re-election of TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné at the May 24, 2024, Annual General Meeting. The organization argues that the company's strategy of developing new fossil fuel projects is incompatible with the 1.5°C warming limit and that management has ignored climate-related shareholder resolutions. Reclaim Finance highlights that TotalEnergies was the world's sixth-largest upstream oil and gas developer in 2023 and plans to allocate only 33% of capital expenditure to its low carbon and power division through 2028, while distributing 3.4 dollars to shareholders for every dollar invested in its integrated power business in 2023.

Reclaim Finance is calling for shareholders to vote against the reelection of TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné at the May 24, 2024 general meeting. The organization argues that the company's strategy is incompatible with the 1.5°C warming limit, noting that TotalEnergies was the sixth largest oil and gas developer globally in 2023. The document highlights a gap in investment, stating that only 33% of investments in the 2028 plan are allocated to the "electricity and new molecules" division, while 3.4 dollars were distributed to shareholders for every dollar invested in electricity in 2023. Reclaim Finance further claims that the company ignores climate-related shareholder resolutions, citing a 2023 resolution for Paris Agreement alignment that received 30.4% support but resulted in no significant action, followed by a plan to increase annual oil production by 2 to 3% by 2028.

The petrochemical industry is a growing driver of global oil demand and greenhouse gas emissions, with nitrogen fertilisers and plastics as primary contributors. Rapid capacity expansion, particularly in China, is projected to increase emissions beyond 1.5°C warming limits. While technical solutions and recycling are proposed, the low cost of virgin plastics and the limitations of 'downcycling' hinder progress, suggesting that policy should prioritise reuse and the reduction of single-use materials over simple substitution or recycling.

The U.S. cement industry is more emissions-intensive than global peers due to a higher clinker-to-cement ratio. The document advocates for the use of blended cements—which replace clinker with supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs)—as a primary near-term decarbonization lever. While the adoption of Portland Limestone Cement (PLC) has increased, the author argues that more aggressive substitution standards, such as those for limestone calcined clay (LC3), and demand-side procurement policies are necessary to reach net-zero goals.

In 2023, the share of renewables in the global electricity mix exceeded 30% for the first time, driven by record solar and wind generation. Despite this, total power sector emissions reached a record high of 14,153 million tonnes of CO2 because clean growth could not fully meet rising demand and was hampered by a record fall in hydropower. While carbon intensity hit a record low of 480 gCO2/kWh, fossil generation increased by 135 TWh, primarily in emerging economies like China and India where droughts reduced hydro output.

The petition argues that the Upstream Petroleum Resources Development Bill (B13B – 2021) violates the South African Constitution and the One Environmental System (OES). It highlights the Bill's failure to provide adequate local economic development frameworks, its acceleration of fossil fuel extraction during a climate emergency, and its insufficient public participation and consultation processes. The petitioners urge the President to refer the Bill back to Parliament for redrafting to align with human rights and climate science.

The document outlines a framework for the Brazilian Sustainable Taxonomy, specifically focusing on land use activities such as crop production, cattle, and forestry. It argues for the need for harmonized, technical, and verifiable criteria to direct financial flows toward sustainable production and prevent greenwashing. The report proposes a phased implementation approach, suggests a three-tier verification system (automatic, remote, and on-site), and highlights the importance of interoperability with international standards. It also identifies critical challenges, such as defining the scope of the 'do no significant harm' (DNSH) principle and determining the appropriate level of granularity for classification (economic activity versus rural property).

The guide argues against one-size-fits-all climate action lists, instead encouraging individuals to audit their own habits in four key areas: diet, electricity use, travel, and home temperature regulation. It highlights the environmental impact of agriculture, fossil-fuel electricity, and transportation, offering specific practical steps—such as shifting to plant-rich diets, upgrading to LED bulbs, and reducing air travel—to lower personal greenhouse gas emissions.

In 2023, China maintained its position as the world's largest green bond issuance market, despite a slight decline in total volume. The market is characterized by a strong preference for short-dated debt and a growing reliance on Second Party Opinions to enhance credibility. While green bonds are increasingly aligned with the 100% Use of Proceeds (UoP) rule, social and sustainability bonds face challenges with transparency and disclosure. Sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs) are prolific in number but rarely utilize greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets. Policy drivers include the China Green Bond Principles and the China-EU Common Ground Taxonomy, alongside emerging local transition finance guidelines for hard-to-abate sectors like steel and chemicals.

The document argues that States have a legal obligation under international climate change law and human rights law to implement effective, science-based measures to mitigate climate change, specifically through the phase-out of fossil fuels and the regulation of non-state actors. It asserts that failure to do so constitutes an internationally wrongful act, triggering responsibilities for cessation of harm and full reparation, including financial compensation for loss and damage.

The report analyzes national and international frameworks to support the creation of the Brazilian Sustainable Taxonomy for land use. It highlights the significant variance in sustainability measurements—ranging from 1% to 44% of rural credit for the 2022/23 year depending on the criteria used—and recommends a technical, scientific, and gradual implementation process. The document details specific criteria from the EU, Colombian, and Mexican taxonomies, as well as domestic initiatives like the ABC+ Plan and FEBRABAN, to identify areas of consensus and points of attention such as the 'do no significant harm' (DNSH) principle.

The report analyzes national and international sustainability taxonomies to propose criteria for the Brazilian Sustainable Taxonomy's land-use sector. It highlights the high sensitivity of sustainable finance measurements to the chosen classification, demonstrating through a rural credit case study that alignment varies from 1% to 44% depending on the reference used. The authors recommend a technical, science-based approach with granular application levels and a gradual implementation roadmap to prevent greenwashing and attract international investment.

The document highlights how current life-cycle assessments (LCAs) for building materials in Canada may misdirect decarbonization efforts due to data gaps and a lack of transparency. It specifically notes that LCAs often ignore biogenic carbon emissions from wood products, which can account for up to 72% of their total lifecycle emissions, potentially overstating the carbon advantage of wood over materials like concrete and steel. The briefing recommends that the federal government invest in regionalized national life-cycle inventories and that policymakers prioritize energy efficiency, building durability, and material efficiency over a narrow focus on embodied emissions.

Between 2019 and 2023, agribusiness interests spent over $523 million lobbying on the US food and farm bill, with spending peaking in 2023. The report highlights the role of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) in opposing climate action and environmental regulations while advocating for commodity subsidies. It recommends that Congress prioritize small and marginalized farmers and strengthen antitrust enforcement to curb corporate power.

The report outlines a multi-phase strategy to establish a specialty crop industry in the Mid-Mississippi Delta (Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee) as a climate-resilient alternative to California's production. It identifies suitable crops, analyzes labor and infrastructure gaps, and proposes innovative, equity-focused business models to ensure wealth creation for underserved farmers. The project has transitioned from research to action through the 'Collective Impact Framework' and the launch of the Delta Harvest pilot project.

The WWF Blueprint for Credible Action on Plastic Pollution outlines a strategic framework for businesses to move from measuring their plastic impact to investing in systemic circular solutions. It emphasizes the elimination of unnecessary plastics, the shift to sustainable sourcing, and the importance of advocating for a legally binding global treaty to end plastic pollution.

Global operating coal capacity increased by 48.4 GW in 2023, reaching a total of 2,130 GW, primarily driven by a surge of new plants in China. While construction starts hit record lows outside of China, China's new construction starts reached an eight-year high of 70.2 GW. Despite a growing number of countries committing to 'No New Coal', 75% of global operating coal capacity still lacks a specific closure commitment, hindering alignment with the Paris Agreement goals.

The January 2024 pause on non-FTA LNG export authorizations affects 88.9 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of proposed capacity, representing one-quarter of all U.S. export capacity in development. The briefing argues that this pause curbs an overbuild of LNG infrastructure without harming Europe's energy security, as U.S. export capacity is still expected to increase by over 50% through 2026 from unaffected projects, while European gas demand is forecast to decline.

The ARCA project is a GEF-8 initiative focused on the Caatinga biome in Brazil, with a total GEF financing of $9,771,000. The project seeks to create approximately 100,000 hectares of new protected areas (PAs) and improve the management effectiveness of 4.58 million hectares across seven confirmed PAs. Key components include the implementation of National Action Plans for Endangered Species Conservation (PANs), combating illegal wildlife poaching and trafficking, and providing $732,155 for capacity building and sub-grants to Indigenous Peoples, Traditional Peoples, and Local Communities (IP/TP&LC). The project also aims to mitigate an estimated 48.8 million tons of CO2e over a 20-year period as a co-benefit of improved PA management.

ClientEarth asserts that a global plastics treaty will only be effective if it establishes legally binding production reduction targets, prohibits new plastic plants, and addresses the entire lifecycle of plastics from fossil fuel extraction to waste. The organization highlights that plastics production is projected to consume 20% of the world's carbon budget by 2050 and that only 9% of all plastic ever made has been recycled. The document emphasizes the need to align public and private financial flows with these goals and to prioritize human rights and health, noting that nearly a quarter of the 10,500 chemical substances in plastics are of potential concern for human health.