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The report finds that climate finance for agrifood systems is strikingly low, representing only 4.3% of total global project-level climate finance in 2019/20, with an annual average of USD 28.5 billion. This is far below the estimated needs for climate transition, which are in the hundreds of billions of dollars annually. While agriculture and forestry receive the bulk of project-level funding, essential mitigation areas like food loss/waste and low-carbon diets receive less than 1% of such investments. Geographically, East Asia and the Pacific are the largest recipients of project-level finance, while the US and Canada dominate venture capital investments. The report suggests that repurposing existing public subsidies for agriculture and fisheries (USD 670 billion per year) and tapping into available private capital (USD 630 billion per year) could bridge the funding gap.

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a USDA initiative that pays agricultural producers to remove environmentally sensitive land from production to improve water quality, prevent soil erosion, and reduce wildlife habitat loss. The program includes various initiatives such as the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and the Farmable Wetland Program, with specific acreage caps ranging from 24 million to 27 million acres between 2019 and 2023. In 2021, the USDA highlighted the program's climate impact, estimating a reduction of 12 million metric tons of CO2e per year, and introduced incentives to further increase enrollment and mitigation potential.

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers and nonindustrial forest managers to address natural resource concerns. It supports practices that improve water and air quality, increase soil health, and mitigate climate change. Funding is provided through the 2018 Farm Bill and the Inflation Reduction Act, with specific allocations for livestock production and wildlife habitat. The program includes sub-initiatives like Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) and the EQIP Cover Crop Initiative to foster innovative conservation approaches and carbon sequestration.

The document outlines several key EV-related policies. In California, the Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulation targets light- and medium-duty vehicle OEMs, while the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rule requires OEMs of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to sell ZEVs or NZEVs as an increasing percentage of sales from 2024 to 2035. The Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) regulation mandates ZEV adoption for fleets with over 50 trucks, certain private companies, and public agencies. The Clean Miles Standard (CMS) requires ridehailing providers with over 5 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) per year to reach zero emissions from passenger miles and 90 percent EV-powered VMT by 2030. The Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) uses a market-based mechanism to cap the carbon intensity of transportation fuels. At the federal level, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 provides incentives for EV procurement and infrastructure. Additionally, proposed EPA regulations aim to reduce emissions for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles, with light-duty targets projecting an average of 82 grams/mile of CO2 by model year 2032.

Climate Central reports that 97% of 240 analyzed U.S. locations saw an increase in annual cooling degree days (CDD) between 1970 and 2022, with the most significant rises in the Southwest, South, and Southeast. Projections suggest U.S. household cooling demand will increase by 71% by 2050, while global demand is expected to more than triple. The document highlights that rising demand can strain power grids, increase greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels and HFCs, and exacerbate urban heat islands. It also notes a disproportionate energy burden on low-income and minority households, who may delay cooling use due to cost. Proposed solutions include transitioning to renewable energy, adopting high-efficiency heat pumps, and implementing building retrofits.

REITs in the US control approximately 38.5 billion sq. ft. of solar-appropriate surface area, capable of generating over 25 percent of electricity used in US commercial buildings. While on-site solar is economically viable for 90 percent of the top 50 REITs by 2025, adoption is hindered by tax credit complexities, IRS recapture rules, and risks associated with tenant turnover and low energy intensity in industrial warehouses. Community solar is proposed as a solution to these barriers, offering additional tax credit bonuses of 10–20 percent when serving low- and moderate-income residents. Currently, only nine US states support rooftop community solar, though some leading REITs like Prologis, Lineage Logistics, Blackstone, Brookfield, and Hartz Mountain have already installed significant capacity.

Nigeria faces a significant cooling access gap, with 53 percent of its population at high risk from high temperatures. To address this, the country is implementing sustainable cooling initiatives, including the 2017 Nigeria Building Energy Efficiency Code, which prioritizes passive design and efficient building systems to reduce energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions.

The paper argues that integrating climate mitigation target-setting with economic development assessments can motivate more ambitious climate action. By modeling 28 mitigation measures, the authors show that Zimbabwe can meet its updated target of a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors by 2030 (relative to baseline scenarios) while gaining quantifiable benefits in biodiversity, public health, sustainable energy use, and energy security.

The AC-CReWS project aims to enhance climate resilience on Ambergris Caye, Belize, by upgrading water and wastewater infrastructure and governance. The project focuses on transitioning to low-carbon systems through the installation of a 3 MW grid-tied PV system, upgrading sewage treatment to tertiary levels for reclaimed water reuse, and implementing SCADA for automated monitoring and leak detection. With a total indicative cost of USD 49.893 million, the project targets 40,000 direct beneficiaries and expects to mitigate 148,140 tCO2eq over a 30-year lifespan. It also proposes a Revolving Adaptation and Mitigation Fund Facility (RAMFF) to sustain small-scale climate initiatives.

The report examines the use of energy service agreements (ESAs) to overcome financial and structural barriers to decarbonizing affordable multifamily housing in California, specifically addressing split incentives and upfront costs.

The document is a formal letter from several NGOs to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) arguing that current SBTi guidelines are insufficient to meet the standards set by the UN High Level Expert Group's 'Integrity Matters' report. The authors identify gaps in environmental integrity, accountability, and credibility, specifically calling for a strict 1.5°C baseline, full Scope 3 emissions disclosure, and the phase-out of fossil fuels. They demand that SBTi increase transparency regarding company submissions and remove entities that fail to meet their commitments, citing JBS as an example of misleading claims.

A pilot project involving RMI, SINAI Technologies, and ArcelorMittal demonstrates that using process-level primary emissions data and dedicated software helps steel producers meet reporting requirements and allows buyers to verify the decarbonization impact of their procurement.

WRI researchers argue that global wood harvests significantly increase atmospheric carbon, with annual emissions estimated between 3.5 and 4.2 billion tons of CO2e. The document critiques 'netting' approaches that incorrectly label harvests as carbon neutral by offsetting them against unrelated forest growth. It projects a 54% increase in global wood consumption by 2050 and suggests that reducing fuelwood use and increasing plantation growth rates could mitigate these emissions.

The Center for International Environmental Law highlights the symbiotic relationship between the fossil fuel industry and industrial agriculture, noting that agriculture accounts for approximately one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions. It emphasizes that reliance on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides creates vulnerability to fossil fuel price shocks, which increases food costs and insecurity. The statement calls for states to transition toward resilient and regenerative agricultural models to ensure food and energy sovereignty.

The Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) regulation aims to phase out internal combustion engine medium- and heavy-duty trucks in California to achieve a zero-emissions transport system by 2045. The regulation mandates ZEV adoption for high-priority, drayage, and public fleets through various schedules and milestones, with CARB providing extensions for infrastructure, electrical, and delivery delays. The regulation is estimated to reduce CO2 emissions by nearly 25 million metric tons between 2024 and 2041.

The report analyzes the institutional framework and policies of the Brazilian agricultural sector regarding climate change. It distinguishes between mitigation and adaptation policies and evaluates whether they incorporate 'justice elements'—such as prioritizing family farming, increasing income for vulnerable producers, and promoting gender and racial equity. The mapping identifies the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) as the primary actor, while noting a lack of a dedicated national strategy for a just transition in agriculture.

Industrial thermal batteries can convert electricity into high-temperature heat (1,500-1,700°C), potentially displacing 75% of U.S. industrial non-feedstock energy demand. The report analyzes two primary deployment modes: 'generation-following' (off-grid renewables) and 'price-hunting' (grid-connected, price-responsive). It finds that these batteries can provide heat at $35 to $62 per MWh, making them competitive with natural gas. The authors recommend financial incentives via the Inflation Reduction Act and reforms to electricity tariffs to reward the grid flexibility these batteries provide.

The document critiques the European Commission's proposal on ESG ratings, stating it fails to remedy fundamental problems like the lack of harmonized methodologies. Reclaim Finance proposes that the regulation be amended to include mandatory baseline standards—specifically aligning the 'E' factor with the 1.5°C Paris Agreement target—and minimum weighting thresholds (33% for E, 25% for S and G) to ensure ratings are not used as greenwashing tools.

The document summarizes the outcomes of the WWF Plastic Policy Summit held in March 2023. It argues for an urgent shift from a linear to a circular economy through a full life cycle approach to plastic, emphasizing the need for immediate action before the 2025 global treaty negotiations. The report identifies nine strategic interventions, ranging from reducing virgin plastic production to expanding deposit return systems, and provides specific policy and operational recommendations for federal, state, and local governments, as well as the private sector. A central theme is the prioritization of environmental justice to protect communities historically burdened by plastic production and waste.

The document details a multi-stakeholder approach to ending plastic pollution, emphasizing source reduction, reuse systems, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). It advocates for a full life cycle approach that integrates environmental justice and data transparency to inform policy at local, state, and federal levels in the United States, while aligning with an upcoming global plastics treaty.