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The document calls for the immediate phase-out of the U.S. federal coal leasing program, citing a 2021 study stating that 90% of global coal reserves must remain unextracted by 2050 to meet a 1.5°C climate target. It highlights two recent court victories: one re-imposing a moratorium on new coal leasing on federal lands until a comprehensive environmental analysis is completed, and another striking down resource management plans for the Powder River Basin. The author asserts that the Biden administration must now address the harm from existing leases, noting that as of 2021, the Bureau of Land Management administered 299 federal coal leases across approximately 458,600 acres.

The briefing maps the diverging positions of three EU institutions on the reform of the EU ETS, focusing on emissions reduction targets, the phase-out of free allowances via the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), and the funding of the Innovation and Modernisation Funds. While the European Parliament proposes a higher emissions reduction target of roughly 64% by 2030, the Environment Council maintains a more conservative approach to free allowances and fund sizes. Carbon Market Watch recommends a minimum 64% reduction target, a CBAM implementation by 2026, and the exclusion of fossil fuels and nuclear energy from the Modernisation Fund.

The document examines the greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint of palm oil, noting that emissions range from -0.3 to over 20 kgCO2e/kg CPO, with an average of approximately 6 kgCO2e/kg CPO. The primary drivers of these emissions are land-use change (LUC), particularly the conversion of tropical forests and peatlands, and the degradation of palm oil mill effluent (POME). The report highlights that emissions are highly spatially heterogeneous, with peat-based production being significantly more carbon-intensive than mineral-soil production. Mitigation strategies focus on preventing further deforestation and peatland development, managing water tables in existing peatlands, and implementing POME treatment technologies such as biogas capture and composting. The document also compares production characteristics across key regions, noting that Southeast Asia has the highest yields and production volumes, while West Africa has the lowest.

The document analyzes GHG emissions from coffee production, ranging from 3 to over 40 kgCO2e/kg roast coffee, with an average of approximately 20 kgCO2e/kg. It identifies land-use change, fertilizer use, and wet-processing effluent as the primary emission drivers. The briefing highlights that while polyculture systems sequester more carbon than monocultures, the overall footprint is highly variable based on location and practice. Key mitigation strategies include preventing deforestation, treating processing effluent, and improving fertilizer management, though implementation is challenged by the prevalence of smallholder farming.

The document examines the GHG footprints of soy production, emphasizing that land-use change (LUC) is the primary driver of emissions. It details emissions from farm-gate activities, processing, and transport, while comparing production systems and regional impacts, particularly in South America. Mitigation priorities focus on preventing deforestation and improving tillage and fertilizer practices.

The report examines the greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint of beef production, highlighting that emissions vary drastically by region and production system, ranging from 16 to 360 kg CO2e/kg edible meat. It identifies enteric fermentation, feed production, and land-use change as the primary emission drivers, while noting that well-managed grazing lands can act as carbon sinks. The document outlines mitigation strategies including improved feed digestibility, rotational grazing, and feed additives, estimating a total global mitigation potential between 0.67 and 2.55 GtCO2e/yr.

The document examines GHG emissions from the wild-caught tuna supply chain, noting that emissions typically range from 8–9 kgCO2e/kg of edible weight or tuna product. Fishing fuel use is the dominant emission source, with significant variation based on the method used: purse seining is the least intensive (1.7–4.1 kgCO2e/kg EW), while longlining and trolling can be much higher. Other contributors include packaging—specifically metal cans—and air transport, which can exceed 10 kgCO2e/kg EW. Proposed mitigation strategies include rebuilding fish stocks to improve catch-per-unit-effort, switching to low-fuel fishing methods, streamlining packaging, reducing air freight, and decreasing seafood loss and waste.

The document examines the GHG footprint of the pulp and paper industry, noting that emissions range from 14 to 75 tCO2e/t paper (excluding biogenic forestry emissions). It highlights that pulping and papermaking are energy-intensive stages that dominate the footprint, while forest management—specifically deforestation and premature harvesting—represents a significant source of emissions and a major mitigation opportunity. The report emphasizes the need for standardized GHG accounting in the sector and suggests shifting to renewable energy and sustainable forestry to reduce impacts.

The document analyzes the GHG footprint of salmon, noting that emissions are dominated by feed, with total retail emissions typically between 7 and 10 kgCO2e/kg edible weight. It highlights significant variability based on production methods, feed composition, and transport modes, while identifying land-use change in feed and air freight as primary targets for mitigation.

The document argues that the procurement of 3,000 MW of gas power is irrational, unlawful, and environmentally harmful. It claims the process was 'tailor-made' for an existing Eskom project, lacked adequate public consultation, and ignores the availability of cheaper, cleaner renewable energy alternatives. The authors assert that gas is not a 'bridging fuel' due to high methane leakage and that such infrastructure risks becoming a stranded asset, thereby threatening South Africa's climate commitments and constitutional rights to a healthy environment.

The document analyzes global oil demand scenarios from the IEA and CER, concluding that climate policies and technological shifts—particularly in road transport—will lead to a permanent decline in oil demand starting before 2030. It highlights that road transport, the largest consumer of oil at 44%, is seeing an exponential shift toward electric vehicles. Other sectors, including buildings, power, aviation, shipping, and plastics, are also expected to contribute to demand destruction, though at different paces. The brief asserts that Canada must prepare for this structural decline to ensure economic resilience.

The report examines the shift from traditional energy efficiency programs, which focus on raw energy savings, toward 'climate-forward efficiency' that prioritizes GHG reductions. It identifies two types of performance incentive mechanisms (PIMs): 'explicit GHG' PIMs, which directly reward carbon reductions, and 'policy intent' PIMs, which implicitly encourage GHG reductions through fuel switching or time-based savings. The document highlights early implementations in New York, Vermont, and Washington, D.C., and suggests that tracking metrics and scorecards can serve as a starting point for states not yet ready for full PIMs.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) allocates $369 billion to clean energy and emissions reductions, projected to bring U.S. emissions to approximately 42% below 2005 levels by 2030. The law is expected to accelerate the energy transition primarily through the power and transportation sectors, potentially creating over 1.7 million energy supply jobs and avoiding 63,000 premature deaths by 2035 through reduced fossil fuel pollution.

A memo from a coalition of organizations urging the U.S. government to link human health outcomes to the transformation of the agricultural system, emphasizing the need to align subsidies with nutritious food production, support sustainable farming practices, and integrate racial equity into food policy.

Friends of the Earth argues that the USDA's $2.8 billion funding for 'climate-smart' commodities projects constitutes a corporate giveaway to major agribusinesses, potentially enabling greenwashing and further agricultural consolidation.

The We Mean Business Coalition and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development argue that the current draft of the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) risks flooding the market with incomplete information. They advocate for alignment with the International Sustainable Standards Board (ISSB) and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) to ensure global comparability and reduce the reporting burden. The authors specifically criticize the 'rebuttable presumptions' concept and the lack of maturity in certain KPIs, such as biodiversity offsets, suggesting a phased-in approach for less mature metrics to prevent greenwashing and maintain investor trust.

The 'Clean Cities for Clean Lake Victoria' project aims to mitigate climate change impacts in Uganda by reducing industrial and municipal emissions and restoring riparian ecosystems. With a requested grant of USD 10 million, the project targets a mitigation impact of 700,000 tCO2eq and intends to benefit 35,000 people. Key interventions include promoting cleaner production technologies in industries, restoring 400 hectares of wetlands and forests, and establishing national and regional water quality laboratories to support NDC reporting. The project focuses on the northern catchment of Lake Victoria, specifically targeting Kampala, Jinja, Entebbe, Busia, and Kyotera.

As of June 2022, there were 12,720 committed electric school buses across 38 US states, representing approximately 2-3% of the national fleet. California leads adoption, and while deployment is high in communities of color and areas with high PM2.5 pollution, it remains lower in the lowest-income school districts.

The report analyzes the GHG emissions of maize production, noting an average on-farm emission of 0.6 kgCO2e/kg maize. It identifies land-use change, nitrogen fertilizer application, and tillage practices as primary emission drivers. The document highlights significant regional variability, with high emissions intensity often correlating with low yields in countries like Nigeria. Proposed mitigation efforts include preventing habitat conversion, adopting no-till or strip-till farming, and optimizing nitrogen fertilizer use through nitrification inhibitors.

The report examines GHG emissions from shrimp aquaculture, noting a wide range of intensities (2 to 99 kgCO2e/kg retail product) driven by production methods, feed, and land-use change. It highlights that while intensive systems are more common and generally less GHG-intensive per unit, the conversion of mangroves for extensive ponds creates massive emissions. Key mitigation opportunities include improving feed conversion ratios (FCR), adopting conversion-free feed, and transitioning to renewable energy.