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The report argues that transnational corporations (TNCs) like Chevron, Total, and Shell maintain a 'global architecture of impunity' through sophisticated lobbying networks that capture international governance. It specifically highlights the role of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) in influencing the UN Human Rights Council's negotiations for a binding treaty on TNCs and human rights. The document details environmental and human rights violations in the Global South, including oil pollution in Ecuador and Nigeria, and fossil fuel projects in Uganda and Mozambique, while demanding the exclusion of corporate lobbyists from treaty negotiations to ensure accountability.

The report argues that TNCs like Chevron, Total, and Shell maintain a 'system of impunity' by leveraging powerful lobbying organizations, such as the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the International Organisation of Employers (IOE), to shape international law. It documents severe human rights and environmental abuses linked to these companies in Ecuador, Mozambique, Uganda, Nigeria, and Palestine. The document specifically critiques the current UN negotiation process for the Binding Treaty, claiming that the inclusion of corporate lobbyists as 'stakeholders' creates a conflict of interest that dilutes accountability mechanisms and prioritizes corporate profit over human rights and planetary health.

The report argues that multinational corporations use lobbying networks like the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) to undermine the creation of a legally binding UN treaty on business and human rights. It documents environmental and human rights abuses by Chevron in Ecuador, Total in Uganda and Mozambique, and Shell in Nigeria, illustrating a systemic 'architecture of impunity'. The authors call for the exclusion of corporate lobbyists from UN negotiations to ensure the treaty prioritizes human rights over corporate profit.

The policy brief by Friends of the Earth International advocates for a UN Binding Treaty to replace corporate self-regulation with enforceable legal obligations for transnational corporations (TNCs). It argues that TNCs across sectors like fossil fuels and agribusiness have driven the climate crisis and used 'green' branding to evade responsibility. The brief outlines five key recommendations: recognizing environmental rights as human rights, establishing direct corporate obligations for global value chains and emissions, mandating prevention and precaution measures, ensuring full ecological reparation and restoration, and rejecting ESG schemes as 'false solutions'.

Friends of the Earth International argues that transnational corporations drive the climate crisis through legal loopholes and voluntary codes of conduct. The organization advocates for a UN Binding Treaty that establishes legally enforceable obligations for companies to prevent environmental harm, recognize the right to a healthy environment as a human right, and provide full reparations for ecological damage, moving beyond corporate self-regulation and 'greenwashing'.

The author critiques the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda for its failure to move beyond rhetorical commitments to substantive protection and inclusion. While acknowledging its role in elevating conflict-related sexual violence, the paper argues that the agenda's focus on penetrative rape has occluded other gender-based harms, such as obstetric and structural violence. It further highlights the marginalization of women in formal peace negotiations and the failure to account for colonial causality. The author proposes a shift toward 'everyday peace'—focusing on the long-term, grassroots conditions of survival and tolerance—to ensure a more inclusive and sustainable peace that addresses the needs of all women, particularly those from marginalized ethnic and racial backgrounds.

The report argues that the European Commission's 'Omnibus I' proposal, unveiled on February 26, 2025, represents a shift toward deregulation driven by disproportionate private sector influence. Analysis of meeting logs shows that Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné and his office met almost exclusively with business interests, while excluding civil society, NGOs, and trade unions. This lobbying resulted in significant setbacks for the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), including the removal of obligations for financial services to undergo due diligence reviews.

The document analyzes the governance trajectories of Nigeria and South Africa through the lens of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). While both nations have established democratic frameworks and seen some progress, the author finds that stagnation or regression persists in critical areas. In Nigeria, challenges include electoral trust, corruption, and insecurity driven by Boko Haram. In South Africa, the focus is on extreme inequality, xenophobia, and the failure to fully realize the 'liberal democratic Republic' envisioned in its constitution. Both countries struggle with poor policy implementation and gender-based violence.

The report examines the ecological and human rights risks associated with atmosphere-based, marine, and land-based geoengineering. It argues that these speculative interventions could trigger ecosystem collapse, exacerbate ocean acidification, and violate the rights of millions, particularly Indigenous Peoples and rural communities. The author advocates for the enforcement of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity's moratorium on geoengineering and a shift toward proven climate solutions.

Natural Justice critiques South Africa's Draft Second NDC, noting that while it introduces tighter 2030 targets and a 2031–2035 carbon budget, it lacks enforceable commitments, funding for adaptation, and a coal phase-out schedule. The submission recommends unconditional emissions reductions, grant-based loss and damage finance, and the integration of human rights indicators and Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) into climate planning.

Mexico's Directorate-General for Climate Action Policies confirms its alignment with the LAC Common Position on Climate Change and Health, detailing how its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) 3.0 integrates health as a cross-cutting issue across adaptation, mitigation, and loss and damage components.

The global economy consumes approximately 100 billion metric tons of resources annually, with 75% coming from non-renewable sources. While the European Union leads in circular economy policy, global resource productivity has stalled since 2000, and the world must reduce per capita material consumption from 12.6 metric tons in 2022 to below 5 metric tons by 2050 to ensure sustainability. Significant disparities exist in consumption, with the top 25% of the population using 52% of the world's resources. Despite some progress in municipal waste recycling—averaging 35% across OECD countries—and the regulation of single-use products in 75 countries, systemic changes in product design and corporate monitoring are required to decouple economic growth from resource extraction.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a unanimous advisory opinion on 23 July 2025, establishing that states have customary international legal obligations to prevent significant environmental harm and cooperate to protect the environment. The author contends that these obligations apply to the restructuring of African sovereign debt, as debt distress often forces states to choose between creditor payments and financing essential services like renewable energy and health. The document suggests three avenues for relief: using the ruling to bolster negotiations on the social and environmental costs of debt, reminding stakeholders of international norms such as the UNCTAD Principles on Promoting Responsible Sovereign Borrowing and Lending, and enabling activists to hold states and financial institutions accountable through mechanisms like National Contact Points or multilateral development bank accountability systems.

The report examines the state of democracy in Southern Africa, highlighting a gap between public support for democratic values and frustration with governance failures. Through youth consultations and a comparative analysis of West African civil society networks, it argues that cross-border solidarity among civil society organisations (CSOs) is essential to hold governments accountable and protect human rights. It identifies technology, socio-economic inequality, and youth exclusion as primary threats to democracy and recommends that Southern African CSOs leverage regional networks, such as the Southern African Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (Saf-CNGO), to increase their influence and coordinate responses to regional democratic backsliding.

The report examines climate litigation in the oil and gas sectors of Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting a strong reliance on human rights and constitutional frameworks. While the region leads the Global South in climate cases, it faces significant barriers including institutional weaknesses, violence against environmental defenders, and a gap in scientific evidence. The study contrasts these with Global North trends, such as 'climate washing' and corporate-focused lawsuits, and discusses the potential for transnational litigation to hold Northern companies accountable for Southern impacts.

The document reports on a series of protests in Indonesia during August 2025, where tens of thousands of workers and students demanded wage increases, labor law reforms, and an end to mass layoffs. It details severe police brutality, including the death of Affan Kurniawan, mass arrests, and torture. The statement argues that these actions reflect a systemic pattern of repression and calls for the Indonesian government to end police violence, investigate abuses, and ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances (ICPPED).

The Francophone court of first instance in Brussels ruled that the Belgian federal government and the regional governments of Wallonia, Brussels, and Flanders breached their duty of care under the Belgian Civil Code and violated Articles 2 and 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The court found this breach was based on ineffective climate governance, mixed results in emission reductions, and ignored warnings from the European Union. However, the court rejected the plaintiffs' request to set specific binding emission targets, citing the principle of separation of powers. The case is currently pending following an appeal filed on 17 November 2021.

The author reflects on the participation of youth at the INC-5.2 global plastics negotiations, specifically citing the involvement of the Children and Youth Major Group and their comprehensive demands for a treaty based on a full lifecycle approach to plastics, binding production targets, and intergenerational equity.

The assessment finds that while Somalia is modernizing its legal framework through the 2019 National Minerals Resources Policy and new environmental laws, its mining sector remains predominantly informal and artisanal. Key strengths include a clear fiscal regime for extractives and strong political will to align with international standards. However, significant gaps persist, including an outdated 1984 Mining Code, a lack of a comprehensive mining cadaster, unknown levels of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) activity, and the cultural exclusion of women from the sector. The report recommends enacting a new Mining Bill, establishing a robust mining inspectorate, and developing a formalization roadmap for ASM.

Zimbabwe is characterized by a deep crisis of confidence and a trust deficit in its leadership and institutions. The ZANU-PF government prioritizes short-term survival and power retention over structural reforms, utilizing a system of patronage and 'lawfare' to neutralize political opposition and civil society organizations (CSOs). Economically, the country suffers from extreme poverty, hyperinflation, and a volatile currency environment, exemplified by the introduction of the gold-backed ZiG. While the government pursues a 'constructive re-engagement' agenda with international creditors and Western powers, the report suggests that these efforts may be deflection tactics rather than genuine commitments to democratic reform. State capacity is hampered by the conflation of party and state interests, and the opposition remains fragmented and ineffective.