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The G20 has transitioned from a narrow focus on financial stability (2005–2008) to an integrated governance model where energy security, climate action, and sustainable development are central. Key milestones include the 2009 Pittsburgh Summit's first mention of clean energy, the 2015 first Energy Ministers' Meeting, and the recent sequence of Global South presidencies (Indonesia, India, Brazil, South Africa) that have shifted the narrative toward equity, just transitions, and the reform of the international financial architecture. South Africa's 2025 Presidency specifically champions African interconnectivity, critical minerals sovereignty, and debt sustainability to enable a just energy transition.

The document examines the shortcomings of Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs), noting their tendency toward techno-economic framing and donor-driven agendas. It proposes South-South cooperation (SSC) as a vital alternative that leverages shared socio-economic challenges and peer learning to foster more inclusive, justice-centred transitions. Using South Africa and Colombia as case studies, the brief identifies specific opportunities for collaboration in mine closure, green industrialization, and institutional coordination to move beyond one-size-fits-all models.

Colombia saw a significant increase in solar and wind capacity to approximately 9% of its electricity matrix in 2024, driven primarily by solar expansion. While the government aims to establish 20,000 energy communities by 2026 and has approved substantial future capacity (13.5 GW solar and 2.8 GW wind for 2023-2033), the sector faced a nearly 70% drop in investment between 2022 and 2023. The transition is further complicated by the suspension of several major wind projects and the need for approximately USD 92.4 billion to meet long-term National Energy Plan targets.

The policy brief addresses the lack of a shared vision for implementing Article 2.1(c) of the Paris Agreement, which calls for making financial flows consistent with climate goals. It argues that current efforts are fragmented and risks of greenwashing are high. The authors propose a Theory of Change (ToC) to link high-level goals to specific activities across regulators, financial entities, the real economy, and civil society. The document emphasizes that while Article 9 focuses on the provision of public climate finance from developed to developing nations, Article 2.1(c) requires systemic reforms—such as climate-related financial disclosures, taxonomies, and fiscal policy changes—to redirect the broader global financial system. It concludes with recommendations for the COP30 (CMA7) to adopt a structured work program based on this ToC to avoid circular discussions and ensure a just transition.

The 'Nature at COP30 Advocacy Toolkit for Business' outlines five priority areas for corporate advocacy to bridge the gap between climate and nature agendas. It urges governments to end deforestation by 2030, align the three Rio Conventions, scale nature-positive finance via the 'Baku to Belém Roadmap', prioritize ecosystem-based adaptation within the Global Goal on Adaptation, and ensure inclusive governance for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IP&LC). The document provides specific evidence on the economic value of forests and the funding gaps for nature-based solutions to support these asks.

The document advocates for a science-based 2035 NDC for South Korea, proposing a minimum 61% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to 2018. It emphasizes that clear, consistent policies across the power, industry, and transport sectors are essential to attract private investment and maintain global competitiveness, particularly in the face of regulations like the EU's CBAM. Key recommendations include accelerating renewable energy deployment to at least 100GW by 2030, phasing out coal power by 2035, strengthening the K-ETS carbon price, and accelerating the electrification of transport and heavy industry.

The document advocates for South Korea to set a 2035 emissions reduction target of at least 61% relative to 2018 levels to ensure alignment with its 2050 carbon neutrality goal. It emphasizes that a credible NDC must be supported by sectoral pathways in power, industry, and transport to provide the policy certainty required to unlock private sector investment. Key recommendations include phasing out coal power by 2035, reforming the Korea Emissions Trading System (K-ETS) to increase carbon price signals, and accelerating the deployment of breakthrough technologies like hydrogen steelmaking and electrified steam crackers. The briefing also stresses the importance of structured collaboration between the government, businesses of all sizes, and subnational authorities to ensure the NDC is investible and implementable.

The '2050 is Now' consortium calls for the integration of LT-LEDS into national planning to bridge the gap between short-term NDCs and long-term net-zero goals. The communiqué highlights that while global temperature projections have improved from 4°C to 2.7°C, 2024 was the warmest year on record at 1.55°C above pre-industrial levels. It recommends that COP30 promote LT-LEDS as catalysts for policy action, just transitions, and the mobilization of finance, urging the UNFCCC to prepare a third LT-LEDS Synthesis Report by COP31.

The report finds that while CETP members reduced international fossil fuel finance by up to 78% to USD 4.7 billion in 2024, the scale-up of clean energy finance remains slow, with only USD 3.2 billion in increases compared to 2019–2021. It highlights that less than one-fifth of funds shifted from fossil fuels were redirected to clean energy and calls for a collective target of at least USD 42 billion for clean energy finance in emerging markets and developing economies.

The declaration calls for the 'decolonization of knowledge' and the operationalization of Locally Led Adaptation (LLA) principles to ensure African communities are central to climate action. It proposes the creation of a Local Climate Fund (FCL) and a readiness fund for the local private sector to reduce reliance on private financing that leads to 'climate over-indebtedness' in Least Developed Countries (LDCs). The document urges African governments to institutionalize a National Energy Transition Council and democratize energy entrepreneurship. Internationally, it demands that high-emitting countries mobilize at least $1.3 trillion annually by 2035 to support developing nations and prioritize grants over debt-increasing loans.

The EU has introduced Clean Trade and Investment Partnerships (CTIPs) to diversify supply chains and foster clean energy cooperation, starting with South Africa. To be effective, CTIPs must move beyond existing frameworks by providing predictable demand, mobilising private finance through innovative instruments, and ensuring transparent, coordinated governance to avoid being perceived as mere compliance tools.

The framework, co-produced with COSATU, argues that South Africa's transition must be treated as a public good to avoid the risks of private financing, such as increased inequality and higher energy costs. It advocates for an 'eco-socialism' approach and suggests specific financial mechanisms, including a Climate Response Fund and the reorientation of Development Finance Institutions, to ensure the transition creates jobs and reduces poverty.

The policy brief asserts that G20 nations, responsible for three-quarters of global greenhouse gas emissions, have stalled progress on phasing out oil and gas due to continued subsidies and economic dependence. It identifies South Africa's 2025 G20 presidency as a critical opportunity to champion subsidy reform and affordable finance for the Global South. The author proposes a framework for progress including clear phase-out targets, the redirection of fossil fuel subsidies toward renewables, and the establishment of a shared definition of a just transition.

Colombia's Energy Communities program, launched in 2023 under the National Development Plan 2022-2026, aims to provide reliable electricity to off-grid rural areas, particularly Indigenous and Afro-Colombian populations. By shifting from diesel generators to hybrid and solar mini-grids, the program supports local economies—such as electric motorcycle retrofitting in Mingueo and solar-powered fish farming in Natagaima—while contributing to Colombia's goal of 51% emissions reduction by 2030. However, the program faces challenges regarding the duration of technical training, long-term financing for maintenance, and institutional coordination in protected areas.

The paper analyzes the energy transition pathways of Brazil and South Africa, focusing on the intersection of green skills and social protection. It highlights South Africa's struggle with coal dependency and fragmented skills planning versus Brazil's stronger renewable energy base and integrated social programs like Bolsa Verde. The authors argue that for a just transition, these nations must align green skills strategies with national development goals, increase funding for reskilling, and leverage South-South cooperation to protect vulnerable workers and reduce inequality.

The document provides legal proposals to integrate environmental rights into the LBI, emphasizing the need to hold transnational corporations accountable for environmental degradation and climate change. It advocates for the recognition of the RtHE, the inclusion of the financial and extractive sectors in the LBI's scope, and the implementation of strict liability for hazardous activities. The briefing also highlights the necessity of protecting environmental human rights defenders and ensuring that human rights obligations take primacy over trade and investment agreements.

The briefing paper advocates for a legally binding international instrument to end corporate impunity regarding environmental and human rights abuses. It highlights the insufficiency of voluntary frameworks and argues that the LBI can operationalize the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment by establishing mandatory due diligence, extraterritorial jurisdiction, and strict liability for parent companies across global value chains.

The workshop, held in September 2025, focused on linking local leadership with global climate frameworks. Through case studies from India, South Africa, and Ethiopia, participants identified the necessity of community ownership, political will at the national level, and the use of the COP30 Action Agenda to scale locally-led solutions. The event concluded that a global Just Transition must be grounded in local realities and supported by international mechanisms for finance and knowledge sharing.

The document examines Nigeria's vulnerability to global energy transitions due to its heavy reliance on oil and gas exports, high production costs, and limited economic diversification. It highlights the risks of reduced government revenue and job losses while identifying opportunities in critical minerals, natural gas as a transition fuel, and non-oil sector growth.

India's transition to electric mobility requires significant technology upgrades for automotive component MSMEs, who face structural barriers to affordable capital. CPI estimates that these MSMEs need INR 55,000 crore (USD 6.6 billion) in investment between FY2026 and FY2035 to maintain their industry share. To bridge this gap, the report proposes AC-TUFF, a blended-finance special purpose vehicle utilizing a tiered capital stack (first-loss, concessional, and commercial capital) and an integrated technical assistance wing. The facility aims to mobilize a total corpus of INR 5,000 crore to support the localization of EV components, which has a projected annual market potential of INR 3.86 lakh crore by FY2035.