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This report by Global Energy Monitor (GEM) analyzes the potential for repurposing abandoned and soon-to-be-closed surface coal mines into solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants. It argues that these sites are ideal for solar development due to their existing proximity to grid infrastructure and the need for land reclamation, offering a pathway to align clean energy goals with local job creation and environmental restoration.

South Africa's G20 presidency, themed "Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability," seeks to reform the international financial architecture to better serve developing nations. Key priorities include addressing the high cost of capital and structural flaws in debt restructuring, scaling up adaptation finance for climate-vulnerable African countries, and combating illicit financial flows that cost the continent billions annually. The presidency aims to ensure the G20 remains relevant by shifting its focus from pure financial stability to tangible developmental outcomes for the Global South.

African Civil Society Organisations have urged the South African G20 Presidency to champion a justice-driven energy transition by focusing on critical minerals. They call for the support of the African Green Minerals Strategy to move the Global South up the value chain, the implementation of people-centred governance including Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), and the transformation of global industrial financing and technology transfer. The group advocates for public investment in infrastructure to address energy poverty for 650 million Africans and the creation of a Global Critical Energy Transition Minerals Skills Compact for women and youth.

Friends of the Earth International asserts that transnational corporations (TNCs) drive the climate and ecological crises while utilizing an international legal architecture to avoid accountability. The organization advocates for the UN Binding Treaty on Transnational Corporations and Human Rights as a necessary mechanism to prioritize human rights and planetary health over corporate profit. The text specifically denounces the influence of corporate lobbying groups, such as the International Organisation of Employers and the International Chamber of Commerce, which it claims seek to weaken the treaty by promoting voluntary codes of conduct and self-regulation. It emphasizes that climate justice is a human rights struggle led by affected communities, particularly in the Global South, and links the treaty's success to the broader goal of dismantling corporate power ahead of COP30.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), on behalf of the Life After Coal Campaign, submitted comments on the Presidential Climate Commission's (PCC) draft recommendations for South Africa's 2030–2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) update. The submission emphasizes the need for high mitigation ambition to avoid fossil fuel lock-in, the integration of social justice, and the urgent implementation of adaptation measures in accordance with the Climate Change Act.

The report evaluates Armenia's progress toward a green economy and alignment with European Union environmental policies. It analyzes sectors including climate change, energy, biodiversity, and transport, while addressing cross-cutting themes such as sustainable finance and just transition to identify strategic pathways for advancement.

The document argues that despite the COP 28 agreement to transition away from fossil fuels, production and consumption continue to rise. It proposes that COP 30 adopt differentiated timelines for phasing out fossil fuels based on national wealth and historical responsibility, and calls for an immediate end to new fossil fuel exploration and expansion. Key financial recommendations include ending public financing for fossil fuels, reforming subsidies, and establishing the Belém Action Mechanism for Just Transition to coordinate climate finance.

The briefing outlines five critical focus areas for the Bonn Climate Conference: establishing indicators for the Global Goal on Adaptation, defining holistic food and agriculture systems, developing a new gender action plan, resolving impasses on the 'just transition' work stream, and mobilizing climate finance for low- and middle-income countries.

The briefing argues that the global financial architecture requires far-reaching reform to make financial flows consistent with climate-resilient development, as current international institutions are failing to effectively redirect finance away from harmful activities.

Reclaim Finance has issued an open letter to Patrick Tiernan, the new CEO of Lloyd’s of London, calling for the insurance market to cease underwriting new fossil fuel infrastructure. The letter argues that climate change is already causing market fragility, citing insurer withdrawals in California and potential town abandonment in the UK. It claims that while Lloyd's announced restrictions on thermal coal and Arctic exploration in 2020, these have since been "watered down to guidelines" without enforcement. Reclaim Finance proposes four specific actions: requiring managing agents to stop underwriting fossil fuel expansion, making new agent establishment conditional on net zero alignment, requiring disclosure of underwriting policies for new fossil fuel projects, and implementing monitoring and sanctions for non-compliance in annual ESG reports.

The report outlines key elements of credible sovereign transition plans, focusing on science-based targets, investment and policy action plans, and governance and transparency measures. It emphasizes the role of green budgeting, the mobilization of private capital, and the importance of internationally interoperable taxonomies in reducing climate-related risks for sovereign bondholders.

The Climate Bonds Initiative's guide outlines a comprehensive framework for bank transition disclosures, focusing on the decarbonisation of banking books. It establishes best practices across six key areas: commitment, baselines and targets, delivery strategy, aspects beyond emissions, governance, and reporting. The guidance emphasizes the need for banks to disclose both financed and facilitated emissions, benchmark trajectories against credible sectoral pathways, and implement specific phase-out dates for misaligned activities like unabated coal and new oil and gas exploration. It also integrates requirements for just transition principles and climate resilience, while urging alignment between transition plans and formal financial reporting to ensure credibility.

India's transition to electric vehicles (EVs) presents a dual reality for automotive MSMEs, which comprise 80% of the auto-component manufacturing base. While the decline of internal combustion engine (ICE) components threatens traditional revenue streams, the shift creates opportunities in high-value EV components like battery housings and motor casings. However, MSMEs face significant barriers, including high capital expenditure, a 'Valley of Death' in prototype financing (TRL 4-6), and a shortage of skilled labor. To address these, the report recommends the establishment of the Automotive Component Technology Upgradation Financing Facility (AC-TUFF) to provide blended finance and risk-mitigation tools.

The document outlines the operationalization of Indonesia's Sustainable Finance Committee (SFC) under Law No. 4/2023. It proposes a three-tier governance structure involving the Ministry of Finance, Bank Indonesia, and the Financial Services Authority (OJK) to bridge institutional silos and align national climate targets with financial market mechanisms. The paper emphasizes the need for a formal Government Regulation to ensure the SFC's authority, the creation of a centralized data platform for ESG transparency, and the use of sectoral coalitions to co-create bankable financial solutions for priority sectors like energy and transport.

The report outlines ten principles for a feminist and just energy transition, arguing that a shift to renewables must be accompanied by systemic change to avoid reproducing existing inequalities. It emphasizes the need for feminist people power, a care-centered economy, energy sovereignty, and the dismantling of the military-industrial complex. The document highlights the disproportionate impact of climate disasters on women and LGBTQIA+ individuals and calls for reparations for the Global South, the protection of Indigenous rights through Free, Prior and Informed Consent, and the rejection of 'false solutions' like carbon markets and geoengineering.

Global Energy Monitor identifies a significant opportunity to install nearly 300 GW of solar capacity on surface coal mines closed since 2020 or expected to close by 2030. These sites are highly suitable due to their proximity to existing grid infrastructure and the fact that they are already cleared of vegetation. While China leads in operational conversions, substantial potential exists in Australia, Indonesia, India, and the United States. The transition could create over 570,000 total jobs (permanent and temporary), potentially offsetting global coal mining job losses by 2035. However, challenges include complex land ownership, higher capital costs for remediation compared to greenfield sites, and the need for regulatory frameworks to ensure a just transition for local communities.

The report addresses the need for a transparent mechanism to measure the workforce transition in Canada following the enactment of the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act in June 2024. It argues that tracking must go beyond counting 'green jobs' to include job quality, social equity, and governance. The authors propose a framework based on 'Risk, Response, and Results,' identifying 18 key indicators—such as community susceptibility, Indigenous partnership in governance, and sustainable job compensation—to monitor federal progress. The report emphasizes that these indicators require operational definitions and a whole-of-government approach to data collection to ensure the transition is equitable and aligned with the Paris Agreement.

The document argues that despite the COP 28 agreement to transition away from fossil fuels, production continues to rise, led by wealthy nations. It calls for COP 30 to establish differentiated phase-out timelines based on historical responsibility, mandate annual progress reports, and launch the Belém Action Mechanism for Just Transition. The briefing emphasizes that the transition is economically feasible if Global North countries redirect fossil fuel subsidies and tax polluters to mobilize over USD 5,000 billion annually for climate finance, prioritizing grants over loans to avoid exacerbating debt in the Global South.

Brazil is projected to increase oil and gas production by over 20% by 2030, with Petrobras driving more than half of this growth. However, analysis shows that up to 85% of Petrobrass new oil production would be economically unviable in a 1.5C world, creating significant stranded asset risks. Petrobras plans to invest USD 97 billion in oil and gas from 2025 to 2029, which is six times its spending on decarbonization and diversification. The report finds that Petrobras lags industry peers in target setting and business model diversification. To mitigate these risks, the authors recommend that the Brazilian government curb exploration licenses, redefine Petrobrass mandate toward a "harvest mode" strategy, and redirect financial flows toward clean energy, where an annual investment gap of USD 16 billion is projected by 2035.

The report finds that Canada is highly exposed to economic risks due to overinvestment in oil and gas relative to the global energy transition. Using IEA demand scenarios, it estimates that between 5% (Stated Policies Scenario) and 66% (Net Zero Emissions scenario) of projected capital investment from 2025 to 2040 could be stranded. The analysis indicates that Canadian oil is among the world's most expensive to produce, making it particularly vulnerable to price drops. The report argues that restricting the development of new fields and engaging in international diplomacy to reduce global supply could protect the industry's overall value and increase government revenues by preventing oversupply and price deflation. It also notes that U.S. tariffs on energy imports would likely amplify these risks by making Canadian production less competitive.