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The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) issued a statement to the Petroleum Agency of South Africa (PASA) raising concerns regarding transparency, environmental compliance, and climate impact assessments for onshore gas and petroleum activities. The CER highlights a lack of public information on rights holders and questions the legality of specific projects and the use of hydraulic fracturing.

Carbon Market Watch argues that including international maritime transport in the EU ETS is essential for sector decarbonisation given the lack of progress at the International Maritime Organisation. The organization recommends covering 100% of international voyages to and from the European Economic Area, starting in 2024, and expanding the scope to include non-CO2 gases and vessels from 400 to 5,000 gross tonnage. It further advocates for the removal of exemptions for outermost regions and specific vessel types, and the creation of an Ocean Fund to receive 75% of generated revenues to support zero-carbon fuels and energy efficiency.

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 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 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 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.

The document analyzes the GHG emissions of chicken production, noting that cradle-to-retail meat averages 7–10 kgCO2e/kg edible weight (EW). Feed, particularly land-use change (LUC) from soy and oil palm, is the primary emission driver. The report compares broiler, layer, and backyard systems, highlighting that conventional industrial farming generally has lower emissions than organic systems due to better feed conversion and bird performance. Mitigation focuses on deforestation-free feed, optimized diets, and improved manure management.

The Centre for Environmental Rights, representing the Life After Coal/Impilo Ngaphandle Kwamalahle Campaign, submitted comments on the Draft 8th National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report (NGHGIR) on 31 August 2022. The submission argues that the draft significantly undercounts methane emissions due to the omission of fugitive emissions from the oil and gas industry, pipeline transport, and abandoned mines, and criticizes the use of outdated global warming potential (GWP) metrics and low emission factors for coal mining.

Methane is the second largest contributor to climate change, with a global warming potential 28 times higher than carbon dioxide over 100 years. A proposed EU regulation targets methane emissions from oil, gas, and coal installations through monitoring, reporting, and restrictions on venting and flaring. While the proposal includes information requirements for importers of fossil energy, NGOs and lawmakers have raised concerns regarding the discrepancy in obligations between EU-based operators and foreign suppliers, as well as the absence of binding reduction targets.

The document details how fossil fuel extraction, production, and combustion cause severe health harms, including respiratory diseases, cancers, and cardiovascular issues, while contributing to the global climate crisis. It highlights the economic burden of these health impacts, the role of fossil fuel subsidies in perpetuating harm, and proposes sector-specific solutions and a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty to ensure a just transition.

A coalition of environmental organizations argues that Metro board member Matt Letourneau is violating the agency's Code of Ethics due to his role as managing director at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Global Energy Institute and his receipt of campaign contributions from oil and gas interests. The petitioners claim Letourneau uses his position to advocate for compressed natural gas (CNG) buses and hydrogen fuel cells over battery electric buses, despite evidence that CNG and diesel buses have similar lifecycle carbon emissions and that electric buses are more reliable and cost-effective.

The document outlines the reciprocal relationship between food systems and climate change, noting that agriculture and food systems contribute 31% of global greenhouse gas emissions. It encourages journalists to move beyond 'problem' stories by highlighting systemic solutions, such as regenerative agriculture and the reduction of food waste, while emphasizing the importance of climate justice and the role of women in agriculture. The guide specifically highlights the impact of industrial agriculture, the vulnerability of global food systems exacerbated by conflict and pandemics, and the critical need to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius to maintain food security.

The document reports that atmospheric carbon dioxide and methane levels continue to rise, with CO2 expected to break records in May 2022 and methane seeing its largest annual increase in 2021. It identifies the energy sector as the largest global emitter (34%) and the transportation sector as the largest U.S. emitter (27%), arguing that rapid and deep emission cuts across all sectors are necessary this decade to limit warming to 1.5C or below 2C.

The Arctic is warming up to four times faster than the global average, leading to rapid sea ice loss and permafrost melt. These changes disrupt global weather patterns and increase risks from commercial shipping, resource extraction, and pollution. While the Arctic Council provides a framework for cooperation and the Stockholm Convention has successfully reduced persistent organic pollutants, current governance is hindered by weak legal structures and geopolitical tensions, specifically following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The document advocates for stronger greenhouse gas mitigation and the potential establishment of an Arctic sanctuary.

The briefing highlights that global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, making the Paris Agreement targets of 1.5°C and 2°C increasingly difficult to achieve without significant 'overshoot'. It notes a critical gap in climate finance, where current levels are roughly ten times lower than the estimated USD 6.3 trillion needed annually by 2030. While net-zero commitments and renewable energy deployment have grown substantially, the document warns against an over-reliance on carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and emphasizes the need for rapid transformations in energy, agriculture, and urban planning.

The document argues that reducing methane emissions by at least 45% by 2030 is essential to meet the 1.5°C target. It details sector-specific interventions: transitioning to agroecology and plant-based diets in agriculture, eliminating fossil fuels and fixing leaks in the energy sector, and implementing a waste hierarchy focused on organic waste prevention and composting in the waste sector. It further proposes a global governance framework based on monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV), national action plans, and financial assistance for developing countries.

Global Energy Monitor (GEM) finds that operating coal mines emit 52.3 million tonnes of methane per year, exceeding IEA estimates for oil and gas. The analysis identifies China, specifically Shanxi province, as the primary source of these emissions. GEM warns that proposed mine projects could add another 11.3 million tonnes annually, effectively locking in emissions equivalent to the coal-based CO2 emissions of the United States. To meet Net Zero 2030 targets, the report argues for a faster coal phase-out and the cancellation of new projects, as current mitigation measures are often insufficient or circumvented.

The document outlines discussions within the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety on key EU climate policies. Key topics include the distinction between primary and secondary wood biomass, the implementation of a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to prevent carbon leakages, the decarbonization of aviation through Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs), and the ambition levels for greenhouse gas emission reductions by 2030. It also covers the EU Forest Strategy for 2030, the role of wind technology in maritime transport, and the need for higher targets in the aviation sector to align with FitFor55 goals.

The document argues that while nearly 25% of global deaths are linked to economic decisions affecting the environment, the health community remains largely invisible in global environmental negotiations. It identifies a 'triple planetary crisis' (biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution) and a 'Triple Billion' health burden, asserting that the merger of environmental and health governance is necessary to prevent environmental policies from negatively impacting health or widening inequities. The guide provides specific entry points for health stakeholders within Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), such as the CBD and UNFCCC, and recommends shifting toward multi-sectoral health governance where health data informs national environmental plans and health experts participate in intersessional decision-making bodies.

The report finds that while updated NDCs show increased ambition and better alignment with national planning, a massive gap remains between current commitments and the emissions reductions needed to limit warming to 1.5°C. Mitigation efforts have improved in scope and transparency, but many sectoral measures remain vague. Adaptation components are more prevalent in developing countries and show increased focus on equity and critical systems, though implementation details like timeframes and indicators are often missing. Climate finance requirements reported in NDCs total $4.282 trillion, highlighting a significant need for increased international support.