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The report evaluates sustainable cooling policy progress in the 'Critical 9' countries, finding that while energy efficiency policies exist, they are inconsistently implemented and often fail to cover off-grid devices or reflect best-in-class technology. It highlights a significant gap in integrating cooling demand into national electrification planning and financial incentives, while noting varying levels of adoption of National Cooling Action Plans (NCAPs) and the Kigali Amendment.

The report finds that while countries are making incremental progress in strengthening their NDCs, the current pace and scale of ambition are insufficient to meet the Paris Agreement goals. By September 2022, 139 new or updated NDCs had been communicated, aiming for a 2030 emissions reduction of 5.5 GtCO2e more than initial commitments, which represents a 7 percent reduction from 2019 levels—far below the 43 percent reduction required for the 1.5°C target. The analysis highlights that 77 percent of NDCs include GHG reduction targets, 86 percent include adaptation components, and 53 percent estimate finance requirements totaling nearly $4.3 trillion.

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.

The document highlights the critical role of infrastructure as a primary driver of both biodiversity loss and greenhouse gas emissions, noting that 79% of global emissions are attributed to the sector. It argues that because 75% of the infrastructure expected to exist by 2050 has not yet been built, there is a time-sensitive opportunity to align new development with nature-positive and net-zero outcomes. The brief specifically advocates for the inclusion of infrastructure in the goals and targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), proposing specific language changes to prioritize the mitigation hierarchy and the restoration of the 70% of the planet not covered by the 30% conservation target. It further recommends that countries adopt full-cost accounting for environmental externalities and increase investment in nature-based infrastructure through flexible financing mechanisms.

The proposal seeks USD 278,493 to assess how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Tuvalu's capacity to implement climate policies and to create a 'National strategy for resilient recovery'. This strategy will identify risks and opportunities across sectors such as food security, fisheries, energy, and health, and will lead to the development of three priority project concept notes for submission to the Green Climate Fund. The project will be implemented by the Ministry of Finance and executed by the Climate Change Department, utilizing an expert group from various government ministries and consultants to ensure the recovery is aligned with Tuvalu's national climate goals and the Te Kete Sustainable Development Strategy 2021-2030.

The document proposes the creation of the 'Brazilian Platform of sustainability', an integrated system and information toolkit designed to unify fragmented public and private traceability and certification data for cattle and soybeans in the Legal Amazon. The initiative aims to address information gaps that hinder the enforcement of deforestation-free supply chains and the effectiveness of existing moratoriums. By connecting databases like the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and the Brazilian Traceability Service of the Cattle and Buffalo Production Chains (SISBOV), the platform intends to increase transparency, attract private investment for low-emission agriculture, and support Brazil's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. The project, implemented by the FAO over 24 months with a budget of USD 449,510, will establish a governance model involving government agencies, industry associations, and NGOs to foster a sustainable agricultural economy.

The proposal seeks USD 330,171 over 18 months to empower the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) of Sierra Leone as the National Designated Authority (NDA). The programme focuses on establishing a gender-responsive country programme, improving stakeholder engagement, and developing a pipeline of high-priority climate projects. Implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the initiative aims to address Sierra Leone's vulnerability to flooding, rainfall changes, and sea-level rise by enhancing the country's ability to navigate GCF procedures and coordinate inter-ministerial climate efforts.

The document details an external review of WRI's 2018-2022 Strategic Plan, evaluating its seven global challenges and core functions. It employs a mixed-methods approach, including 'Outcome Harvesting' and a 'Traffic Light System' to measure progress. Preliminary findings indicate that the Forests program is the strongest performer (95.9% achievement), while the Governance Center is partially on track (44% achievement). The review also assesses WRI's growth, the impact of COVID-19, and the integration of gender and social equity across its global operations, including specific assessments of its offices in Africa, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and the United States.

The External Review finds that WRI is 'Mostly on Track' with its 2018-2022 Strategic Plan, achieving 71.3% of its targets by October 2021. While WRI remains a critical global player in environment and development, the review identifies significant risks related to rapid organizational growth, a potential tilt from research toward advocacy, and under-resourced core functions. The report highlights a need for a 'step-change' in monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) and a more systematic integration of poverty, gender, and social equity (PGSE) across its programs. WRI's Africa office is also 'mostly on track,' though it faces challenges in coordinating global programming with regional priorities.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) critiques the draft USAID Climate Strategy 2022-2030, arguing that it overlooks critical opportunities to address the climate crisis. CATF recommends that USAID support access to advanced clean energy technologies—such as clean hydrogen, advanced nuclear, and carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS)—which the draft strategy currently deems too early for investment. Additionally, CATF urges USAID to better integrate the reduction of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), specifically methane, to align with the Global Methane Pledge. Finally, the organization emphasizes that USAID must ensure its programs are consistent with the specific policy priorities and capacity needs of host countries to ensure successful implementation.

The document clarifies the distinctions between Article 6.2 and 6.4 mechanisms, the role of 'corresponding adjustments' in preventing double counting, and the transition of the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) into the new framework. It highlights risks such as the potential for 2.8 billion 'dud' credits from transitioning CDM projects and the lack of mandatory cancellation for ITMOs under Article 6.2.

The document outlines a framework for sector-level climate planning, arguing that such processes are essential for achieving the Paris Agreement and providing the necessary data for Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Long-Term Strategies (LTSs). It emphasizes that aligning planning across sectoral, national, and international levels creates synergies and enables more informed decision-making.

The proposal seeks to address barriers to climate action in the Caribbean, including outdated policy frameworks and limited access to climate science. It aims to revise the Regional Framework's Implementation Plan, update the CARIWIG data portal, support the revision of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and develop four bankable project concept notes for the Green Climate Fund.

The document outlines key lessons for SADC member states to improve their NDCs, emphasizing the need for inclusive stakeholder engagement, alignment with long-term development goals, and the use of quantifiable targets and evidence-based analysis. It highlights examples from South Africa, Rwanda, and Costa Rica to demonstrate how detailed implementation roadmaps and participatory scenario planning can enhance climate commitments.

The document examines the intersection of pandemic recovery and climate finance, highlighting that most global recovery funds are not contributing to greening economies. It emphasizes the failure of developed nations to meet the $100 billion annual climate finance pledge and advocates for a new goal of $1.3 trillion per year by 2030 to support African countries. The briefing identifies significant barriers to accessing finance, including complex procedures and a lack of climate data, and suggests using Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to hold governments accountable for the climate impact of their recovery spending.

The Lao PDR Green Climate Fund Country Programme 2021-2023 identifies five priority areas for climate action: resilient farming, forest cover maintenance, energy sector emission reductions, low-carbon urban development and transport, and public health resilience. The document aligns these priorities with the country's revised 2020 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and the 9th National Socio-economic Development Plan (2021-2025). It details a pipeline of investment and readiness projects, the institutional role of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment as the National Designated Authority, and the goal of accrediting the Environment Protection Fund as a direct access entity.

The evaluation assesses the performance of the 10 MW Sumber Solar Power Plant (SPP) in Mongolia, funded by a USD 8.65 million GCF loan and USD 8.9 million in equity. The project is rated as "Satisfactory," having successfully reduced GHG emissions by 29,722 tCO2eq and produced 34,124 MWh of electricity by the end of 2020. While the program closed early in December 2020 due to loan refinancing by the project developer, it demonstrated the bankability of solar projects in Mongolia and aligned with national targets to reach 30% renewable energy by 2030. However, the evaluation noted shortcomings in gender-disaggregated data and the implementation of the Gender Action Plan.

The report details Kenya's progress in climate adaptation and mitigation from July 2019 to June 2020. Key achievements include the distribution of climate information services to over 2.5 million people, the accreditation of Kenya Commercial Bank with the Green Climate Fund, and the climate-proofing of over 3,000 km of roads. However, implementation was hindered by the Covid-19 pandemic, a desert locust invasion, and weak coordinating units at the county level. The document recommends ring-fencing climate finance and adopting a biennial reporting cycle to improve efficiency.

As of November 16, 2021, net zero target coverage reached 92% for emissions and 86% for population globally. However, the document highlights significant gaps in integrity, noting that a vast majority of country, regional, and city targets fail to specify the use of offsets, and only 32% of corporate targets cover all Scope 3 emissions. Conversely, there is growing corporate momentum, with the number of companies meeting 'minimum procedural standards' nearly doubling in the last year.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) argues that the USAID Climate Strategy 2022-2030 should expand its scope beyond renewable energy to include advanced clean energy technologies such as carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), clean hydrogen, and advanced nuclear. CATF contends these are essential for decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors like heavy industry and shipping, and for maintaining grid reliability. The organization also urges USAID to explicitly support the Global Methane Pledge by helping partner countries reduce short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), specifically in the oil and gas sector, provided such investments do not extend the life of fossil fuel operations. Finally, CATF recommends that USAID better align its climate programming with the broader economic, human development, and COVID-recovery priorities of host countries to ensure long-term sustainability and local ownership.