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The report identifies a $895 billion climate-aligned bond universe as of mid-2017, consisting of $221 billion in labelled green bonds and $674 billion in unlabelled bonds from pure-play issuers. Transport and energy are the dominant themes, with China Railway Corp being the largest single issuer. The document highlights the growing importance of municipal and sovereign green bonds, particularly in the US and Europe, and provides a detailed analysis of Brazil's potential to expand its green finance market to meet its Paris Agreement targets. It concludes by advocating for a global green bond issuance target of $1 trillion per year by 2020.

The report identifies a $895 billion universe of climate-aligned bonds, including $221 billion in labeled green bonds. It highlights the dominance of the transport and energy sectors and the critical role of sovereign and sub-sovereign issuers, particularly in China and the US. The document argues for a massive acceleration of green bond issuance to reach $1 trillion annually by 2020 to support Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

The report examines how domestic DFIs in Brazil, Mexico, and Chile can mobilize investment for their NDCs. While these institutions committed over US$11 billion in climate finance in 2015, the vast majority (98%) targeted mitigation, primarily in renewable energy, leaving a significant gap in adaptation and urban infrastructure. Key barriers include a lack of long-term low-cost capital, perceived poor risk-adjusted returns, and limited technical capacity to structure complex climate projects. The report recommends that governments provide clearer mandates and that multilateral development banks (MDBs) support NDBs through risk-mitigation instruments, technical assistance, and improved climate finance tracking.

The paper analyzes the technical challenges of accounting for internationally transferred mitigation outcomes (ITMOs) given the diversity of nationally determined contributions (NDCs). It focuses on four primary areas: the definition and scope of ITMOs, methods to avoid double counting through corresponding adjustments, the accounting of mitigation outcomes' vintage relative to target time frames, and the governance of tracking systems. The authors recommend an emissions-based approach to corresponding adjustments and the adoption of common multi-year target periods to prevent increases in aggregated global greenhouse gas emissions.

The document examines the gap in the Paris Agreement regarding fossil fuel supply and proposes mechanisms to address it. It suggests that countries could use Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Long-Term Strategies (LTSs) to articulate production phase-downs. The authors argue that such actions would provide clearer signals to financial markets, foster international norms, and support a just transition for affected workers. The paper identifies several entry points within the Paris Agreement, including the enhanced transparency framework, the global stocktake, and finance reform, while acknowledging that consensus-based decision-making in the UNFCCC may require a 'coalition of the willing' to lead by example.

The document examines 'jurisdictional approaches' to deforestation, which align governments, businesses, and NGOs around shared conservation and sustainable development goals. Based on a workshop of practitioners from five initiatives, it identifies key success factors including political leadership, participatory design, and sustainable financing. It highlights the challenge of aligning short-term corporate and government expectations with the long-term systemic change required for landscape-scale forest loss reduction.

The report examines jurisdictional approaches to deforestation, emphasizing the necessity of political leadership, participatory design, and diverse financing. Through case studies in Brazil, Liberia, Ghana, and Colombia, it argues that while these models are nascent and complex, they offer a systemic way to align market forces and government policy to achieve landscape-scale conservation.

The Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ) is seeking up to USD 35,722 in readiness support from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to achieve accreditation as a National Implementing Entity. The proposal, supported by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), focuses on conducting gap assessments of the IDBZ's fiduciary standards, environmental and social safeguards, and gender policy. This effort aims to enable the IDBZ to access climate finance directly, supporting Zimbabwe's goal to reduce energy emissions per capita by 33% below business-as-usual levels by 2030. The project is expected to take approximately six months.

The document provides guidance on identifying and securing diverse funding sources for National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes, emphasizing that finance is required across all stages, including initiation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. It specifically examines approved proposals to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) from developing countries to support national adaptation planning activities.

The document is a 'Comments and Responses Report' addressing objections to the Thabametsi Power Station's climate and palaeontological assessments. The developer, Thabametsi Power Company, defends the project's alignment with the 2010 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) and argues that its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, while high, are consistent with international standards and comparable to other South African coal plants. It rejects claims that it must calculate the 'social cost of carbon' or assess community-level climate resilience, stating these fall outside the approved Scope of Work. The report also addresses water scarcity risks in the Lephalale region, asserting that Phase 1 will use existing water allocations from the MCWAP-1 scheme and employ dry-cooling technology to minimize consumption.

The document discusses Brazil's strategy to meet its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) goals by expanding its biofuel market. It highlights a study conducted in Rio de Janeiro showing that the increase in flex-car adoption—which reached 94% of new car registrations in 2008—reduces retail prices for both ethanol and gasoline. The study finds that a 10-percentage point increase in flex-car market share lowered ethanol prices by approximately eight cents of Brazilian reais and reduced gasoline margins by two cents, benefiting consumers who do not own flex-fuel vehicles.

The briefing identifies four critical areas for the development of the Paris Agreement Rulebook: NDC communications regarding mitigation and adaptation, the enhanced transparency framework for reporting and review, the design of the Global Stocktake, and the operational modalities for implementation and compliance. It emphasizes the need for a pragmatic approach that accounts for differing national capacities and the integration of non-governmental stakeholders to ensure the Agreement is implemented effectively and fairly.

The Climate Change Performance Index 2017: G20 Edition assesses the 20 largest economies, which collectively account for 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Using a revised methodology that incorporates Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) from the Paris Agreement, the index measures performance against benchmarks for 2030 and 2050, including nearly zero GHG emissions and 100% renewable energy. The report concludes that current efforts, even from top-performing countries, remain insufficient to prevent dangerous climate change.

The document reflects on seven years of CDKN's work to integrate climate action with poverty reduction, highlighting its influence on policies in 33 countries and its support for the Paris Agreement. It identifies critical gaps in current Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the need for diversified climate finance beyond the Green Climate Fund, and the slow pace of sustainable transport and smart city adoption in developing nations compared to the rapid energy transition to renewables.

The report identifies that while Peruvian SMEs represent 99.5% of registered companies and face higher proportional energy costs than large firms, significant barriers—including lack of information, low economic incentives due to low energy prices, and limited financial mechanisms—hinder energy efficiency adoption. A pilot study of 12 SMEs in Lima's energy-intensive sectors (primarily manufacturing) demonstrated a strong business case for investment, with an average reduction in energy consumption of 15%, total annual financial savings of US$750k, and an average payback period of two years. Key recommendations include government-led market analysis, improved auditing standards, and the creation of partnerships between finance providers, consultants, and equipment suppliers.

The document details CDKN's support for Kenya's climate goals, highlighting the impact of the 2016 Climate Change Act and the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP). Key achievements include a 140 MW increase in geothermal energy in 2015, the development of the CaRROT tool for the flower sector, and the submission of four proposals to the Green Climate Fund. It also discusses the 'Raising Risk Awareness' initiative for extreme event attribution and efforts to integrate water, energy, and food (WEF) security planning at the county level.

The mining industry is a major global energy consumer, with 2014 consumption reaching almost 1,400 TWh, representing between 1.25% and 11% of total world energy use. Much of this energy is provided by carbon-intensive diesel generation, particularly at remote off-grid sites. However, falling costs for solar PV and wind energy—with global LCOE dropping by 85% and 66% respectively since 2009—now make renewables cost-competitive with diesel and grid power. The document suggests that most mining functions, excluding trucking, can be electrified, and that U.S. mines could convert an additional 30% of their energy load to electricity. Beyond carbon reduction, transitioning to renewables can provide mining companies with a 'social license to operate' by creating local jobs, improving community relations through microgrids or community solar, and helping national governments meet Paris Agreement NDCs. The 'Sunshine for Mines' program aims to catalyze the installation of 8 GW of renewable capacity in the mining sector by 2025.

The briefing outlines the role of the 2018 Facilitative Dialogue (FD 2018) as the first progress assessment under the Paris Agreement. It emphasizes the need for a process that combines technical and political components, incorporates inputs from non-state actors and multilateral institutions, and utilizes the IPCC special report on 1.5 degrees C to signal a collective commitment to enhanced climate ambition by 2020.

As of May 2017, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) has engaged with 105 countries on 165 readiness requests, committing or spending a total of USD 34.3 million. The programme focuses on strengthening National Designated Authorities (NDAs), developing country programmes and project pipelines, and supporting the accreditation of direct access entities. Key achievements include the provision of in-kind accreditation support to 102 entities across 55 countries and the development of strategic frameworks in various regions. The report details specific activities in countries such as Tonga, Djibouti, and Namibia, and outlines the establishment of no-objection procedures in 34 countries. Additionally, it highlights regional structured dialogues in Asia and Eastern Europe and Central Asia to facilitate project pipelines and knowledge sharing.

The Republic of Maldives, supported by UN Environment, is requesting USD 300,000 from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) for a 12-month readiness program (April 2017 to March 2018). The proposal focuses on strengthening the National Designated Authority (NDA), creating a Five Year National Strategic Framework to mobilize international climate finance, and developing a first draft of a Country Programme. Key activities include broad-based stakeholder consultations, the development of at least three project concept notes aligned with the Maldives Climate Change Policy Framework and NDC, and the creation of a monitoring platform on the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MEE) webpage. The project aims to leverage existing initiatives, such as the BML Green Fund and UN Environment's work on energy efficiency in housing, to enhance the country's ability to access and manage climate finance.