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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 petition argues that dams and reservoirs are significant sources of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, yet are currently excluded from the EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP). It highlights scientific evidence showing that some U.S. facilities, such as Lake Mead and Kentucky Lake, emit millions of metric tons of CO2e annually, sometimes exceeding emissions from fossil-fuel power plants of similar capacity. The petitioners contend that the current lack of reporting leads federal agencies, states, and utilities to incorrectly assume hydropower is a zero-carbon energy source, which may result in ill-informed climate policies and hinder the U.S. from achieving the Global Methane Pledge. The document identifies seventeen distinct emission sources within reservoir systems and urges the EPA to expand the GHGRP to include these facilities to improve data transparency and inform the transition to a truly clean electric sector.

The report exposes the agricultural sector as a major user of intentionally added microplastics through plastic-coated agrochemicals. It argues that these products directly pollute soils and food chains, acting as vectors for toxins while potentially increasing the toxicity of the active ingredients. The document challenges industry claims of 'climate-smart' efficiency and calls for a comprehensive global ban on primary microplastics in agriculture.

The briefing details advancements in extreme event attribution, updated temperature datasets, and refined climate sensitivity models. It highlights the shrinking carbon budget for the 1.5°C target, the risks of climate tipping points, and the critical role of non-CO2 greenhouse gases like methane. Additionally, it discusses the scientific requirements for net-zero targets and the limitations of carbon dioxide removal and geoengineering.

The document introduces a new integrated modelling framework to assess the simultaneous impacts of agricultural systems on climate change and human health. Using data from 2014–2018, the model estimates global emissions of methane, nitrous oxide, and ammonia, while quantifying deaths associated with dietary risks, malnutrition, obesity, and air pollution. The results are consistent with previous independent studies, suggesting the model can be used to evaluate agricultural strategies that balance food demand with the minimization of health and climate impacts.

The report argues that the 2019 IRP's goal of adding 1500 MW of new coal generation is technically and environmentally problematic. It concludes that 'clean coal' is a myth, as even high-efficiency, low-emission (HELE) technologies cannot eliminate significant air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The author finds that advanced ultra-supercritical plants and carbon capture technologies are currently unproven or cost-prohibitive at scale, making them unlikely to be implemented. Furthermore, the report asserts that the 2023 timeline for the first 750 MW is unrealistic and that new plants would inevitably cause harm to human and environmental health through emissions of toxic organic compounds, trace metals, and acid gases, as well as impacts from the broader coal supply chain.

The document describes integrated agriculture-aquaculture (IAA) systems as a circular approach to food production that recycles nutrients between crops, livestock, and fish ponds to increase productivity and reduce external inputs. It highlights IAA's potential to adapt to climate change by diversifying livelihoods and managing saltwater intrusion in coastal areas, while potentially mitigating emissions by reducing the need for synthetic fertilisers and animal feed. The text advocates for the ASEAN Technical Working Group on Agriculture and Rural Development to lead knowledge-sharing and policy integration to promote IAA adoption, emphasizing the need for capacity-building and a focus on equity for the most vulnerable farmers.

The document emphasizes that because CO2 is cumulative, delays in emission cuts lead to higher peak temperatures and greater ecological damage. It warns that overshooting the 1.5°C target and relying on underdeveloped negative emissions technologies (NETs) poses significant risks to marine ecosystems and biodiversity. The author advocates for transparent, comprehensive greenhouse gas mitigation plans and a 'green recovery' from COVID-19, noting that the economic and public health benefits of rapid decarbonization far outweigh the costs.

The document argues that the food, agriculture, and land use (FALU) sector is a primary driver of climate change, contributing approximately 24% of global emissions. It details strategies for reducing emissions—such as improving ruminant livestock management, rice cultivation, and fertilizer use—and explores the potential of 'regenerative agriculture' to sequester carbon in biomass and soils. While acknowledging the potential for biosequestration, the report cautions that these sinks are temporary, subject to 'slowdown' as they reach equilibrium, and vulnerable to reversal through land-use changes or climate disasters.

The document identifies five 'traps' in climate scenarios—including the omission of non-combustion emissions, reliance on unproven negative emissions technologies, and underestimation of renewable energy—that lead to warming above 2°C. It specifically criticizes the IEA's Sustainable Development Scenario (SDS) and NGFS 'representative' scenarios for facilitating continued fossil fuel expansion. The author calls for financial actors to phase out fossil fuel financing by 2040 in Europe and 2050 globally.

The Clean Air Task Force, Earthjustice, and Western Resource Advocates recommend that Colorado move away from a "single-basket" approach—which measures all greenhouse gas reductions in CO2 equivalence (CO2e)—toward a "two-basket" framework. This proposed system would require both short-lived pollutants (methane) and long-lived pollutants (CO2 and N2O) to decline on their own steady trajectories, such as both being reduced by 50% below 2005 levels by 2030. The authors argue that a single-basket approach creates problematic trade-offs, where high Global Warming Potential (GWP) values for methane could incentivize polluters to prioritize low-cost methane reductions over the long-term CO2 reductions necessary to stabilize the climate. The document asserts that the AQCC has the legal authority under HB 19-1261 to implement this separate tracking to ensure the state meets its targets of 26% reduction by 2025, 50% by 2030, and 90% by 2050.

The report analyzes the link between synthetic nitrogen fertilizer use in the Midwest and the formation of a hypoxic 'dead zone' in the Gulf of Mexico. It estimates that agricultural nitrogen losses have caused between $552 million and $2.4 billion in annual damages to Gulf fisheries and marine habitat ecosystem services since 1980. The authors argue that shifting to sustainable agricultural practices—such as cover cropping and conservation tillage—can reduce these losses, providing a significant return on investment by restoring marine productivity and improving soil resilience for farmers.

The document explains the greenhouse effect and the role of human activities in increasing radiative forcing, noting that global warming has reached approximately 1°C since pre-industrial times. It details the global emissions profile by sector and the projected risks associated with 1.5°C versus 2°C warming, emphasizing that the latter significantly increases risks to human health, food security, and biodiversity. The text outlines the evolution of international climate governance from the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol to the Paris Agreement and its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). To limit warming to 1.5°C, the document argues for a transformative shift in the energy mix by 2050, including a drastic reduction in fossil fuel consumption and a move toward renewable energy and carbon dioxide removal technologies.

The petition argues that the EPA's aggregate compliance scheme allows the conversion of millions of acres of native grasslands into corn and soy cropland, violating the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007. This conversion is linked to significant greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and habitat loss. The petitioners request that the EPA require individualized proof of compliance for each biomass source and adjust renewable volume obligations to match the supply of EISA-compliant land.

The 2017 National Framework for Air Quality Management serves as the operational blueprint for the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (AQA) in South Africa. It defines the roles of national, provincial, and municipal governments in managing atmospheric emissions and outlines a governance cycle comprising information management, problem identification, strategy development, standard setting, and enforcement. Key tools introduced include the South African Air Quality Information System (SAAQIS) and the South African Atmospheric Emission Licence and Inventory Portal (SAAELIP). The framework also details the process for declaring priority areas, managing listed activities through Atmospheric Emission Licences (AELs), and fulfilling international obligations regarding greenhouse gases, ozone-depleting substances, and persistent organic pollutants.

The report examines the environmental and health impacts of the global livestock sector, highlighting its role in greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and antimicrobial resistance. It argues that current consumption trends are incompatible with the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. The document analyzes the rise of plant-based and cultured meat alternatives as disruptive innovations and criticizes the lack of government policies to drive a transition, noting that existing subsidies often support intensive farming. It recommends shifting subsidies, implementing meat taxes, and updating dietary guidelines to promote sustainable, low-emission food systems.

The Centre for Environmental Rights, on behalf of the Life After Coal/Impilo Ngaphandle Kwamalahle Campaign, urges the Portfolio Committee on Energy to compel the Department of Energy to release key technical data and conduct fair public consultations before finalising the IRP Update and IEP. The submission highlights the Department's failure to respond to PAIA requests for modelling assumptions and tariff implications. It further argues that the current planning ignores the health and water costs of coal, the emissions of nitrous oxide from CFB technology, and the financial viability of new coal and nuclear plants. Citing studies by Meridian Economics and the Frankfurt Institute, the document asserts that accelerating the decommissioning of older coal stations and prioritising wind and solar PV is the most cost-effective path for South Africa's energy future.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) supports the objectives of the Climate Change Mitigation Policies and Measures (PAMs) study but argues that its current methodology is too narrow. The CER contends that limiting the analysis to carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide excludes other critical greenhouse gases and pollutants, such as hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulphur hexafluoride, black carbon, and hydrochlorofluorocarbons, which could undermine the accuracy of the modelling and miss significant mitigation opportunities.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), on behalf of the Life After Coal Campaign, asserts that the CSIR's alternative IRP and the DoE's draft IRP omit substantial externalities associated with coal and nuclear energy. The letter highlights an estimated R33 billion annual economic cost from air pollution due to coal-fired generation and argues that water consumption figures are underestimated or based on inaccurate data. It further notes that the circulating fluidised bed combustion technology planned for the Thabametsi power station results in significant nitrous oxide emissions, making it 60% worse in GHG emission intensity than the Medupi and Kusile stations. Finally, the CER demands the inclusion of nuclear decommissioning, fuel storage, and insurance costs to ensure a fair assessment of energy options.

The Climate, Land, Ambition and Rights Alliance (CLARA) provides recommendations for land-use policies within the UNFCCC framework. The briefing emphasizes the need for free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) for indigenous peoples, the protection of collective land rights, and the adoption of agroecological practices. It strongly opposes the use of terrestrial carbon sinks to offset industrial emissions, citing the non-permanence of such sinks and the unreliability of soil carbon accounting. Additionally, it warns against large-scale bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and 'Climate Smart Agriculture' due to risks of land grabs and corporate green-washing.