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The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2021 evaluates 57 of the world's highest greenhouse gas emitters, finding that no single country is currently on a path compliant with the Paris Agreement goals. While the European Union improved its ranking to 16th place, the report highlights a stark divide between leading nations and G20 members like the USA, Saudi Arabia, and Russia, who are rated 'very low'.

The 2020 NDC Update report by the NewClimate Institute evaluates the preparedness of countries to increase climate ambition during the first NDC update cycle, drawing on a survey of 98 policy makers and experts from 83 countries. The report highlights the tension between the urgency of the Paris Agreement goals and the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that while some countries may use green stimulus to accelerate transition, many others face economic constraints that threaten structural climate change.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute argues for a robust decision on long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies at COP26 in Glasgow. It outlines the benefits of these strategies, their intersection with pandemic economic recovery, and six specific functions a COP26 decision should fulfill to maintain international momentum and align long-term visions with short-term Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

This report by the NewClimate Institute examines methods for implementing sustainable development impact assessments within climate change mitigation mechanisms, specifically focusing on project-level indicators for monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) in voluntary and mandatory carbon markets.

This guide provides recommendations for decision-makers on developing and revising Long-Term Strategies (LTS) for low-emission development, aligned with the Paris Agreement's goals of limiting global temperature increases to well below 2°C and pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C.

This report by the NewClimate Institute examines methods to strengthen the role of sustainable development and safeguarding provisions within the design of mechanisms under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, drawing on experiences from the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), voluntary markets, and non-UNFCCC multilateral institutions.

This research paper analyzes the declining economic value of Uganda's planned oil industry in the Albertine Basin, specifically examining the oilfields, the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, and the Hoima oil refinery in the context of a low-carbon transition.

The 2020 Special Report on the Production Gap by the International Institute for Sustainable Development analyzes the discrepancy between planned fossil fuel production and the levels required to meet the Paris Agreement temperature goals of 1.5°C or 2°C.

This briefing by the Climate Action Tracker (CAT) evaluates the impact of recent net zero pledges on global warming projections, noting that while targets have lowered end-of-century estimates, a significant gap remains between current policies and the goals required to limit warming to 1.5°C.

The Green Finance Mapping Report 2020, published by the Climate Policy Initiative, analyzes the 2019 green finance commitments of the International Development Finance Club (IDFC). It details a rebound in green finance to $197 billion in 2019, with a heavy concentration in climate mitigation and a growing trend in adaptation finance. The report also examines the distribution of these funds between OECD and non-OECD institutions and their alignment with the Paris Agreement.

This executive summary by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) evaluates the alignment of global power sector investment with the Paris Agreement goals for 2018. Using a new science-based methodology, CPI finds that significant investment continues to flow into fossil fuel power, putting the world on a temperature trajectory exceeding 3.2°C. The document highlights a critical gap in asset-level transaction data and provides recommendations for public and private actors to halt carbon-intensive investments and accelerate the decommissioning of fossil fuel plants.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development analyzes the evolution of global climate governance from the 1979 World Climate Conference to the 2015 Paris Agreement. It examines the shift from 'top-down' prescriptive instruments like the Kyoto Protocol to 'bottom-up' participatory frameworks, highlighting the ongoing tension between universal participation and the equitable distribution of responsibilities based on historical emissions and national capacities.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines the role of finance and technology in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement, tracing the evolution of UN sustainable development policy from 1972 to 2020.

This case study examines the challenges Colombia faces in decarbonising its building sector amidst rapid urbanisation and increasing electricity demand. It proposes using an Article 6 pilot of the Paris Agreement to implement Net Zero Energy Buildings in the social housing sector as a mechanism to reduce emissions and energy poverty while aligning with NDC commitments.

This final report summarizes a research project led by Öko-Institut and the Stockholm Environment Institute regarding the design and implementation of the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).

This briefing by the World Resources Institute outlines three strategic steps for the Biden administration to re-establish the United States as a global leader in climate action following the 2020 presidential election. It emphasizes the need for a robust national climate commitment, increased financial support for developing nations, and the integration of climate change into core foreign policy to rebuild international trust and align with global trends toward net-zero emissions.

This November 2020 report assesses progress toward Goal 7 of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF), which focuses on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation within the framework of a post-2020 global climate agreement. While the goal of including forests in the global agreement was considered met with the adoption of the Paris Agreement, the report identifies significant barriers to the operationalization of REDD+ and a lack of quantifiable detail in many Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), acting for groundWork, sent a formal letter to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) on 30 October 2020. The letter requests detailed reasons and evidence for NERSA's decision to concur with a determination to procure 3,000 MW of gas and 1,500 MW of coal generation capacity between 2023 and 2027, as outlined in the Integrated Resource Plan for Electricity 2019–2030 (IRP 2019).

The Recover Better with Sustainable Energy Guide for Southeast Asian Nations outlines the economic benefits and strategic opportunities for Southeast Asian countries to integrate sustainable energy into their recovery efforts and updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing groundWork, Earthlife Africa (ELA), and MEJCON-SA, submitted formal objections on 22 October 2020 to the Draft Environmental Impact Assessment Report (DEIR) for the proposed Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ), also known as the Energy Metallurgical Special Economic Zone (EMSEZ). The CER argues that the project's negative environmental and social impacts far outweigh its potential benefits and that the environmental authorisation (EA) should be refused due to severe flaws in the assessment process, conflict of interest in the decision-making authority, and significant threats to climate, water, and health.