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The report argues that current IFI efforts to align indirect financing through financial intermediaries with the Paris Agreement are insufficient and opaque. It highlights how this lending model allows IFIs to 'outsource' environmental and social safeguards, potentially funding fossil fuel projects. The authors provide recommendations for a rights-based alignment methodology that includes an absolute ban on new fossil fuel financing, increased support for sustainable renewables, and strict transparency requirements for sub-project disclosure.

The paper examines how multilateral development banks (MDBs) use policy-based operations (PBOs)—unearmarked budget support provided in exchange for policy reforms—and finds that current risk screening is insufficient to prevent these operations from undermining climate goals. Through an analysis of 126 PBOs and six case studies, the authors argue that policy actions can create path dependence in fossil-fuel-reliant activities and delay urgent climate spending. The document recommends that MDBs integrate long-term climate risks into macro-fiscal assessments, include at least one climate results indicator in every PBO, and provide more concessional finance, such as grants, to support ambitious climate action in vulnerable countries.

The waste sector is responsible for approximately 20% of human-driven methane emissions globally, primarily from the anaerobic breakdown of organic waste in landfills and dumps. With global waste generation projected to increase by 73% by 2050, the document argues that reducing methane is critical for slowing global warming and meeting Paris Agreement goals. It proposes a modified waste hierarchy focusing on food waste prevention, organic waste diversion (via composting and anaerobic digestion), and improved landfill design and dump rehabilitation. The brief highlights successful regional policies, such as South Korea's weight-based food waste collection and India's waste segregation rules, while noting that up to 60% of mitigation measures have low or negative costs.

In 2024, 146 environmental and land defenders were killed or disappeared globally, with 82% of cases occurring in Latin America. The report identifies mining as the deadliest industry for defenders and highlights the role of organized crime and state actors in these attacks. It specifically examines the critical situations in Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, the Philippines, Honduras, and Guatemala, while detailing the systemic failures of state protection mechanisms and the criminalization of activism. The document calls for the ratification of the Escazú Agreement, the implementation of binding corporate due diligence laws, and the recognition of defenders' roles in climate solutions ahead of COP30.

The document presents a series of demands from African Environmental Defenders, calling for the recognition of their rights as equal rights holders, the implementation of the Paris Agreement, and an end to large-scale investment in oil and gas. It advocates for a global mandatory legal framework to protect defenders from harassment and killings, reparations for climate-induced loss and damage, and the integration of Traditional Knowledge into climate change solutions.

The document analyzes 142 NDCs, finding that while 100 mention public transport, only 26 set specific targets. It argues that public transport is essential for limiting global warming to 1.5C by reducing private vehicle use and electrifying bus fleets. The authors identify five key implementation areas: funding for infrastructure and operations, 100% transition to electric buses, adaptation and resilience measures, broader sustainable urban transport planning, and cross-sectoral coordination.

The author proposes that China can leverage its role as a major investor and creditor in Latin America to support climate action. Key suggestions include adopting a crediting mechanism for clean energy projects similar to Japan's JCM, implementing debt-for-climate swaps (specifically citing Ecuador's potential), and negotiating free trade agreements that prioritize environmental services and green goods.

The European Central Bank (ECB) introduced criteria on September 19, 2022, to decarbonize its corporate asset purchases starting October 1, but Reclaim Finance contends these measures are inadequate. The ECB's scoring grid, based on climate reporting and targets, allows for 'tilting' rather than exclusion, meaning fossil fuel developers and massive emitters can still be included in purchase programs. The document highlights a lack of transparency regarding Paris Agreement benchmarks and compares the ECB's approach to a similar, unsuccessful methodology used by the Bank of England in 2021. The author concludes that the ECB is prioritizing market neutrality over carbon neutrality and failing to align its actions with EU climate goals.

A coalition of over 1,000 health professionals and 200 organizations, including the WHO, is calling for a legally binding global plan to phase out fossil fuels. The group highlights that major economies are increasing support for coal, oil, and gas, which undermines climate goals and causes severe health issues, including air pollution and occupational diseases. They propose a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty based on three pillars: stopping new production, winding down existing use, and ensuring a just transition for affected workers and communities, with high-income countries providing necessary support to developing nations.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) asserts that the modernized Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) remains problematic due to persistent investor protections and unclear fossil fuel carve-outs. IISD notes that the ECT has been a primary vehicle for fossil fuel investors to challenge climate laws, with 17% of all such disputes brought under this treaty. The organization argues that retrofitting the ECT is insufficient and calls for a new investment treaty designed specifically to advance climate-friendly investments.

The authors argue that the current USD 100 billion climate finance target has been fraught with difficulties due to ambiguous definitions and contrasting interpretations regarding investment mobilization versus resource transfer. To improve transparency, accountability, and trust, they propose setting a specific sub-target for grants alongside other targets. The paper identifies five priority elements for negotiations: the relation to Article 2.1(c) of the Paris Agreement, the adaptation-mitigation balance, financial instruments, the mobilization of private finance, and the concept of "new and additional" finance.

An open letter from Reclaim Finance and other signatories calling on the European Central Bank (ECB) to specify and strengthen the criteria for 'tilting' its corporate bond holdings toward better climate performance. The authors propose four key requirements: excluding coal and new fossil fuel projects, prioritising climate neutrality over market neutrality, requiring science-based emission targets aligned with the EU Climate Law, and making climate-related disclosures mandatory for eligibility.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) argues that the Climate Change Bill requires stronger enforcement mechanisms, more ambitious emissions targets, and greater transparency to effectively address the climate crisis in South Africa. The CER emphasizes that climate change is a human rights and gender justice issue, noting that women and girls face disproportionate risks. Key recommendations include the introduction of criminal and administrative penalties for exceeding carbon budgets, the adoption of a 'near zero' emissions target by 2050, and the creation of a public web-based information portal for climate data. The CER also calls for more inclusive public participation, particularly for remote communities, youth, and women, and suggests establishing an inter-departmental body to coordinate the climate response across government.

The report finds that air quality is severely underfunded, accounting for only 0.5% of international development funding and less than 0.1% of philanthropic spending between 2015 and 2020. While 72% of development funding for air quality also addresses climate change, only 2.2% of international public climate finance explicitly targets air pollution. The analysis highlights a critical misalignment in priorities, noting that international development funders committed $46.6 billion to projects prolonging fossil fuel use between 2015-2021, more than four times the amount spent on air quality. Geographically, funding is concentrated in Asia, the US, China, and India, leaving Africa and Latin America underserved; in Africa, funding for fossil fuel-prolonging projects was 36 times higher than for clean air measures from 2015-2021.

Climate Bonds Initiative introduces the 'Five Hallmarks of a Credibly Transitioning Company' to combat greenwashing in transition finance. These Hallmarks—Paris-aligned targets, robust plans, implementation action, internal monitoring, and external reporting—provide a science-based methodology to evaluate whether a company's transition is rapid enough to meet the 1.5C goal. The report details the integration of these Hallmarks into a new certification scheme for non-financial corporates and SLBs, emphasizing the need for common sectoral pathways over company-specific baselines. It also highlights the growth of the SLB market, particularly among high-emitting sectors, and the necessity of comprehensive scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions accounting to ensure transition credibility.

The report examines the role of the Global Stocktake (GST) in enhancing national climate action and international cooperation, specifically focusing on the alignment of finance flows under Articles 2.1c and 9 of the Paris Agreement. It highlights a significant shortfall in international climate finance for developing countries, particularly for adaptation and loss and damage. The study suggests that the GST could improve progress by standardising reporting metrics, bridging the gap between long-term strategies (LT-LEDS) and near-term Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and developing a registry for the demand and supply of climate finance. However, it notes that countries have not yet initiated preparations for the GST, indicating a need for better communication regarding its relevance.

Global Energy Monitor reports that 24,166 km of oil pipelines are in development worldwide, with an estimated cost of USD 75.4 billion. This expansion, led by the United States, India, China, and Russia, is projected to add approximately 30.1 million barrels per day of transmission capacity, potentially generating 4.61 billion tonnes of CO2 annually. The report argues that this buildout creates significant stranded asset risks and contradicts the IEA's Net Zero by 2050 scenario, which states that no new oil fields are necessary to meet Paris Agreement goals.

Earthjustice and several partner organizations request that the BLM defer approval of oil and gas drilling permits in Kern County, California. They argue the BLM has violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other laws by failing to provide public comment periods on Environmental Assessments (EAs). The statement highlights severe public health risks to environmental justice communities in Kern County, including high rates of asthma and cancer, and argues that the BLM's air emissions estimates are unrealistically low and violate the Clean Air Act. It further demands a 'hard look' at water scarcity, groundwater contamination from unlined waste pits, and the climate impacts of carbon-intensive California crude. Finally, it asserts that new drilling threatens the critically imperiled Temblor legless lizard.

The proposal aims to mobilize private capital for Panama's low-emission and climate-resilient economy by addressing a lack of clarity on sustainable investments and a deficiency in climate-related financial risk management. It focuses on the banking and insurance sectors, leveraging the existing Sustainable Finance Working Group (GTFS). Key activities include creating a national taxonomy, implementing TCFD-aligned risk disclosure methodologies, and building capacity through training. The project also seeks to identify a domestic financial institution for GCF accreditation and develop a concept note for a larger mainstreaming project.

The authors examine the alignment of climate-related official development assistance (ODA) with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement. They find that while there is coherence, gaps remain in aligning finance with recipient countries' needs, specifically noting a reduction in misalignment regarding NDC activities which prioritize adaptation over mitigation.