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The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) critiques the SAREM draft for lacking definitions of 'decent work', failing to provide a robust framework for monitoring local content compliance, and ignoring the potential for a local recycling industry. The document argues that the current market-led approach risks a 'race to the bottom' on price, which undermines local manufacturing. To counter this, the IEJ recommends aggressive local content requirements (LCRs) of 50% for future public procurement, the use of import tariffs to protect nascent industry, and the provision of low-cost public debt to offset the higher costs of locally produced components. It further advocates for a Technology Transfer System (TTS) to build local technical capacity and the establishment of municipal-level recycling depots for solar PV modules to prevent environmental damage and create jobs.

The document asserts that Canada's reliance on oil, gas, and coal exposes it to global market volatility and geopolitical risks, as evidenced by record-high fuel prices in 2022. It argues that renewable energy sources like wind and solar are now more cost-effective than fossil fuels and provide long-term price stability because they do not require input fuels. The brief highlights Canada's existing hydroelectric capacity and transmission infrastructure as key assets for integrating variable renewables. It recommends accelerating the electrification of transportation and heating, improving interprovincial grid connectivity, and investing in energy storage to achieve a non-emitting electricity grid by 2035.

The document contends that the Canadian oil and gas industry has sufficient windfall profits to fund its own decarbonization and that public subsidies for the sector, particularly for carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), create significant opportunity costs. It highlights that previous government supports have sometimes increased overall emissions by enabling higher production. The authors advocate for shifting public investment toward proven low-carbon technologies like wind, solar, and energy efficiency to meet Canada's 2030 climate targets.

The report analyzes the proposed modernization of the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), concluding that the reforms are too modest to support the energy transition. Key criticisms include the continued protection of fossil fuel investments in most contracting parties, the retention of a 20-year survival clause, and the failure to reform the investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism. The authors argue that the 'flexibility mechanism' for fossil fuel carve-outs is limited in practice and that broad investment protection standards, such as Fair and Equitable Treatment (FET), remain out of step with modern treaty practice, potentially exposing states to significant financial liabilities for climate-related regulatory actions.

The document outlines Africa's objectives for COP27, focusing on the African Group of Negotiators' (AGN) demands for increased climate finance and the recognition of the continent's special circumstances. It highlights a tension between the African Union's (AU) support for natural gas as a transition fuel and the goals of renewable energy activists. The brief also details the roles of specific 'climate champion' countries and the impact of global geopolitical tensions, such as the US-China standoff and the Russia-Ukraine war, on climate negotiations.

The paper examines the 'digital Grand Canyon' in Africa, identifying infrastructural, financial, and regulatory barriers to internet connectivity. It highlights the disproportionate impact of the digital divide on women and youth and proposes a combination of top-down government strategies and bottom-up market initiatives to foster inclusion. The authors argue that the AfCFTA framework should be used to harmonise digital trade rules, encourage diverse infrastructure financing, and implement comprehensive digital upskilling to ensure the continent's participation in the 4th Industrial Revolution.

The 7th ASEAN Energy Outlook (AEO7) analyzes energy demand, supply, and electricity generation across the ASEAN region through four scenarios: Baseline, AMS Targets (ATS), APAEC Targets (APS), and Least-Cost Optimisation (LCO). It finds that without policy intervention, energy demand will triple by 2050 and fossil fuels will continue to dominate. However, implementing national and regional policies can significantly reduce total final energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The report emphasizes the need for increased energy efficiency, higher renewable energy penetration, and regional grid interconnection to ensure energy security and sustainability.

The study finds limited alignment with the Paris Agreement, as financing to high-emitting 'brown' sectors generally increased in volume since 2016, while 'green' investments remained marginal in absolute terms.

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 GCF is implementing a four-pillar operational framework to enhance coordination with other climate funds. Key achievements include the establishment of a joint steering committee for the Long-Term Vision (LTV) with the GEF, the fast-track reaccreditation of nine entities with the AF, and the development of a joint GCF-GEF pavilion for COP 26 and COP 27. The report details specific funding proposals and readiness grants that demonstrate national programming coherence, as well as ongoing technical dialogues to harmonize results indicators and impact measurement methodologies across funds.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) critiques the Western Cape's draft climate plan, arguing for greater urgency, transparency, and meaningful public participation. The CER strongly opposes the use of fossil gas as a transition fuel due to methane leakage and warns against the potential misuse of 'Net Zero' targets. They propose a comprehensive set of 27 guiding principles for the plan's implementation, emphasizing climate justice, the phase-out of fossil fuels, and the protection of vulnerable groups, particularly those in informal settlements.

The document describes how the organization Neighbours United used deep canvassing—a listening-based outreach method—to overcome climate skepticism in Trail, British Columbia. By conducting 1,181 in-depth conversations focused on storytelling rather than facts, the campaign achieved a 40% persuasion rate, leading the city council to unanimously vote in April 2022 to transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) Secretariat and Accreditation Panel (AP) assessed PT Sarana Multi Infrastruktur (PT SMI) for re-accreditation and a scope upgrade. PT SMI demonstrated significant growth in climate financing, increasing its portfolio to USD 976 million by 2021 and committing to phase out fossil fuel financing. The AP recommends re-accreditation with an upgraded scope to include medium-sized projects, equity and guarantees, and high-risk (Category A/I-1) environmental and social (E&S) projects, subject to specific conditions regarding its grievance redress mechanism and external E&S auditing.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) Secretariat and Accreditation Panel (AP) assessed World Wildlife Fund, Inc. (WWF-US) for re-accreditation. The AP recommends re-accreditation for a second term with a medium project size limit and medium environmental and social risk category (B/I-2). While WWF-US met most fiduciary and gender standards, it partially failed the GCF Revised Environmental and Social Policy due to its institutional grievance redress mechanism (GRM) lacking independence, legitimacy, transparency, and predictability. Re-accreditation is conditional upon the AE adopting and publishing a compliant GRM policy. The assessment highlights the success of the 'Bhutan for Life' project and WWF-US's broader climate strategy, which includes a target for renewable energy to provide 50 per cent of global energy supply by 2025.

The document identifies a trend of disinformation in the UK where the current energy crisis—driven by high gas prices and Russia's invasion of Ukraine—is being falsely blamed on renewable energy and climate solutions to alienate 'Persuadables' from climate action.

Earthjustice criticizes the Biden administration for defending a Trump-era policy that overturned a 2016 coal-leasing moratorium. Despite a court ruling that the decision to end the moratorium failed to account for climate impacts, the administration continues to process new lease applications while U.S. coal consumption rose 14% in 2021. The document highlights that as of 2021, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administered 299 federal coal leases across approximately 458,600 acres, and over 40% of U.S. coal is produced on public lands. Earthjustice calls for the administration to internalize the environmental and social costs of mining and to stop defending resource management plans in the Powder River Basin that ignore the public health impacts of burning publicly-owned coal.

As of August 2022, India had installed 116 GW of renewable energy, achieving 66% of its 175 GW target for December 2022. While solar power is driving growth, with 9.8 GW installed between January and August 2022, wind energy installations have slowed. Progress is highly uneven across states; Gujarat, Telangana, Rajasthan, and Karnataka have met their 2022 targets, while Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh account for 61% of the national target shortfall. To reach the 2030 target of 450 GW, India must increase its monthly installation rate to 3.7 GW, which is 2.5 times the average rate seen in the first eight months of 2022.

Africa requires USD 277 billion annually to meet its 2030 climate goals, yet annual flows stand at only USD 30 billion. While the region shows a better balance between adaptation and mitigation than other global regions, private sector contribution remains low at 14%. The report recommends increasing concessional finance for hard-to-abate sectors, improving data tracking through 'climate tagging', and enhancing sub-national investment capabilities to bridge the financing gap.

The document argues that Indonesia can technically achieve a net zero power sector by 2040, which would accelerate the broader national net zero target to 2050. This transition requires phasing out unabated coal, significantly increasing annual electricity investment to USD 40 billion this decade and USD 80 billion in the next, and addressing grid flexibility and inter-regional connectivity. While the transition would result in a net gain of 265,000 jobs, it would cause 230,000 losses in coal mining, necessitating just energy transition policies. The author notes that Presidential Regulation No. 112/2022 is a positive step toward attracting renewable investment and retiring coal plants.

The document examines the GHG footprint of the pulp and paper industry, noting that emissions range from 14 to 75 tCO2e/t paper (excluding biogenic forestry emissions). It highlights that pulping and papermaking are energy-intensive stages that dominate the footprint, while forest management—specifically deforestation and premature harvesting—represents a significant source of emissions and a major mitigation opportunity. The report emphasizes the need for standardized GHG accounting in the sector and suggests shifting to renewable energy and sustainable forestry to reduce impacts.