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The global steel sector, responsible for 11% of CO2 emissions, remains heavily reliant on carbon-intensive blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) pathways. While over 75% of global capacity is now covered by net-zero pledges, the report warns of significant stranded asset risks—estimated between 47 and 70 billion USD—due to the continued construction of BF-BOF plants. The analysis emphasizes a transition toward electric arc furnaces (EAF), green hydrogen-based direct reduced iron (DRI), and carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), while leveraging existing global overcapacity to retire inefficient plants.

The document highlights the necessity of public-private collaboration to decarbonize heavy industry, which contributes approximately 30% of global CO2 emissions. It identifies the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT), launched by Sweden and India, as a key arena for international cooperation toward net-zero emissions by 2050. The brief examines specific policy tools such as green public procurement, carbon contracts for difference, and carbon border adjustments, while referencing implementation experiences in countries including South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Canada, and the UK.

The report identifies significant energy and emission reduction potentials through the adoption of 'Green ACs' in public buildings, while highlighting financial, political, and technical barriers that hinder the implementation of Green Public Procurement.

The document examines the systemic failure of natural resource governance since the 1972 Stockholm Declaration, noting that material demand per capita grew from 7.4 tons in 1970 to 12.2 tons in 2017. It highlights severe inequalities in resource distribution, where high-income countries have a per capita material footprint thirteen times larger than low-income countries. The brief argues that sustainable governance requires shifting from linear 'extract-use-discard' models to circular economies, strengthening tenure security for marginalized groups, and ensuring the free, prior, and informed consent of Indigenous Peoples. It specifically calls for extended producer responsibility and gender-responsive decision-making to protect ecological integrity and human rights.

The report analyzes how regional trade agreements (RTAs) can be used to scale the circular economy (CE) by integrating specific provisions into trade policy. It suggests that while the European Union is leading in including CE in its agreements, most RTAs remain embryonic in this regard. The authors propose a comprehensive framework for CE integration, including the front-loading of tariff elimination for circular goods, the liberalization of supportive services, the harmonization of technical standards to remove barriers to trade, and the reform of subsidies to discourage non-circular production. The report emphasizes that the legal effectiveness of these provisions depends on their drafting rather than their location within an agreement, though a dedicated CE chapter would signal strong political commitment.

The document argues that the 'Fourth Industrial Revolution'—characterized by AI, cloud computing, and IoT—is providing the tools necessary to overcome legacy modeling and accelerate decarbonization. It identifies data and transparency as one of six key market catalysts and provides examples of how corporations (Tesla), cities (Shenzhen), and financial instruments (Sustainability Linked Loans) are leveraging data to reduce emissions and capture economic value. The brief concludes with recommendations for policymakers, corporations, and financial institutions to integrate climate-relevant data into their strategic decision-making to mitigate risk and seize a projected $26 trillion economic opportunity by 2030.

The document examines the intersection of circular economy practices and international trade as a means to achieve net-zero emissions. It highlights the carbon-reduction potential of shifting from primary to secondary materials, the growth of circular business models like the sharing economy and product longevity, and the need for trade policies to remove barriers to green goods and services. The authors advocate for the use of bilateral and regional trade agreements to establish standards for circularity, noting that current international frameworks like the WTO and the Basel Convention are insufficient.

The ENHANCE project (2017-2020) focused on integrating the EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) into regional policies to drive the transition to a circular economy. By collaborating across six European regions, the project identified 24 good practices and implemented 31 actions, primarily focusing on regulatory reliefs and promotional incentives. Key achievements include the reduction of financial guarantees for waste companies in Estonia, tax reductions for EMAS organizations in Catalonia, and the integration of EMAS as an award criterion in Austrian green public procurement. The project engaged 375 stakeholders and concluded that stakeholder involvement and clear financial incentives are critical for the successful implementation of environmental policy instruments.

The report assesses green public procurement (GPP) in Tallinn, finding that while 17% of procurements are registered as green, 92% of these rely solely on ISO 14001 certification and do not meet EU GPP definitions. Key barriers include a lack of time, experience, and centralized information. The report recommends establishing a strategic framework, creating a GPP competence center within the procurement sector, and developing product-group-specific model criteria to increase the quality and quantity of sustainable purchases.

The document examines the progress of five EU Member States in developing policies for a climate-neutral industry. It finds that while most have set 2030 targets, these are generally conservative and focused on energy efficiency. The Netherlands and Germany are the most advanced, implementing specific incentives for advanced technologies, whereas Hungary, Poland, and Spain remain largely in the agenda-setting and policy-formulation stages. The brief emphasizes the need for a predictable legal environment and harmonized EU policies to avoid distorted competition in the basic materials sector.

The document argues that CCfDs can mitigate regulatory and price uncertainty in carbon markets while providing innovation incentives for low-carbon industrial technologies. It positions CCfDs as one element of a broader five-part policy package including climate contributions, renewable CfDs, green public procurement, and product carbon requirements. The brief examines the economic costs and social values of CCfDs, suggests national-level implementation to be practical despite state aid complexities, and discusses their potential integration with COVID-19 Recovery Funds to ensure long-term business cases for green industrial investments.

The report by WWF and Carbon Market Watch argues that the EU Industrial Strategy lacks the specific targets, timelines, and governance structures necessary to achieve climate neutrality in energy-intensive industries. While it welcomes the focus on circularity and the Just Transition Mechanism, the authors highlight critical gaps regarding emission performance standards, the phase-out of free carbon allowances, and the lack of civil society inclusion in new industrial alliances.

The report analyzes seven European Green Capital (EGC) winners—Bristol, Ljubljana, Essen, Nijmegen, Oslo, Lisbon, and Lahti—across 12 environmental domains to establish 'threshold activities' necessary for reaching the EGC finals. Comparing these to Tallinn, the study finds that while Tallinn excels in air quality, green space proportion, and the use of green electricity in municipal buildings, it lags in CO2 emissions per capita, waste landfilling rates, and the formal adoption of strategic planning documents. Key findings highlight the importance of carbon neutrality targets by 2050, integrated sustainable mobility strategies, and the implementation of 'polluter pays' principles in waste management.

The document highlights a gap in Swedish municipalities' ability to track and reduce the environmental impact of their consumption. While many work systematically on internal operations, few address consumption among households and businesses. Key barriers include a lack of political support, financial and competency resources, and a lack of systematic monitoring of purchases and investments. The brief recommends that municipalities implement systematic tracking of all procurement, that local politicians prioritize sustainable consumption, and that the Swedish government task county administrative boards (länsstyrelsen) with coordinating municipal efforts to improve knowledge exchange.

The briefing examines the UK carpet waste stream, criticizing the industry's reliance on incineration and downcycling under the guise of recycling. It argues that voluntary initiatives have failed and proposes a mandatory EPR framework to incentivize eco-design and closed-loop recycling.

The production of basic materials accounts for approximately 25% of global CO2 emissions and 16% of EU GHG emissions. While industry commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050 is growing, current innovation funds and carbon pricing are insufficient to make climate-friendly technologies commercially viable. The Climate Friendly Material Platform proposes a policy package including a 'Climate Contribution' as an alternative to Border Tax Adjustments, Carbon Contracts for Difference (CCFDS), Contracts for Difference for Renewables, Green Public Procurement (GPP), and Product Carbon Requirements to stimulate investment and prevent the relocation of production to regions with less stringent climate policies.

The report argues that current carbon pricing and innovation funds are insufficient to transform the basic materials sector. It proposes a five-part policy package: a Climate Contribution to ensure full carbon cost internalisation, project-based Carbon Contracts for Difference (CCfDs) to hedge investment risks, Contracts for Difference (CfDs) for renewables to lower electricity costs, Green Public Procurement (GPP) to create lead markets, and long-term Product Carbon Requirements to phase out carbon-intensive materials.

The report analyzes the efforts of Swedish municipalities to promote sustainable consumption across their own operations, households, and local businesses. While many municipalities work systematically within their own operations—focusing on vehicles, food, and energy—there is significantly less focus on households and businesses. A critical gap exists in monitoring the environmental impact of procurement, with nearly half of the surveyed municipalities performing no such assessment. The report identifies economic motives and national guidelines as primary drivers, while highlighting a severe need for political support, financial resources, and standardized data tools. It recommends that municipalities establish systematic procurement analysis, that local politicians prioritize sustainable consumption, and that the government tasks regional administrative boards (länsstyrelsen) with coordinating these efforts.

The MyHIJAU Mark is Malaysia's official green label for products and services that meet local and international environmental standards, designed to promote a resource-efficient and low-carbon economy. Managed by GreenTech Malaysia under the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment & Climate Change, the system integrates health, environmental sustainability, and economic feasibility. The Malaysian government acts as the primary driver of the label through a Government Green Procurement (GGP) programme initiated in 2013, aiming to influence the private sector by example. As of the reporting date, over 4,214 items are registered under the label, and all 25 Federal Government Ministries have implemented GGP since 2017, with a target of 20% GGP by 2020.

The document outlines the climate-related risks facing health care facilities (HCFs) and provides a framework for mitigation and adaptation. It highlights that 90% of health care life-cycle GHG emissions in Canada are generated upstream in the supply chain, with pharmaceuticals and hospitals being major contributors. The guide recommends using resiliency checklists, vulnerability assessments, and sustainable procurement to reduce environmental footprints. It also discusses specific interventions in energy efficiency, transportation (including telemedicine), and the reduction of potent inhalation anesthetic gases.