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The report finds that while most US states meet the minimum legal requirements for Title V air permitting notices, there are substantial gaps in transparency, accessibility, and the actual influence of public input on final decisions. It highlights that many public notices are written at a college reading level and lack plain language, and that few agencies transparently report how public comments shape permit outcomes. The analysis suggests that states with specific environmental justice or cumulative impacts laws tend to have better engagement practices. It recommends that agencies adopt plain language, provide multilingual resources, and establish clear mechanisms for reporting how community input affects regulatory decisions.

Following a 2022 debt crisis and subsequent restructuring of approximately 93% of eligible public debt by December 2024, Ghana established an Independent Fiscal Council in early 2026. Supported by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and IMANI Africa, the council is designed to provide independent, evidence-based analysis of government budgets and projections. Its core mandate focuses on communicating the long-term debt implications of fiscal actions to the executive, Parliament, the public, and investors to build trust and ensure debt sustainability. This institutional reform complements 2025 amendments to the Public Financial Management Act, which introduced a public debt-to-GDP target of 45% by 2034 and a minimum annual primary surplus of 1.5% of GDP.

The Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) argues that South Africa's Public Procurement Act (2024), specifically sections 30 and 31, provides a statutory mandate for civil society to monitor procurement. To translate this into practice, PARI proposes piloting civic observers for high-risk contracts, expanding community-led social audits for local service delivery, and adopting the Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) for machine-readable transparency. The paper emphasizes that these measures shift oversight from retrospective audits to real-time risk mitigation and suggests that National Treasury can begin implementation using existing powers under the PFMA and MFMA even while the new Act is challenged in court.

The briefing asserts that shrinking civic space globally threatens the effectiveness and legitimacy of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). While EITI possesses a framework of tools—including the 'Protocol: Participation of civil society' and Requirement 1.3 of the 2023 Standard—the document argues these are often underutilized due to a lack of political will or knowledge. It calls for making the monitoring of civic space mandatory for multi-stakeholder groups (MSGs) and urges the EITI International Board and Secretariat to move from general commitments to concrete, time-bound actions, specifically targeting the June 2026 Global Conference in the Philippines.

The document identifies systemic communication failures across 12 South African municipalities, characterized by top-down messaging, internal silos, and a decline in traditional outreach. It recommends professionalizing communication units, institutionalizing two-way engagement, and integrating knowledge management to move from reactive to citizen-centered systems.

The European Ombudsman found that the European Commission committed maladministration by applying a broad and poorly defined interpretation of 'urgency' to bypass impact assessments and public consultations for three legislative proposals. The investigation revealed a lack of formal records for derogations, delayed publication of analytical documents, and insufficient stakeholder engagement. Additionally, the Commission failed to provide clear evidence of mandatory climate consistency assessments required by the European Climate Law and excessively shortened an inter-service consultation to less than 24 hours in one case. The Ombudsman recommends that the Commission define 'urgency', formally record all exemptions, and establish procedures to ensure that urgent law-making remains transparent and evidence-based.

The briefing highlights a dangerous pattern of missing or inconsistent data on oil accidents across the Americas, noting that only Brazil, Canada, and the United States maintain regularly updated open datasets. Even in these countries, critical information such as ecological damage, human health impacts, and the responsible companies is often omitted. The document emphasizes that this lack of transparency violates international norms and obscures the systemic vulnerabilities of an interconnected petroleum supply chain, particularly in sensitive regions like the Amazon where ageing infrastructure poses significant risks.

The document assesses India's 2024 guidelines against greenwashing, which prohibit vague environmental claims and require credible evidence for substantiation. These measures aim to align Indian businesses with international standards, enhance consumer trust, and improve competitiveness in global value chains, particularly within the retail, textile, and fast-moving consumer goods sectors. The text emphasizes that successful implementation relies on increasing consumer awareness, building institutional capacity, and strengthening third-party verification mechanisms such as eco-labels.

The document argues that the UN climate regime, comprising the UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol, and Paris Agreement, is currently hindered by procedural complexity, fragmented institutional structures, and a lack of accountability. It highlights that 87% of recent decisions are merely procedural and recommends a systemic overhaul, including the formal closure of the Kyoto Protocol, the adoption of majority voting to replace consensus, and a shift toward a more active implementation role for the UNFCCC Secretariat. The authors emphasize the need for a new climate finance goal of at least $300 billion annually by 2035 and the integration of ethical considerations and structural causes of the climate crisis into future governance.

The document outlines a framework for reporting on National Adaptation Plan (NAP) progress, categorising methods into three primary objectives: monitoring activity status, evaluating performance and impact, and learning and communication. It provides a menu of 17 specific tools—ranging from low-effort checklists and traffic-light systems to high-effort indicator tracking and digital platforms—supported by real-world examples from countries such as Saint Lucia, Burkina Faso, and Finland. The guide emphasizes an iterative 'learning by doing' approach, the integration of gender equality and social inclusion (GESI), and the alignment of national reporting with international commitments under the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework.

The document outlines a structured approach to NAP progress reporting, categorized into three primary objectives: tracking activities, evaluating performance, and learning/communication. It provides a detailed toolkit of 17 specific methods—ranging from simple checklists and traffic-light systems to complex indicator tracking and digital platforms—supported by real-world examples from countries such as Saint Lucia, Burkina Faso, and Finland. The guide emphasizes an iterative 'learning by doing' approach, urging countries to start simply and integrate gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) into their reporting frameworks.

The document examines the opacity of EU trilogue negotiations, where 89% of legislative files reached agreement in the first reading during the 2014-2019 term. It argues that the current lack of transparency allows privileged industry lobbyists access while excluding civil society and enables Member States to later contradict agreed-upon positions, as seen with the Nature Restoration Law and the Corporate Sustainable Due Diligence Directive. The briefing rejects arguments that transparency would entrench negotiator positions, citing CJEU rulings, and asserts that reactive access requests under Regulation 1049/2001 are insufficient due to systemic delays. It recommends the proactive publication of 'four-column documents', agendas, and calendars, and suggests specific regulatory amendments for the European Parliament, Council, and Commission to formalise this openness.

Reclaim Finance disputes the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations' (CDC) justifications for its lack of transparency and argues that the CDC's shareholder engagement strategy is insufficient to stop investment in fossil fuel expansion. The document highlights a conflict between the CDC's secrecy and recommendations from the Cour des Comptes, while clarifying discrepancies in the reporting of fossil fuel exposure figures.

This guide explains how model contracts—both generic and nationally tailored—can help governments ensure responsible investment in agriculture. It details how these templates can integrate international standards, prevent problematic omissions, flag risky clauses like stabilization provisions, and promote transparency and legal harmonization.

The report finds that the dairy and coffee sectors are failing to address methane emissions, with 18 out of 20 analyzed companies scoring less than 50% on a comprehensive performance scale. While some companies acknowledge the climate impact of methane, there is a widespread reluctance to reduce dairy production, and most lack specific methane targets or transparent reporting practices.

The report argues that the EU's REACH Authorisation regime, designed to phase out the most hazardous chemicals, is undermined by widespread non-compliance and a lack of deterrent enforcement. It highlights that 40% of inspected companies fail to meet their obligations, yet authorities frequently rely on 'written advice' rather than dissuasive sanctions. Through case studies in France, Germany, and Spain, the document exposes a lack of transparency, with authorities often withholding enforcement data by citing commercial interests. It concludes that the European Commission and ECHA lack sufficient oversight of national enforcement, and recommends a stricter accountability framework, more frequent reporting, and the creation of public registries of infringements to incentivize compliance.

The document argues that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is essential for reversing the marginalisation of African countries in global trade, with the potential to generate $450 billion in additional income by 2035 and lift 30 million people out of absolute poverty. However, full implementation has been delayed since January 2021 due to resource constraints, debt distress in over 50% of African countries, and fears of tariff revenue losses. To address this, the AfCFTA Secretariat introduced the AfCFTA Implementation Review Mechanism (AFIRM) in July 2024. The author suggests that AFIRM should move away from a narrow focus on compliance and instead adopt the broader, transparency-based approach of the WTO's Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM). The TPRM is credited with enhancing adherence through peer pressure and factual reporting without being a tool for dispute settlement, a model that could reduce resistance among AfCFTA state parties.

The Information Appeals Panel (IAP) reported on its activities between June and October 2024, focusing on a single appeal (IDP/2024/C004) filed by the Interamerican Association for Environmental Defense. While the IAP ruled that the GCF Secretariat did not deny information regarding a midterm evaluation report for project FP089—as the report was available via the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) website—it criticized the Secretariat for significant delays in responding to the request. The IAP recommended increasing human resources for information disclosure to at least two headcounts and strengthening the Information Disclosure Policy (IDP) to clarify the GCF's ultimate accountability for publishing monitoring and evaluation reports, regardless of whether they are hosted by Accredited Entities.

The document critiques proposed amendments to the Pest Control Products Regulations, asserting they fail to enhance environmental protections or public transparency. The authors argue that the regulations would illegally restrict access to confidential test data to Canadian residents for 'research purposes' only, undermining the Pest Control Products Act. They further claim the amendments do not mandate the consideration of cumulative environmental effects or species at risk, failing to advance Canada's commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Finally, the statement calls for separate domestic maximum residue limits (MRLs) and the elimination of the default GMRL to ensure better compliance and safety.

The report analyzes MEL systems for climate change adaptation in Canada, France, Kenya, Namibia, Peru, Somalia, Tonga, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam. It finds that while all nine countries have initiated MEL efforts, most focus on monitoring and progress reporting, with evaluation and learning remaining less developed. The study emphasizes that MEL systems are iterative, context-specific processes rather than one-size-fits-all blueprints, and highlights a significant increase in the integration of MEL frameworks into National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) over the last decade.