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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 document defines sustainable material management infrastructure as assets that reduce waste generation by promoting recovery, reuse, and recycling. It distinguishes between 'grey' infrastructure (e.g., unregulated landfills, incineration without energy recovery) and 'green' infrastructure (e.g., sorting facilities, composting, waste-to-energy). The guide details the environmental, economic, and social shortcomings of business-as-usual (BAU) scenarios—such as GHG emissions, resource scarcity, and public health risks—while highlighting the benefits of green investments, including carbon footprint reduction and green job creation. It also analyzes risks to project financing, such as volatile commodity prices and regulatory uncertainties, and provides a comprehensive overview of policy interventions, measurement indicators, and a detailed breakdown of costs and revenues for various waste management technologies.

A public opinion poll of 1,000 Austrian adults reveals strong national support for increased action against plastic pollution, with 86% believing more should be done. There is overwhelming agreement (93%) that plastic producers should contribute to waste management, and 83% of respondents support the introduction of a deposit return scheme in Austria. Support for these measures is consistent across all surveyed age groups and regions, with Tirol showing the highest average support across all polling questions.

A survey of 1,000 representative adults in Austria reveals overwhelming public support for increased measures to combat plastic pollution, the implementation of a deposit system for beverage containers, and the requirement for plastic producers to contribute to waste management.

The report details a three-day event focused on 'Local Green Enterprises' (LGEs)—MSMEs that prioritize nature, resource efficiency, and social justice. It examines global green economy trends, applies Gandhian philosophy to local development, and identifies sector-specific roadblocks in India. The document concludes with the 'Delhi Declaration,' which calls for the Government of India to improve public procurement, provide affordable credit, and recognize Triple Bottom Line (TBL) impacts for LGEs.

The document examines the GreenPitch Innovation Challenge 2019 as a mechanism to strengthen Cape Town's economic resilience by supporting green Small, Medium and Micro-Sized Enterprises (SMMEs). It argues that multi-stakeholder collaboration and pitching events help fragmented cleantech start-ups overcome resource gaps—such as lack of financial assets and networks—to better address climate-related stresses. The challenge attracted 40 nationwide entries, resulting in five finalists and providing the winner, Nubrix, with R 30,000 in business development support.

The document examines the potential for recovering construction materials from builders' rubble at Cape Town's drop-off sites to mitigate a regional landfill airspace crisis. It highlights a June 2019 survey showing that contractors at some sites recover an average of 920 bricks weekly, suggesting a business case for low-skilled job creation and support for low-income housing. However, the viability of this model is challenged by labour costs, the need for consistent volumes of quality material, and theft.

A buyback centre in Vrygrond, Cape Town, diverts approximately 1,500 tonnes of waste from landfills annually, providing an annual community income between R950,000 and R1.9 million. The centre employs 20 people and supports 300 waste reclaimers, though it faces challenges regarding land access and infrastructure. The document recommends formalising engagement between the municipality and buyback centres to improve waste management in informal areas.

The Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) for Wangchuck Centennial National Park (WCNP) outlines the mitigation of environmental and social risks associated with six planned activities for 2020. These activities include constructing a guard post, river bank protection, zonation and pillar fixing, improving waterholes and salt licks, installing waste infrastructure, and restoring lowland grasslands. The plan ensures compliance with both the Royal Government of Bhutan's laws and WWF's Social Safeguards Integrated Policies and Procedures (SIPP), particularly where WWF standards are more extensive regarding community consultation and compensation for non-title land users. Implementation is led by BFL focal persons and contractors, with monitoring conducted through field visits and reports submitted to ESS consultants and the Project Coordination Unit (PCU).

The report finds that while Americans are concerned about the impact of plastics on marine life and water quality, they often feel unable to avoid plastic packaging or believe their individual actions are insignificant. There is strong public support for producer responsibility, with businesses ranked as the most responsible party for reducing plastic waste and the entity that should pay for recycling infrastructure. While there is broad support for positive regulations like credits and refund programs, Americans are more divided on taxes and fees.

The report describes South Africa's plastics economy as a linear "take-make-waste" model characterized by high dependency on virgin fossil-fuel-based materials and a weak waste management system. It highlights that plastic packaging is a major leakage hotspot, with over 50% of converted plastics having a lifespan of less than three years. While a recycling sector exists, it is heavily reliant on an under-supported informal waste sector and is vulnerable to fluctuations in global oil prices. The document argues that recycling alone is insufficient and advocates for a circular economy approach involving the elimination of problematic plastics, mandatory extended producer responsibility (EPR), and the adoption of the South African Plastics Pact to achieve specific 2025 targets for recyclability and recycled content.

The Climate Bonds Standard Version 3.0 provides a science-based framework for certifying green debt instruments. It mandates pre- and post-issuance requirements, including the use of a Green Bond Framework, independent verification by Approved Verifiers, and annual reporting on allocation and eligibility. The standard is designed to be compatible with the proposed EU Green Bond Standard and uses a specific Taxonomy and Sector Eligibility Criteria to prevent 'greenwash' and facilitate large-scale climate-aligned investment.

The document examines the UK carpet waste stream, asserting that the voluntary industry body Carpet Recycling UK (CRUK) has engaged in greenwashing by relying on incineration and downcycling rather than carpet-to-carpet recycling. It highlights that while landfill diversion rose to 44% by 2018, the majority of this is achieved through incineration, which carries significant climate and health costs. The authors call for the UK government to implement mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) to drive genuine circularity.

A group of NGOs supports the EU's proposal to restrict lead stabilisers in PVC but argues that the current draft is insufficiently protective. They specifically oppose higher lead concentration limits for recycled PVC, claiming such derogations are based on flawed end-of-life assumptions and contradict the EU's circular economy goals. The NGOs advocate for a total phase-out of lead in PVC, regardless of its function or whether the material is virgin or recycled, citing the non-threshold neurotoxicity of lead.

The report details how plastic production, refining, waste management, and environmental degradation contribute significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions. It warns that by 2050, cumulative emissions from plastic could consume 10–13 percent of the remaining carbon budget, potentially making the 1.5°C climate target impossible to achieve. The document advocates for ending single-use plastics and stopping the expansion of petrochemical infrastructure to mitigate these impacts.

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 Green Climate Fund country programme for Equatorial Guinea establishes a flexible framework for climate action, identifying key vulnerabilities in agriculture, energy, and forestry. It details a portfolio of seven priority projects—ranging from natural gas public transport to mangrove restoration—designed to prompt a national paradigm shift toward a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy. The document emphasizes the need for international financing, as the country cannot fund this transition independently, and highlights the critical role of gender mainstreaming in climate resilience.

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 report applies the SDG Synergies approach to eight environmental targets in the EU to identify synergies and trade-offs with other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It finds that while most interactions are promoting, significant trade-offs exist, particularly with SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure). Targets 12.4 (chemicals and waste management) and 13.1 (climate adaptation) are identified as having the highest synergistic potential to drive overall progress on the 2030 Agenda in the EU context.

The report highlights New Zealand's climate leadership through policies like the Zero Carbon Bill 2019 and the ban on new offshore oil and gas drilling. It notes that while the green bond market is small, it is growing, with total green and sustainability debt from New Zealand entities reaching NZD3.7bn. The document identifies significant investment needs in infrastructure, particularly in Auckland, and explores five key sectors for green investment: renewable energy, low-carbon transport, sustainable water management, sustainable waste management, and green buildings.