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The report examines Kenya's path toward a low-carbon economy, highlighting that while a net-zero transition offers economic opportunities and green jobs, it risks marginalizing vulnerable groups—particularly women, youth, and informal workers—if not managed inclusively. It analyzes sector-specific risks in agriculture, energy, transport, industry, forestry, waste, and tourism, noting that while Kenya has a robust legal framework via the Climate Change Act (2016), just transition objectives are not yet mainstreamed into primary development plans like Vision 2030. The document advocates for stakeholder engagement, social protection, and gender-sensitive policies to ensure the transition reduces existing inequalities rather than compounding them.

The document defines a 'Just Transition' as a framework to ensure that the shift toward a green economy is fair and inclusive, preventing vulnerable populations from bearing disproportionate costs. It traces the concept's evolution from 1980s US trade union concerns over pollution regulations to a broader global framework integrated into the UNFCCC and the 2015 Paris Agreement. The text emphasizes three types of justice—procedural, distributional, and restorative—and argues that transition planning must be participatory and cross-governmental. Using Malawi's agricultural mechanization as an example, it illustrates how top-down transitions can marginalize smallholder farmers despite overall GDP growth. While historically focused on the energy sector and fossil fuel phase-outs, the document asserts that Just Transition principles are equally critical for sectors like agriculture, transport, waste, and forestry, especially regarding adaptation priorities in the global south.

The document argues that current plastic production and consumption are unsustainable and that solutions must be applied based on specific product applications to avoid trade-offs between durability, biodegradability, and recyclability. It highlights the risks of chemical additives and the inefficiency of waste management systems, particularly the export of plastic waste from Europe to Asia. The authors propose a comprehensive definition of sustainable plastics based on environmental, economic, and social criteria to guide the UNEP's international policy instrument.

The Sharm el-Sheikh mitigation ambition and implementation work programme (MWP), established at COP26, aims to accelerate global emissions reductions through non-prescriptive dialogues and capacity-building. While COP30 confirmed the programme's continuation through 2026 and improved finance matchmaking and inclusiveness, significant divergences remain between developed and developing nations regarding the level of prescriptive guidance for sectoral pathways and the scale of financial commitments. Key areas of ongoing debate include the design of a digital platform for information sharing and the balance between global guidance and national sovereignty in managing forests and waste.

In 2018, IDFC members reported $134 billion in green finance commitments, a 39% decrease from 2017, though cumulative commitments since 2015 exceed $670 billion. Climate finance dominated the total at 93.3%, with green energy and GHG mitigation accounting for 85% of that amount. While overall commitments fell due to macroeconomic factors, adaptation finance grew by 57% over the previous year. Geographically, 78% of finance remained in members' home countries, and the East Asia and Pacific region received the largest share of commitments at 56%.

The report identifies four priority sub-sectors for green investment in India: Green Hydrogen, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA), and Waste Management & Material Circularity. It highlights a significant investment gap, noting that India may face a shortfall of $3.5 trillion to achieve its net-zero target. For Green Hydrogen, the report emphasizes the need to reduce costs from above $4/kg to $2/kg to achieve economic viability. In the BESS sector, it projects annual battery demand between 106 GWh and 260 GWh by 2030. Climate Smart Agriculture is presented as a critical area for both mitigation and adaptation, though currently underfunded in upstream and on-farm solutions. Waste Management is highlighted as a $45 billion market opportunity by 2030, with a specific focus on the growing potential of lithium-ion battery recycling. The document also argues for the urgent scaling of private adaptation financing, noting that 80% of key adaptation markets in India are currently nascent or mid-level.

Climate TRACE estimates that anthropogenic methane emissions in 2025 were just over 410 million tonnes, with agriculture, fossil energy, and waste accounting for 97% of the total. The report argues that slashing methane is the most impactful way to keep global warming under 2 degrees Celsius due to the gas's powerful near-term warming effect. It identifies specific actionable opportunities: reducing methane intensity in oil and gas production (particularly in the US and Mexico), capturing coal mine methane, targeting a small number of high-emitting landfills, and addressing enteric fermentation and rice cultivation in agriculture.

The 73rd CDM Executive Board meeting resulted in a revised rule for E- policies, a new work programme for standardized baselines, and updated methodologies for N2O destruction in nitric acid plants. The Board also endorsed a work programme to standardize additionality assessments for appliances and waste management.

The document advocates for the strengthening of the EU's Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR) to ensure Cyprus and the EU meet Paris Agreement goals. It identifies transport, waste management, and building heating/cooling as key sectors for emission reductions in Cyprus and proposes specific policy improvements, including higher 2030 and 2050 targets, more accurate emission baselines, and stricter governance to prevent the use of legal loopholes in forestry and the Emissions Trading System (ETS).

The Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR) is the EU's primary instrument for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in sectors not covered by the Emissions Trading System (ETS), accounting for approximately 60% of total EU emissions. For the 2021-2030 period, the ESR sets an overall target of -30% compared to 2005 levels, with individual Member State targets ranging from -40% to 0% based on GDP per capita. The regulation covers transport (35%), buildings (25%), agriculture (17%), industry (16%), and waste (5%). To ensure compliance, the ESR utilizes Annual Emission Allocations (AEA) and various flexibility mechanisms, including banking, borrowing, and trading units between countries, though some are criticized as 'loopholes' that may undermine decarbonization.

The document reports that there are 144 NAMAs in various stages, with 41% located in Latin America and 39% focused on energy supply. It notes that 60% of NAMA activities are part of national policies and strategies, while financing data remains incomplete, with 94 NAMAs seeking funds.

The document outlines the drivers of global warming, specifically the emission of climate pollutants from fossil fuels, land use, and industrial activities. It introduces Project Drawdown's approach to climate action, which prioritizes the deployment of existing, scalable, and economically feasible physical practices and technologies over theoretical future developments. The text distinguishes between 'solutions' (physical practices), 'levers' (policies and investments), and 'key actors' (the people implementing them), while detailing the transparent, open-source methodology used by the Drawdown Explorer to categorize and evaluate these solutions by their mode of action and sector.

Colorado generates over 1.7 million tons of coal ash annually from 14 coal-fired power plants. The state's regulatory framework is criticized for exempting on-site landfills and ponds from groundwater monitoring and not requiring composite liners or leachate collection systems. This lack of oversight, combined with the age of 40 existing ponds—31 of which are over 30 years old—increases the risk of groundwater contamination, particularly from arsenic, affecting residents relying on private wells. Additionally, the document notes that non-white individuals and people living below the poverty line are over-represented in zip codes hosting these plants.

The document details the widespread groundwater and surface water contamination caused by 42 coal ash ponds and 13 landfills across 20 Florida power plants. It highlights specific instances of toxic leakage—including arsenic and lead—at sites such as the C.D. McIntosh, Jr. Power Plant and the Scholz Power Plant. The report further criticizes Florida's regulatory framework for lacking requirements for liners, monitoring, and oversight, particularly regarding the reuse of coal ash in construction materials like "EZBase."

The document details the prevalence of coal ash ponds and landfills in Georgia, noting that the state ranks 8th in the U.S. for coal ash generation. It highlights the age and hazardous ratings of these sites, specific instances of water contamination and structural failures, and the lack of state-level regulations regarding liners, monitoring, and emergency planning.

Indiana ranks second in the United States for coal ash generation, producing over 9.5 million tons annually. The state's 18 coal-fired power plants utilize 83 landfills and ponds, many of which are rated as high or significant hazards or are in poor condition. Documented groundwater contamination involving arsenic, boron, manganese, and other toxins has been found at numerous sites, including the Gibson Plant and Clifty Creek Station. The document argues that Indiana's regulatory program is among the worst in the nation, citing a lack of dam safety requirements, inadequate drinking water protections, and the absence of mandatory groundwater monitoring or composite liners for all disposal units.

The document details the prevalence of coal ash ponds and landfills in Kentucky, highlighting significant safety hazards and documented groundwater contamination. It argues that Kentucky's regulatory program is inadequate due to a lack of reporting requirements, inspection frequencies, and emergency planning for high-hazard dams.

The document details the prevalence of coal ash ponds in Minnesota, highlighting that nine are rated as 'significant hazard' and many lack modern liners due to their age. It argues that Minnesota's regulations are insufficient, failing to require comprehensive groundwater monitoring, composite liners for new sites, or financial assurances for cleanup. Evidence of environmental damage is cited, including groundwater contamination at the Sherburne County Generating Plant and Boswell Energy Center, and a note that low-income individuals are over-represented by 43% in zip codes hosting coal-fired power plants.

Missouri generates 2.68 million tons of coal ash annually, ranking 16th in the U.S. The state manages approximately 32 coal ash ponds at 14 plants, many of which lack liners and leachate collection systems. Regulatory gaps are significant: Missouri allows ponds containing over 170 million gallons of coal ash to bypass safety regulations, and state officials have inspected only one pond in five years despite many being over 25 feet high. Specific failures include the Labadie plant, where a 154-acre unlined pond has leaked approximately 50,000 gallons per day since 1992 without required cleanup or groundwater monitoring by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

New Jersey electric utilities generate 642,300 tons of coal ash annually, ranking 37th in the U.S. While much of this waste is transported out of state, New Jersey residents face health and water quality threats from coal ash dumping in Pennsylvania and New York, including a 100-million-gallon spill into the Delaware River in 2005. The document argues that New Jersey's own regulations are insufficient because they do not mandate composite liners for all dump sites or universal groundwater monitoring at all coal ash ponds and landfills.