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The document details the prevalence of coal ash disposal sites in North Dakota, noting that the state ranks 14th in the US for coal ash generation with over 3 million tons produced annually. It identifies six specific power stations with documented groundwater contamination involving toxins such as arsenic, lead, and selenium. The text argues that North Dakota's regulatory program is deficient because it lacks requirements for universal groundwater monitoring, composite liners, and financial assurances for cleanup.

The document details the distribution of 69 coal ash ponds across 23 plants in Ohio, noting that the state ranks 3rd in the US for coal ash generation. It highlights significant safety hazards, including ponds rated as 'poor' by the EPA and documented groundwater contamination at multiple sites. The text argues that Ohio's regulatory program is deficient because it exempts coal ash from the definition of solid waste, thereby avoiding requirements for groundwater monitoring, composite liners, and structural stability inspections.

Pennsylvania ranks first in the U.S. for coal ash generation, producing over 15.4 million tons annually. The state's disposal infrastructure consists of 77 ponds and 28 landfills, many of which are unlined and over 35 years old. The document details 10 specific cases of groundwater and surface water contamination, including the Bruce Mansfield Power Station's Little Blue Run Impoundment, the largest unlined coal ash pond in the U.S. It further argues that Pennsylvania's regulations are deficient because they grandfather in old impoundments and classify coal ash monofills as 'Class III residual waste landfills,' exempting them from protective requirements like composite liners.

South Carolina generates nearly 2.2 million tons of coal ash annually, utilizing 22 ponds across 9 plants and several landfills. Many of these sites lack liners and leachate collection systems, leading to documented groundwater and ecological contamination by substances such as arsenic and nickel. The document argues that state regulations are deficient in dam oversight and basic operating safeguards for ash disposal.

The report documents widespread groundwater and surface water contamination in Virginia caused by coal ash ponds and landfills, highlighting critical failures in state regulatory oversight. It identifies specific high-risk 'significant hazard' dams and contaminated sites across the Commonwealth, noting that 76% of these facilities are located in low-income communities or communities of color. The authors argue that current Virginia regulations are inadequate—failing to mandate liners or consistent groundwater monitoring—and urge the state to adopt the more stringent 2014 EPA coal ash rule while opposing H.R. 1734, a federal bill that would weaken those protections.

Virginia generates approximately 2.4 million tons of coal ash annually, ranking 18th in the U.S. The state's infrastructure includes 30 ponds at 11 plants, 13 of which are unlined and have an average age of 47 years, exceeding their 40-year projected lifespan. Eight ponds are classified as "significant hazard," with two rated in "poor" condition by the EPA, including sites at the Chesapeake Energy Center and Clinch River Power Plant. Contamination has led to two federal Superfund sites and significant ecological damage, such as a 1967 collapse at the Clinch River Plant that killed 217,000 fish. The document argues that Virginia's regulations are deficient, as they do not mandate composite liners, groundwater monitoring, or state inspections for all ash landfills and ponds.

West Virginia ranks 4th in the U.S. for coal ash generation, producing over 7.2 million tons annually. The state's disposal infrastructure is characterized by aging, often unlined ponds with significant safety hazards and documented water contamination. The document argues that West Virginia's regulatory framework is deficient, failing to require basic safeguards, regular state inspections, groundwater monitoring, or financial assurances for cleanup.

The report evaluates the Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR), concluding that its -30% target for non-ETS sectors is insufficient to meet Paris Agreement goals and may only result in a 26.6% reduction due to flexibilities. It advocates for project-based transfers of Annual Emission Allocations (AEAs) to ensure additionality and avoid carbon lock-in in lower-income Member States. Specific opportunities for such projects are identified in the building, waste, and gas sectors of Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary.

Friends of the Earth Europe asserts that the EU is economically vulnerable due to its high dependence on imported resources and a lack of measurement tools to track resource use. The report proposes four specific indicators—land, materials, water, and greenhouse gas emissions—to measure the EU's total resource footprint, including imported goods. It highlights the social and environmental costs of overconsumption, such as human rights abuses in Indonesia's palm oil sector and energy poverty within Europe, while criticizing the EU's Raw Materials Initiative for prioritizing resource access over efficiency.

The report assesses the alignment of Kenyan legislation and regulations with international ESG standards, specifically GRI and FTSE Russell. It identifies significant gaps in environmental areas such as protected area conservation and water footprint analysis, and in social areas including data protection and specific gender-sensitive training. While Kenyan law broadly aligns with international labour and human rights conventions, the report notes discrepancies in maternity leave duration and minimum employment age. In governance, it highlights a lack of mandatory requirements for board-level ESG risk training and detailed executive compensation ratios, recommending that companies adopt international best practices to attract investment.

The document details the impact of FSD Africa's BimaLab accelerator on Soso Care in Nigeria. Soso Care provides health micro-insurance to low-income earners who pay premiums using recyclable waste. Through BimaLab's non-monetary support, Soso Care optimized operations and formed strategic partnerships with entities such as AXA, AIICO, Wema Bank, and the Port Harcourt Municipal Government. The initiative also emphasizes gender equality, with women making up 70-80% of Soso Care's 600+ agents and supporting 7,000 women through income-generating opportunities.

Persistent Energy Capital provides equity and venture-building support to small, under-resourced green companies in Sub-Saharan Africa, starting with investments as low as $50,000. To date, the fund has invested $23 million across 23 companies in 22 countries, contributing to the elimination of 1.4 million tons of CO2 and the creation of over 21,700 jobs. With support from FSD Africa Investments (FSDAi), Persistent is currently raising a US$100 million Africa Climate Venture Builder Fund to expand its reach into sectors such as agritech, circular economy, waste management, and water and sanitation.

The report argues that African cities face a critical choice between unsustainable 'business-as-usual' urban sprawl and a '3CR' model (compact, connected, clean, and resilient). Using economic modelling for 35 major cities in Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Africa, it demonstrates that while incremental investments of US$280 billion are needed by 2050, the net present value of benefits is significantly positive. It identifies systemic barriers—including poor municipal creditworthiness and restrictive national laws—and proposes four national enabling mechanisms and six specific financial instruments to unlock private and public capital.

The report identifies severe coastal erosion, flooding, fishery decline, and poor waste management as existential threats to Saint-Louis, Senegal. After evaluating eighteen financial instruments, it recommends the use of Impact Bonds due to their flexibility in scale, capacity to crowd in private capital, and focus on measurable outcomes. The report suggests potential applications for these bonds in waste management, sustainable tourism, and aquaculture, particularly targeting youth and women.

The Waste Management Flagship Programme seeks to expand a pilot project from 6 to 30 South African municipalities, diverting organic waste from landfills to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. The programme proposes five treatment technologies, including anaerobic digestion and composting, to be operated by private entities via service contracts. With a total cost of USD 72 million, the project requests a USD 50.67 million grant from the Green Climate Fund, arguing that grant financing is essential because waste treatment is not financially self-sustaining and would be unaffordable for secondary municipalities if funded via loans. Expected climate impacts include an annual reduction of 572,800 t CO2 eq. Beyond mitigation, the programme aims to create 938 jobs during construction and 404 annual operational jobs, while improving public health and food security through compost production and better waste collection in underserved areas.

The guidelines establish that 'secondary cities' eligible for the SAP must have a population between 1 and 3 million. The GCF prioritizes integrated, cross-sectoral projects focusing on decarbonization of energy, building energy efficiency, mobility, urban form, climate adaptation, circular economy, waste management, and water/sanitation. To achieve a 'paradigm shift,' projects must move away from carbon-intensive urbanization through technological and institutional leapfrogging. The document specifies that construction of new housing, roads, or bus rapid transport systems are 'NON SAP-ABLE' due to environmental and social safeguard (ESS) standards. Impact measurement must be quantitative and aligned with the GCF's integrated results management framework, utilizing sex-disaggregated indicators where possible.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) Accreditation Panel recommends the accreditation of IL&FS Environmental Infrastructure and Services Limited (IEISL), a private sector entity in India, for 'small' projects with a 'medium risk' environmental and social category. While IEISL demonstrated strong capabilities in project management, environmental and social safeguards, and gender policy, the assessment identified gaps in its basic fiduciary standards, specifically regarding procurement dispute resolution, conflict of interest guidance, and reliance on related-party funding. Accreditation is recommended subject to several conditions, including the recruitment of a gender expert and the update of its prohibited practices policies.

The Accreditation Panel (AP) recommends upgrading Pegasus Capital Advisors, L.P. (PCA) to the 'large' project size category. The assessment confirms that PCA's governance, fiduciary standards, and track record in managing private equity funds and portfolio investments meet GCF requirements for projects with total projected costs exceeding US$ 250 million.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) Accreditation Panel assessed KCB Bank Kenya Limited (APL104) for accreditation as a national direct access entity. The bank is recommended for accreditation for medium-sized projects and medium environmental and social risk (category B/I-2), covering basic fiduciary standards, project management, and on-lending/blending. While the bank fully meets standards for transparency, accountability, gender, and environmental and social safeguards, it only partially meets requirements for procurement oversight, independent project evaluation, and public disclosure of project results. Accreditation is recommended subject to several conditions, including the revision of its Supply Chain and Procurement Policy and the future conduct of an external audit of its environmental and social management system.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) Accreditation Panel recommends the accreditation of the Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ) as a national direct access entity for 'small' projects (above US$ 10 million up to US$ 50 million) with a medium environmental and social risk category (B/I-2). While the IDBZ demonstrated strong alignment with GCF's gender policy and environmental and social standards, the assessment identified several fiduciary gaps. These include a lack of evidence regarding the effectiveness of its internal audit function, the operational status of its Investigations, Integrity & Loss Control Division, and the public disclosure of procurement and project evaluation data. Accreditation is recommended subject to specific conditions to be met before and after the first funding proposal and disbursement.