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The document examines the Green Transformation Fund (GTF), a $200 million initiative by Bangladesh Bank to reduce the environmental footprint of Bangladesh's garment and manufacturing industries by providing loans for green capital machinery.

Alexey Miroshnichenko of VEB.RF outlines the development of a Russian Green Finance Standard designed to mobilize private capital for the state's "Ecology" national project. The standard aims to create a sustainable finance market in Russia by offering incentives such as coupon subsidies and tax breaks, while aligning with international CBI and ICMA criteria to attract foreign investors. Key priorities include waste management, air pollution reduction, and the restoration of ecosystems like Lake Baikal and the Volga.

The proposal seeks $2,184,555 over 36 months to develop a comprehensive National Adaptation Plan (NAP) for Zambia. The project aims to strengthen institutional coordination, integrate climate adaptation into national and sub-national planning and budgeting, and prioritize adaptation actions across key sectors. It focuses on moving beyond short-term projects to a long-term strategic framework aligned with Zambia's Vision 2030 and the 7th National Development Plan.

The Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) has compiled a directory of resilience-focused initiatives, categorising them into funds and financing facilities, networks and alliances, organisations, and specific programmes and projects. The mapping covers a wide array of mechanisms, from large-scale funds like the Green Climate Fund to specialised regional initiatives such as the Africa Risk Capacity and the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility. These initiatives target various sectors including agriculture, urban infrastructure, water management, and financial risk disclosure, with a strong emphasis on supporting Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and vulnerable populations.

The report finds that South Africa is on a pathway of economic divergence from its middle-income peers due to poor human capital, lack of investment, and an electricity crisis. It proposes the 'Thuma Mina' scenario, which suggests that targeted structural interventions in five key sectors could increase average incomes by 60% by 2044 compared to a 24% increase on the current path. Key recommendations include solving the electricity crisis, improving the quality of health and education, and revitalising manufacturing through increased foreign and domestic investment.

The Malawi National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Framework establishes the vision, mandates, and institutional arrangements for the country's adaptation process. It outlines a multi-pronged approach involving horizontal and vertical integration, community participation, and private sector engagement. The framework identifies five key mandates focusing on community resilience, natural resource utilization, soil and land management, biodiversity conservation, and policy advocacy. It aligns with national goals like the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy III and international targets such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The document details next steps, including climate risk and vulnerability assessments, the integration of adaptation priorities into ministry spending plans, and the mobilization of private sector finance, with the goal of producing the first full NAP by 2020.

The report details a comprehensive water assessment for the CORPOCHIVOR region in Colombia, employing the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) system to analyze the Garagoa, Lengupá, Guavio, and Upía sub-basins. It establishes a baseline of water availability and demand, identifies critical micro-basins such as those in Úmbita and Ciénaga, and projects impacts under climate change scenarios to 2040. Key findings highlight a general lack of water retention capacity, deteriorating water quality in main river channels, and a discrepancy between official water concessions and potential actual demand in agricultural areas.

The BONUS RETURN project has released three baseline SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model applications for the Vantaanjoki (Finland), Fyrisån (Sweden), and Słupia (Poland) river basins. These models, which have undergone calibration and validation, are hosted in the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) open data repository to allow researchers and practitioners to utilize existing parameterizations or develop new scenarios for these and similar target areas.

The document details the creation of MONITOR ECOTECH, a digital 'alpha' version of a serious game system (SGS) developed by Uppsala University as part of the BONUS RETURN project. The system aims to provide a participatory learning space for stakeholders to test the feasibility and vulnerability of various eco-technologies used to reduce nutrient and pollution emissions in the Baltic Sea Region. Built using the Unity 3D engine, the game uses socio-ecological data from environmental modelling and stakeholder consultations to simulate the impact of different technology combinations on nutrient flows. It differs from its board game predecessor, SELECT ECOTECH, by offering higher data granularity, real-time tracking of emissions, and the ability to simulate longer timeframes and more complex scenarios, specifically targeting 'wicked' problems where traditional environmental monitoring and assessment are insufficient.

The report identifies systemic gender inequalities and capacity gaps in Vietnam's climate and agricultural sectors, proposing a Gender Action Plan (GAP) to ensure equal access to water, climate information, and credit for vulnerable smallholders.

The document summarizes a study on the circular phosphorus economy in the Baltic Sea Region, highlighting that a lack of policy steering and insufficient knowledge of technology performance are primary obstacles. While new EU Fertiliser Regulations offer opportunities to equalize waste-derived and conventional fertilisers, the report warns of potential technological lock-ins due to a narrow focus on a few recovery technologies.

The document details the development of SELECT ECOTECH, a serious game system (SGS) designed as a learning platform for stakeholders in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR). The game aims to foster systemic awareness and adaptive capacity when selecting eco-technologies to reduce nutrient and carbon emissions while maximizing co-benefits. Co-designed with stakeholders from three case study catchments—Fyrisån (Sweden), Vantaanjoki (Finland), and Slupia (Poland)—the game uses a board game format to simulate 'wicked' situations, including system shocks and policy changes. The report outlines a three-phase participatory design process, the game's rules regarding baseline emissions and resource management, and the specific eco-technologies and developments integrated into the system. The findings suggest that the iterative, playful nature of the SGS allows stakeholders to cross knowledge boundaries and experiment with innovative technology constellations beyond technocratic solutions.

China faces a significant challenge where 66.5% of its coal-fired power plants are located in water-scarce areas, driven by the West-to-East Electricity Transmission Project. To mitigate this, China is investing heavily in solar and wind energy, implementing air-cooling technologies that save nearly 80% of water withdrawal, and enforcing stricter water resource management quotas and caps for the coal sector.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) provides a supplementary table of comments on the National Environmental Management Laws Amendment Bill, 2017 [B14D-2017]. The document details proposed amendments to several South African environmental laws, including the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), the Protected Areas Act (NEMPAA), and the Integrated Coastal Management Act (NEMICMA), offering specific critiques and alternative wording to strengthen environmental protection and enforcement.

The Freetown WASH and Aquatic Environment Revamping Program is a proposed project in Sierra Leone designed to address climate vulnerabilities affecting water security and forest ecosystems. With a total indicative cost of USD 219 million, the program combines large-scale infrastructure rehabilitation—such as water treatment plants and distribution networks—with GCF-funded climate-specific interventions. These include climate-resilient catchment-based water resources management and forest management to protect the Western Area Protected Forest. The project aims to benefit approximately 1.4 million residents, improve water access for 800,000 people, and create 2,700 jobs, while achieving an estimated mitigation impact of 22.5 tCO2eq through the creation of carbon sinks in 30,000 hectares of protected forest.

The document argues that while climate change is unlikely to be the proximate cause of war between India and Pakistan, it acts as a risk multiplier by increasing the volatility of river flows in the Indus River Basin (IRB). This volatility heightens mutual distrust regarding dam operations and water manipulation, placing unprecedented stress on the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). The author suggests that the IWT's framework of partitioning water is inadequate for modern climate challenges and recommends a shift toward joint sustainable management to prevent natural calamities from triggering armed conflict in a nuclear-armed region.

The study focuses on the Campoalegre River basin in Colombia, where diverse water uses and inter-basin transfers—particularly from hydropower—have reduced downstream supply. The research aims to create a water balance and decision-making tool for regional authorities to manage water stress and governance challenges caused by fragmented planning units.

The study focuses on the Campoalegre river basin in the Colombian coffee region, where water use conflicts are exacerbated by complex governance and water transfers between adjacent basins. By developing a quantitative water balance, the study seeks to provide regional environmental authorities with a decision-making tool to identify current and future water stress and potential rationing needs. It highlights how the diversion of water for hydroelectric power and other human activities reduces downstream supply, a problem complicated by the fact that these transfers often cross different administrative planning units.

Shoprite reduced its water use intensity by 8.7% between July 2018 and June 2019 in the Western Cape through a combination of water-saving devices, monitoring systems, and alternative water sourcing, resulting in a monthly saving of 2,528 kilolitres.

The AquaHacking Lake Winnipeg 2020 Challenge, hosted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and Aqua Forum, engaged 472 youth and 19 teams to address critical water issues. Five finalist teams were awarded seed funding and incubation spots at North Forge Technology Exchange for solutions targeting microplastics, agricultural runoff, eutrophication, and drinking water quality in remote communities.