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In 2019, IDFC members committed $197 billion in green finance, a 47% increase from 2018. The vast majority of this funding (95%) was dedicated to climate finance, with green energy and GHG mitigation receiving 87% of those funds. While 87% of commitments remained in the home countries of member institutions, the East Asia and Pacific region received the largest share of total commitments at 69%.

The document details the operational framework for the 2019 Global Landscape of Climate Finance, defining climate finance as resources aimed at reducing emissions, enhancing greenhouse gas sinks, and increasing resilience to climate impacts. It establishes a standardized accounting methodology to avoid double counting and ensure data consistency across public and private sectors. The methodology prioritizes primary capital flows and financial commitments over disbursements, excluding secondary market transactions and investments that risk carbon lock-in. It provides a comprehensive sectoral breakdown for mitigation (e.g., renewable energy, energy efficiency, low-carbon transport) and adaptation (e.g., water management, coastal protection), and defines the geographic classification of countries into OECD and non-OECD regions.

The report identifies significant investment opportunities in South Africa's urban water sector across four markets: commercial and industrial, residential, new property developments, and municipalities. It highlights a projected 17% gap between water supply and demand by 2030, with severe shortages expected in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape. In the Berg River management area, this deficit could cost the region over R146 billion and 650,000 jobs per year by 2040. Key opportunities include water-efficient technologies, wastewater reuse, desalination, and non-revenue water reduction. The report also details the regulatory environment, including the National Water Act and municipal by-laws, and emphasizes the Western Cape's role as a greentech hub.

The report examines how environmental issues in Cyprus can either exacerbate conflict or serve as a tool for peacebuilding. It analyzes the political, legal, and administrative asymmetries between the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Cypriot administration, highlighting how these divisions hinder holistic ecosystem management. The document details various levels of cooperation, from intergovernmental bodies like the UN and EU to academic networks and grassroots movements. It specifically evaluates the roles of the Cyprus Environmental Forum (CESF) and the Bicommunal Technical Committee for the Environment (BTCE). The report concludes with proposals for sustainable bi-communal initiatives, including the establishment of a Peace Park in the buffer zone, UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, and a bi-communal ecological study center in Varisea.

The report examines environmental cooperation in Cyprus, highlighting how political division creates administrative and legal asymmetries that hinder nature conservation. It analyzes various levels of cooperation—from intergovernmental bodies like the UN and EU to civil society and technical committees—and proposes specific peace-building measures such as a Buffer Zone Peace Park and UNESCO Biosphere Reserves.

The document analyzes how Empresas Públicas de Medellín (EPM), a hybrid public-private utility company, contributed to reducing violence and inequality in Medellín through financial support for social urbanism and the creation of participatory public spaces. It highlights the symbiotic relationship between EPM and the municipal government, noting that EPM's investments in vulnerable areas improved both city security and the company's own operational profitability.

The SEI Environmental Strategy for Myanmar (2019-2028) establishes a framework for research, policy engagement, and capacity building across four primary themes: water resources and agriculture, gender and environment, sustainable energy, and climate change and disaster risk. The strategy aims to help Myanmar meet its commitments to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the Paris Agreement. Key objectives include enhancing the capacity of river basin organizations, promoting a just transition to low-carbon energy systems, and addressing gender inequalities in natural resource management. SEI intends to implement this through partnerships with state agencies, such as the Directorate of Water Resources and Improvement of River Systems, and non-state actors, using tools like the Long-Range Energy Alternatives Planning (LEAP) system.

The Global Commission on Adaptation's report, 'Adapt Now', presents climate adaptation as a human, environmental, and economic imperative. It argues that current responses are insufficient and calls for a 'triple dividend' approach—avoiding losses, gaining economic productivity, and securing social-environmental benefits. The report details specific strategies for food security, natural environments, water management, urban areas, infrastructure, and disaster risk management, while proposing a 15-month 'Year of Action' to jump-start these transitions through eight dedicated Action Tracks.

The 2019 Lower Kafue River Basin Report Card assigns an overall health grade of 'C' (moderate) to the basin, indicating that while some indicators meet objectives, others do not. The assessment, developed by WARMA and WWF, highlights critical failures in human health and nutrition—specifically disease burden and sanitation—and declines in keystone species like the Kafue Lechwe. While economic indicators and water quantity generally performed better, the report identifies urgent needs for improved water quality data, climate-smart agriculture to combat malnutrition, and a comprehensive review of environmental flow releases from the Itezhi-tezhi and Kafue Gorge dams.

The document argues that while there is significant global potential for policy coherence between the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda, this must be translated into national-level implementation. Using the NDC-SDG Connections tool, the authors analyzed over 7,000 climate activities, finding strong synergies in energy, agriculture, and water. However, it warns that trade-offs—such as bioenergy competing with food security for land—are rarely documented in policy papers and must be proactively managed to avoid maladaptation.

The submission by Alburnus Maior, ICDER, and Greenpeace Romania contends that Gabriel Resources Ltd. failed to conduct adequate due diligence on the feasibility of its Roșia Montană gold mine and ignored the rights of local communities. The authors argue the company violated the right to adequate housing through coercive land acquisition and failed to obtain necessary urban, archaeological, and environmental permits required by Romanian and EU law. They further claim the company attempted to bypass these legal requirements via a proposed 'special law' and used intimidation and misleading media campaigns to silence opposition. Legally, the submission asserts that the tribunal lacks jurisdiction because the dispute necessitates the interpretation of EU law, citing the Achmea precedent, and that the company's unlawful conduct disqualifies its activities as a protected investment under the Canada-Romania BIT.

The document outlines the framework for green panda bonds—yuan-denominated bonds issued in mainland China by foreign entities to fund green projects. It details the regulatory roles of the PBoC, CSRC, and NDRC, the requirements for foreign issuers (such as solvency and credit reputation), and the specific steps for issuance, including the need for green asset identification and post-issuance reporting. It highlights that while the market is growing, with China being the second largest green bond market as of October 2018, green panda bonds represent less than 1% of China's total green bonds. The guide also notes the dominance of commercial banks as investors and the role of external verifiers in ensuring alignment with both Chinese and international standards.

The document outlines the framework for 'green panda bonds'—RMB-denominated bonds issued by overseas entities in mainland China for green projects. It details the regulatory landscape involving the PBoC, CSRC, and NDRC, and provides a four-step issuance process: preparation, application for approval, issuance, and continuous disclosure. As of October 2018, China's green bond market reached 60.9 billion USD, with renewable energy accounting for over 60% of supported projects. The guide highlights the role of domestic investors, particularly commercial banks (85% of bond trading), and the alignment of Chinese standards with international benchmarks like the Green Bond Principles and Climate Bonds Standard, while noting differences regarding fossil fuel power generation.

The document outlines the process for foreign entities to issue green panda bonds—RMB-denominated bonds issued in mainland China with proceeds earmarked for green projects. It details the regulatory landscape, involving the PBoC, CSRC, and NDRC, and explains the dual requirement to follow both panda bond and green bond guidelines. The guide highlights the growth of China's green bond market, the role of domestic investors (primarily commercial banks), and the increasing use of RMB for cross-border settlements, particularly within the Belt and Road Initiative. It provides a step-by-step issuance process and lists key regulatory requirements for different market segments.

The document outlines the framework for green panda bonds—Renminbi-denominated bonds issued in mainland China by foreign entities for green projects. It details the regulatory roles of the PBoC, CSRC, and NDRC, the requirements for foreign issuers, and the step-by-step process for issuance, including the need for green frameworks and external reviews. As of October 2018, China was the second largest green bond market globally, with renewable energy accounting for over 60% of allocations.

The assessment finds that Kyrgyzstan has a generally favourable fiscal regime and updated primary mining laws, but suffers from outdated Soviet-era technical instructions, an unpredictable tax administration, and significant gaps in mine closure legislation and artisanal mining regulation. While socioeconomic and environmental impacts are nominally integrated into permitting, the report identifies a lack of integrated understanding and inconsistent community engagement. The government is actively managing uranium legacy sites with international support, but lacks a comprehensive framework for the post-mining transition of active sites.

The report applies a 'nexus toolkit' to analyze the interactions between agricultural transformation, energy transition, and natural resource use in Rwanda, specifically within the Akagera Basin. Using policy coherence mapping and scenario modelling (Reference, Pessimistic, and Optimistic) up to 2050, the study finds that high population growth and climate change create severe pressure on water and biomass. Key findings indicate that ambitious national plans for irrigation and hydropower may be physically impossible to meet due to water scarcity, and that the transition to peat for electricity will increase GHG emissions despite reductions in cooking-fuel emissions. At the district level, the report identifies critical needs for improved water management, off-grid energy solutions, and a shift away from urban charcoal demand to combat deforestation.

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) proposes the 'Village propre–Village productif' framework to address the lack of integrated risk and resource management in rural sanitation. The framework uses a dual-axis certification system: a 'clean' axis focused on health and hygiene (e.g., eliminating open defecation and managing greywater) and a 'productive' axis focused on the safe recovery of nutrients and energy from waste (e.g., human excreta, animal waste, and ash). By linking sanitation to agricultural productivity and economic benefits, the framework aims to overcome the sustainability and scaling challenges of previous approaches like Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS). It is particularly targeted at smallholder farmers in developing regions, such as sub-Saharan Africa, to support multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The project aims to support 175,000 people in rural Guatemala by transitioning them from a heavy reliance on rain-fed agriculture to climate-resilient production systems. It proposes a three-component approach: implementing on-farm resilient practices and income diversification, establishing watershed-level water management plans and infrastructure, and removing policy barriers to strengthen agricultural extension services. With a total indicative cost of 62 million USD, the project targets indigenous populations and women who face significant barriers to credit and technical knowledge.

In Q3 2018, China's green bond market saw $8.5 billion in issuances, with financial institutions accounting for 51% of the total. While total issuance for the first three quarters of 2018 ($21.5 billion) exceeded the same period in 2017, only 49% of Q3 issuances aligned with international green bond definitions. Renewable energy remained the largest investment area, while water-related projects saw an increase in funding share to 18%. The report also details updated Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) classification criteria for underground utility tunnels and hydropower projects to better align with the People's Bank of China's guidelines.