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The WWF Markets Institute report outlines key surprises from 2023, including the rapid reach of AI and progress on global plastics, while highlighting systemic risks to the food system from climate change. It argues for a shift toward 'true cost' market mechanisms, the adoption of soil microbiology science, and the use of next-generation genetics to replace chemical inputs. The report emphasizes the need for better Scope 3 emissions traceability, the rehabilitation of stranded assets, and the creation of pre-competitive knowledge-sharing platforms to build global food system resilience.

WWF's 2024 review highlights efforts to combat climate change and biodiversity loss through targeted programs. Key achievements include expanding the Food Waste Warriors program to 15 new cities, enrolling 1 million acres in the Ranch Systems and Viability Planning network, and contributing to a global tiger population increase to 5,574. The report also details human-wildlife conflict mitigation in the KAZA region, elephant tracking in India, and the establishment of the Tribal Buffalo Lifeways Collaboration in North America.

The Living Planet Report 2024 documents a 73% average decline in monitored wildlife populations from 1970 to 2020, with freshwater species suffering the most (85%). The report warns that cumulative pressures from habitat loss, overexploitation, and climate change are pushing ecosystems toward irreversible tipping points, such as the potential collapse of the Amazon rainforest and coral reefs. It argues that current national commitments for biodiversity and climate are insufficient, and calls for a systemic transformation of the global food system (the leading cause of habitat loss), the energy system (the primary driver of climate change), and the financial system (which currently provides almost US$7 trillion annually in nature-negative flows).

The Living Planet Report 2024 reveals a 73% average decline in monitored wildlife populations between 1970 and 2020, with freshwater species suffering the most (85%). The report warns that cumulative pressures from habitat loss, overexploitation, and climate change are pushing ecosystems toward irreversible tipping points, such as the collapse of the Amazon rainforest or coral reefs. It argues that current national commitments are insufficient to meet the 1.5°C climate goal or the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets. To avoid catastrophic failure, the document calls for a systemic transformation: shifting to nature-positive food production, tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030, and redirecting the $7 trillion in annual harmful subsidies toward nature-based solutions.

The report evaluates the South African financial sector's capacity to adopt the TNFD framework, finding that while there is high recognition of the sector's impact on nature loss, there is a significant gap in the implementation of nature-related targets and expertise. It highlights the economic value of South Africa's ecosystem services and argues that private finance is essential to meet the Global Biodiversity Framework's '30x30' conservation target.

The author contends that the EU's current climate finance is insufficient compared to its historical responsibility for emissions and its domestic spending. While the EU aims for carbon neutrality, the text argues this creates a 'green fortress' that neglects the needs of vulnerable nations. It suggests reallocating fossil fuel subsidies and implementing taxes on polluters to fund global climate action and warns that the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) could economically penalize African exporters.

The Council on Strategic Risks (CSR) reports on the 2023 status of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC), noting a breakthrough in consensus at the previous year's Review Conference despite a difficult geopolitical climate. The document advocates for the establishment of a multi-layered verification mechanism, the creation of an International Agency for Biological Safety, and the development of independent scientific assessment tools. It highlights successful BWC universalization efforts in Africa led by the ISU and UNODA, while warning that baseless non-compliance allegations undermine the treaty's goodwill.

The document analyzes the increasing debt distress in Africa, noting that public debt reached 65.6% of GDP in 2022. It highlights the shift toward non-concessional debt and the role of private creditors, who now hold over 40% of Africa's total external debt. The brief argues that the G20's Common Framework needs reform to be more inclusive of middle-income countries and private creditors. It advocates for the establishment of an African Credit Rating Agency to counter perceived biases from global agencies and the creation of an African Debt Monitoring Mechanism by June 2024 to improve transparency. Key recommendations include restructuring multilateral development banks, extending debt repayment periods, and increasing IMF Poverty Reduction Growth Trust access limits.

The document argues that industrialisation is essential for improving living standards and creating youth employment in Africa, but notes a lack of focus on this goal during the 2022 and 2023 G20 summits. It identifies a productivity gap where large firms fail to generate sufficient employment and small firms lack productivity. The author recommends that the G20 adopt a unifying theme of industrialisation to support structural transformation, agricultural productivity, and the integration of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) into global value chains.

The report examines the intersection of Africa's industrialization goals under the AfCFTA and the global shift toward sustainability. It highlights that while Africa contributes minimally to global emissions, adopting green practices early can provide a competitive advantage and safeguard market access against regulations like the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. However, the continent faces massive financial shortfalls, including an annual trade finance gap of USD 81 billion and a USD 90 billion gap for energy transition. The author proposes a synergy of climate and trade finance through Green Bonds, Public-Private Partnerships, and a 'Sustainable Trade and Investment Code' to guide the transition without creating punitive barriers for SMEs.

The document examines the disproportionate impact of climate change on African youth and their subsequent rise in activism. It highlights the gap between youth demographics and political leadership in Africa, the specific climate vulnerabilities in countries like Nigeria and Sudan, and the systemic barriers activists face, including financial constraints and state repression. The author calls for the establishment of youth councils, dedicated funding, and protection mechanisms to ensure young people can shape climate-resilient policies.

The policy brief argues that existing coal retirement mechanisms (CRMs) in Asia and Africa are failing to translate pledges into funding and effective plant closures. It identifies barriers such as the prevalence of non-concessional loans, the risk of 'emission leakage,' and the moral hazard of incentivizing new coal build-out. To address these, Reclaim Finance and 11 partner organizations propose ten principles, which include an immediate stop to coal expansion finance, the replacement of coal with renewables rather than gas, the prohibition of tradeable carbon offsets, and the requirement for transparent, auction-based retirement processes.

The policy brief argues that existing coal retirement mechanisms (CRMs) in Asia and Africa, such as Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs), are failing due to insufficient funding, reliance on non-concessional loans, and lack of transparency. To address these failures, the authors propose ten principles. These include aligning phaseouts with 1.5°C pathways, immediately stopping all coal expansion finance, replacing coal only with sustainable renewables, and prohibiting the use of tradeable carbon offsets. The brief emphasizes that financing must be concessional to avoid increasing national debt and that the process must include social and environmental remediation for affected communities and workers.

The author contends that voluntary carbon markets, particularly those utilizing 'high-integrity' credits, provide a viable pathway for businesses to meet climate commitments and incentivize further investment in supply chain decarbonisation.

The report identifies a critical gap in the energy policy lifecycle, which it terms the "policy valley of death," where a lack of effective planning prevents financial incentives from achieving emissions targets. It argues that waiting for a decarbonized system to self-assemble through individual projects is inefficient and fails to address the scale of mid-century needs. To resolve this, the authors propose five principles for effective energy planning: being proactive and risk-aware, adopting a multi-jurisdictional and systems-perspective, co-creating plans with all stakeholders, utilizing comprehensive scenario-based analysis, and establishing actionable roadmaps with accountable progress tracking. The document further details five essential components for a durable plan: a stakeholder engagement roadmap, proactive risk-aware analysis, an implementation roadmap, progress tracking mechanisms, and knowledge-sharing centers.

The report finds that climate-related financial cooperation between MDBs and NDBs is currently limited, with approximately USD 7 billion in tracked flows from 2015 to 2022. There is significant divergence in how these institutions approach Paris alignment, with MDBs generally possessing more standardised targets and dedicated energy policies, while NDBs often anchor their goals in national NDCs. Key barriers to increased cooperation include currency risks, differing institutional mandates, and gaps in technical capacity. The authors recommend that MDBs optimise on-lending models, promote local currency instruments, and share expertise through platforms like Finance in Common to scale up climate investment.

The document identifies clean cooking as an "emergency brake" climate solution capable of reducing global cumulative emissions by 10% by 2040 if annual investments reach US$10 billion. It highlights the severe impacts of polluting fuels—including 3.2 million premature deaths annually and the emission of black carbon—while detailing co-benefits such as improved maternal and child health, reduced deforestation, and enhanced gender equality. The brief calls for a shift from case-by-case funding to innovative financing mechanisms and national-level policy integration to reach universal access by 2030.

The document analyzes 24 "Seed" initiatives across six African countries to understand how marginal, bottom-up projects can drive systemic transformation in food systems. It finds that while these initiatives effectively improve distributional equity—specifically through increased self-sufficiency for vulnerable groups and economic opportunities—they struggle to achieve procedural and recognitional equity. Major barriers include misaligned funding, poor public infrastructure, and restrictive socio-cultural dynamics. The report recommends that development partners move beyond direct financial aid to amplify networks, facilitate collaborations, and support the legal recognition of land ownership to foster deeper systemic change.

The report analyzes producer inclusion across executive, legislative, judicial, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) governance in six agricultural VSSSOs: African Organisation for Standardisation, Better Cotton, Fairtrade International, Rainforest Alliance, Trustea, and VietFarm. It finds that while some organizations reserve seats for producers, there is a widespread lack of voting and veto power, limited transparency in executive decisions, and a significant gap in producer representation within grievance and M&E processes. The document recommends that VSSSOs formally reserve seats for producers, support producer-led networks, and increase the transparency of governance and grievance decisions.

The document examines the systemic barriers preventing developing countries from moving beyond simple technology acquisition to endogenous climate technology development. It analyzes the role of the UNFCCC and WTO frameworks, the impact of intellectual property rights (IPR), and the limitations of trade liberalization. The author argues that effective technology transfer requires a combination of financial support, technical know-how, and 'green industrial policy' to ensure sustainable low-carbon structural transformation.