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The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) submits a response to the European Union's Arctic policy consultation, urging the EU to maintain its moratorium on Arctic fossil fuel extraction and establish a phase-out timeline for imports from the region.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) urges the European Union to maintain its moratorium on Arctic fossil fuel extraction and phase out imports from north of the Arctic Circle. The submission argues that Arctic oil and gas are too expensive (USD 75/barrel) and slow to develop (13+ years) to provide energy security, while posing severe ecological risks and increasing geopolitical vulnerability, particularly in the Barents Sea shared with Russia. IISD notes that this position aligns the EU with Canada and Greenland, who have implemented similar bans or moratoriums.

This report, published by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) in collaboration with the International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC), provides a comprehensive compilation of decisions, mandates, and conclusions adopted by the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that reference Indigenous Peoples and traditional knowledge up to 2025.

This guide by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides a comprehensive overview of the negotiations for an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) to end plastic pollution. It details the scientific evidence of plastic's impact on human health and the environment, the history of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) process, the contested elements of the proposed treaty, and the diverse interests of national governments and non-state stakeholders.

This guide from the World Resources Institute explains the concept of 'loss and damage' in the context of climate change, detailing the distinction between economic and non-economic losses, the history of UN negotiations, and the operationalization of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD).

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute outlines ten emerging trends and geopolitical developments that are increasing the global importance of ocean governance, finance, and security.

The 2022 Climate, Environmental, and Energy Congressional Hearings Tracker is a fact sheet by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) that lists hearings held by various U.S. House and Senate committees during 2022. The document serves as a comprehensive index of legislative inquiries into climate change, energy transition, environmental protection, and infrastructure implementation.

This submission by Amnesty International and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) to the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change argues that States have a legal obligation to protect human rights from climate-induced loss and damage (L&D). The document advocates for a human rights-based approach to L&D, including the establishment of a dedicated Loss and Damage Finance Facility, the implementation of inclusive needs assessments, and the recognition of the collective responsibility of wealthy States to provide remedy and compensation to affected people in developing countries.

The 2021 Climate, Environmental, and Energy Congressional Hearings Tracker is a fact sheet produced by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI). It provides a comprehensive list of hearings held by various House and Senate committees throughout 2021 that focused on climate change, energy transition, environmental protection, and infrastructure resilience.

This policy brief examines the development and implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, a legally binding global treaty designed to protect human health and the environment from mercury emissions and releases. It details the transition from regional marine protections to a comprehensive global framework, the specific challenges posed by artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), and the reasons why mercury was addressed separately from other toxic heavy metals like lead and cadmium.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics prepares readers for the release of the IPCC's 6th Assessment Report (AR6) 'The Physical Science Basis'. It outlines major climate science developments since the 5th Assessment Report (AR5), focusing on human attribution of extreme weather, updated carbon budgets, refined climate sensitivity models, the role of non-CO2 greenhouse gases, and the complexities of net-zero and carbon dioxide removal.

This research paper introduces a conceptual framework and nomenclature designed to analyze cross-border climate change impacts, which occur remotely from the initial location of the climate trigger. The framework distinguishes between initial impacts, downstream consequences moving through an 'impact transmission system', and adaptation efforts moving through a 'response transmission system'.

This executive summary introduces a report on Arctic wetlands, detailing that it contains 13 key findings and 20 policy recommendations across six themes, including climate mitigation and national governance.

This research paper develops four narrative scenarios to project future fishery conflicts between 2030 and 2060, integrating climate change and overfishing with broader societal, economic, and political trends.

This report presents recommendations from civil society and indigenous experts regarding the proposed creation of a UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and climate change. Based on regional consultations across 55 countries, the document argues that a dedicated mandate is necessary to ensure a coordinated, rights-based approach to climate action and to hold state and non-state actors accountable for climate-related human rights violations.

This report presents recommendations from civil society and indigenous peoples regarding the creation of a UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Climate Change. Based on regional consultations across six areas, the document argues that a dedicated mandate is necessary to ensure a coordinated and global approach to the human rights impacts of the climate crisis, supplementing existing ad hoc mechanisms within the UN Human Rights Council.

Friends of the Earth International critiques the draft post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, arguing that while it introduces a 'whole-of-government approach' to regulate economic sectors, it lacks the ambition necessary to prevent ecosystem collapse. The organization warns that the draft promotes 'false solutions' like biodiversity offsetting and fails to address the root causes of biodiversity loss, such as corporate interests and the consumption patterns of the Global North.

This case study examines Russia's economic and fiscal dependence on fossil fuels, detailing the sector's contribution to government revenue, the role of state-owned enterprises, and the fiscal implications of energy transition and climate policies.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics summarizes the IPCC's Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate, detailing the accelerating degradation of polar regions, oceans, and mountain ecosystems. It highlights the irreversible nature of some changes, the risks to global sea levels and water security, and the resulting threats to biodiversity and human livelihoods.

This report describes the first phase of an Arctic Council project led by the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) Working Group. The project focuses on inventorying Arctic wetlands and reviewing scientific knowledge to support sustainable development and resilience in the circumpolar Arctic.