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The document explains that Adaptation Communications (ADCOMs) are voluntary reports under the Paris Agreement designed to synthesize a country's climate adaptation priorities, needs, and lessons. It outlines four primary purposes: increasing the visibility of adaptation relative to mitigation, mobilizing support for developing countries, providing data for the Global Stocktake, and enhancing learning. The text details flexible submission methods—as standalone documents, linked to other reports, or as components of existing documents like NDCs or NAPs—and emphasizes that ADCOMs should not create additional burdens for developing nations. It also provides a detailed list of optional content elements and explains how countries can leverage their ongoing NAP processes to inform their ADCOMs.

The document explains that Adaptation Communications (ADCOMs) are optional reports under the Paris Agreement used by countries to share climate adaptation priorities, needs, and lessons. It outlines four main objectives: increasing attention to adaptation, strengthening support for developing countries, contributing to the Global Stocktake, and improving knowledge of adaptation measures. Countries can submit ADCOMs as standalone documents, jointly with other reports, or as components of existing documents like NDCs or NAPs to minimize administrative burdens. The text emphasizes that ADCOMs are country-driven, flexible, and not intended for direct comparison between parties.

The document provides a comprehensive Q&A on battery energy storage, distinguishing between behind-the-meter and front-of-the-meter systems. It highlights how storage enhances grid flexibility, supports renewable energy integration, and improves community resilience during extreme weather. While noting the environmental and health benefits of displacing fossil fuel plants, it addresses safety risks like thermal runaway and the ethical concerns surrounding the mining of lithium and cobalt. It emphasizes the need for inclusive stakeholder engagement and strong policy design to ensure equitable deployment and sustainable supply chains.

The G20, responsible for 75% of global GHG emissions, currently has commitments that put the world on a trajectory for 2.4°C of warming. While announced but non-formalized pledges could lower this to 2.1°C, only a comprehensive shift where all G20 members align with 1.5°C pathways and mid-century net zero targets could limit warming to 1.7°C. The report identifies a 23 GtCO2e emissions gap for 2030 and warns that many net zero pledges are unrealistic without significantly stronger near-term (2030) targets. Achieving the 1.5°C goal will require G20 leadership, action from non-G20 countries, and the fulfillment of climate finance commitments to developing nations.

The report finds that current G20 commitments put the world on a trajectory for 2.4°C of warming by 2100. While announced but non-formalised pledges could lower this to 2.1°C, only an 'enhanced ambition' scenario—where all G20 members align 2030 targets with 1.5°C pathways and commit to mid-century net zero—could limit warming to 1.7°C. The authors argue that G20 countries, accounting for 75% of global emissions, are uniquely positioned to close three-quarters of the temperature gap, provided they accelerate near-term action and developed nations ramp up financial support to developing countries.

The document emphasizes the necessity of comprehensive planning and financial assurance to ensure that mining sites in Argentina are safely rehabilitated after production ends, drawing on international best practices to ensure funds are available regardless of the mine's closure date.

The IAI Directorate has released draft reports for CoP-29 and EC-51 for participant review. CoP-29 representatives must submit comments by 12 September 2021, while EC-51 representatives are requested to provide feedback preferably 90 days before the 30th Conference of the Parties.

The 29th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (CoP-29) resulted in the adoption of 17 decisions covering financial budgets, governance policies, and scientific initiatives. Key outcomes include the approval of a new Gender Policy, a Whistleblower policy, and the establishment of a working group for a national climate assessment initiative in Latin America and the Caribbean. The meeting also addressed financial strains caused by a lack of voluntary contributions and updated the IAI Scientific Agenda.

The report details the administrative, financial, and scientific outcomes of the IAI's 29th Conference of the Parties. Key actions include the approval of the 2021-2022 operating budget, the adoption of a gender policy for projects, and the establishment of a working group for national climate assessments in Latin America and the Caribbean. The meeting also addressed the financial pressure caused by unpaid voluntary contributions and the need to combat predatory scientific publishing in the Americas.

The guide outlines a framework for financial assurance in Argentina's mining sector, emphasizing the need for funds to cover closure and post-closure costs to prevent abandoned mines. It recommends a phased approach to posting assurance based on the mine's life cycle and disturbance levels, suggests various financial instruments (such as letters of credit and surety insurance), and provides a comparative analysis of regional practices in Chile and Peru. The document also addresses the management of future risks like climate change and social transition, and proposes a transitional regime for existing operations.

The guide outlines a framework for implementing financial guarantees in Argentina to prevent abandoned mines and protect the state from closure costs. It details the life cycle of a mine, cost estimation methods, and various financial instruments—such as letters of credit, surety bonds, and trust funds—while comparing regional practices from Chile and Peru. The document recommends a phased approach to guarantee constitution, starting at 10% of total closure costs during construction and reaching 100% within 15 years of operation, and suggests a specific threshold of 5,000 tonnes of monthly extraction for mandatory compliance.

The document evaluates global government preparedness for mine closure, finding significant gaps in policy, financial assurance, and community engagement regardless of a country's development level. It highlights that while most jurisdictions require closure plans, the quality of these plans and the capacity of regulators to review them are often insufficient. Key risks include a lack of full financial assurance for closure costs and a widespread absence of records for closed or abandoned mines. The briefing argues that capacity and experience are the primary barriers to readiness and recommends that governments adopt international standards, engage communities throughout the mine life cycle, and build internal technical expertise.

The document reveals that while most governments recognize the importance of mine closure, many lack the policies, financial instruments, and technical capacity to manage them effectively. Key gaps include insufficient financial assurances, low community participation, and a lack of formal records for closed mines. The report emphasizes that these deficiencies pose environmental and social risks, particularly as hundreds of medium and large-scale mines are expected to close in the coming decades.

The LAC region has a high overall electrification rate of 97%, yet 18.1 million people remain without electricity and 65 million are underserved. The report argues that off-grid renewable energy solutions are the best fit for at least 40% of this access gap, particularly in rural 'last-mile' communities. While the region possesses vast renewable resources, market growth is hindered by socioeconomic constraints, limited regulatory frameworks for private off-grid actors, and a lack of coordinated data. The document provides detailed country profiles for Haiti, Honduras, and Suriname, highlighting their specific challenges and the potential for productive use of renewable energy (PURE) to drive local economic development.

The energy transition increases demand for minerals like cobalt, nickel, and lithium, which are often sourced from poorly regulated mines in a few countries, leading to human rights abuses and environmental damage. While recycling and new battery technologies could reduce this demand, current recycling rates remain low, and the industry requires more transparent, enforceable sustainability standards.

The Global Climate and Health Alliance (GCHA) developed the HealthyNDCs Scorecard to analyze and rank 40 NDCs from 66 countries, assessing how health is incorporated into climate commitments and the level of climate ambition. The document serves as a guide for a Twitter campaign to pressure governments to set ambitious emissions targets and embed health protections into their national climate plans. GCHA identifies specific countries as failing to consider health or lacking ambition, while others are praised for leadership in this area.

The report uses the GSI-IF model to analyze 32 countries, representing 77% of global CO2 emissions, to determine the impact of removing fossil fuel subsidies and implementing a 10% fossil energy tax by 2030. It finds that subsidy reform alone could save nearly USD 3 trillion and abate 5.4 GtCO2e, while combining reform with taxation and sustainable energy investment could increase average emission reductions from 6% to 11.8% by 2030.

The document analyzes the devastating impact of COVID-19 on South Africa's economy, noting a 7% contraction in 2020 and a record unemployment rate of 32.6% in Q1 2021. It highlights that initial relief measures, such as the R500 billion rescue package, were poorly implemented, with only one-third materializing by February 2021. The brief details severe job losses in construction, trade, and manufacturing, and notes that women and informal workers were disproportionately affected. It specifically identifies a 'second pandemic' of gender-based violence and femicide (GBV-F), with annual costs estimated between R28.4 billion and R42.4 billion. To mitigate these crises, the IEJ recommends replacing the Loan Guarantee Scheme with grants, extending the TERS wage support, reinstating the SRD grant at R585 per month, and increasing public infrastructure spending.

The report finds that the complete removal of fossil fuel consumption subsidies across 32 modelled countries could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 6.09% by 2030. When combined with a 'subsidy swap' (reinvesting savings into energy efficiency and renewables) and a 10% energy tax, the average national emission reduction increases to 11.84%. The analysis highlights that while some countries like Venezuela see reductions over 30%, G20 nations provide the largest absolute reductions due to their economic scale. Financially, fossil fuel subsidy reform (FFSR) alone could generate USD 2.99 trillion in cumulative savings by 2030, offering a cost-effective mechanism for a 'green recovery' from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report examines the global market for lithium-ion batteries and the critical role of lithium and cobalt. It uses Chile and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as case studies to illustrate how developing countries can capture value from the electric vehicle (EV) boom while managing risks such as price volatility, technological shifts toward cobalt-free batteries, and social or environmental degradation. The document argues that while lithium demand remains stable, cobalt faces higher uncertainty, suggesting that producer countries should diversify into mining-related services to avoid stranded assets.