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The report synthesizes the work of UN human rights treaty bodies (HRTBs), including the CEDAW, CESCR, and CRC, on climate change. It details how these bodies use state reporting, communications procedures, and general comments to hold States accountable for human rights violations caused by climate change and insufficient mitigation efforts. Key findings emphasize the need for highest-ambition emissions cuts, the phasing out of fossil fuels, and the protection of vulnerable groups, including women, children, and Indigenous Peoples.

The report identifies significant barriers to implementing just transition strategies in developing countries, including a lack of conceptual consensus, the misconception that the concept only applies to developed nations, and weak institutional capacity. It proposes a structured template for NDCs that includes labour market planning, stakeholder engagement, and the creation of inter-departmental coordinating committees. Through case studies of Latin American countries and a policy roundtable, the document emphasizes that no 'one size fits all' approach exists, particularly due to the prevalence of informal economies and varying levels of social protection in low- and middle-income economies.

The report analyzes the Zona Franca de Manaus (ZFM) as a public policy tool for industrial development in Brazil. It details the complex system of tax incentives—including exemptions and reductions in IPI, PIS/PASEP, and COFINS—and evaluates their distribution across key sectors such as two-wheelers, audio/video, and non-alcoholic beverages. The study compares the ZFM's industrial performance and workforce concentration against national Brazilian averages and provides a brief comparative overview of free trade zones in other countries including Argentina, Chile, Colombia, the US, Canada, and China.

The document analyzes the legal frameworks and practical trends associated with terminating bilateral investment treaties (BITs), specifically focusing on the roles of termination and survival clauses. It details three primary methods of termination—by consent with renegotiation, by consent without renegotiation, and unilateral termination—while providing strategic considerations for states to mitigate investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) risks. The guide also suggests modern drafting approaches for new BITs to avoid the pitfalls of 'tacit renewal' and long survival periods.

The document explores the challenges of maintaining a free and independent media in a datafied society, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. It analyzes the rise of state surveillance in Latin America, the failure of health communication in India, and the struggle for media sustainability. It also advocates for linguistic rights and a new 'digital social contract' to reclaim data ownership from global corporations.

A coalition of 76 organizations urges UNESCO and the World Heritage Committee to hold state parties accountable for their contributions to climate change. The authors argue that the World Heritage Convention requires states to align their national policies, including fossil fuel exports, with the 1.5°C warming limit to protect the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of heritage sites. The statement provides examples of other UN treaty bodies making similar mitigation recommendations to countries such as Australia, Argentina, and Germany.

In 2019, Canada's federal fossil fuel subsidies totaled at least CAD 600 million, though the actual figure may be higher due to data gaps regarding tax measures and the Trans Mountain pipeline. The report notes a shift in subsidy focus from exploration to production and export infrastructure, including liquefied natural gas. It argues that these subsidies undermine Canada's net-zero 2050 goal and 2030 emissions targets. The document recommends that Canada complete its G20 peer review with Argentina in 2020, commit to no new subsidies, and integrate subsidy reform into its next Nationally Determined Contribution under the Paris Agreement.

The report evaluates the energy transition in Argentina's power sector, highlighting the need to align long-term Paris Agreement temperature goals with NDC processes to avoid carbon lock-in. It identifies opportunities for leadership in renewables-based hydrogen and synthetic fuels, while noting that grid limitations are the primary short-term barrier to increasing renewable energy participation.

The document outlines the mechanisms of the UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies (HRTBs) and provides a strategic guide for climate advocates to engage in the State reporting process. It highlights the benefits of securing non-binding but authoritative 'Concluding Observations' to pressure states, provides examples of successful interventions in countries like Argentina and Norway, and details the five-step reporting cycle from initial submission to national follow-up.

The document outlines a structured approach for organizations to submit shadow reports to UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies, focusing on how climate change and inadequate state responses violate human rights. It suggests a concise format (6-8 pages) divided into sections covering relevant human rights obligations, adverse climate effects on specific populations, deficiencies in national policies (such as NDCs under the Paris Agreement), and specific legal obligations under treaties. The guide includes a table of submission deadlines and contact emails for various committees, including the CCPR, CEDAW, CERD, CESCR, CRC, and CRPD.

The document outlines the mechanisms of UN human rights treaty bodies (HRTBs) and provides a strategic framework for climate activists to influence state climate policies. It details the reporting cycle, the role of 'shadow reports' submitted by civil society, and the subsequent 'Concluding Observations' (COBs) issued by committees. While COBs are not legally binding, the guide argues they serve as authoritative guidance that can be leveraged in national advocacy, media campaigns, and litigation. It provides specific examples of recommendations made to countries like Argentina, Norway, and Spain regarding fossil fuels and air pollution.

The guide outlines a structured approach for submitting parallel reports to UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies, emphasizing the need for concise, evidence-based documentation of how climate change and state policies impact specific human rights. It recommends a four-section structure: establishing the link between climate change and treaty obligations, describing adverse impacts on rights and vulnerable groups, detailing shortcomings in national climate responses (such as NDCs), and analyzing how these circumstances violate specific state obligations. The document provides practical submission tips, including recommended lengths of 6-8 pages, the use of visual aids, and a table of deadlines and contact emails for various committees including the CCPR, CEDAW, CERD, CESCR, CRC, and CRPD.

The document examines the evolution of investment facilitation discussions at the WTO, from the early 'Singapore issues' to the current structured discussions involving 98 members. It analyzes a July 2019 working document that proposes a framework focused on transparency, administrative simplification, and international cooperation, while explicitly excluding market access, investment protection, and investor-state dispute settlement. The report also discusses the potential legal forms of such an agreement—whether as a standalone accord or a plurilateral agreement—and the broader institutional challenges facing the WTO, such as the crisis in the Appellate Body and debates over special and differential treatment.

The document examines the efforts of 98 WTO Members to establish a multilateral framework for investment facilitation. It traces the issue from the 'Singapore issues' of the 1990s to the 2017 Joint Ministerial Statement in Buenos Aires. The brief analyzes the July 2019 Working Document, which proposes articles on transparency, administrative streamlining, non-discrimination, and special and differential treatment, while explicitly excluding market access and investor-state dispute settlement.

The document outlines how the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) integrates climate change into its monitoring of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). It details the Committee's use of General Comments, Joint Statements, and State reporting procedures to hold States accountable for climate-related impacts on rights such as health, food, and water. Key findings emphasize that States must implement emissions cuts reflecting the "highest possible ambition," regulate private actors to prevent climate harm, and ensure that high-income States provide climate finance to developing nations beyond existing official development assistance. The briefing also analyzes trends in the Committee's Concluding Observations from 2008 to 2019, noting a higher frequency of climate-related recommendations for developed countries and a strong focus on mitigation, adaptation, and international cooperation.

The report details how the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) integrates climate change into its monitoring of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child (ICRC). It analyzes the CRC's use of General Comments, State reporting procedures, and the communications procedure to hold States accountable for protecting children from climate harms. Key findings highlight a growing trend of climate-related recommendations, particularly for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and a strong emphasis on children's procedural rights to participation and education. The document also notes a landmark 2019 Joint Statement by five human rights treaty bodies asserting that failure to prevent foreseeable climate-related human rights harm could constitute a violation of State obligations.

The report analyzes how the COVID-19 pandemic acted as an accelerant for the decline of the oil, gas, and plastic sectors. It details the immediate impacts of the pandemic, such as the collapse of air and cruise travel and the resulting oil price war, while emphasizing that the industry was already weakened by high corporate debt, underperforming stocks, and the rise of renewable energy. The document specifically critiques industry lobbying for bailouts and regulatory exemptions, using ExxonMobil as a case study for the intersecting financial and operational risks facing the sector.

The document presents a data table comparing emission standards (LDV), gasoline octane levels, refinery counts, import percentages, and sulfur content in gasoline and diesel for various countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Key data points include Chile's transition to Euro 6 by 2022, Colombia's target of Euro 6 by 2030, and specific sulfur limits ranging from 15 ppm in Mexico to 8000 ppm in Cuba.

The STeP Fellowship Pilot Program is a strategic initiative by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) to bridge the gap between scientific research and policy-making in Latin America and the Caribbean. The program places scientists in host institutions for two years, providing them with professional development in leadership, communication, and science diplomacy. The IAI manages the training and networking, while host institutions provide stipends and define national priority areas. Initial cohorts were launched in Argentina and Mexico in 2020, with the program utilizing a model based on the AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships.

Argentina ranks second among G20 non-OECD countries due to relatively low support for fossil fuel use and good transparency, though it provides significant annual funding for oil and gas production, primarily through state-owned enterprise investments.