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This briefing, prepared by the United States of America for the twenty-sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), recommends that the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) be invited to become an Associate of the Institute under Article XI of the Agreement Establishing the IAI.

A briefing document prepared by the United States of America for the 26th meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), recommending that the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) be invited to become an Associate of the Institute.

The report introduces Sustainable Land Bonds (SLBs), which are sovereign bonds used to finance low-carbon land management. Unlike standard bonds, SLBs are paired with Results-Based Payment (RBP) agreements where third parties offset interest costs if the issuing country meets specific emission reduction targets. This model aims to help tropical forest countries achieve their Paris Agreement Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) while stimulating rural economic growth and attracting institutional investment.

The policy brief examines the decline of human rights as a cornerstone of South African foreign policy, contrasting the country's strong domestic human rights framework with its controversial voting record at the UN Security Council and UN Human Rights Council. The author contends that this 'de-norming' undermines South Africa's role as a bridge-builder and normative leader in Africa and the Global South. To reverse this trend, the document recommends a three-point action plan: reconceptualising human rights diplomacy through a national 'indaba', strengthening bilateral ties with human rights-promoting nations, and increasing civil society pressure for government accountability.

The document reviews the integration of human rights and social principles across four key areas of the Paris Agreement implementation guidelines: Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Adaptation Communications, the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF), and the Global Stocktake (GST). It highlights that while some parties, notably Norway, Canada, and the African Group of Negotiators, have pushed for the inclusion of human rights and gender equality, these elements often remain absent from co-facilitator summaries or are limited to specific contexts like adaptation. The briefing notes that the role of civil society and intergovernmental organizations in the ETF and GST processes is a critical factor for ensuring social dimensions are considered in future climate action.

In 2017, global green bond issuance reached USD 155.5 billion, a 78% increase over 2016. The market was led by the US, China, and France, with a notable rise in sovereign issuance and the emergence of new issuers from 37 countries. While renewable energy remains the primary use of proceeds, there was significant growth in allocations for low carbon buildings and transport. The report highlights a push toward harmonized international standards and forecasts a need for the market to reach USD 1 trillion by 2020 to impact climate targets.

This executive summary from the 2018 'Brown to Green' report analyzes the progress of G20 countries toward a low-carbon economy. It highlights a significant gap between current Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the goals of the Paris Agreement, noting that G20 energy-related CO2 emissions began increasing again in 2017 and that 82% of the G20 energy supply remains dependent on fossil fuels.

The Q4 2018 Risk Dashboard indicates that the Green Climate Fund's portfolio concentration and liquidity remain within approved risk tolerance levels. As of 31 December 2018, the fund reported no non-performing loans for the eighth consecutive quarter and maintained a foreign exchange commitment risk buffer of USD 33 million equivalent. The portfolio consists of 93 approved funding proposals with a geographic distribution led by Africa (39%) and Asia-Pacific (34%), and a funding balance favoring mitigation (39%) over adaptation (25%).

As of 30 June 2018, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) managed a portfolio of 76 approved funding proposals (FPs) with a total approved amount of USD 3.7 billion. Funding is distributed across mitigation (43%), adaptation (29%), and cross-cutting projects (28%), with the highest regional concentrations in Africa (33%) and Asia-Pacific (33%). The fund reports a projected liquid asset portfolio of USD 4.1 billion for the following 12 months and confirms there are no non-performing loans in its portfolio. Integrity and redress mechanisms recorded several closed allegations and a withdrawn request for reconsideration from Argentina.

The document outlines the proceedings of a three-day conference focused on the causes, mechanisms, and aftermath of state capture in South Africa. It examines the role of apartheid legacies, the influence of the private sector, the vulnerability of state-owned enterprises, and the failure of oversight institutions. The report emphasizes that state capture is a politico-economic project involving both formal and informal power, often facilitated by the politicization of the bureaucracy and the erosion of the criminal justice system. It argues for comprehensive state reform, including electoral changes, transparency in party funding, and the protection of whistleblowers, while drawing comparisons with state capture in Nigeria, Kenya, and Angola.

The report argues that SADC countries can reduce processed food trade deficits and mitigate climate change risks by shifting from national industrial policies to regional value chains (RVCs). It identifies a significant opportunity for Zambia, Tanzania, and Mozambique to replace South Africa's deep-sea soya oilcake imports with regional production. However, it notes that the sugar sector is hindered by protectionist policies and the market power of dominant firms, which keep industrial sugar prices high and stifle downstream confectionery processing. The author proposes practical interventions, including a regional transportation information system to solve 'backhaul' constraints and the harmonisation of quality standards to facilitate intra-regional trade.

The report examines the intersection of global energy trends and gender equality, arguing that universal energy access by 2030 requires moving beyond 'business-as-usual' to address systemic discrimination. It identifies decentralization, affordability, and mobile payments as potential catalysts for inclusion, while urbanization and humanitarian crises present significant hurdles. Through case studies in five countries, the document highlights how barriers such as lack of land tenure, digital gender gaps, and inadequate financial services prevent women from leveraging these trends to improve their livelihoods and health.

The Mendoza wine region, a primary producer of Malbec, faces a divide between large, efficient growers and smallholders who struggle with quality standards and economic stability. Climate change is threatening the region's 'oasis' by reducing snow precipitation and glacier area, which provide 70% to 80% of summer water. Current water governance, based on the 1884 Ley de Aguas de Mendoza, is deemed insufficient for these new conditions, leading to suggestions that the region adopt regional groundwater management models similar to California's.

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) provides technical tools and research in Colombia to bridge science and policy across water management, energy transition, and sustainable sanitation. Key efforts include the use of WEAP for water resource planning, LEAP for low-emission energy modeling, and TRASE for mapping deforestation in agricultural supply chains. SEI also investigates the socio-economic transition away from thermal coal in the César and La Guajira departments and supports the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The document argues that communication and information poverty—characterized by lack of access to platforms, media misrepresentation, and low media literacy—undermines the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It specifically analyzes the intersections between communication rights and SDGs 5, 9, 16, and 17, while providing recommendations for a rights-based approach to communication. The report highlights the need to democratize media systems, increase digital media literacy, and address the specific needs of marginalized groups, particularly Indigenous peoples, which it claims are insufficiently addressed in Agenda 2030.

The document serves as a contribution to the G20 Climate Sustainability Working Group, prepared by the World Resources Institute and the United Nations Development Programme for the Argentine G20 presidency. It argues that long-term low greenhouse gas development strategies allow the G20 to provide leadership in steering the world toward a viable climate future. The paper encourages countries to develop strategies tailored to their unique circumstances by learning from existing international experiences and complementing their own domestic processes.

The report identifies a growing "restoration economy" where businesses generate financial returns by improving the ecological function of degraded landscapes. It categorizes these opportunities into four main investment themes: technology, consumer products, project management, and commercial forestry. Through case studies of 14 companies across eight countries, the authors illustrate how various models—from drone-based reforestation and climate-smart credit for smallholders to sustainable timber and bamboo plantations—can scale. The document highlights that while significant market opportunities exist due to government pledges and rising resource demand, investors face hurdles such as high transaction costs, low liquidity, and insecure land tenure in developing regions.

The GCF Board's 18th meeting in Cairo focused on operationalizing the fund's implementation phase. Key outcomes include the approval of multiple funding proposals across various regions, the accreditation of five new entities, and the adoption of a Simplified Approval Process (SAP) pilot for small-scale activities. The Board also approved a new Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Policy and a revised administrative budget and staffing target of 250 employees for 2018. However, consensus was not reached on a risk management framework or the selection process for a Permanent Trustee.

Friends of the Earth International denounces the Argentine government for cancelling the accreditation of 61 civil society representatives for the December 2017 WTO meeting in Buenos Aires. The organization argues that WTO policies often hinder climate action, such as the ruling against India's National Solar Mission, and penalize developing countries' food storage programs while allowing subsidies in the EU and US. The statement further criticizes the lack of transparency in trade agreements like RCEP and TTIP, calling for a trade system based on human rights, sustainable environmental policy, and food sovereignty.

Friends of the Earth International denounces the Argentine government for barring them and 60 other civil society members from the December 2017 WTO conference in Buenos Aires. The organization argues that WTO policies often obstruct climate action and food sovereignty, citing the penalization of India's National Solar Mission and public food reserve programs in developing countries. The statement further criticizes the secrecy surrounding trade agreements like RCEP and TTIP, calling for a trade system based on human rights, sustainable environmental policy, and food sovereignty.