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The authors argue that COVID-19 economic bailouts present a rare opportunity to integrate climate goals into stimulus policies. They suggest linking financial assistance for sectors like aviation and oil and gas to carbon emission limits and clean energy transitions, citing the 2008 US auto bailouts as a precedent for successful conditional support. The text advocates for specific measures such as a carbon tax on jet fuel, the creation of a US national electricity market, and the adoption of the EU's green deal targets to ensure long-term economic competitiveness and energy security.

The managing director of RMI's Beijing office describes the team's resilience during a 45-day office closure starting in late January 2020. The author emphasizes that the battle against the virus is winnable, noting that Beijing and other Chinese cities had no new local cases in the week prior to the letter's writing. The document highlights the importance of solidarity, patience, and maintaining commitment to a sustainable world during the crisis.

In 2019, global coal-fired electricity generation fell by 3%, contributing to a 2% decrease in power sector CO2 emissions, the largest declines since 1990. While coal collapsed in the EU and US, generation rose in China, which now accounts for half of global coal generation. Wind and solar generation grew by 15% in 2019, reaching 8% of the world's electricity, meeting the annual growth rate required by the Paris climate agreement. However, the document notes that the US transition is partly a switch to gas, whereas the EU is moving directly from coal to renewables.

The document assesses the GRP Incubator's approach to scaling resilience solutions, focusing on five grantees: Groundswell, IFPRI, Mahila Housing Trust, MetaMeta, and Producers Direct. It details the Incubator's support mechanisms, including mentoring, leadership training, and financial networking, and evaluates the progress of these grantees across a three-stage scaling framework. Key findings highlight the importance of context-specific adaptation, stakeholder engagement, and the transition from grant-funded projects to sustainable business models.

The Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) has compiled a directory of resilience-focused initiatives, categorising them into funds and financing facilities, networks and alliances, organisations, and specific programmes and projects. The mapping covers a wide array of mechanisms, from large-scale funds like the Green Climate Fund to specialised regional initiatives such as the Africa Risk Capacity and the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility. These initiatives target various sectors including agriculture, urban infrastructure, water management, and financial risk disclosure, with a strong emphasis on supporting Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and vulnerable populations.

The report identifies that financial service providers (FSPs) prioritize economic factors—specifically governance and business management—over environmental and social themes when assessing financial risk for agricultural investments. Key priorities include management experience, existing buyer relationships, land tenure, and projected cash flows. While climate change is the most important non-economic theme, with a preference for adaptation measures, social and biodiversity issues are often viewed as having more impact on sustainability than on financial risk reduction. The document recommends that agricultural producers seek capacity-building in business management and that voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) integrate more economic criteria to help producers become more bankable.

The report finds that low-carbon energy transitions do not automatically improve social equity and can replicate existing structural inequalities if power asymmetries are not addressed. While some technologies like household solar provide benefits, others—particularly large-scale hydropower and biofuel plantations—often lead to land loss, displacement, and precarious employment. The authors argue that institutional frameworks and participatory processes, rather than the technology itself, determine whether a transition is just.

The Global Futures project uses a new integrated environment-economy model to quantify the economic risks of biodiversity loss. Under a 'Business-as-Usual' scenario, the loss of six key ecosystem services is projected to reduce annual global GDP by 0.67% by 2050, totaling a cumulative loss of US$ 9.87 trillion. Conversely, a 'Global Conservation' scenario could result in a net annual gain of US$ 490 billion compared to the BAU scenario. The report highlights that low-income countries and coastal infrastructure in high-income nations are most vulnerable, and recommends a 'New Deal for Nature and People' including the protection of 30% of land and oceans.

Mighty Earth advocates for a sustainable natural rubber industry, highlighting the role of the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR) in addressing deforestation and human rights abuses. While acknowledging progress in stakeholder cooperation, the author identifies critical gaps in the GPSNR, including the lack of internal company policies, the absence of a grievance mechanism, and the non-participation of Chinese companies. The document calls for increased supply chain transparency, the inclusion of smallholder farmers, and a shift toward binding regulation to ensure a level playing field.

The report finds a chronic underinvestment in energy access across high-impact countries, with actual finance for residential electricity in 2018 (USD 16.1 billion) reaching less than half of the required annual investment (USD 41 billion). It highlights a concerning trend of increasing fossil fuel finance, particularly in Bangladesh, while financing for grid-connected renewables declined for the first time since 2013. Clean cooking finance remains critically low at USD 131.5 million, far below the estimated USD 4.5 billion needed annually. The report emphasizes that investment is disproportionately concentrated in a few countries, leaving many Sub-Saharan African nations with minimal support. It advocates for policy reforms, the termination of fossil fuel financing, and a more rigorous methodological framework for tracking gender-focused energy finance.

The analysis of 19 NAPs reveals that while all reviewed documents integrate ecosystem considerations and vulnerabilities, the explicit link between ecosystem services and societal adaptation benefits remains generic. Latin American countries show the strongest integration of EbA and links to biodiversity strategies. Key gaps include limited monitoring of outcomes, insufficient private sector engagement, and under-representation of urban EbA and hybrid grey/green infrastructure. The report suggests that NAPs should move beyond business-as-usual conservation to explicitly address climate hazards and target specific vulnerable groups.

The analysis of 19 National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) reveals that while most countries recognize ecosystem vulnerability and include some EbA measures, these are often generic and lack explicit links to specific climate risks or measurable outcomes. Latin American countries show the strongest integration of EbA and biodiversity strategies. Significant gaps exist in urban EbA, private sector involvement, and the identification of financial resources, suggesting a need for more SMART objectives and intersectoral integration to enhance human and ecological resilience.

The study uses a spatially and temporally disaggregated research design to analyze protest events in Africa and Asia. It finds that mild government repression of nonviolent protests typically leads to violent escalation, whereas repression of violent protests tends to encourage a shift back to nonviolent means. Crucially, the research demonstrates that the level of organization acts as a moderator; organized protests are more effective at maintaining nonviolent discipline and resisting the escalatory effects of repression than disorganized ones.

The report finds that while energy finance disbursements in high-impact countries grew by over 61% between 2013 and 2018, they still significantly lag behind commitments, with USD 32 billion disbursed against USD 52 billion committed. Between 2002 and 2018, 58% of planned disbursements and 49% of projects experienced delays. These delays are attributed to cumbersome administrative processes, design flaws not adapted to local capacities, and limited access to local financial services.

The report identifies that 1.02 billion people among the rural and urban poor across 54 high-impact countries remain at high risk due to a lack of access to cooling in 2020. It highlights a 'productivity penalty' where heat stress is estimated to cause an annual economic loss of USD 630 billion across these countries, with significant impacts on the agricultural sector. The document also examines how the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these vulnerabilities, particularly regarding the medical cold chain for vaccines and food security. To address these challenges, it proposes a sustainable cooling framework based on three needs (comfort & safety, food & nutrition, health & care), five solution approaches (protect, reduce, shift, improve, leverage), and four solution pillars (technology, services, policy, financial).

The report finds that while energy finance disbursements in high-impact countries (HICs) grew by 61% between 2013 and 2018, they still significantly lagged behind commitments (USD 32 billion disbursed vs USD 52 billion committed). Analysis of projects from 2002 to 2018 reveals that 58% of planned financing and 49% of projects were delayed. Key barriers include cumbersome administrative processes, poor project design, limited access to local finance, and low public awareness, particularly for clean cooking. The report argues that sound project design and streamlined administration are more critical for disbursement efficiency than general regulatory improvements.

The 2020 report by Sustainable Energy for All highlights a significant and growing gap between the investment needed and the actual funding provided for universal energy access. In 2018, only 16 billion USD was recorded for electrification in high-impact countries (HIC), far below the 41 billion USD annual requirement. Clean cooking funding, while tripling to 131 million USD in 2018, remains drastically lower than the 4.53 billion USD needed annually. The report notes a concerning trend where fossil fuel investments have grown, while renewable energy and off-grid solutions remain underfunded. It calls for coordinated action between development finance institutions and governments, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, to reduce risks for private investors and shift away from carbon-intensive energy sources.

The 2020 report by Sustainable Energy for All reveals a widening gap between the investment needed and the finance actually committed to achieve universal energy access by 2030. In 2018, only USD 16 billion was tracked for residential electrification against a required USD 41 billion, and clean cooking finance reached USD 131 million, far below the estimated USD 4.53 billion annual need. The report highlights a geographic mismatch, where Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 70% of people in HICs without electricity but received less than 20% of the total electricity access finance. Furthermore, the report notes a concerning trend toward fossil fuel-generated electricity and a lack of private sector investment in clean cooking. It recommends coordinated action from donor governments and DFIs in Sub-Saharan Africa, the termination of fossil fuel project financing, and the adoption of innovative business models for off-grid solutions.

The report finds that energy access finance remains critically below the levels needed for SDG7, with a significant mismatch between where finance is committed and where the need is greatest. While electricity finance increased to USD 43.6 billion in 2018, much of this was driven by fossil fuel projects in a few countries, while Sub-Saharan Africa remains chronically underfunded. Clean cooking finance is even more limited, dominated by a few large projects in Bangladesh. The report advocates for a shift toward renewable energy, the termination of fossil fuel financing, and the adoption of innovative business models and gender-responsive tracking methodologies.

The report identifies solar hybrid mini-grids as the fastest-growing segment of the decentralized energy market, noting that they could serve approximately 111 million households in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and small island states by 2030. While technical costs are decreasing due to solar and battery advancements, the market faces significant hurdles including limited consumer paying capacity, ambiguous rural electrification policies, and a heavy reliance on public grants over commercial financing. The document advocates for results-based financing (RBF), flexible tariff regulations, and clear legal protections for mini-grid assets against the arrival of the main grid to attract private investment.