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The document outlines the key priorities for COP29, emphasizing the establishment of the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) for climate finance and the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund. It highlights the need for intensified Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) before the 2025 deadline and the advancement of the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) and Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs). Additionally, it identifies the importance of nature-based solutions, the operationalization of Article 6 regarding carbon markets, and the need to address transboundary climate risks and socioeconomic disparities in adaptation, all within a complex geopolitical landscape influenced by Azerbaijan's fossil fuel economy.

The Oil & Gas Decarbonization Charter, launched at COP28 by 50 companies, is criticized for focusing on upstream operational emissions while ignoring the larger impact of burning produced fuels. Analysis shows that between January and September 2024, Charter members approved 68 new oil and gas fields containing 14 billion barrels of oil equivalent, which could release nearly 5 billion metric tonnes of CO2. Ten companies, including ADNOC, Saudi Aramco, Petrobras, TotalEnergies, and Shell, are responsible for over 90 percent of these new reserves. These projects represent a commitment of nearly USD 250 billion in expenditure. While the IEA's 1.5ºC pathway requires global production to decline by nearly 20 percent by 2030, Charter companies are projected to increase their production by 17 percent by 2030.

The document examines the governance gaps surrounding solar radiation modification (SRM), warning that the current dominance of Global North institutions and private entities creates a risk of unilateral deployment. It advocates for the UNFCCC to formally engage with SRM to democratize decision-making and prevent the exacerbation of global inequalities.

The document argues that green bonds are an under-utilised tool that could help Africa meet its estimated USD 2.8 trillion climate finance need by 2030. While the global green bond market reached approximately USD 2.8 trillion in 2023, Africa's share is less than 1%, representing only USD 5.1 billion. The paper highlights successful issuances in South Africa, Nigeria, and Zambia, while identifying key barriers such as low liquidity, inadequate regulation, and high transaction costs. It calls for stronger public-private collaboration and international support at COP29 to create enabling environments for green bond proliferation in Africa.

The report evaluates several major global climate pledges, finding that most are currently off-track. While there are isolated successes—such as the UK closing its last coal plant and growth in electric car sales—critical goals like tripling renewable energy by 2030 and halting deforestation are not being met. The document highlights a significant gap between high-level commitments and implementation, particularly in the financial sector where net-zero plans are deemed insufficient and fossil fuel subsidies have reached record highs. It calls for a shift from loose networks to platforms of accountability as countries develop their next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for 2025.

The briefing highlights a significant funding gap in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), where current climate finance flows represent only 0.5% of regional GDP, far below the 3.7% to 4.9% estimated by ECLAC to meet Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). While developed nations eventually met the USD 100 billion annual pledge in 2022, the LAC region's share of international finance (17% between 2016-2020) consists largely of loans (81%), exacerbating regional debt. Financing is heavily concentrated in Brazil, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Colombia, with a strong preference for mitigation over adaptation projects.

The document argues that while there is growing political and private sector momentum to expand nuclear energy, a massive financing gap persists. It highlights that only 2.5% of annual clean energy investment currently goes to new nuclear capacity, driven by a 'nuclear risk premium' and long development timelines. The authors call for innovative financing mechanisms and government-led risk reduction to unlock the trillions of dollars required to meet the Net-Zero Nuclear Initiative goals.

The guide outlines the critical themes of COP29, emphasizing its role as a "finance COP" focused on the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) and the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund. It highlights the tension between rich and poor nations regarding climate aid, the influence of the United States, and the controversies surrounding Azerbaijan's role as host. Additionally, it provides logistical details for media personnel attending the event from November 11 to 22, 2024.

The author contends that hosting COP29 in Azerbaijan—a country with an authoritarian regime and a growing fossil fuel industry—threatens the summit's potential for real change. The text highlights Azerbaijan's lack of net-zero targets, its expansion of gas production, and its poor human rights record, including the detention of environmental activists. It also criticizes the European Union for increasing gas imports from Azerbaijan, which the author claims bolsters the regime's power. Finally, the document calls for the UN to reform the COP host selection process by introducing mandatory climate action and human rights requirements.

Reclaim Finance outlines the stakes for COP29, emphasizing that the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) for North-South climate finance should be at least a trillion dollars and provided as grants or grant-equivalents. The organization warns against allowing private finance or carbon offsets to count toward these public obligations, noting that private capital often bypasses the poorest communities and adaptation projects. While acknowledging the role of private finance in tripling renewable energy, the document criticizes the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) for its failure to restrict fossil fuel financing and the methodological flaws in Net-Zero Banking Alliance targets. It further highlights the failure of Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs) in South Africa, Indonesia, and Vietnam due to a lack of concessional funding and private sector risk aversion.

The report finds that in the Caucasus and Central Asia (CCA) region, fossil fuel capacity under construction is more than three times that of wind and utility-scale solar. While non-fossil projects (including hydropower and nuclear) have a larger total pipeline, they suffer from long lead times and lower construction rates. Most CCA countries are failing to meet their renewable energy targets, with a 13 GW deficit in development across six countries. COP29 host Azerbaijan is highlighted for having a limited pipeline of renewables beyond 2027, calling into question its climate leadership.

The document assesses whether expanding the mandatory contributor base for climate finance to include emerging economies can bridge the gap between current funding and the estimated USD 1 trillion per year needed by developing countries. It finds that even if candidate emerging countries contributed at the same rate as developed countries, the additional funds would only cover about 5.12% of the minimum need. The briefing argues that developed countries must maintain primary responsibility, highlighting that many current contributors have not met their 'fair share' and that much of the provided finance consists of loans that increase the debt burden of vulnerable nations.

The report evaluates the COP29 Presidency's goals to achieve 1,500 GW of energy storage and add 25 million km of grid infrastructure by 2030. It concludes that the storage goal is highly achievable due to surging battery manufacturing capacity and falling prices, while the grid goal requires a 50% increase in the current build rate and faces significant regulatory and supply chain hurdles. The potential for green hydrogen to provide flexibility is noted, though current deployment rates remain low despite high numbers of announced projects.

The document outlines six 'reframes' for COP29: shifting from geopolitical fragmentation to coalition building, adopting reality-based financing based on granular data, prioritizing fast action via methane reduction, diversifying power decarbonization with clean firm power, treating climate as a system-wide infrastructure problem, and moving from target-setting to detailed pathway planning.

The Gender Action Plan for the GCF-IFC Scaling Resilient Water Infrastructure (RWI) Facility aims to increase women's economic participation in climate-resilient water infrastructure. The plan focuses on integrating women as leaders, employees, suppliers, and consumers through gender-smart solutions, gender diagnostics for all projects, and the mitigation of gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH). Key targets include ensuring all projects are gender flagged and screened for GBVH risks, with a program-level budget of $160-200K for initial gender screenings.

The briefing examines the design and implementation of a fossil fuel extraction levy, comparing four specific proposals: the Windfall Profits Tax, the Climate Damages Tax, the Multilateral Carbon Tax Treaty, and the Wellhead Carbon Tax. It argues that levies based on carbon content are more effective at discouraging production and providing stable revenue than those based on windfall profits. The authors highlight tensions between the goals of revenue generation and emission reduction, noting that high revenues could create a moral hazard by incentivizing continued extraction. The document also discusses implementation challenges in low-income countries, such as 'stabilization clauses' in contracts and the opacity of national oil companies. To encourage adoption, the authors suggest mechanisms similar to the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, where importing countries impose taxes if exporting countries fail to do so.

Multilateral development banks (MDBs) provided approximately USD 125 billion for climate finance in 2023, a 26% increase from 2022, yet this represents only about 1% of the USD 8.6 trillion needed annually by 2030. A G20 expert panel and credit rating agencies suggest that reforming capital adequacy frameworks (CAFs)—by increasing risk tolerance and leveraging callable capital—could unlock hundreds of billions of dollars in additional lending without risking AAA credit ratings. Specifically, current CAF progress could unlock up to USD 357 billion in lending headroom over the next decade, while S&P estimates potential increases of USD 500 billion to USD 1 trillion. The briefing also highlights the under-utilisation of guarantees, which attract USD 1.5 of private capital for every USD 1 invested, and equity finance, which currently accounts for only 1.8% of commitments. These MDB expansions are viewed as critical for the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), though experts argue MDB lending should complement rather than replace grant-based finance.

The 2024 BRICS Summit is expected to focus on integrating new members and defining the role of 'partner countries' rather than further expansion. Key economic goals include increasing trade in local currencies to reduce dollar reliance and streamlining payments via the BRICS Cross-Border Payments Initiative. The document highlights opportunities for coordination between BRICS, the G20, and the G7, particularly with Brazil and South Africa holding leadership roles in 2025. On climate, BRICS is expected to reaffirm support for the Paris Agreement and a just transition that allows for the continued use of fossil fuels for energy security, while potentially introducing a new framework for sustainable development and carbon market projects.

The document identifies operational, financial, and market barriers to gas-capture projects and proposes a framework for the EU's 'You Collect We Buy' initiative to overcome them through better data, risk-sharing financing, and a credible certification system.

The GCF Secretariat report details progress on its 2024 work programme, highlighting a new organizational structure launched on 9 September 2024 to improve investment efficiency and country ownership. Key achievements include the approval of 28 funding proposals for USD 1.5 billion and the operationalization of the 2024–2027 Readiness Strategy. The Secretariat is implementing the "Efficient GCF" initiative to reduce project review times and is developing a revised accreditation framework to simplify access. While programming targets are on track, challenges persist in private sector pipeline development and the procurement of no-objection letters.