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Reclaim Finance argues that the Trucost list used by the Fédération bancaire française (FBF) fails to capture the full coal value chain and omits major global coal actors, including large Chinese and Russian firms. The analysis highlights significant discrepancies in revenue estimations for companies like Glencore and Adani Enterprises compared to the Global Coal Exit List (GCEL), suggesting that Trucost's methodology may lead financial institutions to underestimate their exposure to coal and carbon-intensive activities.

Reclaim Finance compares the Trucost list used by the French Banking Federation with the Global Coal Exit List (GCEL), arguing that Trucost significantly underrepresents coal exposure. The analysis finds that Trucost misses critical coal infrastructure projects, major global coal companies, and hundreds of firms planning new coal capacity. Furthermore, the report highlights discrepancies in revenue estimations for companies like Glencore, Adani Enterprises, and Sasol, suggesting that Trucost's methodology may allow financial institutions to continue supporting high-emission entities despite their exclusion policies.

The document evaluates the coal exit policies of French financial actors, highlighting a lack of uniformity and the failure of some to meet 2019 commitments. It details five categories of best practices: halting new projects and infrastructure, excluding companies with coal development plans, setting low revenue/production thresholds for exclusion, applying absolute exclusion limits for the largest coal actors, and requiring companies to publish closure plans that prioritize shutting down assets over selling them.

An analysis of 442 savings funds marketed in France reveals that 86.2% are exposed to companies with critical environmental or social risks, including major greenhouse gas emitters, arms manufacturers, and coal companies. The report highlights a significant gap between French citizens' desire for sustainable investments and the reality of current financial products, noting that 94% of studied ISR-labeled funds still finance these problematic companies. Reclaim Finance calls for mandatory climate requirements for all financial products in France, stricter standards for 'green' or 'sustainable' labels, and the implementation of a 'nutri-score' for financial products to increase transparency.

The document outlines a readiness project implemented by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) to support 13 accredited and applicant Direct Access Entities (DAEs) within the International Development Finance Club (IDFC). The project aims to remove barriers to GCF accreditation and funding by providing technical assistance for fiduciary, environmental, social, and gender policies, and by developing climate finance tools for risk and impact assessment. Key deliverables include an IDFC-GCF Toolkit, a joint DAE-IDFC Work Program, and the development of multi-country concept notes focusing on climate-resilient recovery post-COVID-19, specifically targeting MSMEs and vulnerable populations in sectors like renewable energy and sustainable land use.

The document introduces the LEAP-IBC tool, which quantifies the co-benefits of reducing greenhouse gases and short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) on public health and air quality. Applying this framework to Bangladesh's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and National Action Plan to reduce SLCPs, the study finds that full implementation by 2030 would significantly reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, black carbon, and PM2.5, leading to a decrease in ambient PM2.5 concentrations and the avoidance of approximately 112,000 premature deaths.

The document examines the intersection of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and urban inequality, proposing six priority solutions to build climate-resilient and equitable cities. It highlights how the pandemic exposed systemic vulnerabilities, particularly for the urban poor in informal settlements, and argues that adaptation investments offer high benefit-cost ratios (2:1 to 10:1) and local job creation. Proposed solutions include upgrading poor settlements, building water resilience, advancing nature-based solutions, creating knowledge networks, enhancing devolved funding, and fostering peer-to-peer city collaboration.

The document highlights that Malawi loses approximately 1.7% of its GDP annually to droughts and floods, a rate significantly higher than the average for Least Developed Countries. It advocates for a 'triple dividend' approach to resilience—avoided losses, unlocked development potential, and co-benefits—noting that benefit-cost ratios for such investments can range from 3:1 to 50:1. The brief provides evidence from infrastructure, social protection, and climate-smart agriculture to support the claim that proactive resilience is more cost-effective than humanitarian aid.

The report argues that the GCF's current SEAH policy is too broad in scope, creating impractical obligations for counterparties and exposing the Fund to undue legal and reputational risks. It recommends splitting the framework: maintaining a standalone internal policy for 'covered individuals' while integrating the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) into the existing Environmental and Social (ES) safeguarding framework for project-level activities. The assessment emphasizes the need for in-house subject-matter expertise, a survivor-centered approach, and the adoption of an intersectional lens and the 'ecological model' to better understand and mitigate risks to vulnerable groups.

International NGOs are urging France to use its influence to stop Japan from financing new coal power plants, citing three specific projects in Vietnam, Indonesia, and Bangladesh that contradict the 1.5°C climate goal.

A coalition of NGOs calls on France to oppose Japan's presence at the November 2020 Finance in Common Summit unless Japan ends its support for coal. The NGOs highlight that while France has committed to a coal exit, Japan continues to plan 11.9GW of domestic coal capacity and has supported 8.6GW of new coal plants internationally since the Paris agreements. Specifically, the statement identifies three overseas projects currently under consideration: Vung Ang 2 in Vietnam, Indramayu in Indonesia, and Matarbari Phase 2 in Bangladesh.

The document highlights a significant gap in climate action and finance regarding sanitation, noting that while the IPCC identifies sanitation as a key measure for reducing climate vulnerability, it is largely absent from Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and climate funding. It examines how sanitation systems contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane from anaerobic decomposition, and suggests that shifting from pit latrines to composting toilets or biogas systems can mitigate these impacts. The brief recommends improving research on climate-sanitation links, adapting planning frameworks like the WHO Sanitation Safety Planning approach, and increasing the capacity of sector stakeholders to mobilize climate finance.

SEforALL's 2021-2023 business plan introduces 'SEforALL 3.0', an evolution from global agenda-setting to an implementation-focused model. The strategy centers on four thematic areas: Energy Diplomacy and Advocacy, Energy Access and Closing the Gap, Energy Transitions and Climate Change, and Intersection with Other SDGs. Key initiatives include the Universal Energy Facility for results-based financing, the 'Women at the Forefront' program, and the 'Powering Healthcare' agenda. To support these goals, SEforALL requires a three-year budget of USD 58.9 million and plans to establish regional staff presence in Africa and Southeast Asia to better support high-impact countries.

The paper analyzes how Bangladesh, Malabon City (Philippines), and Cartagena (Colombia) have integrated climate adaptation into coastal development to bridge the 'implementation gap' between planning and action. It identifies key success factors including political will, legislative mandates, access to credible climate data, and the allocation of domestic funding. While Bangladesh has seen significant reductions in cyclone casualties and Colombia has leveraged private sector leadership, challenges such as political instability, fragmented information, and insufficient funding persist across the studied regions.

The IEU report for the first half of 2020 outlines the progress of several major evaluations, including assessments of the GCF's country ownership approach, environmental and social safeguards, and the Simplified Approval Process. It highlights the unit's efforts to integrate behavioural science through the new Behaviour and Design Lab (BaDLab) and the LORTA programme. The report also details extensive communication efforts via webinars and social media to increase the uptake of evaluation findings, and provides a budget update showing a total expenditure and commitment of USD 2,447,221 against a 2020 budget of USD 5,581,985 as of 30 April 2020.

The briefing analyzes the intersection of climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, economic instability, deteriorating governance, and nuclear-armed geopolitical tensions in South Asia. It argues that these converging risks create non-linear dynamics that could lead to a systemic collapse or 'regime shift,' posing significant spillover risks to the global international system.

The report finds that global LNG terminal capacity under construction more than doubled between 2019 and 2020, increasing capital expenditure from $82.8 billion to $196.1 billion. This expansion is primarily driven by North American efforts to create new markets, but faces significant headwinds from the COVID-19 pandemic, falling gas prices, and intensifying opposition. The authors argue that the 'bridge fuel' narrative is undermined by high methane leakage rates, with some estimates suggesting LNG-powered electricity can have a global warming impact up to 16% higher than coal. Furthermore, the report highlights a high failure rate for proposed export projects (61% since 2014) and the risk of stranded assets as renewables become more cost-competitive.

Mighty Earth argues that the Matarbari coal plant project in Bangladesh is a 'disaster' characterized by cost overruns, high pollution levels, and human rights concerns. The document highlights that solar energy is a cheaper and cleaner alternative and asserts that the project violates Japan's own climate commitments under the Paris Agreement and its Fifth Strategic Energy Plan.

The document examines the role of local and community-based adaptation (CBA) in addressing climate risks, emphasizing that while local actions are often the most cost-effective and socially acceptable, they are frequently hindered by top-down planning and insufficient financing. It proposes a shift toward locally led processes that integrate indigenous knowledge, devolved financing, and multi-stakeholder governance to achieve sustainable and equitable resilience.

India faces significant climate vulnerability, with nearly 3% of its GDP at risk annually. To meet its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) goals, India requires $2.5 trillion in investments between 2016 and 2030, yet it is currently mobilizing less than 25% of this requirement. A primary barrier to scaling these investments is the lack of an agreed-upon definition of 'green finance,' leading to confusion and inconsistent reporting across the financial sector. The document proposes a combination of international practices, a principles-based approach (aligning with national goals and net carbon reduction), and a sectoral taxonomy to create a formal definition. Such a framework would enable better tracking of capital flows, mitigate greenwashing, and allow financial institutions to better assess climate-related physical and transition risks. The authors recommend forming a stakeholder task force to develop a comprehensive green finance roadmap that includes a common taxonomy, mandatory climate risk disclosures, and regulatory incentives to divert capital from carbon-intensive sectors.