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The 2014 European Green Party primaries served as an unprecedented experiment in pan-European internal party democracy, allowing members across the continent to select the lead candidate for the European Parliament campaign. While the process faced challenges regarding communication and turnout, it demonstrated the potential for transnational political mobilization. The author argues that this experience should lead to the creation of transnational electoral lists—specifically proposing a 25-member general European list—to shift the political narrative from national interests to a shared European project and to counter populist discourse.

The "Liczy się każdy głos" project in Flanders sought to bridge the gap between marginalized citizens and politicians. By conducting interviews with over 8,000 people, the project created a memorandum on social issues and organized political debates in 13 cities to ensure that the needs of the socio-economically disadvantaged were represented in the public discourse.

The text advocates for a shift in ecologist political strategy toward 'social innovation' rather than just technological innovation, positioning civil society as the primary engine for social change. It suggests that green foundations should maintain a 'benevolent distance' from political parties—long enough to allow independent reflection and dialogue with citizens, but short enough to influence party roadmaps. Using the Etopia foundation in French-speaking Belgium as an example, the author highlights initiatives such as 'Sustainable Citizen Neighborhoods' in Brussels, the implementation of synthetic indicators to complement GDP in Wallonia, and the promotion of 'prosperity without growth' to challenge the traditional growth-centric political paradigm.

The Green Primary served as a first-of-its-kind transnational experiment to select leading candidates for the European Green Party in the May 2014 elections. While it faced challenges such as varying national contexts and low turnout in some regions, it demonstrated the potential for European-level party structures. The author argues that the next step for European democratic institution building is the creation of transnational lists, as proposed in the Duff Report, to shift the political narrative from national interests to a collective European vision.

The 'Every Vote Counts' campaign in Flanders, Belgium, sought to bridge the gap between politics and socially vulnerable citizens. By interviewing over 8,000 people and collaborating with 200 local partners, the initiative developed a memorandum on social topics focusing on solidarity and redistribution. The campaign used policy proposals, lobbying, and a dedicated website to push for affordable housing, fair taxation, and accessible healthcare, successfully bringing marginalized groups into electoral debates with party leaders across 13 cities.

A briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and other NGOs criticizing the decision by CITES to remove Afrormosia (Pericopsis elata) from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from the Review of Significant Trade. The document argues that the DRC has failed to implement sustainable management practices, continues to engage in widespread illegal logging, and has provided an insufficient non-detriment finding (NDF) to justify its export quotas.

The document expresses disappointment over the removal of Pericopsis elata (Afrormosia) from the CITES Review of Significant Trade for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It argues that the DRC continues to disregard CITES norms, with an estimated ninety percent of timber harvested being "illegal or informal" and actual harvests reaching "eight times the official harvest." The authors claim the DRC's May 2014 non-detriment finding (NDF) is insufficient, lacking a scientific basis for export quotas and failing to address widespread corruption and the use of falsified permits. The document highlights that the DRC is rated as one of the "two most problematic countries in Africa for illegal exploitation of natural resources" and requests a comprehensive review and suspension of trade in all CITES-listed plants and animals from the DRC until compliance is guaranteed.

The document critiques the predominantly national level of First World War memorialization, arguing that such approaches often reproduce the nationalistic discourse that led to the conflict. The author proposes a new culture of remembrance under the auspices of the European Parliament that emphasizes the shared experience of futility and horror over national honor. By disclosing diverse narratives and historic grievances, the author suggests that Europe can create the mutual trust necessary to overcome current political and economic stalemates and strengthen the European Union's democratic legitimacy.

The report analyzes the implementation of the Effort Sharing Decision (ESD), which targets non-ETS sectors responsible for nearly 60% of EU emissions. While 15 Member States are projected to over-achieve their 2020 targets, others face significant gaps, particularly in road transport and buildings. The document highlights that while the overall EU 2020 target is likely to be met, several countries rely on flexibility mechanisms or planned additional measures rather than existing policies to close their emission gaps.

The document argues that subnational governments are essential for implementing sustainable development policies because they are closest to citizens' needs and can foster grassroots innovation. It emphasizes the need for 'vertical coordination'—the linking of local, subnational, national, and supranational levels—to ensure policy coherence. Using empirical research, the author identifies good practice examples in Europe (such as Tyrol, Austria) and other regions (such as Bhutan), while noting that many regions lack systematic links to national strategies due to political independence or administrative bottlenecks. The briefing recommends a 'metagovernance' approach that mixes hierarchical, market, and network styles to better integrate sustainable development across all levels of government.

The document analyzes National Councils for Sustainable Development (NCSDs) as mechanisms for stakeholder engagement in national sustainable development strategies (NSDSs). It categorizes NCSDs by membership—government-only, mixed, or non-governmental—and evaluates the strengths and challenges of each. The briefing identifies key success factors, such as the appointment of independent chairs and the maintenance of a 'critical friend' relationship with government, while detailing the core functions of NCSDs in strategy creation, policy implementation, monitoring, and international outreach.

The document examines how National Sustainable Development Councils (NCSDs) can support the transition from Millennium Development Goals to Sustainable Development Goals. Based on survey data from 12 countries, it identifies that while most nations have national sustainable development strategies, they face significant financial and structural barriers, including institutional resistance and poor data quality. The briefing highlights the advisory role of NCSDs and recommends a participatory approach, vertical alignment between government levels, and the strengthening of existing institutional frameworks to achieve national SDG targets.

A coalition of social movements and NGOs argues that the FAO's current forest definition is reductionist and primarily benefits industrial timber, pulp, paper, and rubber companies. The authors contend that by defining forests simply as land with a certain percentage of tree cover, the FAO erroneously classifies large-scale monoculture plantations as 'reforestation' and ignores the structural and cultural importance of forests to the 300 million people who depend on them for their livelihoods. The letter calls for a new, community-led definition process that recognizes the role of forests in food sovereignty and biological diversity.

The document examines the 'sustainability of democracy,' exploring how representative systems can be reformed to address ecological challenges and the rights of future generations. It analyzes the role of Green political foundations as bridges between civil society and state institutions, critiques the 'short-termism' of current political cycles, and presents various democratic experiments—such as the Finnish Citizens' Initiative and the Green Primary—as pathways toward a more participatory and post-national European democracy.

The document analyzes the slowdown of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon, noting that while overall rates dropped by 83% from 2004 to 2012, progress has stalled. It argues that previous command-and-control measures were more effective for large landowners than for smallholders or those in remote areas. The brief recommends shifting toward incentive-based policies, adopting higher-resolution monitoring technology, and tailoring interventions to specific actor types to achieve Brazil's 2020 deforestation goals.

The document analyzes the effectiveness of Brazil's anti-deforestation policies in the Amazon, noting that while an 83% reduction in annual deforestation was achieved between 2004 and 2012, progress has since stagnated. It argues that previous 'command and control' measures primarily targeted large landowners and critical frontiers, leaving smallholders and remote areas less addressed. The authors recommend shifting toward incentive-based policies for small farmers, adopting high-resolution radar monitoring to detect smaller clearings, and focusing on forest degradation rather than just total forest cover.

The document is an open letter addressed to ministers and delegates of UNFCCC signatory states, urging them to adopt ambitious climate protection measures and stop the use of emissions trading to weaken climate commitments. The signatories, representing 33 countries, demand the rejection of a pilot phase for emissions unit trading under the Framework for Various Approaches (FVA), the prevention of double counting, and the exclusion of non-additional projects and coal from the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). They also call for the cessation of fossil fuel subsidies and the implementation of human rights safeguards in climate projects.

The document outlines the state of climate finance negotiations leading up to COP19, focusing on the mobilization of US$100 billion per year by 2020 and the operationalization of the Green Climate Fund. It details the work of the Standing Committee on Finance, the challenges facing the Adaptation Fund due to falling carbon prices, and the need for 'enabling environments' in both developed and developing countries to attract and deploy investment. The guide emphasizes that providing financial assurance to developing countries is critical for securing their commitment to a new global climate agreement in 2015.

The Jädraås Onshore Windfarm, the largest in Scandinavian Europe at its May 2013 commissioning, was financed through a total of EUR 360 million in private investment. To overcome limited commercial bank lending capacity during the economic recession, a 'Synthetic Loan' structure was created: the Danish export credit agency (EKF) provided an AAA-rated state-backed guarantee that enabled the pension fund PensionDanmark to provide EUR 120 million in debt. The project's viability was further secured by the Swedish renewable electricity certificate scheme, providing a 15-year revenue stream. Risk was managed through hedging contracts for power and certificates and a 15-year operations and maintenance contract with turbine provider Vestas. The report argues that this model is replicable for other green infrastructure projects if simple structures and risk-coverage mechanisms are employed.

The document updates the 2011 subsidy estimates for EU biofuels, reducing the total estimated support from €9,272–€10,653 million to €5,515–€6,896 million. This correction stems from an overestimation of the volume of biofuels eligible for fuel excise tax exemptions. While budgetary support figures for bioethanol and biodiesel were lowered, other support elements, such as market transfers, remain unchanged. The report also details the calculation methodologies for excise tax exemptions and market price support via blending mandates.