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The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Executive Directorate's summary report for the 2020-2021 intersessional period details progress in scientific research, capacity building, and science-policy interfaces despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Key achievements include the launch of the Science, Technology and Policy (STeP) fellowship program, the establishment of new strategic partnerships with entities like the Wellcome Trust and Mitacs Canada, and the implementation of transdisciplinary projects on climate-driven infectious diseases in the Caribbean.

Friends of the Earth International calls for a temporary waiver of intellectual property rights (TRIPS waiver) on Covid-19 vaccines and medical supplies to end "Vaccine Apartheid" and ensure global immunisation. The statement argues that corporate monopolies and the hoarding of vaccines by wealthy nations have created a moral crisis, leaving the global South with alarmingly low vaccination rates while high-income countries prioritise profits and their own citizens.

A statement by Friends of the Earth International calling for a temporary waiver of intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines and medical supplies to ensure global equity and a "just recovery."

Friends of the Earth International calls for a 'People's Vaccine' and a temporary waiver of intellectual property rights (TRIPS) at the World Trade Organization (WTO) to ensure equitable global access to COVID-19 vaccines, arguing that corporate monopolies and profit-driven distribution are creating a 'vaccine apartheid' that disproportionately affects the Global South.

The Climate Action Tracker (CAT) reports that global warming estimates for 2100 have reached a record low of 2.4°C, driven by announcements from President Biden’s Leaders Summit on Climate and other pledges since September 2020. Despite this 0.2°C improvement, current projections remain above the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C limit, and a significant gap persists between targets and the policies required to achieve them.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the specific characteristics of rural credit in the Brazilian Amazon biome, highlighting a heavy reliance on cattle production, limited access to credit compared to other Brazilian regions, and a lack of competition among financial institutions. The analysis suggests that these financial structures contribute to extensive land use and deforestation, advocating for a credit system better aligned with the Forest Code and sustainability indicators.

This report examines methods for setting national mitigation targets under the Paris Agreement to align with long-term temperature limits, specifically comparing cost-effectiveness and equity-based approaches. It discusses the role of international support in bridging the gap between these approaches, the spill-over effects of domestic climate policies, and the potential for the European Union to accelerate global climate efforts through its own neutrality goals and leadership.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the industrial policy of the Zona Franca de Manaus (ZFM), arguing that while it is named a 'free zone,' it functions conceptually as an 'enterprise zone' focused on regional development rather than international trade. The authors suggest that the current incentive structure fails to drive productivity or wage growth and recommend redefining the ZFM's identity to align its fiscal incentives with either international competitiveness or sustainable regional development.

This briefing by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes how Brazil's New Bidding Law (Lei nº 14.133/2021) can be used to better prevent socio-environmental impacts in infrastructure projects. The authors argue that the law's detailed requirements for preliminary technical studies provide an opportunity to introduce a 'pre-feasibility analysis' phase, which would identify risks earlier in the project lifecycle and improve the quality of subsequent environmental studies and licensing processes.

The New Bidding Law of April 2021 in Brazil provides an opportunity to enhance infrastructure planning by detailing preliminary technical studies. CPI/PUC-Rio recommends using this framework to introduce a formal pre-feasibility analysis to filter out high-risk or infeasible projects. While the law increases transparency via a centralized website and expands the oversight role of legal advisory bodies and courts of accounts, it is criticized for reducing mandatory social participation in the bidding process.

This May 2021 briefing from the Climate Action Tracker (CAT) analyzes the impact of recent Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) updates and net-zero pledges on global warming projections. It finds that while recent commitments have lowered the estimated end-of-century warming to 2.4°C, this remains significantly above the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C goal, and current policies are still on track for 2.9°C of warming.

This statement by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes a new substitute text for Bill (PL) no 2633/2020, which proposes changes to land regularization rules for federal lands in Brazil. The analysis identifies some procedural improvements regarding inter-agency consultation and the requirement for active Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) status, but criticizes the lack of environmental safeguards and the creation of unjustified benefits for small properties, which the authors argue may reward environmental crimes.

A statement from WRI Brasil analyzing President Jair Bolsonaro's climate commitments made during the Leaders Summit on Climate, noting a contradiction between the announced goals and the administration's actual environmental actions.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute outlines four critical objectives for the Leaders Summit on Climate (April 22-23, 2021), hosted by the United States. The document argues that the summit is a vital milestone for major economies to align their 2030 emissions targets with net-zero trajectories, increase climate finance for developing nations, end public funding for coal, and ensure COVID-19 economic recovery plans prioritize green infrastructure over fossil fuels to keep the 1.5 degree Celsius warming limit within reach.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative/Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes the potential for increasing cattle productivity in the Legal Amazon. It finds that current livestock production is homogeneously low-productivity and extensive, meaning that simply disseminating existing local best practices would only yield modest gains. The authors argue that significant productivity increases require a new business model involving technologies not yet used at scale and a crackdown on land grabbing and illegal deforestation.

This briefing by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes a new substitute text for Bill PL nº 2633/2020, which proposes changes to land regularization rules in Brazil. The authors evaluate the proposal's impact on environmental safeguards, administrative procedures, and the alignment between land and environmental policies.

The report 'Boom and Bust 2021' analyzes the global coal plant pipeline, highlighting a divergence where a surge in coal development in China offset a general global retreat. While many countries in South and Southeast Asia, the US, and the EU are retiring plants or cancelling projects, China's commissioning of new capacity led to the first increase in global coal capacity since 2015.

The 2020 global coal power landscape was characterized by a sharp increase in capacity in China, which offset declines elsewhere and led to the first global increase in coal capacity since 2015. While the US and EU saw record closures, China's provincial governments accelerated coal projects as economic stimulants. Conversely, several Southeast Asian and South Asian nations began canceling planned projects due to financing difficulties and shifting policies.

The report 'YÜKSELIŞ VE ÇÖKÜŞ 2021' analyzes the global state of coal-fired power plants in 2020, highlighting a stark divergence between China's continued expansion and a general global decline. While the rest of the world saw record retirements and project cancellations—particularly in the US, EU, and Southeast Asia—China's surge in new capacity led to a net global increase in coal power. The document details the financial challenges facing coal, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on project timelines, and the gap between current national trajectories and the IPCC 1.5°C pathway.

The report 'BÙNG NỔ VÀ THOÁI TRÀO 2021' analyzes global coal power trends in 2020, highlighting a stark contrast between China's surge in new capacity and a general global decline. While many nations in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the OECD are canceling projects or accelerating closures, China's rapid development has caused total global coal capacity to increase for the first time since 2015.