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This briefing by Somos El Cambio explains the necessity of the energy transition, defined as phasing out fossil fuels in favor of renewable sources and more efficient energy use to mitigate global warming. It highlights the economic and environmental benefits of this shift, particularly for Latin America and the Caribbean, while emphasizing the need for fairness and equity to avoid repeating the extractivist patterns of the fossil fuel era.

The author contends that a polluted digital information environment undermines democracy, public trust in institutions, and social cohesion, thereby threatening basic human rights. The text highlights how disinformation fuels climate denial, electoral instability, and hate speech, while calling for a multinational approach involving governments, the UN, and the private sector to regulate harmful content without it being mischaracterized as censorship.

The document argues that international investment agreements (IIAs) and the ISDS mechanism act as legal barriers to climate action by allowing fossil fuel companies to sue governments for compensation when regulations impact their returns. It outlines a three-part framework for States: removing risk through treaty termination, carveouts, or removal of ISDS clauses; reducing risk via the adoption of 'right to regulate' provisions, interpretative statements, and the careful design of climate measures; and responding to active claims using jurisdictional challenges, the 'necessity defense', and arguments against the 'legitimate expectations' of investors. The toolkit emphasizes that the urgent need to limit warming to 1.5°C may justify the termination of treaties like the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) based on a fundamental change of circumstances.

The document analyzes the EU Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR), highlighting its shift toward mandatory due diligence for commodities like cattle, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, rubber, soya, and wood. It argues that while the EUDR is a significant step, it contains gaps regarding ecosystem coverage and the exclusion of financial institutions. The paper recommends expanding the regulation to include high-carbon biomes (such as savannahs and grasslands) and financial institutions to ensure capital flows toward sustainable agriculture. It also warns of a 'two-tier commodity trading system' where high-risk products are diverted to markets with less restrictive rules, such as the US and China, and emphasizes the need for collaborative frameworks with producer countries like Brazil, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Finally, it suggests using transition plans and third-party certifications, including the Climate Bonds Standard, to facilitate compliance and mobilize investment for a net-zero transition.

The report examines the global tea market, highlighting the vulnerability of smallholder farmers to price volatility and climate change. It assesses the impact of voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) like Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance, noting that while they can provide price floors and premiums, a significant amount of certified tea is still sold as conventional. The document argues for a shift toward more transparent pricing, direct trade, and sustainable land management to ensure living incomes for producers.

The 2024 IPIE expert survey reveals a growing pessimism about the global information environment, with 63% of experts expecting it to worsen. Key threats are identified as social media platform owners and government actors. While generative AI is seen as a tool for improving content detection and reporting, experts primarily fear its role in amplifying misinformation, harassment, and bias. The consensus emphasizes that accessibility to accurate information and diversity of speech are fundamental to a healthy information environment.

The factsheet examines the potential and risks of hydropower, including reservoir-based, run-of-river, and pumped-storage hydropower (PSH). While acknowledging PSH's role in grid stability, it highlights that hydropower is becoming less competitive than wind and solar due to higher costs and long construction timelines. The document details severe negative impacts on biodiversity, human rights, and the climate, specifically noting methane emissions from reservoirs. It concludes that new hydropower projects should be strictly conditioned on robust standards, with a preference for upgrading existing infrastructure over building new dams, particularly in Europe.

Colombia is the third largest methane emitter from the waste sector in Latin America and the Caribbean. In 2018, the waste sector contributed 7% of national greenhouse gas emissions, with 93.4% of those emissions being methane. While the country has a regulatory framework for general waste management, it lacks specific national policies for methane reduction. Key challenges include a tariff system that disincentivizes organic waste diversion and a lack of disaggregated data on waste flows. The document recommends developing a national methane mitigation strategy, revising tariffs to reflect actual capital costs for organic treatment, and improving the technical robustness of municipal Integrated Solid Waste Management Plans (PGIRS).

Colombia is the third largest emitter of waste methane in Latin America and the Caribbean, with the waste sector contributing 22% of national methane emissions. While the country has improved collection and disposal infrastructure, it lacks national policies specifically targeting methane reduction from solid waste. In 2018, the waste sector accounted for 7% of total greenhouse gas emissions, with 52% of those emissions originating from solid waste disposal. Organic waste makes up 70% of the waste stream, yet current tariff systems discourage organic waste diversion by rewarding landfill operators based on waste volume. Key recommendations include developing a national waste methane mitigation strategy, revising tariffs to reflect the costs of organics diversion, and improving data collection on waste flows.

The document outlines Mexico's waste sector emissions, the institutional framework for waste management, and the specific challenges and opportunities for methane mitigation.

The document outlines Mexico's waste sector methane emissions, the existing institutional and legal framework for waste management, and the challenges and opportunities for achieving GHG mitigation targets.

The report advocates for the mainstreaming of ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) as a tool to align climate and biodiversity actions across the Rio Conventions. It highlights the potential of EbA to reduce climate hazard intensity by 26% and provide significant economic benefits, such as USD 65 billion in flood protection from mangroves. The document emphasizes the need for policy coherence between National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), while stressing that equity and human rights-based approaches are essential for sustainable implementation.

The guide identifies key barriers to Just Transitions—including institutional capacity gaps, structural labour market vulnerabilities, and limited financing—and offers a strategic roadmap for policymakers. It argues that Just Transitions must move beyond a narrow focus on the energy sector to become a holistic, cross-ministerial strategy integrated into national development plans. Key recommendations include adopting needs-based capacity building, establishing robust social protection systems, and shifting international climate finance toward a more participatory, social-justice-oriented model.

This document is an annex listing the federal and state legislation consulted for a 2024 report titled "ONDE ESTAMOS NA IMPLEMENTAÇÃO DO CÓDIGO FLORESTAL?" (Where are we in the implementation of the Forest Code?). It provides a comprehensive bibliography of laws, decrees, normative instructions, and resolutions related to the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA) across various Brazilian states.

The report demonstrates a causal link between Amazonian deforestation and reduced hydroelectric output in Brazil, affecting plants both within the Amazon and in distant regions like the Paraná Basin. Through case studies of the Teles Pires and several Paraná Basin plants, it quantifies energy and financial losses, highlighting that 17 of Brazil's 20 largest hydroelectric plants are exposed to the 'flying rivers' mechanism. The document argues that forest conservation is essential for national energy security and suggests targeted restoration policies based on land tenure categories.

The 2024 report by Climate Policy Initiative/PUC-Rio examines the progress of the Brazilian Forest Code's implementation. While CAR registration is consolidated nationwide, the analysis phase remains a critical bottleneck, with only 15% of registries having initiated analysis and 3.3% concluded. The report highlights the adoption of automation tools like 'CAR Digital' in Mato Grosso and the 'Análise Dinamizada' by the Brazilian Forest Service (SFB) to accelerate validation. It also notes advancements in the PRA, with new states like Espírito Santo, Goiás, and Tocantins regulating the program. However, significant challenges persist, including low registry quality, communication gaps with landowners, and legal disputes regarding the Atlantic Forest biome.

In 2023, renewables reached a record 30% of global electricity generation, driven by solar and wind. Despite this, global power sector emissions rose by 1% to a record 14,153 million tonnes of CO2, as severe droughts caused a five-year low in hydropower, forcing a reliance on coal in countries like China and India. Solar was the fastest-growing source for the 19th consecutive year, while OECD countries continued to see falling emissions. Ember forecasts that 2023 marked the peak of power sector emissions, with a decline expected in 2024 as clean generation growth is projected to outpace electricity demand.

The document argues that the conservation of biodiversity and forests is interdependent with the respect for the collective rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities (PICL). It focuses on the concept of Territories and Areas Conserved by PICL (TICCA) and Community Forest Management (MCB), asserting that these models are vital for climate justice and preventing biodiversity loss. The brief outlines specific policy recommendations across seven key areas: self-determination, decision-making participation, land and territory rights, PICL-led conservation, protection of traditional knowledge, the right to well-being, and gender justice. It specifically warns against 'fortress conservation' that expels communities and opposes the use of financial market-based mechanisms, such as carbon markets, for conservation funding.

The document details restoration monitoring efforts across four countries. In Brazil, the Brazilian Restoration and Reforestation Observatory (BRRO) tracks progress toward climate agreements using a multi-stakeholder platform and satellite data. Kenya has developed a monitoring framework with 30 indicators integrated into its 2024 National Ecosystem and Landscape Restoration Strategy. Burkina Faso utilizes the ONEDD platform for centralized data sharing among government and NGO partners. Vietnam employs the FORMIS system for forest status monitoring, though it faces challenges with data accessibility and consistency.

The document defines key forestry terms and outlines the methodology for tracking progress toward the 2030 goals of the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use. It establishes a 2018-2020 baseline and a linear reduction pathway requiring a 10 percent annual reduction in loss to reach zero deforestation by 2030. The methodology covers the calculation of gross deforestation, humid tropical primary forest loss, greenhouse gas emissions, and forest degradation using the Forest Landscape Integrity Index (FLII). It also details indicators for forest restoration, including tropical moist forest regrowth and area under restoration, and biodiversity impacts via 7,025 Forested Key Biodiversity Areas (fKBAs).