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written observations on the issues covered by the request for an Advisory Opinion submitted by Colombia and Chile on the Climate Emergency and Human Rights
The document argues that climate change is a human rights crisis driven by a small number of 'Carbon Majors' in the fossil fuel and agroindustrial sectors. It asserts that States have a duty under the American Convention on Human Rights to regulate these entities, halt fossil fuel expansion, and ensure reparations for affected communities. It further argues that business enterprises have an independent obligation to respect human rights, which includes conducting due diligence across their entire value chain and ceasing deceptive 'climate-washing' practices.
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Document type: Legal commentary
Canada’s Oil and Gas Emissions Cap Framework is a Welcome Step Forward, but Not Enough to Meet Climate Goals
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) views Canada's new oil and gas emissions cap framework as a necessary foundation for a sector-specific cap-and-trade system, but warns that the proposed 2030 reduction target of 16-20% relative to 2005 levels is insufficient compared to the broader economy-wide goal of 40-45%. The IISD expresses concern over compliance flexibilities, such as carbon offsets and decarbonization fund payments, which it argues may undermine actual emissions reductions. To align with the 2022 Emissions Reduction Plan, the IISD recommends strengthening the 2030 target toward a 40% reduction and minimizing the use of offsets.
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Document type: Statement
Brookfield’s Climate Paradox: Climate Pledges vs. Fossil Fuel Reality
The report alleges that Brookfield Corporation engages in greenwashing by underreporting its carbon footprint and maintaining significant fossil fuel investments, specifically through its ownership of Oaktree Capital, while publicly pledging to reach net-zero emissions.
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Document type: Executive summary
[BANK]’s human rights responsibilities and legal duties with respect to energy sector clients
ClientEarth asserts that banks providing financial services to fossil fuel expanders like Saudi Aramco are contributing to climate-related human rights impacts. The organization argues that such financing violates the UN Guiding Principles on Business & Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines, creating significant legal risks through emerging mandatory human rights due diligence laws and greenwashing litigation. ClientEarth proposes specific 'red-lines,' including an immediate end to financing new fossil fuel exploration and requiring clients to publish Paris-aligned transition plans by H1 2024.
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Document type: Statement
Brookfield’s Climate Paradox: Climate Pledges vs. Fossil Fuel Reality
Brookfield Corporation claims to be a leader in decarbonization with a goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, yet it maintains a vast portfolio of over 215 fossil fuel assets. The report estimates these assets emit nearly 159 million metric tons of CO2e annually, a figure approximately 14 times higher than what Brookfield discloses in its sustainability reports. A significant portion of these emissions stems from Oaktree Capital Management, which Brookfield owns 61% of but excludes from its sustainability reporting. The report also highlights the contradiction in the leadership of Mark Carney, who advocates for global net-zero targets while overseeing these investments. Geographically, the portfolio is concentrated in North America, with significant assets in the United States and Canada, as well as international investments in the United Arab Emirates.
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Document type: Report
Developed and developing countries are still far apart on loss and damage ahead of COP28
The document details the friction between developed and developing nations over the design, governance, and funding of the Loss and Damage Fund established at COP27. Key disputes include whether the fund should be a standalone UNFCCC entity or hosted by the World Bank, who should contribute (with the EU suggesting wealthier developing nations like China and Saudi Arabia), and whether the finance should be grants or loans. While a recommendation for a World Bank-hosted Financial Intermediary Fund was proposed, the US abstained due to concerns over legal liability and 'reparations', and the text lacks committed financial targets from developed countries.
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Document type: Research paper
A Global Review of Research on Effective Advocacy and Communication Strategies at the Intersection of Climate Change and Health
The report reviews global research on the intersection of climate change and health, finding that framing climate change as a public health issue—particularly through the use of trusted health professionals and positive, solutions-oriented messaging—can increase public engagement and support for climate policies across political divides. It notes a significant lack of representative data from the Global South and highlights the need for better integration of climate-health curricula in medical education and stronger engagement from public officials.
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Document type: Report
Ten guiding principles for financing coal retirement mechanisms
The document outlines ten principles for coal retirement mechanisms (CRMs), emphasizing the immediate cessation of coal expansion, the replacement of lost power with sustainable renewables, and the use of concessional financing in developing countries. It argues that CRMs must avoid emissions leakage, carbon offsets, and retrofitting delays while ensuring transparency and the remediation of social and environmental harms.
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Document type: Statement
Saving lives, delivering value: economic and health co-benefits of a fair oil and gas emissions cap
The briefing assesses the health and economic co-benefits of a 45% emissions cap on Canada's oil and gas sector. It projects that such a cap would avoid approximately 4,860 premature deaths between 2030 and 2040, resulting in an economic benefit of CAD $45.1 billion. The document highlights the link between oil and gas emissions and pollutants like NO2, PM2.5, and ozone, which contribute to respiratory and cardiac diseases. It also criticizes the federal government for failing to conduct a promised independent health study on communities near the oil sands and calls for a national study on the health costs of oil and gas production, similar to research conducted in the U.S.
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Document type: Briefing
Bridging the Divide
The report examines the potential for international cooperation to mitigate the risks of unilateral border carbon adjustments (BCAs), such as 'green protectionism' and trade retaliation. It evaluates the G7 Climate Club, GASSA, and the OECD's IFCMA using a framework of 'input legitimacy' (inclusiveness and institutional strength) and 'output legitimacy' (effectiveness in achieving five specific goals). The analysis finds that while none are currently ideal for BCA cooperation, the IFCMA shows the most promise due to its focus on data and comparability. The report warns that domestic political priorities and existing policy path dependencies, such as the EU's established CBAM, hinder the creation of a unified international approach.
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Document type: Report
Warming Projections Global Update
The December 2023 update finds that global warming projections have stalled, with current policies leading to 2.7°C of warming by 2100. Even the most optimistic scenario, including all announced targets, results in 1.8°C, exceeding the 1.5°C Paris Agreement goal. The report highlights a growing implementation gap and warns that reliance on carbon capture and storage (CCS), e-fuels, and carbon offsets are 'false solutions' that delay necessary deep emission cuts. It urges governments to submit 1.5°C-aligned 2035 targets by February 2025 and to commit to a complete phase-out of fossil fuels.
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Document type: Report
CCUS in power
The document evaluates the technical and economic performance of CCUS in power generation, highlighting that existing projects like Boundary Dam and Petra Nova have failed to meet theoretical capture rates. It notes that CCUS increases energy consumption by 20-30%, raises capital and operational costs significantly, and often facilitates enhanced oil recovery rather than permanent storage. Reclaim Finance concludes that CCUS in the power sector risks delaying the phase-out of fossil fuels and recommends that financial institutions prioritize mature sustainable energy sources like wind and solar.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Navigating South Africa’s Geopolitical Energy Transition by 2050
The report explores South Africa's energy transition through 2050, emphasizing the need to move beyond 'used futures' and growth-centric economic models. It identifies critical innovations in governance, technology, and social values, while proposing six alternative framings—ranging from ecomodernism to the 'great simplification'—to inform policy. The analysis highlights high-impact uncertainties such as a severe skills shortage for the decarbonized economy and the 'carbon trap' of meeting rising energy demands while reducing emissions. It concludes with four diverse scenarios for 2050 and recommends a shift toward regenerative economies and inclusive multilateralism.
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Document type: Report
Impacts and risks from climate change on trade infrastructure
The report examines the vulnerability of global trade infrastructure to climate change, highlighting that maritime, land-based, and air transport are all exposed to acute and slow-onset hazards. It identifies critical 'chokepoints' in global supply chains, particularly for food and raw materials, and notes that current adaptation efforts by governments and businesses are insufficient. The document argues for a systemic, global approach to climate-proofing trade infrastructure to prevent catastrophic economic losses and support the low-carbon transition.
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Document type: Report
Transparent 2023 Annual ReSource: Plastic Progress Report
The Transparent 2023 report details the plastic footprints of nine ReSource Member companies in 2022, noting a total of 5.10 million metric tons of plastic sold to retailers and consumers. While the use of recycled content increased to 12.0% of the aggregate portfolio, the report highlights that 87.9% of plastic remains derived from virgin fossil-based inputs. Progress in eliminating problematic plastics (PS, PVC, and small plastics) has slowed, though they now make up 1.2% of portfolios compared to 3.2% in 2018. The report emphasizes the need for a transition from reuse pilots to scaled deployment and advocates for a legally binding UN global treaty to address the systemic nature of plastic pollution.
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Document type: Report
Simplifier l'approbation des projets de croissance propre
The paper examines how strategic assessments can be used to streamline the approval of clean growth projects in Canada, particularly in light of the 2023 Supreme Court ruling on the Impact Assessment Act. It suggests that by shifting the regulatory burden from individual project assessments to broader strategic analyses of policies and systemic issues, Canada can accelerate its energy transition. The author recommends implementing clear triggers, a tiered approach to assessment, and robust outcome tracking, drawing on international examples from the EU and US.
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Document type: Research paper
Streamlining Clean Growth Project Approvals
The paper examines how strategic assessments—which analyze policies and systemic issues rather than individual projects—can accelerate Canada's net zero transition. It highlights that while the 2019 Impact Assessment Act provides a framework, the tool remains underused and lacks formalization. By adopting global best practices such as tiering, formal triggers, and outcome monitoring, Canada could more efficiently manage cumulative impacts and share regulatory burdens between strategic and project-level assessments.
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Document type: Research paper
Expediting Clean Energy Facilities in Canada
Canada needs to add over 10 gigawatts of new zero-emission electricity annually until 2050 to reach net zero. The author argues that current inclusive permitting processes are too slow and complex. They propose a two-track system: one for major or unproven projects and a second, expedited track for proven technologies like wind, solar, and lithium-ion batteries. This fast-track process would rely on binding, objective 'yes/no' criteria focusing on local government support, avoidance of key ecological features, and the mitigation of uncompensated off-site impacts. The paper concludes that all five orders of government (federal, provincial, territorial, municipal, and Indigenous) have the legal authority to implement these reforms, and recommends that municipal and Indigenous governments lead the project decisions for fast-track approvals.
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Document type: Research paper
Enhancing Biodiversity Co-Benefits From Nature-Based Solutions for Adaptation in Practice
The document presents case studies on mangrove restoration in Grenada and biological corridors in Costa Rica to demonstrate how nature-based solutions (NbS) can enhance climate resilience while protecting biodiversity. It argues that to achieve 'multiple wins' for biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, projects must be designed from the outset to provide measurable benefits for ecosystem health.
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Document type: Case study
In The Dark: underreporting of coal mine methane is a major climate risk
The report finds that global coal mine methane (CMM) emissions may be up to twice as high as government figures reported to the UNFCCC. It highlights a systemic failure in measurement, noting that 97% of reported emissions rely on generic emission factors rather than direct measurement. The analysis identifies 22 countries that may be underreporting emissions by more than 100%, with severe discrepancies noted in South Africa, Indonesia, and Germany. Ember recommends mandatory direct measurement for all mines, the use of satellite verification, and international financial support for low-income countries to implement these standards.
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Document type: Report