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The document examines the rise of 'greenwashing' litigation related to plastics, where companies are challenged over misleading claims about recyclability, biodegradability, and corporate sustainability. It details a proliferation of class actions in the US and Canada, NGO-led challenges in the EU and US, and increasing enforcement by regulators like the FTC and CMA. The briefing also identifies an emerging 'second generation' of lawsuits brought by shareholders who allege financial losses resulting from deceptive environmental statements.

The report identifies subnational pension funds as a significant source of untapped capital for urban climate action, estimating at least USD 9.5 trillion in assets across Brazil, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, South Africa, the UK, and the US. It details structural barriers such as low risk appetite and limited fund size, as well as external barriers like a lack of bankable project pipelines and ticket size mismatches. To overcome these, the document recommends the use of financial instruments such as blended finance, green bonds, and supply-side aggregation (pooling), while urging funds to make net zero commitments and build internal capacity.

Global Energy Monitor reports that 24,166 km of oil pipelines are in development worldwide, with an estimated cost of USD 75.4 billion. This expansion, led by the United States, India, China, and Russia, is projected to add approximately 30.1 million barrels per day of transmission capacity, potentially generating 4.61 billion tonnes of CO2 annually. The report argues that this buildout creates significant stranded asset risks and contradicts the IEA's Net Zero by 2050 scenario, which states that no new oil fields are necessary to meet Paris Agreement goals.

The report argues that the gas industry is pushing hydrogen heating to avoid a 'death spiral' as consumers switch to electric heat pumps. It claims that converting gas grids to hydrogen could cost European users €240bn and that 'hydrogen ready' boilers are a greenwashing tactic to lock in fossil gas use. The document highlights that hydrogen combustion emits dangerous nitrogen oxides (NOx), contrary to industry marketing, and that heat pumps are significantly more cost-effective and efficient than hydrogen-based heating.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the 2022 Switzerland-Indonesia Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (API). While noting innovations in limiting 'treaty shopping' and excluding speculative profits from expropriation compensation, the IISD argues the agreement remains problematic. Key concerns include a climate-neutral definition of investment, unpredictable 'fair and equitable treatment' standards, insufficient protections for the state's right to regulate in the public interest, and a dispute settlement mechanism that allows direct access to international arbitration without exhausting national remedies. The IISD recommends that Switzerland adopt more stringent sustainability criteria and stronger investor responsibility mechanisms in its future treaties.

The document analyzes global oil demand scenarios from the IEA and CER, concluding that structural shifts in road transport and increasing climate policies will lead to a permanent decline in oil demand starting before 2030. It highlights that while road transport is the primary driver, other sectors like plastics, aviation, and shipping will also contribute to demand destruction in the medium term, creating a shrinking market for Canadian oil producers.

The 2022 Private Equity Climate Risks Scorecard evaluates eight major private equity firms, finding that most maintain significant fossil fuel holdings and lack transparency. The Carlyle Group ranked lowest (F), while TPG earned a B due to a smaller fossil fuel portfolio. The report advocates for five primary demands, including alignment with 1.5°C warming targets and full disclosure of emissions and fossil fuel exposure.

The Private Equity Climate Risks Scorecard 2022 evaluates eight major private equity firms on their fossil fuel exposure, downstream emissions, and alignment with science-based climate targets. The analysis finds that most of these firms maintain significant fossil fuel holdings and lack transparency, with The Carlyle Group ranking lowest (F) and TPG Capital ranking highest (B). The report argues that private equity firms often acquire polluting assets shed by public markets, thereby increasing climate and financial risks while operating with minimal regulatory oversight. It concludes with five primary demands for the industry, including aligning with 1.5°C warming targets and disclosing full fossil fuel exposure.

The paper examines the failure of the 'billions to trillions' agenda to mobilize private capital for biodiversity, noting that while some success exists in renewable energy, biodiversity funding remains critically low. It introduces the Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) as a tool to analyze the financial 'regime' and 'landscape' that obstruct biodiversity investment. The author suggests six policy intervention points—stimulating and accelerating niches, destabilizing the regime, addressing repercussions, coordinating multi-regime interactions, and tilting the landscape—to drive a systemic transition toward effective biodiversity financing.

Reclaim Finance argues that the Powering Past Coal Alliance's (PPCA) current Finance Principles allow members to continue supporting coal expansion. The organization recommends updating the global phase-out deadline to 2040, removing the term "unabated" to ban all coal power, expanding the scope to include the entire coal value chain (including mining), banning general financial services to companies planning coal expansion, and implementing a sanction mechanism to exclude non-complying members.

The report analyzes the growing U.S. electric school bus (ESB) market, noting that as of March 2022, 415 districts had committed to 12,275 ESBs. It details the benefits of ESBs, including zero tailpipe emissions and lower operational costs, while outlining the technical requirements for charging infrastructure and the variety of available vehicle types (Type A, C, and D). The guide also explores funding mechanisms, such as the $5 billion Clean School Bus Program, and provides a roadmap for fleet electrification.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) urges the Edmonton City Council to ban cosmetic pesticides, asserting that such bans are popular, cost-effective, and essential for protecting human and environmental health. CAPE argues that the current risk assessment approach is insufficient and advocates for an 'alternatives assessment' paradigm that prioritizes hazard prevention over acceptable risk. The document links pesticide use to broader planetary health crises, noting that pesticides can negatively impact soil biodiversity and carbon sequestration, thereby exacerbating the climate emergency. CAPE cites various health risks associated with pesticides, including links to cancers, reproductive problems, and Parkinson's disease, and points to successful bans in other jurisdictions as models for Edmonton to follow.

The document asserts that Canada lacks the necessary infrastructure to provide immediate LNG supplies to the EU following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It highlights that while the EU seeks short-term alternatives, it is simultaneously accelerating its 'Fit for 55' and 'REPower' plans to reduce gas demand and achieve climate neutrality. With new Canadian projects taking at least three years to complete, the author concludes that such investments risk becoming stranded assets as European demand declines.

The briefing examines the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on global food security, noting that the two nations provide 12% of global calories. It highlights how port blockades and fertiliser export suspensions have driven up prices and hunger, particularly in Africa and the Middle East. The document warns that protectionist export bans by countries like India and Argentina are exacerbating the crisis, and argues that increasing cropland to compensate is problematic due to the associated fossil fuel and fertiliser requirements.

The author contends that health issues such as endometriosis, PCOS, and breast cancer are linked to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and xenoestrogens found in plastics, pesticides, and cosmetics. The text criticizes a medical and social narrative that places the onus of prevention on individual lifestyle choices, arguing instead that corporate profit and inadequate regulation drive exposure. It calls for healthcare professionals to acknowledge these environmental links and urges support for strengthening the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) via Bill S-5.

The 30th meeting of the IAI Conference of the Parties (CoP-30) focused on administrative governance, financial sustainability, and the advancement of transdisciplinary climate research in the Americas. Key outcomes included the approval of the 2022-2023 operating budget, the adoption of a revised Scientific Agenda, and the establishment of a Gender, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy. The meeting also initiated the recruitment process for a new Executive Director and planned for the 31st meeting to be hosted by Panama in 2023.

The Canadian Climate Institute argues that the proposed Clean Electricity Regulations (CER) contain ambiguities and exemptions that could undermine Canada's 2035 net zero electricity target. The Institute recommends clarifying the treatment of existing power units, removing financial exemptions for emergency emissions, and phasing out output-based pricing in favor of a full carbon price. To maintain climate credibility and affordability, it suggests the government use financial compliance revenues to procure negative emissions and address equity concerns through targeted public investment and rate design rather than by diluting the CER's stringency.

The report analyzes the status of women in the Canadian large-scale mining sector, finding that they are persistently underrepresented at approximately 16% of the workforce. While women in mining are often highly educated and concentrated in professional or exploration roles, they face systemic barriers including gender pay gaps, limited access to support networks, and higher rates of unresolved discrimination and harassment. The document recommends that governments mandate disaggregated data reporting and integrate psychological safety into occupational health and safety legislation to improve workplace culture and equity.

The report examines the systemic underrepresentation of women in Peru's large-scale mining sector, where female labor participation remained around 6% between 2010 and 2019. It identifies key barriers including a lack of women in STEM degrees, traditional gender biases, and challenges in retaining mothers. The document analyzes employment data, regulatory frameworks, and private sector practices, concluding with policy recommendations to improve inclusion, such as implementing gender quotas in recruitment and enhancing labor flexibility for parents.

The document examines the feasibility of using Canadian LNG to replace Russian gas in the EU, concluding that the 3-to-5-year timeline for building new Canadian facilities is incompatible with the EU's immediate needs and its medium-term goal of phasing out gas by 2025-2027.