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Global power sector emissions plateaued in the first half of 2023 at 5,795 million tonnes of CO2, a slight increase of 0.2% over the previous year. While emissions fell significantly in high-income economies like the EU (-17%) and US (-8.6%), they rose in China (+7.9%) and India (+3.7%). A historic 8.5% decline in global hydro generation, largely driven by droughts in China, prevented a larger drop in emissions by forcing a reliance on fossil fuels. Wind and solar increased their global electricity share to 14.3%, though their growth rates (10% for wind and 16% for solar) remained below the IEA's net zero scenario requirements. Global electricity demand grew by only 0.4%, hampered by demand falls in the EU, Japan, the US, and South Korea.

The Green Climate Fund's Accreditation Panel recommends the re-accreditation of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for a second term, maintaining its scope for medium-sized projects and medium environmental and social risk (Category B). The assessment confirms FAO's strong technical expertise in adaptation, REDD+, and the blue economy, and its ability to implement GCF's gender and environmental and social policies. While generally compliant, the Panel identified a gap in explicit policy statements regarding Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT), making the re-accreditation conditional upon the formal approval of an AML/CFT policy or the inclusion of consistent statements within its prohibited practices policies.

The Brazilian sustainable debt market reached USD 33.3bn by H1 2023, with green bonds dominating at 45.2%. Within the agriculture sector, forestry is the most financed land-use category, followed by agriculture and bioenergy. The report highlights the role of sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs) for hard-to-abate sectors and recommends government guarantees and a national taxonomy to scale GSS+ financing.

The Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) proposes a Global Credit Guarantee Facility (GCGF) to address the high cost of capital for renewable energy in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs), where debt costs are on average 7x higher than in developed economies. The GCGF would act as a trust fund providing partial guarantees to mitigate sovereign, off-taker, and average foreign exchange risks, while transferring political and residual FX risks to existing institutions like MIGA and TCX. CPI outlines three sizing approaches for the facility: a 'Conservative' model requiring USD 4.2 billion in funded capital, a 'Base Case' requiring USD 1.2 billion, and an 'Optimistic' model requiring USD 660 million. The paper estimates that an AAA-rated guarantor could reduce risk premiums by an average of 6% and improve credit ratings by 5-6 notches under its primary risk reduction approach.

The report argues that empowering consumers to manage their energy demand and production can shift approximately 900 TWh—about 27% of global residential electricity consumption—away from fossil fuels. It categorizes empowerment solutions into supply-side (e.g., 24/7 PPAs, energy cooperatives, P2P trading), demand-side (e.g., time-of-use tariffs, on-bill schemes), and data-based (e.g., smart meters, granular energy certificates) interventions. The document emphasizes that the path to 24/7 CFE varies by country maturity, dividing nations into 'Potential', 'Progressive', 'Aspirer', and 'Frontier' archetypes, each requiring different policy 'recipes' to overcome barriers such as low smart meter penetration and restrictive electricity market regulations.

The document records the disclosure of environmental and social impact assessments and management plans for an e-mobility subproject in Panama City. It confirms that the subproject is classified as Category B and that required documentation was made available in English and Spanish on the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) website and at a physical location in Panama City to comply with Green Climate Fund (GCF) policies.

The briefing evaluates 16 countries against 1.5°C-aligned power sector benchmarks, finding that no assessed country is fully on track. It argues for a global phase-out of coal and fossil gas by 2040, noting that while some countries are making progress on coal, there is a critical lack of explicit fossil gas phase-out plans and insufficient renewable energy acceleration globally.

China's solar panel exports grew by 34% in the first half of 2023, reaching 114 GW. While manufacturing capacity is sufficient to meet 1.5C pathway goals, bottlenecks in installation and grid integration are leading to increased stockpiles, particularly in Europe.

The report examines the role of voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) in South-South trade, noting that trade between developing countries grew from USD 600 billion in 1995 to USD 5.3 trillion in 2021. It highlights five examples of VSS integration in the Global South, including organic certification agreements between Chile and Brazil and regional standards in East Africa and the Pacific. The report concludes that integrating VSSs into trade policy can lower compliance costs, reduce trade barriers for smallholders and SMEs, and increase demand for sustainable products.

The document examines the evolving integration of ocean issues into the UNFCCC climate process, noting a shift from limited recognition in the Paris Agreement to the establishment of the annual Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue. While 2022 saw significant momentum through the 'Super Year of the Ocean' and the BBNJ agreement, the author argues that COP27 outcomes were overly process-oriented and lacked strong language on finance. For COP28, the brief recommends that African stakeholders leverage regional forums and the African Group of Negotiators to shift the global dialogue from knowledge sharing to concrete implementation, utilizing regional successes like the Great Blue Wall and Seychelles' debt-for-nature swap to advocate for increased finance, capacity building, and technology transfer.

The document argues that existing governance structures are insufficient to manage the disruptive trade-offs of the green transition. It proposes 'eco-social contracts'—frameworks for action that integrate social and ecological guarantees—to rebuild trust between citizens and states. The report examines policy tools such as Green Deals, degrowth, and circular economy models, while advocating for deliberative democratic mechanisms like citizens' assemblies and participatory budgeting to create a legitimate mandate for systemic change.

The report defines relinquishment as the legal transfer of responsibility for a closed mine site from the operator to the next landowner after closure commitments are fulfilled. It identifies a global gap in clear relinquishment policies, noting that many jurisdictions either lack such frameworks or have processes that are difficult to achieve due to government risk aversion. The document highlights successful models in Saskatchewan, Queensland, and Chile, and proposes a six-step policy framework: requiring comprehensive closure plans, conducting independent inspections, establishing residual risk management plans, creating funding mechanisms, executing legal transfers, and implementing long-term monitoring.

The report defines restitution as the legal transfer of responsibility for a mine site from the operator to a new owner after closure activities are completed and approved. It argues that current global practices are often insufficient, leading to indefinitely managed sites or abandoned mines. The document outlines six recommended steps for governments: requiring comprehensive closure plans, conducting independent inspections, establishing residual risk management plans, creating funding mechanisms, executing legal transfers, and implementing long-term monitoring. It highlights successful models in Saskatchewan, Queensland, and Chile, while noting that risk aversion and lack of clear legal frameworks often hinder restitution in developed mining jurisdictions.

The document defines mine relinquishment as the legal transfer of responsibility for a closed mine site once closure obligations are met. It argues that a lack of clear relinquishment policies leads to sites remaining indefinitely with operators or being abandoned. The report analyzes practices across 40+ jurisdictions, highlighting successful models in Saskatchewan, Queensland, and Chile. It proposes a six-step process: requiring comprehensive closure plans, conducting independent inspections, planning for residual risk management, establishing funding mechanisms, executing legal transfers, and implementing long-term monitoring.

The report analyzes India's vulnerability in the lithium supply chain, characterized by high import dependence and geographical concentration of production and processing in China. It forecasts a significant surge in lithium demand between 2022 and 2030, driven primarily by electric vehicles and grid storage. To mitigate risks, the report recommends a multi-pronged strategy: streamlining domestic exploration in states like Jammu and Kashmir, forming strategic partnerships with mineral-rich nations such as Australia and Argentina, leveraging state-owned enterprises like KABIL to support private sector offtake, and incentivizing the development of domestic lithium refineries and recycling infrastructure.

The report examines India's strategic position in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain, identifying opportunities in mineral processing and cell manufacturing. It analyzes key investment drivers—such as guaranteed demand, infrastructure, and policy incentives—and evaluates India's comparative advantages, including low labor costs and a strong chemical sector, against challenges like critical mineral dependency and the need for more upfront capital subsidies to attract multinational firms.

The report examines how voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) can be integrated into trade policies to foster sustainable South-South trade. It identifies key barriers, such as high compliance costs and lack of demand, and provides case studies from Africa, Asia, and Latin America to demonstrate successful integration strategies, including mutual recognition agreements and participatory guarantee systems.

The report examines 26 NAP progress reports from 20 countries to provide a framework for tracking climate adaptation. It identifies that while many countries commit to reporting, few do so due to capacity and resource constraints. The analysis proposes a four-step iterative cycle for reporting and details various methods for tracking implementation, evaluating effectiveness, and assessing the integration of adaptation into national budgeting.

The report examines the SADC region's role in the global energy transition, focusing on critical minerals like copper, lithium, cobalt, graphite, manganese, nickel, and rare earth elements. It highlights the risk of SADC countries remaining raw material suppliers unless they implement robust governance and strategic value-addition policies. The analysis covers the geostrategic influence of China, the US, and the EU, while providing country-specific case studies and recommendations for regional value chain development.

The report uses the Six Americas Super Short Survey (SASSY) to categorize Facebook users in 110 countries and territories into six groups: Alarmed, Concerned, Cautious, Disengaged, Doubtful, and Dismissive. The 'Alarmed' group is the largest in approximately 80 of the surveyed locations, with the highest percentages found in Chile (65%), Mexico (64%), Malawi (63%), Bolivia (62%), and Sri Lanka (61%). Conversely, the United States exhibits a higher proportion of 'Doubtful' and 'Dismissive' respondents (22%) compared to other major carbon emitters and is less 'Alarmed' (34%) than many of its peers. Regional analysis shows South America has the highest proportion of countries with a majority of 'Alarmed' respondents, while Southwest Asia and North Africa show higher levels of doubt or dismissal, particularly in Yemen (34%).