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The document argues that climate action is most effective and legitimate when based on a human rights approach. It outlines a framework for integrating these rights into NDCs, focusing on scientific ambition, inclusive public participation, gender equality, the rights of indigenous peoples, land tenure, and a just transition for workers.

The document examines how anti-fossil fuel norms—specifically the phase-out of coal, oil, and gas, the end of public financing for fossil fuels, and subsidy reform—can overlook the needs of marginalized communities and the Global South. It argues that while these norms create political momentum, they risk causing unintended inequitable consequences, such as asset stranding in developing nations, unless paired with financial support and a focus on energy access.

The statement highlights the high risks faced by environmental defenders in Latin America, noting that 200 deaths were recorded in 2020 alone. It criticizes the lack of effective protection provided by the Escazu Agreement and the 30x30 conservation project, emphasizing that indigenous people and women are disproportionately targeted. The text calls for UN and US government intervention to protect these activists.

The report outlines the Green Guarantee Company's (GGC) framework for integrating gender equality and women's empowerment into its credit guarantee operations for green bonds and loans. It assesses gender vulnerabilities in five key sectors—energy, transport, buildings/cities, health/food/water security, and infrastructure—and provides high-level profiles for eight target countries. The document details a seven-step Transaction Selection Process (TSP) designed to ensure that guaranteed projects are gender-responsive, including rigorous due diligence, remediation strategies, and the use of a multidisciplinary 'line of defence' consisting of internal and external gender specialists.

This briefing outlines the progress of the Regional Assessment conducted by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI). The assessment aims to identify knowledge gaps and uncertainties in decisions impacted by global environmental change (GEC) to better target science and capacity-building efforts for Member Countries.

The IAI is conducting a Regional Assessment to better understand how global environmental change (GEC) affects the decisions of its member Parties. Through surveys and subregional listening sessions held in 2022, the IAI identified 'climate action' as the most important current national priority for 14 Parties. Key barriers to using scientific information include a lack of intersectoral collaboration and a lack of science available for non-technical audiences. The assessment has grouped member countries by shared priorities and identified specific regional focuses, such as water security in the Southern Cone and biodiversity in the Andean subregion. Next steps include a deep analysis of collected data and a review of national policy documents, with results to be communicated at CoP-31.

As of September 30, 2022, the IAI had received 38% of its approved contributions for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. Total expenditures for the July-September period were $314,865, which is 10% lower than the budgeted $350,000. While salaries remained within budget, travel and training costs exceeded projections by 12.4% due to high ticket prices. Other categories, including equipment, operational costs, and dissemination, were under budget due to postponed purchases and improved resource management.

The document analyzes 142 NDCs, finding that while 100 mention public transport, only 26 set specific targets. It argues that public transport is essential for limiting global warming to 1.5C by reducing private vehicle use and electrifying bus fleets. The authors identify five key implementation areas: funding for infrastructure and operations, 100% transition to electric buses, adaptation and resilience measures, broader sustainable urban transport planning, and cross-sectoral coordination.

The report examines the bioeconomy in Brazil and the Amazon through three conceptual lenses: biotechnology, bioresources, and bioecology. It finds that while Brazil possesses a broad set of regulations covering these areas, it lacks a unified national strategy and coordinated governance. The analysis highlights that the 'various Amazons'—conserved, deforested, under pressure, and urban—require different bioeconomy approaches. Key regulatory tensions exist within the Biodiversity Law, which is viewed as too bureaucratic by the biotechnology sector and insufficient in protecting traditional knowledge by bioecology advocates. The report concludes that effective governance must integrate multiple ministries and prioritize land tenure regularization to ensure sustainability and legal security.

The document analyzes the global landscape of fossil fuel subsidies, noting a significant rise to almost USD 700 billion in 2021. It distinguishes between production and consumption subsidies—the latter making up 86% of 2019 estimates—and highlights how these supports distort international trade through 'pass-through' effects. The briefing argues that reforming these subsidies could reduce CO2 emissions by an average of 6% by 2030 across 32 economies, especially if savings are reinvested in clean energy. It also details the role of the WTO and other international forums (G7, G20, APEC) in establishing disciplines to phase out inefficient subsidies.

The proposal aims to mobilize private capital for Panama's low-emission and climate-resilient economy by addressing a lack of clarity on sustainable investments and a deficiency in climate-related financial risk management. It focuses on the banking and insurance sectors, leveraging the existing Sustainable Finance Working Group (GTFS). Key activities include creating a national taxonomy, implementing TCFD-aligned risk disclosure methodologies, and building capacity through training. The project also seeks to identify a domestic financial institution for GCF accreditation and develop a concept note for a larger mainstreaming project.

The proposal seeks USD 627,331 over 24 months to help Costa Rica mobilize private finance for its National Decarbonization Plan (NDP) and Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). It focuses on creating a national sustainable finance taxonomy and implementing Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations for the banking and insurance sectors. Key activities include establishing a Financial Advisory Group (FAG), developing a GCF Country Programme, and creating online reporting modules within the SINAMECC and SICVECA platforms. The project aims to address gaps in climate risk data and the lack of unified classification systems for green investments.

The E-Mobility Program for Sustainable Cities in Latin America and the Caribbean is a 450 million USD initiative (200 million USD from GCF) designed to accelerate the transition to commercial electric vehicles (EVs) and enhance the climate resilience of urban transport systems. The program focuses on high-utilization commercial vehicles, including buses, taxis, trucks, and vessels, while excluding private passenger cars. It integrates EV deployment with sustainable urban mobility measures, such as cycle lanes and pedestrianization, and explores advanced technologies like green hydrogen and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) systems to improve grid stability. The program targets nine countries: Barbados, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Panama, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Key goals include reducing GHG emissions by 7.55 million tCO2e and benefiting approximately 8.9 million people through adaptation measures.

Denmark is phasing out all oil and gas extraction by 2050, a goal codified in its 2020 climate law. The transition focuses on the port of Esbjerg, leveraging existing skills to shift from fossil fuels to offshore wind power. Supported by a strong welfare state and a 'flexicurity' model, the government aims to mitigate employment losses—estimated at 10,000 direct and 16,000 indirect jobs—through investments in green technology and international partnerships like the Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance.

The proposal seeks USD 2,545,711 over 36 months to address fiscal vulnerabilities and institutional gaps in the Dominican Republic. Key initiatives include developing a National Climate Finance Strategy, preparing for sovereign green bond issuance, implementing debt-for-climate swaps, and establishing a National Financing Vehicle. The program also aims to green the banking sector, integrate climate criteria into public-private partnerships (PPPs), develop a National Ecotourism Strategy, and create 436,065 green jobs through vocational training. Additionally, it provides technical support to accredit two national entities as GCF Direct Access Entities.

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) highlights the need for integrated planning to manage synergies and trade-offs between the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The briefing presents the Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP) as a unique open-access, quantitative, and prospective tool capable of analyzing both Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and SDGs. SEI's Initiative on Integrated Climate and Development Planning has expanded LEAP with extensions for macroeconomic impacts, health, agriculture, and land use, which have been applied in 16 countries to quantify the co-benefits of climate action.

The paper argues that COVID-19 recovery should move beyond short-term stimulus to 'structural reforms' that are systemic, long-lasting, and general purpose. It introduces a 'Green Structural Recovery Menu' featuring ten high-level measures, including green fiscal reform and natural capital investment. The authors provide a toolkit of prioritisation criteria—categorised as conventional, advanced, and systemic/political—to help governments align policies with specific goals like job creation or planetary boundaries. The report identifies significant gaps in current agendas, particularly regarding gender integration, nature-based solutions, and support for MSMEs. It also addresses the financing challenge for the global south, suggesting debt-for-nature swaps and blended finance. Case studies from countries such as South Korea, Indonesia, and Pakistan illustrate the practical challenges and mixed results of implementing these reforms.

The report identifies a critical gap between current energy policies and the requirements for limiting global warming to 1.5°C. Based on 26 'feasible' IPCC pathways that limit reliance on unproven carbon capture and removal technologies, the authors argue that no new oil and gas fields should be developed and that global production must drop by 30% by 2030. Simultaneously, wind and solar capacity additions must double current forecasts, requiring an annual investment of over USD 830 billion by 2030. The report highlights a USD 450 billion annual investment gap and calls for the redirection of capital away from fossil fuels, noting that current oil and gas industry spending on undeveloped fields is inconsistent with climate goals.

The IAI Executive Directorate reported progress in science and capacity building between 2021 and 2022, despite COVID-19 challenges. Key achievements include the expansion of the Science, Technology, and Policy (STeP) fellowship to 45 fellows across 10 countries, the launch of a virtual campus, and the development of a new Gender, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy. The IAI also strengthened regional health-climate research, particularly in the Caribbean and South America, and expanded its science diplomacy initiatives through new partnerships and the planned establishment of the IAI Center for Science Diplomacy.

The IAI Directorate reported progress in science and capacity building between 2021 and 2022, highlighting the expansion of the STeP Fellowship program to 45 fellows across 10 countries and the launch of the IAI Virtual Campus. Key scientific efforts included contributions to the IPCC 6th Assessment Report and the development of climate-health tools for the Caribbean. The Directorate also focused on science diplomacy, establishing the IAI Center for Science Diplomacy and partnering with the Belmont Forum to fund transdisciplinary research. Efforts to increase inclusivity led to the drafting of a Gender, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy and the provision of 100 scholarships for students from Latin America and the Caribbean to attend the Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress 2022.