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The report finds that EU Member States have failed to effectively implement fisheries enforcement frameworks, characterized by delays in adopting penalty point systems, a lack of harmonized definitions for 'serious infringements', and sanctions that are neither deterrent nor transparent.

The report finds that Ireland has largely failed to implement the EU Control Regulation, specifically regarding the penalty point system for fishing licence holders and masters, and the establishment of a national register of infringements. Enforcement relies almost exclusively on criminal proceedings, which the study argues are too infrequent and the resulting fines too low to serve as an effective deterrent. The document highlights a lack of transparency in public reporting and a lack of guidance on defining 'serious infringements,' which undermines the ability to apply proportionate and dissuasive sanctions.

The executive summary outlines a framework for countries to conduct voluntary self- and peer reviews of fossil fuel subsidies (FFS). It describes the 'building blocks' of these reviews—including scope, definition, measurement, and evaluation—and provides practical recommendations based on the experiences of countries such as China, Finland, New Zealand, Peru, and Sweden. The guide emphasizes that these reviews are tools for peer learning and domestic reform rather than compliance mechanisms, aiming to align subsidies with sustainable development and international commitments like those of the G7, G20, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The report argues that discriminatory state practices, often driven by a focus on state security over human security, are counterproductive to countering violent extremism. It examines how 'othering' specific religious or ethnic groups—particularly Muslims and certain African ethnic communities—creates grievances that extremist groups exploit for recruitment. The authors advocate for a 'whole of society' approach that prioritises the rule of law, human rights, and socio-economic drivers over identity-based risk assessments.

The report argues that the cost of the low-carbon energy transition can be minimized by correctly allocating investment risks—such as construction, price, and curtailment—between private investors, public entities, and consumers. It introduces a framework to identify key risks based on technology and country context, select an appropriate ownership model, and use specific instruments (like guarantees or Feed-in Tariffs) to fill risk gaps. Case studies suggest that optimizing risk allocation could reduce levelized costs by 10% for onshore wind in New York and 30-40% for solar in India.

The author welcomes Ikea into the Champions 12.3 coalition, noting the company's goal to halve its own food waste by 2020. The text frames food loss and waste as a global crisis responsible for significant economic loss and 8 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, arguing that corporate leadership is essential to meeting Sustainable Development Goal 12.3.

Scott Vaughan argues that traditional GDP is an insufficient measure for the circular economy because it ignores resource savings and environmental damage. He advocates for 'beyond GDP' accounts, such as the Comprehensive Wealth framework, to highlight the economic necessity of resource efficiency. Vaughan also discusses the potential for job growth in the circular economy, particularly in the EU and Denmark, while warning that automation in mining may displace workers in developing countries. Finally, he calls for the removal of fiscal incentives that encourage raw material extraction over recycling and promotes the use of green bonds and clean finance to support the transition.

Amory B. Lovins of RMI argues that subsidies for distressed nuclear plants are unjustified because closing high-cost nuclear units and reinvesting their operating expenses into energy efficiency can reduce more carbon than maintaining the plants. He contends that 'baseload' power is not a grid requirement and that variable renewables are more resilient and cost-effective than central thermal plants.

The CSIR's analysis of South Africa's Draft IRP 2016 concludes that a 'Least Cost' scenario—prioritising solar PV, wind, and flexible power—is significantly cheaper, creates more jobs, and emits less CO2 than the government's Base Case and Carbon Budget scenarios. The report argues that the Draft IRP 2016 imposes annual new-build constraints on solar and wind without techno-economic justification, which artificially inflates costs and pushes the system toward new coal or nuclear investment. By 2050, the CSIR finds that a renewable energy share of over 70% is cost-optimal. Technical assessments on system inertia and transmission infrastructure indicate that the costs of maintaining stability in a high-renewable system are low, representing less than 1% of total power generation costs.

The report highlights Germany's position as a leading producer of packaging waste in Europe, with 218 kg per person annually. It argues that supermarkets and drugstores hold significant power to reduce this waste by replacing resource-inefficient products—such as single-use plastic bottles and non-concentrated detergents—with sustainable alternatives. The document claims that a 20% reduction in resource consumption is currently possible through product innovation and the adoption of reusable systems. It criticizes the 2017 German Packaging Act for focusing on recycling rather than avoidance and calls for a resource tax, binding reusable quotas, and clearer consumer labeling to drive a transition toward a circular economy.

The document argues that promoting active travel—defined as walking, cycling, and public transit—creates a 'quadruple win' by reducing chronic disease, improving air quality, slowing climate change, and increasing health equity. It provides a framework for health professionals to encourage patients to integrate physical activity into their daily routines and to advocate for urban planning policies, such as the '5 Ds' of community design (density, land use diversity, design, destination accessibility, and distance to transit). A significant portion of the guide focuses on the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe in Ontario, explaining how intensification and complete community planning can facilitate a shift away from automobile dependence.

The document outlines how the built environment influences travel behavior, emphasizing that walkable neighborhood design increases the frequency of walking, cycling, and transit use. It details the '5 D's' of community design—Density, Diversity, Design, Destination, and Distance—as the primary factors impacting these choices. Key elements include population density to support services, land use diversity to place destinations in close proximity, safety-enhancing design features like bicycle lanes and traffic calming, and the accessibility of destinations and transit stops within specific distance thresholds.

The document outlines Denmark's EUTR framework, noting that the Danish Environmental Protection Agency serves as the Competent Authority. It details a penalty regime involving fines, confiscation of profits, and potential detention, while highlighting a trend of increasing checks from 2013 to 2016. The brief identifies significant challenges for NGOs in pursuing substantiated concerns due to a lack of formal decision requirements and limited appeal options.

The document evaluates EU countries' positions on the Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR), which covers 60% of EU greenhouse gas emissions. Using a scoring system across five categories—starting point, land use loopholes, ETS surplus loopholes, governance, and ambition levels—it ranks Sweden as the leader and Poland as the lowest performer. The brief argues that most EU countries are pushing for loopholes that undermine the Paris Agreement, with the European Commission's own proposal scoring only 20 out of 100 points.

The EU Climate Leader Board ranks EU member states on their support for the Effort Sharing Regulation across five categories: starting point, ETS surplus loophole, land use loophole, governance, and ambition level. Sweden ranks highest with a score of 67, while Malta ranks lowest with a score of 2. The analysis concludes that no EU country is currently doing enough to make the regulation compatible with the Paris Agreement.

The document provides a detailed breakdown of 'green jobs' in the US and internationally, contrasting clean energy employment with fossil fuel industry figures and detailing specific subsectors such as solar, wind, and energy efficiency.

The report argues that the European Commission and various Member States are undermining the 2013 bans on four bee-harming pesticides, including neonicotinoids and fipronil, by exploiting a legal loophole for 'emergency authorisations'. Analysis of 62 notifications reveals that these authorisations are frequently granted without evidence of a genuine emergency, without considering alternative pest control methods, and are often driven by the pesticide and seed industry. The document highlights Romania as a primary example of this abuse, noting it granted one-third of all EU derogations for neonicotinoids between 2014 and 2016 despite evidence of bee colony losses and a lack of research into sustainable alternatives. The authors call for the Commission to increase transparency, systematically scrutinise notifications, and reject industry-led requests.

The document provides a detailed breakdown of jobs in clean energy, contrasting them with fossil fuel employment in the U.S. and highlighting global leaders like China and Brazil. It details specific employment numbers for solar, wind, biomass, and energy efficiency subsectors, while noting the methodological challenges in comparing data from different sources.

The document examines the intersection of private sector activity and climate policy, highlighting the potential for a 'new industrial revolution' in green technology. It balances optimism regarding falling costs of renewables and new financial instruments with warnings about 'brown pillars' of the economy, market failures, and the risk of social dislocation similar to that seen during globalisation. The author argues for a public-private partnership where governments shape markets and provide social safety nets to ensure a just transition.

In 2016, the European power sector saw a significant shift from coal to gas generation, which drove a 4.5% decrease in CO2 emissions. While renewable energy's share of the electricity mix rose slightly to 29.6%, growth was below previous trends due to poor weather conditions, although record-low auction prices for wind and solar suggest future potential. Electricity consumption remained largely stagnant, barely offsetting economic growth. The EU Emissions Trading System (EU-ETS) continued to suffer from a structural oversupply, with the surplus exceeding 3 billion tonnes of CO2 for the first time.