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The document argues that current plastic production and consumption are unsustainable and that solutions must be applied based on specific product applications to avoid trade-offs between durability, biodegradability, and recyclability. It highlights the risks of chemical additives and the inefficiency of waste management systems, particularly the export of plastic waste from Europe to Asia. The authors propose a comprehensive definition of sustainable plastics based on environmental, economic, and social criteria to guide the UNEP's international policy instrument.

The document examines Azerbaijan's transition from a fossil-fuel-dependent economy to one incorporating renewable energy, highlighting the role of COP29 as a catalyst for climate ambition. It identifies key risks, such as the economic reliance on oil rents and the potential for renewables to merely supplement rather than replace hydrocarbons. The author recommends developing a targeted energy transition strategy, protecting vulnerable groups from subsidy removals, and increasing private sector competition to ensure a just and sustainable transition.

The briefing argues that while the transition away from fossil fuels is accelerating due to economic costs, clean energy opportunities, and geopolitical drivers, significant gaps remain in production and emissions. It highlights the vulnerability of fossil-fuel-dependent nations and the need for a 'globally just transition' supported by redirected finance, debt relief, and stronger governance to avoid economic disruption and systemic financial risks.

The document analyzes 32 youth climate litigation cases (litigants aged 7-30) filed between 1990 and 2022. It finds that while such cases are increasing in frequency—particularly in Europe—the majority result in unfavorable outcomes or remain pending. Most cases argue that states failed to take adequate climate measures, frequently relying on human rights grounds. The author concludes that future success depends on judicial willingness, procedural adherence, and the substantive strength of legal arguments.

The document argues that insecure land rights in Brazil lead to increased violence, deforestation, and agricultural inefficiency. It highlights that Brazil ranks 76th out of 129 countries for secure physical property rights, with significant portions of federal land in the Amazon illegally occupied. The insecurity is attributed to a complex institutional system involving 11 federal executive bodies, poor recordkeeping, and a lack of integrated databases. The text notes that 20% of Brazil's total area consists of vacant lands prone to illegal occupation and that land disputes resulted in 770 homicides between 1994 and 2015.

The document highlights how inadequate road infrastructure and complex regulations in Brazil increase transportation costs and reduce investor interest. It specifically notes that improving road infrastructure could reduce transportation costs by 54% and compares the efficiency of Santarém Port against Santos Port for grain exports.

The document provides a comprehensive overview of securitization as a tool for climate finance, detailing how pooling fragmented green assets into tradable securities can increase liquidity and recycle capital for originators. It outlines the roles of key stakeholders, provides a framework for assessing financial market readiness (shallow, emerging, and mature), and offers practical pathways for ministries of finance and regulators to implement these instruments. The guide also highlights specific examples of green asset-backed securities in Australia, Kenya, and West Africa, while addressing challenges such as data gaps and high transaction costs.

The document provides a framework for governments to assess how climate policies affect national budgets, focusing on the production side of fossil fuels and infrastructure. It details a five-step methodology: establishing a base case, developing scenarios, assessing policy impacts, allocating value between consumers and producers, and splitting value between government and commercial entities. The report applies this to Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Egypt, highlighting that oil assets are most sensitive to global demand shifts, while coal and gas are more influenced by regional dynamics and infrastructure. It recommends that governments reduce upfront capital commitments, adapt tax regimes, and diversify into low-carbon technologies to mitigate the risk of stranded assets.

The document highlights the environmental and safety risks associated with the global trade of used vehicles, noting that between 2015 and 2018, 14 million light used vehicles were exported, with 80% going to low- and middle-income countries and over half to Africa. It asserts that vehicles with weak import regulations correlate with higher traffic mortality rates and contribute significantly to urban air pollution through PM2.5 and NOx emissions. The text calls for developed nations to stop exporting vehicles that fail environmental and safety inspections and for importing nations to adopt stricter quality standards to facilitate the acquisition of cleaner, safer fleets, including hybrid and electric options.

The briefing examines the impact of aviation emissions and the failure of international measures, specifically CORSIA, to align with the Paris Agreement. It details the 'stop-the-clock' derogation that paused EU ETS enforcement for flights entering and leaving Europe and warns that continuing this exemption risks the EU's 2030 climate targets and increases the oversupply of emission allowances.

The policy brief examines the role of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) in decarbonising the plastics sector. It highlights that while oil refining and bulk chemical manufacturing are covered, waste incineration remains excluded. The author argues that free allowance allocations have historically created windfall profits for refineries (4.6 billion EUR) and petrochemicals (1.7 billion EUR) between 2008 and 2015, hindering emission reductions. To drive a zero-carbon transition, the document recommends increasing the CO2 price signal, phasing out free allowances, recycling auction revenues into climate innovation, and including Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) incineration in the EU ETS to discourage the burning of 20-30 million tonnes of plastic waste annually.

A coalition of trade associations, businesses, and NGOs argues that excluding waste incinerators and landfills from the EU ETS creates distorted price signals and undermines circular economy goals. They call on the Commission to use its mandate under Article 30(7) of the EU ETS Directive to propose the inclusion of these sectors by 2026 for implementation in 2028, noting that incineration emits over 95 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent annually and landfills produce potent methane emissions.

An open letter from various environmental and industrial organisations calling for a 68% reduction in ETS emissions, the phase-out of free allowances by 2030, and the use of CBAM as a replacement for carbon leakage protections to ensure the 'polluters pay' principle is upheld.

The document asserts that there is no evidence of carbon leakage in Europe from 2005 to 2012, yet the European Commission continues to over-allocate free pollution permits. It criticizes the Commission for using an artificially high carbon price of €30 in its 2015-2019 carbon leakage list, which inflates industry costs and reduces government auctioning revenues. The briefing suggests that using a more realistic carbon price of €16.5 or €10 would significantly reduce the number of free permits and exclude sectors like cement and steel from full compensation.

The document reports that there are 144 NAMAs, with the majority (137) still under development. Latin America has the highest concentration of these activities (41%), and the energy supply sector is the most represented (39%). Financing remains a significant gap, as 94 NAMAs are seeking funds, while only 10 have received financing and 5 are fully funded.

The document reports that there are 144 NAMAs in various stages, with 41% located in Latin America and 39% focused on energy supply. It notes that 60% of NAMA activities are part of national policies and strategies, while financing data remains incomplete, with 94 NAMAs seeking funds.

The document argues that the ETS2 is essential for Europe's climate objectives and competitiveness, warning that delays and revisions risk weakening the instrument's effectiveness. The signatories call for the operationalisation of ETS2 in 2028, the implementation of complementary social and fiscal policies, and transparency in the management of the resulting revenues to support vulnerable households and clean technology investments.

An open letter calling for a transformative Social Climate Fund (SCF) to address energy poverty and climate goals in Europe, arguing that the fund must have a flexible, non-capped budget linked to ETS revenues and carbon prices to ensure a just transition.

The report identifies significant gaps in expertise, funding, and priority within the U.S. public health system regarding climate change. While most local health directors recognize climate change as a threat, few prioritize it in their departmental planning. The authors recommend a three-pronged approach: protecting public health through system efficacy, preventing dangers by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and enhancing health through 'win-win' policy alignment.

The report finds that a majority of Americans in 2012 were unfamiliar with fracking and undecided about whether to support or oppose it. Among those who had formed an opinion, views were split, though a slim majority viewed the practice as 'bad'. Support and opposition varied significantly by gender, age, political affiliation, and geographic region, with conservatives and older males more supportive, and liberals, younger people, and residents of the Northeast and West more opposed. Associations with fracking were primarily divided between environmental concerns (linked to opposition) and economic or energy supply benefits (linked to support).