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The document defines the 'Strategic Alliance Global Order' as a system where no single state possesses absolute dominance, forcing countries to build complex networks of alliances to maintain influence. It analyzes how this dynamic is accelerating due to the Ukraine war and is manifesting in the growth of minilateralism, the expansion of blocs like BRICS and the EU, and the strategic maneuvering of middle powers. The author suggests that South Africa and other Global South nations can leverage this environment to act as bridges between different global configurations to promote a rules-based international system.

The undersigned organizations argue that the EU's proposed EPR for textiles lacks essential waste prevention and performance targets, which could lead to increased exports of textile waste. They propose specific 2030 targets for collection (60%), recycling (30%), and reuse (30%), while advocating for 'progressive fees' based on production volumes to combat fast fashion. The statement also calls for the inclusion of online marketplaces in EPR obligations, the expansion of scope to include mattresses and carpets, and a governance overhaul of Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs) to prevent corporate capture.

The text argues that global decarbonisation requires bold measures and long-term political stability, specifically calling for a coordinated energy transition strategy in the Euro-Mediterranean region to avoid economic loss and energy insecurity.

The Clean Air Task Force recommends that the EU implement a 100% CO2 emissions reduction target for new heavy-duty trucks by 2035, remove incentives for low-emission vehicles by 2030, and eliminate loopholes like the 'carbon correction factor'. The author asserts that zero-emission technologies, such as battery electric and fuel cells, are already commercially available and that regulatory certainty is required to prevent the EU from losing up to 11% of its market to China and the US by 2035. Adopting these standards is projected to add 27 billion EUR to the EU GDP and create 23,000 jobs.

The Clean Air Task Force analysis suggests that an EU import standard for oil and gas could reduce over 30% of global methane emissions from the oil and gas sector, which is 20 times more effective than regulating domestic EU production alone. The briefing proposes a methane intensity threshold of 1.7 kilotonnes of methane emitted per million tonnes of oil equivalent (MTOE) to ensure a fair playing field for both oil and gas producers. Implementing this standard could save 90 billion cubic meters of gas, equivalent to nearly Germany's annual consumption, and generate €55 billion in total savings for exporting and EU-based producing countries.

The European Union is expanding its Emissions Trading System (ETS2) to cover buildings and road transport, starting in 2027 or 2028. While intended to accelerate decarbonisation by applying the 'polluter pays' principle, the system risks disproportionately impacting low-income households. To mitigate this, the EU has established the Social Climate Fund (SCF) to support vulnerable groups and finance energy retrofitting. Carbon Market Watch advocates for increasing the SCF cap, strengthening energy performance standards, banning internal combustion engines by 2035, and ensuring that carbon pricing is complemented by binding national targets under the Effort Sharing Regulation.

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.

In the first half of 2023, global power sector emissions plateaued (+0.2%) as emissions declines in the US and EU offset a 7.9% jump in China. China led global renewable growth, accounting for 67% of wind and solar increases, but severe droughts caused a 22% drop in hydropower, forcing a record high in coal generation. In the US, power sector emissions fell 8.6% due to a 27% drop in coal generation driven by coal-to-gas switching and a 3.4% decline in electricity demand. The EU also saw a 17% drop in power sector emissions resulting from falling demand and increasing renewables.

The author contends that carbon markets are unsuitable for incentivising high-quality carbon removals because they favour the cheapest offsetting options over expensive technological solutions. The document criticises the EU's Carbon Removals Certification Framework (CRCF) for being too vague, lacking safeguards against mitigation deterrence, and potentially enabling greenwashing by allowing certified credits to be sold on the voluntary carbon market. It proposes that the EU's 2040 target should be split into three distinct targets—emission reductions, land-based sinks, and technical removals—to prevent the conflation of reductions and removals into a single net target.

The report analyzes the impact of the EU Deforestation-Free Regulation (EUDR) on Brazil, highlighting the alignment between EU requirements and Brazilian policies like the Forest Code and CAR. While these tools offer opportunities for Brazil to certify its sustainable production, challenges remain regarding the short implementation deadline, the disproportionate cost burden on smallholders, and the lack of a national traceability system for commodity chains.

The author contends that the EU's green agenda has lost momentum and calls for a deep economic transformation. Key proposals include shifting from unanimity to qualified majority voting in the European Council to implement taxes on fossil fuel profits and billionaires, phasing out fossil gas by 2035, and reforming global financial architectures to support the Global South. The text emphasizes that a sustainable economy must integrate strict social and environmental standards for public subsidies and transition toward a circular economy to reduce overproduction and energy waste.

The document argues for the adoption of a compensation right in the EU Industrial Emissions Directive to address the health impacts of illegal industrial pollution and provide legal redress for victims.

The document argues for the adoption of an effective right to compensation within the EU Industrial Emissions Directive (specifically article 79 bis) to address health damages caused by illegal industrial pollution. It highlights that industrial air pollution caused damages valued between 277 and 433 billion euros in 2017 and asserts that current legal frameworks leave victims powerless. The authors propose that a harmonized right to compensation, including industry and authority liability, class actions, and the production of evidence, would protect fundamental rights, encourage legal compliance, and save the European economy 55 billion euros annually through better environmental law adherence.

A joint statement by environmental, health, and consumer organizations calling for the adoption of a harmonized right to compensation within the EU Industrial Emissions Directive (IED). The authors argue that current legal frameworks are inconsistent, leaving victims of industrial pollution without effective recourse. They propose that introducing minimum guarantees for compensation would protect fundamental rights to life and health, incentivize industrial compliance, and provide legal certainty for citizens, industry, and governments.

A joint call by environmental, health, and consumer organisations urging EU policymakers to introduce a right to compensation (Article 79a IED) for victims of illegal industrial pollution. The authors argue that such a mechanism would protect fundamental rights, create a level playing field for industry by incentivising compliance, and harmonise existing fragmented national laws.

A coalition of organisations, including ClientEarth and the European Consumer Organisation, calls for the adoption of an effective right to compensation within Article 79a of the EU Industrial Emissions Directive. The appeal argues that current legal frameworks leave victims of illegal industrial pollution without real opportunities for redress, despite the significant health and economic costs of such pollution. The proposed solution includes minimum guarantees such as liability for illegally operating industry and authorities, class actions, and information disclosure tools. The authors contend that this would harmonise inconsistent national laws, uphold fundamental human rights, and encourage legal compliance, potentially saving the EU economy 55 billion euros annually.

The report advocates for Indonesia Green Taxonomy 2.0 to incorporate 'transition finance' to bridge the gap between traditional and green finance. It highlights the ASEAN Taxonomy's approach to coal phase-out—where shortening a plant's commercial operation to a maximum of 35 years can qualify it as sustainable—and warns against including 'captive coal plants' in the green category to avoid deterring global investors. The author proposes a framework based on five G20 pillars, emphasizing clear technical screening criteria, synchronized disclosure policies, and a Just Transition Finance Framework to ensure equitable benefits.

The briefing advocates for four key minimum guarantees to make the IED compensation right effective: support for collective actions to represent vulnerable individuals, accountability for authorities when their breaches cause individual damage, court-led disclosure tools to address information asymmetry, and the use of rebuttable presumptions to balance evidence requirements. It also rejects any limitations on the use of scientific data as evidence in court.

The report examines the climate and health impacts of routine gas flaring in 20 countries that export oil and gas to the European Union. It finds that nearly 10 million people live within 5km of active flares in these nations, with Iraq and Nigeria being the most affected. The authors argue that the EU can use its buying power to catalyze flaring reductions by adopting a methane import standard, which would align with the EU's Global Health Strategy and the Global Methane Pledge.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) recommends that the EU prioritise 'no regrets' industrial sectors for hydrogen deployment, utilize all clean production pathways (including 'blue' hydrogen), and site production close to consumption to minimize transport inefficiencies. The report emphasizes that public funding should be matched to projects that provide socio-economic benefits to local communities and that a comprehensive EU database should be established to ensure transparency and collaboration.