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The report argues that the EU's initial hydrogen targets were overly ambitious and calls for a pragmatic shift toward 'hard-to-electrify' sectors. It identifies a significant gap between current production (0.02 Mtpa) and 2030 targets, projecting regulated demand between 2.2 and 2.8 Mtpa. The authors advocate for a 'carrots and sticks' approach—combining subsidies with enforceable RED III mandates and penalties—to drive offtake. Financially, the report estimates that €13.9 billion in public funding is needed to meet mandates, potentially rising to €45.6 billion under an Accelerated Transition Scenario, which could unlock €276 billion in private investment.

The statement argues that large-scale forest biomass energy is not carbon neutral and actively harms the climate, biodiversity, and human rights. It claims that current carbon accounting erroneously labels biomass as zero-emission, which masks the actual greenhouse gas releases and encourages deforestation. The document further asserts that biomass energy extends the lifespan of coal plants and diverts investment from truly low-emission renewables like wind and solar. It calls on governments and financial institutions to stop the expansion of the biomass industry and eliminate related subsidies in favor of forest restoration.

The report asserts that geoengineering is not an unregulated frontier but is subject to restrictive international laws, including a de facto moratorium by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and regulations under the London Convention/London Protocol (LC/LP). It warns that a proliferation of outdoor experiments, driven by voluntary carbon markets and recent COP29 decisions, threatens biodiversity and human rights. The author calls for a ban on outdoor experiments and the establishment of an International Non-Use Agreement on Solar Geoengineering.

The report analyzes hydrogen consumption and production in the EU 27, finding that 84% of consumption is concentrated in refining and ammonia production. It argues that decarbonising existing industrial hydrogen production is a more immediate and necessary priority than nascent sectors like mobility. The analysis highlights that while the EU has a production capacity of 10.3 Mt/y, high energy costs and volatile gas prices have led to low utilisation rates and plant closures in the ammonia and steam cracker sectors.

The document outlines a comprehensive approach to reducing methane emissions from solid waste, which accounts for approximately 20% of global anthropogenic methane emissions. It proposes a policy matrix categorized into legislative/regulatory, market-based, voluntary, and information/education approaches, mapped across the integrated solid waste management (ISWM) chain. The guide emphasizes that limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius requires the global implementation of solutions across all three categories of the ISWM chain: waste prevention/minimization, source separation/treatment of organics, and improved landfill engineering. It provides detailed case studies from Colombia, Germany, India, Italy, Peru, the Republic of Korea, and the United States to illustrate how different policy combinations are applied based on national contexts.

The waste sector accounts for approximately 20% of global anthropogenic methane emissions, equivalent to 5.4 Gt CO2e annually. This guide proposes a policy matrix organized by the solid waste management (SWM) chain to help policymakers implement a combination of legislative, market-based, voluntary, and educational tools. Key strategies include waste prevention, organic waste diversion (composting and anaerobic digestion), and improved landfill engineering (gas capture and biocovers). The document emphasizes that meeting the 1.5 degrees Celsius warming limit requires a comprehensive approach across the entire SWM chain rather than isolated solutions. It provides case studies from Colombia, Germany, India, Italy, Perú, the Republic of Korea, and the United States to illustrate how different nations layer these policy tools to reduce emissions.

The report finds a systemic lack of methane accountability among top US and European supermarkets, with none of the 20 largest retailers setting specific methane reduction targets despite the significant impact of animal agriculture on global heating.

The document argues that current EU legislation, including the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED), is insufficient to prevent PFAS pollution and cannot replace a REACH restriction. It highlights gaps in the IED's scope, a lack of specific emission limit values for most PFAS, and weak monitoring and reporting requirements. Furthermore, it finds that occupational health and waste management regulations fail to provide robust protection against PFAS risks. The briefing concludes that while emission controls are a necessary complement, only a REACH restriction can effectively cut pollution at the source.

Global Witness reports that 92% of surveyed land and environmental defenders have suffered online attacks, with Meta-owned platforms (Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram) being the most frequent sites of abuse. These digital attacks often precede or contribute to real-world violence, including physical assaults and criminalization. The report argues that profit-driven algorithms and inadequate moderation resources facilitate this harassment, particularly targeting women through sexualized threats and defenders in the Global South through political criminalization.

Global Witness conducted a global survey of 204 land and environmental defenders, finding that 92% have experienced online abuse or harassment. The report highlights a strong link between online attacks—such as doxxing and cyberattacks—and offline harms, including physical violence and criminalisation. Meta's platforms (Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram) are identified as the most common sites of abuse. The report argues that profit-driven business models, polarising algorithms, and inadequate content moderation resourcing exacerbate these threats, creating a chilling effect on climate activism.

The report examines the link between urban sprawl and high energy consumption, arguing that current energy policies overlook the role of urban design. It advocates for "complete communities"—dense, walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods—as a primary strategy for emissions reduction. Using the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) methodology, the report compares car-centric and sustainable transportation scenarios in Winnipeg, finding that sustainable shifts offer significantly higher net benefits and a superior benefit-to-cost ratio. It identifies key barriers such as NIMBYism, flawed municipal governance, and the financial instability caused by sprawl, while proposing solutions including zoning reform, parking policy changes, and new municipal revenue tools.

The document examines the systemic failures of carbon offsetting, highlighting that most credits—particularly those for forestry and renewable energy—lack additionality and environmental integrity. It argues that offsetting often leads to an overall increase in emissions by delaying necessary mitigation and allowing continued investment in high-emitting technologies. The briefing concludes that carbon avoidance and reduction offsets have no place in ambitious climate policies, recommending that priority be given to direct emissions cuts and non-market-based climate finance.

In February 2025, M23 rebels captured Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province in the eastern DRC, following the previous seizure of Goma. The document argues that Rwanda's support for M23 is driven by a combination of national security concerns—specifically the threat posed by the Democratic Forces of the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR)—and economic interests related to minerals like gold, tin, and tantalum. It further notes that rivalry with Uganda and a perceived weakness in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have emboldened Rwanda's actions. Despite calls from the US, France, the UK, and China for Rwandan forces to withdraw, the international response remains tepid, with few concrete sanctions or aid cuts implemented.

The document examines the necessity of a Europe-wide CO2 transport network, estimating a need for 15,000 to 19,000 km of infrastructure by 2050 to move 250 million tonnes of CO2 annually. It highlights the risk of 'natural monopolies' in pipeline transport and advocates for a shift from negotiated third-party access to a regulated access regime to prevent excessive tariffs. The brief proposes inter-temporal cost allocation mechanisms, such as Germany's 'amortisation account', to solve the 'first mover disadvantage' where early users bear disproportionate costs for oversized infrastructure. It also addresses 'cross-chain' financial risks and the need for standardised CO2 purity specifications to ensure network interoperability and safety.

The report analyzes the use of generative AI by the German far right to create tailored social media content, including AI-generated influencers and imagery depicting migrant crimes. It highlights the role of the AfD and far-right community groups in spreading these narratives and notes a significant failure in the enforcement of the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), as most reported AI-generated far-right content remained unlabeled or unremoved.

Reclaim Finance critiques the Dutch bank ING for implementing a 'double standard' in its climate policy. While ING is the first major international bank to announce an end to direct project financing for new LNG export terminals starting in 2026, it continues to provide corporate financial services to the companies developing these projects. Between 2021 and 2023, ING provided over $5 billion to LNG expansion, ranking it as the second-largest European financier of the sector. The document highlights that corporate financing, which remains permitted under ING's new policy, accounts for 96% of financing allocated to the fossil fuel industry. Specific examples of continued support include $3 billion provided to Venture Global and the bank's role in the company's January 2025 IPO, as well as bond issuances for Cheniere Energy in early 2024.

Reclaim Finance criticizes ING for a 'double standard' in its climate policy: while the bank is the first major international bank to announce an end to direct project financing for new LNG export terminals starting in 2026, it continues to provide corporate financing to major LNG developers. Between 2021 and 2023, ING provided over US$5 billion to LNG expansion, making it the second-largest European financier in this sector. The document highlights ING's significant financial ties to Venture Global, including US$3 billion allocated between 2021 and 2023 and participation in its January 2025 initial public offering, as well as its role in issuing bonds for Cheniere Energy in early 2024.

The study evaluates the Klimaschutzverträge (KSV) scheme in Germany, finding risks that 'low-carbon' hydrogen may receive indirect subsidies and that removing emissions reduction criteria from bid evaluations could disadvantage green hydrogen. It recommends implementing a holistic sustainability standard for all hydrogen imports and explicitly accounting for transport emissions to ensure resource efficiency.

The study evaluates the H2Global mechanism, specifically the BMWK pilot auction, finding that while some EU-aligned standards for renewable energy are present, the mechanism lacks universal minimum sustainability standards. It identifies gaps in protecting local water and land resources from competing uses and notes that local value creation measures are insufficient to ensure sustainable economic benefits for producer countries.

The H2Global mechanism lacks minimum sustainability standards, leaving the ambition of future tenders to individual funders. While the BMWK pilot tender aligns with EU regulations on renewable electricity additionality and correlation, it fails to incentivise surplus electricity sharing for local energy access. Water and land use safeguards are insufficient, as they overlook competing local demands for resources and may miss locally significant sites. Additionally, local value creation measures are limited by an export-focused design and unclear guidelines, reducing the potential for sustainable economic impact in producing countries.