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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 how international taxonomies and the national policies of the US, China, and Germany handle fossil fuels to inform the development of a Canadian taxonomy. It finds that while most taxonomies exclude new oil and coal capacity, fossil gas is often treated as a transitional fuel with strict emission limits and phase-out dates (typically 2030–2035). The document highlights the critical role of fugitive methane emissions in determining the actual climate impact of natural gas, arguing that lifecycle assessments are necessary to avoid 'carbon lock-in'. It concludes that Canada's main trading partners are using economic incentives and regulations to reduce hydrocarbon consumption, suggesting that a science-based taxonomy is essential for attracting private capital for decarbonization.

The document details the management cycles and legal deadlines of the Water Framework Directive (WFD), emphasizing the obligation to achieve 'good status' for water bodies and the strict conditions under which deadlines may be extended. It highlights that while the primary deadline for good status was 22 December 2015, extensions for technical feasibility or disproportionate costs are limited until 2027, after which only 'natural conditions' can justify further delays. The paper also addresses the immediate requirement to prevent water deterioration and the inferred deadline of 18 December 2028 for phasing out priority hazardous substances. A case study on mercury pollution in North Rhine-Westphalia illustrates the legal consequences of failing to implement necessary measures to meet these standards.

Global Energy Monitor identifies nearly 2.7 million coal miners worldwide, with the majority in Asia. The report warns that 414,200 jobs could be lost by 2035 and 990,200 by 2050 due to the industry's own 'life of mine' closure schedules, regardless of climate policies. It highlights that current climate pledges cover only 6% of the thermal coal workforce, leaving millions vulnerable. The report emphasizes the need for just transition mechanisms, such as the Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs), and suggests bridging employment through mine reclamation and renewable energy repurposing.

The briefing finds that the global steel industry is not on track for net zero by 2050, as only a third of the top 50 producers have set 2050 targets. It highlights a critical gap in transparency regarding emission scopes and a concerning trend where planned capacity for coal-based blast furnaces significantly outweighs that of low-emissions projects.

The submission critiques the National Treasury's use of IFI loans, highlighting how World Bank conditionalities and IMF variable interest rates restrict policy autonomy and increase financial risk. It specifically warns that the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP) may exacerbate debt dependency. The authors call for mandatory parliamentary oversight, human rights impact assessments, and gender-responsive budgeting for all future IFI lending.

The report examines South Africa's transition from a coal-dependent energy system to renewable sources, emphasizing the need for a 'just' transition that integrates decarbonization with social justice and industrialization. It analyzes the role of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), the challenges of the national grid, the financial vulnerabilities of municipalities, and the potential for domestic and international climate finance to support the transition.

The document analyzes Gogoro's transition from a startup to a global provider of light EV battery swapping. It attributes the company's success to three system-level innovations: the creation of a swappable battery standard adopted by multiple manufacturers, the implementation of new business models such as battery-as-a-service and virtual power plants, and the development of a physical 'swap-and-go' platform. The case study highlights Gogoro's role as a catalyst in Taiwan, where its batteries power 90 percent of electric scooters, and its strategic expansion into markets like India, South Korea, and the Philippines.

A coalition of 114 organizations urges the Biden Administration to make an ambitious financial pledge to the Green Climate Fund's second replenishment.

Between 2015 and 2020, climate finance for land use in Brazil averaged US$ 6.6 billion per year, dominated by domestic private finance and rural credit. While the crop sector was the primary recipient, the report highlights a significant gap in the proportion of total rural credit that is climate-aligned and notes a decline in public budget allocations for the forest sector.

The Mississippi Clean Hydrogen Hub (MCHH) aims to leverage natural salt domes for large-scale, long-duration green hydrogen storage to safeguard energy security. Domestically, the hub is positioned to supply critical sectors in the Gulf Coast, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic, potentially serving 52% of US refining, 44% of shipping, 19% of steelmaking, and 17% of heavy-duty trucking capacity. It also seeks to bolster US fertilizer security by transporting green hydrogen feedstock via the Mississippi River to the Midwest. Internationally, the MCHH intends to establish green shipping corridors to help the EU diversify away from Russian fossil fuels and provide backup energy to climate-vulnerable nations in Latin America and the Caribbean. The report argues that an initial public investment of $500 million could unlock billions in private capital by 2026, creating a national strategic hydrogen reserve and reducing industrial losses from power outages.

A coalition of civil society organizations urges the World Bank Group Executive Directors to reject any IFC remedial framework that fails to commit to financial contributions for remedy, obligations for clients to remediate harm, and protections against exiting projects with ongoing CAO cases without community consent.

The report evaluates the methodologies of four carbon credit rating agencies (BeZero, Calyx, Renoster, and Sylvera) to determine if they deliver on claims of increasing market transparency and integrity. Using the Carbon Credit Quality Initiative (CCQI) as a benchmark, the analysis finds that Calyx employs the most stringent approach, while BeZero and Sylvera are rated as adequate. Renoster's data-centric, algorithmic approach is deemed incomparable to the others. Key findings highlight significant differences in how agencies treat additionality as a limiting factor, the inclusion of leakage in overall scores, and the transparency of their rating justifications. The report recommends greater alignment with financial rating standards, mandatory inclusion of leakage in final scores, and increased public disclosure of project-specific frameworks.

A survey of 58 European climate experts reveals skepticism about Europe's ability to meet its 2030 and 2050 climate goals, citing lagging investments and bureaucratic hurdles. While experts show varying confidence in technologies like CCS and hydrogen, there is a notable call for a more prominent role for nuclear energy and a shift toward 'technology optionality' and simplified, incentive-based policymaking.

Analysis of G20 coal power emissions reveals that while 12 of 20 economies saw per capita declines since 2015, Australia and South Korea remain the top polluters, each emitting more than triple the global average. In contrast, emerging economies like Indonesia, Türkiye, China, and India experienced increases in per capita emissions as electricity demand outpaced renewable growth. The G20's combined per capita emissions rose slightly from 1.5 to 1.6 tonnes of CO2 between 2015 and 2022, underscoring a slow overall transition despite individual national progress.

The report concludes that while the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) remains the primary driver for industrial decarbonisation, current carbon prices alone are insufficient to trigger the massive investments required for deep decarbonisation in the steel and cement sectors. It argues that demand-side measures—specifically Green Public Procurement (GPP) and sustainable product regulations—can provide the necessary market signals to build technological capacity and avoid carbon lock-in. The study highlights that government-driven initiatives have significantly more potential than voluntary industry pledges, though the latter can serve as a short-term bridge. Key recommendations include harmonising low-carbon product definitions across EU Member States and exploring Carbon Contracts for Difference (CCfDs) to bridge the 'green premium' cost gap.

The EU Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR) mandates strict due diligence and geolocation traceability for specific commodities to ensure they are not linked to deforestation after December 31, 2020. While currently targeting operators and traders, the regulation may expand to financial institutions by mid-2025. The Climate Bonds Initiative is developing transition pathways and certification criteria to help agri-food companies move beyond legal compliance toward best practices in sustainability.

The cement industry accounts for approximately 7% of global CO2 emissions and faces significant barriers to decarbonisation due to high capital intensity and the nature of process emissions. The report argues that achieving net-zero by 2050 requires a combination of technological shifts—such as carbon capture and storage (CCS), alternative binders, and fuel substitution—and robust policy support. Key policy recommendations include the implementation of carbon contracts for difference (CCfDs), green public procurement, and carbon border adjustment mechanisms (CBAMs) to prevent carbon leakage. Financial investment needs are estimated to reach USD 70 billion annually between 2030 and 2040, which the report suggests could be unlocked through the sustainable debt market and science-based certification standards.

The report argues that biodiversity loss represents a material financial risk—categorised as physical, transition, and liability risks—for the seafood and agriculture sectors and their financiers. It details how these sectors depend on ecosystem services while simultaneously driving biodiversity loss through land-use change, pollution, and overexploitation. The document outlines specific legal risks under EU regulations, such as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), as well as national laws in France, Germany, and Norway. It concludes that robust due diligence and transparent disclosure are essential for mitigating these risks and ensuring long-term business viability.

Between 2015 and 2020, climate finance for land use in Brazil averaged US$ 6.6 billion per year, with 95% originating from domestic sources. Rural credit is the dominant instrument, though climate-aligned flows represent only 8% of total rural credit. The crop sector is the primary recipient of funds, and mitigation remains the dominant objective over adaptation. The report highlights a significant decline in public budget expenditures and a growing but still small role for thematic bonds.