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The document criticizes G7 nations for continuing to provide approximately $100 billion annually in fossil fuel subsidies despite commitments to phase them out since 2009. It highlights the contradiction between these subsidies and the goals of the Paris Agreement and carbon pricing, specifically citing Canada's recent investment in oil pipeline nationalization to increase tar sand exports.

The document details the requirements for German buildings to qualify for Certified Climate Bonds, focusing on low carbon emissions trajectories and market proxies. For residential buildings, eligibility is based on an EPC rating of "A" or "B" from the Energieausweis system. Commercial buildings can qualify via a proxy—requiring they be built after 2008, hold an EPC rating, and be part of an existing MBS refinancing pool—or by meeting a specific emissions intensity trajectory. In Berlin, for example, a 10-year commercial bond issued in 2018 requires an emissions intensity of 56.23kg CO2e/m2 or below. All trajectories aim for zero emissions by 2050 and are aligned with the Paris Agreement goals.

The report identifies that the production of basic materials accounted for approximately 25% of global CO2 emissions in 2014, yet progress in decarbonisation has been modest due to carbon leakage concerns and limited political support for resource efficiency. It proposes a portfolio of seven mitigation options, ranging from sharing and reuse to low-carbon production processes. To unlock these, the authors identify three primary policy gaps: incomplete incentives for recycling, a lack of markets for climate-friendly options, and missing signals for phasing out carbon-intensive production. Recommended solutions include project-based carbon contracts for difference (CfDs), Green Public Procurement (GPP), and the introduction of consumption charges on carbon-intensive materials to reinstate carbon price signals muted by free allowance allocations in the EU ETS.

The paper proposes a new research agenda, the Climate Investment Research Collaborative on Long-term Effectiveness (CIRCLE), to rethink climate finance for deep decarbonization by 2050. It argues that relying on 'best immediate bang for your buck' investment strategies is insufficient for mid-century goals. Instead, it suggests prioritizing sectors with high abatement costs to avoid expensive abrupt transformations and 'adjustment costs'. The authors advocate for moving beyond aggregate volumetric financial metrics, which fail to account for technology cost reductions or high-carbon investments, toward a more nuanced understanding of financial actor roles across the technology development spectrum and the impact of domestic R&D in developed nations on technology adoption in developing countries.

The document examines the global landscape of high-speed rail (HSR), highlighting the leadership of China, Japan, and Europe in deployment. It contrasts this with the United States, where HSR is largely absent due to factors like low population density, car culture, and property rights. The text argues that HSR offers significant energy and environmental advantages over air and car travel, while noting that China's rapid expansion is driven by government funding and strategic goals for economic integration and energy independence.

The Innovations for Resilience Convening, co-hosted by the Global Resilience Partnership, WFP, UNDP, and 1BC, focused on the role of technology and cross-sector partnerships in building community resilience. The report identifies key barriers to scaling innovations—such as rigid funding cycles and risk aversion—and showcases specific projects including satellite-based credit in the Horn of Africa, drone mapping in the Maldives, and hydroponics in Algeria. It emphasizes the need for 'disruptive change' and a 'fail fast' mindset to move from gradual development improvements to exponential growth in resilience.

This briefing from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Directorate reports on the implementation of Decision XXV/28, which aims to enhance the capacity of IAI research projects to communicate scientific results to stakeholders and policy makers.

In a speech to the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, IISD President and CEO Scott Vaughan discusses the intersection of trade, sustainability, innovation, and climate change. He warns that protectionism and the potential end of NAFTA would increase costs and emissions, while highlighting the growth of the global green goods and services market. Vaughan emphasizes the importance of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 'Winnipeg PEG' model for community-based sustainability reporting, which IISD aims to replicate globally. He also notes the rise of climate-related financial risk disclosure and the necessity of integrating environmental and economic goals to ensure long-term competitiveness.

Paula Caballero of the World Resources Institute states that while negotiators maintained a good pace in Bonn, significant work remains before COP24 in Katowice. She identifies three critical success factors for the upcoming summit: finalizing Paris Agreement implementation guidelines, committing to strengthened national climate plans by 2020, and increasing support for developing countries.

oekom research conducted a desk-based assessment of Volkswagen Immobilien's (VWI) Green Bond Programme against the Climate Bond Standard Version 2.1. The verification focused on the selection of nominated projects, internal processes and controls, and reporting requirements. The verifier concluded that the 2018 Green Bond is in material conformance with the Pre-Issuance Requirements, with one exception noted regarding Requirement 3.1.3. Eligible assets are defined as residential buildings with a rating of "B" or higher in the German energy efficiency class ranking, while office and logistic buildings were excluded from the certification portfolio.

The study concludes that the EU could achieve greenhouse gas reductions of -55% to -62% below 1990 levels by 2030 by scaling best practice policies from member states like Denmark and Germany. Key levers include a faster coal exit, increased electrical energy efficiency, deeper building renovations, and higher emissions standards for transport. Implementing these measures could reduce energy demand by nearly 45% below 2007 levels and increase renewable energy's share of total final energy demand to 45%, suggesting that political will, rather than technical capacity, is the primary barrier to more ambitious targets.

The report analyzes 23 green bonds totaling USD 15.1bn issued in Q4 2017. It finds that USD green bonds generally achieve higher oversubscription and tighter pricing relative to initial price thoughts than vanilla bonds, while EUR green bonds perform similarly. Approximately 44% of allocations went to green investors. The 'greenium' (pricing inside the yield curve) was observed in only half of a limited sample of six bonds, indicating that a new issue premium is not always avoided. In the secondary market, over half of EUR green bonds outperformed their indices after 28 days, whereas USD green bonds lagged.

The report proposes a UK-wide Nature and Environment Commission to replace the oversight and enforcement functions previously provided by EU institutions. It argues that environmental law is often ineffective due to poor compliance by public authorities and a lack of a dedicated enforcer. The proposed Commission would combine technical expertise with strong legal powers, including the ability to conduct thematic inquiries, issue binding notices, and seek specific mandatory injunctions from courts. To ensure independence, the report recommends that the Commission be funded by and accountable to parliaments rather than governments, and be composed of an interdisciplinary team of experts. It also emphasizes the need for the Commission to act as a voice for nature and local communities through a transparent complaints process and public advocacy.

India faces twin challenges as it scales renewable energy: the need for increased grid flexibility and the risk of coal-based plants becoming economically unviable due to falling plant load factors (PLFs). The report argues that transitioning existing coal plants into flexible resources is a cost-effective short-term solution. This conversion requires technical retrofits to allow for lower minimum loads, reduced start-up times, and increased ramp rates. While this path involves incremental costs of 5-10% of total project costs in NPV terms, it is significantly cheaper than deploying lithium-ion batteries or pumped hydro. The report recommends market-based mechanisms, such as capacity auctions and revised power purchase agreements, to compensate plant owners and ensure a transition toward a low-carbon electricity system.

The report finds that India's renewable energy power sector has historically been less risky and more lucrative than the fossil fuel sector, with higher risk-adjusted returns. Investor perceptions align with this, viewing renewables as safer, though solar is perceived as less risky than wind. The primary drivers of risk for both sectors are counterparty risk (specifically DISCOM non-payment), grid/transmission inadequacy, and financial sector constraints. Fossil fuel investments face additional significant risks from power market volatility and resource uncertainty, particularly for natural gas.

The report argues that the UK is on track to phase out coal by 2025 without needing new large gas plants. It finds that renewables, particularly offshore wind, and increased electricity imports via interconnectors will replace coal generation. Analysis of the Capacity Market shows that coal is being replaced by batteries, demand-side response, and small peaking gas plants rather than large combined cycle gas turbines (CCGTs). The report suggests that new large gas plants are incompatible with climate targets and would be unnecessarily costly due to low required load factors.

The report identifies that while decarbonisation opportunities exist, they are hindered by a low EU ETS carbon price, restrictive product benchmarks, and a lack of shared infrastructure. Stakeholders argue that the current ETS design encourages incremental improvements over breakthrough technologies and often penalises early adopters or those using low-carbon substitutes. Proposed solutions include updating benchmarks with recent data, expanding green public procurement, and integrating carbon pricing with trade policy to ensure global competitiveness.

The briefing emphasizes that the Paris Agreement requires a strong 'rulebook' of implementing guidelines to turn the pact into a functioning regime. It highlights the upcoming April 2018 negotiations in Bonn, Germany, as a critical step toward finalizing these rules by December 2018 at COP24 in Katowice, Poland. Key areas of negotiation include transparency, the global stocktake, NDC communication, market approaches, and finance predictability. The author stresses that the rulebook must balance universal frameworks with flexibility for developing countries based on their capacities to ensure equity and durability.

The policy brief contends that climate risks are often 'borderless' and that treating adaptation as a local problem hinders global ambition. It advocates for a shared terminology and a transboundary framing of risk—recognizing how impacts in one country create risks in others via trade, migration, and ecosystems—to better utilize the Paris Agreement's mechanisms, such as the global stocktake and National Adaptation Plans, for collective resilience.

oekom research has verified that ABN AMRO's 2018 Green Bond is in conformance with the Climate Bonds Standard's Pre-Issuance Requirements. The verification covered the selection of nominated projects and assets, internal processes and controls, and reporting requirements. The bond's asset pool includes renewable energy projects, specifically offshore wind in the Netherlands and Germany, and residential properties that meet Dutch energy efficiency standards. ABN AMRO's framework aligns with the Green Bond Principles and targets energy efficiency, renewable energy, and the circular economy.