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Carbon Market Watch analyzes Sweden's aviation ticket tax, noting that while the industry opposes it, the tax is too low to reverse the rising trend of aviation emissions. The author argues that a significantly higher carbon price is necessary to either reduce flight demand or incentivize the development of electric aircraft technology.

The author argues that opposition to immigration is a pervasive popular movement across Europe, regardless of a country's ethnic homogeneity or immigration policy. This trend is contributing to political polarization and a potential 'de-democratization' process, particularly as it aligns with skepticism toward supranational solutions like the EU. The text highlights a divide between 'new' and 'old' Europe, noting that some Eastern European countries lack the same norms of tolerance as Western Europe, which influences their resistance to EU refugee quotas.

The paper examines the Spanish light-duty vehicle market to determine how consumer behaviour—specifically whether they make 'absolute' or 'relative' decisions—influences the effectiveness of energy efficiency labels and financial incentives. Using the Quantity Based Demand System (QBDS), the authors calculate price elasticities of demand to show that the sensitivity of consumers to price changes varies depending on whether they seek the most efficient car in the entire market or the most efficient car within a specific segment. The study concludes that a mixed labelling scheme may be the most effective way to address diverse consumer behaviours.

The Achmea ruling establishes that ISDS provisions are incompatible with EU law when they sideline domestic courts and undermine the EU's judicial system. While the ruling explicitly applies to bilateral investment treaties (BITs) between EU Member States, the briefing argues that the same reasoning likely renders agreements with third countries impermissible if the tribunals are not part of the EU judiciary, may interpret EU law, and lack full judicial review by Member State courts. This creates significant legal uncertainty, potentially making awards unenforceable and hindering the negotiation of new treaties containing investment arbitration.

The report argues that the UK's current vehicle taxation system is insufficient to meet legal air quality limits and the 2040 target for banning new internal combustion engine vehicles. It proposes a three-tiered strategy: mandating charging Clean Air Zones in the short term, replacing the plug-in grant with a time-limited VAT rebate for ULEVs in the medium term, and developing a road-user charging system in the long term to replace eroding fuel duty revenues.

The Achmea judgment establishes that ISDS provisions are incompatible with EU law when they sideline domestic courts and undermine the EU's judicial system. While the ruling explicitly applies to bilateral investment treaties (BITs) between EU Member States, the briefing argues that the same reasoning likely renders agreements with third countries impermissible. This is because such tribunals are not part of the EU judicial system, may resolve disputes relating to EU law, and their awards lack sufficient review by Member State courts. Consequently, this creates significant legal uncertainty, potentially making awards won by non-EU investors unenforceable and hindering the negotiation of new agreements containing investment arbitration.

The document examines the shift in the perception of smartphones for refugees from humanitarian assets to instruments of state surveillance. It details how several European governments are implementing or proposing legislation to search digital devices to verify identities and conduct security screenings. The authors argue that this practice raises critical questions regarding proportionality, the right to privacy, and the digital vulnerability of migrants, warning that digital data is not a 'silver bullet' for truth and can be manipulated or misinterpreted.

The report evaluates ten climate solutions across five European countries, finding a total abatement potential of 149 Mt CO2eq by 2030, representing 13% of the region's projected emissions. Energy efficiency in buildings and industry are identified as the most cost-effective solutions, offering net savings, while onshore wind and solar power provide significant potential, particularly in the Baltic states. The study highlights that while Poland and Ukraine offer the highest absolute abatement, the relative impact is greater in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Key barriers include policies favoring fossil fuels and market uncertainty, while enablers include EU regulations and declining renewable technology costs.

The briefing argues that climate adaptation is currently undervalued and incorrectly viewed as a local problem, which hinders global ambition. It proposes a 'transboundary' approach to climate risk, recognizing that impacts in one country create risks in others through trade, biophysical flows, people, and finance. The authors review progress from COP23 and suggest that the Paris Agreement's mechanisms—such as the global stocktake and National Adaptation Plans—should be operationalized to track and manage these cross-border risks to avoid 'climate change contagion' in the global economy.

The agreed ESR reform requires only 14 Mt CO2 additional annual reductions for the EU28, which is approximately 0.5% of 2005 emissions, leaving the EU likely to miss its 2030 climate target. The document asserts that the non-ETS 2030 target would need to be tightened to at least -40% to align with the Paris Agreement. To achieve the current -30% target cost-effectively, the report advocates for project-based cooperation where higher-income Member States finance reductions in lower-income Member States. This mechanism could potentially generate up to 614 million AEAs in supply, compared to only 96 million AEAs without additional reductions.

Carbon Market Watch alerts international partners to the DRC's plans to lift the moratorium on new logging concessions and secretly revise its Forest Code. The organization argues these moves, including the awarding of three concessions covering 6,500 square kilometres, threaten environmental and climatic stability, specifically peatswamps, and undermine international initiatives like CAFI and REDD+. It calls for the immediate suspension of forestry funding until a transparent process is established.

The study concludes that human-induced climate change had no significant influence on the occurrence of Storms Eleanor and Friederike. While observational data from the past 40 years show a decrease in near-surface wind speeds, climate models suggest a marginal increase in the probability of extreme hourly winds (0-20%) by the middle of the century due to greenhouse gases. The observed decline in storminess is attributed to factors other than climate change, such as increased surface roughness, aerosols, and decadal variability.

This report from the Executive Directorate of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) details activities and strategic partnerships undertaken between sessions to increase the institute's visibility and influence within international climate and biodiversity frameworks. It outlines collaborations with the IPCC, UN agencies, and various NGOs to bridge the gap between scientific research and policy implementation, particularly for Latin America.

The IAI Directorate expanded its international visibility and partnerships through participation in major climate and biodiversity forums, including the IPCC, UNFCCC, and CBD. Key achievements include securing Observer Status with the IPCC and UNCCD, establishing Memoranda of Understanding with Future Earth and IPBES, and launching a digital science communication campaign during COP-23. The Directorate also focused on enhancing the science-to-policy interface, specifically regarding ocean knowledge, climate-resilient megacities in the Americas, and the impacts of climate change on biodiversity.

Ørsted has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emission intensity from energy production by 96% by 2023 compared to a 2006 base-year, a target approved by the Science Based Targets initiative. To achieve this, the company is divesting from oil and gas, phasing out coal by 2023, and expanding offshore wind capacity to a target of 11-12 GW by 2025. Ørsted reports that it has already reduced GHG emissions intensity by 67% since 2006 and has reduced coal consumption by 82% in the same period.

The document examines the implications of the Bayer-Monsanto merger, asserting that it creates a global powerhouse in seeds and pesticides that undermines food security. It highlights the decline of crop diversity, the rise of corporate patenting of plant varieties, and the resulting imbalance of power between multinational agro-chemical firms and farmers, particularly within the European Union.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing groundWork, Earthlife Africa Johannesburg, the Highveld Environmental Justice Network, and the Vaal Environmental Justice Alliance, opposes the Department of Environmental Affairs' (DEA) proposal to create an expert panel to address sulphur dioxide (SO2) abatement. The CER contends that Eskom and Sasol, the country's largest polluters, are using the proposal to avoid compliance with minimum emission standards (MES) and to secure 'rolling postponements'. The document argues that the necessary solution—retrofitting plants with flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) technology or decommissioning non-compliant plants—has already been established through a five-year multi-stakeholder process. Furthermore, it highlights that South African SO2 standards are significantly weaker than those in other developing and developed nations, and that the DEA has no legislative authority to weaken the MES based on industry claims of economic infeasibility.

The document details various green asset-backed securities (ABS) and aggregation mechanisms used to fund low-carbon transitions. It highlights specific instruments such as synthetic ABS, PACE ABS, solar ABS, and green covered bonds, providing examples of issuers and the types of underlying assets—ranging from energy-efficient mortgages to electric vehicle leases—that enable institutional investors to finance smaller-scale green assets.

The briefing examines the application of penalties under the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), concluding that current enforcement practices often fail to meet the EU legal standard of being 'effective, proportionate and dissuasive'. It highlights a prevalence of 'soft' enforcement approaches and a lack of transparency regarding sanctions, which creates an uneven playing field for companies. The document recommends the adoption of credible enforcement policies, increased public access to enforcement data, and the development of harmonised guidance on determining penalty levels.

The report examines the urgent need for innovation in mining due to declining productivity and rising costs. It details advancements in automation, electrification, and renewable energy, while highlighting the role of governments in ensuring these gains are shared with local communities. Case studies illustrate specific applications of AI, solar power, and new business models across Canada, Australia, Chile, and other regions.