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Global Witness reports that Mondelez has shifted from supporting the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) to actively lobbying for its weakening and delay. The company has engaged with US Ambassador to the EU Andrew Puzder, joined the American Chamber of Commerce to the EU, and targeted conservative MEPs and government officials in France, Germany, Ireland, and Luxembourg. This lobbying occurs despite Mondelez's lack of transparency regarding its deforestation-free cocoa supply and its links to forest destruction in West Africa.

The 2026 wildfire season has seen record-breaking burn areas, with roughly 579,000 square miles burned globally in the first four months. This trend is driven by a powerful El Niño, hydroclimate 'whiplash', and the expansion of fires into previously immune regions. These conditions have led to over 110 military deployments across 49 countries between January and July 2026, straining defense priorities and threatening critical infrastructure. The document analyzes different military response models—ranging from Spain's dedicated standing unit (UME) to Indonesia's integrated civilian-military approach—and recommends expanding collaborative models, investing in joint training, and building international interoperability to manage wildfires as a standing security challenge.

Between 20–22 June 2026, the Gulf of Guinea coast experienced severe flooding following intense rainfall, with over 140 mm falling in less than 24 hours in some areas. The event caused significant fatalities in Côte d’Ivoire (59 since May), Ghana (at least 34), and Togo (five). An attribution study found that observed 3-day rainfall intensity in the region has increased by approximately 23% since records began, making such events about five times more likely in the current climate (1.4°C warmer than pre-industrial levels) than in a cooler climate. While climate models support the trend of increasing precipitation, they systematically underestimate the observed increase, with models showing only a 4% increase in intensity. The study highlights that rapid urbanisation, the expansion of settlements into floodplains, and sea level rise exceeding the global average have compounded flood risks. Under a future warming scenario of 2.8°C, these heavy rainfall events are expected to become common occurrences.

The document explains the mechanisms of Article 6.2, specifically the trade of Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs) between host and buyer countries. It identifies key reporting tools, such as the UNEP Article 6 Pipeline and the UNFCCC's Centralized Accounting and Reporting Platform (CARP), and details how to use Initial Reports, Annual Information Reports, and Authorisation Letters to find project-specific data. The guide also outlines paths for accountability, including the use of Freedom of Information Act requests and collaboration between civil society in both host and buyer countries.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) denounces the surge of anti-migrant rhetoric and violence in South Africa, attributing the social unrest to systemic economic crises rather than migration. The document highlights the role of vigilante groups and political actors in scapegoating migrants to deflect from government failures, including high unemployment and failing public services. It calls for a shift toward regional integration, the regularisation of undocumented migrants, and a pro-employment economic strategy to address the root causes of community despair.

The GCF's fifteenth annual report highlights a record year of programming with USD 3.26 billion approved in 2025 and a total portfolio exceeding USD 20 billion. Key institutional shifts include the establishment of regional offices in Panama City, Amman, Nairobi, Abidjan, and Suva to enhance country ownership and access. The Fund reports a near-parity balance between adaptation and mitigation in nominal terms, with 59.24% of the portfolio in grant equivalent terms dedicated to adaptation. Significant progress was made in private sector engagement, reaching a cumulative USD 7.21 billion. The report also details the 'Efficient GCF' initiative to reduce project appraisal times to nine months or less and the operationalization of a revised accreditation framework.

The report projects Togo's development to 2043, highlighting a transition toward solar energy and urbanisation, while noting that population growth may outpace poverty reduction on the current path. It assesses how targeted improvements in agriculture, trade, and governance could significantly boost GDP per capita and reduce extreme poverty, though such growth is linked to increased carbon emissions.

The document introduces Senegal as a lower-middle-income country in West Africa with a dry tropical climate and significant mineral deposits. It outlines the country's political evolution from independence in 1960 through various peaceful transitions of power, highlighting its position as a democratic example in the region.

The report analyzes Ghana's socio-economic landscape, projecting its development to 2043. It highlights a strong growth potential driven by natural resources but warns of persistent poverty, high public debt, and corruption. The analysis compares a 'Current Path' with several targeted scenarios—including Governance, Manufacturing, and AfCFTA—demonstrating that integrated policy interventions in education, health, and industrialization could significantly increase GDP per capita and reduce extreme poverty. It also addresses critical challenges such as the 'galamsey' illegal mining crisis affecting water and forests, and the need for a transition toward renewable energy to mitigate rising carbon emissions.

The report evaluates methane abatement in Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, Ghana, Libya, Mexico, and Nigeria, focusing on leak detection and repair (LDAR), vapor recovery units (VRUs), improved flaring practices, and replacing gas-driven pneumatic equipment. Using a bottom-up marginal abatement cost curve (MACC) approach, the study finds that most mitigation measures fall below a low-cost threshold of 596 USD/tCH4 (20 USD/tCO2e). The economic viability of these measures is heavily dependent on the ability to monetize recovered gas, with LDAR and pneumatic equipment replacement often yielding negative marginal costs (net savings) when gas prices are sufficiently high. The report identifies significant structural barriers, including infrastructure gaps and limited local technical capacity, and recommends a combination of regulatory frameworks, targeted financial incentives, and infrastructure investment to accelerate deployment.

The document analyzes methane abatement through improved flaring practices in nine African and Latin American countries. It identifies removing unlit flaring as a priority low-cost action and notes that while most measures fall below a low-cost threshold of 596 USD/tCH4, costs vary by country based on flaring volumes per site. Key barriers include regulatory focuses on flaring volumes rather than efficiency and high operation and maintenance requirements.

The document evaluates the replacement of methane-bleeding pneumatic devices in the oil and gas sector with electric or instrument air systems. It finds that while adoption is already medium-to-high in several assessed countries, the remaining abatement potential is cost-effective, with instrument air systems often falling below a low-cost threshold of 596 USD/tCH4. Key barriers to further deployment include technical constraints at aging facilities and weak economic incentives where gas has low commercial value.

The report argues that a just energy transition in Africa requires the concurrent development of non-fossil fuel revenue sources and employment to avoid destabilising public finances. Focusing on Angola, Senegal, and Tanzania, it identifies alternative sectors such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, mining of critical minerals, and tourism. It recommends the adoption of Just Transition Investment Plans (JTIPs), the implementation of 'sunset policies' to end new fossil fuel licensing, and the use of fossil revenues as a temporary financing mechanism for green industrialisation. The report specifically advocates for strict conditions on any remaining gas use, including a ban on export-oriented LNG and a requirement to ringfence 50% of revenues for renewable energy.

African ClimateTech has grown significantly, with funding increasing from $206 million in 2016 to over $1.5 billion in 2025, now accounting for nearly 40% of all disclosed venture funding on the continent. However, this growth is highly concentrated: the top 10 companies raised as much as all other companies combined, and Energy accounts for roughly 65% of total funding. The report argues that the ecosystem is not a single market but a collection of applications maturing at different speeds. Energy Generation has reached 'Early Maturity,' while Mobility & Transport is in 'Late Frenzy.' Conversely, Water Access and Built Materials remain in 'Irruption.' A critical finding is that financial maturity, rather than technological readiness, is the primary constraint, with significant gaps in early-stage equity and working capital. The report advocates for 'tailored capital stacks' that combine grants, equity, and debt based on the specific maturity stage of each application.

Africa's green transition is projected to generate between 3.8 and 7.9 million jobs by 2030, rising to 65.9–84.5 million by 2050. The report argues that this growth will be service-led and decentralized, with indirect roles—such as installation, distribution, and maintenance—accounting for 56% of employment by 2030. Clean cooking is identified as the largest green value chain by 2030. However, the report highlights significant structural inequalities: 86% of 2030 green jobs are projected to be informal, and women remain concentrated in low-value roles despite high participation in sectors like clean cooking. The analysis of South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya reveals diverse transition architectures, ranging from South Africa's formal, utility-scale model to Nigeria's nano-enterprise-driven decentralized approach. Key recommendations include directing finance toward service-led value chains, reforming TVET systems through modular programs, and extending social protection to informal workers via mobile platforms.

The document outlines a framework for responsible mining of transition minerals, focusing on protecting carbon-rich ecosystems, upholding Indigenous rights through Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), and implementing rigorous climate-integrated impact assessments. It advocates for standardized Scope 1-3 emissions reporting, digital traceability, and a shift toward a circular economy to reduce virgin metal demand. Additionally, it proposes equitable benefit-sharing models, such as co-ownership and sovereign wealth funds, to ensure a just energy transition.

The report argues that while mining companies are increasingly adopting renewable energy for operational decarbonization, these investments should be leveraged through policy to benefit host communities. It provides a framework for integrating renewable energy into local content policies, emphasizing shared infrastructure, skills development, and long-term planning for post-closure transitions to ensure sustainable local development.

The report outlines how the port sector can transition from causing ocean degradation to enabling regeneration using the AR3T (Avoid, Reduce, Restore and Regenerate, Transform) framework. It identifies key pressures ports exert on marine ecosystems—such as seabed disturbance, pollution, and invasive species—and provides specific, evidence-based actions across the port lifecycle, from siting and design to operations and decommissioning. The document emphasizes the importance of nature-inclusive design, ecosystem-based marine spatial planning, and the integration of natural capital into financial accounting to achieve a Sustainable Blue Economy.

The report argues that while Ghana has achieved middle-income status, its economic growth has not translated into broad development dividends due to persistent debt, corruption, and an untransformed agrarian structure. It outlines a path to increase GDP to US$365 billion by 2043 through aggressive export-led manufacturing, governance reforms, and targeted investments in health, education, and climate-smart agriculture. Key recommendations include phasing out fossil fuels in favour of solar and hydro energy, addressing energy sector debt, and implementing constitutional reforms to ensure legislative independence.

The document describes Burkina Faso as a landlocked West African nation facing severe political instability, characterized by six coups and ongoing jihadi violence. It highlights the country's status as the most affected by terrorism globally in 2023, resulting in millions of internally displaced persons and significant disruptions to health and education. Economically, the nation relies on subsistence farming and gold mining, while its geopolitical alignment has shifted toward Russia and the Confederation of Sahel States following its withdrawal from ECOWAS.