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The document argues that Brazilian municipalities, particularly small and medium-sized ones, face significant credit and technical barriers to financing infrastructure. It proposes the use of Pooled Financial Management Mechanisms (MFGCs) to aggregate demand and reduce risk, drawing on international examples from France, the Nordic countries, Mexico, India, and the Philippines. The brief identifies regulatory hurdles in Brazil, such as the Fiscal Responsibility Law, and recommends updating the legal framework to allow subnational consortia more autonomy in raising funds and improving governance to attract green and sustainable capital.

The document argues that Brazilian municipalities, particularly small and medium-sized ones, face significant financial and regulatory barriers to infrastructure investment. It suggests that subnational consortia can overcome these hurdles by adopting Pooled Finance Mechanisms (PFMs)—such as club deals, aggregation platforms, and bond banks—to access capital markets and attract green investment. The brief identifies a USD 1.3 trillion green investment opportunity in Brazil and recommends updating Law 11,107/2005 and the Law of Fiscal Responsibility to facilitate autonomous fundraising and improve governance for public consortia.

The report analyzes the issuance of sovereign green, social, and sustainable (VSS) bonds based on a survey of 19 issuers from developed and emerging markets. It finds that these instruments are primarily driven by climate mitigation goals and the desire to catalyze local green bond markets. The report details the decision-making process, which is typically led by ministers and supported by inter-ministerial working groups, and the preparation phase, which often involves 'budget tagging' to identify eligible expenditures. Key findings indicate that VSS bonds often attract higher demand and can achieve a 'greenium' (lower yields) compared to vanilla bonds, while diversifying the investor base. The document concludes that sovereign VSS bonds serve as a catalyst for broader market growth and provides a seven-step framework to propel the market toward the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

The report analyzes the issuance of sovereign GSS bonds based on a survey of 19 countries, finding that these instruments often attract a broader investor base and can price with a 'greenium' (lower yield) compared to vanilla bonds. It highlights that most issuers use GSS bonds to support national climate strategies and local market growth, typically managing the process through internal working groups and budget tagging of existing expenditures.

The study finds that sexual violence in Tahrir Square was more likely to occur during large, static protests and less likely during transient demonstrations. The author identifies a shift from single-perpetrator to multiple-perpetrator assaults, specifically the 'circle of hell' phenomenon, suggesting a learned behavioral pattern or strategy. While the study found no statistically significant link between the specific political aim of a protest (anti-regime or anti-military) and the occurrence of sexual violence in the main model, it highlights the historical use of sexual violence as a tool of repression by the Egyptian state.

The study analyzes the impact of the 2019 Anti-ELAB movement on voter behavior in Hong Kong. Using logistic regression on survey and event data, the author finds that protests and police brutality mobilize individuals who identify as "Hongkongers" to vote for opposition parties, while having the opposite effect on those who identify as "Chinese". Nonviolent protests were found to be more effective in inducing defections from the regime among those with a local identity.

The author contends that Western governments have historically been complicit in human rights abuses by ignoring or supporting repressive regimes for national interest. This is exemplified by the situation in Xinjiang, where Uighurs face mass detention, forced labour, and cultural repression. The text calls for the EU and UK to move beyond rhetoric and implement targeted sanctions, boycotts, and UN-led actions to combat forced labour and genocide.

The report evaluates electricity data transparency in Asia and Oceania, scoring countries based on criteria such as time granularity, fuel-type breakdowns, and ease of access. It finds significant disparities in data quality, with some countries like Australia and India providing high-granularity data, while others like Indonesia, Vietnam, and Singapore suffer from poor timeliness or limited disaggregation.

The document analyzes the scale of illegal wildlife trade, which is estimated to be worth between USD 7 and USD 23 billion annually. It evaluates CITES as the primary legal framework for regulating international trade in endangered species, noting that while it has evolved through partnerships with organizations like UNODC and INTERPOL, it lacks a mandate to criminalize trade or oversee domestic activities. The brief discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the potential link between wildlife trade and zoonoses, and explores proposals for a new treaty focused on 'Wildlife Crime' or 'One Health' to fill existing regulatory gaps.

The report analyzes the ivory consumption habits of Chinese travelers visiting Cambodia, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam following China's 2017 commercial ivory ban. It identifies a typical buyer profile as high-income, university-educated females aged 25-34 who travel frequently. Key findings show that while 70% of travelers perceive buying ivory in these destinations as legal, only 6.8% are estimated to actually purchase ivory products. The report highlights the role of local tour guides and online forums in facilitating purchases and identifies Thailand, Japan, and Hong Kong SAR as destinations with the highest ivory purchase incidence rates.

Ghost gear is identified as the most lethal form of marine plastic debris, contributing between 500,000 and 1 million tonnes of plastic to the oceans annually. It causes indiscriminate 'ghost fishing' that threatens endangered species, damages critical habitats, and creates economic losses for fisheries and other maritime sectors. While various international frameworks like UNCLOS and MARPOL exist, the report describes them as fragmented and ineffective. WWF advocates for a combination of preventive measures (gear marking, circular design), mitigation (biodegradable materials), and curative actions (retrieval programs), culminating in the call for a new UN treaty on marine plastic pollution.

The report finds that an estimated 6.8% of Chinese outbound travelers purchase ivory while abroad, with Thailand, Japan, and Hong Kong SAR being the most popular destinations. Mail is the most common method for transporting these products back to Mainland China. While most travelers recognize the illegality of cross-border transport, many are misled by local guides and sellers who suggest that small items are safe to carry. The study highlights a specific 'planner' segment—typically high-income, highly educated females—who intentionally seek out ivory markets.

The global green bond market saw a 26% year-on-year decline in issuance volume during H1 2020, totaling USD 91.6 billion, likely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While green issuance slowed, there was a surge in 'pandemic' labeled debt (approximately USD 75 billion) and social/sustainability bonds (USD 94.4 billion). Developed markets dominated the landscape, contributing 82% of issuance, with the US and France leading. Government-backed entities and non-financial corporates were the most prominent issuer types, and energy remained the most popular use of proceeds category at 34%.

The report examines the rapid, top-down expansion of green finance in China, noting that green loans have a lower non-performing loan (NPL) rate (0.42% in 2018) compared to overall credit (1.83%). While the 'Big Four' state-owned banks are global leaders in both green and fossil fuel financing, the report identifies significant barriers to further greening, including weak direct fiscal incentives, deleveraging pressures, and insufficient penalties for high-emission projects. A case study of ICBC highlights its role as a major green lender and issuer of 'Belt and Road' green bonds, though its green portfolio remains small relative to its total assets.

The report examines the top-down evolution of China's green banking system, highlighting the role of the 'Big Four' state-owned banks. It finds that green loans generally exhibit lower non-performing loan (NPL) ratios than traditional portfolios, though significant barriers such as insufficient risk modeling and weak financial incentives persist. The ICBC case study illustrates the integration of green governance and the use of offshore green bonds, while noting that green finance still represents a small fraction of the bank's total balance sheet compared to its continued fossil fuel financing.

WWF International calls for urgent global action to mitigate zoonotic disease risks by closing high-risk wildlife markets and stopping illegal trade. The organization advocates for a holistic approach that combines law enforcement, demand reduction, and the protection of natural ecosystems to prevent future pandemics. The document specifically highlights the need for the United States to provide strategic resources and diplomatic leadership, and presents survey data showing strong public support for closing illegal wildlife markets in several Asian regions.

In 2019, China's labelled green bond market grew by 33% to USD 55.8 billion, making it the largest global source of such bonds. The market saw a shift in issuer types, with non-financial corporates becoming the largest group and the introduction of the first municipal green bond. While domestic issuance is strong, discrepancies remain between Chinese guidelines and international standards, particularly regarding the use of proceeds for general working capital and the inclusion of 'clean coal' projects. The report recommends harmonizing definitions with international standards, such as those of the EU, and increasing transparency to attract more foreign investment.

The report investigates whether green bonds in China provide tangible benefits over non-green bonds, focusing on 'hard' factors like financing costs, project design, and execution. Through market analysis and case studies of State Grid, Swire Properties, and ICBC, the author finds mixed evidence: while some sectors show lower costs and larger issuance sizes, these advantages are not universal. The report concludes that current public data and reporting standards are insufficient to conclusively prove the productivity of Chinese green bonds, recommending standardized monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems.

The Hong Kong green bond market in 2019 saw a slight decrease in issuance by domestic entities to USD 2.6 billion, but achieved greater issuer diversity and the launch of the first government green bond. Low-carbon buildings dominated proceed allocations at 61%. The market is increasingly characterized by local currency denomination and a strong connection to the Greater Bay Area, with total GBA-domiciled issuance reaching USD 6.4 billion. Regulatory bodies like the HKMA and SFC have introduced measures to enhance ESG disclosures and sustainable banking frameworks to bolster the city's status as a regional sustainable finance hub.

The survey of 5,000 respondents across Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam reveals high levels of concern regarding COVID-19 and strong support for closing illegal wildlife markets to prevent future pandemics. While support for closures is nearly universal in Southeast Asian markets, it is lower in Japan, where respondents perceive such markets to be less prevalent. The report identifies a strong public link between wildlife trade and zoonotic outbreaks, with a majority of respondents indicating they would stop consuming wildlife products if markets were closed.