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Reclaim Finance analyzed 40 bond packages issued by 13 fossil fuel companies in 2023, totaling US$45 billion, to expose the financial institutions facilitating fossil fuel expansion. The report highlights a significant policy gap where banks and asset managers continue to provide corporate-level financing and bond structuring for oil and gas developers despite public net zero commitments. It specifically notes that some fossil fuel bonds have been included in ESG funds and marketed as 'sustainability-linked bonds'.

The report highlights that the true lifetime cost of plastic is 8 times higher in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) than in high-income countries (HICs), primarily due to higher waste mismanagement rates and subsequent marine ecosystem damage. It identifies three structural inequities: the lack of influence LMICs have over global production, their limited waste management capacity, and the absence of accountability mechanisms for producers. To address this, WWF calls for a global treaty with binding rules on production bans, circular design standards, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes.

The Asia Pacific Regional Biomass Working Group urges the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to cease support for wood bioenergy and the 'repurposing' of coal plants, arguing that biomass co-firing extends the life of coal infrastructure and causes severe ecological and social harm. The group highlights that in Indonesia, PT PLN's co-firing strategy could require 2.33 million hectares of energy plantations, potentially leading to 2.1 million hectares of deforestation annually. The letter demands that ADB recognize bioenergy as contradictory to coal phase-out goals, divest from wood biomass projects, and identify the sector as high-risk.

The document defines the 'Strategic Alliance Global Order' as a system where no single state possesses absolute dominance, forcing countries to build complex networks of alliances to maintain influence. It analyzes how this dynamic is accelerating due to the Ukraine war and is manifesting in the growth of minilateralism, the expansion of blocs like BRICS and the EU, and the strategic maneuvering of middle powers. The author suggests that South Africa and other Global South nations can leverage this environment to act as bridges between different global configurations to promote a rules-based international system.

The document argues that energy efficiency is essential for climate and development goals and can be accelerated by shifting individual and business decision-making through positive, emotion-based narratives. It outlines a framework for communication based on four pillars: empowering people, fostering positive emotional connections, recognizing champions, and innovating communication channels. The compendium utilizes case studies from G20 countries across sectors including buildings, industry, and transport to share lessons for global energy-efficiency actions.

The briefing argues that while external debt restructuring has established frameworks, domestic debt restructuring lacks guiding principles, often leaving the process to be dominated by the strongest political voices, typically foreign creditors. It proposes that DDR be integrated into domestic adjustment programs with full consultation and ownership, and that its implementation be based on rigorous cost-benefit analyses anchored in Debt Sustainability Analyses. The author emphasizes that the primary goal of any DDR should be the protection of long-term economic growth and poverty reduction gains, ensuring that the burden of adjustment is shared fairly between domestic and foreign creditors to avoid macroeconomic or social 'doom-loops'.

The document argues that reporting on extreme weather is incomplete without explaining the climate connection. It provides specific phrasing for journalists to describe how warming temperatures 'supercharge' weather patterns and offers examples of this application across various phenomena, including heatwaves, droughts, flooding, sea level rise, winter weather, hurricanes, and wildfires. It also recommends specific attribution tools like the Climate Shift Index and World Weather Attribution to provide scientific grounding for these claims.

Lodha is implementing a systems-leadership approach to decarbonize India's rapidly growing built environment, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2035. Central to this strategy is the Palava project near Mumbai, which serves as a 'smart city learning lab' to test sustainable urban design and energy-efficient construction. Through the Lodha Net Zero Urban Accelerator, the company seeks to scale these learnings and influence industry standards and government policy.

Global power sector emissions plateaued in the first half of 2023 at 5,795 million tonnes of CO2, a slight increase of 0.2% over the previous year. While emissions fell significantly in high-income economies like the EU (-17%) and US (-8.6%), they rose in China (+7.9%) and India (+3.7%). A historic 8.5% decline in global hydro generation, largely driven by droughts in China, prevented a larger drop in emissions by forcing a reliance on fossil fuels. Wind and solar increased their global electricity share to 14.3%, though their growth rates (10% for wind and 16% for solar) remained below the IEA's net zero scenario requirements. Global electricity demand grew by only 0.4%, hampered by demand falls in the EU, Japan, the US, and South Korea.

In the first half of 2023, global power sector emissions plateaued (+0.2%) as emissions declines in the US and EU offset a 7.9% jump in China. China led global renewable growth, accounting for 67% of wind and solar increases, but severe droughts caused a 22% drop in hydropower, forcing a record high in coal generation. In the US, power sector emissions fell 8.6% due to a 27% drop in coal generation driven by coal-to-gas switching and a 3.4% decline in electricity demand. The EU also saw a 17% drop in power sector emissions resulting from falling demand and increasing renewables.

India's solar energy is entering an "accelerating growth" phase, with solar and wind projected to meet 66% of power generation growth by FY 2032. While daytime peak demand is increasingly aligned with solar generation, significant challenges remain in managing non-solar hour demand. The report emphasizes that achieving NEP14 targets requires a 36% annual increase in solar capacity additions and a substantial build-out of battery and pumped hydro storage to ensure grid stability and avoid reliance on new coal capacity.

The Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) proposes a Global Credit Guarantee Facility (GCGF) to address the high cost of capital for renewable energy in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs), where debt costs are on average 7x higher than in developed economies. The GCGF would act as a trust fund providing partial guarantees to mitigate sovereign, off-taker, and average foreign exchange risks, while transferring political and residual FX risks to existing institutions like MIGA and TCX. CPI outlines three sizing approaches for the facility: a 'Conservative' model requiring USD 4.2 billion in funded capital, a 'Base Case' requiring USD 1.2 billion, and an 'Optimistic' model requiring USD 660 million. The paper estimates that an AAA-rated guarantor could reduce risk premiums by an average of 6% and improve credit ratings by 5-6 notches under its primary risk reduction approach.

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 document explores the 'care economy'—the system of paid and unpaid activities that sustain human life—tracing its roots from the 1970s Wages for Housework movement to modern policy frameworks like the 3R/5R models. It critiques neoliberal 'human capital' approaches that view care primarily as a tool for economic growth and highlights how care in the Global South differs from the Global North due to the prevalence of non-capitalist production and infrastructure gaps. The paper concludes that the Covid-19 pandemic exposed the systemic fragility of care structures and the tokenistic nature of 'essential worker' labels, calling for a transformative justice approach to care.

Reclaim Finance argues that TotalEnergies' claims of diversification are misleading, as the company intends to increase oil and gas production through 2028 and expand its liquefied natural gas (LNG) capacity. The report highlights that the company's renewable energy growth is largely driven by acquisitions of existing projects rather than new construction, and that its 'clean' hydrogen and electricity goals still rely heavily on fossil gas. A specific case study on the Papua LNG project illustrates the potential for significant carbon emissions and human rights violations, while the report concludes by urging financial institutions to stop supporting new fossil fuel projects.

Reclaim Finance argues that TotalEnergies' claims of diversification are misleading, as the company intends to increase absolute oil and gas production by 2030 and is aggressively expanding its liquefied natural gas (LNG) portfolio. The report highlights that the company's renewable energy growth relies heavily on acquisitions rather than new capacity and criticizes the Papua LNG project for its projected climate and human rights impacts.

The report analyzes the job creation potential of decentralized renewable energy (DRE) in Ghana and Senegal. It introduces a 'job factor' to quantify direct employment per kWc installed and finds that with forward-looking policies, both countries could create over 20,000 direct DRE jobs by 2030. The study highlights the role of DRE in formalizing the informal economy and empowering women and youth, while recommending the removal of import duties and the implementation of targeted training programs to address skilled labor shortages.

The report assesses the direct job creation potential of decentralised renewable energy (DRE) in Ghana and Senegal, finding that both countries could create over 20,000 direct jobs by 2030 under forward-leaning policy scenarios. It introduces an 'Employment Factor' to quantify jobs per kWp installed and highlights the role of DRE in formalising employment for women and youth in rural areas.

The document analyzes the demographic transition of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, noting that all are facing population ageing while still in a middle-income economic phase. It highlights the risks of economic stagnation, fiscal pressure on pensions and healthcare, and the political challenges of raising retirement ages. The author recommends that BRICS members leverage their collective resources to invest in human capital, assistive technologies, and age-friendly urban planning, while sharing policy lessons to create a sustainable development precedent for other Global South countries.