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The case study emphasizes that because mining is a significant water user and potential contaminant source, governance must occur at the watershed scale rather than the individual user level. It highlights that climate change increases risks to water quality and availability through rainfall variability and extreme weather. The text notes that while legal frameworks are essential, challenges remain regarding the ownership of water as a common resource, mentioning an emerging trend of granting legal rights to nature in countries such as Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, India, and New Zealand. Specifically, Mongolia and the Antofagasta region of Chile are identified as jurisdictions that have implemented watershed-level management frameworks to balance mining's economic importance with water demands in arid environments.

The document details an external review of WRI's 2018-2022 Strategic Plan, evaluating its seven global challenges and core functions. It employs a mixed-methods approach, including 'Outcome Harvesting' and a 'Traffic Light System' to measure progress. Preliminary findings indicate that the Forests program is the strongest performer (95.9% achievement), while the Governance Center is partially on track (44% achievement). The review also assesses WRI's growth, the impact of COVID-19, and the integration of gender and social equity across its global operations, including specific assessments of its offices in Africa, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and the United States.

The External Review finds that WRI is 'Mostly on Track' with its 2018-2022 Strategic Plan, achieving 71.3% of its targets by October 2021. While WRI remains a critical global player in environment and development, the review identifies significant risks related to rapid organizational growth, a potential tilt from research toward advocacy, and under-resourced core functions. The report highlights a need for a 'step-change' in monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) and a more systematic integration of poverty, gender, and social equity (PGSE) across its programs. WRI's Africa office is also 'mostly on track,' though it faces challenges in coordinating global programming with regional priorities.

Friends of the Earth International highlights a global rise in authoritarianism and neoliberal economic expansion that has increased violence against environmental defenders, citing 227 deadly attacks in 2020 alone. The organization details its support for specific struggles, including the Garifuna people in Honduras facing land grabbing, social movements in Colombia resisting neoliberalism, Palestinians fighting for food sovereignty under Israeli occupation, and fishing communities in Mozambique affected by Total's LNG project. The document advocates for national protections for defenders and a binding UN treaty to hold multinational corporations accountable for human rights and environmental violations.

The livestock sector's growth poses a significant risk to climate goals, potentially consuming 80% of the remaining GHG budget by 2050 if current trends continue. While global meat production is rising—projected to reach 374 million tonnes by 2030—there is a growing market for Alternative Protein (AP) products, valued at USD 14 bn and expected to exceed USD 162 bn within a decade. However, the transition is hindered by substantial government subsidies, with nearly 90% of global farming subsidies (USD 540 bn annually) supporting beef, milk, and rice. The document emphasizes that while total veganism offers the highest emission reductions, flexitarian and vegetarian diets can also significantly lower emissions. It calls for government policy reforms to redirect subsidies away from industrial agriculture and for businesses to move beyond 'meaningless' net zero targets toward actual reductions in animal numbers in supply chains.

The document condemns the travel bans imposed by the US, EU, and Canada on Southern African countries after the detection of the Omicron variant, describing them as 'unjustified and lacking scientific basis'. It argues that these measures penalize South Africa for its scientific transparency and ignore the 'vaccine apartheid' that left Africa as the most under-vaccinated continent, with only 6.66% of its population fully vaccinated. The authors state that these restrictions cripple struggling economies, specifically impacting tourism which accounts for 3% of South Africa's GDP, 11% for Namibia, and 13% for Botswana. Furthermore, the text highlights the role of 'vaccine nationalism' and the refusal of the EU, Switzerland, and Japan to waive intellectual property rights for vaccines as structural failures in the global pandemic response.

The statement criticizes the imposition of travel bans on Southern African countries, asserting that such measures are ineffective at stopping mutations and cause significant economic damage. It highlights the disparity in vaccination rates between Africa and advanced economies, calling for the decentralization of vaccine manufacturing, the implementation of a WTO intellectual property rights waiver, and a shift from unilateralism to collective global action to ensure equitable vaccine distribution.

The 'Closing the Loop on Textile Waste in Kenya' partnership, led by Enviu, PurFi, and Upset Sourcing East Africa, utilizes a chemical recycling technology to process textile waste into high-quality materials for new manufacturing. The initiative has sold 100,000 kg of textile cotton waste and employs a sorting team of women processing 36,000 kg per month. By collaborating with Kenya's Export Processing Zone Authority (EPZA), the partnership aims to integrate circular waste-to-value solutions into the country's expanding textile industry to reduce environmental pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

The WHO-Civil Society Working Group to Advance Action on Climate and Health reports on its 2021 efforts to mobilize the health sector for climate action. Key achievements include conducting regional consultations across six WHO regions involving over 135 countries, launching the 'Healthy Climate Prescription' open letter signed by organizations representing 46 million health workers, and publishing a report on climate and health research gaps. The group also supported the Global Climate and Health Conference and the WHO Health Pavilion at COP26 to increase the visibility of health in climate negotiations.

The briefing introduces an 'energy efficiency cost premium' method to isolate energy efficiency spending from total construction costs in green-certified buildings. Analyzing over 16,000 certifications from 2019-2020, it finds that incremental energy efficiency investments averaged USD 10.5 billion annually, representing only about 5% of the total cost of those buildings. The report highlights that green certifications are inconsistent indicators of energy performance, with over half of tracked assets achieving less than a 30% efficiency gain. It argues that current certifications often fail to align with 1.5°C or 2°C decarbonization pathways and recommends standardized asset-level reporting and a shift toward certifying retrofits in developed economies.

Uttar Pradesh is lagging behind other high-demand Indian states in renewable energy adoption, with only 30% of its 2022 capacity target achieved by October 2021. The state remains heavily dependent on coal, which accounts for approximately 90% of in-state generation, leaving it vulnerable to supply chain disruptions and high costs. IEEFA modelling suggests that if the state meets its 2030 target of 23.5GW of solar, solar power could meet the majority of future electricity demand growth. However, progress is hindered by the financial instability of state-owned distribution companies (Discoms), characterized by high AT&C losses and expensive long-term thermal power purchase agreements. The report recommends retiring old coal plants, expanding distributed solar, and utilizing open market platforms to improve the financial viability of the electricity sector.

The report examines how technological advancements in the mining sector of Burkina Faso affect employment across industrial, artisanal, and administrative levels. While industrial mines are slowly adopting automation and remote work, artisanal mining is seeing a shift toward semi-mechanization. The document highlights significant risks of job losses for low-skilled workers and women, while proposing policies for skill redevelopment, local content enhancement, and transparency in technology adoption.

The report examines how technological advancements in Burkina Faso's mining sector—ranging from automated machinery in industrial mines to mechanical crushers in artisanal sites—threaten traditional employment, particularly for low-skilled workers and women. It highlights that while industrial companies often downplay these shifts, automation in excavation, topography, and administration is reducing the need for human labor. In the artisanal sector, the introduction of centrifuges and crushers is displacing women's traditional roles in ore processing. The document recommends enhancing transparency in technology adoption, investing in local skill development, and promoting 'local content' strategies to mitigate job losses and ensure sustainable economic benefits for local communities.

The document outlines a framework for the sustainable deployment of solar irrigation in India, focusing on the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus. It provides detailed guidance across five key areas: inter-departmental coordination, financing and affordability, beneficiary targeting, infrastructure support, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E). The guide emphasizes the need to protect groundwater resources, support small and marginal farmers, and transition away from high-subsidy models through innovative financing and ownership structures.

The report identifies the fossil fuel industry as the most litigious sector in the ISDS system, accounting for nearly 20% of all known cases. It highlights a significant lack of transparency, with 54% of concluded cases remaining confidential. Findings show that investors frequently win on the merits (72% of disclosed cases) and receive substantially higher awards than non-fossil fuel investors, averaging over USD 600 million. The analysis emphasizes the role of the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) and contract-based arbitrations, particularly in low-income countries. The report concludes that the ISDS system can create a 'regulatory chill,' deterring states from implementing urgent climate policies and phasing out fossil fuels to meet Paris Agreement objectives.

The report examines how voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) can support poverty reduction for smallholder farmers across three dimensions: access to resources, opportunities and choices, and power and voice. Through an analysis of 13 major VSSs and interviews in six countries, it finds that while VSSs can improve crop income, natural resource management, and skills development, their overall impact on poverty is inconclusive and context-specific. Significant barriers to smallholder access include high certification costs, limited financial resources, and asymmetrical power relations in supply chains. The report recommends that VSSs better integrate gender equality, support business diversification, and harmonize standards, while urging governments to provide better land tenure and financial support to enable smallholder compliance.

The Supreme Court of Nepal ordered the government to enact a new climate change law after finding that the Environmental Protection Act of 1997 was inadequate for mitigation and adaptation. The court ruled that inaction violated constitutional rights to a dignified life and a healthy environment, as well as international commitments under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. Following the decision, Nepal passed the Environment Protection Act of 2019 and the Forests Act of 2019.

The report analyzes the IEA's Net Zero Emissions by 2050 (NZE) scenario, highlighting its call for an immediate end to new fossil fuel supply projects and a 75% reduction in methane emissions by 2030. While acknowledging the NZE as a benchmark for 1.5C alignment, the author criticizes its heavy reliance on carbon capture and storage (CCS), carbon dioxide removal (CDR), and biomass, which the report argues could prolong fossil fuel use and cause land-use conflicts. It further notes that the IEA underestimates the cost-competitiveness of renewables and the risks associated with nuclear energy. The document recommends that financial institutions immediately cease support for new fossil fuel and LNG projects and that the IEA adopt a more precautionary approach to unproven technologies.

The Transparent 2021 report analyzes the plastic footprints of eight global companies (Amcor, Colgate-Palmolive, Keurig Dr Pepper, Kimberly-Clark, McDonald’s, Procter & Gamble, Starbucks, and The Coca-Cola Company). In 2020, these members reported a total of 4.60 million metric tons of plastic sold to retailers and consumers. The report finds that 31% of this plastic was estimated to be recycled, while 44% went to landfills and 16% was mismanaged. Key progress includes the elimination of polystyrene (PS) from Keurig Dr Pepper's K-Cup pods and a reduction in small plastics by Starbucks and McDonald's. However, the report highlights a significant gap in the availability of recycled content, with the aggregate portfolio containing only 7.9% recycled content. The document advocates for a binding global treaty on plastic pollution to harmonize waste management data and scale circular solutions.

The report finds that France's Plan de relance largely neglects natural capital, with 47% of its budget categorized as neutral or impossible to assess regarding biodiversity. While 28% of the budget is expected to have a positive impact—primarily through climate mitigation—25% is expected to have a negative impact due to support for environmentally damaging industries and company tax reductions. The authors recommend implementing environmental conditionality for funds and adopting nature-based solutions to ensure long-term economic resilience.