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The authors argue that while the T20 has grown in diversity and productivity, it suffers from limited policy impact, a lack of continuity across presidencies, and an over-reliance on the production of policy briefs over substantive dialogue. To address these, they propose establishing a permanent steering committee based on a troika system, decoupling the T20 timeline from the G20 calendar to allow for earlier agenda-setting, and reducing the volume of policy briefs in favor of higher-quality, joint recommendations. The goal is to transform the T20 into a more continuous process that engages both current and incoming G20 presidencies and mid-level government officials.

A report by Trend Asia published in 2021 arguing that Indonesia is unprepared for disasters due to government policies favoring extractive industries, mining, and coal, despite facing multiple crises including climate change and the pandemic.

The document proposes that Indonesia implement a fuel tax increase of IDR 500 per litre for gasoline and diesel to generate USD 2.2 billion annually for pandemic recovery. It highlights India's transition from high fuel subsidies to high taxes as a viable model for boosting revenue and funding social programs. Additionally, it notes that while India's subsidies for renewable energy and electric vehicles more than doubled in FY 2022, the country still allocates four times more support to fossil fuels than to clean energy.

The document argues that women's political representation is vital for the durability of peace, as it can lead to increased social welfare spending and improved perceptions of governance. It highlights that while global representation in national parliaments slightly increased to 25.5% by January 2021, women still face systemic barriers including poverty, patriarchal stereotypes, and violence. The briefing suggests that international bodies should implement gender quotas, establish participation benchmarks for 'free and fair' elections, and ensure women's rights are guaranteed in peace agreements.

Andrew Steer reflects on his nine-year tenure as leader of the World Resources Institute (WRI), outlining the organizational strategies and lessons learned to effectively drive global environmental and climate change.

The document highlights the success of Nordic countries in decoupling economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions through environmental fiscal reform (EFR). It notes that EFR has supported industrial growth, such as the Danish wind energy sector, and generated significant annual revenues between USD 7 billion and USD 13 billion per country in 2018. The brief argues that aligning taxes, subsidies, and spending can simultaneously address economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change by raising funds for debt reduction and stimulus while creating price signals to deter pollution.

The briefing argues that the Leaders Summit on Climate should be used to secure a 50% emissions reduction target from the US by 2030, align the 2030 targets of major economies like China and Japan with net-zero trajectories, increase climate finance for developing nations while ending public coal funding, and ensure COVID-19 recovery packages prioritize green infrastructure over fossil fuels.

The ASEAN sustainable finance market reached a record high of USD 12.8bn in GSS bond and loan issuance in 2020. Singapore leads the region in volume, particularly through green loans for real estate, while Indonesia and Thailand show strong growth driven by sovereign issuances. The market is increasingly diversifying into sustainability-linked instruments and social bonds, although the latter remained less active in 2020. The report highlights the critical role of government support, the development of regional and national taxonomies, and the influence of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) in scaling green infrastructure.

ClientEarth urges the European Commission to prioritize the preservation of forests over their economic exploitation in the new EU Forest Strategy. The organization advocates for the strict protection of primary and old-growth forests, the integration of the Strategy with existing anti-illegal logging frameworks like the EUTR and FLEGT, and the complete exclusion of forest biomass from the definition of renewable energy. It further emphasizes the need for the legal recognition of Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' tenure rights, the use of remote-sensing data for monitoring, and the inclusion of binding forest protection criteria in EU trade agreements.

The document assesses six policy options to raise cocoa prices and farmer incomes to combat poverty, deforestation, and child labour. It concludes that most trade-based interventions, such as export price regimes or import duties, are unsustainable in the long term due to risks of over-supply, reduced consumer demand, and WTO compatibility issues. The author identifies bilateral partnership agreements as the most promising approach to create the governance and sustainability standards necessary for a comprehensive sector reform.

The briefing argues for a mandatory product-based due diligence framework for Forest and Ecosystem Risk Commodities (FERCs) and their derivatives. It recommends that the regulation cover not only forests but all natural ecosystems and human rights violations, specifically the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. The authors call for equivalent obligations for financial institutions, a robust enforcement mechanism including criminal penalties and access to EU courts for harmed third parties, and accompanying measures to support producer countries and reform EU consumption patterns.

In 2020, a significant increase in coal plant development in China offset a global retreat from coal, leading to the first increase in global coal capacity since 2015. While China commissioned 38.4 GW of new capacity, the rest of the world saw a decline of 17.2 GW, driven by record retirements in the U.S. and EU27. South and Southeast Asian nations, including Indonesia, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Vietnam, announced plans to cut up to 62 GW of planned coal power due to falling renewable costs and financing difficulties. Despite these regional shifts, the report finds that global coal capacity remains far above the levels required to meet the IPCC 1.5 degree pathway, with an estimated 1,350 GW needing to be cancelled or retired.

In 2020, global coal-fired power capacity increased by 12.5 GW, driven primarily by China, which operated 38.4 GW of new capacity. This offset record closures in the US (11.3 GW) and EU27 (10.1 GW). While China's development grew as an economic stimulus during the pandemic, other Asian nations like Indonesia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and the Philippines announced plans to cancel up to 62 GW of planned projects due to falling renewable costs and financing difficulties. The report concludes that current global trajectories remain far from the 1.5°C warming limit, with approximately 1,350 GW of capacity needing to be cancelled or closed to meet IPCC targets.

The report highlights a global divergence in coal energy: while most of the world is decommissioning coal plants due to financial pressures and climate goals, China significantly increased its capacity in 2020. In 2020, China's new coal capacity of 38.4 GW nearly offset the total global decommissioning of 37.8 GW. Meanwhile, Southeast Asian and South Asian nations like Indonesia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and the Philippines have moved to cancel or review plans for 62 GW of coal capacity. The US saw record decommissioning under Donald Trump, and the EU continues to phase out coal. However, the report warns that current trajectories, especially in China, make the IPCC's 1.5°C warming limit unattainable without massive cancellations of planned projects.

The report highlights a global divergence in coal power: while most of the world saw record closures and project cancellations, China experienced a significant boom in new capacity, offsetting global declines. In 2020, China's new coal capacity reached 38.4 GW, accounting for 76% of the global total. Conversely, the US and EU27 led in closures, with 11.3 GW and 10.1 GW retired respectively. In South and Southeast Asia, countries like Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Bangladesh announced plans to cut up to 62 GW of planned coal capacity due to funding difficulties and the falling cost of renewables. The report also notes that global coal capacity is far exceeding the levels required to meet the IPCC's 1.5°C warming limit, with a projected 2,400 GW by 2030 compared to the required 1,100 GW.

The report analyzes how regional trade agreements (RTAs) can be used to scale the circular economy (CE) by integrating specific provisions into trade policy. It suggests that while the European Union is leading in including CE in its agreements, most RTAs remain embryonic in this regard. The authors propose a comprehensive framework for CE integration, including the front-loading of tariff elimination for circular goods, the liberalization of supportive services, the harmonization of technical standards to remove barriers to trade, and the reform of subsidies to discourage non-circular production. The report emphasizes that the legal effectiveness of these provisions depends on their drafting rather than their location within an agreement, though a dedicated CE chapter would signal strong political commitment.

The briefing details the work of the WTO's Informal Working Group (IWG) on MSMEs, specifically the adoption of a six-part package of recommendations in December 2020 to address barriers like access to finance, information, and trade facilitation. It also analyzes the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on MSMEs, particularly women-led businesses, and outlines national and international policy responses. Future plans include the development of the 'Trade4MSMEs' web platform and further exploration of digitalization and e-commerce customs duties.

The document analyzes the fiscal challenges facing Indonesia, specifically its low tax-to-GDP ratio and the burden of fuel subsidies. It uses India's experience—where gasoline and diesel subsidies were phased out and replaced by flexible excise duties—as a blueprint for Indonesia. The authors recommend that Indonesia implement a fixed fuel tax to raise revenue for social programs and pandemic recovery, suggesting that such a measure is more politically viable in the short term than immediate subsidy elimination.

The document details the progress of the WTO's Informal Working Group (IWG) on MSMEs, highlighting a set of six recommendations adopted in December 2020 to improve transparency, trade facilitation, and access to finance. It extensively analyzes the disproportionate negative impact of COVID-19 on MSMEs, particularly those led by women, and outlines national and international policy responses. Future goals include the launch of the 'Trade4MSMEs' platform and further exploration of digitalization and cybersecurity.

The report finds that the 60 largest global banks provided $3.8 trillion in fossil fuel financing from 2016 to 2020. Despite a 9% drop in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, financing levels remained higher than in 2016. JPMorgan Chase is identified as the world's worst fossil fuel banker, with $317 billion provided over the five-year period. The analysis highlights a significant gap between banks' 'net zero by 2050' pledges and their continued funding of fossil fuel expansion, particularly in sectors like LNG, offshore oil and gas, and coal. The report also details the human rights and environmental impacts of specific projects, such as the East African Crude Oil Pipeline and the Line 3 pipeline, and argues that current bank policies are insufficient to align with the 1.5C goal of the Paris Agreement.