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The Ukraine war has accelerated a shift toward transactional alliances in the Middle East, empowering states like Saudi Arabia and Turkey to pursue greater strategic autonomy while weakening others like Egypt. As US influence diminishes and Russia focuses on its war effort, China has expanded its role from an economic power to a diplomatic mediator, exemplified by brokering the March 2023 Saudi-Iran rapprochement. The document also notes that Vladimir Putin's authoritarian leadership style and anti-Western ideological framing resonate with regional strongmen, posing a challenge to the liberal democratic order and the normative foreign policy of states like Norway.

The document argues that Israel's ambition to expand the Abraham Accords, particularly to Saudi Arabia, has been thwarted by a combination of far-right domestic policies and Saudi Arabia's strategic pivot toward normalization with Iran, Syria, and Hamas. While existing agreements with states like the UAE remain economically robust, the brief notes that the current Israeli government's actions in the West Bank and its judicial reforms have strained relations with the US and Jordan, while removing the primary incentive for Saudi engagement.

The document examines the link between environmental collapse and militarization in southern Iraq, specifically how water scarcity and agricultural failure have made militia recruitment an economic necessity for rural populations. It details a history of ecological trauma, state neglect, and the role of upstream damming in Turkey and Iran, which have collectively gutted the local economy and pushed residents toward either migration or armed groups.

The CESCR frequently addressed climate change in its 2022 State reviews, focusing on mitigation policies, adaptation plans, and the phase-out of fossil fuels. The Committee emphasized the need for States to meet Paris Agreement commitments and highlighted extraterritorial obligations to ensure that domestic policies and international agreements do not adversely affect human rights in other countries. Additionally, the 2022 General Comment No. 26 on land rights stressed that climate mitigation measures, such as large-scale renewable energy projects, must include robust safeguards to protect human rights and the environment.

The document explores how ethics functions within peace negotiations, arguing that while often implicit or subordinated to power and strategy, ethical considerations significantly impact the process. Using the 'situated holism framework'—which analyzes positions, participants, practices, procedures, and principles—the author identifies key ethical dilemmas, such as the tradeoff between immediate peace and long-term justice, the legitimacy of including controversial stakeholders, and the tension between a negotiator's mandate and the urgency of reaching an agreement. The findings suggest that ethics in this field is often a matter of 'principled realism,' where normative concerns coexist with realpolitik.

The Chilling Prospects 2023 analysis identifies 1.12 billion people at high risk of lacking cooling access, primarily the rural and urban poor. While high-risk populations decreased slightly by 20.4 million since 2022, the lower-middle-income group at medium risk grew to 2.9 billion people. The report highlights significant gender disparities, with women overrepresented in high-risk groups, and identifies 'Critical 9' countries—including India, China, and Nigeria—where the most pronounced risks exist.

The study assesses the impact of dam operations and climate change on the Mond River and its downstream estuary. While dams cause 'drastic' to 'severe' flow alterations in the river corridor, remote sensing indicates that climate change factors—specifically sea-level rise in the Persian Gulf and meteorological drought—have a more significant impact on the Mond-Protected Area than upstream river regulation or land-use change.

The briefing argues that the reintroduction of the SLCM-N would be counterproductive. While it could theoretically target hardened underground facilities in extreme circumstances, the author contends that the operational costs—including reduced conventional ordnance capacity, decreased vessel employability, and limited mission flexibility compared to nuclear-capable bombers—outweigh the benefits. The analysis suggests that fielding SLCM-N would actually restrict the executable options available to the U.S. President and combatant commanders.

The Climate Change Performance Index 2023 finds that none of the 60 largest emitters are on a 1.5°C pathway, leaving the top three ranks unoccupied. Denmark is the current frontrunner, leading in almost all categories, while China and the US are categorized as 'very low' performers. The report highlights a wide disparity in performance among EU countries and identifies Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Kazakhstan as the worst overall performers due to heavy oil reliance and weak renewable energy adoption.

Global Energy Monitor (GEM) finds that 30 fossil fuel companies are responsible for 43% of the industry's global methane emissions. The analysis identifies the National Iranian Oil Company as the largest emitter and highlights the dominance of Chinese state-owned enterprises in coal mine methane emissions. The report emphasizes that emissions vary based on infrastructure age, operator type, and geographic location, noting that some oil and gas emissions could be reduced at no net cost.

The document advocates for a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) in South Africa, defining it as a regular cash transfer provided as a right to all adults to cover basic necessities. It argues that a UBIG is superior to targeted grants, which often suffer from high exclusion errors and administrative complexity. The series presents evidence that basic income support improves health, education, and mental well-being, particularly for children, and empowers women by reducing their economic dependence on men and vulnerability to intimate partner violence. Economically, it contends that UBIGs do not create dependency or discourage work; instead, they can stimulate local economies through a multiplier effect and provide workers with an 'exit option' from exploitative labor. The document proposes financing the UBIG through progressive taxation, including a social security tax, wealth taxes, and the removal of subsidies for the wealthy, estimating a gross annual cost of R255 billion if set at the Food Poverty Line, which would be significantly offset by VAT recoupment and economic growth.

The document contends that social grants do not cause labour market withdrawal but instead increase agency and the ability to search for work. It provides evidence from South Africa and other low-and middle-income countries showing that cash transfers can stimulate local economic growth, increase self-employment, and improve human capital. The text argues that a universal basic income guarantee (UBIG) is necessary to address immediate hunger and gender injustice, as it supports unpaid care work and provides workers with an 'exit option' from exploitative employment.

The report finds that IFIs have historically had limited exposure to the steel sector, with most investments focused on business-as-usual modernization rather than transformative decarbonization. While barriers such as the high capital intensity of steel projects and a lack of national policy frameworks in developing countries exist, the authors argue that IFIs can accelerate the transition by de-risking first movers, supporting green hydrogen strategies, and creating demand through green public procurement standards for infrastructure projects.

The document analyzes the 2022 violence in Leicester, attributing it to a 'perfect storm' of local friction—such as disputes over the expansion of the Daman Hindu community and use of local facilities—and international tensions stemming from the Hindutva ideology of India's BJP government. It details how social media platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter were used to spread misinformation, with pro-BJP, Islamist, and far-right actors framing the conflict to suit their own narratives. The briefing also notes the role of Indian and international media in exacerbating the situation and the unexpected support for Muslims from Sikh activists due to their own tensions with the Indian government.

The GCF is implementing a four-pillar operational framework to enhance coordination with other climate funds. Key achievements include the establishment of a joint steering committee for the Long-Term Vision (LTV) with the GEF, the fast-track reaccreditation of nine entities with the AF, and the development of a joint GCF-GEF pavilion for COP 26 and COP 27. The report details specific funding proposals and readiness grants that demonstrate national programming coherence, as well as ongoing technical dialogues to harmonize results indicators and impact measurement methodologies across funds.

The 10th Review Conference of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) failed to produce an outcome document due to Russian objections regarding the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine. While the NPT remains relevant, it faces a credibility crisis as recognized nuclear weapons states modernize arsenals and fail to abide by treaty stipulations. The author argues that the NPT must adapt by strengthening enforcement, establishing a clear timeline for complete nuclear disarmament, and leveraging the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) to increase its effectiveness.

Global Energy Monitor reports that 24,166 km of oil pipelines are in development worldwide, with an estimated cost of USD 75.4 billion. This expansion, led by the United States, India, China, and Russia, is projected to add approximately 30.1 million barrels per day of transmission capacity, potentially generating 4.61 billion tonnes of CO2 annually. The report argues that this buildout creates significant stranded asset risks and contradicts the IEA's Net Zero by 2050 scenario, which states that no new oil fields are necessary to meet Paris Agreement goals.

The document challenges the belief that social grants create a 'culture of dependency' or discourage labour market participation in South Africa. By reviewing international and local evidence, it argues that cash transfers often facilitate job searches, stimulate local economies, and empower women. The authors advocate for a UBIG indexed to the upper-bound poverty line, funded through progressive taxation, as a means to eliminate poverty while supporting inclusive economic growth.

The document analyzes the collapse of Sri Lanka in 2022, attributing the crisis to the corruption of the Rajapaksa family, a massive international debt burden, and failed neoliberal policies. It details how the ban on chemical fertilizers caused food insecurity, how dependence on fossil fuels led to energy poverty, and how 'debt-for-nature' swaps are viewed as false solutions. The text highlights a severe humanitarian crisis where millions require immediate assistance and calls for a systemic change, debt cancellation, and a just energy transition.

The document details how fossil fuel extraction, production, and combustion cause severe health harms, including respiratory diseases, cancers, and cardiovascular issues, while contributing to the global climate crisis. It highlights the economic burden of these health impacts, the role of fossil fuel subsidies in perpetuating harm, and proposes sector-specific solutions and a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty to ensure a just transition.