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The document argues that carbon markets and emission offsets are ineffective at reducing emissions and instead serve as a distraction for major polluters while enabling extractivism and neocolonialism, particularly in the Global South. It details the mechanisms of the UNFCCC's Article 6, including the cooperative approaches of 6.2 and the UN-managed market of 6.4, as well as various regional and national systems in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. The guide concludes by offering strategies for opposition, such as policy advocacy, community awareness, and legal challenges, while providing resources for tracking carbon projects.

The report finds that while global coal capacity is increasingly subject to carbon neutrality targets, a significant gap remains between current phase-out rates and Paris Agreement goals. China is the primary driver of new coal capacity, while the US leads in retirements. In Indonesia, the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) provides a $20 billion financial commitment to accelerate the electricity sector's emission peak to 2030, though 'captive' coal plants for industrial use remain a significant challenge.

The report outlines a phased roadmap for the Green Power Corridor (GPC) in North-East Asia, aiming to integrate the power grids of China, Japan, Mongolia, the Republic of Korea, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and the Russian Federation. Using a cost-optimization model, the study demonstrates that enhanced connectivity reduces system costs, accelerates the adoption of low-cost renewables, and supports national net-zero targets. The proposed roadmap is divided into three phases: laying the groundwork (2023-2030), implementation (2030-2040), and organic development (2040 onward), focusing on six building blocks: political accord, institutional framework, infrastructure backbone, financial arrangements, regulatory framework, and social acceptance.

The report finds that while most thematic bonds meet standards, approximately 25% of green bonds and 6% of social and sustainability bonds priced in 2022 were excluded from Climate Bonds databases due to insufficient information or non-aligned Use of Proceeds (UoP). Key issues include the allocation of funds to general working capital in China, the inclusion of roads in social and sustainability frameworks in Japan, and inadequate building standards in the USA and Germany.

The Japanese green bond market continued to expand in 2021, led by financial institutions. Low-carbon buildings and energy are the primary use of proceeds. The market is characterized by high rates of external review and a preference for shorter maturity periods. Japan is also emerging as a leader in transition finance, supported by government guidelines and the introduction of sustainability-linked bonds. The Bank of Japan has introduced funding operations to support climate-aligned investments by financial institutions.

The Japanese green bond market continued to grow in 2021, led by financial corporates. Buildings and energy are the primary sectors for use of proceeds. The report also highlights the emergence of sustainability-linked and transition bonds, alongside a comprehensive suite of government guidelines and central bank initiatives to promote climate-related financial disclosures and transition finance.

The report argues that while COVID-19 accelerated the deployment of biosurveillance tools, current systems remain too focused on specific known threats and lack the integration needed for true early warning. It details the structural and technical requirements for an ideal system—including metagenomic sequencing and AI-driven digital surveillance—and evaluates progress in the U.S. and various global regions. The authors recommend a shift toward pathogen-agnostic tools, increased funding for biodefense, and the establishment of regional hubs and international mechanisms to coordinate global responses to natural, accidental, or deliberate biological events.

Asia is currently developing 442 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of new LNG import capacity, representing a US$119 billion investment. While driven by growing energy demand, these plans face a 'fork in the road' due to extreme price volatility caused by the European energy crisis and the falling cost of renewable energy. China leads the regional buildout, accounting for nearly half of Asia's planned capacity. The document warns that this infrastructure could lock economies into fossil fuel reliance, contradicting global 1.5°C warming targets.

The report identifies that Canada's federal adaptation governance is currently 'weak' and fragmented, primarily operating at the director general level with limited connection to senior decision-makers. It argues that the upcoming National Adaptation Strategy (NAS) provides a critical opportunity to revitalize this structure. The authors suggest several options for improvement, including establishing a dedicated DM-level committee for adaptation, creating a formal legal mandate through legislation, and developing a specialized knowledge-brokering unit. The report emphasizes that success depends on sufficient funding, senior-level leadership, and a deeper understanding of the distinct characteristics of adaptation compared to climate mitigation and emergency management.

The report outlines the activities of the St. Louis Controlled Environment Agriculture (STLCEA) Coalition, which selected AeroFarms to develop a large-scale commercial vertical farm and community-based farms in the St. Louis region. It evaluates various energy strategies to reduce the high carbon footprint of indoor farming, including the use of stranded assets like river cooling, underwater turbines, and waste-to-energy systems. Additionally, the document describes the establishment of a Center of Excellence (CoE) led by The Yield Lab Institute to foster knowledge sharing and technological innovation in the fragmented CEA industry while addressing food insecurity and racial inequality in north St. Louis.

The author contends that the EU's adherence to strict debt-to-GDP ratios and austerity has undermined public services, lowered living standards, and hindered the energy transition. The text calls for a shift away from the 'fiscal straitjacket' of the Maastricht criteria toward a framework that empowers national governments and the European Commission to invest in carbon emission reductions and social infrastructure.

The We Mean Business Coalition asserts that current government commitments are insufficient, putting the world on track for over 2.5°C of warming. The author calls for COP27 to translate G20 agreements into a science-based plan of action, emphasizing the need for a just transition away from all fossil fuels, streamlined permitting for renewables, and a reformed global financial system using ISSB standards as a baseline.

The document describes superhot rock energy as a visionary geothermal technology capable of providing affordable, always-on clean power and hydrogen. While the technology has global potential—with many areas having accessible superhot rock less than 10 km deep—it remains underutilized due to a lack of funding and the risks associated with early-stage innovation. The author highlights that most existing projects are in the drilling phase (Level 2) and none have yet harnessed supercritical fluids for power production. To accelerate commercialization, the brief calls for government funding of high-temperature drilling research and pilot demonstrations, alongside the creation of safe and efficient regulatory regimes.

The document contends that the current energy crisis is a "natural gas market crisis" caused by fossil fuel price volatility, specifically citing the Russian invasion of Ukraine and post-pandemic recovery. It argues that natural gas is incompatible with the 1.5°C and 2°C Paris Agreement targets, noting that global gas emissions rose 23% between 2010 and 2019. The briefing highlights that solar and onshore wind are now cheaper than gas for two-thirds of the global population and that new gas projects face significant stranded asset risks, such as a USD 13 billion risk in the UK by 2050. It dismisses Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) as an effective solution, noting that only 27 of over 260 projects undertaken between 1995 and 2018 were completed. Finally, it argues that for Africa, renewables are the fastest and cheapest way to expand energy access, as gas costs are projected to be double those of solar and wind by 2030.

The document outlines the methodology for calculating the amount of fossil fuels displaced by solar energy and the associated avoided costs. It describes the use of Ember's electricity datasets, IEA thermal efficiency and calorific value data, and UN Comtrade trade data to build linear regression models for fuel pricing. The analysis assumes solar replaces the cheapest fossil fuel generation in each country, with a specific exception for Indonesia where oil is replaced first.

Solar generation in seven Asian countries avoided approximately US$34 billion in fossil fuel costs in the first half of 2022. The report highlights rapid capacity growth in China, India, and Viet Nam, while noting that solar capacity across five key Asian economies is expected to grow by an average of 22% annually until 2030. However, the transition faces hurdles including grid instability in Viet Nam, high installation costs in Japan and South Korea, and policy bottlenecks in the Philippines and Thailand.

The report warns that massive LNG expansion and a lack of ambitious national climate targets are jeopardizing the 1.5°C warming limit. It highlights that current 2030 targets lead to 2.4°C of warming and that LNG capacity under construction could increase emissions by over 1.9 GtCO2e per year by 2030 above Net Zero scenarios. While some policy progress is noted in the US, China, and the EU, international climate finance remains insufficient, and the phase-down of coal is largely being ignored by major emitters.

The document assesses the status of the Global Methane Pledge one year after COP26, noting that while over 120 countries have committed to a 30% reduction in methane emissions by 2030, atmospheric methane levels remain at an all-time high. It details national actions in the US, EU, Canada, Egypt, Nigeria, Mexico, Colombia, and Ecuador, while calling for $100 billion in annual financing to address the funding gap for methane mitigation across the fossil fuel, agriculture, and waste sectors.

The document provides a detailed breakdown of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, distinguishing between the bilateral trading of Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs) under Article 6.2 and the UN-overseen global carbon market under Article 6.4. It highlights critical risks such as double counting, the potential for 'junk' credits transitioning from the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), and the lack of transparency in reporting. The guide also argues against the inclusion of avoided emissions and short-lived carbon storage as bases for credits, while advocating for mandatory cancellation rates to ensure overall mitigation in global emissions.

Superhot rock energy involves tapping into Earth's deep heat (400°C or hotter) to produce high-density, zero-carbon power. While current geothermal is limited to specific volcanic regions, superhot rock could be accessed worldwide through deep drilling. The report identifies critical engineering needs in drilling, reservoir creation, and materials, suggesting that leveraging unconventional oil and gas expertise could accelerate commercialization.