Search Climate Insights Directory

The report provides a comparative analysis of how 16 countries and territories are operationalising OECMs through five primary legal and policy pathways: ministerial instruments, national guidelines, administrative procedures, sector-based recognition, and mechanisms for areas beyond national jurisdiction. It finds a high degree of global convergence and alignment with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Decision 14/8 criteria, while noting that countries adapt these standards to fit their specific governance and legal contexts. The document highlights the rapid growth in OECM reporting between 2021 and 2025 and provides recommendations for scaling these frameworks globally.

The report analyzes how 16 reporting jurisdictions and several others in development operationalize OECMs through five primary pathways: ministerial instruments, national guidelines, administrative procedures, sector-based recognition, and mechanisms for areas beyond national jurisdiction. It finds a strong global convergence toward the terminology and criteria of CBD Decision 14/8, while noting that most countries prefer non-legislative policy tools over new laws to achieve conservation outcomes.

The report examines the state of nature-related financial disclosures in South Africa, noting that while awareness is growing, formal adoption of the TNFD framework remains low. It advocates for the LEAP (Locate, Evaluate, Assess, and Prepare) methodology as a practical tool for companies to identify their dependencies on nature and manage associated financial and operational risks. The document highlights specific applications for the mining and agriculture sectors and emphasizes the need for technical capacity building and cross-sector collaboration to transition toward a nature-positive economy.

In 2025, electric vehicles (EVs) accounted for over a quarter of global new car sales, driven by a significant shift in emerging markets. While legacy auto markets in the US and Canada have seen a rollback of incentives, countries in Southeast Asia and Latin America are 'leapfrogging' advanced economies. Viet Nam and Singapore have reached EV sales shares exceeding 40%, surpassing the UK and EU. China continues to dominate as the largest market, with its exports increasingly targeting non-OECD markets such as Brazil, Mexico, the UAE, and Indonesia. The report highlights that EVs significantly reduce fossil fuel demand, with battery electric vehicles in Brazil delivering an estimated 90% reduction compared to internal combustion engine vehicles.

A group of Canadian health professionals and community leaders is urging the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) to halt funding for LNG Canada and the Coastal GasLink pipeline. They argue that current assessments fail to account for the cumulative health burdens of fracked gas extraction, transport, and terminal operations, particularly in Kitimat and northeast British Columbia. The authors claim JBIC is violating OECD guidelines, Japan's own Net Zero 2050 commitment, and international human rights standards, specifically regarding the lack of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) from Wet’suwet’en hereditary leaders and other Indigenous groups.

The report identifies Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, and China as the fastest adopters of electric vehicles by sales share. It highlights China's dominance in both total volume (11.3 million sales in 2024) and market share (48%), while noting Norway's lead in share (92%). The analysis emphasizes that rapid uptake is driven by government incentives, investment in charging infrastructure, and the availability of affordable models. It also notes a trend of 'leapfrogging' in developing nations like Ethiopia, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, fueled by affordable Chinese imports.

US and Japanese advocacy groups are calling on Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to reform the Feed-In Tariff (FIT) system for wood pellets. They argue that Japanese subsidies have fueled an industry in the US characterized by repeated legal violations and pollution. The groups propose prohibiting subsidies for non-compliant mills, mandating full public disclosure of supply chains, and requiring direct due diligence rather than reliance on certification schemes.

The report finds that while OECD pension funds have significantly increased their climate target-setting and risk management since 2020, their portfolios remain heavily exposed to fossil fuel expansion. Pension funds often outperform other financial institutions in areas like policy engagement and emissions disclosure once climate goals are embedded in their governance. The analysis highlights that robust regulatory frameworks in countries like the Netherlands, Denmark, and the UK drive higher adoption of targets, and suggests that the relationship between asset owners and asset managers is a critical lever for driving decarbonization.

The document argues that traditional green finance is insufficient for the Indian iron and steel sector because many necessary transitional technologies are not yet 'green' enough or are economically unviable. It identifies four core enablers for a transition finance (TF) market: sectoral roadmaps, climate finance taxonomies, credible corporate transition plans, and specialized TF instruments. To address high capex and cash flow constraints, the authors propose the Partial Deep Discount Carbon STRIPS (PDDCS) bond, which offers long-term debt (25-30 years) and allows investors to receive coupons in either cash or carbon credits generated by the project. The brief also suggests a flexible version (PDDB+C) to align with current Indian Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) regulations, which currently limit carbon trading to registered entities.

The report finds that while OECD pension funds are increasing their climate target-setting and internal governance, their portfolios remain heavily exposed to expansionist fossil fuels. Progress is strongly linked to national regulatory environments, with the Netherlands, Denmark, and the UK leading. A critical lever for future impact is the governance of the asset owner–asset manager relationship, where leading funds are moving toward more active mandates, stricter stewardship oversight, and in some cases, the internalization of asset management to ensure alignment with net-zero goals.

The WWF-SASSI fact sheet is a consumer guide that classifies seafood species based on their sustainability and legal status in South Africa. It uses a traffic-light system—Green (Best Choice), Orange (Think Twice), and Red (Don't Buy)—to help consumers make informed choices based on species health, fishing methods, and management effectiveness. The guide highlights specific species, such as SA trawled hake as an example of MSC eco-labelled wild-caught seafood, and warns against purchasing 'no-sale' or specially protected species listed in red with a dark background.

The WWF-SASSI Consumer Seafood Guide is a reference tool that categorizes seafood into three sustainability levels: Green (Best Choice), Orange (Think Twice), and Red (Don't Buy). It emphasizes that sustainability depends on the species, the method of capture or farming, and the geographic origin of the seafood. The guide provides specific examples of sustainable and unsustainable seafood, such as MSC-certified SA trawled hake (Green) and various 'No Sale' species that are illegal to sell in South Africa.

The statement argues that the Canada-Alberta MOU represents a 'climb down' in climate leadership by pushing the 75% methane reduction target to 2035, contradicting a previous 2030 promise. The authors claim this delay threatens thousands of jobs in the methane mitigation industry, ignores more stringent standards adopted by the EU, US states, and other G7 allies, and results in significant economic waste from leaked natural gas.

The document examines the role of Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs) as a cost-effective tool for Canada to achieve its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). It highlights that internal decarbonization, particularly in heavy industry, is increasingly expensive, whereas ITMOs allow Canada to account for verified emissions reductions achieved abroad. The author suggests that by integrating ITMOs into its trade and financial strategies, Canada can open new markets for its clean technologies, such as methane reduction and advanced manufacturing. Using Japan's Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) as a model, the briefing recommends that Canada establish a national coordination mechanism involving multiple government departments to manage bilateral agreements and mobilize private investment.

Analysis of 840 municipalities in the Cerrado shows that land clearing for soy creates a 3:1 productivity loss, where climate spillovers outweigh the gains from new farmland. While individual farmers profit by externalizing costs, the region lost USD 9.4 billion in potential soy production between 2013 and 2023 due to deforestation-induced drying. Global importers, particularly China and Germany, face significant supply chain vulnerabilities, with China's sourcing regions losing USD 5.0 billion in annual production capacity. The report argues for urgent conservation and intensification strategies, noting that most municipalities are still below a critical climate threshold where protection delivers maximum benefit.

The 2025 East Asia Quadrilateral Dialogue joint statement argues that geopolitical zero-sum thinking and great power competition increase the risk of military conflict in East Asia and hinder cooperation on the climate crisis. The signatories advocate for the institutionalization of Track II diplomacy—linking civil society, parliaments, and experts—to maintain peace and manage regional competition.

A briefing on a workshop regarding the creation of a shared superhot rock geothermal testbed to bridge the gap between theory and deployment for high-capex geothermal innovation.

Expanding Canadian LNG capacity is projected to increase domestic emissions, potentially raising British Columbia's total emissions by nearly 20% by 2035. The impact on global emissions is described as ambiguous, as there are no guarantees that Canadian LNG will displace higher-emission fuels like coal or other LNG sources, especially given the rapid growth of renewables in key markets like China, India, and Japan. The author argues that LNG exports should not be viewed as a substitute for domestic climate policy and recommends stringent methane regulations, transparent industrial carbon pricing, and the avoidance of public subsidies for LNG projects.

Plan 1.5 argues that the South Korean government's 2035 NDC, set at 53-61% below 2018 levels, is inadequate because the 'practical' lower bound of 53% is driven by industrial interests rather than scientific necessity. The organization highlights that the industrial sector's reduction target of 24.3% is significantly lower than those of comparable manufacturing nations like Japan and Germany. The statement calls on the National Assembly to revise long-term reduction paths to protect future generations and avoid potential legal liabilities under international law.

The report finds that while total emissions from 25 major emitters may peak by 2026, current policies are insufficient to meet the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C goal. Fifteen countries are likely on track to meet their 2030 unconditional NDC targets, while nine are off track, including the US, UK, and Japan. Projections for the US have worsened due to policy rollbacks, and eight countries are already projected to miss their 2035 unconditional NDC targets.