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The report argues that most low- and lower-middle-income African states are decades away from a demographic dividend due to high youth dependency ratios and slow demographic transitions. While the global working-age to dependent ratio peaked in 2012, Africa's is forecast to peak shortly after 2070. The author suggests that aggressive roll-out of modern contraception, eliminating gender inequality in education, and improving basic infrastructure could advance this dividend. A modelled 'Demographic Dividend' scenario suggests that by 2063, Africa could have 418 million fewer people but a GDP in purchasing power terms US$1.7 trillion larger than under the current trajectory, significantly reducing extreme poverty and narrowing the income gap with the rest of the world.

The document examines the global landscape of high-speed rail (HSR), highlighting the extensive networks in China, Japan, and Europe compared to the limited development in the United States. It defines HSR as new lines exceeding 250 km/h (160 mph) and existing lines exceeding 200 km/h (120 mph). The text details China's rapid expansion, which is expected to reach 38,000 km by 2025, and Japan's long-standing safety record with the Shinkansen. In the U.S., only California is currently building a full HSR system, with the first phase expected by 2029. The report argues that HSR is more energy-efficient than cars and planes, offering a path to lower greenhouse gas emissions and reduced oil demand.

In early July 2018, southwestern Japan experienced extreme rainfall, with some interior stations recording more than twice the usual amount for the wettest day of the year, leading to local return times exceeding 200 years. Observational data from 94 stations show a higher prevalence of positive trends in extreme rainfall probability than negative trends, suggesting a systematic influence beyond natural variability. While a single high-resolution model (EC-Earth T799) qualitatively reproduces these positive trends from 1850 to 2098, the authors state that a lack of sufficient climate models and manpower prevents a robust quantitative attribution statement. The analysis concludes that climate change likely increased the probability of such extreme rains, though the exact magnitude remains undetermined.

The report concludes that RCEP negotiations have failed transparency and public participation tests, operating largely in secret while granting privileged access to business lobby groups. It examines the specific failures of participating nations—including Australia, India, Japan, South Korea, China, Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia—highlighting the exclusion of parliaments and civil society. The document warns that this secrecy facilitates corporate influence over intellectual property, investment rules, and public services, and recommends a shift toward a democratic, participatory policy-making process.

The EU-SADC EPA provides Lesotho with tariff preferences and liberal rules of origin for exports to the EU, supported by a development envelope of EUR 6 million. However, Lesotho currently exports almost no agricultural or agro-processed products to European markets due to low production volumes, inability to meet stringent EU and South African standards, and fragmented coordination between government and donors. While aquaculture (freshwater trout) is growing, other produce like apples, peaches, and tomatoes remains local or limited to South African markets. The document recommends that Lesotho integrate into South African value chains as a stepping stone to the EU and focus development efforts on a few specific products to achieve the necessary scale.

The Tropospheric Ozone Assessment Report (TOAR-Vegetation) analyzed ozone metrics across over 3,300 vegetated sites globally, focusing on M12, AOT40, and W126. Findings indicate that the highest ozone values (2010–14) are concentrated in the mid-latitudes of the northern hemisphere, while the lowest are found in parts of Australia, New Zealand, South America, Europe, Canada, and the USA. Between 1995 and 2014, ozone trends showed a significant decrease in North America, no change in Europe, and a significant increase in East Asia. The report recommends expanding ozone monitoring, investigating peri-urban and mountain agriculture, and establishing region-specific damage thresholds.

The Climate Bonds Initiative evaluates the JPY10bn green bond issued by Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) on 24 May 2018. While the bond is included in the Climate Bonds database because LNG-fuelled ships are currently the lowest-emission option for long-haul shipping, the briefing argues that switching to LNG is insufficient for long-term climate goals. LNG-fuelled ships reduce total GHG emissions by only 15-21% and CO2 by 30% compared to heavy fuel oil ships, failing to meet the IMO's 2030 target of a 40% cut in GHG emission intensity. The document highlights the risk of 'lock in' to fossil fuels, as these vessels will operate into the 2030s, potentially delaying the transition to commercially viable renewable fuels like ammonia and hydrogen. It also emphasizes the necessity of controlling methane leakage to prevent LNG from having a worse GHG profile than traditional fuels.

This briefing, prepared by the United States for the twenty-sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), recommends that Future Earth be invited to become an Associate of the Institute under Article XI of the Agreement Establishing the IAI.

The United States of America recommends that the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) invite the international NGO Future Earth to become an Associate under Article XI of its Agreement. The briefing highlights Future Earth's global research network, its existing Memorandum of Understanding with the IAI signed in 2017, and their joint work through the Belmont Forum and various policy processes to advance sustainability and transdisciplinary research in the Americas.

The document examines the global landscape of high-speed rail (HSR), highlighting the leadership of China, Japan, and Europe in deployment. It contrasts this with the United States, where HSR is largely absent due to factors like low population density, car culture, and property rights. The text argues that HSR offers significant energy and environmental advantages over air and car travel, while noting that China's rapid expansion is driven by government funding and strategic goals for economic integration and energy independence.

This document is a participant list for the 26th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, which took place on 20-21 June 2018 in Antigua, Guatemala. It identifies delegates from various member nations, observers from non-party states and associated institutions, and representatives from scientific bodies such as the National Science Foundation and the International Institute for Sustainable Development.

The report analyzes 23 green bonds totaling USD 15.1bn issued in Q4 2017. It finds that USD green bonds generally achieve higher oversubscription and tighter pricing relative to initial price thoughts than vanilla bonds, while EUR green bonds perform similarly. Approximately 44% of allocations went to green investors. The 'greenium' (pricing inside the yield curve) was observed in only half of a limited sample of six bonds, indicating that a new issue premium is not always avoided. In the secondary market, over half of EUR green bonds outperformed their indices after 28 days, whereas USD green bonds lagged.

The report identifies that while decarbonisation opportunities exist, they are hindered by a low EU ETS carbon price, restrictive product benchmarks, and a lack of shared infrastructure. Stakeholders argue that the current ETS design encourages incremental improvements over breakthrough technologies and often penalises early adopters or those using low-carbon substitutes. Proposed solutions include updating benchmarks with recent data, expanding green public procurement, and integrating carbon pricing with trade policy to ensure global competitiveness.

The report identifies newly adopted policies in 25 major emitting countries and regions—representing 79% of 2012 global GHG emissions—that support long-term decarbonisation goals. These policies include carbon taxes, coal phase-outs, and support for renewable energy and electric vehicles, focusing on legislative decisions and executive orders with direct effects on reducing emissions.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and supporting organizations argue that the proposed asbestos regulations contain critical gaps, specifically regarding legacy asbestos, mining residues, and industry exclusions. They recommend a comprehensive National Asbestos Strategy that includes a total ban on exports, the elimination of a 7-year exclusion for the chlor-alkali industry, and harmonized federal-provincial-territorial standards for end-of-life asbestos management.

The report finds that while Korea has a massive overall bond market and strong climate policies, its climate bond market remains small with only six bonds issued by four entities. It identifies a potential USD 18bn in unlabelled climate-aligned bonds and suggests that Korea could lead the Asian region by adopting national guidelines, sovereign issuance, and tax incentives, drawing on successful models from China, India, and other ASEAN nations.

The document compares the US Lacey Act, EU Timber Regulation, Australian Illegal Logging Prohibition Regulation, and Japanese Clean Wood Act across definitions of illegal timber, key requirements, regulated parties, product coverage, and enforcement mechanisms.

The document identifies systemic failures in the REACH authorisation process, specifically noting that authorisations are often granted even when suitable alternatives exist. It argues that applicants lack incentives to provide comprehensive information and that the Committee for Socio-economic Analysis (SEAC) incorrectly shifts the burden of proof away from applicants. To remedy this, the authors propose proactive consultation methods—inspired by EU merger law—and a more rigorous technical assessment based on 'end-use function' rather than just chemical performance. Key recommendations include requiring applicants to provide contact lists of competitors and customers, implementing a decision tree for feasibility assessments, and withdrawing authorisations if undisclosed alternatives are discovered.

The document reviews the integration of human rights and social principles across four key areas of the Paris Agreement implementation guidelines: Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Adaptation Communications, the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF), and the Global Stocktake (GST). It highlights that while some parties, notably Norway, Canada, and the African Group of Negotiators, have pushed for the inclusion of human rights and gender equality, these elements often remain absent from co-facilitator summaries or are limited to specific contexts like adaptation. The briefing notes that the role of civil society and intergovernmental organizations in the ETF and GST processes is a critical factor for ensuring social dimensions are considered in future climate action.

The document examines Chile's trade policy, highlighting its preference for bilateral and regional free trade agreements (FTAs) over certain plurilateral agreements. It details Chile's strategic shift toward services trade to compensate for a diminished manufacturing base and analyzes the economic rationale behind its participation in the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) and its non-participation in the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA), Environmental Goods Agreement (EGA), and Information Technology Agreement (ITA-II).