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The report details the critical state of primates in the Greater Mekong, where over half of the 44 species are classified as Endangered or Critically Endangered. It identifies habitat loss and the illegal wildlife trade—driven by biomedical research, traditional medicine, and the pet market—as the primary drivers of decline. The document also highlights the ecological importance of primates in seed dispersal and pollination, the risk of zoonotic disease transmission, and various conservation initiatives led by WWF and other NGOs to protect these species through habitat management, rescue centers, and community engagement.

In 2020, 224 new species were discovered in the Greater Mekong region, including 155 plants, 35 reptiles, 17 amphibians, 16 fishes, and one mammal. The report details specific discoveries across Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam, emphasizing that high discovery rates underscore the region's status as a biodiversity hotspot. It argues that many of these species are range-restricted and vulnerable to habitat destruction, illegal wildlife trade, and human encroachment, calling for accelerated international cooperation and the use of the IUCN 'One Plan Approach' to link in situ and ex situ conservation.

The report highlights 10 specific rivers globally that are threatened by hydropower development, arguing that such projects are based on outdated 20th-century thinking. It asserts that the 'renewable revolution'—specifically the falling costs of solar and wind power—allows the world to meet climate and energy goals without damming remaining free-flowing rivers. The document advocates for a 'LowCx3' (low-cost, low-carbon, low-conflict) approach to energy grids and calls for the protection and restoration of river systems to maintain biodiversity and climate resilience.

The report identifies 24 deforestation fronts across Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Oceania, where over 43 million hectares of forest were lost between 2004 and 2017. It argues that while commercial agriculture remains the dominant direct driver, indirect pressures such as population growth, dietary shifts toward meat, and weak governance amplify forest loss. The analysis evaluates a range of responses, from area-based protections and indigenous land rights to commodity-specific certifications and REDD+ frameworks, concluding that no single approach is sufficient and that integrated, context-specific solutions are required to halt deforestation.

Freshwater fishes, comprising 51% of all known fish species, are facing an unprecedented extinction crisis due to habitat degradation, pollution, and climate change. Despite their critical role in global food security for hundreds of millions of people and their contribution to multibillion-dollar industries, they remain overlooked by policymakers. The report calls for a strategic global transition to restore freshwater ecosystems through a six-pillared recovery plan.

The 2020 assessment concludes that the goal of restoring 150 million hectares of forest by 2020 is not on track, with global forest cover gain meeting only one fifth of the target. While political will is evident through 63 Bonn Challenge pledges totaling 172.82 million hectares, biophysical progress is hindered by data gaps and the fact that tree cover gains are often offset by ongoing deforestation. A case study of Central America highlights this dynamic, showing a net loss of 320 million hectares of tree cover between 2011 and 2018 despite significant gross gains. The report notes a growing trend of private-sector restoration pledges from companies like Amazon and Nestle, though financial transparency and systematic planning remain significant hurdles for scaling forest landscape restoration (FLR).

The Stockholm Environment Institute's Water Beyond Boundaries (WBB) initiative aims to evolve water planning beyond the traditional Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) framework, which the authors argue has not yet yielded sustainable outcomes. WBB focuses on three pillars: analyzing water connections beyond the immediate watershed, integrating ecosystem needs throughout the planning process, and employing multi-scale participatory approaches to address inequalities related to gender, poverty, and marginalized groups. The initiative is being piloted in the Magdalena River Basin in Colombia and the Mekong region in South East Asia, while drawing on previous work in California, USA.

The update reports that Halcyon Agri has ceased deforestation in Cameroon and implemented a global No Deforestation policy. Key progress includes the establishment of the Cameroon Sustainability Council, the creation of grievance mechanisms for legacy and new issues, and the development of water treatment systems targeting zero effluent at the Sudcam factory. However, a July 2020 latex spill near Kribi highlighted remaining gaps in company responsiveness and transparency. Halcyon has also improved its global ESG transparency, ranking second in the ZSL SPOTT rubber commodity ranking with a score of 69.6%.

The document reports that Halcyon Agri has ceased deforestation in Cameroon and implemented a global zero-deforestation policy. Key progress includes the establishment of a multi-level Cameroonian Council for Sustainable Development and the creation of a grievance mechanism to address community land claims. However, challenges remain, such as a recent latex spill near Kribi and the need for further progress on indigenous rights and employment equity. The company is also transitioning to closed-circuit water treatment systems and improving supply chain transparency through the ZSL SPOTT tool.

The report analyzes the ivory consumption habits of Chinese travelers visiting Cambodia, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam following China's 2017 commercial ivory ban. It identifies a typical buyer profile as high-income, university-educated females aged 25-34 who travel frequently. Key findings show that while 70% of travelers perceive buying ivory in these destinations as legal, only 6.8% are estimated to actually purchase ivory products. The report highlights the role of local tour guides and online forums in facilitating purchases and identifies Thailand, Japan, and Hong Kong SAR as destinations with the highest ivory purchase incidence rates.

The report finds that an estimated 6.8% of Chinese outbound travelers purchase ivory while abroad, with Thailand, Japan, and Hong Kong SAR being the most popular destinations. Mail is the most common method for transporting these products back to Mainland China. While most travelers recognize the illegality of cross-border transport, many are misled by local guides and sellers who suggest that small items are safe to carry. The study highlights a specific 'planner' segment—typically high-income, highly educated females—who intentionally seek out ivory markets.

The pandemic has exacerbated existing infrastructure funding weaknesses in Africa, leading to potential debt defaults, as seen in Zambia's request to pause repayments on $3bn in bonds. China is a dominant creditor, with 44% of Zambia's total debt owed to it and 60% of this year's debt repayments from poor countries going to China. While China has joined the G20's Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI), it prefers opaque, case-by-case negotiations and classifies some major lenders, like the China Development Bank, as commercial entities to exempt them from the initiative. The author suggests that African nations may enter deals similar to Laos's hydroelectric plant agreement—where a Chinese entity became the majority shareholder to forestall default—to avoid credit downgrades by agencies like Fitch Ratings and maintain access to capital markets, potentially increasing China's control over African state assets.

The document argues that low-carbon energy transitions do not automatically address gender and social inequities, and marginalized groups risk being excluded from benefits. It examines four key dimensions: political economy, where power dynamics and social norms can institutionalize differential energy access; energy security, where modern energy services may shift rather than eliminate women's burdens; job markets, where women are under-represented in technical roles due to STEM perceptions and capital access; and technology adoption, where gendered decision-making and social norms influence the uptake of tools like clean cookstoves. The brief concludes that a holistic, systems approach integrating gender and social equity into planning and implementation is essential for a just transition.

The report finds that low-carbon energy transitions do not automatically improve social equity and can replicate existing structural inequalities if power asymmetries are not addressed. While some technologies like household solar provide benefits, others—particularly large-scale hydropower and biofuel plantations—often lead to land loss, displacement, and precarious employment. The authors argue that institutional frameworks and participatory processes, rather than the technology itself, determine whether a transition is just.

The document outlines a framework for incorporating nature-based solutions into climate commitments, emphasizing the need for measurable targets, biodiversity benefits, and the integration of both mitigation and adaptation strategies.

The guide outlines opportunities for Southeast Asian nations to 'recover better' from the COVID-19 pandemic by shifting economic stimulus toward sustainable energy. It identifies significant untapped potential in energy efficiency, particularly in buildings and cooling, and advocates for increasing the share of renewable energy in the power mix. The document highlights macroeconomic benefits, including GDP growth and job creation, while proposing eight enablers for a successful transition, such as eliminating fossil fuel subsidies and declaring a moratorium on new coal-fired power plants.

The 6th ASEAN Energy Outlook (AEO6) projects that ASEAN's energy demand will grow significantly by 2040, driven by GDP and population growth. While the region currently relies heavily on fossil fuels, the report models four scenarios—Baseline, AMS Targets (ATS), APAEC Targets (APS), and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)—to evaluate the impact of national and regional policies. The APS is the only scenario that meets the APAEC target of a 23% renewable energy share in total primary energy supply (TPES) by 2025. Key findings highlight the potential for solar PV growth, the necessity of improving air conditioner efficiency, the role of biofuels in transport, and the importance of the ASEAN Power Grid for regional integration. The report also emphasizes the social and environmental costs of continued fossil fuel reliance, noting that ambitious policies could sharply reduce GHG emissions and social costs.

The report identifies 24 'deforestation fronts' across Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Oceania where over 43 million hectares of forest were lost between 2004 and 2017. It argues that while commercial agriculture, tree plantations, and extractive activities are primary drivers, responses must be tailored to local contexts and integrated across area-based and sector-specific approaches to be effective.

The report details a widespread snaring crisis in Southeast Asia, particularly in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Viet Nam, where an estimated 12.3 million snares exist in protected areas. These indiscriminate traps threaten over 700 mammal species and disrupt critical ecosystem services like seed dispersal and nutrient cycling. The document links snaring to increased zoonotic disease risk due to the handling of high-risk taxa and highlights the role of urban demand for wildlife meat. It argues that current legal frameworks are insufficient, often lacking clear definitions of snares or penalties for possession, and recommends strengthening legislation, increasing ranger densities, and partnering with indigenous peoples to combat the crisis.

The document advocates for a shift from stationary water management—which relies on historical data—to a resilience-based approach that combines robustness and flexibility to address the deep uncertainties of a changing climate. It proposes an Action Framework for Climate-Resilient Water Management across four domains: governance and participation, information and learning, system diversity and connectivity, and infrastructure and technology. The authors emphasize that water is a systemic resource linking food security, public health, and energy, and argue that economic and financial tools, such as green bonds and index-based insurance, must be updated to value resilience over short-term cost-optimization.