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The Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) Fund Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) is a global project designed to bridge the gap between promising land restoration concepts and 'investor-ready' projects. Managed by IDH and co-promoted by the UNCCD and Mirova, the TAF provides technical, operational, and financial assistance to SMEs, cooperatives, and private companies. It focuses on two main components: improving the technical quality and impact of projects (both pre- and post-investment) and establishing a knowledge management system through a Learning Network. The facility aims to increase private investment in sustainable land management (SLM), particularly in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), while aligning with the UNCCD's Land Degradation Neutrality targets.

The report identifies critical methodological failures in Verra's REDD+ carbon credit system, specifically regarding overestimated baselines, underestimated leakages, inflated carbon accounting, and ignored permanence risks. It concludes that these credits do not represent real emission reductions and should not be used to offset fossil fuel emissions, recommending a shift from 'offsetting' to 'contribution' funding for forest conservation.

The report identifies critical methodological failures in REDD+ forestry projects certified by Verra, specifically regarding baselines, leakage, carbon accounting, permanence, and safeguards. It argues that project developers exploit methodological flexibility to inflate emission reductions, resulting in low-quality carbon credits that do not represent real climate benefits. The document concludes that REDD+ credits are not equivalent to emission reductions and should not be used to offset fossil fuel emissions.

The report identifies systemic failures in Verra's REDD+ methodologies, specifically regarding baseline inflation, underestimated leakage, exaggerated carbon accounting, and underestimated reversal risks. It argues that these flaws allow project developers to maximize credit issuance through 'convenience' selections rather than scientific accuracy. The document concludes that REDD+ credits do not represent real emission reductions and should not be used to offset fossil fuel emissions, recommending a shift toward 'contribution' claims and stricter, independent oversight.

The research identifies 'understanding', 'awareness', and 'economic/finance' as the primary capacity gaps for land-based mitigation technologies and practices (LMTs) across five global regions. The authors suggest that addressing knowledge and understanding gaps is a critical first step to increase stakeholder attraction to LMTs. To support scaling, the paper recommends that policymakers develop dedicated support policies and regulatory frameworks, build markets, utilize carbon markets, and collaborate with local and Indigenous Peoples using bottom-up implementation plans and traditional knowledge.

The report argues that biodiversity loss represents a material financial risk—categorised as physical, transition, and liability risks—for the seafood and agriculture sectors and their financiers. It details how these sectors depend on ecosystem services while simultaneously driving biodiversity loss through land-use change, pollution, and overexploitation. The document outlines specific legal risks under EU regulations, such as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), as well as national laws in France, Germany, and Norway. It concludes that robust due diligence and transparent disclosure are essential for mitigating these risks and ensuring long-term business viability.

The Catalyst Climate Resilience Fund (CCRF) is a blended finance vehicle designed to support pre-seed climate adaptation startups in Africa. It provides an initial USD 200,000 investment per company, split between cash and venture-building support from BFA Global. The fund targets a total size of USD 40 million, utilizing a tiered capital structure with first-loss protection to attract commercial investors. Its investment thesis focuses on three verticals: fintech for resilience, sustainable livelihoods, and climate-smart essential services. The fund has already completed its first close of approximately USD 8.5 million in August 2023 and has made 10 initial pre-seed investments across several African nations.

The Lendable Decarbonization Fund (LDF) is an innovative financial instrument designed to provide sustainability-linked loans (SLLs) to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and middle market companies (MMEs) in emerging economies. By utilizing the proprietary Maestro technology for real-time monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV), the LDF aims to reduce the administrative costs that typically prevent smaller firms from accessing SLLs. The fund also includes a Carbon Project Preparation Facility (CPPF) to provide technical assistance and grants for developing carbon offset projects. LDF targets an initial assets under management (AUM) of USD 250 million by year three and USD 500 million by year five, focusing on sectors such as energy access, energy efficiency, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and transport across Africa, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Latin America.

The report examines how voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) can be integrated into trade policies to foster sustainable South-South trade. It identifies key barriers, such as high compliance costs and lack of demand, and provides case studies from Africa, Asia, and Latin America to demonstrate successful integration strategies, including mutual recognition agreements and participatory guarantee systems.

The Stockholm Environment Institute commemorates Dr. Lisa Segnestam, a Research Fellow from 2000 to 2023, noting her influence on the organization's approach to gender and social equity. Her work emphasized norm-critical and intersectional perspectives on power, vulnerability, and gendered constructions within the contexts of poverty alleviation, disaster risk reduction, and water governance.

The document argues that the Loss and Damage Fund must be designed with transparency and inclusivity to be perceived as just by both donors and recipients. It emphasizes the need for flexible funding mechanisms, such as grants and programmatic approaches, to address underfunded areas like mental health services and ecosystem restoration. The brief highlights four critical trade-offs in the fund's setup: scope versus coordination, participatory versus delegated governance, inclusive versus rapid decision-making, and accessibility versus strict oversight. It recommends diversifying funding sources beyond public money to include philanthropic and private sectors, and suggests adopting multi-level governance structures to ensure funds reach the most marginalized local communities.

The document argues that the Loss and Damage Fund must be managed equitably and transparently to effectively support vulnerable countries. It recommends a participatory governance structure, flexible funding windows—including small grants for local NGOs—and a preference for grants over loans to avoid increasing debt. The brief highlights four central trade-offs: scope versus coordination, participatory versus decentralized governance, inclusive versus rapid decision-making, and accessibility versus rigorous control.

The document argues that the Loss and Damage Fund must be fair, transparent, and inclusive to effectively support vulnerable countries. It recommends a broad scope based on recipient-led needs assessments, participatory governance involving civil society, and the use of grants over loans. The authors highlight four critical trade-offs: scope versus coordination, participatory versus devolved governance, inclusive versus rapid decision-making, and accessibility versus oversight.

The report highlights that AFOLU emissions account for 46% of total emissions in Latin America, primarily due to livestock and commodity agriculture. It argues that while significant investment enters the region, very little is directed toward sustainable alternatives. The document advocates for redirecting foreign capital and public support toward innovative solutions such as alternative proteins and biochar to meet climate and development goals.

The report outlines recommendations for operationalizing the Loss and Damage (L&D) fund established at COP27, focusing on the perspectives of vulnerable countries and beneficiaries. Based on focus groups with representatives from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the document identifies on-the-ground needs, financial access bottlenecks, and necessary design features to ensure the fund is fair, inclusive, and effective for those in the Global South.

The document outlines a practical approach to evaluating internal controls in the context of illegal wildlife trade (IWT) enforcement. It emphasizes using a systems-based perspective—drawing on the COSO framework—to identify vulnerabilities that could be exploited by corruption. The guide details a research process involving semi-structured interviews, document reviews, and thematic analysis to generate specific, actionable recommendations for government agencies. It specifically addresses the needs of programs in early stages of maturity where controls may be informal or ad hoc, and provides tools such as data collection instruments and terms of reference for consultants.

The document outlines a systematic approach to evaluating internal controls—policies, procedures, and practices—to reduce corruption risks in illegal wildlife trade (IWT) enforcement. It emphasizes a holistic, process-oriented analysis based on the COSO framework, moving beyond financial audits to address operational risks such as evidence tampering and information leaks. The guide details a research process involving semi-structured interviews with diverse stakeholders, documentary analysis, and thematic coding to identify gaps and develop actionable recommendations. It specifically addresses the needs of agencies at early stages of maturity where controls may be informal or undocumented, and provides practical tools including a data collection instrument and resource requirements for consultants.

The policy brief identifies three primary drivers of food insecurity in Africa: limits to agricultural land, limits to agricultural productivity, and climate change effects. It highlights a steady decline in arable land per capita from 0.31 in 1990 to 0.2 in 2020, alongside severe productivity gaps where African farmers use only 8kg of fertiliser per hectare compared to 140kg in Asia and Latin America. The document calls on the G20 to provide financial and technical support for soil mapping, small-scale irrigation, the Africa Fertilizer Financing Mechanism, and the commercialisation of quality seeds to help the continent meet UN Sustainable Development Goals and AU Agenda 2063 targets.

The document analyzes the scale and geographic distribution of the global plastics trade, which reached a value of at least $1.2 trillion in 2021. It categorizes trade into non-hidden, semi-hidden, and hidden flows, noting that official Harmonized System (HS) codes fail to capture significant volumes of embedded plastics and packaging. The analysis identifies China, the EU, and the US as dominant players and highlights the shift of plastic waste flows toward developing Asia-Pacific nations following China's import bans. The authors argue for updating HS classifications in the 2027 cycle to improve data on polymer types, recycled content, and chemicals of concern to support global efforts to end plastic pollution.

The document outlines the benefits, scoping, and implementation of corruption-oriented situation analyses within conservation projects. It emphasizes the importance of understanding local power dynamics, social norms, and legal vulnerabilities to design effective interventions. The guide provides a framework for stakeholder identification, data collection, and the formulation of recommendations, while highlighting critical considerations such as security, confidentiality, and gender perspectives. Three case studies from Latin America, Asia, and Europe illustrate the application of these analyses in fisheries, community forestry, and land-use planning, demonstrating how such studies can shift organizational mindsets toward a more systematic approach to anti-corruption work.