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The report argues that the 'Cyprus problem' negatively impacts the environment by preventing the collection of island-wide data, isolating the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) from international oversight and funding, and causing political considerations to overshadow urgent ecological needs. While the UN-controlled buffer zone has inadvertently preserved some endemic species, the author warns that this 'green zone by default' is increasingly threatened by illegal dumping and development. The report recommends utilizing bicommunal Technical Committees and UNDP support to create shared environmental datasets and coordinated strategies for water scarcity and wildfire management.

Türkiye has a rooftop solar technical potential of at least 120 GW, which could meet 45% of the country's 2022 electricity consumption. Despite this potential, solar's share of generation lags behind northern European countries. The report highlights that expanding rooftop solar could reduce residential electricity subsidies, which totaled approximately $3.6 billion from September 2022 to August 2023, and help industries avoid EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) penalties. It recommends implementing installation obligations for new buildings and adopting virtual net metering for apartments, drawing on successful global examples from China, Poland, and the Netherlands.

The document outlines strategic recommendations for Lebanon's early-stage National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process, drawing on experiences from 12 peer countries. It emphasizes the need for strong institutional leadership, the prioritization of low-cost catalytic actions for implementability, and the blending of public and private finance. Key recommendations include establishing a multistakeholder coordination mechanism, integrating gender equality and social inclusion, and developing a robust monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) system. The analysis highlights specific examples, such as Albania's Inter-Ministerial Working Group and Bosnia and Herzegovina's municipal financing tools, to guide Lebanon in creating a science-based, inclusive, and implementable adaptation strategy.

The report examines the migration crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean, highlighting the interconnectedness of forced displacement with climate change, energy poverty, water scarcity, and healthcare deficits. It focuses on Cyprus as a primary destination for asylum seekers, detailing the strain on infrastructure in the south and the lack of legal frameworks in the north. The author proposes a bi-communal strategy, including a joint Rapid Response Committee and a reception center in the UN Buffer Zone, to manage these transnational human security threats through cooperation between Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities.

The Middle East experienced an 11.2% increase in renewable energy capacity in 2022, driven primarily by solar PV. The UAE and Saudi Arabia have some of the world's lowest installation costs, while Gulf sovereign wealth funds are increasingly financing global and regional projects. Oman is leading in projected capacity additions, and Jordan is among the top eight countries globally for the growth rate of renewables in its energy mix.

The author contends that the EU's response to the Israel-Palestine crisis and other regional issues is hampered by internal divisions and the lack of a comprehensive Middle East strategy. The text highlights how the unanimity rule allows single member states to block collective action, such as ceasefire calls or opposition to US-led peace plans. It suggests that as US influence in the region wanes, the EU has an opportunity to establish an independent role, potentially through 'green diplomacy', provided it can overcome its internal fragmentation and move toward qualified majority voting.

The report finds that despite robust anti-money laundering policies, there are few financial investigations into migrant smuggling in Senegal and Sierra Leone due to resource gaps and the prevalence of cash-based, informal financial systems. Smugglers utilize 'pay-as-you-go' and 'full-package' models, moving funds through hawala systems and foreign currency black markets to avoid detection. Illicit proceeds are frequently laundered through real estate, the hospitality industry, and faith-based organisations. The study highlights significant institutional challenges, including underfunded Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs), a lack of beneficial ownership registries in Senegal, and corruption within law enforcement in Sierra Leone.

The report analyzes how UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies (HRTBs) are increasingly integrating climate change into their oversight of State obligations. In 2022, HRTBs made 95 references to climate change in their pronouncements, reflecting a trend toward treating the climate crisis as an urgent human rights issue. Key focus areas include the obligation of developed states to mitigate emissions, the need to phase out fossil fuels, and the protection of vulnerable groups such as children, women, persons with disabilities, and Indigenous Peoples. A landmark decision by the Human Rights Committee in Billy et al. v. Australia established a State's duty to protect individuals under its jurisdiction from climate impacts and provide effective remedies. The report emphasizes the growing role of HRTBs in defining extraterritorial obligations and the duty to regulate private corporate actors contributing to environmental degradation.

The report analyzes the increasing engagement of UN human rights treaty bodies (HRTBs) with climate change, noting that in 2022, 52 percent of outputs to States included climate-related recommendations. It highlights a shift toward more specific demands regarding mitigation, the phasing out of fossil fuels, and the protection of vulnerable groups, including children, women, and Indigenous Peoples. A landmark decision by the Human Rights Committee in Billy et al. v. Australia established a State's duty to protect individuals from climate impacts and provide effective remedy. The document argues for further HRTB guidance on extraterritorial obligations and the regulation of private business actors to prevent climate-induced human rights violations.

The briefing examines the Bridgetown Agenda's proposals to reform the global financial system, specifically the IMF and MDBs, to address the intersection of climate change and sovereign debt in the global south. It argues that current governance structures and risk-averse capital adequacy frameworks hinder the flow of climate finance to vulnerable nations. Key recommendations include the rechanneling of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) through the Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST) and the implementation of G20 Capital Adequacy Frameworks (CAF) recommendations to increase MDB lending capacity without compromising AAA credit ratings.

The proposal outlines a 48-month project to establish Lebanon's first climate change adaptation (CCA) strategy and National Adaptation Plan (NAP) roadmap, specifically targeting urban water resource resilience. It identifies critical barriers, including limited mainstreaming of CCA into budgeting, weak institutional capacity, and a lack of reliable municipal water data. The project will implement a two-pronged approach: strengthening national governance and institutional coordination, and producing an evidence base for adaptation solutions in two priority areas: the City of Tyre and the Nahr-el Kalb Watershed. Key activities include establishing a NAP steering mechanism, training technical and non-technical personnel, and developing a pipeline of bankable adaptation projects for the GCF.

The report finds that majorities in all 73 surveyed low-emission areas have experienced extreme weather, with unusually hot weather being the most common hazard. Most respondents attribute these events to climate change, yet significant gaps in individual and household preparedness exist, particularly in South America and Europe. Recovery times vary widely, with some populations in Central Asia and the Balkans expecting recovery to take a year or more.

The report analyzes how the informality of artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger facilitates illicit financial flows (IFFs) and fuels regional conflict. It examines the legal frameworks, the scale of gold smuggling—particularly to the UAE—and the ways non-state armed groups exploit mining sites for funding and recruitment. The document highlights a 'vicious circle' where state absence and corruption drive miners toward informal or militant-controlled sites, while recommending simplified formalization, tax harmonization, and multi-level governance to stabilize the sector.

The report assesses the climate security landscape of the Levant, focusing on the interplay between governance, cooperation, and technology. It identifies severe heatwaves, rainfall reduction, and water scarcity as primary physical risks. Through four scenarios, the authors argue that while large-scale projects require stable governance and cross-border agreements, the widespread availability of small-scale adaptive technologies could provide a critical resilience pathway for populations in states with poor or predatory governance.

The document examines how the Ukraine crisis intersects with climate security, emphasizing the need to accelerate the clean energy transition to neutralize Russia's fossil fuel leverage. It details the ecological degradation in Ukraine, including risks to nuclear sites and ecosystems, and warns of global food insecurity due to disruptions in wheat, maize, and sunflower oil exports. Finally, it assesses Russia's own vulnerabilities to permafrost melt and Arctic ice loss, noting that the conflict hinders necessary international climate cooperation.

The report examines the alignment between DFI funding and national strategic priorities in Ethiopia, Ghana, and Kenya. It finds that while national plans are generally aligned with SDGs, DFIs often operate based on internal strategies rather than national plans. The analysis identifies specific sectoral gaps where DFIs could provide financial additionality, particularly in ICT and healthcare, and proposes a four-step framework for DFIs to better align investments with country-level strategic sectors.

The report analyzes the 2020-2021 outputs of seven UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies (HRTBs), noting a significant increase in climate-related references despite COVID-19 disruptions. It highlights a shift toward questioning developed nations on mitigation and fossil fuel extraction, alongside a consistent focus on adaptation and the participation of vulnerable groups. The document also examines key individual communications, such as Teitiota v. New Zealand and Sacchi et al. v. Argentina et al., which establish precedents for climate-induced human rights violations and extraterritorial jurisdiction.

The report presents survey data from 108,946 Facebook users worldwide, revealing high global levels of worry and belief that climate change is happening, though perceptions of its causes and the responsibility for action vary significantly by region. While there is widespread support for renewable energy and the belief that climate action will not harm economic growth, willingness to engage in organized climate activism remains low in most regions, with a notable exception in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The report examines the shift from a fossil-fuel-based geopolitical paradigm to one led by renewables in the Eastern Mediterranean. It argues that while hydrocarbon discoveries have historically escalated tensions over maritime boundaries, the transition to clean energy offers new opportunities for regional and inter-communal cooperation. Specifically, it proposes several technical and policy-driven 'green dialogue' initiatives for divided Cyprus, such as shared energy storage in the buffer zone and renewable energy trade, to build trust and align the island with EU climate goals.

The document challenges the common assumption that unemployment, particularly among youth, increases the likelihood of political violence and protests. By reviewing global research and analyzing survey data from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the author finds that unemployed individuals are not more likely to support political violence or participate in demonstrations than those who are employed. Instead, the brief identifies other work-related factors—such as ambiguous employment status, part-time work, and job dissatisfaction—as stronger predictors of political activity. The author suggests that the unemployed may be less active due to a lack of resources, social stigmatization, or low interest in politics.