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The Standing Together for Environmental Defenders (STAND) initiative, led by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the Alliance for Land, Indigenous, and Environmental Defenders (ALLIED), addresses the security risks faced by grassroots environmental defenders (GEDs). These defenders often face criminalization, physical attacks, and murder, particularly in regions dependent on natural resource extraction. STAND implements a strategy based on co-created training in advocacy and legal accountability, the Defender Small Grant Fund (DSGF) for evidence-based advocacy, and collaborative partnerships to strengthen solidarity networks. The initiative focuses its efforts on Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, and Liberia.

The STAND Initiative, a partnership between the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the Alliance for Land, Indigenous, and Environmental Defenders (ALLIED), aims to protect environmental and territory defenders who face threats such as criminalization, physical aggression, and murder. Operating in Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, and Liberia, the initiative focuses on strengthening prevention strategies for underserved communities and civil society organizations. Its strategy comprises three main pillars: capacity building to improve advocacy and legal accountability, the Defender Seed Grant Fund (DSGF) providing small grants for evidence-based advocacy, and the creation of collaborative alliances to strengthen local solidarity networks and increase government and private sector accountability.

The author argues that Germany is struggling to balance its 'exportist' economic model and corporate interests with a more recent emphasis on a 'rules-based order' and human rights in its foreign policy. Historically, German engagement in Africa has been characterized by a light footprint and a focus on extracting raw materials, such as oil and minerals. The paper suggests that Germany should move away from this extractivist approach and instead support African-led initiatives for domestic resource mobilisation and regional complementarities, particularly through the AfCFTA, to foster a more just and green transition.

Smallholder farms, particularly those between two and five hectares, produce 46% of the world's food and often exhibit higher land productivity and biodiversity than larger farms. While they are critical for global supply chains of products like coffee, cocoa, and tea, they face a 'yield gap'—ranging from 11% in East Asia to 76% in Sub-Saharan Africa—that could be closed through better access to modern agrifood chains and technology. In Africa, the adoption of climate-smart practices such as agroforestry and organic manure is heavily influenced by the availability of finance and credit. Smallholder agriculture is a primary economic driver in many developing nations, contributing 23% to the GDP of Sub-Saharan Africa.

The report argues that nature-based solutions (NBS) and carbon offset schemes often serve as 'escapes' for major polluters to continue emitting greenhouse gases while facilitating land grabbing and violating human rights. It provides numerous case studies across Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Americas, highlighting systemic issues such as inflated carbon baselines, lack of free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC), and the failure of projects to deliver promised carbon reductions or community benefits. Specific examples include REDD+ projects in Gabon and Zimbabwe, soil carbon initiatives in Kenya and the US, and cookstove offsets in India.

A coalition of civil society organizations urges the World Bank Group Executive Directors to reject any IFC remedial framework that fails to commit to financial contributions for remedy, obligations for clients to remediate harm, and protections against exiting projects with ongoing CAO cases without community consent.

A review of 41 multisector NAP documents reveals that transboundary climate risks are sporadically mentioned and lack a systematic approach, with most references limited to shared ecosystems like river basins. The document argues that the dominance of place-based adaptation and state sovereignty norms hinder the integration of cross-border risks, and recommends leveraging intergovernmental organizations and territorial framing to improve regional collaboration.

The document examines national investment laws as versatile policy instruments, tracing their shift from national development tools (1950-1979) to mechanisms for incorporating international treaty standards (1980-2010). It identifies seven primary functions of contemporary investment laws: regulating admission, administering incentives, facilitating investment, providing legal protection, managing disputes, specifying investor obligations, and supervising investments. The report argues against a 'one-size-fits-all' model, suggesting instead that laws be designed based on a country's specific policy objectives and regulatory capacity. It provides a detailed framework for policymakers to evaluate existing laws and design new ones, emphasizing the need to reduce legal risks associated with investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) and inefficient tax incentives.

The report finds that despite robust anti-money laundering policies, there are few criminal investigations into the financial proceeds of migrant smuggling in Senegal and Sierra Leone. Smugglers rely heavily on cash and informal transfer systems like hawala to move funds, which are then laundered through real estate, used car imports, and hospitality businesses. Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) in both countries are underfunded and lack the specialized capacity to 'follow the money,' while corruption and a lack of witness cooperation further hinder prosecutions.

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 traces the transition from the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), founded in 1963, to the African Union (AU), launched in 2002. It highlights the historical tension between gradualist and radical approaches to African unity, exemplified by the Monrovia and Casablanca Blocs. While the AU has introduced significant institutions and the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), the author argues that a pattern of policy non-implementation persists, leaving visions like Agenda 2063 largely aspirational.

The report examines how developing countries can use the results of their National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes to create Adaptation Communications (AdComs) under the Paris Agreement. It analyzes trends in AdCom submissions, provides case studies of countries at different NAP stages, and offers lessons on consultation and strategic alignment to boost the visibility of adaptation needs and progress.

The report provides guidance and analysis on leveraging National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes to develop Adaptation Communications (AdComs). It details flexible submission options, analyzes trends among developing countries—particularly regarding gender integration and climate finance—and shares lessons from the NAP Global Network's support of 22 partner countries to streamline reporting and enhance the visibility of national adaptation priorities.

The report provides guidance for developing countries to align their National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) with Adaptation Communications (AdComs) under the Paris Agreement. It analyzes trends among the 56 countries that have submitted AdComs, noting that most developing nations use either standalone documents or their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) as vehicles. The document outlines how countries at different stages of the NAP process—early stage, finalizing, or implementing—can use AdComs to consolidate information, advocate for support, or share lessons learned. It also highlights trends in gender integration, adaptation costing, and the use of case studies to demonstrate resilience.

The report analyzes 41 multisectoral National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) to explore their role in managing loss and damage. It finds that while nearly half of NAPs explicitly mention loss and damage and almost all incorporate disaster risk management, there are significant gaps in addressing non-economic losses and irreversible impacts. The authors argue that NAPs are essential tools for minimizing loss and damage and recommend that international funding and planning for loss and damage build upon existing NAP risk assessments and institutional frameworks.

The report analyzes 41 multisectoral NAPs to determine the extent to which they integrate loss and damage (L&D) information and actions. It argues that NAPs are fundamental tools for minimizing L&D through adaptation and disaster risk management, though they often lack detailed analysis of irreversible impacts and non-economic losses. The authors propose a 'spectrum' approach to L&D—ranging from avoidance (mitigation) to minimization (adaptation/DRR) and addressing (humanitarian response/reparations)—and recommend that international financing mechanisms leverage existing NAP risk assessments to avoid duplication and ensure climate justice.

The report analyzes 41 multisectoral National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) to assess their integration of loss and damage (L&D) strategies. It finds that while nearly half of NAPs explicitly mention L&D and almost all include disaster risk management (DRM) components, there is a significant gap in addressing non-economic losses and irreversible impacts. The document proposes a 'spectrum' approach to L&D, ranging from avoidance (mitigation) and minimization (adaptation/DRR) to remediation (humanitarian response and reparations). It recommends that governments and international funders leverage existing NAP risk analyses as a starting point for L&D assessments and ensure that new L&D financing targets impacts that exceed adaptation limits to avoid duplicating existing adaptation efforts.

The document argues that ArcelorMittal's current climate strategy is inadequate to limit global warming to 1.5°C, citing a lack of absolute emission targets, a reliance on unproven carbon capture technologies, and a 'two-speed' approach that continues coal-based expansion in the Global South while deploying cleaner tech in Europe.

The UN 2023 Water Conference, held in New York, focused on accelerating progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) through the Water Action Agenda. The event resulted in approximately 700 voluntary commitments totaling USD 300 billion and the announcement of a UN Special Envoy for Water. Discussions emphasized the water-food-energy nexus, the human right to water and sanitation, and the need for innovative finance and improved global water data. While the conference generated significant political momentum and new partnerships, analysis suggests that many pledges lack quantifiable targets and that the international community must quadruple its efforts to meet 2030 goals.

The steel sector accounts for 11% of global CO2 emissions, primarily due to the blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) route which relies on metallurgical coal. While secondary steelmaking via electric arc furnaces (EAF) and green hydrogen-based Direct Reduction of Iron (DRI) offer cleaner alternatives, coal-based capacity continues to grow, with 80 million tons of annual capacity planned for relining. The document highlights that ArcelorMittal has weakened its 2030 emissions intensity reduction target from 25% to 10% and prioritizes shareholder returns over decarbonization. It calls on financial institutions to adopt corporate-level exclusion policies for metallurgical coal and stop financing the relining of blast furnaces.