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This briefing by the Climate Bonds Initiative examines the role of green bonds and labelled loans in financing waste management and the circular economy. It highlights a significant investment gap, particularly in plastic waste management in Southeast Asia, and analyzes the market activity of corporate and municipal issuers globally, with a detailed focus on Japan's leadership in resource efficiency.

This briefing note from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) outlines recommendations for UNFCCC Parties at COP-25 to integrate human rights, gender equality, and participatory processes into climate action. It emphasizes the need for rights-based safeguards in Article 6 market mechanisms, the ratification of the Escazú Agreement, and the protection of indigenous peoples and local communities in adaptation and loss and damage frameworks.

This briefing note from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) argues for the integration of procedural rights—specifically access to information, public participation, and access to justice—into climate governance and the implementation of the Paris Agreement. It highlights the roles of the Aarhus Convention and the Escazú Agreement in promoting environmental democracy and provides specific recommendations for the COP-25 agenda to ensure climate policies are inclusive, rights-based, and gender-responsive.

This report by the Climate Bonds Initiative compares the EU Sustainable Finance Taxonomy with two Chinese frameworks: the NDRC Green Industry Guiding Catalogue and the PBC Green Bond Endorsed Project Catalogue. It details the EU Taxonomy's structure, its six environmental objectives, and its rigorous screening principles, while highlighting key differences in scope, carbon thresholds, and the treatment of fossil fuels compared to the Chinese catalogues.

This technical annex assesses progress toward Goal 1 of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF), which aims to halve natural forest loss globally by 2020 and end it by 2030. The report finds that the world is not on track to meet these targets, as average annual global gross tree cover loss and carbon emissions from tropical forests increased between 2014 and 2018 compared to historical baselines, despite a decline in loss observed in 2018.

This technical annex assesses progress toward the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) Goal 2, which aims to eliminate deforestation from agricultural commodity production (palm oil, soy, paper, and beef) by 2020. The report finds that current efforts by governments and companies are insufficient to meet this target, noting a stagnation in new corporate commitments and significant gaps in reporting, transparency, and the inclusion of indirect suppliers.

This report presents the perspectives of signatories of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) five years after its 2014 inception. It evaluates progress toward ten global goals to end natural forest loss by 2030, identifying systemic barriers such as weak governance, insufficient financing, and land tenure insecurity, while highlighting successful multi-stakeholder partnerships and nature-based solutions.

This report evaluates the progress of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) five years after its inception. It finds that despite increased awareness and technological monitoring, global deforestation has accelerated, and most 2020 targets will be missed. The document highlights a critical gap in funding, where investments driving deforestation vastly outweigh those for conservation. It emphasizes that indigenous land rights and strong political will are essential prerequisites for success, while corporate progress is stalled by supply chain complexity. The report calls for a paradigm shift toward 'green finance' and nature-based solutions to align forest protection with global climate and sustainable development goals.

This report by the Forest Declaration Assessment (UNDP) evaluates the progress of signatories of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) five years after its 2014 launch. Based on consultations with 84 signatories—including governments, companies, NGOs, and indigenous organizations—the document identifies critical barriers to ending natural forest loss by 2030 and outlines eight key lessons to accelerate implementation. It emphasizes that while high-level commitments are numerous, measurable action is lagging, with tropical primary forest loss increasing by 44% between 2002-13 and the reporting period.

This executive summary by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the economic transition of the Berau District in East Kalimantan, Indonesia, from a coal-dependent economy to one based on palm oil. The study finds that shifting from coal to a palm oil mono-crop is unsustainable and risks food security. It recommends a transition plan focusing on RSPO certification, increasing production efficiency, diversifying into other high-value crops like pepper and cocoa, and developing downstream processing refineries to capture added value and increase government revenue.

This fact sheet details the issuance of a MYR470m (USD115m) green Sukuk by Telekosang Hydro One Sdn Bhd on July 15, 2019, to fund the construction of a 24MW run-of-the-river hydro plant in Malaysia.

The Pasukhas Group issued a MYR200m (USD49.2m) Green Sukuk on February 26, 2019, with a 10-year tenor. This issuance marks the first green bond/Sukuk from Malaysia in 2019 and the first guaranteed by Danajamin Nasional. Proceeds are earmarked for various green assets, starting with a 3.2MW hydropower plant in Kelantan. The issuer has committed to annual reporting on the allocation of funds and the resulting environmental benefits.

This briefing, produced by the NYDF Assessment Partners, Chatham House, and Climate Focus, evaluates progress in forest governance across nine tropical forest countries. It examines twelve indicators across five governance areas—legal and institutional frameworks, tenure and resource allocation, demand-side measures, transparency, and the rule of law—to assess how these nations are working toward Goal 10 of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF). While some countries have improved their legal frameworks and transparency through international partnerships, the report highlights systemic weaknesses in the rule of law, a lack of cross-sectoral policy coherence, and persistent challenges in securing land tenure for local communities.

This case study describes the MyHIJAU Mark, Malaysia's official green recognition system for environmentally sound products and services, which aims to transition the country toward a resource-efficient and low-carbon economy through government-led procurement and certification.

A Green Bond Fact Sheet detailing a SGD50 million green loan issued by the Sunseap Group on April 3, 2019, to finance rooftop solar projects in Singapore.

This report by the Climate Bonds Initiative examines the role of taxonomies—systematic classifications of green assets—in supporting the growth of the green bond market. It discusses the challenges of identifying eligible assets, the emergence of national and regional guidelines, and the development of comprehensive frameworks by the European Commission and the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO).

This report by the World Resources Institute argues that securing community land rights is a cost-effective strategy for achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and mitigating climate change. It highlights the gap between the amount of land inhabited by indigenous and rural communities and the amount legally recognized by national governments, warning that this insecurity leads to deforestation and poverty. The document advocates for legal reforms, simplified formalization procedures, and a more equitable playing field between communities and corporate interests to protect global carbon sinks and biodiversity.

This literature review examines the challenges of prioritisation and alignment in public sector planning and budgeting, with a specific focus on the South African context. It analyzes international case studies from Chile, Malaysia, and Uganda to identify successful mechanisms for linking strategic goals to resource allocation and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems. The report highlights that successful prioritisation is deeply dependent on the socio-political environment, institutional stability, and the balance of power between central and local government. It concludes that South Africa's fragmented institutional structure and factional politics hinder the implementation of aligned planning, suggesting a pragmatic, incremental approach and the potential for genuine participatory governance at the local level.

An open statement by Friends of the Earth International and the World Rainforest Movement, signed by over 100 organizations, denouncing the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) for failing to eliminate violence and environmental destruction in the industrial palm oil sector over 14 years.

A statement by Friends of the Earth International and the World Rainforest Movement, signed by over 100 organizations, denouncing the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) for failing to eliminate violence and environmental destruction over 14 years of operation.