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Developing countries are increasingly facing 'compound shocks'—simultaneous or sequential disruptive events like pandemics, economic crises, and climate-driven disasters—which deplete budgets and cause cascading system failures. The authors argue that the current disaster risk finance architecture over-incentivizes ex post relief over ex ante preparedness. To address this, they propose that the World Bank's IDA offer softer financing terms (higher grant components) to countries that commit to specific resilience investments in data collection, regulatory reform, budgetary frameworks, and early warning systems. Additionally, they recommend introducing automatic 'disaster clauses' in IDA debt to defer payments following major shocks, similar to models used by Grenada and Barbados. Finally, the document proposes transforming the Global Risk Financing Facility (GRiF) into a Financial Intermediary Fund (FIF) to increase its operational independence, broaden its donor base beyond Germany and the United Kingdom, and better support regional risk pools and risk measurement capacity.

The report 'Fossil Fashion' details how the fast-fashion industry is fundamentally dependent on cheap synthetic fibres, primarily polyester, which are derived from oil and gas. This reliance drives overconsumption and a waste crisis, as synthetic textiles are difficult to recycle and release toxic microfibres. The document highlights the role of the petrochemical industry in betting on plastic production for future growth and criticizes industry-led sustainability metrics and 'recycled polyester' from PET bottles as greenwashing. It concludes with recommendations for the EU to implement mandatory due diligence, eco-design measures, and taxes on virgin plastics to decouple fashion from fossil fuels.

The report identifies the transport sector as Mexico's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and argues that green bonds can bridge the investment gap for sustainable mobility. It highlights specific projects, such as electric buses in Mexico City and the Mexico-Toluca train, while outlining the Climate Bonds Standard for certifying eligible low-carbon transport assets.

The document outlines the critical need for low-carbon transport in Mexico, where the sector is the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. It highlights the potential for green bonds to fund electric mobility, rail infrastructure, and fleet renewals, while noting that only 1.27% of green bond proceeds from Mexican issuers have been allocated to transport as of January 2021.

The document argues that Brazilian municipalities, particularly small and medium-sized ones, face significant credit and technical barriers to financing infrastructure. It proposes the use of Pooled Financial Management Mechanisms (MFGCs) to aggregate demand and reduce risk, drawing on international examples from France, the Nordic countries, Mexico, India, and the Philippines. The brief identifies regulatory hurdles in Brazil, such as the Fiscal Responsibility Law, and recommends updating the legal framework to allow subnational consortia more autonomy in raising funds and improving governance to attract green and sustainable capital.

The document argues that Brazilian municipalities, particularly small and medium-sized ones, face significant financial and regulatory barriers to infrastructure investment. It suggests that subnational consortia can overcome these hurdles by adopting Pooled Finance Mechanisms (PFMs)—such as club deals, aggregation platforms, and bond banks—to access capital markets and attract green investment. The brief identifies a USD 1.3 trillion green investment opportunity in Brazil and recommends updating Law 11,107/2005 and the Law of Fiscal Responsibility to facilitate autonomous fundraising and improve governance for public consortia.

The report identifies a $1 trillion stranded asset risk associated with 212,000 km of planned oil and gas pipeline expansions. It highlights that gas dominates new developments, with 82.7% of pipelines in development carrying gas. The U.S. and China are leading in capacity and length growth, respectively. The document argues that this expansion is incompatible with net-zero commitments and will lock in significant CO2 emissions, while noting a trend of increasing social and legal opposition to such projects.

The document examines the historical evolution of poverty definitions and the growing recognition of the link between poverty and environmental degradation. It highlights how climate change, conflict, and the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbate systemic inequalities and push millions into poverty. The author argues that current global systems cannot provide acceptable living standards for all without exceeding planetary boundaries unless the wealthiest 10% of the population reduce their excessive resource consumption. The briefing recommends that governments shift from GDP-focused economic indicators to national wellbeing indices that incorporate the environment and marginalized groups.

The document examines the role of whistleblowers in combating natural resource corruption, identifying retaliation as a primary barrier to reporting. It outlines the three essential components of effective protection regimes—confidentiality, financial rewards, and independent reporting channels—and analyzes the failures of laws in the UK and Ghana. The briefing highlights how specific U.S. laws, such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the Lacey Act, can be utilized globally to target environmental crimes, and provides recommendations for conservation practitioners to support whistleblower protections.

The report synthesizes findings from 49 peer-reviewed articles and 72 distinct analyses to determine what factors drive individuals to aspire to migrate. It employs a two-step model distinguishing between the formation of aspirations and their conversion into actual migration. The review identifies 32 determinants across demographic, socio-economic, individual, contextual, and migration-related domains. Key findings indicate that migration aspirations are most strongly and consistently driven by youth, male gender, the presence of migration networks, a history of international travel, and exposure to violence or insecurity. Conversely, aspirations are consistently lowered by increasing age, higher subjective well-being, and strong social attachment to the community of origin. The document also notes a significant research gap in the 'conversion' phase—how aspirations translate into actual movement—due to the logistical challenges of longitudinal panel data collection.

The document evaluates the EITI, a global transparency standard for extractive industries, noting its success in improving investment climates and contract disclosure while highlighting failures in preventing corruption and ensuring civil society participation.

The text examines the link between climate change and mass migration from Central America's Northern Triangle to the U.S., highlighting how droughts and crop failures drive food insecurity and displacement. It asserts that personal narratives are more effective than data alone in shifting public perception and overcoming climate skepticism. The author calls for the U.S. government to integrate climate change into national security and immigration policies and urges communicators to use human-centric storytelling to justify international climate funding and compassionate treatment of migrants.

The document argues for a broad interpretation of 'legitimate interest' in environmental litigation, asserting that any person with a link to a vulnerable ecosystem service—even if indirect or remote—should have legal standing. It specifically applies this to the expansion of the Port of Veracruz, detailing how the project threatens the Veracruz Reef System (SAV) through sedimentation, destruction of coastal dunes, water pollution, and air degradation, thereby violating the human right to a healthy environment.

The report analyzes the issuance of sovereign green, social, and sustainable (VSS) bonds based on a survey of 19 issuers from developed and emerging markets. It finds that these instruments are primarily driven by climate mitigation goals and the desire to catalyze local green bond markets. The report details the decision-making process, which is typically led by ministers and supported by inter-ministerial working groups, and the preparation phase, which often involves 'budget tagging' to identify eligible expenditures. Key findings indicate that VSS bonds often attract higher demand and can achieve a 'greenium' (lower yields) compared to vanilla bonds, while diversifying the investor base. The document concludes that sovereign VSS bonds serve as a catalyst for broader market growth and provides a seven-step framework to propel the market toward the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

The report analyzes the issuance of sovereign GSS bonds based on a survey of 19 countries, finding that these instruments often attract a broader investor base and can price with a 'greenium' (lower yield) compared to vanilla bonds. It highlights that most issuers use GSS bonds to support national climate strategies and local market growth, typically managing the process through internal working groups and budget tagging of existing expenditures.

The document analyzes the labor market crisis in Latin America exacerbated by COVID-19, highlighting the vulnerability of women, youth, and informal workers. It argues that the region's dependence on primary exports and low economic complexity increase its vulnerability to external shocks. To address this, the brief recommends transitioning toward 'green jobs' and a more complex productive matrix. Key proposals include investing in energy-efficient housing, nature-based solutions, female labor inclusion, digitalization to reduce informality, and aligning education with the requirements of a carbon-neutral economy.

The annex evaluates the gap between the economic mitigation potential of forests and the quantitative targets set in NDCs for 32 high-potential countries. It identifies a global annual finance need for forest protection and restoration ranging from USD 45 billion to USD 460 billion, while noting that current 'green finance' flows are significantly lower than 'grey finance' flows directed toward sectors like agriculture.

The report analyzes how the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing disparities in health, wealth, and power, specifically highlighting 'vaccine apartheid' and the failure of multi-stakeholder governance. It critiques the reliance on private sector solutions for public crises and advocates for transformative policies, including the waiver of intellectual property rights for vaccines, progressive tax reforms, and the strengthening of universal public services to ensure a just recovery.

The report provides a comprehensive overview of energy transition progress in Brazil, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, and Vietnam. It highlights the role of independent think tanks in driving policy breakthroughs, such as coal phase-outs and renewable energy targets, while identifying systemic barriers including political resistance, grid limitations, and financing gaps. The document argues that while technology strategies (renewables and electrification) are converging, national implementation is shaped by distinct local political and social factors.

The report identifies that 1.12 billion people across 76 countries are at high risk due to a lack of access to cooling, with the COVID-19 pandemic increasing this number by approximately 50 million in 2021. It highlights critical gaps in rural and urban poor populations, particularly in Africa and Asia, and examines the urgent need for sustainable cold chains for vaccine distribution. The document also promotes National Cooling Action Plans (NCAPs) and showcases passive and solar-powered cooling solutions in countries like Colombia, Rwanda, Bangladesh, and Indonesia.