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The European Union is urged to move beyond a "measure first, act later" approach to methane emissions, instead implementing mandatory Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) and equipment upgrades domestically while using its purchasing power to pressure gas suppliers like Russia and Norway to reduce emissions.

The document outlines how developing countries can use tax policy to support the mining sector during the COVID-19 crisis. It identifies sector impacts, such as mine closures in Mongolia, Peru, Bolivia, and Madagascar, and fluctuating commodity prices. The guide recommends targeted relief for companies in severe financial distress, suggesting options like deferring payroll taxes, speeding up VAT refunds, and granting import duty relief. It explicitly advises against income tax holidays and withholding tax relief, while proposing that any state aid be conditioned on worker retention and the abandonment of aggressive tax avoidance.

The document outlines how governments in resource-rich developing countries can use fiscal policy to support the mining sector during the COVID-19 crisis. It identifies short-term impacts such as operational suspensions in Mongolia, Peru, Bolivia, and Madagascar, and fluctuating commodity prices. The guide recommends targeted tax relief—such as deferring payroll taxes, accelerating VAT refunds, and providing import duty relief—only for companies demonstrating severe economic distress. It emphasizes that such support should be conditional on maintaining employment, suspending executive bonuses, and adopting transparent pricing and tax practices. The guide warns against general income tax exemptions and the removal of withholding taxes on non-residents, as these are inefficient or risky for developing states.

The document outlines how governments in developing countries can use fiscal policy to support the mining sector during the COVID-19 crisis. It identifies specific pandemic-driven impacts—such as mine closures, fluctuating commodity prices, and supply chain disruptions—and proposes targeted relief options including the deferral of social charges, VAT credits, and royalty exemptions. The guide emphasizes that aid should be conditional on job retention and transparency, while warning against broad corporate income tax exemptions.

The author contends that the EU's current trade policy is characterized by an 'inertia' that prioritizes unconditional liberalization over environmental and social goals. While the EU aims for carbon neutrality via the Green Deal, its trade framework continues to promote 'new generation' bilateral agreements that limit state sovereignty through investor-state dispute settlements and 'living agreements' that bypass democratic control. The text argues that the EU remains a net importer of carbon, with one-third of its footprint stemming from imports, and calls for a shift toward trade regulation that conditions market access on the achievement of environmental and social objectives.

The report synthesizes the work of UN human rights treaty bodies (HRTBs), including the CEDAW, CESCR, and CRC, on climate change. It details how these bodies use state reporting, communications procedures, and general comments to hold States accountable for human rights violations caused by climate change and insufficient mitigation efforts. Key findings emphasize the need for highest-ambition emissions cuts, the phasing out of fossil fuels, and the protection of vulnerable groups, including women, children, and Indigenous Peoples.

The report identifies significant barriers to implementing just transition strategies in developing countries, including a lack of conceptual consensus, the misconception that the concept only applies to developed nations, and weak institutional capacity. It proposes a structured template for NDCs that includes labour market planning, stakeholder engagement, and the creation of inter-departmental coordinating committees. Through case studies of Latin American countries and a policy roundtable, the document emphasizes that no 'one size fits all' approach exists, particularly due to the prevalence of informal economies and varying levels of social protection in low- and middle-income economies.

The report argues that South Africa should avoid a strict 'standard model' of electricity reform—which emphasizes full unbundling and privatization—in favor of a pragmatic approach that balances economic efficiency with social and environmental priorities. By analyzing India and Mexico, the document finds that unbundling alone does not resolve financial distress or lower prices if tariffs remain regulated below cost. It highlights that while private sector participation via auctions has accelerated renewable energy deployment in India and Mexico, it has also created tensions regarding public ownership. The report recommends that South Africa implement targeted subsidies for the vulnerable and explore community or municipal ownership models to ensure a just transition and successful decarbonization.

The document examines sub-national pooled financing mechanisms (SPFMs) as a tool for South African municipalities to access cost-effective private capital for infrastructure. While SPFMs have successfully mobilized billions in developed and emerging economies, they have not yet been implemented in Africa. In South Africa, the author identifies a mature bond market and appetite for municipal finance, but notes significant barriers including deteriorating municipal financial health, a lack of technical capacity, and limiting regulations from the National Treasury. The brief argues that the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) holds a near-monopoly on municipal lending and should lead de-risking efforts to catalyze a vibrant local government debt market.

South Africa introduced a carbon tax in 2019 to meet greenhouse gas emission reduction targets of 34% by 2020 and 42% by 2025. The policy primarily targets the energy sector, which is responsible for approximately 80% of the country's emissions due to a heavy reliance on coal. While the tax aims to incentivize a shift toward renewable energy, it faces challenges including potential conflicts with WTO non-discrimination principles, the risk of carbon leakage due to a lack of border price adjustments, and negative socio-economic impacts such as increased consumer prices and potential job losses in energy-intensive industries like mining and steel. The document argues for a balanced approach that includes worker re-skilling, targeted incentives for renewables, and regional coordination through agreements like the AfCFTA to prevent protectionism and ensure a just transition.

The Agenda 2030 Compass is a proof-of-concept tool developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute, Jernkontoret, and Swedish steel producers to evaluate how strategic decisions impact the 17 SDGs. Unlike traditional SDG measurement, the Compass uses a future-oriented, cross-impact methodology to assess direct and indirect effects of new products or policies. Piloted through workshops with approximately 100 participants, the tool was used to compare options such as the use of metallurgic slags and the development of 'green' heavy-duty vehicles. The findings suggest the Swedish steel industry can significantly contribute to the 2030 Agenda and that the methodology is applicable across various industrial and government sectors.

The document explores the challenges of maintaining a free and independent media in a datafied society, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. It analyzes the rise of state surveillance in Latin America, the failure of health communication in India, and the struggle for media sustainability. It also advocates for linguistic rights and a new 'digital social contract' to reclaim data ownership from global corporations.

The document outlines a framework for incorporating nature-based solutions into climate commitments, emphasizing the need for measurable targets, biodiversity benefits, and the integration of both mitigation and adaptation strategies.

This report synthesizes lessons from six country case studies to provide recommendations for designing 'Energy Safety Nets'—social assistance mechanisms intended to ensure the poorest populations can afford both the initial connection to and the ongoing consumption of modern energy services to meet SDG7 goals by 2030.

This guide provides a framework for policymakers and financiers on implementing Energy Safety Nets to ensure the poorest populations can access modern energy services, drawing on experiences from six countries.

The report evaluates global security threats under two warming scenarios: a 'Near Term' scenario (1-2°C) and a 'Medium-Long Term' scenario (2-4+°C). It concludes that even low levels of warming present high to very high risks, while higher warming levels pose catastrophic and potentially irreversible threats to global stability. The analysis is structured around U.S. Geographic Combatant Command areas, detailing how climate-induced physical shocks and social tensions act as threat multipliers that can lead to state failure, resource conflict, and the breakdown of international alliances.

The document argues that South Africa can achieve strategic goals—including preparing for ICAO's CORSIA framework, supporting its tourism sector against 'flight shame', and creating green jobs—by developing a domestic SAF industry. It identifies a wide range of policy tools such as blending mandates, financial incentives, and taxation. The brief proposes a phased roadmap for South Africa: short-term (2020-2025) focus on a 2-3% blending mandate and a long-term (beyond 2030) target to replace 50% of aviation fuel with locally produced SAF by 2050.

The ASSEGAIA Alliance launched the Declaration for the Protection of Sacred Natural Sites in January 2020, calling for the regeneration of the Earth to be central to decisions regarding these sites. The Declaration proposes a conservation model featuring a central 'no-go' zone and a buffer zone for ecologically sensitive activities, managed by Spiritual Guardians. The Alliance seeks to identify and protect such sites globally using international rights of Nature.

The document examines Rwanda's engagement with the G20 Compact with Africa (CwA), arguing that Rwanda's 'reform culture capital' makes it an ideal candidate for the initiative. It details Rwanda's transition from a post-genocide foundation stage (1994-2004) to a development stage (2005-2018), leading up to Vision 2050. The brief highlights the CwA's role in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) through public-private partnerships (PPPs) to address infrastructure deficits, such as the $1.3 billion Isaka–Kigali rail project. While noting early successes in tax-to-GDP ratios and FDI, the author warns that the CwA still reflects the interests of developed nations and that Rwanda's small economy limits its ability to drive CwA adoption across East Africa.

The document examines the intersection of gender, corruption, and natural resource management (NRM), asserting that corruption disproportionately affects marginalized groups and that gender-informed strategies can enhance accountability. It provides evidence that women's participation in forestry and fisheries management in India and Nepal leads to better conservation results. The briefing highlights gendered differences in corruption, noting that while men often dominate high-level grand corruption, women are more vulnerable to sexual extortion and bribery for public services. It presents practical examples of gender mainstreaming, such as the Akashinga all-female anti-poaching units in Zimbabwe and the Hariyo Ban Program in Nepal, and provides a framework of core questions and principles for practitioners to integrate gender analysis into policy design.