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The GCF Secretariat is developing a request for proposals (RFP) for REDD+ results-based payments (RBPs) and guidance for early-phase engagement. Drawing on a COP 22 dialogue and existing frameworks like the Warsaw Framework for REDD+, the Secretariat is analyzing key operational elements including the scale of intervention, access modalities, carbon pricing, and the reconciliation of Cancun safeguards with GCF environmental and social safeguards. The report outlines a process for gathering further technical and stakeholder input to finalize these instruments.

The statement criticizes the CBD's adoption of market-based financial mechanisms, which the author claims lead to the 'Financialization of Nature' and the privatization of biodiversity. It argues that these 'innovative' tools, such as biodiversity offsets and payments for environmental services, allow polluting companies to avoid legal sanctions and perpetuate the environmental crisis. The author advocates instead for community-led governance, food sovereignty, and the enforcement of historical obligations by industrialized nations to fund conservation.

A joint declaration by indigenous communities in Mexico, released during COP 13 in Cancún, argues that the 'green economy' and biodiversity conventions serve as fronts for corporate interests and the dispossession of indigenous lands. The document condemns the criminalization of environmental defenders and the use of deceptive conservation rhetoric to justify extractive projects, including wind and hydroelectric power. It specifically criticizes the REDD+ mechanism and the Nagoya and Cartagena protocols for favoring multinationals over indigenous sovereignty and biocultural heritage.

The document is a statement by indigenous groups in Mexico, issued during COP 13 in Cancun, condemning the 'green economy' and extractivist projects—including wind parks, hydroelectric projects, and mining—as drivers of human rights violations and territorial plundering. The signatories argue that international frameworks like the Nagoya and Cartagena Protocols and the REDD+ program prioritize corporate profit over biodiversity and indigenous sovereignty, calling for the protection of biocultural heritage and food sovereignty against the commodification of nature.

The report argues that Bangladesh's state-dominated oil market and ad-hoc pricing policy create severe fiscal burdens, hinder investment, and encourage carbon emissions. It finds that oil subsidies primarily benefit the rich and upper-middle classes rather than the poor. To address these issues, the authors recommend a phased transition toward market-based pricing, the deregulation of all oil market segments to encourage private investment, and the implementation of targeted cash transfers to protect vulnerable populations from price increases.

The paper reflects on the uncertainty surrounding Donald Trump's approach to Africa, noting a lack of specific campaign policy for the region. It suggests that while the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is likely to remain stable, future free trade negotiations with the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) could face stalemates due to Trump's 'tougher trade deals' rhetoric. The author highlights the risk of reduced focus on aid and the importance of shifting the US-Africa relationship from charity to partnership, especially as China and Japan increase their geopolitical engagement in Africa.

The United States Mid-Century Strategy (MCS) provides a roadmap for deep decarbonization by 2050, focusing on three primary pillars: transitioning to a low-carbon energy system, enhancing the land carbon sink, and reducing non-CO2 emissions. The strategy emphasizes a combination of aggressive energy efficiency, near-complete decarbonization of the electricity grid, and the deployment of carbon removal technologies like BECCS. It argues that these goals are compatible with robust economic growth and suggests that a carbon price starting at $20 per metric ton in 2017 could put energy CO2 emissions on a consistent pathway. The report also highlights the critical role of U.S. forests and soils in sequestering carbon and the necessity of international cooperation to drive down technology costs and prevent emissions leakage.

The report identifies a set of 21 cost-effective and technically feasible policies that can enable Mexico to meet its 2030 climate goals. It proposes two scenarios: an unconditional package to reduce GHG emissions by 22% below the baseline and a conditional package for a 36% reduction. The analysis indicates that Mexico can achieve these targets while realizing significant net financial savings and public health benefits through reduced particulate matter pollution. The proposed eight-point action plan prioritizes industrial efficiency, methane capture, and carbon pricing as the most impactful interventions.

One year after the Paris Agreement's adoption, the Climate Action Tracker (CAT) finds that national climate policies have made little progress. If NDCs are fully implemented, global warming by 2100 is estimated at 2.8°C, while current policies would lead to 3.6°C. A significant emissions gap remains for 2025 and 2030. The report highlights specific national trajectories, noting that most assessed NDCs are inadequate or medium in ambition, with particular concerns regarding the US, Russia, and Saudi Arabia, while noting positive renewable energy growth in India.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) welcomes the adoption of the New Urban Agenda, noting its alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris climate agreement. WRI emphasizes the role of cities in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and advocates for a prioritized implementation plan with measurable goals to ensure sustainable mobility, road safety, and affordable housing.

A joint submission by 20 organizations arguing that the Sustainable Development Mechanism (SDM) must avoid the systemic failures of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) by implementing strict human rights safeguards, ensuring a net decrease in global emissions, and establishing robust grievance and participation processes.

The paper analyzes the diversity of (I)NDCs across target types, sectoral coverage, and greenhouse gas scopes, finding that while economy-wide absolute targets facilitate easier accounting, only 18 (I)NDCs (covering 41% of global emissions) currently employ them.

The report identifies systemic failures in African land administration, including the fact that only about 10 percent of land is legally documented. It argues that securing tenure through a combination of community land registration in land-abundant areas and individual titling in land-constrained areas is essential for investment. The text highlights the need to integrate customary tenure into statutory law and eliminate market restrictions to improve access for women, youth, and the land-poor, while warning against 'land grabs' resulting from weak governance.

The report outlines a strategic framework for UK-China cooperation to expand the global green bond market, identifying key challenges such as the lack of bankable projects and non-harmonised standards. It proposes specific actions, including scaling cross-border issuance, creating joint research programs between the Bank of England and the People's Bank of China, and developing globally harmonised green definitions. The document also highlights the role of the Climate Bonds Standard and Certification Scheme in providing the trust and assurance necessary for institutional investors to mobilise capital for low-carbon and climate-resilient infrastructure.

The study finds that Resolution 3,545, implemented in 2008, led to a substantial reduction in deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon, primarily by restricting access to rural credit for cattle ranching. Using a difference-in-differences approach and 2SLS estimation, the authors estimate that total deforested area from 2009 to 2011 was approximately 60% smaller than it would have been without the policy. The results indicate that cattle ranching is highly dependent on official credit and that credit constraints in the region lead to reduced expansion at the extensive margin. In contrast, crop-oriented municipalities showed no significant impact on deforestation, as crop production is less dependent on official rural credit and more focused on intensification.

The Union of Concerned Scientists evaluated several global beef buyers using a 100-point scorecard to measure their efforts to eliminate deforestation from their supply chains. The assessment focused on five categories: ambition of commitments, time-bound implementation plans, compliance protocols, transparency, and traceability/verification. Results varied significantly, with Walmart achieving the highest score of 52, followed by McDonald's at 48 and Mars at 37. Several companies, including Burger King, Pizza Hut, Kroger, and Conagra, received a total score of 0, indicating a lack of documented commitments or practices meeting the scorecard's criteria.

The paper finds that climate actions across examined INDCs align with 154 of the 169 SDG targets, demonstrating significant potential for mutual benefits between climate and development agendas. While global alignment is high, the authors note that few countries explicitly referenced SDGs in their INDCs, often due to separate institutional oversight between environment and development ministries. Case studies of Colombia and Uganda show high goal-level alignment, though target-level alignment varies based on national priorities. The document advocates for a 'whole-of-government' approach to maximize resources and avoid implementation silos.

The 2016 External Review concludes that the World Resources Institute (WRI) is making strong progress in implementing its 2014-2017 Strategic Plan, with 89 of 96 specific statements of intent rated as 'on track' or 'achieved'. The review highlights WRI's success as a global 'think and do' tank, particularly in its research excellence, the development of open-data platforms like Global Forest Watch and Aqueduct, and its influence on the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. While WRI has successfully expanded its global footprint with offices in Brazil, China, India, and Indonesia, the review identifies challenges in securing unrestricted funding, strengthening internal communications, and fully integrating poverty and gender perspectives into programmatic design. It also notes the effectiveness of WRI's matrix management structure, though it suggests further investment in management training to reduce transaction costs and improve coordination.

The briefing identifies three key indicators that would signal the G20's commitment to the post-Paris climate era: a clear target date for phasing out fossil fuel subsidies, the promotion of green finance through climate-related financial risk disclosure, and the collective ratification of the Paris Agreement by the end of 2016.

The document outlines the risks associated with bulk marine sediment mining in South Africa, specifically the use of Trailing Suction Hopper-Dredge technology. It highlights severe ecological threats, the absence of a legal governance framework, and the potential for devastating impacts on shared fish stocks and food security. The text notes that other countries, including Namibia, New Zealand, Mexico, and Australia, have refused such operations or implemented moratoria due to these risks.