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The Middle East, particularly Gulf nations, is positioned to export its advanced district cooling infrastructure and engineering know-how to regions facing escalating heat crises, such as Europe, Asia, and Africa. As global cooling demand is projected to triple by 2050, the document suggests that the region can redefine its geopolitical role from an oil and gas provider to a leader in climate adaptation and green infrastructure finance.

The report finds that while green tax incentives are widely used in emerging and developing economies, there is a mismatch between the common reliance on profit-based incentives and the actual barriers to investment, such as high upfront capital costs. It argues that these tools are most effective when integrated into broader policy frameworks and transitioned toward market-based mechanisms as sectors mature.

WEAP is a comprehensive software tool for integrated water resources planning used by over 50,000 users in nearly 200 countries. It functions as a database, forecasting tool, and policy analysis system that balances water demand—including use patterns and allocation—with supply factors like streamflow and groundwater. The software features a GIS-based graphical interface and supports scenario-based analysis to evaluate the impacts of climate change, demographic shifts, and policy changes on water systems. It has been applied in diverse global contexts, including projects in China, Rwanda, Colombia, India, Nepal, and California, to support stakeholder dialogue and evaluate environmental flows.

Analysis of 247 major U.S. cities shows that under high-emissions scenarios, summer high temperatures are projected to increase by an average of 3.6°F by 2060 and 7.9°F by 2100. For many cities, these future conditions will resemble current climates in locations hundreds of miles to the south, with 16 cities projected to reach temperatures only currently found in Pakistan, the Middle East, and North Africa.

The June roundup highlights a decline in oil production investment and a surge in clean energy spending, with solar investment nearly equaling oil production spending. It analyzes the resilience of oil markets despite conflict in the Middle East, the acceleration of peak oil demand due to electric vehicle adoption in China, and various national policy shifts in the UK, Canada, and the US. Additionally, it reports on 'world first' projects in hydrogen blending and carbon capture and storage (CCS) in the US and Norway.

South Africa's G20 presidency, themed "Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability," seeks to reform the international financial architecture to better serve developing nations. Key priorities include addressing the high cost of capital and structural flaws in debt restructuring, scaling up adaptation finance for climate-vulnerable African countries, and combating illicit financial flows that cost the continent billions annually. The presidency aims to ensure the G20 remains relevant by shifting its focus from pure financial stability to tangible developmental outcomes for the Global South.

In 2024, global electricity demand rose by 4% to 30,856 TWh, driven largely by China and extreme heatwaves. Low-carbon sources reached a historic high of 40.9% of global generation, with solar and wind combined surpassing hydropower. Despite this, global power sector emissions hit a record high, increasing by 1.6% due to a rise in fossil generation linked to cooling demand during heatwaves.

The document argues that communication is a fundamental human right essential for dignity and justice, rather than just a tool for progress. It critiques the current digital ecosystem for being dominated by Global North monopolies and surveillance capitalism, which marginalizes voices in the Global South. Through various case studies and reports, it advocates for a 'people-first digital ecosystem' based on public digital infrastructure, multilingual accessibility, and ethical AI governance to ensure that digital transformation expands rather than narrows human rights.

The briefing highlights that iron production accounts for over 80% of steel supply chain emissions and argues that a common 'near-zero emissions' iron definition is necessary to guide investment and trade. It proposes a threshold of 350 kgCO2e/t iron to exclude coal-based production and suggests that hydrogen-based direct reduction (DRI) is the primary commercial pathway to achieve this. To overcome supply chain complexities, the document advocates for direct procurement and 'book and claim' systems, announcing that RMI will design and test a climate-credible book and claim system for iron and steel in 2025.

The document analyzes the evolution of BRICS, specifically the 2023 addition of Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE, and the 2024 introduction of a 'partner countries' category. Using Susan Strange's framework of structural power, it argues that BRICS is not seeking to create a rival system but to reshape global governance to be more representative of the global South. The analysis highlights the bloc's economic growth—surpassing the G7 in PPP terms around 2015—and its efforts to create alternative financial mechanisms like the New Development Bank (NDB) and local currency trade to reduce reliance on Western systems. It concludes that while internal diversity and regional rivalries challenge cohesion, the 'agree to disagree' principle allows BRICS to function as a catalyst for South-South cooperation.

The report analyzes marine geoengineering, dividing it into marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) and marine solar radiation modification (SRM). It argues that these speculative technologies pose irreversible risks to ocean ecosystems and human rights, while facing significant monitoring and verification challenges. The authors contend that proposed deployment zones span every ocean basin, making the impacts inherently transboundary and potentially violating international law, including the CBD moratorium and UNCLOS.

The document outlines the challenges of researching climate obstruction in restrictive political environments, focusing on participant safety, data security, and the navigation of political 'red lines'. It recommends flexible research designs, such as using snowball sampling and reframing sensitive topics, to mitigate risks associated with government surveillance and data manipulation in non-democratic states.

The report identifies 2024 as the year with the highest number of state-based conflicts since 1946, with 61 conflicts across 36 countries. While the total number of battle-related deaths in 2024 (approximately 129,000) was similar to 2023, it remains the fourth most violent year since 1989, driven primarily by wars in Ukraine, Gaza, and Ethiopia's Tigray region. The paper notes a growing complexity in conflict dynamics, where a higher share of conflict-affected countries now host multiple simultaneous conflicts. Non-state conflicts decreased slightly to 74 in 2024, with Africa becoming the region with the highest number of such conflicts. One-sided violence increased to 14,000 fatalities in 2024, with non-state actors responsible for the majority of deaths, although 14 governments also perpetrated such violence.

The document explores the potential for artificial intelligence (AI) to drive economic growth and strengthen cooperation among BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa). It argues that while AI can streamline trade, enhance maritime security, and bolster cybersecurity, the bloc must overcome internal economic imbalances and diverse regulatory approaches. The author highlights existing frameworks like the 2015 MoU on Cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation and recommends joint R&D, shared ethical guidelines, and infrastructure development to counter the hegemony of the Global North in AI policymaking.

The policy brief outlines three critical benchmarks for 1.5 °C-aligned NDCs: tripling renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency by 2030, phasing out new fossil fuel projects with production declines of 65-95% by 2050, and eliminating fossil fuel subsidies by 2025 for G7 nations and 2030 for others. It highlights a significant 'production gap' where major producers plan to increase output despite climate imperatives. The authors recommend that new NDCs include quantitative phase-out targets, commitments to no new exploration licenses, and national roadmaps for subsidy reform that prioritize social protection and clean energy investment.

The report finds that international development funding for clean air is chronically underfunded, representing only 1% of total international development funding in 2022. It highlights a heavy reliance on loans over grants, significant geographic disparities in funding distribution, and a concerning increase in funding for projects that prolong fossil fuel use.

Mr Nelson Muffuh discusses the upcoming UN Summit of the Future, emphasizing the need to 'turbocharge efforts to bring about sustainable development and combat climate change'. He argues that the current international financial architecture and the UN Security Council are failing, particularly in their response to crises in Africa. Muffuh highlights Africa's potential in renewable energy—specifically solar power in the Sahara and geothermal energy in the Rift Valley—and calls for permanent African representation with veto power on the Security Council. He positions the Summit as a catalyst for the 'Pact for the Future', which aims to advance a New Agenda for Peace, a Declaration on Future Generations, and a Global Digital Compact.

The document examines the tensions between the industrial growth strategy of South Africa's beef sector and the goals of a just transition. It highlights a 'dualistic' industry where commercial production is highly concentrated and intensive, while smallholder farmers face significant barriers to market entry. The report argues that current efforts to integrate smallholders into commercial value chains may benefit only a small elite and fail to address broader agrarian inequalities. Ecologically, it notes that beef cattle are the largest source of agricultural GHG emissions in South Africa, primarily through enteric fermentation. While the industry promotes 'sustainable intensification' and regenerative grazing, the report cautions that these may not offset total emissions growth and may not address the socio-economic distribution of emissions. It concludes that a just transition requires setting ambitious emission limits, redistributing productive resources like land, and reconfiguring labour markets to improve conditions for farm workers.

The briefing outlines four critical areas for the 75th NATO Summit to ensure the Alliance's future operating environment is resilient: planning for military responses to climate hazards, implementing the 2021 Action Plan on Climate and Security, operationalizing the nexus between climate and human security, and navigating the energy transition to reduce strategic vulnerabilities.

The document analyzes the June 2024 sale of 1.55 billion Saudi Aramco shares, classifying it as a Secondary Share Offering (SSO) where funds benefit the Saudi government rather than the company. While distinguishing SSOs from Primary Share Offerings (PSO) that provide direct capital for expansion, the author argues that financial institutions should avoid both to prevent supporting fossil fuel developers and increasing the attractiveness of oil and gas stocks.