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The document examines the synergies and challenges of aligning the NAP and NDC processes under the Paris Agreement. It argues that because the NDC provides high-level direction and the NAP elaborates implementation strategies, they are complementary tools. Based on dialogues with 16 countries and workshops in Grenada and Peru, the brief identifies that most countries currently have informal alignment and suggests using the 2020 NDC update cycle to integrate NAP results, improve data quality, and enhance adaptation goals.

The document argues that aligning NDCs and NAP processes provides a feasible starting point for countries to improve the coherence and efficiency of their climate policies. While NDCs offer high-level guidance, NAPs provide the technical strategies for implementation. The briefing identifies a continuum of alignment—ranging from informal to systematic—and highlights that the 2020 NDC update cycle presents a critical opportunity for countries to use NAP results to enhance the quality and ambition of their adaptation goals. It further suggests that this alignment can serve as a foundation for broader integration with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The GCF Secretariat report for early 2019 details progress across six strategic goals. Key achievements include the launch of the first formal replenishment process, the development of a Theory of Change to drive paradigm shifts, and the expansion of the Readiness Programme. While the number of projects under implementation rose to 51 by 30 April 2019, the Secretariat noted bottlenecks in signing agreements due to the immediate effectiveness of new Board policies. The report also highlights the operationalization of a 'community of practice' with 28 expert organizations and the refinement of second-level due diligence processes.

This research paper assesses the impact of removing consumer fossil fuel subsidies by 2025 across 26 countries, finding a simple average GHG emission reduction of 6% by 2030 compared to business as usual. The study argues that while FFSR alone is insufficient to meet Paris Agreement goals, combining it with a 10% energy tax and reallocating 30% of savings into renewable energy and energy efficiency could increase average reductions to 13.2% by 2030. It highlights that FFSR is a cost-effective tool, saving governments an average of USD 93 per tonne of CO2e removed. The paper also reviews the regressive nature of fuel subsidies and advocates for 'subsidy swaps' toward sustainable energy and social safety nets, noting that only 8% of current NDCs explicitly include FFSR.

The paper examines the challenges and success factors associated with implementing an integrated 'nexus' approach to managing land, water, and energy in the MENA region. It identifies systemic barriers such as sectoral silos and a lack of empirical evidence, while arguing that targeted investments and pioneering actors are necessary to create a virtuous cycle of evidence-based policy improvement.

Between 2016 and 2019, irregular migration from North Africa to Europe increased, characterized by a shift toward direct departures from home countries and a diversifying migrant demographic that now includes more women, children, and university graduates. The report identifies economic pessimism, structural inequality, and political exclusion as primary drivers, further amplified by a social media ecosystem that romanticizes Europe and provides practical smuggling advice. While European states prioritize border hardening, the report argues that such securitized approaches ignore underlying causes and may destabilize North African governments, which view migration as a social safety valve. It recommends transitioning from short-term technical fixes to comprehensive strategic programs addressing the rule of law and structural inequality.

The report examines the complex relationship between the African Union (AU) and Regional Economic Communities (RECs), specifically the application of 'subsidiarity'—the principle that regional structures should lead in their own jurisdictions. It highlights systemic failures in North Africa due to the inactivity of the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), tensions between the AU and SADC over elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the AU's successful re-assumption of leadership in the Central African Republic. The document also notes the East African Community's (EAC) internal trade disputes, ECOWAS's struggle to adapt to violent extremism in the Sahel, and the general lack of civil society engagement within the AU and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

The report examines adaptation activities across 18 developing countries' NDC Partnership Plans, identifying critical gaps in climate risk assessments, project design, and M&E systems. It argues that these short-term plans can be leveraged to align NDC pledges with the more detailed NAP processes to improve climate resilience planning and implementation.

The report reviews 819 studies on ecotechnologies for nutrient recovery in the Baltic Sea Region, finding that while energy recovery is mature in wastewater and manure-based systems dominate agriculture, economic viability is heavily dependent on global market prices for phosphate rock and natural gas. It argues that current EU policies remain rooted in linear waste management and calls for harmonized regulations to promote a circular economy for nutrients.

The document discusses the necessity of 'taxonomies'—systematic classifications of green assets—to prevent greenwashing and provide clear guidance for issuers and investors. It highlights the transition from voluntary international guidelines, such as the Green Bond Principles, to more comprehensive regulatory frameworks, most notably the EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance. The report also details the development of the ISO 14030 international standard and provides examples of regional guidelines in ASEAN, China, and other markets.

The report evaluates the 41.1 km Rabat bypass road project using the SAVi tool, simulating six risk scenarios and four externalities. It finds that the project is not financially viable based on its own revenues across all scenarios, with negative net present value and insufficient internal rate of return. However, the inclusion of externalities—specifically the value of time saved and the cost of accidents—significantly improves key financial indicators, demonstrating that traditional financial analyses underestimate the project's broader socio-economic value and the risks associated with reduced maintenance or climate change.

The report evaluates the 4.1 km Rabat bypass road, including the Mohammed VI bridge, using the SAVi tool to simulate six risk scenarios and four external factors. The analysis finds that the project is not financially viable based on its own revenues across all scenarios, as evidenced by negative Net Present Values (NPV) and insufficient Internal Rates of Return (IRR). However, integrating external factors—specifically the value of time saved and accident costs—significantly alters the cost-benefit analysis, demonstrating that conventional financial assessments underestimate the true risks and benefits of the infrastructure.

The report analyzes the shift in irregular migration patterns in North Africa, where countries previously serving as transit zones have become points of departure. It argues that economic decline and structural inequality are driving young Maghrebi citizens to migrate, which in turn complicates diplomatic relations and security partnerships between Maghreb states and European nations.

The report identifies significant regulatory and institutional hurdles to phosphorus (P) reuse in the Baltic Sea Region, particularly within the EU's fertilizer and waste frameworks. While the EU's Circular Economy package provides a positive signal, the study finds that 'silo-thinking' across sectors and a lack of harmonized national policies hinder the transition from linear to circular nutrient economies. It highlights a risk of 'lock-in' to sub-optimal technologies, such as mono-incineration in Germany, and recommends mainstreaming circular economy principles at local and national levels to support diverse systemic solutions like source separation.

The report analyzes the legal frameworks of 22 IGF member countries, identifying systemic weaknesses in how ESIAs and related plans (ESMPs, closure plans, and RAPs) are used as decision-making tools. Key issues include ambiguity over the rights of exploration permit holders during the transition to exploitation, inadequate sequencing of document submission, and weak monitoring mechanisms. It argues that ESIAs should be capable of leading to project rejection and recommends the use of Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) to identify sensitive areas before exploration permits are granted. The document also highlights the risk of international arbitration arising from these legal ambiguities.

The report analyzes the legal frameworks of 22 IGF member countries to identify systemic gaps in the implementation of Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) in mining. Key issues include ambiguity over the rights of exploration permit holders to transition to exploitation, inadequate timing for submitting closure plans and financial guarantees, and a lack of coordination between mining and environmental authorities. The document argues for a shift toward using ESIAs as genuine decision-making tools that can lead to project rejection, the adoption of Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) to identify sensitive zones, and the strengthening of community participation and independent monitoring to ensure sustainable mine closure.

The document examines the reciprocal relationship between climate and land in Africa, highlighting how desertification and land degradation exacerbate food insecurity and poverty. It identifies specific risks for arid zones, the disproportionate impact on women and marginalized groups, and proposes integrated governance and sustainable land management practices to build resilience.

The document examines how climate change and unsustainable land management drive desertification and food insecurity in Africa, while highlighting sustainable land management practices and the necessity of integrated governance and gender-inclusive policies to build resilience.

The GEC 2019 briefing reviews the global transition to green economies, noting that while renewable energy and green finance grew in 2018, biodiversity loss and inequality remain critical. The document outlines the GEC's mission to champion inclusion, equity, and environmental limits through financial reform, natural capital accounting, and just transitions. It emphasizes that environmental protection is dependent on improving human livelihoods, citing specific examples of community-led success and the need for structural economic reform.

The Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) tool by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) integrates system dynamics simulation with project finance models to value risks and externalities typically ignored in traditional financial assessments. It applies to asset types including energy, roads, buildings, irrigation, sewerage treatment, and nature-based infrastructure. The tool aims to support the goals of the Paris Agreement and UN Sustainable Development Goals by optimizing value for money across an asset's life cycle. Case studies demonstrate its application in valuing climate-risk-related road disruptions in Morocco, the economic gains of wetland conservation in India, and the internal rate of return for wind energy in Senegal.