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The report finds that Green Public Procurement (GPP) in the EU is characterized by a fragmented approach with few binding requirements and significant gaps between national climate targets and actual procurement practices. While some regions like Catalonia and cities like Berlin show high ambition, most Member States rely on voluntary guidelines. The construction and road transport sectors are highlighted as high-impact areas where GPP could drive decarbonization, yet implementation is hindered by a lack of standardized data, insufficient capacity and time for procurement officers, and a lack of mandatory EU-level criteria. The report recommends harmonizing GPP definitions, introducing mandatory carbon criteria, and expanding the scope of EU Directives to include embedded emissions.

In 2022, the EU electricity mix was led by nuclear (22%), gas (20%), coal (16%), and wind (15%), with solar accounting for 7.3%. While solar and wind continued their long-term growth trends, nuclear and hydro experienced significant declines due to plant closures and drought. Coal saw a temporary increase to offset these losses, while gas remained the only fossil fuel to show growth over the last two decades.

In 2022, wind and solar generated a record 22% of EU electricity, overtaking fossil gas (20%). Despite this, EU power sector emissions rose by 3.9% due to a 185 TWh generation gap caused by a severe drought affecting hydro power and unexpected French nuclear outages. This gap was partially filled by a 7% increase in coal generation. However, electricity demand fell by 7.9% in Q4 2022, and coal generation declined in the final four months of the year. Ember projects a 20% plummet in EU fossil generation in 2023 as hydro and nuclear capacity recover and renewable deployment accelerates.

In 2022, the EU experienced a temporary 7% rise in coal generation driven by shortfalls in nuclear and hydro power, rather than a structural 'return to coal'. This was offset by a record surge in solar capacity and a significant 7.9% drop in electricity demand in Q4 2022. Solar power generated 7.3% of EU electricity, avoiding approximately 249 billion in gas import costs. Looking ahead to 2023, the report forecasts a potential 20% plummet in fossil fuel generation as French nuclear capacity returns and renewable capacity continues to grow.

The analysis argues that the UK's economic insecurity is rooted in neoliberalism, which prioritizes individual resilience over collective security. This is evidenced by underinvestment in public infrastructure, the sale of 2.5 million social houses between 1979 and 2022, and a lack of energy storage (four days compared to France's fourteen). In contrast, Finland's approach to housing, energy, and social policy—including a 'housing first' strategy and a basic income pilot—is presented as a model for restoring public confidence and wellbeing. The authors suggest that a cost-neutral universal basic income of approximately £60 per week for single adults could more than halve child and pensioner poverty in the UK.

The document outlines Germany's shift toward adopting carbon management technologies, highlighting the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action's (BMWK) efforts to develop a national strategy and update the Carbon Dioxide Storage Act (KSpG). It emphasizes that achieving 2045 climate goals is not possible without these technologies and details several proposed CO2 pipeline and export projects intended to transport emissions to offshore storage sites in Norway and the Netherlands.

The author argues that while the EU views the energy transition as a path to energy security and global leadership, it currently lacks a comprehensive strategic plan. Internally, the EU faces risks of redundant spending and political friction between Western and Eastern member states over the distribution of benefits. Externally, the transition shifts dependencies from fossil fuel imports to critical materials and clean technology competition with the US and China. The document suggests the EU must integrate energy, infrastructure, and industrial policy to secure its markets and maintain stability in its neighborhood.

The report finds that 40 financial institutions fund a combined methane footprint that could exceed 503 Mt CO2e. It highlights a significant gap between the climate commitments of the countries where these institutions are domiciled and the institutions' own internal policies, which are described as weak or non-existent regarding agri-methane.

The report examines the direct and indirect benefits of energy efficiency (EE), such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions and increased industrial competitiveness. It details various international policy mechanisms—including regulation, market instruments, and fiscal policies—and evaluates their application in countries like Canada, China, and the EU. The document concludes that while Brazil has established several EE programs, it faces challenges such as fragmented governance and a lack of alignment between industrial and energy policies.

The report finds that while 92% of surveyed business leaders view reducing carbon emissions as an urgent priority, many struggle with the 'how' of decarbonization due to budget and technological constraints. Businesses increasingly view the voluntary carbon market (VCM) as a critical tool for immediate action, though concerns over greenwashing and market transparency persist. While science-based targets are widely supported, there is a significant demand for clearer, more realistic guidance to help organizations meet their 2030 and 2050 goals.

The document outlines the environmental crisis caused by fast fashion, specifically the over-reliance on fossil-fuel derived synthetics and the failure of current recycling systems. It proposes that the EU implement Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes to shift waste management costs from municipalities to producers. Key recommendations include harmonising performance targets at the EU level, using eco-modulated fees to incentivise better product design, and prioritising waste prevention and reuse over recycling. The briefing also suggests complementary policies such as a virgin plastic tax and bans on hazardous chemicals to further reduce overproduction and environmental impact.

The briefing, based on a CE Delft study, finds that the EU could reduce domestic methane emissions by 49-68% by 2030 if all available mitigation measures are implemented. Agriculture is the largest source of EU methane, contributing 53% of emissions (8 Mt/year), yet it is the most neglected sector in current policy, with only a 3.7% reduction expected under business-as-usual trends. The most significant reduction potential comes from shifting consumer diets toward lower meat and dairy consumption, which alone could reduce total EU methane emissions by 15-19%. Technical measures, including feed additives and manure management, offer further reductions, though they are less impactful than dietary shifts. The document recommends that the EU set science-aligned methane targets for agriculture, promote plant-rich diets through the Sustainable Food Systems Framework Law, and impose binding methane-reporting and reduction targets on corporations.

The 2022 activities of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) show a sustained focus on climate change, with references appearing in 25 out of 33 State review processes. The Committee emphasized adaptation, mitigation, and the empowerment of children in policymaking, while specifically calling out the need for more ambitious emission reductions in developed nations like Germany. A significant portion of the CRC's work focused on the accountability of private actors in fossil fuel production and the extraterritorial obligations of States to protect children's rights abroad. Furthermore, the CRC developed a draft General Comment No. 26, which links a safe climate to the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment and advocates for the phasing out of fossil fuels.

The CESCR addressed climate change in most of its 2023 work, including twelve Concluding Observations and seven Lists of Issues. The Committee focused on mitigation policies, urging states like Brazil, Panama, and Portugal to meet their Paris Agreement NDCs, and recommended that China expand its emissions trading system and stop financing overseas coal power. Adaptation efforts were highlighted in nineteen statements, with specific calls for national adaptation plans in Cambodia, Palestine, and Yemen, and an emphasis on the participation of Indigenous Peoples in Panama. Additionally, the Committee challenged the fossil fuel reliance of states such as Qatar and China, while inquiring about oil refinery pollution in Curaçao.

The document outlines sustainability standards for the mining and processing sectors, such as the ICMM Mining Principles and IRMA Standard, which emphasize biodiversity conservation and the mitigation hierarchy. It provides financial estimates for forest protection, noting a global need of USD 45–460 billion annually to meet Paris Agreement goals, while contrasting this with 'gray finance'—including agricultural subsidies estimated between USD 378 billion and USD 635 billion per year—that may risk deforestation. Additionally, it identifies the emergence of green taxonomies in the EU and Colombia and risk assessment frameworks in countries like Brazil and Malaysia to align financial flows with nature preservation.

This document consists of two annexes. Annex 2 lists sustainability schemes for the mining and processing sectors, such as the ICMM Mining Principles and the ResponsibleSteel Standard, focusing on their requirements for biodiversity and ecosystem services. Annex 3 analyzes forest finance, estimating global needs between USD 45 billion and 460 billion annually to meet Paris Agreement goals, while contrasting 'green finance' (e.g., REDD+ funding) with 'gray finance,' including agricultural subsidies estimated between USD 378 billion and 635 billion per year and private finance to forest-risk commodity supply chains totaling USD 343 billion from 2010-2022.

The document explores the 'anti-green backlash' and the practical dilemmas of the energy transition, focusing on social inequality, territorial disputes over renewables and mining, and the geopolitical implications of critical raw material sourcing. It argues that a just transition requires rebuilding the welfare state, increasing democratic participation, and addressing historical ecological debts to avoid 'eco-apartheid' and political polarisation.

The report analyzes the legal framework of Canada's public procurement in the context of international trade agreements, specifically the WTO GPA and CETA. It argues that while these agreements prohibit origin-based discrimination, they provide significant flexibility for incorporating environmental, social, and socioeconomic criteria through performance-based specifications and life-cycle costing. The author concludes that international trade obligations are not a barrier to sustainable procurement and recommends a comprehensive 'Procurement Package' to professionalize the procurement workforce and develop national life-cycle assessment databases to better support clean tech SMEs and climate goals.

The 2023 Mining Policy Framework (MPF) provides a comprehensive set of guidelines for governments to manage the full mining life cycle. It is organized into six pillars: laws, policies, and institutions; financial benefits; socio-economic benefits; environmental management; post-mining transition; and artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). The framework emphasizes the need for transparent fiscal regimes, inclusive community engagement, rigorous environmental protections—including climate change adaptation and greenhouse gas emission reductions—and the formalization of the ASM sector to improve livelihoods and safety.

The 2023 Mining Policy Framework (MPM) provides a systemic approach to mining governance across six pillars: laws and institutions, financial benefits, socioeconomic benefits, environmental management, post-mining transition, and artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). It emphasizes the integration of international standards on human rights, gender equality, and climate change into national mining policies to ensure equitable benefit distribution and environmental protection throughout the mine life cycle.