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ClientEarth argues that the draft CEEAG contains political compromises that undermine environmental ambitions, specifically criticizing the continued support for fossil gas, low-carbon hydrogen, and biomass. The organization advocates for the strict integration of the 'Energy Efficiency First' principle, the 'energy solidarity principle', and more rigorous safeguards to prevent 'carbon lock-in'. Key recommendations include limiting hydrogen aid to renewable sources, phasing out support for high-efficient cogeneration and small hydropower, and implementing stricter conditions for the closure of coal activities to ensure they occur by 2030.

Despite pledges for carbon neutrality, China's power and steel sectors continued to announce coal-based projects in early 2021. While CO2 emissions growth showed signs of cooling in the second quarter of 2021 due to government controls on financial excesses and industrial output, the volume of new coal projects remains high, risking the creation of stranded assets and undermining 2030 emission reduction targets.

Despite a slowdown in emission growth in Q2 2021, China's power and steel sectors continued to announce significant new coal-based capacity in the first half of the year. The report highlights a contradiction between economic growth driven by construction and decarbonization goals, noting that zero-emission power only met 30% of electricity demand growth between H1 2019 and H1 2021. While government measures to control fiscal overspending and industrial output led to a slowdown in CO2 emission growth in the second quarter, the continued announcement of coal-based projects risks creating stranded assets and hindering the transition to low-carbon technologies.

The report uses the GSI-IF model to analyze 32 countries, representing 77% of global CO2 emissions, to determine the impact of removing fossil fuel subsidies and implementing a 10% fossil energy tax by 2030. It finds that subsidy reform alone could save nearly USD 3 trillion and abate 5.4 GtCO2e, while combining reform with taxation and sustainable energy investment could increase average emission reductions from 6% to 11.8% by 2030.

The report finds that the complete removal of fossil fuel consumption subsidies across 32 modelled countries could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 6.09% by 2030. When combined with a 'subsidy swap' (reinvesting savings into energy efficiency and renewables) and a 10% energy tax, the average national emission reduction increases to 11.84%. The analysis highlights that while some countries like Venezuela see reductions over 30%, G20 nations provide the largest absolute reductions due to their economic scale. Financially, fossil fuel subsidy reform (FFSR) alone could generate USD 2.99 trillion in cumulative savings by 2030, offering a cost-effective mechanism for a 'green recovery' from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The document argues that Indonesia must shift from carbon-intensive 'grey' infrastructure to sustainable solutions to meet its low-carbon development goals and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. It identifies key barriers to this transition, including a lack of bankable project pipelines, inadequate valuation methods that ignore ESG risks, and a mismatch between infrastructure and budget planning. The author recommends adopting integrated planning, utilizing the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) methodology to quantify externalities, and establishing project preparation facilities to attract private investment. The brief also highlights international examples from Malaysia, the Netherlands, Saint Lucia, and South Africa to illustrate successful sustainable infrastructure strategies.

SGR acknowledges IOM3's move to a fund excluding arms and high-carbon fossil fuels but argues that the Institute maintains insufficient transparency and continuing financial links to the fossil fuel sector. The letter demands a rapid phase-out of all ties to companies not aligned with the Paris Agreement's 2°C goal, the adoption of a formal responsible investment policy, and the reporting of the investment portfolio's carbon footprint.

Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR) has written to the Royal Society calling for the rapid phase-out of financial ties to the fossil fuel and arms industries. SGR identifies several concerns, including the acceptance of donations from these sectors and a lack of transparency regarding specific company investments. The letter outlines ten specific demands, including the use of fossil fuel-free indexes, reporting the carbon footprint of the investment portfolio, and joining the Pledge to Net Zero. SGR notes that other professional bodies, such as the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Physicians, have already divested from fossil fuels and arms companies.

A coalition of environmental NGOs is calling on the German government to grant NGOs equal access to fisheries quota negotiations and the Special Committee on Fisheries. The letter argues that current transparency is insufficient, as industry members have more access than environmental groups, and proposes the establishment of a formal observer status and proactive documentation publication to align with the Aarhus Convention.

The authors argue that global media coverage of climate change is insufficient and fails to convey the scale of the crisis. They call for newsrooms to prioritize climate stories, use plain language to describe the threat, and treat the situation with the same urgency as the Covid-19 pandemic. The text highlights that while some outlets fear the term 'climate emergency' suggests activism, the scientific consensus demands such framing to drive the political will necessary for decarbonization.

A statement by Milieudefensie (Friends of the Earth Netherlands) regarding a landmark legal victory against Shell, where a Dutch court ordered the company to reduce its CO2 emissions by 45% within ten years to align with the Paris Agreement.

The document outlines a comprehensive set of recommendations to transform the EU textile sector from a linear to a circular and resource-sufficient model. It advocates for mandatory ecodesign requirements to ensure durability and non-toxicity, a ban on the destruction of unsold goods, and the implementation of a digital product passport for transparency. The authors call for the phase-out of fossil-fuel derived synthetic fibres, the introduction of taxes on virgin resources, and the establishment of an EU-wide Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme. Furthermore, it emphasizes the need for binding due diligence legislation to address human rights and environmental abuses in global supply chains and suggests stricter regulations on the export of textile waste to non-EU countries.

ClientEarth is supporting five Polish citizens in lawsuits against the Polish government, claiming that the state's failure to address climate change violates personal rights under the Polish Civil Code and human rights under the European Convention of Human Rights. The claimants seek a legally enforceable right to a healthy environment and a commitment from Poland to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 61% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2043 to align with the Paris Agreement's 1.5 degree goal. The document highlights Poland's heavy reliance on coal, with 70% of electricity coming from coal and significant public subsidies for fossil fuels, as well as the specific climate-related impacts—such as droughts, floods, and wildfires—experienced by the claimants.

The report finds a significant lack of a level playing field in the EU, with 13 Member States still relying on entirely paper-based processes for verifying catch certificates (CCs). While some states have developed national IT tools, these cannot detect the 'overuse' of CCs across different EU entry points. The European Commission's CATCH system is designed to provide a centralised EU-wide database to prevent fraud and harmonise risk analysis, but as of June 2021, no Member State was actively operating the first version due to a lack of legal requirements and data input from third countries. The report recommends that the Commission make CATCH mandatory, improve its interoperability with national systems, and develop tools to monitor trade flow variations to identify potential IUU fishing loopholes.

The report outlines a framework for Canada's first National Adaptation Strategy (NAS), drawing on a review of 12 policy instruments from 11 countries. It identifies a global trend where adaptation planning is increasing and regularly updated, but implementation and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) remain weak. For Canada, the authors recommend establishing clear institutional arrangements, a unified climate risk assessment approach, and a robust M&E system. The report emphasizes the need for deep engagement with Indigenous Peoples to advance reconciliation and the integration of gender equality and social inclusion through Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+). It also suggests bridging the gap between climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction (DRR) and elevating nature-based solutions.

The report warns that 11 major Eurozone banks hold over 530 billion euros in fossil fuel assets, representing 95% of their total equity. It argues that these assets are prone to becoming 'stranded assets' as the world transitions to meet the Paris Agreement, potentially triggering a financial crisis similar to the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis. The authors critique 'green finance' as largely greenwashing and call for the European Central Bank (ECB) to align its monetary policy with climate goals, increase capital requirements for fossil fuel exposure, and establish a public 'bad bank' to manage the phased extinction of these assets.

The report warns that the 11 largest banks in the eurozone hold over 530 billion euros in fossil fuel assets, which represent 95% of their total equity on average. This overexposure creates a significant risk of 'stranded assets' as the world transitions to meet Paris Agreement goals. The authors argue that current 'green finance' is largely a greenwashing tool and that voluntary bank commitments are insufficient. They propose a two-step solution: first, implementing strict regulations and reforming European Central Bank (ECB) monetary policy to stop new fossil fuel funding; second, establishing a public 'fossil bank' under the ECB to buy back and gradually phase out these risky assets to protect financial stability and enable the ecological transition.

The document defines public-private partnerships (PPPs) as collaborative arrangements between public actors and private partners, often including academia or citizen groups, to deliver urban development and infrastructure. It outlines common models such as Design-Build-Operate (DBO) and Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT), while highlighting that PPPs can accelerate climate neutrality by leveraging private capital and innovation. However, the text warns of risks including resource inequality between partners, lack of democratic mandates, and potential cost lock-ins. Success is attributed to early stakeholder engagement, a full life cycle approach, and transparent governance. The document notes that while the Caribbean and Latin America are highly active in PPPs, Swedish examples like the New Karolinska Hospital have been viewed as failures due to high costs and poor partner interaction.

The document outlines a proposed U.S. policy package comprising 45Q tax credit enhancements, the SCALE Act, and appropriations from the Energy Act of 2020. Together with the American Jobs Plan, these measures aim to grow U.S. carbon management capacity 13-fold by the mid-2030s. Key recommendations include introducing a 'Direct Pay' option for tax credits, increasing credit values to $85 per metric ton for industrial applications and $180 for direct air capture, and extending the construction window to 2035. Additionally, the SCALE Act is presented as a means to overcome 'chicken-and-egg' infrastructure barriers through DOE cost sharing, EPA permitting support, and the creation of the CO2 Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (CIFIA) for low-interest loans.

Friends of the Earth International and 81 other organizations condemn the Colombian government's use of military and police force against peaceful protesters. The statement links social unrest to economic inequality, the failure to implement FARC-EP peace accords, and an extractive development model that prioritizes capital accumulation over nature and human rights. It calls for an end to human rights violations, the cessation of aerial glyphosate spraying, and the implementation of comprehensive agrarian reform.