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The report finds that despite the promotion of circular economy goals, the vast majority of carpets in Germany are incinerated and 60% in Europe are landfilled. It highlights a significant discrepancy between the environmental claims of industry leaders Interface and Desso and their actual reclamation rates, which are approximately 1.5% and 3% respectively. The document argues that structural issues, including poor product design, lack of separate collection systems, and an overcapacity of waste incinerators in Germany, hinder the transition to a closed-loop system. It recommends the introduction of product stewardship (Extended Producer Responsibility), an incineration tax, and mandatory bulky waste regulations to incentivise recycling over burning.

The report argues that the European carpet industry is far from achieving a circular economy, with the vast majority of carpets in Germany being incinerated and 60% in Europe being landfilled. Despite the public sustainability branding of market leaders Desso and Interface, the study finds that these companies recover only 1.5% to 3% of the carpets they place on the market. The document identifies structural barriers, including poor eco-design, a lack of comprehensive collection systems, and an overcapacity of waste incineration plants in Germany, which creates financial incentives to burn recyclable materials. It recommends the introduction of extended producer responsibility, a waste incineration tax, and mandatory recycling quotas to shift the industry toward genuine material recovery.

The document examines the growth and potential of green asset-backed securities (ABS), which convert pools of non-liquid carbon-saving assets into tradable securities. It highlights that green ABS accounted for approximately USD 5 billion (6% market share) of green securities issued in 2016, growing from USD 1.9 billion in 2014. The OECD estimates that annual issuance for renewable energy, energy efficiency, and low-emission vehicles could reach USD 280-380 billion by 2035. The briefing identifies key benefits, such as the ability to bundle small projects to reach bond market volumes and the potential for lower capital costs compared to bank financing. It also addresses risks stemming from the 2008 financial crisis and recommends public sector interventions, including the development of uniform 'green' asset definitions, financial support for data collection, and guarantees for junior or mezzanine tranches to attract institutional investors.

The document explains how green covered bonds, which utilize a dual recourse structure and dedicated asset pools, can provide banks with cheaper, long-term funding for low carbon projects. It highlights early examples like BerlinHyp's green Pfandbrief and the Bank of China's dual recourse bond, while arguing that standardizing green asset definitions and expanding legal frameworks to include renewable energy leases would scale the market.

The document explains how green securitisation transforms pools of illiquid low-carbon assets into tradable securities, improving access to and lowering the cost of capital for small-scale projects. It notes that green Asset-Backed Securities (ABS) grew to USD 5bn in 2016 and could reach USD 280-380bn annually by 2035. The author recommends public sector interventions, such as providing guarantees for junior tranches and supporting the standardisation of green loan contracts, to mitigate risks and drive market growth.

Following the 1956 Hungarian uprising, approximately 200,000 people fled to Austria and Yugoslavia. An international effort led to the resettlement of nearly 180,000 Hungarians across 37 countries within three years. The document highlights the contrast between Sweden's rapid response, which saw over 7,300 refugees resettled by 1958, and Norway's more cautious approach, which focused initially on financial aid before resettling nearly 1,500 people by the end of 1957.

The document argues that Belgium and the Netherlands are in breach of international law by exporting high sulfur fuels to West African states, specifically those party to the Bamako Convention. It concludes that these fuels qualify as hazardous wastes under the Bamako Convention and, by extension, under the Basel Convention for countries with monist legal systems. The report asserts that such exports violate the Basel Convention's prohibition on exporting hazardous wastes to parties that have banned their import, breach customary international law by frustrating the treaty's purpose, and violate extraterritorial human rights obligations regarding the right to health.

The Mauritius Convention on Transparency, adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 2014, provides a mechanism for States to 'opt-in' to the UNCITRAL Rules on Transparency for arbitrations brought under investment treaties concluded before April 2014. The document highlights that investor-State arbitrations often involve public interests, including policies on nuclear or alternative energy, tobacco control, and the protection of drinking water, yet typically lack the openness of legal systems governed by the rule of law. By mandating the disclosure of documents and open hearings, the Convention aims to improve democratic participation, accountability, and the ability of governments to reform international economic governance. As of January 2017, Mauritius and Canada had ratified the Convention, while several other States had signed it.

The report argues that achieving the EU's 2050 climate targets requires a broad portfolio of innovative production processes, material substitution, and efficiency gains. It proposes an integrated policy approach combining EU ETS reform—specifically the 'inclusion of consumption' to ensure carbon price pass-through—with public procurement and targeted innovation support, such as carbon contracts for differences, to overcome investment risks and the 'technology valley of death'.

In 2016, the European power sector saw a significant shift from coal to gas generation, which drove a 4.5% decrease in CO2 emissions. While renewable energy's share of the electricity mix rose slightly to 29.6%, growth was below previous trends due to poor weather conditions, although record-low auction prices for wind and solar suggest future potential. Electricity consumption remained largely stagnant, barely offsetting economic growth. The EU Emissions Trading System (EU-ETS) continued to suffer from a structural oversupply, with the surplus exceeding 3 billion tonnes of CO2 for the first time.

The report finds that a significant portion of Peruvian timber exports are high-risk or illegal, despite being accompanied by official Transport Guides (GTF). Analysis of 2015 export data reveals that exporters strategically direct 'green-listed' (low-risk) timber to strictly regulated markets like the US and EU, while sending 'red-listed' (high-risk) timber to markets with weaker regulations, such as China and Mexico. The study highlights a shift toward using Native Community permits and Local Forests to launder illegal wood, noting that 66% of analyzed GTFs were either not supervised or lacked critical traceability data like the harvest year (zafra).

The report analyzes 855 Visual Inspection Certificates and 2,364 Forest Transport Permits (GTFs) from the Port of Callao in 2015 to trace the supply chain of Peruvian timber. It finds that a significant portion of exports are high-risk or illegal, with exporters strategically directing 'red list' timber to countries with weak import laws, such as China and Mexico, while sending 'green list' timber to the US and EU. The study highlights a shift toward using Forest Permits in Indigenous Communities and Local Forests to circumvent oversight, as these modalities often lack supervision or exhibit high rates of illegality.

The document lists various entities awarded for pioneering green bond activities in 2016. Key achievements include the first green sovereign bond from Poland, the largest overall issuer (Shanghai Pudong Development Bank), and the first green bonds from several countries including Colombia, Costa Rica, Morocco, and the Philippines. It also recognizes the People's Bank of China for regulation and CICERO for its 'Shades of green' assessment model.

The document examines the Dutch coal experience, starting with the state-managed closure of domestic mines in Limburg (1965-1974) driven by the discovery of natural gas and political shifts. It details the social engineering and subsidies used to transition 75,000 workers, noting that while the region eventually diversified, the process was lengthy and marked by economic crises. The study then analyzes the 'return of coal' in the 1970s, where policy shifted toward imported coal to diversify energy security after the oil crises, leading to a lasting reliance on coal-fired power plants. It concludes that current climate targets and court rulings now clash with this path-dependency, creating a risk of stranded assets in modern coal plants.

The report analyses historical coal transitions in the UK, US, Spain, Poland, Czech Republic, and the Netherlands, concluding that proactive anticipation and comprehensive regional strategies are essential to avoid long-term socio-economic decline. It argues that the cost of failing to invest in a managed transition often exceeds the cost of the transition itself, as evidenced by high long-term social security costs and regional stagnation. Key recommendations include moving away from simple cash redundancy payments toward on-the-job retraining, diversifying regional economies through industrial clusters, and addressing the specific vulnerabilities of workers aged 35-45.

The document examines the complexities of groundwater governance, distinguishing it from surface water management due to the resource's invisibility and dispersed private exploitation. It highlights the critical interdependence between governance and technical monitoring, using the Netherlands as a model for integrated data collection. A global diagnostic reveals significant gaps in actor participation, legal harmonization, and policy scope across different stages of management development. The paper also addresses the scarcity of dedicated international treaties for the 592 identified transboundary aquifers and concludes with a strategic roadmap for 2030 to prevent irreversible degradation of aquifer systems.

The document distinguishes between incremental adaptation, which improves existing practices, and transformational adaptation, which involves systemic structural changes to address the root causes of vulnerability. It argues that as climate risks in Alberta increase—including rising temperatures and more variable precipitation—cities like Calgary and Edmonton may need to adopt transformational approaches to avoid unsustainable development paths. The text outlines qualities of a resilient city, such as flexibility and integration, and uses the Netherlands' Delta Programme as a case study of a proactive, systems-based approach to flood management. It concludes with strategic, regulatory, and community recommendations to enable transformational change.

The Adaptation Futures 2016 conference, held in Rotterdam, convened over 1,700 experts to address the urgency of climate adaptation. The synthesis highlights a critical gap where risks are being created faster than they are reduced, calling for more radical and experimental adaptation strategies. Key findings emphasize the necessity of diverse partnerships, the integration of the private sector, and a shift in monitoring from measuring process to measuring progress. The report details thematic outcomes across ten areas, including urban infrastructure, food security, public health, and the Arctic, while advocating for a reinforcing relationship between research 'on' and 'for' adaptation.

The report examines the intersection of climate change and fiduciary duty for public pension fund trustees. It identifies four primary financial risks—physical impact, carbon asset, transition, and litigation—and argues that these risks necessitate the exercise of duties to inquire, monitor, diversify, and act impartially. The document suggests that failure to account for these risks may lead to lawsuits for breach of fiduciary duty, particularly regarding the interests of future beneficiaries. Recommended actions include modifying investment principles, divesting from climate-vulnerable assets, active shareholder engagement, and investing in clean energy.

ClientEarth argues that the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines has the jurisdiction to investigate the Carbon Majors because climate change threatens fundamental civil and political rights. The brief asserts that there is a linear causal relationship between greenhouse gas emissions and global warming, and that the Carbon Majors' emissions have contributed significantly to this process. It recommends that the Philippine government ratify the Paris Agreement and that the Carbon Majors publish business plans aligned with a warming limit of well below 2 degrees Celsius, in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.