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2019 Green Bond Market Summary
The global green bond and green loan market reached a record USD 257.7 billion in 2019, a 51% increase over 2018. Growth was primarily driven by Europe, which accounted for 45% of global issuance. The USA, China, and France remained the top-ranked countries, together representing 44% of the market. Energy and Buildings were the dominant sectors for use of proceeds, each holding approximately 30% market share. Certified Climate Bonds grew by 86% to reach USD 45 billion, with cumulative certified issuance surpassing the USD 100 billion milestone. The market also saw increased diversification with debut issuances from emerging markets including Kenya, Barbados, and Saudi Arabia.
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Document type: Report
A SECURITY THREAT ASSESSMENT OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE
The report evaluates global security threats under two warming scenarios: a 'Near Term' scenario (1-2°C) and a 'Medium-Long Term' scenario (2-4+°C). It concludes that even low levels of warming present high to very high risks, while higher warming levels pose catastrophic and potentially irreversible threats to global stability. The analysis is structured around U.S. Geographic Combatant Command areas, detailing how climate-induced physical shocks and social tensions act as threat multipliers that can lead to state failure, resource conflict, and the breakdown of international alliances.
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Document type: Report
Gas at a Crossroads
The report finds that the EU is proposing or building gas infrastructure worth €99 billion, which would increase import capacity by over 30% despite existing capacity already being nearly double current consumption. This expansion contradicts EU climate goals to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, which require a sharp reduction in fossil gas use. The author highlights that many of these projects, including those on the European Commission's 4th list of Projects of Common Interest (PCI), are unnecessary for energy security and risk becoming stranded assets. Additionally, the report notes that EU gas-fired power plants are currently underutilized compared to global averages and are increasingly uncompetitive against renewable energy portfolios.
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Document type: Report
Green bonds: a mechanism for bridging the adaptation gap?
The paper finds that while green bonds can finance adaptation, they do so to a very limited extent, with mitigation receiving approximately 95% of current funding. Between March 2010 and April 2019, only 5% of all green bonds issued included adaptation as an eligible project category. The study identifies significant mismatches in geography, project scale, and the types of activities funded, noting that adaptation needs are often too small-scale or lack the revenue streams required for traditional bond issuance. Furthermore, a low level of corporate understanding of physical climate risk limits the adoption of these instruments. The author concludes that green bonds alone will be too slow to close the adaptation finance gap but can serve as awareness-raising tools to encourage broader risk management and investment.
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Document type: Research paper
Stretching the possibilities for a sustainable rubber industry in 2020
Mighty Earth advocates for a sustainable natural rubber industry, highlighting the role of the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR) in addressing deforestation and human rights abuses. While acknowledging progress in stakeholder cooperation, the author identifies critical gaps in the GPSNR, including the lack of internal company policies, the absence of a grievance mechanism, and the non-participation of Chinese companies. The document calls for increased supply chain transparency, the inclusion of smallholder farmers, and a shift toward binding regulation to ensure a level playing field.
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Document type: Statement
UNCONVENTIONAL (FRACKED) NATURAL GAS, CLIMATE CHANGE AND HUMAN HEALTH
The document outlines the dangers of hydraulic fracturing, noting that in 2018, more than two thirds of Canada's natural gas was "fracked gas," primarily from Northeastern BC. It details health risks including increased incidences of preterm birth, miscarriage, and childhood leukemia (ALL), as well as environmental threats such as water contamination and induced earthquakes. The text highlights that methane leaks from fracking are 86 times more harmful to the climate than CO2 over 20 years, undermining the concept of natural gas as a "bridge fuel." It concludes by urging Canada to implement a moratorium on new wells and develop just transition plans for workers.
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Document type: Executive summary
Une transition fracturée : changements climatiques, santé et fracturation hydraulique
The document outlines the risks associated with hydraulic fracturing, specifically focusing on water and air pollution, reproductive health issues, pediatric cancers, and seismic activity. It highlights the role of methane leaks in undermining climate goals and advocates for a phased elimination of fracking wells in Canada to meet Paris Agreement commitments.
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Document type: Executive summary
How Food Export Restrictions Could Worsen a Looming Food Crisis
The document examines the impact of COVID-19-related food export restrictions on vulnerable importing nations. It identifies high-risk areas in Central Asia, North Africa, the Middle East, and sub-Saharan Africa, noting that many affected countries already suffer from high undernourishment and calorie production deficits. The authors argue that because global food stocks remain plentiful, countries should refrain from banning staple food exports to prevent hunger and potential famines.
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Document type: Policy brief
Global Landscape of Climate Finance 2019
Annual tracked climate finance averaged USD 579 billion in 2017/2018, a 25% increase from 2015/2016, though it remains far below the USD 1.6 trillion to USD 3.8 trillion annually needed for energy system transitions. Renewable energy remains the largest destination for finance, while low-carbon transport is growing rapidly. Private finance accounts for 56% of total flows, with a strong domestic preference as 76% of investment stays within the sourcing country.
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Document type: Report
The IPCC report on land use and climate change
The document analyzes how human land use drives climate change and how climate change, in turn, degrades land. It highlights that while land currently acts as a net carbon sink, it could become a source of emissions. The brief emphasizes the role of agriculture and deforestation in land degradation and warns that current policy trajectories could significantly expand drylands and threaten global food security. It argues that sustainable land management, incorporating indigenous knowledge and gender-sensitive policies, is essential for limiting temperature rise to 1.5°C.
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Document type: Policy brief
The New Gas Boom
The report identifies a massive global expansion of LNG infrastructure, with at least 202 terminal projects in development representing $1.3 trillion in capital outlays. This growth is heavily concentrated in North America, where the U.S. and Canada account for 74% of proposed new export capacity. The authors argue that this expansion risks creating stranded assets as renewable energy costs fall and that the lifecycle greenhouse gas impact of these projects is comparable to, or exceeds, that of new coal-fired power plants. Consequently, the report calls for a moratorium on new LNG construction to align with IPCC targets requiring gas use to decline by 2030 and 2050.
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Document type: Report
Solidarity Economy and the Commons: Implications for Central and Eastern Europe
The author argues that while Central and Eastern Europe has a long tradition of informal mutual help and solidarity practices, these have historically functioned as 'bottom-up subsidies' to capital by absorbing the costs of social reproduction. The paper suggests that for a modern solidarity economy to be emancipative in this region, it must move beyond mere survival strategies and address the hierarchical, patriarchal, and extractive nature of existing informal networks.
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Document type: Research paper
Green Bonds Market Summary Q1 2019
In Q1 2019, global green bond issuance reached USD 47.9 billion, a 42% increase over Q1 2018. The market was driven by non-financial corporates, particularly in the energy sector, and dominated by developed markets in the USA, France, and Canada. Energy, buildings, and transport accounted for 81% of the use of proceeds. The report also highlights that while post-issuance reporting is common among larger issuers and those with external reviews, there is a lack of consistency in the metrics used to report environmental impacts.
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Document type: Report
Pipeline Bubble
The report identifies a significant surge in global oil and gas pipeline development, with North America leading the trend. It contends that this expansion is predicated on a 'super cycle' of demand from Asia that is incompatible with IPCC climate goals and threatened by the rise of renewables and competing production in other regions. The authors compare the current situation to the 2011–2016 coal mining crash, warning that high leverage and a loss of 'social license' create a high risk of stranded assets.
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Document type: Report
Citizen science and food waste
The project aimed to address knowledge gaps regarding consumer food waste by leveraging citizen science to gain insights into behaviors and decision-making. Key activities included a literature review, the identification of network members, and a workshop in Geneva on 6 June. The resulting network connects researchers, experts, and practitioners to foster collaborative research proposals.
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Document type: Executive summary
Estimating consumption-based greenhouse gas emissions at the city scale
The document explains that consumption-based emissions inventories (CBEIs) capture the full carbon footprint of a city by including emissions from goods and services produced outside city borders. It identifies that for wealthy, industrialized cities, CBEIs are often significantly higher than territorial inventories. The guide details three main estimation approaches: spending data with input-output models, physical data with life-cycle analysis, and hybrid methods. It advises city planners to align their choice of methodology with their specific goals, such as resident education, peer comparison, or local policy design, while emphasizing the importance of detailed categorization to identify high-leverage areas for emissions reduction.
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Document type: Guide
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE UN FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
The report serves as a reference tool listing over 60 UNFCCC decisions and reports that acknowledge the role of Indigenous Peoples and their traditional knowledge in climate mitigation and adaptation. It highlights the establishment of the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform and recalls the minimum standards for survival and dignity set by the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
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Document type: Report
Q3 2019 green bond market report
The Q3 2019 green bond market report by the Climate Bonds Initiative tracks global trends in green finance, highlighting the dominance of energy projects in both green bonds and loans, the growth of the Asia-Pacific green loan market, and the leading roles of Euronext Paris as a listing venue and HSBC as an underwriter.
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Document type: Report
Electric Vehicles: Market Intelligence Report 2019
The report examines South Africa's nascent electric vehicle (EV) market, highlighting a strong existing automotive manufacturing base that could be leveraged for EV production. While global EV sales are growing exponentially, South Africa faces significant barriers including high import duties, lack of policy certainty, and a lack of affordable products for the middle class. Key opportunities are identified in electric bus manufacturing, lithium-ion battery production, and passenger vehicle exports. The document also details the role of the Western Cape as a greentech hub and outlines the transition from the Automotive Production & Development Programme (APDP) to the South African Automotive Masterplan (SAAM) 2021-2035.
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Document type: Report
Global Market Report: Cocoa
The global cocoa market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.3% from 2019 to 2025, driven by demand in Western Europe, North America, and emerging Asian economies. While VSS-compliant cocoa grew significantly between 2008 and 2016, the sector faces long-term supply risks from ageing trees, climate change, and systemic poverty. The report highlights the potential for VSS expansion in LHDCs, particularly in Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Togo, to improve farmer livelihoods and environmental outcomes.
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Document type: Report