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The report argues that while carbon markets were originally designed for zero-sum offsetting, they can be repurposed for results-based climate finance (RBCF) to quantify and verify mitigation impacts. It identifies a specific 'niche' for RBCF: supporting technologies that have passed the R&D stage but are not yet market-mature. The authors highlight several limitations, including a bias toward the cheapest mitigation options, high transaction costs for monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV), and a lack of effectiveness in least developed countries (LDCs) where emissions are low. To maximize impact, the report suggests shifting from rewarding to enabling through host-country policy commitments, reducing MRV stringency when credits are not used for offsetting, and complementing RBCF with upfront grants or loans.

The Climate Action Tracker (CAT) reports that a wave of net zero pledges from 127 countries could reduce projected warming by 2100 to as low as 2.1°C. However, current policies still put the world on a trajectory of 2.9°C, and a significant emissions gap remains for 2030.

The report estimates that a net increase in investment of approximately 66 billion SEK is required to decarbonise Swedish heavy industry by 2045. This includes 50 billion SEK for the four largest emission sources—steel, petrochemicals, refining, and cement—and 15 billion SEK for carbon capture and storage (CCS) in the pulp and paper sector to achieve net-zero. The analysis reveals that financing challenges vary by sector: steel and petrochemicals face high capital expenditure (CAPEX) hurdles due to the need for transformative new processes, while cement and refining are primarily constrained by high operational expenses (OPEX) associated with adding CCS. The report argues that while the total costs are manageable compared to other national infrastructure spending, current carbon pricing under the EU ETS is insufficient to drive these investments, necessitating increased public risk-sharing and targeted industrial policy.

The briefing examines the environmental and social impacts of Mowi, the world's largest salmon producer and a key supplier to Sainsbury's. It highlights the unsustainable use of wild-caught fish in aquafeed, high fish mortality rates, frequent escapes, and the use of antibiotics and chemicals, arguing that these practices contradict Sainsbury's sustainability claims.

The report exposes systemic issues in Peru's fishmeal and fish oil (FMFO) industry, the world's largest, highlighting the overfishing of juvenile anchovies, corruption in quota setting, and the failure of sustainability certifications like MarinTrust. It details how major producers, such as TASA and Austral Group, supply global aquafeed giants (including Skretting and BioMar) that provide feed for salmon sold to major European retailers. Additionally, the document reports severe health and safety violations during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, where companies allegedly covered up widespread infections among workers.

Peru is the world's largest producer of fishmeal and fish oil (FMFO), primarily using anchoveta to supply global aquaculture. The report argues that the industry is plagued by systemic corruption, including the underreporting of catches and the illegal harvesting of juvenile fish. It highlights a 'phantom fishmeal' gap where exports consistently exceed reported production. The document also details severe environmental degradation in Chimbote and the diversion of fish intended for human consumption to animal feed. Furthermore, it exposes how major producers like TASA and Austral Group violated health protocols during the Covid-19 pandemic. The report concludes that certification bodies like MarinTrust provide 'greenwash' for unsustainable practices and calls for a phase-out of FMFO in aquaculture.

The document examines the intersection of climate change and human rights, detailing how environmental degradation threatens rights to life, food, health, water, and housing. It outlines the obligations of states to respect, protect, and fulfil these rights, and the responsibilities of businesses to reduce emissions and provide remedies. The handbook specifically focuses on the role of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), presenting case studies of their work in monitoring impacts, handling complaints, providing policy advice, and engaging in international mechanisms like the UNFCCC and the Universal Periodic Review. It highlights that nearly half of Paris Principles-compliant NHRIs have engaged in climate change work, using tools ranging from digital mapping to formal inquiries into 'carbon majors'.

The report evaluates the operationalization of REDD+ and the inclusion of forest-related mitigation targets in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. While the overarching goal of including forests in a global climate agreement is considered met, the report identifies significant barriers to REDD+ implementation, including insufficient finance and a lack of quantifiable targets in many NDCs. Recent updates to NDCs show some improvement in the quality and scale of forest targets in specific countries.

The 2020 assessment finds that supply chain efforts have failed to eliminate deforestation from agricultural commodities, with tree cover loss in 2018 remaining similar to levels before the New York Declaration on Forests. While palm oil and timber sectors show more advanced commitment and traceability tools, the beef and soy sectors in Latin America lag significantly. Most corporate commitments lack comprehensive scope, and full traceability to the point of production remains rare. The report highlights a gap in reporting, with many influential companies failing to disclose progress, and notes that financial institutions have largely failed to set clear policies to remove deforestation from their investments.

The document highlights a significant misalignment between government energy production plans and Paris Agreement goals, noting that governments planned to extract 60% more oil, 70% more gas, and 280% more coal by 2030 than is consistent with a 1.5°C pathway. It suggests that NDCs and LT-LEDS can be used to communicate pathways, targets, and policy measures to manage the transition away from fossil fuels while ensuring a just transition for affected workers and communities.

An experiment with 912 American adults found that listening to real-world stories about EV success in Norway and Greensboro, North Carolina, significantly increased participants' perceptions of EV reliability, affordability, and practicality. These stories also led to stronger support for national charging networks, electric buses, and tax rebates, suggesting that narrative-based communication is an effective tool for accelerating the transition to electric vehicles.

Mighty Earth defends its role in supporting Indonesia's deforestation reductions and expresses concern that provisions of the Omnibus Law may undermine these environmental and economic successes.

Mighty Earth defends its role in supporting Indonesia's environmental goals and expresses concern that certain provisions of the recently passed Omnibus Law could jeopardize the country's progress in reducing deforestation and protecting biodiversity.

The 2019 Production Gap Report, produced by SEI and partners, identifies a significant gap between government fossil fuel production plans and the levels required to limit global warming to 1.5°C or 2°C. The report aims to shift climate discourse toward targeting both production and consumption, influencing policymakers in countries such as Norway and the United States.

The sustainable debt market in H1 2020 was characterized by a shift in composition due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a surge in pandemic and social bonds offsetting a significant decline in green bond volumes. While green bonds historically dominated, H1 2020 saw a more even split between themes, with pandemic-related investments likely financing around half of the total sustainable debt market. The report highlights the emergence of pandemic bonds, primarily in China, and the role of supranationals in sustainability issuance. Policy-wise, it examines the 'build back better' agenda, the development of taxonomies in the EU and China, and the increasing involvement of central banks and stock exchanges in integrating climate risk into financial systems.

The document critiques the Coal Replacement Bonus and the South Bonus introduced in Germany's Coal Phase-out Law, arguing that they overcompensate gas-based CHP plants, risk creating a carbon lock-in effect, and may delay the phase-out of hard coal by offering more attractive financial incentives than closure auctions.

The report finds that the EU missed its 2020 deadline to end overfishing, with nearly half of the analyzed TACs for 2020 still exceeding scientific advice. It highlights a systemic failure to follow precautionary advice for data-limited stocks and a tendency to prioritize target stocks over bycatch stocks. The analysis identifies specific Member States—including France, Ireland, and Spain—as frequently pushing for unsustainable catch limits based on unsubstantiated socio-economic claims. The document also criticizes the lack of transparency in the TAC-setting process and the potential for misleading reporting by the European Commission.

The document analyzes the crisis facing Eskom, South Africa's state-owned energy monopoly, attributing it to a combination of historical reliance on the 'minerals-energy complex', financial mismanagement, and costly, corruption-mired power station projects. It evaluates the proposal to 'unbundle' the utility into generation, transmission, and distribution entities, drawing on cautionary examples from Kenya and Uganda. The paper argues for a 'Just Transition' that protects workers and communities while transitioning to renewables, suggesting the use of international climate finance or public pension funds to alleviate Eskom's unsustainable debt.

The document advocates for a transition to zero-carbon fuels like hydrogen and ammonia to address the high emissions of the marine shipping sector, which is identified as a "hard to abate" industry. It details production pathways including electrolysis and gas reforming with carbon capture and storage (CCS), and proposes federal policy interventions such as the American Energy Innovation Act of 2020, production tax credits, and the creation of regional fuel hubs to reduce costs and build necessary infrastructure.

ClientEarth, the Marine Conservation Society, and Oceana urge the UK Government to set 2021 catch limits based on the best available scientific advice from ICES, specifically advocating for limits not exceeding the maximum sustainable yield (MSY). The recommendations emphasize a precautionary, ecosystem-based approach, particularly for deep-sea stocks and depleted species like Atlantic cod and whiting. Key proposals include the mandatory rollout of Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) for vessels over 10m, the implementation of Fish Stock Recovery Areas, and the use of highly selective fishing gear to reduce bycatch. The authors argue that restoring fish stocks to healthy levels would increase the value of fish landings by an estimated 37% and create over 5,000 new jobs.