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This policy brief by the World Resources Institute examines the necessity and current state of a regulatory framework for carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) in China. It argues that while China relies heavily on coal and views CCS as a critical tool for reducing emissions, it lacks a comprehensive domestic regulatory framework to ensure environmental health, safety, and efficacy, particularly regarding geologic storage.

The report finds that while developed countries exceeded their US$ 30 billion Fast-Start Finance (FSF) target, much of the funding was not 'new and additional' and was heavily skewed toward mitigation over adaptation. Only 18% of FSF supported adaptation, and the distribution of funds closely mirrored existing Official Development Assistance (ODA) patterns rather than correlating with greenhouse gas emissions or country vulnerability. The study highlights a lack of transparency in reporting and suggests that future finance should better target vulnerable countries and avoid funding climate-incompatible development.

The document examines Norway's fast-start finance (FSF) contributions between 2010 and 2011, noting that Norway is one of the largest contributors relative to its economy. While the majority of funds supported mitigation, specifically REDD+ activities, the paper highlights a lack of a comprehensive project list for all FSF, which hinders independent scrutiny. It recommends that Norway disclose project-level spending and harmonize reporting with other donors and multilateral institutions.

The document advocates for the implementation of high-quality, safe 'pop-up' bike lanes to support the surge in cycling during the pandemic. It emphasizes that temporary measures must not compromise safety standards, as poor design increases risks for cyclists, who account for 3% of global road traffic deaths. The guide aims to help cities integrate these temporary lanes into broader mobility strategies and speed management systems to ensure long-term sustainability and public health.

The document defines a carbon tax as a fee on fossil fuels and primary products based on greenhouse gas emissions, providing a financial incentive for reduction. It distinguishes carbon taxes from cap-and-trade programs by noting that taxes set a price without an emissions limit, whereas cap-and-trade sets a limit with a market-determined price. The text details how these taxes are typically applied upstream and passed to downstream consumers, noting that the economic impact on businesses and lower-income individuals depends on whether revenues are 'recycled' through rebates or tax cuts to maintain revenue neutrality. It mentions international implementations in Europe, Japan, and British Columbia, and notes the political difficulty of establishing a national carbon tax in the United States.

The document outlines a comprehensive grant management regime for Norwegian-funded NGO projects, focusing on financial reporting, auditing, and procurement transparency. It includes a detailed five-year budget and results framework for the Global Forest Watch (GFW) initiative, which aims to reduce tropical forest loss through data-driven monitoring, accountability for global commitments, and the empowerment of forest defenders.

The WRI Results Framework establishes a structured system to plan and evaluate programmatic progress across three primary human systems: food, land & water; energy; and cities. It sets specific global targets for 2030 and WRI intervention targets for 2027, focusing on outcomes such as reducing agricultural land demand by 100 Mha, increasing the share of zero-carbon electricity by 9% in target geographies, and improving urban climate resilience. The framework integrates Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and utilizes a tiered approach of global, intervention, and country-specific targets, supported by impact indicators for people, nature, and climate.

The project aims to dispel the notion that ocean wealth and ocean health are mutually exclusive by providing science-based recommendations and data tools. It is structured around four components: the production of a landmark report on ocean solutions, the creation of 'Blue Papers' providing thematic deep dives, the development of the 'Ocean Watch' open data platform, and a comprehensive knowledge management strategy. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the project revised its timelines and budget, shifting more resources toward the data platform and knowledge sharing while maintaining the overall budget total of USD 1,980,000. Initial progress includes the completion of four funded Blue Papers and the holding of an inception workshop to define user needs for the Ocean Watch platform.

Developed countries reported mobilising US$ 35 billion in Fast-Start Finance (FSF) from 2010 to 2012, exceeding the US$ 30 billion target. However, the report finds that much of this funding was not 'new and additional', often recycling existing pledges or ODA. Mitigation received the vast majority of funding (over 70%), while adaptation received only 18%. The distribution of funds closely mirrored traditional Official Development Assistance (ODA) patterns, showing weak correlations with recipient country vulnerability or greenhouse gas emission levels. The top five contributors—Japan, USA, UK, Norway, and Germany—accounted for nearly 80% of the total, with significant divergence in how they defined and reported eligible climate finance.

The report argues that while land restoration offers high economic returns—estimated at $7 to $30 for every dollar invested—it remains severely underfunded with an annual gap of approximately $300 billion. It identifies seven systemic barriers to investment, including the lack of market value for public benefits and long investment horizons. The authors recommend a cross-sectoral government approach, the use of carbon taxes to fund restoration, and the implementation of risk-mitigation tools like first-loss guarantees and tax credits to attract private capital. The document also provides a framework for economic valuation to make the full suite of ecosystem services visible to decision-makers.

The Arctic region, covering parts of eight countries and including the 5.4 million square mile Arctic Ocean, is facing severe threats from industrial development and climate change. Warming in the Arctic is occurring up to four times faster than the global average, leading to shrinking sea ice that endangers ice-dependent species like polar bears and threatens to disrupt global ocean currents through glacier melt.

The document describes the narwhal as a toothed whale inhabiting Arctic waters, characterized by a spiraled tusk that is an enlarged tooth with up to 10 million nerve endings. With a population exceeding 80,000, these animals face threats from climate change and oil and gas development, the latter of which increases shipping vessel collisions and underwater noise pollution. Narwhals are found in Canada, Greenland, Norway, and Russia, often wintering in the Baffin Bay-Davis Strait area.

WWF has developed ArcNet, a systematic, whole-ocean network of 83 priority areas for conservation (PACs) covering 5,087,000 square kilometres (31% of the study area) in the Arctic Ocean. Using the Marxan tool and a database of over 800 conservation features, ArcNet aims to provide a blueprint for Arctic governments and the Arctic Council to meet the UN Convention on Biological Diversity's target of 30% protection by 2030. The network is designed to be adaptive, allowing for iterative refinement as climate change shifts species distributions and habitats.

The report outlines the essential structural elements of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs, detailing how the choice of Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) systems, operational responsibilities, cost coverage, financial models, fee structures, and funding mechanisms influence environmental and economic outcomes. It emphasizes the importance of harmonization across jurisdictions and the use of eco-modulated fees to incentivize sustainable packaging design.

The report analyzes why consumers avoid cold water washing despite sustainability goals, identifying capability, opportunity, and motivation barriers. It proposes interventions based on the EAST (Easy, Attractive, Social, Timely) framework, such as changing machine defaults and leveraging social norms, to bridge the intention-behavior gap.

The report by Zero Carbon Analytics (ZCA) highlights the severe health and economic costs associated with the overconsumption of red and processed meats. Using data from the Global Burden of Disease study, ZCA finds that processed meat caused 295,000 deaths and red meat caused 334,000 deaths globally in 2021. The economic impact reached USD 285 billion in 2020. The analysis reveals a 'treatment-over-prevention' trend in wealthy nations—specifically in Europe, North America, Oceania, and Asia—where robust healthcare systems spend heavily to manage preventable chronic diseases rather than investing in dietary prevention. For example, Switzerland may spend up to USD 99,000 to avert one disability-adjusted life year (DALY) from processed meat. The report argues that a 30% reduction in the disease burden from processed meat could save billions annually in the US, Germany, UK, and France, allowing for the redirection of funds toward other health priorities, such as nursing staff.