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As of 31 December 2022, the GCF has approved 209 funding proposals totaling USD 11.4 billion, with 182 projects under implementation. The portfolio maintains a near-equal balance between mitigation (51%) and adaptation (49%) in grant equivalent terms. The Readiness Programme has approved 649 grants totaling USD 468 million. While cumulative disbursements for funded activities reached USD 3 billion, the GCF reports implementation delays primarily attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and other operational challenges. The report also details the status of condition fulfillment for approved projects and identifies specific activities requiring restructuring or cancellation.

The document argues that the World Bank Group's (WBG) proposed evolution is an 'expansion of business as usual' that fails to address systemic harms. The signatories demand an end to fossil fuel and industrial animal agriculture financing, a shift away from 'de-risking' private capital, and a democratization of governance to better serve the Global South. They specifically criticize the lack of focus on biodiversity loss, the continued use of the ICSID tribunal to protect corporate profits over climate action, and the Bank's failure to participate meaningfully in sovereign debt relief for climate-vulnerable countries.

The report exposes how the used-clothing trade is used by the Global North to export plastic waste to Kenya. It estimates that over 300 million items of synthetic, unsellable clothing are exported to Kenya annually, leading to severe environmental pollution in the Nairobi River and at dumpsites like Dandora. The investigation highlights the failure of sorting at the source and the role of recycling companies that claim circularity while exporting waste. It recommends the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, eco-design requirements, and a virgin plastic tax to curb overproduction and the export of synthetic waste.

The report exposes how the used-clothing trade from the EU and UK to Kenya is used to export plastic waste, with an estimated 307 million synthetic items becoming waste annually in Kenya. It highlights the failure of sorting processes, the role of recycling companies in exporting unsellable clothing, and the resulting pollution of Kenyan landfills and waterways.

The report reveals that a significant portion of second-hand clothing exported to Kenya consists of unusable synthetic fibers, effectively bypassing plastic waste export restrictions. In 2021, an estimated 307 million items of plastic-based clothing exported to Kenya were unusable waste. These items often end up in landfills, the Nairobi River, or are burned as fuel, releasing toxic fumes. The document criticizes the 'fast fashion' model and the lack of sorting at the source by EU and UK exporters, noting that some recycling companies signed onto sustainability initiatives are simultaneously exporting waste. It calls for global legislation, including extended producer responsibility and plastic taxes, to end the export of plastic clothing waste to the Global South.

The report reveals that a significant portion of second-hand clothing exported to Kenya consists of low-quality synthetic textiles that function as plastic waste. It estimates that up to 307 million synthetic textile items are shipped to Kenya annually, many of which end up in landfills, the Nairobi River, or are burned as fuel. The document argues that the 'fast fashion' business model relies on this irresponsible disposal and calls for comprehensive EU legislation, including Extended Producer Responsibility and plastic taxes, to hold brands accountable.

The document analyzes how host governments treat foreign rebel groups, finding a global trend toward increased suppression and decreased support since the mid-1990s. It identifies leadership transitions and US-led 'naming and shaming' after 9/11 as primary drivers of anti-rebel cooperation. The analysis concludes that joint counterinsurgency operations are more effective at destroying rebel bases than unilateral actions.

The Union of Concerned Scientists argues that the United States must fulfill its international climate finance commitments to maintain global credibility and address its historical responsibility for emissions. The brief highlights a gap between President Biden's 2021 pledge of $11.4 billion annually by 2024 and the actual appropriations provided by Congress, including the December 2022 omnibus budget bill. It emphasizes the urgent need for funding to support clean energy transitions, climate resilience, and the operationalization of the loss and damage fund established at COP27 to assist vulnerable nations facing severe climate-driven disasters.

The document outlines the challenges and opportunities in coordinating climate, security, and humanitarian actions, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected settings. It highlights gaps in interagency coordination, the limitations of short-term planning cycles, and the inadequacy of current international financial institution funding mechanisms for volatile regions. The briefing emphasizes the need for disaggregated data, inclusive case studies, and the integration of humanitarian 'demand signals' into security analysis to improve long-term resilience and prevent maladaptation.

The brief highlights the current inefficiency of carbon accounting, which relies on manual, non-standardized data exchange (PDFs, spreadsheets), hindering real-time business decisions. It proposes a shift toward open standards—similar to the evolution of web browsers—to enable comparability, interoperability, and machine-readability of emissions data. The author advocates for the adoption of standardized formats like PACT, the use of open-source collaboration models, and the integration of carbon tracking into supply chain management software to incentivize low-carbon production and support green procurement policies.

The briefing assesses the intersection of climate change and U.S. national security, noting progress in regional strategies and whole-of-government planning while highlighting critical gaps in climate finance and implementation. It recommends that the U.S. institutionalize climate security through expanded personnel training, the development of a National Adaptation Plan, and the use of strategic foresight tools like wargaming to prepare for worst-case climate scenarios.

The Zu Peshawar project replaced an unreliable, private transport patchwork with a state-of-the-art Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system designed for inclusivity. By incorporating gender-sensitive features and accessibility tools, the system significantly increased female ridership from 2% to 20% and provided step-free access for wheelchair users. The project also included a Bus Industry Restructuring Program to transition former operators into formal employment with better conditions. Utilizing diesel-hybrid buses to reduce emissions, the system serves an average of 250,000 passengers daily and has inspired other Pakistani cities to upgrade their transit infrastructure.

The document explains the distinction between global warming and climate change, attributing current rapid warming to human-caused greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels and deforestation. It details the resulting increase in extreme weather events and highlights the disproportionate burden on marginalized communities and the Global South. The guide advocates for a transition to renewable energy, increased resource efficiency, and carbon removal to mitigate future disasters.

The report argues that current global economic responses to COVID-19, the war in Ukraine, and the climate crisis have been too focused on short-term stabilisation and stimulus rather than long-term structural reform. It highlights that only 18% of the USD 14.6tn allocated to COVID-19 recovery in 2020 was green spending, and that such investments have been concentrated in wealthier nations and focused primarily on decarbonisation. The authors advocate for a 'systems mind-set' that integrates circular economy principles, nature-based solutions, and just transition policies. Key recommendations include the use of debt-for-nature swaps, increased multilateral funding for the Global South, and the implementation of a 'Green Structural Recovery Menu' featuring fiscal reforms and the phasing out of fossil fuel subsidies.

The report examines the global cotton market, highlighting the growth of VSS-compliant cotton, which reached 25%–26% of total production by 2019. It details the vulnerabilities of cotton farmers to climate change and market volatility, noting that farmers often receive less than 10% of a garment's retail price. The document argues for better price transparency, long-term contracts, and the internalization of external costs to ensure living incomes for smallholders.

The report analyzes the global cotton industry, highlighting the growth of sustainable cotton produced under voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) and the challenges posed by climate change and market volatility. It examines the disparity in value distribution across the textile supply chain, where smallholder farmers receive a minimal fraction of retail prices. While VSS like Better Cotton and Organic can improve yields and incomes, the report notes that many sustainable products are sold at conventional prices. It recommends improving contract transparency, internalizing external costs, and developing regional value chains, particularly in West Africa, to enhance resilience and farmer income.

Turkey has rapidly become a global exporter of military drones, specifically the Bayraktar TB2 and Akıncı models, using this technology to enhance its soft power and establish new geopolitical alliances. This shift is part of a broader quest for 'strategic autonomy'—the ability to make defense decisions independently—driven by past arms sanctions from the US and technical failures with Israeli technology. While the drone sector has provided a significant economic boost, with defense and aerospace exports exceeding $4 billion in 2022, the brief highlights critical concerns regarding the lack of parliamentary oversight, centralized decision-making in the President's office, and alleged human rights violations by end-users in conflict zones like Ethiopia and Libya.

The document examines the clash between the rural African donkey market, where the animal is a vital workhorse for the poor, and the lucrative Chinese market for ejiao (donkey-hide glue). It highlights how explosive demand in China has led to donkey shortages, illicit smuggling, and severe welfare abuses, which in turn diminish the socio-economic mobility of rural Africans, particularly women and girls. The author argues that the current unregulated trade risks damaging China-Africa relations and suggests implementing sustainability certifications, breeding programs, and a distinction between medicinal and wellness-based ejiao consumption to ensure a sustainable supply chain.

The report finds a general lack of integration of women's economic empowerment in economy-wide low-carbon transitions, with mainstream 'green economy' and 'just transition' narratives often remaining gender-blind or biased toward male-dominated industries. While feminist literature has historically focused on climate adaptation and vulnerability, sectoral practice—particularly in agriculture and forestry—shows more advanced integration of women as agents of change. Some national climate plans, such as those of Nepal and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, are identified as role models for embedding gender equality into mitigation strategies. The authors argue that current global economic recovery efforts following the Covid-19 pandemic have failed to connect decarbonisation with gender equality, risking further marginalisation of women in low- and middle-income countries.

The report finds that dedicated outdoor air quality funding is critically low, representing less than 1% of total international development commitments. While there is a significant pool of funding with air quality co-benefits, the report argues for more explicit intentionality in project design. It highlights a geographic concentration of funds in Asia and a lack of investment in Africa. The document also notes a positive trend where funding for air quality projects exceeded fossil fuel-prolonging projects for the first time in 2021.