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The briefing identifies three critical action areas for negotiators in Bonn: establishing predictable 'cycles of action' for climate plans, defining long-term mitigation and adaptation goals, and planning for post-2020 climate finance. It argues that negotiators must now prioritize core issues and remove redundancies from the negotiating text to remain on track for an ambitious outcome at COP 21 in December.

The authors argue that the historical deadlock between governments and the private sector regarding climate action is ending, as nearly 40 countries have submitted national contributions and major corporations are integrating climate goals into their strategies. They highlight that green growth is a source of profit, noting that climate-conscious businesses see 18% higher returns on investment, while global inaction could cost $28 trillion by 2050. The text calls for business leaders to support ambitious policies and set concrete targets, such as 100% renewable energy use, to complement state-led measures ahead of COP21.

The briefing emphasizes the link between public transportation and the success of knowledge-based industries, using Austin as a primary example of a fast-growing city facing severe congestion. It advocates for a multi-year federal authorization bill to fund the Highway Trust Fund and the creation of an integrated intercity passenger rail network to maintain national competitiveness and quality of life.

A group of international organisations calls on the EU to ensure that all external climate actions respect and promote human rights, aligning the EU Strategic Framework and Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy with international obligations and the goals of the UNFCCC.

The UNEP Financial Inquiry argues that while global financial assets are abundant, investment flows are misaligned with sustainable development due to systemic failures and ineffective pricing. It identifies five key financial areas for alignment—banking, bonds, institutional investment, central banks, and systemic risk assessment—and proposes a performance framework based on effectiveness, efficiency, and resilience to measure the scaling of sustainable finance.

The Prince of Wales's Corporate Leaders Group and We Mean Business partners support the EU's commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. While praising the EU's leadership and the Energy Union framework strategy, the group calls for the Market Stability Reserve to be implemented by 2017 to remove surplus carbon permits and requests clearer guidance on financing the transition from gas to greener energy alternatives.

Carbon Market Watch argues that the EU's commitment to reduce domestic greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2030 is undermined by a lack of transparency. Specifically, the organization warns that a surplus of 4-6.5 billion emission permits could reduce effective reductions to 17%-26%, and vague accounting for land-use removals could further lower the target by up to 5%.

The report analyzes how different denominations of American Christians perceive climate change, finding that Catholics are generally the most concerned and supportive of climate policies, while evangelicals are the most split on the reality of global warming and more likely to prioritize religious beliefs over scientific explanations. It also assesses the trust placed in religious leaders, specifically Pope Francis, and the support for specific climate mitigation policies.

The report finds that while majorities of Catholics and non-evangelical Protestants believe global warming is happening and human-caused, evangelicals are more split. There is broad support across all three groups for renewable energy research and infrastructure resilience, though evangelicals are more likely to prioritize religious beliefs over scientific explanations when they conflict. Pope Francis is identified as the most trusted religious leader on the issue, despite low general awareness of his forthcoming climate encyclical.

A group of organisations calls on the European Union to ensure that its external actions on climate change fully respect and promote human rights. The letter highlights the importance of maintaining human rights language in the 2015 international climate treaty and suggests that the EU's Strategic Framework and Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy should explicitly support these objectives.

The We Mean Business Coalition advocates for a global climate agreement that limits temperature rises to below 2C, emphasizing the need for a net-zero emissions goal, scalable climate finance, and increased short-term ambition through the UNFCCC Workstream 2. The coalition argues that bold climate action represents a historic economic opportunity, noting that some low-carbon investments have achieved an internal rate of return (IRR) of 27%.

The document warns that the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) is dysfunctional due to a surplus of over 2 billion tonnes of pollution permits, which has caused carbon prices to drop from 30 euros in 2008 to approximately 7 euros. It advocates for the immediate implementation of a market stability reserve to manage this overcapacity, noting that failure to reform the market could lead to a shift toward national-level command-and-control measures and undermine global carbon trading systems and the Paris climate summit. However, it cautions that a reserve is only a temporary cushion and that a permanent cancellation of surplus permits is necessary to protect future climate targets.

The briefing outlines the unique energy context of India—characterized by high total emissions but low per capita emissions—and proposes four areas for US-India cooperation: facilitating investment in renewable energy, leading a global clean energy collaborative, expanding climate resilience partnerships through data access, and establishing direct high-level communication to support the 2015 Paris climate agreement.

The author compares current anti-Muslim sentiment in Germany to the antisemitism of the 1920s and 30s, citing figures like Heinz Buschkowsky and Alice Schwarzer as contributors to a climate of demonization. The text asserts that this rhetoric fuels violence, such as attacks on mosques, and supports movements like Pegida. It concludes by demanding that politicians recognize Islamophobia as racism and that media outlets stop publishing anti-Muslim content.

The author draws parallels between the antisemitic propaganda of the 1920s and 30s and contemporary Islamophobia in Germany, specifically citing the rhetoric used against Muslims in the Neukölln district of Berlin and by groups like Pegida. The text highlights a rise in violence, including the burning of mosques in Germany and Sweden, and calls for political leaders and media editors to recognize Islamophobia as a form of racism. It promotes the Salaam-Schalom Initiative as a model for peaceful coexistence between Jewish, Muslim, and migrant communities.

The author compares current anti-Muslim rhetoric in Germany, including statements by public figures and the activities of the Pegida movement, to the anti-Semitic propaganda used during the Third Reich. The text asserts that the demonization of Muslims and migrants as 'others' leads to real-world violence, such as attacks on mosques. It advocates for politicians to recognize Islamophobia as racism and for media editors to stop publishing anti-Muslim content to ensure peaceful co-existence.

The document outlines the strategic priorities of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) for the 2015 Paris climate agreement, emphasizing the need for equity, adaptation, and financial support. It details the role of Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) and the challenges of closing the 'ambition gap' to limit global warming to 2°C. The briefing highlights the importance of the Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) principle and the necessity of developed countries fulfilling their 100 billion USD annual climate finance pledge by 2020.

The Lima Declaration, issued during the 2014 People's Summit, rejects market-based climate mechanisms and the 'green economy' as false solutions driven by capital. It demands the recognition of historical ecological debts owed by developed nations to the Global South, the protection of ancestral territories from extractive industries, and a transition to a feminist, communal, and agroecological economic model. The statement specifically calls for a global financial transaction tax and compensation for non-industrialized countries that avoid exploiting fossil fuels, while criticizing the Peruvian government's role as COP 20 president for prioritizing private investment over human and environmental rights.

The briefing outlines three key areas of contention at the COP 20 climate talks in Lima: the establishment of a formal process to assess the ambition and fairness of Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), the mobilization of $100 billion in dedicated climate finance by 2020, and the integration of adaptation goals and assessment cycles into the final agreement. It emphasizes that these decisions are essential prerequisites for the agreement to be concluded in Paris at the end of 2015.

The briefing outlines three key recommendations for COP 20 negotiators to strengthen climate adaptation in the upcoming 2015 agreement: establishing a qualitative global goal for adaptation, creating a five-year 'adaptation cycle' for continuous improvement and review, and integrating the existing National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process into this cycle to maintain national flexibility.