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This case study by Ember examines the underreporting of methane emissions at the Hail Creek coal mine in Australia and the resulting supply chain risks for major steel companies, specifically ArcelorMittal, POSCO, and Nippon Steel.

The Trase strategy for 2025–2030 outlines a mission to drive systemic change in commodity markets and supply chains by providing open-access data and intelligence to accelerate supply chain interventions and improve decision-maker responsiveness to risks.

The report 'Priority Actions for Deforestation- and Conversion-Free Finance' provides a strategic framework to align private financial flows with the goal of halting and reversing deforestation and ecosystem conversion by 2030. It outlines specific priority actions for three key groups: policymakers, central banks and financial supervisors, and financial institutions, emphasizing the need for coordinated action to manage nature-related risks and catalyze a transition to nature-positive business models.

This briefing note by the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS) examines the need for international cooperation on trade-related climate measures (trade-climate measures) within the World Trade Organization (WTO). It identifies a fragmented landscape of national and regional policies that create trade barriers and disadvantage developing countries. The document proposes a framework for cooperation across four levels: general principles of international law, regulatory processes and practices, specific design features, and technical aspects such as carbon accounting interoperability.

This research paper examines the intersection of the evolving international trading system and the urgent need to address biodiversity loss, climate change, and sustainable development. It argues that while trade has historically contributed to environmental harm, it can be repurposed as a strategic tool for sustainability through new narratives, inclusive international cooperation, and coherent policy frameworks. The author identifies a shift from traditional trade liberalization toward 'multipurpose' approaches that balance security, resilience, and sustainability, and proposes a policy agenda to reorient trade rules, scale up sustainable technologies, and ensure equitable economic transformation for developing countries.

This report by Global Energy Monitor and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) examines the structural inertia preventing a transition away from coal in China's power system. Despite a record decline in coal's share of power generation and the rapid expansion of renewables, coal capacity continues to grow due to high commissioning rates, strong project approvals, and institutional protections such as capacity payments and inflexible dispatch rules. The report highlights a significant gap between official retirement targets and actual progress, urging the development of a national roadmap for coal phase-down in the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan.

This statement argues that current global trade frameworks often hinder the ability of developing nations, particularly in Africa, to pursue low-carbon transitions and climate justice. It highlights the negative impacts of protectionist policies and the breakdown of multilateralism, while proposing that regional initiatives like the AfCFTA and strategic leadership during South Africa's G20 Presidency can create a new trade agenda focused on green industrialization, adaptation, and economic diversification.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the concentration of global plastic polymer production among a small number of countries and companies, highlighting the tension between a majority of nations seeking production reductions and a minority of oil and gas-producing states opposing such measures.

This report by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI), commissioned by the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council (NACAC), provides an independent assessment of the South African government's progress in implementing 60 presidential commitments made in response to the State Capture Commission (SCC) recommendations. The assessment evaluates progress across individual accountability and systemic institutional and policy reforms, highlighting significant delays in legislative updates and a persistent lack of accountability for members of the Executive.

This report by Ember analyzes national 2030 renewable capacity targets across 96 countries and the EU. It finds that despite the COP28 pledge to triple global renewable capacity by 2030, national targets have remained largely stagnant, collectively amounting to a doubling rather than a tripling of 2022 capacity levels.

This technical guide by RMI analyzes the voluntary carbon market (VCM) for improved rice cultivation, focusing on the transition from invalidated CDM-based credits to more rigorous new methodologies. It details the primary and secondary practices used to reduce methane emissions, evaluates quality risks such as additionality and MRV, and provides guidance for stakeholders to identify high-integrity projects.

China is rapidly expanding its renewable energy capacity, with a 1.3 TW pipeline of utility-scale solar and wind projects and an operating capacity of 1.4 TW that surpassed thermal power in Q1 2025. While China leads globally in offshore wind capacity and technology, including floating platforms and high-capacity turbines, the sector faces challenges from the 2021 phaseout of national subsidies and competition from ongoing fossil fuel development in coastal provinces.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs argues for the 'ring-fencing' of development expenditures in Africa to protect long-term investments from short-term fiscal and political pressures. It identifies a 'perfect storm' of challenges—including trade fragmentation, the 'securitisation' of economic policy, high debt burdens, and technological disruption—that threaten development financing. The document proposes five specific policy mechanisms to institutionalise this protection and suggests that development finance should be framed as complementary to security priorities to leverage international funding.

This research paper examines how the trade war between the US and China, alongside President Trump's critical mineral diplomacy, creates a strategic window for African nations to transition from raw material exporters to green technology manufacturing hubs. It argues that countries rich in minerals like cobalt and lithium can leverage geopolitical competition to secure technology transfer, domestic value addition, and diversified investment portfolios.

The Hong Kong Sustainable Debt Market Briefing 2024 analyzes the performance of sustainable debt in Hong Kong through the end of 2024, highlighting a decline in locally originated debt alongside a significant increase in international GSS+ bond issuance and the launch of the Hong Kong Taxonomy.

This report by Ember analyses China's consumer goods trade-in programme, specifically its impact on the energy efficiency of room air conditioner (RAC) stocks. The programme uses subsidies to encourage consumers to replace outdated appliances with high-efficiency models, aligning economic stimulus for domestic consumption with energy transition and climate goals.

This report analyzes the recent surge in coal power approvals in China, the drivers behind this expansion, and the strategies being employed to transition the power sector toward decarbonization and flexibility.

This briefing by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute describes the critical mineral supply chain and the United States' efforts to secure domestic sources for its clean energy transition. It details the stages of the supply chain, the U.S.'s high reliance on imports, the environmental and social impacts of mining, and the legislative and executive actions taken to promote onshoring and secondary recovery.

This fact sheet outlines the significant health and economic costs associated with livestock production and meat consumption. It links high red and processed meat intake to increased risks of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, noting that such diets caused 0.9 million deaths globally in 2019. The document also highlights systemic risks from industrial farming, including zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and air pollution. Economically, it estimates that red and processed meat consumption resulted in USD 285 billion in global healthcare costs in 2020. Conversely, it argues that transitioning to plant-based diets, such as the EAT-Lancet planetary health diet, could prevent millions of deaths annually and save trillions of dollars in health and ecosystem costs.

This research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that expanding liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports is a risky economic and environmental strategy for Canada. The authors contend that LNG fails to provide energy security for importers or economic resilience for exporters due to extreme price volatility, high infrastructure costs, and a global shift toward cheaper renewable energy. The document highlights that Canadian projects face significant competitiveness challenges against producers like the United States and Qatar, while importing regions in Europe and Asia are actively reducing their LNG demand.