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This research paper by the Africa Policy Research Institute argues that Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) must leverage the global clean energy transition to drive industrialization and address severe energy deficits. The author proposes that the region utilize a combination of green industrial policies, strategic use of natural gas for baseload power, and the leveraging of critical mineral reserves to move up the global value chain, while insisting that the transition must account for the economic differences between developed and developing nations.

This policy brief examines the development and implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, a legally binding global treaty designed to protect human health and the environment from mercury emissions and releases. It details the transition from regional marine protections to a comprehensive global framework, the specific challenges posed by artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), and the reasons why mercury was addressed separately from other toxic heavy metals like lead and cadmium.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute evaluates the progress of multilateral development banks (MDBs) in aligning their financial flows with the Paris Agreement. It argues that while some progress has been made in direct investments, MDBs are lagging in standardizing fossil fuel exclusions, greenhouse gas accounting, and the alignment of indirect investments and policy-based loans.

This briefing by Global Energy Monitor analyzes the impact of China's pledge to stop building new coal-fired power projects abroad on the Asian energy pipeline. It argues that Chinese withdrawal, combined with similar pledges from Japan and South Korea, could reduce the pre-construction coal pipeline in Asia (excluding China and India) to 22 GW, most of which is unlikely to be completed due to financing obstacles.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) identifies perceived knowledge gaps and barriers hindering the adoption of 'gridless' (decentralized) water, sanitation, and energy services. Based on workshops with 48 global stakeholders, the report argues that project failures often stem from socio-technical and systemic issues—such as regulatory mismatches, lack of user-centric design, and unsustainable business models—rather than technical performance.

This research paper argues that South Africa should adopt Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies to transition toward a cashless economy, thereby reducing the risks associated with cash-in-transit (CIT) hijackings and enhancing its investment appeal despite high rates of cybercrime.

This briefing argues that African governments should avoid a zero-sum approach to the geopolitical rivalry between the US and China, instead leveraging this competition to secure more resources and better trade agreements. The author suggests that by playing rivals against each other and implementing embedded domestic strategic plans, African nations can increase their agency and align foreign investment with national development priorities.

The Life After Coal campaign, consisting of groundWork, Earthlife Africa, and the Centre for Environmental Rights, issued a statement calling on South Africa to meet the lower bound of its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) target range by accelerating the coal phase-out and renewable energy expansion. The campaign urges the South African government to lead developing nations at COP26 in demanding increased financial support from wealthy nations for adaptation and loss and damage.

This report by Ember, E3G, and Global Energy Monitor (GEM) analyzes the global pipeline of proposed coal power plants as of July 2021. It identifies economies that have already committed to no new coal, those that could readily do so because they have no active pipeline, and those that still have projects proposed, with a particular focus on the role of Chinese financing and the impact of the Paris Agreement.

The Climate Action Tracker (CAT) report analyzes passenger vehicle stock scenarios in China to determine their impact on carbon emissions and electricity demand. It evaluates three scenarios—Pre-COVID-19, Current Policies, and 100% BEV—across two electricity decarbonization pathways, concluding that achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 requires both a 100% battery electric vehicle (BEV) fleet and a fully decarbonized power sector.

This October 2021 briefing from the Global Climate and Health Alliance argues that achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement is a critical priority for global health. It calls on governments to integrate health into climate policy through transitions in energy, transport, food systems, and healthcare infrastructure to mitigate rising health threats and inequalities.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the economic vulnerabilities of China to climate-induced floods and heatwaves, emphasizing that indirect economic losses often exceed direct damages and can disrupt global supply chains due to the concentration of manufacturing in high-risk regions.

This policy briefing by the Climate Bonds Initiative examines the expansion of carbon pricing into trade and economic policy, specifically focusing on the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). It argues that carbon pricing, when combined with preferential treatment for green goods and a 'Just Transition' spending policy, can drive global green capital flows and decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors.

This case study describes the 2017 debt for climate (DFC) swap in the Seychelles, the first of its kind focused on ocean protection, and outlines the general structural requirements and criteria for implementing similar DFC instruments in other middle-income countries.

This briefing examines the political and economic drivers of coal-fired power investment in 18 high-impact countries (HICs) with significant electricity access gaps, noting that international public finance dominates coal investment while domestic private finance leads in renewables.

This research paper by the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) proposes a framework to evaluate the credibility of corporate decarbonization transitions to prevent 'greenwashing' in transition finance. It introduces five essential characteristics for a credible transition—alignment with the Paris Agreement, robust planning, tangible action, internal oversight, and external reporting—and suggests a certification mechanism for Sustainability-Linked Bonds (SLBs) and corporate entities to provide scientific, standardized benchmarks for investors.

This discussion paper by the Climate Bonds Initiative proposes a framework to evaluate the credibility of corporate decarbonization transitions to prevent greenwashing in sustainable finance. It introduces five 'hallmarks' of a credible transition—Paris-aligned goals, robust plans, implementation action, internal monitoring, and external reporting—and suggests a certification system to categorize companies as 'Green Transition' or 'Interim Transition'.

The Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) proposes a framework to evaluate the credibility of corporate decarbonization transitions to prevent greenwashing in sustainable finance. The proposal introduces five essential attributes for a credible transition: Paris Agreement-aligned goals, robust plans, implementation action, internal monitoring, and external reporting. The CBI intends to expand its certification scheme beyond Use-of-Proceeds (UoP) bonds to include Sustainability-Linked Bonds (SLBs) and Sustainability-Linked Loans (SLLs), as well as certifying companies' overall transition agendas.

This discussion paper by the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) proposes a framework to assess the credibility of company decarbonisation transitions to prevent greenwashing in sustainable finance. It introduces five 'hallmarks' for a credibly transitioning company—Paris-aligned targets, robust plans, implementation action, internal monitoring, and external reporting—which CBI intends to use as the basis for certifying Sustainability Linked Bonds (SLBs), Sustainability Linked Loans (SLLs), and the companies themselves.

This statement from the Stockholm Environment Institute argues that climate change adaptation must be treated as a global, transboundary ambition rather than a local matter, while emphasizing that adaptation cannot replace the urgent need for emissions mitigation.