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The document explains that green bonds are fixed-income instruments where proceeds are earmarked for projects with environmental benefits, such as renewable energy and energy efficiency. It details four main types of green bonds—'use of proceeds' bonds, revenue bonds, project bonds, and securitized bonds—and notes that the majority are 'use of proceeds' bonds backed by the issuer's entire balance sheet. The market grew significantly from $11bn in 2013 to $36.6bn by the end of 2014, with major issuers including the European Investment Bank and the World Bank. While the 'Green Bond Principles' provide best practice guidelines, the document highlights a lack of universal definitions for 'green' projects, a gap the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) is addressing with sector-specific standards. For investors, green bonds offer a way to meet ESG objectives without necessarily taking on additional project-specific risk, though the secondary market remains thin due to a 'buy-and-hold' investor base.

The Green Climate Fund Secretariat report details operational progress between October 2014 and February 2015. Key achievements include the launch of the Online Accreditation System on 17 November 2014, the appointment of 100 national designated authorities, and the mobilization of approximately US$ 10.2 billion in pledges. The Secretariat also advanced the development of its investment framework, results management indicators, and administrative structures, while increasing staff diversity with female representation rising to 35% and staff from developing countries to 39%.

The Geneva Pledge, signed by 19 nations in February 2015, commits governments to foster collaboration between their human rights and climate change experts. The signatories acknowledge that climate change disproportionately affects vulnerable populations and pledge to ensure that the transition to a low-carbon economy respects human rights and ensures no one is left behind.

The document asserts that climate change is a major human rights challenge, threatening rights to life, health, and food security, particularly for vulnerable groups. It criticizes the UNFCCC for slow progress in operationalizing rights protections and recommends that the 2015 climate agreement include explicit human rights obligations, establish institutional safeguards, create a dedicated work programme on human rights and climate change, and implement a grievance mechanism to address harms caused by mitigation and adaptation activities.

The document positions climate change as a major human rights challenge, noting that environmental degradation threatens fundamental rights such as life, health, and food security. It criticizes the UNFCCC for failing to operationalize human rights protections despite recognizing them in 2010. The authors propose a human-rights-based approach to climate action, emphasizing the need to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, provide compensation for loss and damage, and establish institutional safeguards, including a formal complaints mechanism and a dedicated work program on human rights and climate change.

The document argues that green project bonds can provide a viable alternative to traditional bank lending for green infrastructure PPPs, especially in the wake of Basel III regulations. It details the characteristics of project bonds, the risks involved—such as construction risk and negative carry—and the necessity of credit enhancements to achieve investment-grade ratings. The paper also provides guidance for public procurers on integrating bond financing into tender processes and highlights the growing global market for climate-themed bonds.

The Lima COP 20 summit focused on defining the instructions for a legally binding global agreement to be finalized in Paris in December 2015. Key achievements included the agreement that Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) be presented by October 2015 and the shift away from the Kyoto Protocol's industrialisation-based differentiation, with major emitters like the USA and China showing willingness to reduce emissions. The summit also saw new contributions to the Green Climate Fund, which reached US$10.2m, and progress on the REDD+ mechanism and gender-responsive climate policies. However, issues regarding the International Mechanism for Loss and Damage, market mechanisms, and the Technology Mechanism remained unresolved.

The report examines the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting how the region's reliance on natural resources creates critical trade-offs. It argues that while LAC is resource-abundant, fragmented governance and climate change threaten security. The document proposes a framework for action based on infrastructure, information, institutions, and investment to transition toward climate-compatible development.

The 2015 IGF Annual General Meeting in Geneva brought together over 230 participants to discuss the integration of environmental, social, and economic planning into the mine life cycle. Key discussions centered on the necessity of early mine closure planning, the alignment of mining activities with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the challenges of financing reclamation. The meeting also presented pilot assessments of the Mining Policy Framework (MPF) in the Dominican Republic, Uganda, and Madagascar, highlighting gaps in socioeconomic benefit optimization and post-mining transition laws.

The handbook defines Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) as a process to optimize value-for-money across an asset's lifecycle, rather than focusing solely on the lowest purchase price. It provides a framework for integrating sustainability into every stage of the procurement cycle—from needs analysis and market consultations to technical specifications and contract conditions. The document details specific mandatory and optional criteria for high-spend categories such as IT equipment, vehicles, and infrastructure, while emphasizing the use of the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) principle. It also outlines strategies to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the potential for SPP to act as a catalyst for inclusive green growth and foreign direct investment.

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 document outlines the Pan-African Parliament's (PAP) expectations for the 2015 Paris Agreement, emphasizing the need for equity, justice, and a legally binding framework. It highlights the critical role of Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) and the necessity of closing the ambition and finance gaps. The PAP advocates for a strong focus on adaptation, the operationalization of the 'common but differentiated responsibilities' (CBDR) principle, and the fulfillment of the $100 billion annual climate finance commitment by developed nations. It also discusses the technical challenges of the negotiations, including the legal form of the agreement and the management of loss and damage.

The manual defines Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) as a process to maximize value for money over a product's life cycle, reducing environmental and social harm. It provides a structured framework for integrating sustainability into the procurement cycle—from needs analysis and market consultation to contract management—and offers specific technical criteria for common public expenditures such as ICT equipment, vehicles, lighting, paper, air conditioning, furniture, and textiles. The document also explores the 'multiplier effects' of SPP, including its ability to attract foreign direct investment, stimulate innovation, and support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Additionally, it details various Public-Private Partnership (PPP) structures and provides guidelines for 'green roads' and sustainable buildings.

The BNDES serves as a national development bank that provides significant post-shipment credit to Latin America, primarily for infrastructure and capital goods. While the Brazilian government has promoted South-South integration, BNDES disbursements largely follow the dynamics of Brazilian trade and market demand. The bank faces criticism regarding the environmental and social sustainability of its projects and the high concentration of funding among a few large firms.

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) utilizes a Robust Decision Support (RDS) approach that integrates water systems modelling, participatory techniques, and interactive data visualization via Tableau. This method addresses the challenge of communicating vast amounts of data from complex models, such as the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) system, to non-scientists. By using multi-field graphics and interactive filters, stakeholders can evaluate system vulnerability across numerous scenarios and assess the trade-offs of different management strategies, such as dam construction, to identify robust solutions for an uncertain future.

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) provides several specialized tools for climate action: LEAP for integrated energy planning and GHG mitigation; WEAP for integrated water resources planning and 'climate-proofing'; REAP and REAP Petite for consumption-based environmental impact accounting; and weADAPT, a collaborative web-based platform for sharing adaptation knowledge. SEI also leads the PROVIA Guidance project to provide technical guidance for National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). The institute's current strategy focuses on expanding capacity-building, creating 'toolkits' to address resource trade-offs, and making these technical tools more accessible to non-experts through visualization and cloud-based platforms.

Friends of the Earth International and its signatories critique the Lima Conference for producing weak pre-2020 mitigation pledges and failing to secure binding commitments on finance, adaptation, and loss and damage. The statement asserts that the outcome shifts responsibility to the Global South, protects polluting corporations, and risks expanding carbon markets at the expense of land rights. It calls for a systemic transformation away from fossil fuels toward community-controlled renewable energy and agro-ecological solutions.

The Lima Declaration, issued during the Peoples Summit on Climate Change in December 2014, rejects market-based climate solutions and the 'capitalist-patriarchal system'. It demands the recognition of territorial property rights for indigenous and peasant communities, the reparation of 'historical ecological debt' owed by developed countries to the global South, and a transition to a communal, feminist economy based on food sovereignty and agro-ecology. The document specifically denounces the influence of transnational corporations on the UNFCCC and calls for the cessation of extractive industries and agrofuel production.

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 document reports on a side event held during COP20 in Lima, where experts and community representatives argued that the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) lacks sufficient social safeguards and sustainable development criteria. Presenters highlighted specific hydroelectric projects in Guatemala and Panama where the absence of free, prior, and informed consent led to human rights violations and loss of life. The event called for the integration of international human rights law into climate policies and the establishment of effective appeals procedures and procedural regulations to protect vulnerable communities and environmental defenders.