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Since the launch of the European Green Deal in 2019, the EU has seen a significant transformation of its power sector, with renewables increasing from 34% to 47% of the electricity mix by 2024. This shift was primarily driven by wind and solar, which together increased their share from 17% to 29%. This transition reduced the emissions intensity of EU electricity generation by 26% and avoided €59 billion in fossil fuel import costs. While coal use has dropped from 16% to under 10% of the mix, and gas power has declined from 20% to 16%, the EU still faces challenges with Russian gas imports, which accounted for 14% of total gas consumption in 2024.

The report examines the intersection of trade and climate sustainability from an African perspective, focusing on the economic impacts of energy transitions, the risks and opportunities of voluntary carbon markets, and the challenges of transition mineral value chains. It critically analyzes the role of the WTO in green trade and provides specific policy recommendations to ensure that climate-related trade measures, such as Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAM), do not disproportionately harm developing nations.

The report argues that the climate crisis is fundamentally linked to 'mimetic desire,' where individuals pursue luxury goods and status symbols not for their utility, but to emulate others. This cycle of conspicuous consumption fuels unsustainable economic growth and greenhouse gas emissions. The author explores various philosophical and economic responses, including degrowth communism, minimalism, and the concept of 'Buen Vivir,' while concluding that neither perpetual growth nor utopian degrowth fully resolves the tension between fulfilling essential human needs and maintaining planetary boundaries. The text identifies a 'climate–development trilemma' where societal stability, basic needs, and resource efficiency are in constant conflict.

The report analyzes the spread of disinformation following a major power outage on the Iberian Peninsula on 28 April 2025. It identifies a pattern where initial speculation about cyberattacks transitioned into coordinated narratives blaming renewable energy and 'net zero' policies, largely driven by English-language actors and UK press. The document also details the emergence of conspiracy theories framing the event as a 'test run' for government control or a 'climate lockdown' linked to Agenda 2030. Analysis across Spanish, Portuguese, and English languages shows that X/Twitter was the primary vector for these narratives, while YouTube and TikTok favored conspiracy content.

The report finds that global warming of 0.3°C since 2015 has already increased the annual average of hot days by 11 per country. While current emissions pledges have reduced projected warming from 4°C to 2.6°C, the latter would still result in an average of 57 additional hot days per year compared to today. Case studies of six major heat events show that some would have been nearly impossible without climate change, and all have increased in intensity and likelihood. The document argues that while heat early warning systems have expanded, adaptation finance and systemic urban and labor reforms are insufficient to meet the escalating risks.

The report outlines ten best practices for linear infrastructure (LI) development to mitigate impacts on nature. Key recommendations include conducting strategic environmental assessments (SEAs), incorporating mandatory safeguards in financial policies, and adhering to the mitigation hierarchy (avoid, minimize, restore, compensate). It emphasizes early integration of environmental and social impact assessments (ESIAs) and the use of climate vulnerability assessments. The document also advocates for wildlife-friendly designs, including ecological corridors, and the adoption of sustainable infrastructure certifications to ensure long-term ecological integrity.

Carbon Market Watch condemns FIFA's hosting decisions for the 2030 and 2034 World Cups, asserting that the events will cause severe environmental damage. The organization highlights the failure of the 2022 Qatar World Cup's carbon neutrality claims and warns that the 2030 tournament's multi-continental structure and Saudi Arabia's 2034 bid—which includes building 11 new stadiums—will lead to massive emissions from construction and air travel. The statement also links these decisions to the influence of polluting corporate sponsors like Aramco and raises concerns over migrant worker deaths in host nations.

The author analyzes the ascent of far-right populism in Europe and globally, attributing its success to the exploitation of economic insecurities and the use of 'culture wars' to fuel cultural panic. The text highlights how mainstream parties have assimilated far-right stances, particularly on immigration and climate policy. It positions political ecology as a radical alternative and argues that the most effective way to confront the far right is to mobilize majorities around a desired progressive world rather than centering the narratives of the right.

India aims for 500 GW of non-fossil electricity capacity by 2030, but the target has slipped to 2031-32. While India produces 70-80% of its wind turbines domestically and exports significantly to the US, its solar PV sector is heavily dependent on China, which held over 80% of the global module market in 2022. India is attempting to build domestic solar supply chains via the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM), though it remains reliant on imports for critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel. Recycling is identified as essential for future supply chain security, with solar PV waste projected to reach nearly 19,000 kt by 2050.

ClientEarth advocates for a shift from siloed environmental policies to comprehensive, legally binding frameworks that integrate biodiversity into all sectors of governance. The briefing emphasizes the need for human rights-based approaches, particularly for Indigenous Peoples, and highlights the importance of accountability mechanisms and the role of strategic litigation and regulation, such as the EU's Nature Restoration Law and Deforestation-free Products Regulation, in achieving global biodiversity targets.

The report finds a positive trend in European pension funds' commitment to sustainable investing, with significant growth in the adoption of mitigation targets and climate risk management. However, a persistent gap remains between these commitments and actual real-economy impact, as pension funds rarely invest directly in projects and often hold fragmented indirect ownership. The analysis highlights that larger funds, those in net-zero coalitions, and funds in countries with strong regulatory frameworks—such as the Nordic countries, the Netherlands, and France—are leading the transition. Key challenges include the gap between asset ownership and management, the difficulty of transitioning passive investments, and limited capital flow to emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs).

Since 2023, Chinese firms have committed over US$100 billion in outbound foreign direct investment (OFDI) across at least 130 major cleantech transactions, spanning solar, wind, batteries, and new energy vehicles (NEVs). This 'going global' strategy is driven by domestic overcapacity, which has caused solar module prices to drop 60% and battery prices 50% year-on-year, and a need to circumvent trade barriers from the US and EU. The report highlights China's dominance in the global battery supply chain, where it holds over 80% of manufacturing capacity, and its expansion into markets like Morocco, Brazil, and Thailand. For Australia, the report notes that Chinese OFDI reached a multi-decade low of US$613 million in 2023, and argues that Australia should clarify its foreign investment rules to attract Chinese private capital for onshore value-adding in critical minerals and renewable energy infrastructure.

The report identifies a dual-track narrative strategy: 'Type A' narratives that exploit societal vulnerabilities to sow discord (such as anti-immigrant and gendered disinformation), and 'Type B' narratives that erode trust in democratic institutions (including electoral fraud and anti-West rhetoric). It details the use of advanced Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) based on the DISARM framework, highlighting the role of AI-generated deepfakes, website cloning, and coordinated inauthentic behavior. The findings suggest that despite EU guidelines under the Digital Services Act, voluntary recommendations are insufficient to protect democratic processes from these evolving, often state-sponsored, threats.

The Institute for Economic Justice argues that requiring social grant recipients in South Africa to prove active job-seeking is a flawed policy. It contends that unemployment is structural rather than a result of individual effort, and that conditionality would exclude millions of needy people, increase administrative costs, and potentially lead to labor exploitation and lower wages. The document advocates for an unconditional Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) as a more effective and just alternative.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) argues that requiring social grant recipients in South Africa to prove they are actively seeking work is a flawed policy. The document contends that unemployment in South Africa is structural rather than a result of individual effort, noting an expanded unemployment rate of 42.6% (12.38 million people). It asserts that job-seeking conditions create high administrative costs, penalize caregivers—particularly women—and may force workers into low-wage, exploitative employment. The IEJ advocates for an unconditional Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) as a constitutional right, contrasting this with proposals from the World Bank, National Treasury, and certain political parties to replace the COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant with conditional job-seeker support.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) argues that imposing work-seeking conditions on social grants in South Africa is a flawed policy. It contends that unemployment is driven by structural economic failures rather than a lack of effort from job seekers. The document highlights that the costs of searching for work—estimated at R1,469 per month for youth—far exceed the R370 provided by the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant, making conditionality a barrier to survival. Furthermore, it argues that such requirements violate constitutional rights to social assistance and could lead to labor exploitation by forcing people into low-wage, poor-quality jobs.

The document contends that requiring social grant recipients in South Africa to prove they are actively seeking work is an ineffective policy that ignores the structural nature of the country's unemployment. It argues that such conditions would exclude millions in need, impose high administrative and compliance costs, and violate constitutional rights to social assistance. The author specifically critiques proposals from the World Bank, National Treasury, and political parties (DA and Rise Mzansi) to replace the Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant with a conditional work-seekers' grant, noting that the cost of job searching (approximately R1469 for youth) far exceeds the grant value (R370).

The world is on track to install 593 GW of solar power in 2024, a 29% increase over 2023. China remains the dominant market, projected to account for 56% of global additions. Growth is widespread, with significant surges in India and the US, and emerging markets like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia showing rapid increases in solar panel imports. This trajectory puts the goal of tripling renewable power capacity by 2030 within reach, provided grid and storage constraints are addressed.

The EU CRMA and UK CMS aim to reduce dependence on China and secure supplies for the green transition, but their domestic focus may hinder African industrialization. While the EU targets 10% domestic mining and 40% processing by 2030, its international partnerships are criticized as extractivist. The brief highlights a misalignment in 'criticality' definitions, where African states prioritize regional industrialization and specific minerals like gold or coal, which may conflict with Western climate goals or sanctions. It concludes that without a shift toward supporting in-country processing and reducing certification costs for local firms, these strategies will fail to create mutually beneficial partnerships.

The report finds that while CETP signatories have significantly reduced international public finance for fossil fuels, they have failed to scale up clean energy investment at a comparable rate.